North America:
- Canada banned Chinese messaging application WeChat and Russian antivirus programme Kaspersky on government-issued devices last Monday (Oct 30) due to privacy and security risks. Canada’s chief information officer concluded after an assessment that both technologies “present an unacceptable level of risk to privacy and security”. China’s foreign ministry said the ban was done without any real evidence and was an abuse of national power and unreasonable suppression of enterprises from specific countries acting on ideological prejudices. Kaspersky was “surprised and disappointed” at the ban, and the lack of warning for due process for the company to defend itself, believing that Canada was responding to the geopolitical climate instead.
- A large migrant caravan, estimated to have about 3,500 to 5,000 Central Americans and Venezuelans depending on sources, left southern Mexico for the US last Monday (Oct 30). The US has been struggling with renewed pressure to handle the migration situation on its southern border. It has been reported that civil protection officials and ambulances are escorting the migrants along their journey. Caravan organiser, Irineo Mujica explained that the migrants’ motivations are due to frustration about not being able to obtain humanitarian visas. 2023 has seen record numbers of migrants crossing the Darien Gap region as a result of rising poverty and political instability in their homelands.
- US President Joe Biden hosted leaders from Barbados, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Peru, and Uruguay, and top officials from Mexico and Panama at the White House for the inaugural Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity (APEP) Leaders’ Summit last Friday (Nov 3). The countries pledged to strengthen the Western Hemisphere’s supply chains in areas of clean energy, medical supplies and semiconductors; and vowed to expand regional trade links; on the backdrop of US-China tensions and US migrant challenges. According to Biden, the summit’s goal was to “harness the incredible economic potential of the Americas and make the Western Hemisphere the most economically competitive region in the world” without the “debt-trap diplomacy” of China.
- In a meeting with US President Joe Biden last Thursday (Nov 2), Chilean President Gabriel Boric expressed his concerns over the Israel-Hamas war, calling Israel actions a violation of international law. Boric did condemn the Oct 7 attack on Israel by Hamas and also criticised Israel’s retaliation as disproportionate: “the right of a state to defend itself has limits, and those limits imply respecting the lives of innocent civilians, especially children, and respecting civil humanitarian law. Biden did issue a statement to reaffirm their continued efforts to increase and sustain the delivery of life-saving humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza. Also on the agenda were safeguarding democracy in Latin America, Washington’s decision to lift sanctions on Venezuela, and Boric attempts to negotiate for the US to lift sanctions on Cuba.
- For the 31st time, the UN General Assembly called for the US to end its decades-long trade embargo against Cuba last Thursday (Nov 2). Cuba is suffering its worst economic crisis in decades. The non-binding resolution was supported by 187 countries, only opposed by the US and Israel, with Ukraine abstaining. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said the “blockade prevents Cuba from accessing food, medicines, and technological and medical equipment” and the prohibition to export to the US cost Cuba US$5 billion (SG$6.75 billion) in losses in 2022 alone. The trade embargo was put in place because of Fidel Castro’s 1959 revolution. US diplomat Paul Folmsbee said the embargo was aimed at promoting “human rights and fundamental liberties in Cuba”.
- The US imposed new visa restrictions on over a dozen Guatemalans and their immediate families last Tuesday (Oct 31) for allegedly undermining democracy in Guatemala and the peaceful transition of power. Other countries have also claimed that some Guatemalan officials are acting in a coordinated effort to undermine President-elect Bernardo Arevalo, who won the presidential election back in August. Arevalo was accused of faking signatures in her party’s registration process six years ago. Attorney General Conselo Porras, who levelled these accusations, said her office is aggressively investigating alleged irregularities in the election. Following the visa restrictions, Arevalo’s win was formally certified by Guatemala’s electoral court.
