- 26 April, 2024
Geopolitics & National Security
PTI and Chanakya Forum
PTI and Chanakya Forum
Articles Lists
Can Either Russia or Ukraine Reasonably Claim to be ‘Winning’ the War in Ukraine?
Calgary (Canada), Jul 28 (The Conversation). As the war in Ukraine drags on, both Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy say it’s going their way. Both sides are outwardly confident of ultimate success, but what does that mean? And how likely is such an outcome? Putin has
Ukraine War: Why Moscow Could Go Nuclear Over Kyiv’s Threats to Crimea
Birmingham/Odesa, Jul 21 (The Conversation). As the war in Ukraine is about to head into its sixth month, the ferocity with which it is fought shows no signs of abating neither on the battlefield, nor in the rhetoric emerging from Moscow and Kyiv. Russian attacks continue to target Ukrainian citi
Sri Lanka’s Crisis – Not Just About the Economy
Sri Lanka is in the grip of an economic, political and humanitarian crisis. In a remarkable display of anger, thousands of protesters disregarded government curfews, rampant military and police presence to storm the presidential palace and the prime minister’s residence, demanding their resignatio
Ukraine Conflict : No Rules for POWs
Bradford (UK), Jun 12 (The Conversation). As in any war between two sovereign countries, the Ukraine conflict has resulted in thousands of soldiers on both sides being taken captive. Both sides appear to be using prisoners of war (POWs) in ways that break international law. In May, Russia claimed
India’s Commitment for Global Food Security
Amid the negative impact on global food supplies and oil prices due to the Ukraine war, India on Monday said that it is “committed” to working constructively in mitigating the adverse impact of the conflict on food security, even as it underlined that the developed world needs to do “much more
China’s Shrinking Population
Melbourne, May 30 (The Conversation). The world’s biggest nation is about to shrink. China accounts for more than one sixth of the world’s population. Yet after four extraordinary decades in which China’s population has swelled from 660 million to 1.4 billion, its population is on track t
New Zealand Finds its Voice on Security
By Lucy Craymer WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand has long been seen as the moderate, even absent, voice on China in the "Five Eyes" western alliance, so much so that its commitment to the group was questioned just 12 months ago. The recent signing of a security pact between China and nearby
Analysis-Neutral Switzerland leans closer to NATO in response to Russia
By John Revill BERN (Reuters) -Switzerland's fabled neutral status is about to face its biggest test in decades, with the defence ministry tilting closer to Western military powers in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The defence ministry is drawing
UAE Leader Khalifa- Architect of Close UAE-US Relations
DUBAI (Reuters) - Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan, who died on Friday, was a pro-Western moderniser whose low-key approach helped steer the United Arab Emirates through a tense era in regional politics by aligning the Gulf oil producer closer with Washington and its allies, including Israel. K
North Korea’s COVID-19 Outbreak – A Major Health Crisis Unleashed
By Soo-hyang Choi and Josh Smith SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea's admission that it is battling an "explosive" COVID-19 outbreak has raised concerns that the virus could devastate a country with an under-resourced health system, limited testing capabilities, and no vaccine programme. The isolat
Marcos as Philippine President – A Boon for China, Bane for US?
