Wednesday, December 25

Author: Spencer Hayes

Spencer Brooke Hayes writes about the intersection of economics and human rights for the Global Economic Report. Spencer earned a Masters Degree International Affairs with a concentration in Global and Homeland Security from the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy, University at Albany. She earned her Bachelors's Degree in Political Science and Philosophy in 2019 from the University of Connecticut. Spencer has been accepted into a doctoral program this Fall at the University of Connecticut. She will study international relations and comparative politics.
Afghanistan: A “Ticking Clock” as U.S. Military, NATO Exit
1Jul By Spencer HayesNo Comments
Diplomacy, Geopolitics, UN Security Council

Afghanistan: A “Ticking Clock” as U.S. Military, NATO Exit

July 1, 2021-As the U.S. and NATO military forces leave Afghanistan, a tumultuous unraveling of society is taking place in the country. Afghans are facing human rights violations, corruption, and economic threats, a panel of experts told the UN Security Council last week. Meanwhile, new clashes between the government and Taliban forces are breaking out.  U.S. and NATO troops are pulling out of Afghanistan earlier than the expected September 11, 2021 withdraw. That's causing a “seismic tremor” in Afghanistan, according to Deborah Lyons, Special Representative and Head of the UN Assistance Mission. “The withdrawal decision was expected, but its speed — with the majority of troops already withdrawn — was not,” a UN News publication quoted her as saying. Lyons briefed the co...
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Syrians Face Dire Situation as Clashes Continue And UN Security Council Preps for Key Decision
1Jul By Spencer HayesNo Comments
Types of News: Brief, UN Security Council

Syrians Face Dire Situation as Clashes Continue And UN Security Council Preps for Key Decision

Photo: UN file photo Humanitarian Aid Convoys At Risk of Losing Access to the Last Cross-Point Available July 1, 2021-UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called for an extension of the measure that allows humanitarian aid to reach refugees living in Syria. UN Security Council's Mandate 2533, which expires in July, allows for aid to cross the Turkey-Syria border to 13.4 million people dependent on the assistance. As the Global Economic Report previously reported, the aid is a lifeline for refugees in northwest Syria. According to a UN press release, the decade of war in Syria has left 13.4 million dependent on aid relief. Now, the conditions for the Syrians are worse than any time since the war began, the UN reported late last week. Meanwhile, the situation in northwest Syri...
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In the Wake of Sanctions, Ties between Belarus and Russia Strengthen
25Jun By Spencer HayesNo Comments
Sanctions, Types of News: Brief

In the Wake of Sanctions, Ties between Belarus and Russia Strengthen

June 24, 2021 -- In response to new human-rights related sanctions by Western countries, Belarus is strengthening its relationship with Russia.  “We are categorically against sanctions. Recently, unfortunately, politicians in the West have shown a lowered level of political responsibility and literacy. They assumed the right to say what is right and what is wrong, to promote ‘lofty values’ and force everyone to comply with these ‘values’,” said Vladimir Makei, Belarus’ Minister of Foreign Affairs, told BELTA, a state-run news agency in Belarus. Earlier this week, the European Union, United States, United Kingdom, and Canada announced new rounds of sanctions against individuals and entities close to the Alexander Lukashenko regime. It comes in response to worsening political repre...
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Nicaragua Cracks Down on Political Speech, Opposition Ahead of Elections
24Jun By Spencer HayesNo Comments
Organizations, IMF, WTO, G7, Political Systems, Domestic Politics, Sanctions

Nicaragua Cracks Down on Political Speech, Opposition Ahead of Elections

June 24, 2021--Ahead of elections scheduled for November, the Nicaraguan government is arresting opposition leaders and potential presidential candidates who pose political opposition to their current leader, President Daniel Ortega.  Locals say the current repression dates back to the government's crackdown on political speech after the uprising against the president in 2018. Lesther Aleman, a university student leader, suggested that the current round-up of opposition leaders is to prevent any challenge to the election in November. "The strategy is to demoralize Nicaraguans, to delegitimize the electoral process to the point that the majority of people will abstain because there is no opposition. That is Ortega’s goal," Aleman told a reporter with Al Jazeera. "That way he can ...
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Palestinian Authority Turns Away Soon-to-Expire COVID-19 Vaccines from Israel
23Jun By Spencer HayesNo Comments
Types of News: Brief