South America:
- Investigations into the issuance of an Uruguayan passport to an internationally wanted drug-trafficking suspect have caused more resignations: Uruguay’s interior minister and two other members of government last Saturday (Nov 4) following the foreign minister’s last Wednesday (Nov 1). Sebastian Marset was given an Uruguayan passport while detained in the UAE over forged documents in 2012 and is wanted by Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil and the US over drug charges. Foreign Minister Francisco Bustillo denied responsibility and wrongdoing over the passport last Friday (Nov 3) and pushed the spotlight onto Interior Minister Luis Alberto Heber. Uruguayan President Lacalle Pou spoke out that issuing the passport complies with Uruguayan law and that he believes the officials are not legally responsible.
- Brazil’s ruling Workers Party criticised Israel last Friday (Nov 3) for preventing 34 Brazilians from leaving Gaza by playing favourites when deciding who is allowed to evacuate. Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen told Brazilian counterpart that Brazilian nationals would leave Gaza by last Wednesday (Nov 1) however Brazilians were not on the approved list by Israel to use the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt. Brazilian local media speculated that Brazil’s positions at the United Nations Security Council and President Luiz Lula da Silva’s criticism of Israel’s “insane: bombardment of Gaza.
- Latin American countries, led by Colombia, announced the intention to push six key themes at this year’s UN climate conference, COP28, last Friday (Nov 3). The six key themes were developed from regional meetings earlier this year and COP28 will be the first instance where Latin America will be “represented on some points of agreement and negotiate together’ according to Colombian Environment Minister Susana Muhamad. The six themes include adapting to global warming, swapping debt for climate mitigation, early warning systems for climate change disasters, and climate finance and mechanisms. Colombia would also be raising the issue of phasing out fossil fuels at COP28.
- Bolivia severed diplomatic ties with Israel “in repudiation and condemnation” over its “aggressive and disproportionate” attacks on the Gaza Strip last Tuesday (Oct 31). Colombia and Chile, last Tuesday (Oct 31), and Honduras, last Friday (Nov 3), have recalled their ambassadors to Israel for consultations. The countries, along with Argentina, Mexico and Brazil, have called for a ceasefire. Bolivia and Chile called for the creation of a humanitarian corridor into the Gaza Strip and accused Israel of violating international law with Bolivia describing Israeli actions as “war crimes”. Colombia called the attacks a “massacre of the Palestinian people”. Brazil called the attacks, “insanity of Israel’s prime minister”.
- Peruvian President Dina Boluarte announced last Monday (Oct 30) her intentions to discuss with US President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the inaugural Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity Leaders summit and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) forum. Matters of drug trafficking is on the agenda: “the full-frontal fight against drug-trafficking, along with the country’s efforts to garner larger and better investments.” Peru is one of the largest producers of coca leaf and cocaine. Peru is also in the midst of an economic recession due to the El Nino climate phenomenon, lower private investment and social conflicts.
- The Venezuelan Supreme Justice Tribunal announced last Monday (Oct 30) that it has suspended the results of an opposition presidential primary despite an electoral deal between the government and the opposition that allows each side to choose its candidate. The ruling came from the attorney general’s investigation for electoral violations, financial crimes and conspiracy, after the government decried alleged fraud of the election that was organised without state help. The US may respond by reimposing sanctions on the Venezuelan oil and gas industry and bond trading that it had repealed in exchange for the electoral deal. The US State Department had already said it will reinstate sanctions if the government does not lift bans on opposition candidates and free political prisoners and “wrongfully detained” Americans by the end of November.
Europe:
- Spain’s Catholic Church apologised to the victims of sexual abuse by priests last Tuesday (Oct 31), but also questioned the accuracy of a new survey that had suggested that such abuse was far more widespread nationwide than previous investigations have found. The survey had found out that 0.6% of a sample of just over 8000 respondents have mentioned that they have been abused, which rose to 1.1% when including lay people such as teachers at Catholic schools
- Hepatitis outbreak closed schools and sent scores of individuals to hospitals in Ukraine’s Vinnystia. Cheif Sanitary Doctor of Ukraine Ihor Kuzin had wrote on Facebook on Saturday (Nov 4) for a call to action to establish the centre of the outbreak and the causes in order to stop the spread amongst the population as soon as possible. Schools will then move to an online regime after the Hepatitis A outbreak sent scores of children and adults to the hospital, according to the country’s chief sanitary official.
