Ethiopia
As mentioned in many previous newsletters, the UN and aid agencies have been pleading with the Ethiopian government to lift a blockade it has imposed on its war-hit Tigray region, where millions of people are reported to be at risk of starvation. Today, the Ethiopian government responded - not by lifting the blockade but by kicking seven senior UN officials out of the country for what it called “meddling.” UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said he was “shocked” by the move.
More from BBC here.
Afghanistan
Qatar’s foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, today said the Taliban rolling back the rights of women and girls to access education in Afghanistan was “very disappointing” and “a step backwards.” Qatar emerged as a key broker between the Taliban and Western nations in the aftermath of the group taking control of the country. Al Thani said the Taliban should look to Qatar as an example of how to run a country according to Islamic law while also respecting women’s rights. “Our system is an Islamic system [but] we have women outnumbering men in workforces, in government and in higher education,” he said.
More from Al Jazeera here.
Philippines
As the nominating period begins, another candidate today emerged as a leading figure in the race to replace Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte next year. And it’s his vice president, and fierce critic of his signature ‘war on drugs’ policy, Leni Robredo. Presidents and vice presidents are elected separately in the Philippines so it’s common for politicians from opposing parties to hold the roles together.
More from Rappler here.