China mediating reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas for Palestinian unity
Today's headlines: Qatar and Bangladesh sign a memorandum on migrant workers. Myanmar’s military retakes a village on the Mon-Karen border. Taiwan denounces Chinese military activities after Blinken's departure. Syrian woman gets seven life sentences over the Istanbul attack of November 2022. Russia has lost its dominant position as India’s main arms supplier.
CHINA – PALESTINE
China will host talks between Hamas and its rival Fatah, which controls the West Bank, in an attempt to achieve Palestinian unity. After mediating between Iran and Saudi Arabia, China is moving its pawns in a Middle East torn by tensions and wars (like in Gaza). The two groups have been divided since 2007. The talks are aimed at finding ways to reconcile the two rival groups.
QATAR – BANGLADESH
Qatar and Bangladesh have signed an agreement to improve the conditions of migrant workers in the Gulf state, a controversial issue that became front-page news during the construction of stadiums for the 2022 World Cup. The Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, who was in Dhaka meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, signed a new memorandum centred on workers' rights. More than 1,300 workers from the Asian country died in Qatar during the construction of the World Cup infrastructure.
MYANMAR
Myanmar’s military have retaken Kawbein, a village in Kawkareik Township, on the border between Mon and Karen states, from rebel militias and their allies. At least 300 government troop moved on to the village thanks to the support of warplanes and artillery fire from naval vessels on the Gyaing River.
TAIWAN – CINA
Taiwan has denounced Chinese military activities near the island this morning, when at least 12 fighter jets crossed the strategic median line of the Taiwan Strait in the wake of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to Beijing. Despite the absence of formal diplomatic relations, the United States is Taiwan's main ally and arms supplier. Taiwan's Defence Ministry reports that Taiwanese ships and aircraft responded "appropriately" to the incursion, without giving details.
TURKEY
A Turkish court yesterday convicted Ahlam Albashir in connection with the November 2022 bombing that killed six people and injured a hundred on Istanbul's main shopping street. The Syrian woman was given seven life sentences for planting the bomb. Another 30 defendants are on trial, but four have been released while 10 will be tried separately. At the time, Turkey blamed Kurdish militants for the attack.
SRI LANKA – CINA
Sri Lanka will hand over the management of an airport built by China at a cost of US$ 209 million, to two companies, from India and Russia, to limit the losses of state-owned enterprises. Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport had sparked controversy when it opened in 2013 due to low number of flights, its negative environmental impact, and persistent financial losses.
RUSSIA – INDIA
After more than half a century, Russia has lost its dominant position as arms supplier to India, due to the war in Ukraine. India, the world's largest arms importer, is planning a buying spree of some US$ 100 billion, with little expected to go to Russia. This is partly to avoid secondary sanctions, but also due to the poor quality of Russian technology.
AZERBAIJAN – ARMENIA
A former state minister of Nagorno-Karabakh, Ruben Vardanyan, held for months in a Baku jail, has ended his hunger strike under pressure from relatives. He had begun his protest to highlight the plight of political officials from the Azerbaijani-annexed Artsakh held by Azerbaijan as well as his criticism of the commission set up to delimit the borders between the two countries.
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15/10/2020 09:27
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10/10/2020 09:54
