Wall Street Journal Reporter Arrested In Russia On Spying Charges
Politico: Russia detains Wall Street Journal reporter over spying allegations
Evan Gershkovich, a US citizen, could face up to 20 years in prison.
Russian security services detained Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal correspondent, in Yekaterinburg on Thursday on suspicion of spying for the U.S., according to state media reports.
Gershkovich, who is a U.S. citizen, is “suspected of espionage in the interests of the American government” and accused of “trying to obtain secret information,” Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said in a statement, according to state news agency TASS.
In Russia, the charge of espionage is punishable by 20 years in prison.
Read more ....
WNU Editor: This appears to be the reason why he was arrested .... Wall Street Journal reporter, 31, is frog-marched into Russian court but his lawyer is BANNED - following arrest for 'spying' while writing about feared Wagner group (Daily Mail).
I personally like the reporting that Evan Gershkovich has been doing for WSJ. He is in Russia, and for the past few months his reporting on how the war is impacting regular Russians has been a go to place for me. I know his reporting on the Wagner group has had an impact. Even Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin had to recently acknowledge this .... Wagner chief admits Bakhmut battle has 'battered' his army (CNN).
On a personal note. Before the war I knew a lot of independent journalists and independent news organizations in Russia. I was a regular weekly guest for one Moscow radio station commenting on Canadian - U.S. politics. But the war has changed everything. Russia is in a state of war right now, and there are restrictions on what can be covered when it comes to the war and the industrial base that supports it.
But even with these restrictions, Russian social media has been very active, and they are very critical of Russia's war effort. It should also be noted that while Russian news media is censored, Russians still have access to outside news media organizations via the internet.
Wall Street Journal Reporter Arrested In Russia On Spying Charges
Moscow Court arrests WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich over espionage case -- TASS
Kremlin comments on WSJ correspondent arrest -- RT
Russia arrests Wall Street Journal reporter on spying charge -- AP
Russia detains Wall Street Journal reporter for 'spying' -- DW
Russia arrests Wall Street Journal reporter on espionage charges -- The Independent
Russia arrests US journalist Evan Gershkovich on spying charge -- BBC
Wall Street Journal reporter arrested in Russia on spying charges -- CNN
Wall Street Journal defends reporter after he's arrested by Russia on suspicion of espionage -- FOX News
Picture Of The Day
An anti-war activist holds up a sign "Stop war exercise, Go home" in front of a South Korean marine taking position during a U.S and South Korea marine corps combined amphibious landing drill called the 'Ssangyong' exercise, in Pohang, South Korea. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji
WNU Editor: The above picture is from this photo-gallery .... Top Photos of the Day (Reuters).
Protecting conservation areas in Nepal from infrastructure development
Highways, canals, and new railways are disturbing Nepal’s national parks
Originally published on Global Voices
Image by Jana Asenbrennarova via Nepali Times. Used with permission.
This article by Sonia Awale was originally published in Nepali Times. An edited version is republished on Global Voices as part of a content-sharing agreement.
The South Asian nation of Nepal is one of the global leaders in environmental restoration and conservation. For example, Nepal's community forestry program doubled tree cover to 45 percent in the past three decades. Additionally, nature sanctuaries make up a quarter of the country's total land area.
Two years ago, Nepal’s national parks marked five years with zero rhino poaching. Nepal is also the first tiger range country to nearly triple its population of big cats.
But new development projects may be threatening these hard-won achievements. Linear infrastructure projects will soon be crisscrossing national parks along the Tarai lowland region in southern Nepal — home to many endemic and endangered species — disturbing the habitat and blocking wildlife migration routes.
Nearly 400 km of the 1,028 km East-West Highway slices through national parks in the Parsa, Chitwan, Bardia and Banke districts. Transmission lines have been built through protected areas, and more are planned. Irrigation canals such as Babai, Ranijamara, and Sitka are obstructing wildlife movement pathways.
“Nepal is among the fastest growing countries in terms of infrastructure, but projects are also the least well planned,” says World Wildlife Fund Nepal (WWF-N) Country Director Ghana Gurung.
Balancing development and conservation has been a longstanding challenge for countries like Nepal, but experts say it need not be. Around the world, planners are now building infrastructure with climate-smart and wildlife-friendly safeguards. With technical expertise and investment, there is no reason Nepal cannot do the same.