The decisive victory of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the Philippines' presidential election on Monday is set to re-shape the Southeast Asian country's relations with China and the United States as he seeks closer ties with Beijing. Marcos, the son and namesake of the country's former dictator, has lon
Shanghai COVID Crisis – Political Spotlight on Key Xi Ally
If Shanghai Communist Party chief Li Qiang has been politically bruised by the city's struggle to tame a COVID-19 outbreak that has infuriated residents and caused severe economic damage, there is little sign of it. A close ally of President Xi Jinping for decades, Li has long been seen as destin
Russia-Ukraine War- A Lost Opportunity for Turkey’s Westward Outreach
By Tuvan Gumrukcu and Jonathan Spicer ANKARA (Reuters) - Before travelling to Moscow last week, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stopped over in Ankara to meet Tayyip Erdogan and praise the Turkish leader's diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine. Less than two hours after the two
Iran Nuclear Deal Near Death, But West Not Ready to Pull Plug
By Arshad Mohammed, John Irish and Parisa Hafezi WASHINGTON/PARIS/DUBAI (Reuters) - Western officials have largely lost hope the Iran nuclear deal can be resurrected, sources familiar with the matter said, forcing them to weigh how to limit Iran's atomic program even as Russia's invasion of Ukrai
Russia’s Ukrainian Quagmire Providing Tough Lessons for China
By Greg Torode, Martin Quin Pollard and Yew Lun Tian HONG KONG/BEIJING (Reuters) -From countering a Western "information war" during a Taiwan conflict to using "shock and awe" to swiftly subdue the island's forces, Chinese strategists are soaking up lessons from Russia's Ukrainian quagmire, diplo
Complex Web of Creditors, Politics, Threatens Sri Lanka’s Restructuring
By Jorgelina do Rosario LONDON (Reuters) - Social unrest, political uncertainty and a complex web of creditors could scupper Sri Lanka's push for a swift overhaul of its $12 billion overseas debt, analysts warn, saying the South Asian nation is fast running out of road. A mix of Japanese, Chin
Hobbled by Economy, Erdogan Heads to Saudi to Mend Ties
By Tuvan Gumrukcu and Jonathan Spicer ANKARA (Reuters) - Three and a half years after accusing Saudi Arabia's leadership of murder and running a sham trial over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan plans a trip to the Gulf kingdom on Thursday to mend ties.
Solomon Islands Pact with China Impacts Australian Elections
By Kirsty Needham SYDNEY (Reuters) - For the first time in decades, the actions of a foreign state have taken centre stage in an Australian election campaign, analysts said, as China's security pact with the Solomon Islands reverberates into neighbour Australia's domestic politics. Australian
France’s Macron defeats far-right, pledges change
By Mimosa Spencer, Layli Foroudi and Ingrid Melander PARIS (Reuters) -Emmanuel Macron comfortably defeated far-right rival Marine Le Pen on Sunday, heading off a political earthquake for Europe but acknowledging dissatisfaction with his first term and saying he would seek to make amends. His s
Under Military’s Watch, Sudan’s Former Ruling Party Making a Comeback
By Khalid Abdelaziz and Nafisa Eltahir KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Since Sudan's military staged a coup six months ago many former allies of toppled autocrat Omar al-Bashir have been allowed to rejoin the civil service while others have been freed from jail in an apparent push to form a government and r
Xi Jinping Sticks with COVID Stance Despite Anger, Economic Headwinds
By Yew Lun Tian and Tony Munroe BEIJING (Reuters) - For many leaders, mounting public anger and a rapidly worsening economic outlook would be cause for worry and a policy rethink. But Chinese President Xi Jinping, who doubtless would prefer smoother sailing in the run-up to a third leadership
Mariupol : Ruins of Port Could Become Russia’s First Big Prize in Ukraine
By Pavel Polityuk and Natalia Zinets (Reuters) - The Sea of Azov port of Mariupol, reduced to a wasteland by seven weeks of siege and bombardment that Ukraine says killed tens of thousands of civilians, could become the first big city captured by Russia since its invasion. Russia said on Wedne
What are Chemical Weapons and Are They Illegal?
