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In Congo, Peace Means a Halt to ‘Brutal, Illegal Mining’
Peace laureate Pétronille Vaweka urges U.S. role to end worsening war over strategic minerals. By James Rupert On March 7, 2024 Pétronille Vaweka, a Congolese grandmother, has mediated local peace accords in her homeland’s wars. But now, she says, one of Africa’s longest, bloodiest conflicts can be solved only if the United States and other…
Addressing Gendered Violence in Papua New Guinea: Opportunities and Options
By Negar Ashtari Abay, Ph.D.; Kathleen Kuehnast, Ph.D.; Gordon Peake, Ph.D.; Melissa Demian, Ph.D. On March 7, ,2024 Each year, more than 1.5 million women and girls in Papua New Guinea experience gender-based violence tied to intercommunal conflict, political intimidation, domestic abuse, and other causes. It is, according to a 2023 Human Rights Watch report,…
A Perilous Moment for Bangladesh’s Democracy
Greater political competition is needed to avoid the governance pitfalls of single-party politics. By Geoffrey Macdonald, Ph.D. On March 4, 2024 Bangladesh’s parliamentary elections in January cemented the country’s transition to a “dominant-party” political system. Aided by an opposition boycott on Election Day, the Awami League (AL) extended its 15 years in power with another…
Ethiopia’s tigray region on brink of famine amidst conflict and climate crisis
On March 8, 2024 In the arid depths of Ethiopia’s Tigray region, where drought and conflict have become a cruel reality, Tigray is on the brink of famine, ravaged by two years of war and the unforgiving effects of climate change. Once-lush fields now lie barren, a stark testament to the harsh challenges faced by…
Myanmar’s Military Is Playing a Dangerous Game in Rakhine State
The army’s reported plan to conscript Rohingya civilians could worsen the region’s already fragile ethnic relations. By Kyaw Lynn On March 4, 2024 More than three years after the Myanmar military seized power in a coup, it has become commonplace to argue that the battlefield is turning against the military and its State Administration Council (SAC).…
China steps up grey-zone warfare to exhaust Taiwan, defence report says
By Yimou Lee On March 6, 2024 TAIPEI, March 7 (Reuters) – China has stepped up grey-zone warfare against Taiwan, aiming to make the areas around the democratic island “saturated” with balloons, drones and civilian boats, a Taiwan defence ministry report said on Thursday. Taiwan, whose government rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims, has complained in recent…
At least 10 people killed as rebels seize a town in Congo’s conflict-hit eastern region
By Moses Sawasawa On March 7, 2024 A rebel group with alleged links to neighbouring Rwanda seized a town in Congo’s conflict-hit eastern region following attacks that killed at least 10 people and displaced thousands, reports said Wednesday. The seizure of Nyanzale by M23 rebels came after days of fighting with security forces, local civil…
Sahel states agree to form joint force to tackle security threats
Violence in the region fuelled by the decade-long fight with Islamist groups linked to al-Qaeda and Islamic State has worsened from 2020 to 2023. On March 8, 2024 Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali have agreed to set up a joint force to tackle security threats across their territories, Niger’s armed forces chief Moussa Salaou Barmou…
Ukraine war: Kharkiv Opera and Ballet to reopen underground
By Sarah Rainsford On March 5, 2024 If you want to go to a concert in Kharkiv these days, you have to know who to ask. In Ukraine’s second city, just 40 kilometres from the Russian border, mass gatherings have been banned since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Most cultural events that do take…