In fact, the 30 km Narayanghat-Mugling Highway features the first two of Nepal’s wildlife underpasses, where the busy highway artery passes through an important animal migration corridor. Camera traps at underpasses showed deer, wild boar, and other animals regularly using them, with half the wildlife movement occurring in winter when animals search for water.
The Narayanghat-Butwal highway, which is being upgraded, will have 40 wildlife crossings along the Daunne-Gaidakot section. Their location is determined after monitoring wildlife movement in the area. The project, funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), will also monitor how often the animals use the crossings.
The facilities are necessary not just to prevent the fragmentation of wildlife habitats, but also to reduce road accidents with endangered species.
Graphic via Nepali Times. Used with permission.
But there is a tension between road engineers and conservationists, with the former prioritising connectivity while the latter is blamed for one-dimensional advocacy for wildlife without considering human or development needs.
Bridging this gap is the recently launched Asia’s Linear Infrastructure safeGuarding Nature (ALIGN) project, which aims to protect protected areas from the impact of new infrastructure.
Funded by USAID and implemented by WWF, the ALIGN project was launched at the United Nations Biodiversity Conference in Montreal in December 2022 with an initial focus on three countries: Nepal for its rich biodiversity, Mongolia for its fragile protected areas, and India which is accelerating investment in infrastructure.
ALIGN has three main objectives: refine and strengthen existing policies so that they align with international best practices, enhance partnerships to promote and support investment and implement safeguards for linear infrastructure and capacity building.
“As it stands, we have a very weak policy framework but we must strengthen it to avoid the impacts of big infrastructure. Soon we will be reviewing them,” says Semina Kafle of the ALIGN project in an interview with the Nepali times.
She adds: “Our focus is on producing our own experts. But there is a big gap between how an engineer thinks versus a conservationist. So we have decided to go back to school and make the impact of linear infrastructure on climate and wildlife an integral part of engineering studies.”
ALIGN is working with the Institute of Engineering (IOE) in Pulchok Campus to develop a syllabus for an elective for students of civil and electrical engineering and urban planning.
The team is also collaborating with American universities to bring engineering lecturers to the Institute. As the demand and interest for the course increase, the elective will be upgraded to a core course or even a Master’s program.
“It is crucial that we equip our students with the latest technologies and construct linear infrastructure while also ensuring the safety of the wildlife,” says Shashidhar Joshi, dean of IOE.
Image by Jana Asenbrennarova via Nepali Times. Used with permission.
He adds: “This is already practised elsewhere in the world, and we are integrating it now into our engineering studies to redefine infrastructure and planning.”
Poorly planned highways, power lines, or railways now threaten to undo Nepal's conservation success. With poaching controlled to a large extent, protected areas are now getting overcrowded, leading to more frequent contact between people and tigers, wild elephants and leopards.
Wildlife crossings over or under highways or irrigation canals can make them safer for endangered species. Otherwise, vehicle collisions with wildlife may become a problem because more vehicles are moving at a faster speed.
Safe routes for animals will also reduce human-wildlife contact. The crossings provide drainage, preventing inundation, especially as climate-induced weather extremes lead to more downpours and flash floods.
Wildlife-friendly structures across highways and irrigation canals are helpful, but they need to be maintained and monitored. An underpass in Barandabhar, a 29km-long forest corridor bisected by the East-West Highway in Chitwan, is often cited as a notable wildlife crossing. However, Sandesh Singh Hamal of the ALIGN Project says that the lack of upkeep has turned it into a garbage dump.
He adds: “Who should be responsible for their maintenance? There should be no conflict regarding the jurisdiction, we cannot pass the buck from one agency to another.”
The ALIGN project has a performance period until September 2025, during which it will also facilitate learning and sharing between the three focal countries. With Nepal embarking on mega projects like the East-West Railway, Nijgad Airport and the Kathmandu-Tarai Expressway, wildlife crossings need to be integrated into their planning.
Ghana Gurung of WWF says: “We will work with governments and try to bring engineers and conservationists together to ensure infrastructures do not disturb protected areas.”
