The Arab League, a largely impotent body, will welcome back Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad on 29 March, at the first annual meeting of Arab leaders since Syria’s suspension 12 years ago. Despite Western retaliation aimed at isolating Assad, most Arab states are now welcoming him back, leaving the US and Europe to staunchly enforce sanctions against the regime in order to avoid full normalisation. Despite this, there are no simple solutions available to stymie the plight of Syrians suffering in the country. As leader of a country hounded by civil war, Assad has given no indication of feeling remorse or even changing his behavior. The Syrian leader has tortured, imprisoned, bombed, gassed, and besieged his own people, leaving around 300,000 dead and many displaced. By accepting him back into the fold Arab diplomacy signals to victims of the regime’s atrocities, that Assad may continue with impunity.
World leaders are gathering in Hiroshima for the Group of Seven nations summit, which Japan is hosting with the goal of advancing Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s dream of “a world without nuclear weapons”. The G7 comes at a time when the world’s largest nuclear powers are increasingly clashing over issues such as the war in Ukraine, the threat of proliferation, and climate change. The memorial forms a stark reminder of the growing threat under President Biden’s watch, and is putting pressure on him to stand up to nuclear-armed adversaries and advance the cause of disarmament.
A debate still rages among historians about whether dropping the bombs was a necessary act by the United States to end the war and prevent more deaths, or an unjustified atrocity calling for apology and regret. In Hiroshima, however, many are simply focused on the need to prevent a recurrence. Joe Biden’s visit to Hiroshima will include meeting survivors of the atomic bomb and visiting the memorial that commemorates an estimated 140,000 people who died during the bombing and its aftermath.
Hosting the G-7 takes on increased significance for Japan as it has been buffeted by many of the proliferating nuclear developments and is the only country ever targeted by a nuclear weapon. Japanese officials hope the moment will resonate especially with Biden, who, to a degree unusual for politicians, is given to public expressions of empathy in the face of loss. Hidehiko Yuzaki, the governor of Hiroshima, said in an interview that visiting the city is important because nuclear deterrence is very theoretical and is often seen as something that just exists in people’s heads.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said oil cuts were necessary to ensure a specific prices, a statement that runs counter to earlier claims from the OPEC+ group that they were not seeking to influence the oil market in this way. The US and Europe have accused Russia of weaponising energy to try and counteract their efforts to weaken its military presence in Ukraine, while Moscow has accused the US of manipulating financial systems. Turkey and Iraq, meanwhile, have stated they will increase oil output, with Turkey switching to Libyan oil from the Gulf, after Iran's Parliament said that countries cause inflation through their reliance on US dollars.
Tehran has used the threat of capital punishment as a means to suppress and dissuade dissent in the wake of the recent protests sweeping the country. At least 209 people were executed in five months in response to the protestation, according to the UN. Groups such as Human Rights Activists News Agency say that the use of televised confessions before executions typically involves torture and the extraction of confessions under duress. Among those facing execution are Majid Kazemi, Saeed Yaqoubi and Saleh Mirhashemi in connection with the Isfahan House murders in November.
The appointment of an Iranian diplomat, Ali Bahreini, as the chair of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Social Forum in November 2023 has been criticised by human rights activists. They argue that Iran currently undertakes severe human rights violations, including the detention of more than 20,000 political prisoners and shooting people in the street who demand their basic rights. One activist, Mariam Claren, the daughter of Nahid Taghavi, a German-Iranian human rights activist who has been imprisoned in Iran since October 2020, stated that rewarding Iran with this role "is a slap in the face for all Iranians and anyone who loves freedom".
A bipartisan bill has been introduced in the US that would prevent the federal government’s retirement plan from investing in Chinese companies. The Taxpayers and Savers Protection (TSP) Act would also extend to companies from Iran, North Korea and Russia, and includes firms deriving more than 50% of their revenues from these jurisdictions. Senators Marco Rubio and Josh Hawley were among those behind the legislation, which would prevent the Thrift Savings Plan from investing in companies affiliated with the countries named. A bill targeting Chinese companies was introduced last year, but failed to pass.
Srichand Hinduja, the billionaire patriarch of the UK's wealthiest family, has died at the age of 87. Known as "SP," Hinduja was the chairman of the Hinduja Group, which employs over 200,000 people across 30 countries and has interests in banking, chemicals, software and commercial vehicles. With his younger brother Gopichand, he topped the Sunday Times Rich List for a fourth time this year. The brothers had recently been involved in a feud over the future of the group, although an agreement seemed to be in place. Hinduja's daughters called him a "visionary titan of industry and business, humanitarian and philanthropist."