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has expressed concern that Russia could deploy chemical weapons in the war and there has been an unconfirmed report of their use in the besieged southern port of Mariupol. Chemical weapons production, use and stockpiling is banned under the 1997 Chemical We
Even With Sanctions, Russia Can Afford to Feed its War Machine
By Mark Trevelyan and Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen LONDON (Reuters) - Russia can afford to wage a long war in Ukraine despite being hammered by Western sanctions aimed at crippling its ability to sustain the campaign, defence experts and economists say. Russia's invasion has driven up the price of
How Russia-Ukraine Conflict has Put Cryptocurrencies in Spotlight
Just days before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, thousands of people in Canada joined a truckers’ protest movement called the “freedom convoy” to oppose government health measures. To support the protest movement organisers launched a fundraising campaign on the GoFundMe platform. However,
Putin Faces “More NATO” in the Arctic After Ukraine Invasion
The sound of gunfire echoed around the Norwegian fjords as a row of Swedish and Finnish soldiers, positioned prone behind banks of snow, trained rifles and missile launchers on nearby hills ready for an enemy attack. The drill, in March, was the first time forces from Finland and Sweden have form
Russia’s ‘Defensive’ Use of Nuclear Weapons Policy
Even before the Russian military machine entered Ukrainian territory on February 24, the potential threat of escalation to a nuclear conflict had been raised. In the days before the invasion, Russia conducted a large-scale exercise involving simulated long-range conventional and nuclear strikes in r
Japan Decides To Keep Russian Gas
By Yoshifumi Takemoto, Yuka Obayashi and Ritsuko Shimizu TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's announcement on Thursday that he would not abandon a massive Russian gas project was decided weeks ago when he told top officials in private he wouldn't risk Japan's energy security,
Peace Talks on Ukraine: Russia’s Red Lines Unchanged
Russia and Ukraine are talking about a peace deal while their soldiers kill each other, but there has been no breakthrough and they remain far apart on the question of territory. President Vladimir Putin says the "special military operation" in Ukraine is necessary because the United States was usi
Canada – Impermanence Nation
By Anna Mehler Paperny TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada is increasingly relying on temporary residents to meet its labor force needs, according to a Reuters analysis of official data, but this phenomenon makes workers vulnerable and fails to provide wage growth or stability to businesses, warn workers,
Bogged Down in Ukraine, Russia Moves War Goalposts
By Mark Trevelyan LONDON (Reuters) - Russia has reframed its war goals in Ukraine in a way that may make it easier for President Vladimir Putin to claim a face-saving victory despite a woeful campaign in which his army has suffered humiliating setbacks, military analysts say. Russia attacked i
Largest Test Yet, North Korea’s ICBM Programme Hits New Heights
By Josh Smith SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea's resumption of long-range missile tests, including a flight of its largest-ever weapon, puts it closer than ever to having a reliable way of delivering multiple nuclear warheads anywhere in the United States, analysts say. North Korea reported its l
Can Russia’s Putin be Prosecuted for War Crimes in Ukraine?
By Jacqueline Thomsen and Mike Scarcella (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden has publicly called Russian President Vladimir Putin a war criminal, but legal experts said a prosecution of Putin or other Russian leaders would face high hurdles and could take years, as outlined below: HOW IS A WA
Rohingya Genocide by Myanmar Army – The US Perspective
The Biden administration has formally determined that violence committed against the Rohingya minority by Myanmar's military amounts to genocide and crimes against humanity, a move that advocates say should bolster efforts to hold the junta that now runs Myanmar accountable. Secretary of State Anton
Ukraine: What Might Happen if the War Spreads to a NATO Country
Reading (UK), Mar 20 (The Conversation). As Russian military activity moves nearer the Ukrainian border with Nato, the potential for direct confrontation between Russia and the alliance increases. On March 13, Russian aircraft reportedly fired rockets at the Yavoriv International Center for Pea
US Gamble on China Over Ukraine Issue
By Trevor Hunnicutt and David Brunnstrom WASHINGTON/BEIJING (Reuters) - The Biden administration made a carefully orchestrated gamble this week, issuing a series of public and private threats to Beijing that it will face consequences if it supports Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The strategy wa