Written by Nepali Times
New Report Says Number Of Global Usable Nuclear Warheads Increased In 2022
DW: Number of usable nuclear warheads increased in 2022 — report
The world's stockpile of usable nuclear warheads increased by over 130 in 2022, Norwegian People's Aid has reported. The authors have warned of the risk that nuclear weapons pose to humanity.
The number of nuclear warheads that states could deploy reached a total of 9,576 at the beginning of 2023, up from 9,440 the previous year, according to a report published by the NGO Norwegian People's Aid (NPA) on Wednesday.
The Nuclear Weapons Ban Monitor report said that the weaponized nuclear power amounted to a "collective destructive power of more than 135,000 Hiroshima bombs."
The issue of nuclear weapons has become its most prominent since the end of the Cold War thanks in part to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and subsequent aggressive rhetoric, as well as fears over Iran's nuclear program and North Korea's renewed missile tests.
Read more ....
Update #1: Driven by Russia and China, world's usable nuke arsenal rose in 2022, reveals study (First Post)
Update #2: World’s arsenal of nuclear weapons now has power of 135,000 Hiroshima bombs, report says (Stars and Stripes)
WNU Editor: The Norwegian People's Aid's report is here .... NPA’s latest Nuclear Weapons Ban Monitor is out.
Russia Stages Major Nuclear Missile Exercises
Daily Mail: Putin stages major nuclear missile exercises involving 3,000 troops in show of strength to the West
* Putin staging war games with Yars intercontinental ballistic missile system
* Putin has aimed to make Yars missile system part of Russia's 'invincible weapons'
Vladimir Putin is staging major nuclear missile exercises involving 3,000 troops in a show of strength to the West.
The Russian despot's troops are staging war games with his 'invincible' Yars intercontinental ballistic missile system in three regions of Russia.
A video shows the Yars missile system - which replaced the Topol - on drills amid his war against Ukraine and high tension with the West.
Read more ....
Russia Stages Major Nuclear Missile Exercises
Russia starts exercises with Yars intercontinental ballistic missiles -- Reuters
Russia announces exercises with nuclear capable Yars missiles following deployment deal with Belarus -- SKY News
Russia Practicing Launches of Yars Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles -- Newsweek
Russia starts Yars intercontinental ballistic missile drills -- Al Jazeera
US Has Stopped Exchanging Nuclear Data With Russia After Moscow's Treaty Suspension
CNA/Reuters: US to stop exchanging nuclear data with Russia after Moscow's treaty suspension
WASHINGTON: The United States has told Russia it will cease exchanging some data on its nuclear forces following Moscow's refusal to do so, the White House said on Tuesday (Mar 28), calling this a response to Russia's suspending participation in the New START nuclear arms treaty.
While Russian President Vladimir Putin has not formally withdrawn from the treaty, which limits the two sides' deployed strategic nuclear arsenals, his Feb 21 suspension imperils the last pillar of US-Russian arms control.
Between the two of them, the United States and Russia hold nearly 90 per cent of the world's nuclear warheads - enough to destroy the planet many times over. "Under international law, the United States has the right to respond to Russia's breaches of the New START Treaty by taking proportionate and reversible countermeasures in order to induce Russia to return to compliance with its obligations," a spokesperson for the National Security Council said.
Read more ....
WNU Editor: This US action is a response to Russia doing the same thing a few days ago .... Russia stops sharing missile test info with US, opens drills (Defense News/AP). Sighhh .... this is unprecedented. I cannot help but think that we are already at Defcon level two or three. And the rhetoric between the two countries continues to scalate .... Russia Calls Out 'Nuclear Weapons Hypocrisy': US Has Tactical Nukes In 5 Non-Nuclear Weapon States (Zero Hedge).
The Incredible Rise Of China As An Export Country
WNU Editor: Impressive.The unbelievable rise of China 🇨🇳!@Kanthan2030
— Erik Solheim (@ErikSolheim) March 29, 2023
pic.twitter.com/RBmmcG2NkY
Micronesia’s president accuses China of bribery and ‘political warfare’
China has denied the allegations and dismissed them as slander
Originally published on Global Voices
Federated States of Micronesia President David Panuelo (right) shakes hands with Chinese Ambassador Huang Zheng (left). Photo from the Facebook page of the Office of the President of the Federated States of Micronesia, posted on December 12, 2022.
