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According to reports Colin Luther Powell died this morning of complications due to covid. Reportedly, from 1989-93 he was the most senior officer in the u.s. armed forces. He was author of the Powell doctrine which limits military action to national security interests, overwhelming strike capabilities with the emphasis on ground forces and public support.

Reportedly the son of Jamaican immigrants, Colin Powell was an independent before joining the republicans in 1995. He was u.s. secretary of state from 2001-2005. He became an independent again in 2021.

Powell was chairman of America’s Promise, an alliance of non profit community organisations dedicated to improving the lives of young people.

According to reports thousands joined protests against the Sudanese government in Khartoum on Saturday. Reportedly demonstrators convened outside the presidential palace demanding the dismissal of the government of prime minister Abdalla Hamdok, a former u.n. economist whose u.n. backed reforms have impacted on many Sudanese.

According to reports the government has been in power since the ousting of Omar al Bashir in 2019. Reportedly, Bashir, who ruled for three decades, faces charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur.

According to a report, in 2008 the u.n.’s presence in Darfur comprised of over 12,000 troops, 175 military observers, 2,767 police officers, 786 civilian personnel, 1,405 local civilian staff and 266 volunteers.

Reportedly, hundreds of thousands have been internally displaced in Darfur. According to reports, Bashir government troops targeted local populations and burned villages. Reportedly, Bashir is in prison in Sudan serving a sentence for corruption, and is due to be transferred to the international criminal court to face charges of genocide and war crimes which he denies, but violence erupted again in December 2019.

Reportedly, for most of a decade Darfur has been off limits to the rest of the world. Thousands have been killed, more displaced and living in camps. According to a Sudanese refugee, some people are frightened to go back to their land. Others such as the Sudanese liberation army refused to move.

According to a report there are six blocks for oil exploration in Darfur now under contract or being considered by investors. Reportedly, according to a source, any agreement regarding oil should be negotiated in order to preserve the rights of local communities in their land.

According to reports, the european external action service manages the eu’s diplomatic relations with other countries outside the union and works with the diplomatic services of eu countries, the u.n. and other powers. The high representative of the union of foreign affairs is Catalan born José Forrell Fontelles. Reportedly, for a short time he was a member of Pedro Sánchez’s government. According to the report, in 1988 Forrell ran against the leader of the Spanish socialist party obtaining 54.9% of members votes, resulted in an uneasy power sharing with the official party leader. Reportedly, in 1998 a fraud investigation was held against two officials whom José Forrell had appointed to senior posts in finance, he resigned.

According to a report José Forrell was elected to chair the joint Congress-Senate committee for the eu in 1999. Reportedly the committee is devoted to the participation of parliament in eu affairs, obtaining information in order to have influence on the stance of government, its functions were expanded in the treaty of Lisbon.

According to reports, the Lisbon treaty reforms the earlier Maastricht treaty, some differences being a bicarmel legislature alongside the council of ministers, the creation of a long term president of the european council which under the treaty became a full institution of the eu, and the creation of a high representative of the union for foreign affairs and security policy.

The universal declaration of human rights was drafted following the second world war at the congress of Europe. Reportedly British, French and German political leaders convened with civil society, representatives, academics, business leaders, trade unionists and religious leaders. Articles of the pledge stated, we desire a charter of human rights guaranteeing liberty of thought, assembly and expression as well as right to form a political opposition. We desire a court of justice with adequate sanctions for the implementation of this charter. Reportedly the european convention on human rights was inspired by the universal declaration of human rights.

A dutch mep and member of renew europe, reportedly the subject of conspiracy theories headed a visit to Slovenia from Wednesday to Friday concerning the rule of law. The visit was preceded by a visit from the eu president incumbent and Angela Merkel. The Slovenian prime minister is supposedly current president of the council of europe but Since the operation of the Lisbon treaty the rotating presidency has been replaced by a trio, currently Germany, Portugal and Slovenia.

The role of the presidency is to set long term goals and to prepare a common agenda, topics and major issues that should be addressed by the council, from which each of the three countries are expected to prepare their own more detailed program.

