Myanmar's military leader Min Aung Hlaing transitioned from commander-in-chief to president after staged elections. Foreign governments should calibrate interactions with Naypyitaw to avoid legitimizing the administration. Five years after mounting a coup that ousted an elected civilian government, Min Aung Hlaing has overseen tightly staged elections transitioning him from commander-in-chief to president. Foreign governments should ensure interaction with Naypyitaw is calibrated, so as not to confer unwarranted legitimacy on the administration.
China banned government departments from buying products from 46 US defense contractors. It also blacklisted 10 American companies from receiving Chinese dual-use exports. The Ministry of Finance announced the procurement ban. This action is a response to recent US sanctions. China hit back at Washington on Monday with a sweeping two-pronged retaliation, barring government departments from buying products from 46 US defense contractors and blacklisting 10 American companies from receiving Chinese dual-use exports.
The Taliban has started restricting smartphone use among government employees in Afghanistan. Enforcement is uneven across the country. The Taliban has begun restricting the use of smartphones by government employees, although the order appears to be unevenly enforced across the country. In some areas, civilians' mobile devices have reportedly been targeted as well, sparking concern that the ban may eventually extend nationwide.
Tajikistan officials rejected a couple's chosen name for their newborn. A Tajik couple was forced to abandon the name they chose for their newborn child after officials said it was not on an approved registry. The case highlights Tajikistan's controversial effort to promote Persian-rooted names and curb visible Islamic influences.
Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa secured Chinese support for Indonesia's first sovereign Panda Bond during his Beijing visit. Discussions also covered expanding yuan-rupiah currency cooperation. The trip aimed to deepen financial ties and bolster investor confidence in Indonesia. When Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa landed in Beijing last week, the official agenda appeared straightforward: secure support for Indonesia’s first sovereign Panda Bond, deepen financial cooperation with China and strengthen investor confidence.
Armenia will hold its first general election since 2021 on June 7. Foreign policy has dominated the campaign, raising questions about Yerevan's future external relations. Armenians will head to the polls on 7 June for the country’s first general election since 2021. In this Q&A, Crisis Group expert Joshua Kucera explains why foreign policy has dominated the campaign and what the results may mean for Yerevan’s external relations.
Djibouti's history, politics, and navigation of regional turmoil in the Horn of Africa and Red Sea are discussed. The nation seeks to manage shifting alliances. This week on The Horn, Alan speaks with Samson Abebe Bezabeh, Assistant Professor of African Studies at the University of Hong Kong, about Djibouti’s history, politics and efforts to navigate turmoil and shifting alliances in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea.
Pakistan began conveying proposals to end the U. S.-Iran war after bombings began on February 28. Islamabad perceives high stakes, undertaking the mediator role despite risks. Soon after the U. S. and Israel began bombing Iran on 28 February, Pakistan started conveying proposals for ending the war. The mediator’s mantle comes with risks, but Islamabad feels the stakes are high enough that it has persevered at the task.
The European Union's next seven-year budget may jeopardize funding for conflict prevention and aid to fragile states. Experts discuss the potential consequences of these plans. The European Union’s next seven-year budget could put spending on conflict prevention and aid to fragile states at risk. In this Q&A, Crisis Group experts Lisa Musiol and Dylan Macchiarini Crosson explain the potential consequences.
A Russian drone strike in Ukraine killed three members of one family. The victims included a 13-year-old boy. Russia has continued to target civilian areas with drones and missiles since its invasion began. Russia has pounded civilian areas of Ukraine with drones and missiles since it launched its all-out invasion of its neighbour more than four years ago, and a United Nations tally says more than 16,000 civilians have died in the war.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is visiting the UAE, Kuwait, and Bahrain. The trip follows the signing of a US-Iran peace framework agreement and aims to address regional security concerns. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Bahrain this week on his first official visit to the Gulf since the outbreak of the Iran war and just days after Washington and Tehran signed a framework agreement aimed at bring peace to the region.
UN officials reported clear signs of progress in Syria after over a decade of crisis, but noted acute needs remain. Syria has emerged after more than a decade of crisis with “clear signs of progress”, but acute needs remain and efforts must boost support so the country can “move from survival towards recovery”, UN officials told the Security Council on Monday.
Global confirmed Ebola cases reached 1,000. As global confirmed Ebola cases reach 1,000, nearly three million children and adolescents are at risk in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), while efforts increase to treat prisoners near the epicentre of the current outbreak, UN agencies warned on Monday.