David Panuelo, the outgoing president of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), penned a 13-page letter addressed to state governors and other local leaders accusing China of engaging in bribery and “political warfare” in the Pacific region.
Because Panuelo lost his reelection bid on March 7, his term as president will expire in May. He sent his letter on March 9.
FSM is a Pacific territory comprising 600 islands and islets with a population of around 115,000. It is located northeast of Australia and receives financial aid and security guarantees from the United States.
Under Panuelo’s leadership, FSM became part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative which led to the launching of agricultural technical assistance projects, “friendship stadiums,” and the reconstruction of several roads and bridges.
But Panuelo’s letter alleged that China has sinister motives for expanding its presence in the Pacific.
I believe that our values are presently being used against us as Micronesians and against our national interests.
…we are witnessing political warfare in our country we are witnessing Grey zone activity in our country. over the course of my administration, the cope has increased as has the depth, as has the gravity.
Panuelo revealed that “grey zone” activities include deploying Chinese research vessels within FSM’s maritime territories, whose actual mission is to spy, map potential resources, and chart submarine routes.
He said that he opposed the “Deepening the Blue Economy” memorandum of understanding proposed by China because it would open the door to China to “begin acquiring control of our nation’s fiber optic cables as well as our ports.”
He added that China uses its vast resources to bribe Pacific leaders.
One of the reasons that China's political warfare is successful in so many arenas is that we are bribed to be complicit, bribed to be silent.
…What else do you call it when an elected official is given an envelope filled with money after a meal at the PRC [People’s Republic of China] Embassy or after an inauguration? What else do you call it when a senior official is discretely given a smartphone after visiting Beijing? What else do you call it when an elected official receives a check for a public project that our National Treasury has no record of and no means of accounting for?
He mentioned the risk he took by writing this letter:
I am acutely aware not informing you of all this presents risks to my personal safety, the safety of my family, and the safety of the staff I rely on to support me in this work. I inform you regardless of these risks because the sovereignty of our nation, the prosperity of our nation, and the peace and stability of our nation, are more important.
The Chinese government has officially denied the allegations. Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said during a press briefing:
We noted relevant reports, in which the smear and accusations against China are completely inconsistent with the facts.
She also stated that China stands ready to work with the FSM to enhance friendship and cooperation.
In a statement, Chinese Ambassador Huang Zheng insisted that the allegations in the letter were a clear misrepresentation of facts and slander.
In an interview with RNZ News, University of Hawai’i at Moana associate professor Tarcisius Kabutaulaka noted the significance of what Panuelo divulged in the letter; but, at the same time, suggested his recent election defeat also undermined the statement.
It [allegations] is significant, especially from the leader of a country that has diplomatic relations with PRC.
But it is unfortunate that he made the statement on the eve of his presidency and as he is leaving office. This could therefore be read and therefore dismissed as the views of someone who has just lost the election and therefore looking for someone to blame.
Panuelo is not the first Pacific leader who criticized the actions of China in the region. For example, opposition groups in Kiribati and the Solomon Islands have previously questioned the sudden expansion of China’s security-related and political activities in their countries.
For its part, China said it respects the sovereignty of Pacific nations and that it views them as equal partners.
Written by Mong Palatino
Could Britain finally be ready to seriously discuss reparative justice with the Caribbean?
A series of recent revelations have fuelled calls to do the right thing
Originally published on Global Voices
Feature image via Canva Pro.
On February 4, the UK Guardian ran an article about the Trevelyan family, members of the British aristocracy. One might have expected the story to highlight the family's stately homes, political connections, or philanthropic work; instead, it focused on a family trip to Grenada — but this was no Caribbean getaway. Their journey had a far greater purpose: to make a public apology for their ancestors’ role in the transatlantic slave trade.
Back in 2016, as family member John Dower did some research into the Trevelyan history, he perused University College London's slavery database and discovered several entries denoting the combined ownership of over 1,000 enslaved Africans spread over six sugar plantations on the island. He was shocked, saying, “It had been expunged from the family history.”
