East Asia & the Pacific
Cambodia: Thai military deploys armored vehicles, troops to O’Smach crossing, Cambodia rejects claims
Khmer Times (Cambodia)
The Thai military illegally deployed two armored vehicles and approximately 70 personnel to the O’Smach International Border Crossing in Oddar Meanchey province on April 2, prompting a strong response from Cambodia, which rejected Thai claims of provocation as “entirely untrue and baseless.”
China: China, Europe and why Beijing took a swing at Iran over the Strait of Hormuz
South China Morning Post (Hong Kong)
In a rare condemnation of its strategic partner, China has come out in opposition to Iran’s attacks on Gulf nations, calling for a ceasefire and a guarantee of the safety of shipping lanes.
Indonesia: Indonesian Muslim groups rally behind Iran amid escalating war
The Jakarta Post (Indonesia)
Indonesia’s major Islamic organizations have expressed solidarity with Iran, backing the country’s call for a unified response to what it describes as military aggression by the United States and Israel, and urging a swift end to the conflict as tensions in the Middle East escalate.
Japan: Japan aims to fill defense ‘vacuum’ in Pacific to counter China
The Asahi Shimbun (Japan)
In light of China’s expanding military activities, Japan has created an organization to strengthen defense on the country’s Pacific flank, an area considered a low priority and more vulnerable to incursions. The government plans to incorporate a policy of strengthening Pacific defenses when it revises the three key national security documents within the year.
Malaysia: Malaysia urges UN action after deadly attacks on Indonesian peacekeepers in Lebanon
Malay Mail (Malaysia)
Malaysia has condemned in no uncertain terms the continued attacks on United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) peacekeepers in southern Lebanon which have resulted in deaths and injuries among UN personnel.
Mongolia: Nyam-Osoryn Uchral Appointed as Prime Minister of Mongolia
Mongolia Weekly (Mongolia)
Mongolia’s parliament elected Nyam-Osoryn Uchral as prime minister on March 30, 2026. Uchral received support from 88 of 107 lawmakers.
Myanmar: Myanmar junta chief elected as president
Frontier Myanmar (Myanmar)
Myanmar’s parliament elected junta chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing as president on Friday, parliament said, with the ex-military commander set to maintain his rule in a civilian guise after snatching power by force five years ago.
North Korea: North Korea slams UN resolution on its human rights abuses as a ‘provocation’
NK News (South Korea)
North Korean state media this week denounced the U.N. Human Rights Council’s latest resolution criticizing its human rights record as a “political fraud document” and “provocation,” issuing a warning to countries who participated in the “slander” — which included South Korea.
Philippines: PH, US, allies discuss Luzon ammo depot
The Philippine Daily Inquirer (Philippines)
The Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (Apeco) is open to hosting a planned US-linked ammunition facility in its Casiguran site, a proposal that has drawn sharp criticism from China, which earlier warned the move could “backfire.”
South Korea: Lee, Macron pledge joint response to Mideast energy shock, Hormuz security
The Korea Herald (South Korea)
President Lee Jae Myung said that he and French President Emmanuel Macron had agreed to coordinate to address the energy shock triggered by the prolonged Middle East war, including efforts to secure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Macron underscored the importance of strengthening security cooperation between Seoul and Paris against the backdrop of a volatile global landscape and the shared values of the two countries.
Taiwan: U.S. lawmakers introduce bipartisan bill to protect Taiwan’s undersea cables
Focus Taiwan (Taiwan)
Three U.S. House representatives on Thursday introduced a bipartisan bill aimed at strengthening the resilience of Taiwan’s undersea cables and other critical infrastructure against growing threats from China.
Vanuatu: ULMWP urges students to reject Indonesia scholarship; Indonesia says programme supports development
Daily Post (Vanuatu)
The United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) has called on Vanuatu students to reject a new Indonesian scholarship program, describing it as propaganda on West Papua and what it terms “chequebook diplomacy.”
Europe & Eurasia
Bulgaria: Bulgaria requests EU support to fend off election meddling in April vote
Politico (United States)
Bulgarian officials last week asked the European Union’s diplomatic service to help spot and stop campaigns by foreign actors to manipulate public opinion through social media networks and propaganda websites, using a European approach designed in response to Russian and Chinese threats.
European Union: Top EU officials’ Signal group chat shut down over hacking fears
Politico (United States)
The European Commission has told some of its most senior officials to shut down a Signal group they were using to exchange information over fears it was a hacking target.
