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Description: Bangladesh’s largest Islamic party, Jamaat e – Islami (JI), held a rally where thousands of supporters called for fair elections and systemic reforms within the country. Last week’s public unrest between members of the National Citizen Party (NCP) and the Awami League party signaled renewed political crisis in the country after the ouster of former leader, Sheikh Hasina, who is in self – imposed exile in India. JI members called for the unification of Bangladesh’s Islamist parties in order to establish a rule in the country, led by Islamic principles where all ethnic minorities would have equal rights. Bangladesh’s constitutional court has delegitimized Hasina’s
Description: The European Union has introduced the 18th package of sanctions against Russia, aimed at depriving the country from its wartime economy and pressuring it towards peace talks. The package introduced by EU’s Foreign Policy Chief, Kaja Kallas, targeted more ships pertaining to Russia’s shadow fleet and also set a new price cap on Russian oil exports, devaluating Russian oil at $47.60 per barrel and improving the previously set price cap by the G7 which was set at $60.00 per barrel. Kallas stated that up to 105 ships in Russia’s shadow fleet were added to the sanctions list, alongside Chinese banks which have facilitated the transactions for the illegally
Description: The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has fired 70 foreign individuals working as research staff due to national security concerns of endangering the US food supply. USDA launched an internal review which identified individuals with ties to nations of concern such as China, Russia, North Korea and Iran who could have potentially compromised US food supply nationwide. Most of the identified individuals were Chinese post – doctoral researchers who worked under two – year contracts and have been previously vetted. The USDA is expected to experience shortages in research staff, following a hiring suspension initiated by the Trump administration which has been exte
Description: In his first official visit to the UK, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz vowed expanded strategic ties with Britain as he signed the so – called Kensington agreement with UK’s Prime Minister, Keir Starmer. The main topic of the meeting was tackling illegal migration, deeper economic and defense cooperation and a potential trilateral alliance between Germany, the UK and France. The Chancellor and the Prime Minister reportedly concluded agreements on 17 joint projects for future completion that envisaged extended cooperation in several key areas such as defense research and development, the incentivization of tourism and student exchanges, as well as larger infrast
Description: The US Senate and House of Representatives, in a contested vote, passed a bill cutting foreign aid and broadcasting federal financing of several media outlets such as PBS and NPR. The Senate passed the bill with 51 to 48 votes in favor while the House passed the bill with 216 to 213 votes in favor with some members of the Republican party voting against it. The bill arrives as the Trump administration advances its initiatives to cut excessive federal spending, the complete amount of federal spending which is projected to be saved from the budget cuts amounted to approximately $8 billion. The Democratic party voiced its concerns mostly over the expenditure limita
Description: Addressing the Parliament, South Sudan’s President, Salva Kiir, called for reconciliation with the political opposition in the country while much of its members were still imprisoned or in exile. South Sudan was entangled in a protracted political crisis in recent months which culminated with the arrests of Vice – President Riek Machar and most of the SPLM – IO’s political leadership. Clashes broke out between forces loyal to Kiir’s government and the White Army militia loyal to Machar in what was labeled as a constitutional and political crisis, threatening the previously agreed peace accord in 2018 which ended a long civil war in the country. Members of the SP
Description: Protests organized by the newly – formed National Citizen Party (NCP), commemorating the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, turned violent after members of Hasina’s Awami League party attempted to disrupt the gathering. Five people were reported to have been killed while more than 50 were hospitalized with severe injuries in the local hospitals. The Bangladeshi military assisted the local police forces in subverting the violent protests before imposing a curfew in the region. The NCP was formed last year by the student movement which protested against Hasina’s rule who has been indicted in absentia to 6 months in prison following her violent suppress
Description: Local elections in Togo saw a low civil turnout after the streets were filled with heavy presence by the military and police forces in the country. Togolese were set to elect municipal representatives in the 117 municipalities across the country following weeks of demonstrations and violent unrest, protesting the rule of Faure Gnassingbe. The violent protests were instigated after the imprisonment of the Togolese pop star Aamron who called for the protests on Gnassingbe’s birthday and transpired towards larger dimensions of civil unrest which left up to 7 people dead and scores of injured. The country’s civil movement, Don’t Touch my Constitution announced prote
Description: US President Donald Trum hosted Qatari Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani and Bahrain’s Crown Prince, Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, as he separately discussed regional issues and bilateral economic cooperation with the Middle East leaders. Trump followed up on his first foreign visit in the Gulf states, when he visited Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE, as the President continued to develop strong strategic ties with traditionally close allied countries in the Middle East. Speaking at a press conference, Al Khalifa announced investments in the US which would reportedly amount to $17 billion stretching across several key industries s
Description: France has officially transferred command to Senegal of its last two military bases in the country, ending its military presence across west and central Africa. The withdrawal ends the 65 – year tenure of French troops in the country in times of growing terrorist threats and jihadists conflicts across the Sahel region. Senegal’s President, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, stated that France remains a stable partner to Senegal while also demanding an official apology from the French government for colonial atrocities committed to Senegalese soldiers fighting for France in the Second World War. The French government continues to conduct the continent-wide pullout of militar