Chinese Military Aid to Russia – A Major Role Reversal
By Greg Torode and Martin Quin Pollard HONG KONG (Reuters) - For decades Russia has, more than any other country, aided China's dramatic military modernisation with weapons and technology - and now Beijing has plenty that Moscow needs as its Ukraine invasion continues, military analysts say. A
Ukraine’s Small Missiles vs The Big Invader
When Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told the world “I need ammunition, not a ride,” what he really wanted was anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons. Since then, countries have sent him some 17,000 anti-tank missiles and thousands of anti-aircraft missiles. Zelensky’s request, and the
Ukraine: Citizenship and Race Play Out in Refugees’ Movements in Europe
As millions of refugees flee Ukraine as a result of the Russian invasion, one question that has been raised is: Why have Ukrainians been welcomed into eastern Europe, unlike Syrians, Iraqis, Afghans and Eritreans? Is it because they are white? Criticisms imply that the European Union treats refugees
Russia’s New Ukraine Law
By Elizabeth Piper LONDON (Reuters) - After almost eight hours sitting in a police station and court, Vera Kotova became one of the first people to be judged and fined just under $240 under a new Russian law to punish anyone deemed to have discredited the armed forces. Her crime was writing "N
Geopolitics and Gas Prices
Toronto, Mar 9 (The Conversation). Canadians are finally returning to the office after two years of pandemic restrictions, and they’re are making March Break and summer travel plans. They are also being confronted by record-high gasoline prices at the pumps, leaving them wondering: Why is gasoline
Belarus – A Russian Pawn
London, Mar 8 (The Conversation). The political crisis that has gripped Belarus for the past 18 months has seen president Aliaksandr Lukashenka (the preferred Belarusian spelling; “Alexander Lukashenko” is the Russian transliteration) transition from a peacemaker to a pawn in Vladimir Putin’s
Russian Attacks Spur Debate About Nuclear Power
By Timothy Gardner WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Russia’s takeover of Europe's largest nuclear power plant in Ukraine should spur companies and policymakers to be more careful in plans to build reactors to fight climate change, nuclear safety experts said on Friday. Russian forces seized the Zaporiz
Post Nuclear Deal and Flow of Iranian Oil
By Bozorgmehr Sharafedin and Julia Payne LONDON (Reuters) - A deal to limit Iran's nuclear programme would lead to sanctions on its oil sector being lifted but it could take several months for any more Iranian crude to flow, and even then it may only offer short-term respite to tight oil markets,
Oil Industry’s Plastic Boom Threatens U.N.’s ‘Historic’ Pollution Pact
By John Geddie and Joe Brock NAIROBI (Reuters) - When the United Nations agreed a landmark deal to create the world's first ever global plastic pollution treaty this week, every party was quick to claim a victory, from industry lobbyists to environmental activists. That could spell trouble. Th
Thermobaric Weapons – Why Should They be Banned?
Russian forces in Ukraine may have used thermobaric weapons and cluster bombs, according to reports from the Ukraine government and human rights groups. If true, this represents an escalation in brutality that should alarm us all. While cluster munitions are banned by international convention, the
Nuclear Dangers as Putin Puts his Nuclear Forces on High Alert
Russian president Vladimir Putin overnight ordered the defence minister and the chief of the military to put nuclear deterrent forces in a special regime of combat duty , possibly referring to readying tactical nuclear forces. This could of course be a bluff, but Putin has demonstrated on numerous o
Ukraine Invasion : What the West Needs to Do Now
With the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Vladimir Putin has overstepped an important line. The west sat by and did little when Russia invaded Georgia in 2008 and annexed Crimea in 2014. But the full-scale invasion of Ukraine that is currently underway is impossible to ignore. Putin's actions and his
Putin’s Ukraine Assault Confounds Biden Strategy, Puts US Leadership to Test
He threatened to impose the harshest sanctions ever on Russia. He worked to galvanize U.S. allies into a united front. He supplied Ukraine with more weapons than any American president before him. And he beefed up U.S. forces on NATO's eastern flank as reassurance of his commitment. Despite U.S.
Ukraine Crisis and World Financial Markets – No Overreaction Yet
The economic consequences of armed conflicts have received widespread attention at least as far back as when John Meynard Keynes wrote about them in 1919 in relation to the first world war. Yet as the world braces for a possible war in Ukraine, we still know relatively little about the interplay bet
False Flag Attacks – Could Russia Make One Work in the Information Age?