European Union: ‘Beyond what we could imagine’: Europe’s coming energy crunch
Politico (United States)
With the war in Iran threatening to choke off energy flows for the foreseeable future, Europe is facing a supply shock that promises to cripple manufacturing, ground airlines, hike up the price of food, spike borrowing costs and send inflation spiraling back to crisis levels.
European Union: Five EU nations urge tax on energy firms’ windfall profits
The Local (Sweden)
Spain and four other European Union nations have called for a tax on windfall profits of energy companies in response to rising fuel prices due to the Middle East war, Spanish Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo said.
Germany: New German conscription law: eligible men may now need approval for trips abroad
Euronews (France)
Men aged between 17 and 45 now need approval from the Bundeswehr for longer stays abroad. Under the new Military Service Act, this applies to trips abroad lasting more than three months, the Defence Ministry has announced.
Hungary: Hungary alleges plot to blow up gas pipeline ahead of election
BBC (United Kingdom)
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban convened an emergency meeting of the National Defence Council after explosives were found near a pipeline that transports Russian gas to Hungary.
Italy: Camorra boss Roberto Mazarella caught in luxury resort on Amalfi coast
Euronews (France)
The escape of Roberto Mazzarella, head of the eponymous clan that controls Naples, ended in a luxury resort in Vietri sul Mare, in the Salerno area. Carabinieri had been wanted since January 28th, 2025, after having escaped a European arrest warrant for murder aggravated by mafia-related offenses issued by the Court of Naples.
Russia/Ukraine: Risk of death or injury in Russian regiment almost 100% (Ukraine Battlefield update, Day 1,498)
EUObserver (Belgium)
The Russian independent website Dossier Center published information about Russia’s 27th Guards Division, showing how high losses at the front may really be for Russian units. In some sub-units, they may approach 100 percent.
Slovakia/European Union: Slovak PM says EU should drop sanctions on Russian oil and gas to boost energy security
Reuters (United Kingdom)
Fico said in a statement after a call with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban that the EU should renew dialogue with Russia and ensure conditions so member states can get missing gas and oil supplies from all sources, including Russia.
Ukraine: Iran Conflict Disrupts Private US Humanitarian Aid For Ukraine
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (Czech Republic)
The flow of volunteer humanitarian aid from the United States to Ukraine is coming under mounting strain, as disruptions linked to the Iran conflict ripple through global shipping networks.
Near East
Iran: U.S. Commandos Rescue Downed Air Force Officer Deep Inside Iran
The New York Times (United States)
An Air Force officer whose fighter jet had been shot down in Iran was rescued by U.S. Special Operations forces in a risky Saturday night mission that took commandos deep into enemy territory, President Trump said on social media early on Sunday. The rescue followed a life-or-death race between U.S. and Iranian forces that stretched over two days to reach the injured airman, who is a weapons system officer, current and former U.S. officials said. In the end, Navy SEAL Team 6 commandos extracted the officer in a massive operation that involved hundreds of special operations troops and other military personnel.
Iran: US intelligence assesses Iran maintains significant missile launching capability, sources say
CNN (United States)
Roughly half of Iran’s missile launchers are still intact and thousands of one-way attack drones remain in Iran’s arsenal despite the daily pounding by US and Israeli strikes against military targets over the past five weeks, according to recent US intelligence assessments, three sources familiar with the intel told CNN. “They are still very much poised to wreak absolute havoc throughout the entire region,” one of the sources said of Iran.
Iran: Frustration grows as Iran’s wartime internet shutdown breaks grim record
Al Jazeera (Qatar)
Iran’s state-imposed near-total internet shutdown is now the longest nationwide blackout on record in any country, according to a global monitor. Connectivity to the global internet has been around one percent of pre-war levels since shortly after the United States and Israel launched their war on Iran on February 28, according to NetBlocks.
Kuwait: Kuwait Petroleum Corp reports damage at units after Iran drone attacks
Reuters (United Kingdom)
Iranian drone attacks hit various targets in Kuwait on Sunday, with state energy company Kuwait Petroleum Corporation reporting fires and “severe material damage” at some operating units. KPC said in a statement that teams were working to contain the fires at affiliates Petrochemical Industries Company and National Petroleum Company.
