Author: yreape

According to reports, the tusi led m23 have declared a unilateral ceasefire on humanitarian grounds, which came into effect on Tuesday, though Goma, which is worth trillions of dollars in mineral wealth will remain under their control.

Reportedly, according to the u.n. at least 900 people have died, while Congo’s communications minister said 2000 people are waiting to be buried in Goma; and many residents have fled to nearby Rwanda because of the conflict.

According to the report, in a statement on Monday, g7 nations called for a rapid, safe and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for civilians, and a joint summit is scheduled for this week by representatives for southern and eastern Africa who have called for a ceasefire, the presidents of the democratic republic of the Congo and Rwanda will attend.

Reportedly, a spokesperson for drC said they are open to talks to resolve the conflict but that should be done within the context of previous peace agreements. According to the report, Rwanda and m23 have accused the drC of failing to fulfil previous peace deals such as integrating tutsis into administration.

Reportedly, according to the u.n. m23 are backed by 4000 troops from Rwanda and are the strongest of more than 100 armed groups vying for control of the gold and coltan rich region. According to the report, they are the latest in a long string of Rwandan supported armed movements to emerge in eastern drC following two wars since the rwandan genocide in 1994 when members of Rwanda’s hutu population killed 800,000 tutsis and their supporters. Reportedly, m23 say they are defending tutsis in drC who are being persecuted.

According to reports, the new u.s. secretary of state, Marco Rubio met with the president of Panama, Jose Raul Rumino on Sunday to discuss the u.s. built Panama canal. Reportedly, Mr Rubio said that the u.s. president is of the opinion that the canal authorities are overcharging, and he has decided that China’s presence in the canal area has violated a treaty of neutrality that led to the u.s. turning the canal over to Panama in 1999.

According to the report, Mr Rumino said that China’s role in ports at either end of the canal is the cause of the president’s concern, but the consortium controlling them is being audited and the canal authority would be able to give the u.s. a more detailed explanation.

Reportedly, Mr Rumino said that Panama wouldn’t renew its agreement with China’s belt and road initiative when it expires. According to a report, as of 2024 more than 140 countries were part of the b & r initiative which consists of overland and maritime trade routes to Asia, the middle east and Africa, described as a centrepoint of China’s foreign policy.

Reportedly, Hutchison ports, a subsidiary of C K Hutchison holdings, a Chinese firm has renewed a contract with Panama until 2046 but this may be revoked depending on the auditors’ findings

According to reports, fifty people have died and nearly 160 have been injured in a shelling attack on a market in the city of Omdurman, the second most populous city in Sudan. Reportedly, the sudanese armed forces have blamed the rapid defence forces for the attack on Saturday, the rapid defence forces have denied responsibility. According to a report, the u.n. and human rights organisations have blamed both sides for attacks that have killed civilians.

Reportedly, Civil war broke out in Sudan in 2023 when two generals and half brothers fell out. The breakaway army was named the rapid defence forces (rdf) and were designated a rebel group by the sudanese armed forces (saf). According to a report, for the past year Sudan has suffered severe famine conditions and hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes.

Reportedly, Between 1899 and 1956 Sudan was ruled by the uk through an anglo-egyptian condominium and a muslim dominated government. According to reports, in 1955 the first sudanese civil war broke out between Sudan and south Sudan who are predominantly christian or followers of indigenous religions and who demanded representation and more regional autonomy.

Reportedly, the second civil war from 1983 to 2005 was the longest civil war in history and resulted in the deaths of 2 million people, six years later the south becoming independent of Sudan. According to a report, Sudan lost 75% of crude oil production after the secession of south Sudan, but little of the oil proceeds go to the south sudanese national budget. Reportedly, a stipulation of the comprehensive peace agreement was a promise to share revenues from oil extraction. According to a report, the oil rich Abyei region which lies on the border is considered to be part of both Sudan and south Sudan. Even so 20% of sudanese households suffer from a complete lack of food and/or basic resources, and starvation, death and destitution are evident.

Reportedly, the 2023 Darfur genicide was at first attributed to a forced displacement of the non arab population for oil exploration. In 2023 it was reported that 150 villages in Darfur were burned and hundreds of thousands of people were displaced in an effort to control north Darfur’s lucrative gold mines.

According to reports, the u.n. say more than 700 people have been killed and 2,800 people have been injured this week during intense fighting in Goma, which lies on the border with Rwanda in the eastern democratic republic of the Congo. Reportedly, the tutsi led armed group m23 have captured Goma and taken over the airport. According to the report, more than 1200 congolese soldiers have surrendered and are confined to the u.n. base at the airport.

Reportedly, the March 23 movement who are one of around 120 groups vying for the mineral rich region have already taken several towns and are heading south towards Bukavu, drC’s second biggest city.

According to a report, the eastern democratic republic of the Congo has suffered conflict since the rwandan genocide in 1994. Reportedly, m23, also known as the congolese revolutionary army take their name from a peace treaty signed by the national congress for the defence of the people (cnpd) and the congolese government on March 23 2009. According to a report, tutsis have long complained about discrimination and have cited a failure of the congolese government to share out resources fairly.

Reportedly, the group, also known as the congolese revolutionary army formerly took control of Goma in 2012 but withdrew when the congolese government agreed to negotiations, and congolese troops along with u.n. troops retook control of Goma.