- More than 500 migrants were rescued off Spain’s canary islands. The Spanish coastguard had said on Saturday (Nov 4), as the number of people arriving on the archipelago neared an all-time record posted in 2006. The coastguard had also mentioned that they had found two dead bodies among those rescued from four boats in the waters off El Hierro, which is the smallest and the most westerly of the Canary islands.
- Moldovan President, Maia Sandu accused Russia last Wednesday (Nov 1) of “buying” voters in this weekend’s local elections by funnelling money to pro-Moscow political parties. She had accused Russia of “buying” voters by funnelling US$5 million over the span of two months to “criminal groups” led by fugitive businessman Ilan Shor.
- Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni mentioned that Italy will be building two centres in Albania in order to host tens of thousands of illegal migrants. She had announced the plan at news conference on Monday (Nov 5) with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama in Rome, and had said that the centres, which were due to open next spring, will be able to process up to 36,000 people a year.
Asia Pacific:
- Pakistan attempted to step up its security at its military as well as other sensitive installations after an attack on an air base following the weekend attack by militants that damaged three grounded aircraft and destroyed a fuel tanker, according to security officials last Monday (Oct 30). Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan, a recently formed group, has claimed responsibility for the attack in Mianwali, a city in the eastern Punjab province, where the police have repulsed multiple attacks by the Pakistani Taliban.
- Singapore PM Lee was reported to hand reins to Deputy Lawrence Wong by the next year, according to Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong last Sunday (Nov 5). The delayed succession plan was to go ahead before the 2025 general election. The succession is expected to happen by 21 November the following year, the 70th anniversary of the PAP’s founding. Lawrence Wong would then lead the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) into the next general election, which was originally supposed to be due by November 2025.
- South Korea ramped up its pest control after reports of bedbugs, according to officials last Wednesday (Nov 1). This was after reports of suspected infestations at certain saunas and residential facilities. About 30 cases of suspected infestations have been reported nationwide, including a traditional Korean spa called “jjimjilbang” in Incheon, west of Seoul, as well as a college dorm in the southeastern city of Daegu. The prime minister’s office had launched a four-week campaign on Tuesday with inspections of public facilities and pest control measures.
- China urged Estonia to not allow the opening of a Taiwan office in the country. This was done by the Chinese ambassador reportedly threatening to leave Estonia supposed Taiwan were to open a representative office in the Baltic nation, according to Estonian media last Tuesday (Oct 30). China’s ambassador to Estonia, Guo Xiaomei, had told a meeting with a chairman of the Estonia-China parliamentary group Toomas Kivimagi that she might leave the country if Taiwan were to ever open such an office.
- Two were killed in anti-government protests in Bangladesh last Tuesday (Oct 30). Dozens were also injured in clashes between anti–government demonstrators and police on the very first day of a three-day protest in order to push for the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The main opposition, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) had called for the blockade of roads for three days in response to the clashes between party supporters and police in which one policeman was killed and more than 100 injured.