In the past few weeks, US officials have warned several times that Russia plans to create the appearance of an attack on its own forces and broadcast those images to the world. Such a false flag operation, they alleged, would give Russia the pretext to invade Ukraine by provoking shock and outrage.
Ukraine: What Would a Russian Invasion Actually Look Like?
Despite suggestions to the contrary from the Kremlin, Ukraine remains surrounded by Russian troops, both along its long border with Russia and from within occupied Crimea. The Russian Federation has deployed land, air and naval forces that give the Kremlin a range of possibilities should it seek to
Reviving US-Iran Nuclear Deal
A U.S.-Iranian deal taking shape to revive Iran's 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers lays out phases of mutual steps to bring both sides back into full compliance, and the first does not include waivers on oil sanctions, diplomats say. Envoys from Iran, Russia, China, Britain, France, Germa
Ukraine Crisis – Aviation Fears Grow Over Russia Fallout
Airlines and the leasing companies that control billions of dolllars' worth of passenger jets are drawing up contingency plans for a freeze in business with Russia if the standoff on Ukraine's border boils over into a military conflict. U.S. officials have warned that Moscow could launch an attac
Not An Easy Withdrawal From Mali for French Military
France is considering withdrawing its troops from Mali, but adapting its strategy to prevent Islamist militancy spreading south may prove complex and contribute to uncertainty in the region. Relations between Paris and the junta in Bamako have deteriorated https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/thous
Islamic State likely to pick battle-hardened Iraqi as next leader
The next leader of Islamic State is likely to be from a close circle of battle-hardened Iraqi jihadists who emerged in the aftermath of the 2003 U.S. invasion, two Iraqi security officials and three independent analysts said. The group of potential successors to Abu Ibrahim al-Quraishi, who blew hi
Power Vacuum in Iraq and Syria – Now Islamic State Hits Back
Yousif Ibrahim no longer travels by night along the roads around his hometown of Jalawla in northeastern Iraq. He fears getting caught up in attacks by Islamic State. "The police and army don't come into our area much anymore. If they do, they get shot at by militants," said the 25-year-old, who se
North Korea On a Missile Testing Spree
North Korea conducted its largest missile test since 2017 today, 30, January, sending a suspected intermediate-range ballistic missile soaring into space, seen as taking the nuclear-armed country a step closer to resuming long-range testing. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that a pro
Weakest link?-Russian Gas Puts Europe In a Bind
Escalating tensions between the West and Russia over Ukraine have raised concerns about vital Russian oil and gas flows to Europe, prompting the United States to offer reassurances that it will help its European allies find alternative supplies. But that task may be mission impossible for Washingto
West Africa Coups Show Limits of Diplomacy
Earlier this month, West African countries slapped tough economic sanctions on Mali to punish coup leaders seeking to extend their hold on power, and to halt a run of military takeovers that have beset the region since 2020. Burkina Faso's military did not get the message. On Monday, two weeks afte
Lebanon Slips Further Into Iran’s Orbit
A decision by Sunni Muslim leader Saad al-Hariri to step away from Lebanese politics opens the way for Shi'ite Hezbollah to extend its already deep sway over the country, rendering it ever more a bastion of Iranian influence on the Mediterranean. Three times prime minister, Hariri https://www.reu
Putin Drawing “Red Lines” Over Ukraine
Ukraine has become the main flashpoint in Moscow's relations with the West, with Russian troops massed near its border and NATO's forces on standby in case Russia attacks its neighbour. Here are some of the reasons why Russian President Vladimir Putin is so preoccupied with Ukraine and why he has c
Burkina Faso Coup – A Blow to France
The military coup https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/burkina-faso-president-kabore-detained-military-camp-sources-tell-reuters-2022-01-24 in Burkina Faso deals another heavy blow to France's fading efforts to stabilise the Sahel region, where Islamist militants have grown in strength and people's
If Russia Invades Ukraine, NATO Gets Best Supporting Actor ?