Palestinian Authority Turns Away Soon-to-Expire COVID-19 Vaccines from Israel

June 23, 2021 --Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh cancelled an agreement last Friday to accept a million of Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine doses this Summer in exchange for giving Israel a similar number of doses the PA Health Ministry is expecting to receive this Fall. It would have been one of the first deals between the two governments since Naftali Bennett took over as Israeli Prime Minister June 13. The deal, however, did not last. Israel’s shipment of vaccines does not hold up “to the specifications contained in the agreement," said Ibrahim Melhem, the PA government spokesman. “The government refuses to receive vaccines that are about to expire.”  In response, the Israeli Health Ministry said the vaccine doses given to the PA were "identical in every way to...
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US, EU, UK and Canada Target Belarus Officials with New Sanctions
21Jun By Spencer HayesNo Comments
Sanctions, Types of News: Brief

US, EU, UK and Canada Target Belarus Officials with New Sanctions

June 21, 2021- In a coordinated effort to counter an escalation of human rights violations and repression by Belarus, the European Union, United States, United Kingdom, and Canada announced today a new round of sanctions against individuals and entities close to the Alexander Lukashenko regime. "Today's actions, taken on both sides of the Atlantic, hold accountable those who continue to suppress the democratic aspirations of the Belarusian people through abuses of human rights, attacks on the free press, and disregard for other fundamental freedoms," said Andrea Gackju, Director of U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, according to a press release. EU Sanctions List of Individuals Grows The EU's sanctions now include 78 more people and eight more entities. In total, th...
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Beijing Strikes Back Against Western Sanctions
17Jun By Spencer HayesNo Comments
Diplomacy, Globalization, Global Disintegration, Human rights, Sanctions, Types of News: Brief

Beijing Strikes Back Against Western Sanctions

June 17, 2021--China's National People's Congress passed sweeping legislation last week to retaliate against Western sanctions and those who enact them. The Anti-foreign Sanctions Law gives China's authority to blacklist individuals and organizations who create or implement discriminating measures against China or its citizens or interfere with China's internal affairs, according to a Reuters analysis of the legislation. If targeted and placed on a blacklist, individuals and organizations could face the following consequences: Deportation from ChinaBanned from travel to China.Chinese assets dissolved or frozen.Transaction within China restricted. Western Sanctions The new law comes in response to sanctions that the European Union, United States, Canada and Britain issued ag...
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10Jun By Spencer HayesNo Comments
Types of News: Brief

UK, US Speak Out Against Belarus’ ‘Deteriorating Human Rights Situation’

A top diplomat with the United Kingdom today denounced the "deteriorating human rights" situation in Belarus. "The human rights situation in Belarus continues to deteriorate,” said U.K. Ambassador Neil Bush in a speech to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. “The UK calls for proper, transparent and independent investigations into all reports of mistreatment and violations of human rights. We continue to call for the release of all political detainees and journalists and those imprisoned for voicing opposition to the Lukashenko regime.” Forced Landing of Flight In particular, Amb. Bush condemned the May 23, 2021 forced landing of Ryanair Flight FR4978 by the Belarusian government. The original flight path was from Athens, Greece to Vilnius, Lithuania by the Bel...
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Millions Syrian Refugees At Risk of Losing Access to Humanitarian Aid
5Jun By Spencer HayesNo Comments
Foreign Aid, International Development, Middle East, Types of News: Brief, UN Security Council

Millions Syrian Refugees At Risk of Losing Access to Humanitarian Aid

By Spencer Brooke Hayes June 5, 2021--More than 3 million Syrian refugees may lose access to food, medical supplies and humanitarian aide next month when a UN Security Council resolution expires. “It’s going to be a disaster if the Security Council resolution is not extended. We know that people are really going to suffer,” Mark Cutts, U.N. deputy regional humanitarian coordinator, told Reuters in a recent news report. "In northwest Syria you have some of the most vulnerable people anywhere in the world." UN Security Council mandate 2533 gives humanitarian agencies the right to cross the Syrian-Turkish border to deliver aid. The resolution comes up for review in July. According to reporting by Reuters Tuvan Gumrukcu, Russia and China reduced humanitarian access to border crossing...
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