Dower told the wider family circle, including his cousin Laura Trevelyan, a BBC reporter, about what he had found. In late January, they agreed to sign a letter of apology. When The Guardian published the story, 42 members of the family had already signed; by now, there are probably more, and they went a step further, by collectively committing to pay reparations to the people of Grenada.
It is a step that very few have had the courage or conviction to do. In August 2019, history was made when a reparations agreement was signed between The University of the West Indies and the University of Glasgow, the first such contract since people enslaved by the British were fully emancipated in 1838.
In 1835, the British government paid the Trevelyan family a lump sum of UK £26,898 (US $33,206), as compensation from for the abolition of slavery one year prior, quite a hefty settlement at the time. In contrast, the enslaved who were “freed” received nothing and were even made to continue labouring with no pay for years under an “apprenticeship” programme after the emancipation declaration.
By February 27, 2023, the Trevelyans had launched a UK £100,000 fund in Grenada. Sir Hilary Beckles, chair of the CARICOM Reparations Commission who was instrumental in achieving the reparations agreement with the University of Glasgow, was on hand for the signing of the agreement, while Nicole Phillip-Dowe, vice-chair of the Grenada National Reparations Commission, commended the Trevelyans, noting, “It takes a leap of faith for a family to say, ‘my forefathers did something horribly wrong and I think we should take some responsibility for it’ […] I hope it will be followed by others.”
Many others are now coming out of the woodwork. On March 28, Scott Trust, the owner of The Guardian, revealed that the newspaper's founders had links to the slave trade. He apologised and committed to undertaking a decade-long programme of restorative justice that would invest UK £10 million (US $12.3 million) with the descendant communities of Guardian founder John Edward Taylor and his business partners.
In the wake of this latest development, and buoyed by the Trevelyans’ actions as well as Laura Trevelyan's use of her journalistic skills to bring as much attention as possible to the issue, United Nations (UN) experts are now adding their voices to the call for the British government and royal family to finally move in the direction of restorative justice.
Both the British politicians and the royal family have been reluctant to address the issue of slavery reparations. In October 2015, during then British prime minister David Cameron's visit to Jamaica, he infamously refused to discuss the issue, instead telling his hosts to “get over slavery.” Adding insult to injury was his offer to spend UK £25 million (approximately US $38 million) to build a new prison on the island, ostensibly to accommodate all the law-breaking Jamaican deportees.
More recently, in March 2022, as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge embarked upon a Caribbean tour in honour of Queen Elizabeth II's platinum jubilee, they were met with protests from Jamaica to Belize. However, while Prince William acknowledged that “slavery was abhorrent and should never have happened,” he stopped short of issuing an apology.
Yet, as Trevelyan realised after spending some time in Grenada, the effects of slavery and colonialism still linger, affecting the people of the region in a myriad of ways, including via economics, systemic corruption, violence, public health, education, and issues of identity.
The family has been pressuring the British government and royal family to apologise and make amends for its involvement in and profiteering from the slave trade. Other colonisers, most recently the Dutch, have begun to make moves in this regard.
In mid-March, Laura Trevelyan announced that she had resigned from her post at the BBC to campaign full-time for reparative justice in the Caribbean. She plans to work with sympathetic politicians like Labour MP Clive Lewis, who has called for the UK to negotiate slavery reparations with Caribbean leaders.
From Trinidad and Tobago, writer Ira Mathur tweeted one of the most hopeful takeaways:
‘In November, King Charles was reported to have said he was ready to have “active conversations” about Britain’s involvement in the slave trade.’
— Ira Mathur (@irasroom) March 21, 2023
According to The Guardian, King Charles's goddaughter Fiona Compton, London-based artist and daughter of former St. Lucian prime minister John Compton, said he had spoken to her about ways in which the issue could be “better highlighted and acknowledged.” Compton is the powerhouse behind Know Your Caribbean which strives to educate people about the region. This often involves correcting perceptions about its misrepresented history and facilitating new and more inclusive discussions around various topics.
Could such a combination of factors — enhanced advocacy for reparative justice, a new sovereign on the British throne who appeared quite supportive of Barbados's decision to become a republic and may well be open to new ways of considering reparations, the continued, tireless efforts of the CARICOM Reparations Commission, and now pressure from one of the world's most respected media houses and the UN — finally herald in a new era for formerly colonised states? The Trevelyan family, like millions of Caribbean citizens, can only do what they can, and then wait and see.