Lebanon: At least 11 killed in Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon on Easter Sunday
Reuters (United Kingdom)
An Israeli airstrike on Kfarhata, a village in south Lebanon, killed seven people on Sunday, including a 4-year-old child, Lebanon’s health ministry said in a statement. Another Israeli attack on the Jnah neighborhood in Beirut killed four people and injured 39 others, the ministry added. Earlier on Sunday, the Lebanese army said a soldier had been killed in an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon.
Sub-Saharan Africa
Burkina Faso: Military and allies committing ‘horrific’ civilian abuses, HRW
Al Jazeera (Qatar)
A sweeping 316-page Human Rights Watch report found that Burkina Faso’s military and allied militias killed approximately 1,837 civilians across 57 documented incidents between 2023 and 2025, more than twice the number killed by Islamist armed groups during the same period. The report, which also implicated the al-Qaeda-linked group JNIM, found that government forces carried out ethnic cleansing against Fulani communities and named President Traore and six senior commanders as potentially liable under command responsibility. HRW called on the International Criminal Court to open a preliminary examination and urged international partners to impose targeted sanctions.
Burkina Faso: Military leader Traore says ‘forget democracy’
Al Jazeera (Qatar)
Burkina Faso’s military leader Ibrahim Traore publicly declared that people need to “forget” about democracy, arguing that it “kills,” just three months after his government dissolved all political parties in the country. Speaking on state television, Traore cited Libya as a cautionary example of failed foreign-imposed governance while offering no alternative political framework. The remarks mark a definitive break from his earlier promises to hold elections in 2024, and come as fatalities under his rule have tripled to over 17,000, the majority of them civilians killed by government forces and allied militias.
Burundi: At least 13 killed, dozens injured in military base blast
Al Jazeera (Qatar)
An electrical short circuit at Burundi’s main ammunition depot in the Musaga suburb of Bujumbura triggered a series of massive explosions late on March 31, killing at least 13 civilians and wounding 57 others, though security sources told AFP the real toll may be far higher. The blast destroyed houses, vehicles, and military infrastructure across multiple neighborhoods, with projectiles reportedly landing up to 10 kilometers away. Firefighting efforts were severely hampered by a water shortage, and Burundian authorities urged citizens not to touch unexploded munitions still scattered throughout the area.
DRC: Congo in talks with US over third-country deportations
RFI (France)
The Democratic Republic of Congo is in active negotiations with the Trump administration about accepting deportees from third countries, migrants expelled from the US who are not Congolese nationals, according to government sources in Kinshasa and multiple UN officials. The discussions are unfolding alongside separate US diplomatic efforts to finalize a Congo-Rwanda peace deal and secure American access to Congolese critical minerals, suggesting the deportation arrangement may be part of a broader package of diplomatic leverage. No agreement has been finalized, and key details, including nationalities, numbers, and any compensation for Congo, remain unresolved.
DRC: Islamic State-linked rebels kill dozens in eastern Congo
AP News (United States)
Fighters with the Allied Democratic Forces, a Ugandan Islamist group affiliated with the Islamic State since 2019, killed at least 43 civilians in Bafwakoa village in Ituri province, setting houses ablaze and attacking residents with machetes and firearms. Local officials put the toll as high as 56, with several people missing and at least two taken hostage. The attack is part of a broader escalation; the ADF has killed over 260 people and displaced thousands across three provinces since October 2025, as the Congolese army struggles to fight multiple armed groups simultaneously, including the Rwandan-backed M23.
Ethiopia: Russia and Ethiopia cement nuclear energy cooperation with new strategic roadmap
ENA English (Ethiopia)
Ethiopia and Russia signed a Strategic Roadmap for Nuclear Energy Development on March 31, 2026, formalizing an actionable plan for bilateral cooperation between the Ethiopian Nuclear Energy Commission and Russia’s state nuclear corporation, Rosatom. The signing follows a broader nuclear cooperation agreement reached in September 2025 during Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s visit to Moscow and reflects Ethiopia’s ambition to diversify its energy mix beyond hydropower. Ethiopia’s foreign minister cited the countries’ longstanding historical ties as a foundation for the partnership, which could include the construction of Ethiopia’s first nuclear power plant.