NATO would be likely to reinforce its troop presence in the Black Sea and the Baltics while fending off cyberattacks if Russia were to invade Ukraine, diplomats and former officials said. But with the Western military alliance under no treaty obligation to defend Ukraine, which is not a NATO member,
Ending American Dependence on China for Rare Earths
A bipartisan piece of legislation introduced in the U.S. Senate on Friday would force defense contractors to stop buying rare earths from China by 2026 and use the Pentagon to create a permanent stockpile of the strategic minerals. The bill, sponsored by Senators Tom Cotton, an Arkansas Republica
‘Keep the Defender Guessing’: Russia’s Military Options on Ukraine
Russia's deployment of tens of thousands of troops to the north, east and south of Ukraine https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/expect-worst-ukraine-hit-by-cyberattack-russia-moves-more-troops-2022-01-14 is fuelling fears in Kyiv and Western capitals that Moscow is planning a new attack. Russia deni
North Korea’s ‘Hypersonic Missile’ Tests Raise Military Stakes in Asia
Even as debates swirl over their capability, a series of “hypersonic missiles” recently tested by nuclear-armed North Korea sparked sudden talk of preemptive strikes and arms races amid worry over the vulnerability of U.S. troops and their allies in Asia. North Korea kicked off the new year w
China Eyes Doklam Again
China has accelerated settlement-building along its disputed border with Bhutan, with more than 200 structures, including two-storey buildings, under construction in six locations, according to satellite image analysis conducted for Reuters. The images and analysis supplied to Reuters by U.S. dat
‘Colonial Wine from New, Authoritarian Bottles’: Hong Kong Re-tools Sedition Law
The Hong Kong government is expanding its use of a long-dormant sedition law in what some lawyers and democracy advocates say is intensifying a squeeze on press freedom. Evidence of the renewed reliance on the sedition legislation came in late December when China-ruled Hong Kong targeted two medi
Kazakhstan -From Stability to Turmoil
Security forces appeared to have reclaimed the streets of Kazakhstan's main city on Friday, a day after Russian paratroopers arrived to help quash an uprising in which dozens of people have been killed and public buildings torched. Police patrolled the debris-strewn streets of Almaty after the wo
Kazakhstan Intervention Presents Unwelcome Distraction for Putin
The sudden and violent crisis in Kazakhstan has caught Russian President Vladimir Putin at a moment when his attention was firmly focused elsewhere and forced him into a military intervention that carries potential risks. Putin immediately committed Russian paratroopers on Thursday as part of a p
The Chaotic Collapse of the Afghan Air Force
Hours before Kabul fell to the Taliban on Aug. 15, the Afghan Air Force was melting down. Instead of unleashing air attacks against advancing insurgents, some airmen were fighting each other. At the Kabul airport, some Afghan Air Force personnel guarding the airfield tried to force their way onto
‘Erasing History’ in Russia
Russia's Supreme Court ordered the country's oldest human rights group to disband on Tuesday for breaking a law requiring it to act as "a foreign agent", capping a year of crackdowns on Kremlin critics unseen since the Soviet era. The closure of Memorial International bookmarks a year in which Al
Iran Seeks to Cool Tensions in Iraq
Iran is intervening in Iraq to quell destabilising internal unrest stirred up by Iranian-backed militias. The actions come as Tehran seeks to preserve its deep influence in the country while also navigating tense negotiations over its nuclear ambitions with the United States. A particularly high-lev
Turkey’s Crisis Rattles the Faithful in Erdogan’s Heartland
Turkish labourer Hasan Sarikaya says he has no job, no money and no hope for a better future while President Tayyip Erdogan - the leader he supported for years - remains in power. Like many people in the industrial city of Konya in Turkey's conservative heartlands, which enjoyed an economic boom
10 years of Kim Jong Un: North Korea Better Armed but More Isolated
Ten years after Kim Jong Un assumed power North Korea is better armed but deeply isolated and more dependent on China, despite actions by the young leader that raised - and dashed - hopes of economic transformation or international opening. Kim’s pursuit of nuclear weapons defined his first 10
In Myanmar’s Chin state, a grassroots rebellion grows
By Devjyot Ghoshal and Chanchinmawia CHAMPHAI, India (Reuters) -The former boxer said he and his comrades were perched on a hillside near the town of Mindat, in Myanmar's northwest, and preparing to ambush a patrol of soldiers when the troops opened fire and a bullet sma
UAE – Stuck in the Middle?
