Not Your Casual News Week 24: Season of protests in Argentina and Armenia
A weekly read to keep you in the loop on international issues
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Argentina: Violent protests after Senate adopts Milei’s reform law.
After “a day of extreme tension”, the Argentine Senate on Wednesday approved “with major last-minute changes” the law on state reform, known as the “omnibus law”, proposed by ultra-liberal President Javier Milei, reports Clarín.
“Six months into his term of office, Javier Milei is on the brink of securing his first law”, despite his party’s large minority in the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, the Argentinean daily points out.
But while the Senate has approved the broad outlines of the text, it must now vote on each article separately, promising more heated debate.
During the examination of the text, violent clashes broke out between police and anti-government demonstrators who had gathered outside Congress to protest against the law.
The police deployed tear gas and water cannons and made around thirty arrests.
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Armenia: Yerevan rocked by protests over possible territorial concessions
Far from Argentina, in Yerevan, Armenia, thousands also took to the streets on June 12 and the following days, clashing with police during protests against potential Armenian territorial concessions to Azerbaijan, as part of a peace deal.
The rallies were led by Archbishop Bagrat Galstanian, the 53-year-old leader of the Tavush for the Motherland movement, who opposes the territorial concessions and calls for Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian to step down.
Hundreds were injured in clashes with security forces, who fired stun grenades at anti-government demonstrators.
The government maintains that the police acted lawfully in their response to the unrest, which resulted in 70 arrests and injuries on both sides.
The beginning of the protests coincided with Pashinian’s announcement during a parliamentary session that Armenia would withdraw from the Russian-led CSTO.
The military alliance of ex-Soviet states consists of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan — Armenia would be the fourth country to leave the alliance after Azerbaijan (1999), Georgia (1999) and Uzbekistan (2012).
What Else Happened?
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Partial justice served in murder of Dutch journalist Peter R. de Vries. An Amsterdam court has sentenced two men to 28 years in prison for the 2021 murder of renowned investigative journalist and crime reporter Peter Rudolf de Vries. A third person, identified as an “homicide broker,” received a 26-year sentence. The masterminds behind the murder have not yet been formally identified. Peter R. de Vries was gunned down in broad daylight outside the RTL Boulevard television studio in Amsterdam, presumably because of his role in the trial of a Dutch drug mafia kingpin. “We call on the Dutch Prosecutor to continue its investigation of those who ordered the murder — an act that succeeded in silencing de Vries. In too many cases, those ultimately responsible for journalist killings, go free”, said Jasmijn de Zeeuw, legal adviser to Free Press Unlimited, which monitored the trial together with Reporters Without Borders.
Russia accused of using starvation as a weapon in Mariupol siege. A new analysis submitted by Global Rights Compliance to the International Criminal Court (ICC) alleges that Russia used starvation as a deliberate tactic during the siege of Mariupol, constituting a war crime. The analysis, compiled by Global Rights Compliance, details how Russian forces systematically targeted civilian infrastructure and aid routes in Mariupol, denying residents access to food, water and essential services. “There is no crime under the Rome Statute that was not committed by the Russian military during a full-scale invasion”, reads the report. “Mariupol is a vivid example of the policy of destruction of the city and its population by the Russian occupiers.” It's estimated that 90% of health facilities and houses were destroyed, with food distribution points and humanitarian corridors deliberately targeted. A four-phase strategy used by Russian forces during the 85-day siege has been identified, described as a “deliberate pattern” to inflict suffering on the civilian population.
Another politician died in an aircraft. A few weeks after an helicopter crash killed Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi, Malawi’s Vice President Saulos Chilima lost his life in a plane crash on June 10. The military aircraft carrying Saulos Chilima and nine other passengers went missing on Monday while en route to a funeral in Mzuzu. Bad weather prevented the plane from landing in Mzuzu, and it lost contact with authorities shortly after being advised to return to Lilongwe. The wreckage was discovered in the Chikangawa Forest Reserve with no survivors. Chilima, a popular figure known for his charisma and strong leadership, first became Vice President in 2014. He was recently reinstated to his position after corruption charges were dropped in May.
Climate News
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Mumbai’s thirst leaves rural villages dry. While Mumbai receives water from a vast network of reservoirs and pipelines, rural communities surrounding the megacity are facing a severe water crisis. Lacking access to this infrastructure, villagers depend on shrinking groundwater and irregular government tankers, forcing them to spend hours each day collecting water, often contaminated, for their basic needs. “Our days and our lives just revolve around thinking about collecting water, collecting it once, and collecting it again, and again,” said Sunita Pandurang Satgir, a villager interviewed by Phys.org. Climate change is exacerbating the situation, with erratic rainfall and extreme heat drying up wells and increasing reliance on irregular, often unsanitary, water sources.
Singapore: oil spill contaminates an island, fish farms unaffected. A significant oil spill has contaminated Singapore’s popular tourist destination, Sentosa Island. The spill, first reported on June 15, originated from a collision between a cargo ship and a tanker in the congested Singapore Strait, a major global shipping route. The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has assured consumers that local fish supplies remain safe for consumption following an oil spill in the Singapore Strait. Authorities are working to contain the damage and clean up affected areas, including beaches and coastal waters.
Image of the Week
Despite the numerous alarming headlines about the rise of the far-right in the European Union — which is especially true in France — the results at supranational level haven't changed much.
After this European Parliament elections 2024, Ursula von der Leyen’s European People’s Party group remains dominant in the chamber, while the main far-right group, Identity and Democracy group, lost 18 seats, mainly due to the exclusion of the Alternative for Germany (AfD).
Overall, nothing really changed. Except in France.