Gambia: Police fire tear gas at rally over rearrest of siblings
Al Jazeera (Qatar)
After Ousainou and Amie Bojang were acquitted by the High Court of murder charges related to the 2023 fatal shooting of two police officers, they were immediately rearrested by the state in a move that sparked mass protests. Police fired tear gas and water cannons at demonstrators in Brufut, injuring some and arresting others, as civil society group GALA mobilized crowds calling for their unconditional release. The siblings were eventually freed following two days of sustained public pressure, but the episode has renewed concerns about executive interference in the judiciary and the fragility of rule of law in Gambia.
Malawi: Rural workers locked out of justice as labour system struggles to reach the majority
Malawi Nyasa Times (Malawi)
Thousands of rural Malawians effectively have no access to the country’s Industrial Relations Court, which handles workplace disputes but operates only in four cities, leaving workers in remote districts facing hundreds of kilometers of travel and unaffordable costs just to file a claim. Cases of unfair dismissal, unpaid wages, and contract violations routinely go unresolved as a result, with district labor offices serving as the only realistic point of contact for most workers. Proposed solutions include digital complaint platforms and circuit court sessions in underserved areas, though Labour Minister Joel Chigona faces pressure to move beyond proposals and implement structural reform.
Nigeria: NHRC reports rising rights complaints, urges probe of Middle Belt violence
Guardian (Nigeria)
Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission recorded over 261,000 human rights violation complaints in a single month in 2025, with killings and kidnappings the most reported categories. The NHRC called on federal and state authorities to conduct independent investigations into persistent violence in the Middle Belt states of Plateau and Benue, noting that 35% of all complaints originated from that region. The commission also flagged chronic underfunding as a structural obstacle, noting that only about 1.4% of complaints were fully investigated due to a budget the government refused to increase despite millions of cases annually.
Somalia: US lawmaker pushes Somaliland recognition after Israel move
Horn Diplomat (Somaliland)
Republican Congressman John Rose of Tennessee introduced legislation aimed at deepening US engagement with Somaliland, saying he ultimately hopes it could lead to full recognition of the self-declared republic as a sovereign state. His push follows Israel’s December 2025 recognition of Somaliland, the first by any UN member state, and ongoing diplomatic discussions about the territory’s offer of a Red Sea military base and critical minerals access to the United States. The move remains contested: Somalia has condemned international recognition efforts as a violation of its sovereignty, and President Trump has so far indicated no change in US policy.
South Africa: More than 1,000 fuel stations run dry as Easter travel begins
Scrolla Africa (South Africa)
Over 1,000 fuel stations across South Africa ran out of petrol and diesel heading into the Easter long weekend, after a rush to fill up before record-high price hikes took effect on April 1. The crisis was driven by the global oil shock following the US-Iran war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which sent crude prices past $100 a barrel and weakened the rand, resulting in the largest fuel price increases in South Africa’s history. The Fuels Industry Association confirmed the country has enough fuel in storage but cannot move it to forecourts fast enough, with Gauteng accounting for nearly half of all dry stations.
Uganda: Law Society challenges ‘dehumanising’ deportation of Ugandans from the US
Nile Post (Uganda)
The Uganda Law Society and the East Africa Law Society filed an urgent court challenge after twelve people were deported from the United States to Uganda under a bilateral third-country agreement, marking the first known transfer of its kind. The legal groups described the process as “undignified, harrowing, and dehumanizing,” alleging that Uganda’s Parliament, immigration authorities, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs were never formally consulted. The case raises broader questions about sovereign accountability, the role of private contractors in deportation logistics, and whether diplomatic assurances are sufficient legal protection for individuals with no ties to the receiving country.
Zimbabwe: Zimbabweans fear planned constitutional change will kill political choice
Al Jazeera (Qatar)
Zimbabwe held four days of public consultations on Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3, a sweeping proposal that would extend presidential and parliamentary terms from five to seven years, replace direct presidential elections with a parliamentary vote, and grant President Mnangagwa expanded appointment powers over the Senate and judiciary. Critics and constitutional experts argue the bill is designed to keep Mnangagwa in power beyond his current 2028 term limit and potentially pave the way for dynastic succession, while the ruling ZANU-PF party frames it as a stability measure. With ZANU-PF holding a supermajority in parliament and hearings widely criticized as stacked and compressed, passage is considered highly likely despite broad civil society opposition.
