06 April 2017
Week In Brief: INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Europe
ITALY: Police arrested three Kosovans suspected of planning a bomb attack on Venice’s Rialto Bridge on behalf of Isis.
RUSSIA: A bomb exploded in a crowded Metro train in St Petersburg, killing 11 people and injuring 50 others. Another bomb nearby was found nearby and defused. The bomber was a Russian citizen from Osh in Kyrgyzstan, with Islamist links, according to investigators. He died in explosion.
Two traffic policemen were shot dead in Astrakhan – suspected Islamist attack.
30 demonstrators were arrested in Moscow during more protest rallies against government corruption.
SERBIA: The Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic has claimed victory in the presidential elections, with 55% of the vote (thus avoiding a second-round run-off).
SPAIN: Police raided properties in southern Spain, as part of a French investigation into corruption allegations against Rifaat al-Assad, the uncle of President Assad of Syria.
Middle East and Africa
BAHRAIN: The USA is to resume the sale of fighter jets to Bahrain, suspended by President Obama last year because of the country’s poor human rights record. The move suggests that the USA is returning to its traditional Gulf allies and its traditional stance against Iran.
IRAQ: Battle for Mosul continues, with fierce fighting and close combat as anti-Isis forces begin to penetrate the old city. Air strikes are continuing, with estimates that the number of bombs dropped has risen to 500 a week; allegations that the attacks have killed a large number of civilians are being investigated by the US.
ISRAEL: The first new settlement on the West Bank in decades will be established within a month, in defiance of the UN Security Council.
LIBYA: Chiefs from rival tribes and clans in southern Libya met for talks in Rome and agreed to help stop migrants and people smuggling across the border in exchange for funds, aid and arms
SOUTH AFRICA: President Zuma sacked his respected finance minister Pravin Gordhan and nine other ministers, in a move which is seen as an attempt to retain power in the face of increasing opposition. Mr Gordhan’s dismissal provoked criticism from within his own ANC party, protest marches, a call for a vote of no confidence from opposition parties, and an 8% fall in the value of the rand. Standard and Poor downgraded the country’s credit rating to junk status.
SYRIA: At least 100 civilians were killed and 400 injured by chemical weapons when warplanes attacked the town of Khan Sheikhoun near the rebel headquarters of Idlib. The planes dropped bombs loaded with a toxic nerve-gas, thought to be sarin, and then returned two hours later to bomb the hospital where the victims were being treated. The EU and the USA have blamed the Syrian government for the attack, but the regime denies any responsibility. An emergency meeting of the UN Security Council has been called. See comment The Attack On Khan Sheikhoun.
US forces have established an airbase near Kobani, for the forthcoming attack on Isis-held Raqqa.
Far East, Asia and Pacific
CHINA: Beijing has banned Islamic beards and face and body covering in the largely Muslim Xinjiang region. Watching and listening to state media has been made compulsory.
INDIA: Killing a cow now carries a life-imprisonment penalty in Gujarat state (up from 7 years in prison), and the penalty for taking a cow to slaughter has been increased to 10 years in prison.
KOREA, NORTH: An unidentified missile was fired into Sea of Japan.
KOREA, SOUTH: Park Geun-hye, the former president, was arrested on suspicion of corruption, abuse of power and leaking state secrets, and sent to a detention centre.
MALAYSIA: Malaysia has agreed to release the body of Kim Jong-nam to North Korea, in return for the release of nine Malaysian citizens being held in Pyongyang. The three murder suspects taking refuge in the North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur may be allowed to return to North Korea.
PAKISTAN: The custodian of a shrine near Sargodha, in the Punjab, has been arrested for allegedly murdering 20 of his followers.
America
COLOMBIA: A mudslide following heavy rain destroyed the town of Mocoa. More than 200 people have been killed and hundreds are missing. President Santos has declared a state of emergency.
ECUADOR: Lenin Moreno of the governing left-wing party will be the new president, having won the second round in the presidential election. The result was very close, and rival candidate Guillermo Lasso (a conservative) is demanding a recount.
PARAGUAY: Protests against a bill to change the constitution turned violent. The Congress building was attacked and set on fire, 200 people were arrested and one protester was killed. The bill was approved by a group of Senators, and will allow a second presidential term if it is passed by the lower house.
USA: President Trump told China to do something to persuade North Korea to drop its nuclear programme, or he will take steps to stop Pyongyang’s development of nuclear weapons. He met President Sisi of Egypt in the White House (the previous administration had cold-shouldered him because of his human rights record).
See comment Throwing the Sword into the Lake.
Secretary of state Rex Tillerson attended a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels after it was rescheduled to avoid a clash with next week’s meeting between President Trump and President Xi of China. Mr Tillerson insisted that NATO members must increase their defence spending to the committed 2% before President Trump visits NATO headquarters next month. He also denounced Russian involvement in Ukraine.
Elon Musk’s SpaceX achieved a breakthrough in space travel by successfully re-using a space rocket. A recovered and re-fitted rocket was used to launch a commercial satellite into orbit, and was recovered afterwards, for future use. Re-using space rockets, which have previously been single-use only, massively reduces costs.
VENEZUELA: The Supreme Court withdrew the legislative powers of the opposition-dominated parliament, and attempted to remove MPs immunity from prosecution. President Maduro has been using the Supreme Court, appointed by him, to govern without parliament for the last two years. The move was described by opposition MPs as a coup d’état, was condemned by the 34-nation Organisation of American States, and was criticised by his own attorney-general. President Maduro reversed the decision three days later. Protesters continue, however, now demanding a presidential election. Shots were fired at a crowd of a thousand demonstrators and security forces used tear gas, water cannons and pepper spray against them.
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