Iranian high schoolers join anti-regime protests as they return to school
The explosive protests that have spread around Iran have made their way into universities and even high schools following the start of the school year in October. Videos shared online show crowds of students protesting, many of them girls and young women. They have been filmed chanting slogans, marching through the streets and taking off their headscarves in school courtyards – acts of defiance that are often met with harsh retaliation by security forces.
Chanting “Death to the dictator!” and “Woman! Life! Freedom!”, young women and girls have been at the forefront of protests around Iran since September 16. With the start of the Iranian school year on October 2, the unrest has moved from the streets to the schoolyard.
At a high school in a city near Tehran, an official from the Ministry of Education came to talk to students about the importance of wearing the Islamic headscarf on October 3. But a group of young girls yelled at him “Shame on you!”, threw objects at him and then chased him out of the school.
Fears grow over oil price as Opec+ agrees to bigger than expected output cuts
Cartel curbs production by 2m barrels a day despite strong US pressure, further squeezing supplies
Alex Lawson Energy correspondent
The Opec oil cartel and its allies have agreed to a bigger than expected cut in oil production targets despite significant pressure from the US.
The Opec+ group of oil-producing nations signed up to a cut in output of 2m barrels a day, surpassing predictions earlier in the week of cuts of 1m to 1.5m barrels, squeezing supplies in a tight market.
Joe Biden’s administration had hoped to persuade Middle Eastern nations not to curb supplies, which could further increase fuel prices and add to soaring inflation.
African Union invites Ethiopia, Tigray region to peace talks
The African Union has invited the leaders of both Ethiopia's federal government and the country's embattled Tigray region to peace talks. It's still unclear whether the talks will take place at the highest level.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's national security adviser on Wednesday said the federal government had accepted an African Union (AU) invitation to hold peace talks with Tigrayan rebels.
After an upsurge in violence, the AU is seeking to broker the highest-level negotiations yet between the Tigray and Ethiopian sides since the conflict began in 2020.
How likely are the talks to take place?
The Ethiopian government said it "accepted this invitation which is in line with our principled position regarding the peaceful resolution of the conflict."
Views on U.S. bases shift in Okinawa
By Mathias CENA
For decades, residents of Japan's Okinawa have strongly opposed the U.S. military bases that dot the region but a subtle shift is under way, driven by Chinese saber-rattling and economic challenges.
The bases are often seen as a disproportionate burden for Japan's sub-tropical southernmost region.
Okinawa comprises 0.6 percent of the Japanese archipelago's territory but contains 70 percent of the land used for U.S. bases, and over half the 50,000-strong troop presence.
Base-related crime, accidents and pollution are potent irritants for Okinawa's 1.5 million residents.
2% of the world’s rarest zebras wiped out in Kenya’s relentless drought
A grueling two-year drought in Kenya has wiped out 2% of the world’s rarest zebra species and increased elephant deaths as well, as the climate crisis takes its toll on the east African nation’s wildlife.
Animal carcasses rotting on the ground – including giraffes and livestock – have become a common sight in northern Kenya, where unprecedented dry spells are chipping away at already depleted food and water resources.
The Grevy Zebra, the world’s rarest of the zebra species, has been the worst hit species by the drought.
Ukraine war: Russia warns US of direct military clash risk
The US's decision to send more military aid to Ukraine "increases the danger of a direct military clash" between Russia and the West, Moscow has warned.
Russia's ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov, said it was an "immediate threat" to Moscow, describing the US as "a participant of the conflict".
Earlier, the US announced another $625m (£547m) in military aid to Ukraine.
Advanced US weaponry has been credited with helping Ukraine build momentum against occupying Russian forces.
Ukrainian troops have made significant advances in the country's north-east and south in recent weeks.
No comments:
Post a Comment