According to a report, m23 launched an offensive against the armed forces of the dr of the Congo and monusco, the u.n. mission in drC in 2022. Reportedly, the fighting which is ongoing has displaced hundreds of thousands and the drC have severed diplomatic relations with Rwanda.

Goma is the regional capital of North Kivu and home to a million people. According to reports, it is an important trading centre situated near mines that supply gold and other minerals, yet 800,000 people in North Kivu rely on food assistance.

According to a report, a total of 6.9 million people are eligible to cast their vote in today’s election in Belarus. Reportedly, Alexander Lukashenko who took office in 1994 is expected to win a seventh term.

Reportedly, the four opposition candidates appearing on today’s ballots have praised Mr Lukashenko’s rule, previous opponents who were too critical are in prison or have left the country.

Belarus was part of the Soviet union until its dissolution in December 1991. According to a report, Mr Lukashenko who has pardoned more than 250 people described as political prisoners since July plans to ease his total dependence on Russia and start a conversation with the west about easing sanctions.

According to reports, Donald Trump who was sworn into office on Monday 20 January first indicated a plan to buy Greenland from Denmark while he was previously in office in 2019.

Reportedly, Múte Egede, Greenland’s prime minister since 2021 who was part of work on a constitution for an independent Greenland and has called for independence from Denmark has said that Greenland is committed to nato membership but does not want to be part of the u.s. Historically, from 1711 Greenland became the subject of danish/norwegian colonialism beginning with a missionary expedition following the reformation. According to reports, the expedition was headed by Hans Egarde, a lutheran minister. Reportedly, in 1814 there was war with Sweden who, fighting on behalf of Britain were promised Norway. The Denmark-Norway union was dissolved. According to reports, Greenland remained a danish colony until 1953 when it was reidentified as an overseas county and an integral part of Denmark.

Reportedly, Greenland has had some autonomy for inward affairs since 1979 though the Parliament of Denmark has full control of all external policies, security, policing and natural resources. According to reports, Greenland has substantial amounts of rare earth elements, crucial for making tanks, fighter jets and submarines. Reportedly, the u.s. stockpile of modern weaponry is diminishing due to war in Ukraine, and China who represent 90% of rare earth extractions have banned selling to the u.s.

According to reports, Greenland has a vast mineral wealth and is at the centre of a modernday gold rush. The world’s largest island’s immense land mass has been covered in ice, though climate warming now opens up opportunities for mining. Reportedly, Greenland holds substantial reserves of lithium and other elements needed for batteries, topically electric vehicles. According to reports there are also opportunities for oil extraction, especially in the north east in the basin of Danmarkshavn which some years has been impossible to access, while the southern town of Narsaq holds substantial amounts of uranium.

Reportedly, Denmark. subsidises Greenland to the amount of 512 million euro per year. According to a report, danish subsidies are needed to buy danish goods and pay danes who do skilled work. Reportedly, Denmark has contacted Donald Trump’s team relaying a willingness to discuss Greenland with regard to an increased u.s. military presence without claiming it for their own, but the majority of Greenlanders want independence from Denmark. Mental health issues are a problem, as is alcoholism and substance abuse. According to a report, the suicide rate among Greenlanders is 6 times higher than in Denmark.

According to a report, knife crimes are on the rise in the uk with 14,500 offences recorded last year. Reportedly, the Ben Kinsella trust is a uk based anti knife crime charity named after a school boy who was killed in an unprovoked knife attack as he walked home after a night out with friends 16 years ago. According to the report, the trust say there are vulnerabilities within uk’s youth such as poverty and undiagnosed or unsupported mental health issues and learning difficulties.

Reportedly, another reason might be that the conservative government cut £1 billion to police budgets. According to the report, a spokesman for the police said measures need to be taken to tackle inequality and inclusion.

According to a report, three men who are accused of the 9/11 attacks have been given an agreement that if they plead guilty the prosecution will not seek the death penalty.

On September 11 2001 hijackers seized passenger planes and crashed them into the world trade centre and the Pentagon killing nearly 3000 people. Reportedly, the prosecution say the attacks were the idea of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, a u.s. educated engineer who was captured in Pakistan in 2003. According to the report, he and two other men have been held in the Guantanamo naval base in Cuba for years.

According to a report, Sudan’s military leader General Burhan has survived a drone attack that targeted an army graduation ceremony in Jabait, about 100 kilometres from Port Sudan. Reportedly, the strike is believed to be the work of the rapid support forces who are engaged in conflict with the military government following a disagreement about the way to move forward. According to the report, peace talks mediated by the u.s. have been scheduled for this month.

According to a report, president Nicolàs Maduro and his opponent Edmundo Gonzàlez have both claimed victory in Venezuela’s election on Sunday. Reportedly, protesters took to the streets after the national electoral council declared president Maduro the winner, but with 73% of the votes counted opposition parties say that Mr Gonzàlez won with 6 million votes compared to 2.7 million for president Maduro.

According to the report, protests concerned corruption and decreasing living conditions and authorities fired teargas and rubber bullets to try to disperse the crowds. Reportedly, Venezuela’s financial crisis, the worst in the country’s history has deteriated further during the president’s 11 year term. According to a report, Venezuela holds 299,953,000,000 barrels of proven oil reserves ranking first in the world.