Geo Politics

Iran killed British-Iranian national Alireza Akbari, the judiciary’s Mizan news agency said Saturday (Jan 14), after sentencing him to death on allegations of espionage for the United Kingdom. Friday, British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly stated that Iran must not carry out the execution of former Iranian deputy defense minister Akbari. Britain deemed the death sentence to be politically motivated and …

More than 500 residents, including children, are reportedly trapped in the eastern salt mining town of Soledar, where pro-Moscow rebels are battling Ukrainian soldiers. Thursday, January 12, in a video message, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy commended two troops in Soledar for “holding their positions and inflicting considerable casualties on the enemy.” He did not offer additional specifics. Zelenskiy stated that …

Over the years, we’ve all known about the long-standing diplomatic and humanitarian initiatives held by the Emirates, which have undoubtedly strengthened its ties with Sudan. It is not easy to forget that back in 2009, when a boundary dispute arose between Sudan and Chad, there is no other great mediator than the UAE and the Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin …

Tuesday, anti-corruption detectives in Indonesia detained the governor of Papua on suspicion of receiving bribes related to infrastructure projects in the restive eastern region, officials said. Authorities have accused Lukas Enembe, 55, of awarding construction contracts worth up to 40 billion rupiah ($2.57 million) between 2019 and 2021 to a business with less expertise in the industry. In September, he …

Following a meeting between the heads of state of the two nations on Monday, Indonesia and Malaysia, which are the two largest producers of palm oil in the world, reached an agreement to work together to combat “discrimination” against the commodity. The Indonesian President, Joko Widodo, made those remarks after meeting with the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim, who …

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stated that members of a bilateral group addressing the West Philippine Sea conflict should have “direct access” to both him and Chinese President Xi Jinping to allow faster communication and decision-making. “I desired to elevate the dialogue to a ministerial level and provide direct access to both presidents. The objective is, of course, to minimize all …

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ousted a former foreign minister who played a key role in his summits with former US President Donald Trump in 2018 and 2019, according to intelligence authorities cited by South Korean MPs on Thursday (5 January). Ri Yong-ho has remained out of the public view since denuclearization talks with Washington halted following a …

ormer According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen arrived in Taiwan on Tuesday morning for a three-day visit, during which he will meet with President Tsai Ing-wen.  Rasmussen, who also served as Denmark’s prime minister, was greeted at Taoyuan International Airport at around 7:08 a.m. by MOFA Department of European Affairs director Vincent Yao.  Rasmussen, …

As inflation reaches a 14-year high, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. extended temporary tariff cuts on pork, rice, corn, and coal to increase supplies. Marcos signed Executive Order (EO) No. 10 on December 29, 2017, which decreased the Most Favored Nation (MFN) tariff rates on the commodities listed below until December 31, 2023. Beyond December 31, there will be no duty …

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol stated in a newspaper interview that South Korea and the United States are exploring possible cooperative planning and exercises involving US nuclear assets in response to North Korea’s rising nuclear and missile threats. Yoon was reported in the Chosun Ilbo as saying that the combined planning and drills would be geared toward a more effective …