UAE Walks a Tightrope Between USA, Israel and Iran The United Arab Emirates is walking a diplomatic high wire between superpower ally Washington, new friend Israel and old adversary Iran as it seeks to avoid a costly regional conflict that could torpedo its trade and tourism ambitions. Abu Dha
COVID shots are finally arriving, but Africa can’t get them all into arms
By Maggie Fick and Edward McAllister SEKENANI, Kenya (Reuters) - When a group arrived at the Sekenani health clinic in rural Kenya for their COVID-19 vaccines recently, staff told them there were no doses left and that they should come back soon. For so
Trials of Aung San Suu Kyi, From Heroine to Villain to Convict
Put on trial by the generals who overthrew her elected government in a coup that cut short democratic reforms she had fought for decades to bring about, Myanmar's ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi was sentenced on dec 06 to four years in prison. She was convicted of incitement and violations o
New COVID Variant Omicron Triggers Global Alarm
The discovery of a new coronavirus variant named Omicron triggered global alarm on Friday as countries rushed to suspend travel from southern Africa and stock markets on both sides of the Atlantic suffered their biggest falls in more than a year. The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Nov 26 clas
Is War Between Russia and Ukraine Imminent?
Russian troop movements near Ukraine have drawn concern from Kyiv and the United States that it might be considering attacking its neighbour. Here is a look at some of the questions that raises. WHAT ARE THE TWO SIDES SAYING ABOUT THE RISK OF CONFLICT? Russia denies threatening anyone and says
African Nations Mend and Make Do as China Reduces Funding for BRI
Deep in Kenya's Great Rift Valley, members of the National Youth Service tirelessly swing machetes to clear dense shrubs obscuring railway tracks more than a century old. It's a distinctly low-tech phase for China's Belt and Road drive in Africa to create the trade highways of the future. There's no
‘Tourists’ In Belarus Become Refugees in Poland
When Kamaran Mohammed travelled with his wife and three children to the Belarus capital Minsk last month from their home in northern Iraq, they went as tourists. They were among thousands of people provided with tourist visas in recent months with the help of travel agencies in the Middle East wo
What’s in the Glasgow Climate Pact?
Nearly 200 nations agreed to adopt the Glasgow Climate Pact on November 13, 2021 after more than two weeks of intense negotiations, with the UK host of the talks saying the deal would keep alive international hopes of averting the worst impacts of global warming. The agreement in effect acknowled
Wielding Fresh Leverage, Iran to Play Hardball at Nuclear Talks
Iran will adopt an uncompromising stance when it resumes nuclear talks with major powers, betting it has the leverage to win wide sanctions relief in return for curbs on its increasingly advanced atomic technology, officials and analysts say. The stakes are high, since failure in the negotiations r
Ortega Win: A New Blow to Biden’s Central America Strategy
U.S. President Joe Biden's efforts to tackle migration from Central America by promoting the rule of law took a hit with the contentious re-election of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, the clearest example yet of the region's democratic drift. Ortega's election https://www.reuters.com/world/am
Islamic State violence dents Taliban claims of safer Afghanistan
By James Mackenzie ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Last month, the family of Mawlavi Ezzatullah, a member of Afghanistan's Hizb-e Islami party, received a WhatsApp message from his phone: "We have slaughtered your Mawlavi Ezzat, come and collect his body." Ezzatu
Saudi Women Barrel Into Workforce in Changing Kingdom
Stepping out of a shared taxi in central Riyadh, Reham Al-Ahmed walked into the shopping mall where she works four days a week selling cosmetics. Al-Ahmed, a high school graduate, is the first woman in her family to have a job. Her parents had never wanted her to work but they eventually relented a
Robotic Weapons – A Moral Dilemma
Autonomous weapon systems – commonly known as killer robots – may have killed human beings for the first time ever last year, according to a recent United Nations Security Council report on the Libyan civil war. History could well identify this as the starting point of the next major arms race,
Net Zero: Just Patching Over Emissions or Path for Saving Planet?
