Turkey-Syria, Myanmar, Cameroon.

Today's three stories you should know.

Feb 13, 2023

Turkey-Syria

Qatar has said it is donating 10,000 portacabins and mobile homes that were used as accommodation for football fans attending last year’s World Cup to earthquake-affected parts of Turkey and Syria. The structures, which fans paid upwards of $200 a night to stay in, are to be used to house people made homeless by the disaster. The first 350 are already on their way to Turkey, officials told reporters. The death toll from last Monday’s quake and aftershocks has now passed 36,000 and is expected to rise as rescue efforts wind down and the focus turns to providing shelter, food and psychological care for the millions of people affected in both countries.

Myanmar

Myanmar’s military rulers today said civilians who are “loyal citizens” will be allowed to carry firearms if they agree to follow orders to take part in security and law enforcement operations as needed. The announcement was widely seen as a way for the government, which is facing an increasingly active rebellion, to arm its supporters to help battle pro-democracy rebels. Myanmar’s army two years ago toppled a democratically-elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi, throwing Suu Kyi and other opposition leaders in prison. It brutally cracked down on protests that followed, forcing its opponents into the shadows from where they launched an armed campaign.

Cameroon

The world’s oldest leader, Cameroon’s President Paul Biya, turned 90 today. But, with a swirling cocktail of problems facing the country and calls for him to step down, he won’t be putting on his slippers just yet. Cameroon’s economy is stuttering, it has been divided by a separatist uprising, and the Boko Haram armed group is active in the north. But Biya, in power since 1982, has shown no signs he is considering resigning. Reuters today published an interesting piece on his rule - and its future.