Middle East:
- The death toll in the Israel-Palestine war crossed 10,000 over the weekend, with 4,104 being that of children. Scores more remain trapped under the rubble. The latest figures came after a week of continuous bombardments, including that on Al-Jabalia refugee camp for three consecutive days, killing at least 195 people, with 120 missing. The Bureij refugee camp on Thursday (Nov 2), which killed 15 people. The United Nations high commissioner for human rights said such “disproportionate attacks” may constitute war crimes. Seven water facilities were also targeted amid Gaza’s water crisis with 95 per cent of people lacking clean drinking water. The besieged enclave has seen bombings on its infrastructure such as its homes, hospitals, schools, news buildings, places of worship, bakeries, water facilities and fishing boats, since the conflict began in early October.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected calls for a ceasefire last Sunday (Nov 5), saying that it would not entertain the notion without the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. According to the militant group, a deal to release prisoners was “stalled” by Israeli officials. The Israeli offensive in Gaza is set to intensify with no set time frame. The United Nations warned time was “ running out to prevent genocide and humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza”, earlier last Thursday (Nov 2). The United States continued its staunch support for Israel’s actions as it rejected calls for a ceasefire last Saturday (Nov 4) during a meeting with Arab leaders in Jordan, saying it would allow Hamas to regroup, but would support humanitarian pauses in the conflict to allow aid efforts to be carried out in Gaza.
- The leaders of 18 United Nations agencies and non-government organisations (NGOs) published a rare joint statement last Sunday (Nov 5), calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. “It’s been 30 days. Enough is enough,” the statement read, calling on all parties to respect their “obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law”, including to protect civilian infrastructure such as hospitals and schools and allow aid into Gaza and describing the situation as “horrific”. The statement also condemned the killings of aid workers since the start of Octover, including 88 United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) workers –the “highest number of United Nations fatalities ever recorded in a single conflict”.
- The Rafah border between Gaza and Egypt opened for the first time in three weeks to allow foreign passport holders to leave, last Wednesday (Nov 1). 335 dual citizenship holders and 76 severely injured crossed the border, which remained open for an uncertain amount of time. The limited evacuations occurred as bombardments continued all over the besieged Gaza Strip.
- Dozens were killed in a fire that broke out in a drug rehabilitation centre in Langarud, north of Iran’s capital of Tehran, last Friday (Nov 3). The fire of unknown cause claimed 37 lives and wounded 16 others. The province’s chief justice, Esmail Sadeghi, had opened an investigation with several suspects arrested, including the centre’s manager.
Africa:
- Conflict and escalating violence uprooted a record 6.9 million people in the Democratic Republic of Congo, mostly in the east of the country, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) last Monday. The decades long conflict has seen the largest number of displaced civilians in its most recent events.
- At least nine people were killed in a jailbreak attempt to free former Guinean military ruler Moussa Dadis Camara, last Saturday (Nov 4). Four of the casualties were that of defense forces, while three were that of the attackers. The former leader was detained once again by the end of the day. Camara served as Guinea’s President between 2008 and 2010, following a military coup, and was tried in the nation’s unprecedented trial were he faced lifetime imprisonment on charges of murder, sexual violence, torture, abduction and kidnapping during the days of the coup.
- Around 22 United Nations peacekeepers were injured in northern Mali last Saturday (Nov 4), after their convoy was hit by two improved explosive devices (IEDs) amid their withdrawal from the country. The incident was the latest of six since Mali’s military rulers ordered the peacekeepers to leave their base in northern Kidal, for Gao, 350 kilometres away. The base was the third and final force in the Kidal region, of about 1,000 personnel, to be evacuated, after the UN Security Council voted in June to end its mandate among the worsening security situation in Mali.
- Uganda captured the leader of an ISIL (ISIS)-linked militia unit last Tuesday (Oct 31). Uganda held Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) responsible for the deaths of scores of civilians last year, and the killings of two foreign tourists and their local guide in a national park last month. The militia chief known as “Njovu” was detained on Tuesday during a raid in which six members of his squad were killed, according to the government, last Thursday (Nov 2). Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni had long since instructed his security forces to “wipe out” the ADF, which is against his administration.
- German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier apologised for colonial-era killings in Tanzania according to reports last Wednesday (Nov 1), and vowed to raise awareness of the atrocities in a step towards “communal healing”. Between 200 and 300,000 indigenous people were killed by German military forces during the Maji Maji Rebellion between 1905 and 1907. Steinmeier said Germany was ready to begin a “communal processing” of the past, as part of its commitment to historical remembrance.