South & Central Asia
Afghanistan: Pakistan, Afghanistan hold talks in China to end months of conflict
Al Jazeera (Qatar)
Pakistan and Afghanistan have confirmed they are holding talks in China. Senior officials from both countries are holding preliminary talks in the Chinese city of Urumqi. Afghanistan’s government has sent a mid-level delegation to Urumqi with the intention to hold comprehensive talks with Pakistan describing the negotiations as “working-level talks”. China has been attempting to mediate a negotiated settlement to the conflict since last month, however with Pakistani strikes on Kabul it led to international condemnation.
Bangladesh: US-Bangladesh relations now matter more than ever: Paul Kapur
Prothom Alo (Bangladesh)
Paul Kapur, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs has said that relations between the U.S. and Bangladesh are now more important than at any previous time. During a reception marking Bangladesh’s Independence Day in which he emphasized to seek to focus cooperation efforts in areas of security, trade, and governance to make countries more prosperous and secure. However, he emphasized security in which development at sea have implications for the Indo-Pacific region and competition with China.
Bhutan: Work Bank approves USD 25M to strengthen Bhutan’s economy and jobs
Kuensel Online (Bhutan)
The World Bank has approved USD 25 million in financing to support the Royal Government of Bhutan in strengthening policies aimed at job creation and enhancing economic resilience. The financing is titled the First Growth and Jobs Development Policy Financing is designed to help build a stronger policy and institutional framework to promote private sector-led job creation and aligns with Bhutan’s 13th Five Year Plan. However, despite economic growth Bhutan continues to face challenges in creating well-paying jobs with more than 40% in agriculture with this program establishing efforts in resolving these issues.
India: India’s new nuclear powered submarine INS Aridhaman commissioned
The Times of India (India)
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh has formally commissioned the indigenous nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine INS Aridaman into the Indian Navy. This comes as India sharpens its focus on boosting its underwater nuclear powers. It is built with a larger hull and has greater endurance and improved stealth for extended patrols. In addition, is able to carry a higher number of long-range nuclear capable K-4 missiles.
Kazakhstan: A poet was summoned to the police, and a blogger was arrested. Is freedom of speech shrinking in Kazakhstan?
Radio Azattyk (Kyrgyzstan)
Several journalists, public activists, and bloggers have been prosecuted in the past four months, raising the concern that freedom of speech is shrinking in Kazakhstan. Bloggers such as Adiletkhan Moldakhan were detained on charges of “spreading blatantly false information” and were sentenced to prison. Journalist Dina Elgezek believes that all of this indicates that freedom of speech is being eroded in the country and highlights that freedom of speech is in a very difficult situation.
Maldives: India says decision pending on Maldives’ request for long and short term oil supplies
Sun Online (Maldives)
India has said it has not yet decided whether it will supply oil to the Maldives as the ongoing conflict in the Middle East continues to disrupt global energy markets. Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal has reiterated that the Maldives had asked India for both long and short-term oil supply arrangements and told Reuters that India is still working on a decision.
Nepal: 12 Nepalis rescued from Cambodia scam operations, repatriated
The Himalayan Times (Nepal)
Twelve Nepali nationals stranded in Cambodia after being lured into illegal online operations and other unlawful activities have been rescued through the initiative of the Embassy of Nepal in Bangkok. The embassy has been notified and received information of Nepalis in Cambodia having been engaged in online fraud and other illegal activities. The embassy has emphasized citizens to follow government procedures and also media and civil society to disseminate awareness.
Pakistan: Pakistan says a new round of peace talks with Afghanistan is underway in China
NPR (United States)
Pakistan on Thursday confirmed it was holding peace talks with Afghanistan’s government in China. It is unclear who is representing Pakistan in talks with Afghanistan sending a “mid-level delegation”. The latest talks in China followed earlier round in Qatar and Turkey which the two sides agreed to a ceasefire until Pakistan attacked Kabul. Though China has not officially confirmed the talks the government is “actively mediating and facilitating the resolution of conflicts between Afghanistan and Pakistan”.
Pakistan: Pakistan raises petrol prices amid U.S.-Iran war
The Hindu (India)
Pakistan has announced an unprecedented increase of 43% and 55% in the prices of petrol and HSD in response to spiking global oil prices amid the U.S.-Israel war on Iran. Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik termed it a “difficult decision” and said that the objective was to restrict subsidies to the most deserving segments while maintaining fiscal discipline and preserving economic stability.