Srichand Hinduja, the Indian-born billionaire industrialist and richest person in the UK, has died at the age of 86. The founder of the Hinduja Group, which owns interests in software, banking, commercial vehicles, and chemicals, was estimated by Forbes to be worth $17bn in March. Hinduja had been embroiled in a legal dispute with brother Gopichand over who would lead the conglomerate's future. However, a truce between the siblings had appeared to have been agreed earlier this year. The Hinduja Group employs 200,000 people in over 30 countries, operating in sectors from ashphalt to fertilisers. Srichand's daughters, Shanu and Vinoo Hinduja, confirmed that he had passed away having suffered from dementia.
SP Hinduja, billionaire head of Britain’s richest family, dies at 87
CNN
23-05-18 02:23
Srichand Hinduja, the Indian-born billionaire and patriarch of Britain's wealthiest family, has died at the age of 87. Hinduja was the chairman of the eponymous business group which owns public companies in India with interests in banking, chemicals, software and commercial vehicles. Hinduja and his brother Gopichand topped the Sunday Times Rich List in 2022 for a fourth time with an estimated net worth of £28.5bn ($36bn). The Hinduja Group, which employs 200,000 people, was founded in 1914 by Parmanand Deepchand Hinduja, who traded in carpets and dried fruit from Iran before his sons shifted their base to Britain in the 1970s.
Srichand Hinduja, the billionaire head of the India-born Hinduja Group and patriarch of Britain's richest family, has passed away aged 87 from dementia. The multinational Hinduja Group is one of India's most well-known conglomerates, with interests in real estate, oil and gas, information technology, and other sectors. He and his brother Gopichand topped the Sunday Times Rich List this year for a fourth time with their estimated net worth of £28.5bn, which included London property worth millions. Although recently dogged by a family feud over the future of the business, both his brother and daughters issued statements mourning his loss.
From Ukraine war to China’s rising power: 5 reasons this G7 matters
CNN
23-05-18 08:48
The leaders of the world’s most advanced democracies will meet in Hiroshima today to discuss the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and emerging threats from China. The meeting’s location has placed nuclear arms at the top of the agenda, with the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum looming close by. The museum reminds visitors of the risks of nuclear war with dozens of exhibits, including timepieces stopped at 8.16am, the exact timing of the atomic bomb that was dropped on the city in August 1945 by a US Army Air Force B-29 bomber. Global risk monitors, the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, states that the Doomsday Clock, an annual indicator of how close the world is to nuclear disaster, now stands at 90 seconds to midnight, an unprecedentedly dangerous rating; Russia’s war on Ukraine is cited as a major cause, together with Chinese weapons building, and a North Korea testing nuclear capable missiles.
China's special envoy to Europe, Li Hui, has visited Ukraine in an effort to ease the country's conflict with Russia. The visit followed a discussion between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in the first contact between the two heads of state since Russia invaded Ukraine in February. Ukraine has warned China not to tacitly approve of Moscow's action by refusing to call it an invasion or war and saying that it will only accept a peace agreement respecting Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Li will also visit Russia, Poland, France and Germany.
Israel's recent airstrikes in Gaza using "proportional response" tactics aimed solely at Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) have been highly strategic in nature. Israel is trying to ensure that Hamas, which is a larger Islamist militant group, stays out of this conflict. Since Hamas has a much larger arsenal of rockets, which can paralyze life in Israel much more efficiently, Israel wants to weaken PIJ, funded by Iran, and drive a wedge between two Iranian allies on its borders. This strategy seeks to set back Iranian efforts to use its proxies to advance its regional ambitions and indirectly attack Israel and America.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was invited to attend an Arab Summit in Saudi Arabia last week, reflecting a trend of belated reconciliation in the Middle East between adversaries following years of conflict and rivalry. The shift has accelerated since the region's main Sunni and Shiite Arab powers, Saudi Arabia and Iran respectively, agreed to restore diplomatic ties in March this year in a deal brokered by China. This new dynamic is being driven by the interests of US allies, which want to minimise polarisation, boost economic growth and counter the influence of Iran and Turkey.