More than 190 countries committed in 2015 to limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels in an effort to stave off the worst effects of climate change such as drought, flooding and loss of species. Scientists say bringing global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to 'ne
Why Are the EU and UK Arguing over Northern Ireland?
British Brexit minister David Frost called in a speech in Lisbon on Tuesday for the European Union to allow "significant change" to post-Brexit rules governing trade with Northern Ireland. He was speaking a day before the EU presents its proposals to solve a standoff over part of the Brexit divorce
Exclusive-Cash airlifts planned to bypass Taliban and help Afghans -sources
By Robin Emmott, John O'Donnell and Jonathan Landay BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - As desperate Afghans resort to selling their belongings to buy food, international officials are preparing to fly in cash for the needy while avoiding financing the Taliban
Exclusive-Afghan central bank drained dollar stockpile before Kabul fell – document
By John O'Donnell and Rupam Jain FRANKFURT/MUMBAI (Reuters) - The Afghan central bank ran down most of its U.S. dollar cash reserves in the weeks before the Taliban took control of the country, according to an assessment prepared for Afghanistan's international dono
Killing of Top Rohingya Leader Underscores Violence in Bangladesh Camps
For years, Rohingya leader Mohib Ullah, one of the most prominent advocates for the persecuted Muslim minority from Myanmar, predicted he would be killed by the hardliners who regularly sent him death threats. "If I die, I’m fine. I will give my life," he told Reuters in 2019 in his office in a
Japan’s ‘Shadow Shogun’ Abe Assured Clout Over Next PM Fumio Kishida
Japan's former premier Shinzo Abe wasn't running in this week's ruling party poll to pick the country's next leader but the victory of his one-time foreign minister, Fumio Kishida, means Abe and his conservative base are the winners, their policy clout assured. Abe's muscular defence policies and
New Drives to Counter China Come With a Major Risk: Throwing Fuel on The Indo-Pacific Arms Race
An accelerating arms race in the Indo-Pacific is all but guaranteed now that China finds itself a target of new security arrangements — AUKUS and the Quad — aimed at containing its power and influence. This has the makings of a new great game in the region in which rival powers are no longer in
French break-up a blow to Biden’s China-focused alliance rebuilding
By Humeyra Pamuk and David Brunnstrom WASHINGTON (Reuters) -European capitals celebrated a visit by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in June, as President Joe Biden's top diplomat cracked jokes in French in Paris, posed for selfies with French youth and spoke at le
A Reluctant Feminist: Germany’s Merkel Still Inspires Many Women
BERLIN/COLOGNE, Germany (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel has become a feminist icon after 16 years in power even though the world's most powerful woman has only belatedly accepted that label as she prepares to step down, and conceded that gender equality is still a long way off. "She i
Joe Biden – President Who Pulled Punches When it Mattered
Hours after the last U.S. troops and diplomats were out of Afghanistan, President Joe Biden said in an address at the White House that Washington will continue to support the Afghans left behind and would defend their basic rights, especially those of women and girls. "I've been clear that human rig
Unleashing Reforms, Xi Returns to China’s Socialist Roots
BEIJING (Reuters) -When Xi Jinping took command of the Communist Party in late 2012 and proclaimed "only socialism can save China", it was largely ignored as the perfunctory mention of an antiquated slogan - not to be taken literally in a modern-day, market-powered economy. But sweeping new polic
The West Owes Qatar a Favour Over Afghanistan
DUBAI (Reuters) - Since the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, the world's top diplomats have been beating a path to Qatar, long the gateway to the Taliban and now the essential go-between as the West tries to deal with the new Kabul government. This is no accident. Analysts describe Qatar's emerg