China blocked the U.S. from broadcasting the informal Security Council meeting globally on the internet, a decision criticized by U.S. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, North Korea has been isolated. Elizabeth Salmon, the U.N. special investigator on human rights in North Korea, also stressed “the interdependence of international peace and security and human rights,” saying peace and denuclearization can’t be addressed without considering the current human rights violations. She told the meeting that the limited information available shows the suffering of the North Korean people has increased and their already limited liberties have declined. “In the DPRK, the pursuit of weapons of mass destruction always, always trumps human rights and humanitarian needs of its people,” Thomas-Greenfield said.
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 18, 2023 21:22 UTC
Due to some recovery in generation capacity, Eskom says it will suspend load shedding where possible over the weekend. Thereafter, load shedding will be increased to Stage 2 until 5 am on Sunday. "Load shedding will be suspended on Sunday between 5 am and 4 pm Thereafter, Stage 1 load shedding will be implemented from 4 pm on Sunday until 4 pm on Monday. Stage 2 load shedding will be in force from 4 pm on Monday until 5 am on Tuesday. "Load shedding will then again be suspended from 5 am on Tuesday until 4 pm, thereafter Stage 2 will be implemented until further notice," said the power utility.
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 18, 2023 18:34 UTC
It looks as if the UK Parliament will endorse the Windsor Framework. The flexibilities it has introduced into the Northern Ireland Protocol will be beneficial to people in their daily lives. It is not certain that the Northern Ireland Executive and the Northern Ireland Assembly will be restored. The two novelties in the Windsor Framework are the “Stormont Brake”, and the provision of a Green Lane for goods destined to stay in Northern Ireland. Thus, Ireland will need to invest heavily in detection..All in all, the Windsor Framework is a good day’s work.
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 18, 2023 18:06 UTC
The United States and its Western allies must demonstrate they “can deliver results” in Africa’s Sahel region, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said during his visit to Niger, pledging humanitarian assistance for displaced people and support for the country’s efforts to combat violent extremism. Blinken’s trip to the West African country — the first ever by a US secretary of state — comes amid regional security crisis and growing influence of the Russian Wagner mercenary group. Blinken’s trip to Niger follows his visit, earlier this week, to Ethiopia, which is seen as part of a wider pledge by US President Joe Biden’s administration to better engage with Africa. In 2022, French troops and a French-led European Union Takuba task force withdrew from Mali. French troops also withdrew from Burkina Faso in February.
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 18, 2023 17:44 UTC
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Source:The North Africa Journal
March 18, 2023 17:38 UTC
“The establishment of a free Iraq at the heart of the Middle East will be a watershed event in the global democratic revolution,” Bush said in November 2003. In 2003, there was indeed, as Bush noted, a “freedom deficit” in the Middle East, where repressive authoritarian regimes dominated the region. Yet, in spite of tremendous upheaval in the Middle East over the past two decades, many authoritarian regimes remain deeply entrenched. Indeed, in 2023, Freedom House continues to score Iraq as “Not Free” in its measure of democracy. It is hard to know if U.S. efforts at democracy promotion accelerated or delayed political change in the Middle East.
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 18, 2023 16:54 UTC
Kim Jong-un dares Biden; 800,000 North Koreans ‘volunteer to wipe out enemies’North Korea claims that over 800,000 of its youth have volunteered to join the nation's military to fight the United States. The North's claim came after North Korea on Thursday launched its Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in response to ongoing U.S-South Korea military drills. Kim accuses the U.S. and South Korea of increasing tensions with the military drills.
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 18, 2023 16:42 UTC
FILE - A North Korean flag flutters in North Korea's village Gijungdong as seen from an South Korea's observation post inside the demilitarized zone in Paju, South Korea during a media tour, March 3, 2023. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield as an attempt to hide North Korea’s “atrocities from the world.”Webcasting requires agreement by all 15 council members. ADVERTISEMENTSince the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, North Korea has been isolated. Elizabeth Salmon, the U.N. special investigator on human rights in North Korea, also stressed “the interdependence of international peace and security and human rights,” saying peace and denuclearization can’t be addressed without considering the current human rights violations. “In the DPRK, the pursuit of weapons of mass destruction always, always trumps human rights and humanitarian needs of its people,” Thomas-Greenfield said.