The Chinese view towards the Ukrainian conflict is full of ambivalence and omissions, say Ukrainian observers. Though Xi Jinping has remained the only world leader to maintain ties with Vladimir Putin, he has yet to denounce Russia for its actions in the Ukraine. While he now appears to be trying to add a peacekeeper’s feather to his cap, observers suggest he may be trying to freeze the war on Russia’s terms, allowing the country to replenish its arsenals, train more troops and switch to wartime mode, rather than offering any meaningful peace process. However, with China increasingly relying on Russia for oil, gas, coal and timber exports, and Russia trying to find new markets as sanctions are deployed by the West, the “junior” part in the alliance with Russia is becoming increasingly tough to maintain. Meanwhile, in Ukraine, supplies of Chinese drones and microchips have begun, but there is growing speculation that China may begin to provide Russia with weapon supplies if Ukraine’s President rejects China’s peace offering.
Iran's President Raisi has warned the Taliban not to violate Iran's water rights over the shared Helmand River, which flows from Afghanistan into Iran. He emphasized the importance of the river, and called for Iranian hydrologists to check its water levels. Iran has long stressed the importance of the 1973 Helmand River treaty between the two countries, which envisions shared water resources. Drought has been a problem in Iran for 30 years, but has worsened recently, with an estimated 97% of the country facing some level of drought.
Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi has warned the Taliban not to violate Iran’s water rights over the Helmand River that the countries share. Raisi was speaking during his first official visit to neighbouring Pakistan, where he inaugurated the first of six markets along the Iran-Pakistan border. He urged the Taliban to permit Iranian hydrologists to check water levels on the river, which originated in the Afghan Hindu Kush mountain range. Drought has plagued Iran for around three decades and now affects around 97% of the country.
Toronto's attractions are alive with art and entertainment this weekend. The annual JUNIOR festival at the Harbourfront Centre will feature street theater, circus acts and open-air installations from around the world. The AGO is hosting a Year of the Rabbit children's dance party, while the ROM's 'Canadian Modern' exhibit highlights the country's innovative technology and culture since the 1940s. The museum will also launch 'TUSARNITUT!, Music Born of the Cold', an exhibit exploring music and sculptures from the Inuit community, and featuring performances by Montreal's Beatrice Deer Band.
Leaders of the G7 gathered in Hiroshima, Japan this week to discuss several issues including the economic and security tensions with China and how the most advanced economies in the world can de-risk strategic industries and diversify global supply chains. A key issue at the summit was the need for leaders to reaffirm their pledge of support for Ukraine, and commitment to impose costs and pressure on Russia and any other nations that assist it. Leaders will focus on calling out China’s actions such as economic retaliation against nations over policy disputes and other agreements, and pledging that their nation's industries will resist such coercion and take concrete steps to start building resiliency. To make the world’s largest economies more resilient in strategic minerals and rare earths, the G7 summit should agree on a plan to collectively become more resilient. This week’s summit should also address how the G7 forum can continue to bolster the rules-based international order, its democratic values and norms, and how to drive technical standard-setting for emerging technologies.
The G7 is significant as it reflects an effort to bring in key countries in the Global South to balance against China’s growing diplomatic and economic influence in that sphere. This year’s summit coincides with a Quad Leaders’ meeting that will take place in Japan on the sidelines of the G7 following President Biden’s decision to shorten his Asia trip. The leaders of Australia, Japan, and India will come together to discuss the changing geopolitical scenario in the Indo-Pacific and will present China with a united and coherent strategy to tackle issues that put current international norms at risk. Given the strategic importance of the Indo-Pacific, there is a growing need for stakeholders to consolidate the rules-based order. It is without doubt that the Quad and G7 grouping need to find a sustainable consensus that would provide space for regional peace and stability in an increasingly competitive and contested world order. These forums should work together to fight back and preserve a space of international affairs which could, directly or indirectly, hurt China’s interests. Any concrete effort to this end will require a competitive collective approach and a shared vision for addressing complex challenges.
Despite the economic crisis, two devastating earthquakes, and less-than-friendly relations with the West, Recep Tayyip Erdogan has won the first round of Turkey's presidential election by around four percentage points. Erdogan's electoral alliance also managed to secure another parliamentary majority. However, he failed to garner the 50% plus one required for an outright victory and so there will be a run-off vote. Erdogan’s eventual replacement is likely to come from a nationalist party, the elections highlighting the staying power of nationalism in Turkey. Fighting has just stopped in the Gaza Strip after 33 Palestinian and one Israeli died over four days of rocket fire from the Strip and air attacks by Israel. The Israeli government points to the lack of prolonged conflict and a bump in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s polling numbers from the events as proof of its success. Palestinians have just marked the 75th anniversary of the Nakba, the foundation of the state of Israel and the subsequent mass displacement and occupation of Palestinians.