Pakistan: Pakistan to repay $3.5 billion UAE debt: cabinet minister
The Express Tribune (Pakistan)
Pakistan has decided to return the $3.5 billion debt of the UAE this month, a senior cabinet minister said in a background briefing on Friday, ending speculations about the fate of the debt that Abu Dhabi has started rolling over only for a month. The government is struggling to boost exports which have fallen 8% during the first nine months of the current fiscal year with the government also struggling to formulate a viable plan to double exports over the next three years.
Tajikistan: “Products are not delivered on time.” The impact of the war in Iran on Tajikistan
Ozodi (Tajikistan)
Some traders in Tajikistan say that after the U.S.-Israeli attacks they are unable to receive Iranian-made products as they could a month ago. The list of products has become smaller, and their prices have increased slightly. Tajikistan imports mostly food products such as fruits, vegetables, construction materials, and cotton fibers. The delay in the arrival of goods from Iran to Tajikistan has led to higher product prices which will decrease trade flows.
Tajikistan: Iran said it had built a drone manufacturing plant in Tajikistan. Does it exist?
Ozodi (Tajikistan)
Nearly four years ago, after Iran announced the opening of a drone manufacturing facility near the city of Dushanbe, its activities and even its existence remain unclear. The Tajik service has written to the Tajik Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Industry and New Technologies is awaiting a response. However, senior officials in Dushanbe have said in private conversations that “this enterprise has never been opened.” With one official saying that such a company does not exist in Tajikistan.
Turkmenistan: Turkmenistan has limited the amount of diesel fuel in tanks exported from the country to 300 liters
Turkmen News (Turkmenistan)
From April 1, restrictions on the volume of goods came into force in Turkmenistan. Diesel fuel tanks of vehicles leaving the country must not exceed 300 liters with each liter above this limit will incur a surcharge. This was signed by Turkmen President, Serdar Berdimuhamedov on March 30. Corruption in diesel payments is a systemic problem in Turkmenistan and due to significant price difference in Turkmenistan, various underground fuel export schemes are now operating.
Western Hemisphere
Argentina: Argentina expels Iranian diplomat amid rift over blacklisting IRGC
Al Jazeera (Qatar)
On April 2nd, Argentina issued an order expelling Iran’s charge d’affaires in Buenos Aires, Mohsen Tehrani, amid escalating tensions between the two countries. The Foreign Ministry of Argentina has said the decision was in response to an earlier Iranian statement that rejected Buenos Aires’s designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a “terrorist” group.
Costa Rica: Costa Rica Included in New U.S. Greater North America Security Strategy
The Tico Times (Costa Rica)
On April 1st, U.S. Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, incorporated Costa as part of what he calls the “Greater North America” initiative. The speech of the Monroe doctrine from the Defense secretary highlights calls for a shared security zone where each sovereign nation across the Western hemisphere will be working together to combat cartel activity, drug trafficking and irregular migration as central threats inside that parameter. Costa Rica just last week formally signed an agreement to accept some deported peoples from the United States, which is part of a regional pushed to the previously announced U.S.-backed Shield of the Americas initiative against cartels.
Cuba: As freed prisoners celebrate in Cuba, human rights groups demand clarity and release of protesters
AP News (United States)
On April 2nd, Cuba began releasing prisoners after the government’s promise to release 2,010 prisoners as part of “humanitarian gestures” ahead of Holy Week. Despite the releases going to be one of Cuba’s biggest in years, human rights groups have criticized saying they hadn’t seen evidence that those who were released included any of the 1,214 people they have registered as being imprisoned for political reasons. The government denies holding political prisoners, and with very little information provided by the government it still isn’t clear how many people were released on Friday.
Haiti: First foreign troop in new gang suppression force lands in Haiti to replace previous mission
AP News (United States)
On April 1st, the first foreign troop tied to a new gang-suppression force backed by the United Nations arrived in Haiti to help quell ongoing violence. A team from the central African country of Chad are in Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital, where the U.N. Support Office in Haiti will provide them with living space, medical care, supplies, and other assistance.
Venezuela: US lifts sanctions on Venezuela’s acting president Delcy Rodríguez
The Guardian (United Kingdom)
On April 1st, the United States lifted sanctions on Venezuela’s acting president Delcy Rodríguez, allowing her to work freely with U.S. companies and investors. This marks the latest step towards normalizing relations between the two countries after US forces abducted her predecessor, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife.
The SHU World Review is produced by the Student Research Assistants of the DiploLab at the School of Diplomacy and International Relations at Seton Hall University. Some summaries may be copied from article text. Back issues are available in Seton Hall’s repository.