Pope Leo visited the World Food Programme headquarters in Rome. He urged the international community to renew its commitment to tackling hunger and malnutrition. He described access to adequate food as a fundamental human right. The humanitarian strain deepens in Gaza. Families are returning to Lebanon. Pope Leo called on the international community to renew its commitment to tackling hunger and malnutrition, describing access to adequate food as a “fundamental human right” during a visit to the World Food Programme (WFP) headquarters in Rome on Monday.
World leaders warned that progress against HIV is slowing due to financial pressures and shrinking support. Four decades after AIDS first emerged as a global crisis, world leaders, advocates and community representatives gathered at UN Headquarters on Monday issued a stark warning: progress against HIV is slowing just as financial pressures and shrinking support threaten to reverse decades of gains.
The source claims mainstream media undercounts civilian deaths in Gaza. The mainstream media has no problem guesstimating the deaths (500,000) from the Assad dictatorship’s civil war in Syria, nor the estimated deaths in the wars in Ukraine, Sudan or Iran. Somehow, media editors do not let their investigative reporters assess the extent of Israel’s mass murder of civilians in Gaza.
Pakistani and Qatari mediators announced on June 22 that the US and Iran Pakistani and Qatari mediators said on June 22 that US-Iran negotiations have concluded, with the two warring sides agreeing on a framework toward reaching a final peace deal within 60 days, including the guarantee of safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz and an end to fighting in Lebanon.
Delegations from the United States, Iran, Qatar, and Pakistan gathered on June Delegations from the United States, Iran, Qatar and Pakistan began gathering on June 21 at the Lake Lucerne Summit, launching what could become the most consequential diplomatic effort yet to stabilize the Middle East after weeks of war. Delegations Gather For US-Iran Summit Amid Fragile Regional Truce. High-level talks have begun between US Vice President JD Vance and Iranian representatives at the Burgenstock resort in Switzerland, launching what could become the most consequential diplomatic effort yet to stabilize the Middle East after near four months of war.
Twenty thousand runners competed in the Comrades race in South Africa. For one day every June, South Africa’s searing racial inequality seems to melt away at Comrades raceIn the early morning dark, thousands of runners waited, jostling with anticipation. South Africa’s national anthem rang out. Then the haunting swell of Shosholoza, first sung by Zimbabwean migrant workers in South Africa’s goldmines.
The U. S. The bill, which passed 85-5 and now heads to the House, has been the focus of intense negotiations in recent weeks as lawmakers in both parties try to address housing costs in an election year. U. Senate passes bipartisan housing bill aimed at increasing supply, lowering prices.
Andy Burnham's election to Westminster sealed Keir Starmer's political fate. The former mayor of Greater Manchester won a by-election, leading to Starmer's resignation as Labour leader. Keir Starmer’s political fate was all but sealed when Labour’s ‘King of the North’, former mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham won a seat in Westminster (the U. K.’s Parliament) last week, after winning a bye-election.
Ukrainian drones hit Moscow's main oil refinery, prompting Russian media to downplay the impact and call for a crackdown on videos of the attack. After recent Ukrainian drone strikes on Moscow’s main oil refinery, Russian media are downplaying the impact of the dramatic attacks. As Current Time's Andrey Cherkasov explains, authorities and pro-Kremlin pundits are calling for a crackdown on people who post videos of burning ruins online.
Far-right lawyer Abelardo de la Espriella won Colombia's presidential election. He narrowly defeated leftwing senator Iván Cepeda. De la Espriella is a supporter of Donald Trump. Leftwing opponent alleges vote count irregularities after Trump-endorsed lawyer Abelardo de la Espriella secures narrow majorityThe Trump-admiring far-right millionaire lawyer and self-styled “outsider” Abelardo de la Espriella has won Colombia’s presidential runoff, defeating the leftwing senator Iván Cepeda. With 99.99% of ballots counted in the preliminary vote tally, De la Espriella had secured.
A 21-year-old New Zealander joined Ukrainian forces in early 2023. He travelled from Wellington to enlist after watching Russia's invasion unfold. He received training and now fights on the front lines. He stated his motivation was to "fight for freedom. A soldier who goes by the call sign Kiwi was still a teenager in Wellington, New Zealand, when he saw Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine on the news in February 2022.
Abelardo de la Espriella, a supporter of Donald Trump, was elected in Colombia. His rhetoric includes vows to eliminate the left and execute criminals. This election has raised concerns about the country's democracy. Trump-admiring Abelardo de la Espriella has vowed to ‘disembowel’ the left and kill criminals like ‘rats and cockroaches’When more than 20 women accused a Colombian evangelical pastor in 2012 of sexually abusing them, the defendant’s lawyer sought to discredit the allegations by telling the court that they were “trepadoras” – a pejorative term meaning social climbers. He ultimately secured his clie.