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 18, 2023 16:32 UTC
“Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine may open additional opportunities for Chinese military influence in Nigeria. China, Russia exporting arms to AfricaThe Atlantic Council estimated that between 2010 and 2021, Russia accounted for 24% of all arms exports to sub-Saharan Africa, China for 22% and the U.S. for 5%. The other is that sales of Chinese arms — unlike U.S. arms exports which are governed by International Traffic in Arms regulations — don’t come with strings attached. Paul Nantulya, a research associate at the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, said the Atlantic Council data showed a “big jump” in recent Chinese arms sales compared to previous data. Regardless of where they buy their weapons, analysts say both Western-supplied weapons and Chinese weapons can fall into the wrong hands or be used in human rights abuses.
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 18, 2023 15:51 UTC
The ministers also hailed the role played by Bayt Mal Al-Quds Al-Sharif Agency in preserving the Holy City’s religious character and in supporting the resistance of its inhabitants. The Council stressed the centrality of the role of the Al-Quds Committee, in the face of the serious measures taken by the Israeli authorities in the Holy City. Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, who led the Moroccan delegation to the OIC council, stressed the centrality of the Palestinian cause for Morocco and renewed its firm and unwavering support for Palestine. “Morocco, in view of developments in the Palestinian territories, reaffirms the centrality of the just Palestinian cause and its firm and consistent position towards it,” he said. He renewed Morocco’s full willingness to adhere to all initiatives to develop joint Islamic action and meet the legitimate aspirations of peoples to security and stability.
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 18, 2023 15:02 UTC
Two weeks of national mourning has been declared in Malawi for the hundreds of people killed and hundreds of thousands more displaced by Cyclone Freddy, likely the longest lasting in the southern hemisphere. Cyclone Freddy was a record-breaking storm that made its way into the southern African country and its eastern neighbor Mozambique last weekend. Weather experts in Malawi say Cyclone Freddy has now gone and that the rains are due to an incoming weather front from Congo. The cyclone caused widespread devastation in Malawi, including critical infrastructure, with roads having been cut off and electricity poles fallen down. Some private citizens, multinational companies as well as the United Nations and United States Agency for International Development have started providing some relief.
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 18, 2023 12:45 UTC
China, Russia, North Korea bonhomie makes US jittery? ‘Beijing hiding Kim's...'The United States has accused China of allegedly 'shielding' North Korea over its human rights violations. In a veiled jibe at China and Russia, U.S. ambassador to the UN said that some UNSC members are shielding the North Korean regime from accountability. Earlier, China blocked a webcast of an informal meeting of the United Nations Security Council members on accusations of human rights abuses by Pyongyang. Watch this video for details.
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 18, 2023 12:26 UTC
Victoria, TX (77901)TodayMostly cloudy skies with a few showers after midnight. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 30%..TonightMostly cloudy skies with a few showers after midnight. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 30%.
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 18, 2023 12:03 UTC
The EU Border Assistance Mission in Libya (EUBAM Libya) organised a study visit for the Libyan Ministry of Defence Border Management department to Niger last Wednesday. The visit was supported by European Union Capacity Building Mission in Niger (EUCAP Sahel in Niger) EUCAP is a civilian capacity-building mission in Niger, launched by the EU in 2012 under its Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) programmes. The Second Nigerien Police Mobile Border Control Companies (CMCF2), supported by EUCAP, was also visited with a view to a similar project being implemented in Libya, EUBAM reported. ‘‘We had a very positive exchange of information on mobile units for border control with the National Guard of Niger”, EUBAM experts revealed. Finally, a meeting with the Deputy Head of National Police, the Director of Border Surveillance and with EUCAP Sahel Niger were held.
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 18, 2023 10:45 UTC
Vladimir PutinRussian media maintain that South Africa is expecting Putin to attend the BRICS summit in Durban this August, in person. Read also: Russia uses North Africa to circumvent oil sanctions, WSJ reportsSouth Africa remains a party to the Rome Statute, despite attempts to withdraw from the agreement after the al-Bashir scandal. On March 17, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Russian dictator Putin, over Russian war crimes committed in Ukraine. We’re bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 18, 2023 09:08 UTC