According to a report disagreements have arisen between the Slovenian prime minister and the eu parliament; thirteen members of which he accused of being puppets, following a visit lead by a member of the renew europe group. Renew europe was founded in 2019 and has atleast one member from twenty two countries in the european parliament.

Reportedly there are seven main eu institutions. The european parliament, the european council (of heads of state or government), the council of the eu (of national ministers) for each area of responsibility. The european commision, reportedly responsible for proposing legislation and directing the eu’s administrative processes. According to a report members are proposed by the council of the european union based on suggestions by national governments and appointed by the eu council following approval of the european parliament. The court of Justice of the european union oversees the uniform application and interpretation of eu law in cooperation with the national judiciary. Reportedly, the role of the cjeu is to resolve disputes between member nations and eu institutions, and can take action against eu institutions on behalf of individuals, companies or organisations whose rights have been infringed. The european central bank authorises the issuance of euro bank notes. Lastly, the court of auditors whose primary role is to judge whether the eu budget has been spent proficiently. The eu budget finances policies in agriculture, regional development, trans european networks, research and innovation, health, education and culture, migration, border protection and humanitarian aid.

According to a report €25 million has been allocated to an income pilot scheme for artists and art workers consisting of a weekly payment of €325, due to begin in March/April 2022. Reportedly the selection method for the project, due to be finalised this month will be a non competitive process with participants chosen randomly. According to the report the payment is not means tested and other benefits will not be diminished.

According to a report several police officers and ethnic Serbs have been injured in Mitrovika, Kosovo when police met resistance in an operation to find smuggled goods.

Kosovo, once part of Serbia and the federal republic of Yugoslavia declared independence in 2008, recognised by 97 out of 193 u.n. members. Reportedly 92% of Kosovars are Albanian, 2-4% Serbs and 2% Bosniacs. Muslims make up 97.4 % of the population. According to archaeological excavations Kosovo was habited by a paleo-Balkan culture. Reportedly Albanians migrated during the Ottoman empire, 1455-1912. The kingdom of Yugoslavia ruled from 1929 when according to reports Albanians became the minority due to land reforms, conflict and migration. The socialist federal republic of Yugoslavia was born in 1963.

Reportedly a Kosovo Albanian group called the Kosovo liberation army, backed by the u.s. and europe fought Yugoslav forces between 1998-99. According to reports nato air raids resulted in up to 1,000 civilian deaths, was followed by a u.n. civil and military presence. Reportedly up to 200,000 fled, Yugoslav forces withdrew, Albanians were repatriated and Mitrovika was divided, Serbs being sent to the north.

According to a report the joint comprehensive plan of action or Iran deal, discontinued in 2018 may be being reconsidered by the Biden administration. The deal which has been controversial involves the selling of enriched uranium. Not in Iran’s interests. According to reports uranium in the soil is essential for the growing of crops etc. Reportedly uranium depleted soil fails to reach the required temperature for life to manifest.

According to a report the u.s. have said they are willing to have diplomatic talks with north Korea. Reportedly Pyongyang is not interested as long as the u.s. maintains policies such as sanctions.

According to reports Japan annexed Korea, ruling for thirty five years until the end of world war 2 when it was divided by the united states and the soviet union. The u.s. administered the south which became the first republic of Korea, a capitalist state; the north became the democratic people’s republic of Korea. Reportedly neither government accepted the border as permanent.

North Korea were denounced by the u.n. security council when, supported by China and the Soviet union they crossed the border, leading to the united nations command, the u.n. presence in South Korea from 1950- present. In 1957 the u.s. and South Korea formed the usfk, still present.

Reportedly the armistice agreement was signed by the u.n., north Korea and the chinese people’s volunteer army. According to a report, in 2011 south Korea who did not sign the agreement said north Korea had violated the agreement 221 times.

According to reports the eu are expected to make an announcement on Wednesday regarding the northern Ireland protocol impasse. The eu have allowed customs officers to conduct their own checks, unprecedented within the single market.

Reportedly, extending the implementation of protocol keeping northern Ireland in the single market coincided with a uk declaration agreeing to comply with eu safety and animal health rules. Reportedly the extended grace period was in order for northern Ireland retailers to adapt their supply chains.