Written by Janine Mendes-Franco
Legacy of a Palestinian Educator: Honoring Saniya Nusseibeh's Journey as a Teacher on land day
Sanaiyeh's story: The unwavering pursuit of educating Palestinian girls.
Originally published on Global Voices
Saniyeh wrote on this photo: At Schmidt College after before the Nakbah, I'm in 7th grade.” Saniyeh Nusseibeh Collection, Khazaen Archive. Used with permission
This story, written by Sarah Dajani, was originally published on January 25, 2023, by Khazaen, an independent organization based in Jerusalem that collaboratively builds an Arabic archive documenting daily Arab life. An edited version is republished here with permission.
Saniyeh Nusseibeh came into this world in March of 1916, just one year before the fall of Ottoman rule in Palestine. Her birthplace was a magnificent house situated at the doorstep of King Faisal Gate, in close proximity to the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Saniyeh was the youngest of seven siblings, including three half-brothers and three full-siblings. Sadly, the family was bereft of their father, Saleh, before she had even reached her second year, leaving her mother to shoulder the responsibility of raising the children alone.
In 1925, Saniyeh embarked on her educational journey at Almamonia school in Jerusalem. Among her meticulously preserved papers, was the curriculum for first and second grades, which encompassed the elegant art of Arabic calligraphy, drawing and painting, handmade crafts, and nature.
Student Saniya Nusseibeh grades, 1928. From the Palestinian Government, Al-Ma’mouniyyah School. Saniyeh Nusseibeh Collection, Khazaen Archive. Used with permission.
She completed her initial educational stages at Almamonia, and later embarked on a new journey at Schmidt College for Girls in western Jerusalem. There, she honed her academic skills and acquired the knowledge necessary to pursue her passion: education.
Saniyeh's archives bear testimony to a plethora of job offers that flooded her way towards the end of the 1930s. She eventually began her career at Almalha school in the early forties, where she soon established herself as one of the first teachers before being swiftly promoted to the position of school Principal.
She remained in this distinguished capacity until October of 1947, when she reluctantly bid farewell to the school. Saniyeh archives reveal that she had been notified of Widad Alayoby's appointment as the new principal of Al Maliha school, after years of loyal service in education and administration. This heart-wrenching event transpired just nine months before the Nakba, and the fall of the village to the Zionist gangs.
A letter from Widad Al-Ayoubi, the principal of Al-Malha Girls’ School, acknowledging that she had received all the books and stationery for the Inspector of Jerusalem Education in 1947. Saniyeh Nusseibeh Collection, Khazaen Archive. Used with permission.
Saniyeh's papers include letters and documents that reveal a rich understanding of the village's history. Through her preservation, we can uncover its unique characteristics, noting that today's view of the occupied village is far from usual. Its people have suffered ethnic cleansing and displacement as a result of the establishment of the state of Israel.
Invitation to the annual literary party at Malha School for the year 1946. Saniyeh Nusseibeh Collection, Khazaen Archive. Used with permission.
One notable item in the collection is a 1946 invitation to a literary party, providing insight into the cultural events once held in the village. Unfortunately, the school's location within the village remains unknown, as the school no longer exists.
In November 1947, a mere one month after leaving her previous post, Saniyeh was appointed as the principal of Deir Ghassana School for Girls in Qada Ramallah. Among her papers from that time, an official letter that she sent to the inspector of Jerusalem was discovered.
In her letter, Saniyeh expressed her concerns about the challenging situation facing the school, highlighting its remote location from the village center, lack of basic amenities such as bathrooms, and absence of furniture or equipment. She urgently sought assistance from village officials to ensure that the school could be adequately supplied with essential resources.
A letter from Saniyeh Nusseibeh to the inspector of Education in Jerusalem. “I began my work along with my sister on November 1, 1947. When I saw the school, which was far from the village center and had no furniture, equipment, or even bathrooms, I was overwhelmed with despair. There was no janitor to clean the school, and the place was in a difficult situation. I implore you to help me by seeking assistance from the village officials. Furthermore, I request that the location of the school be moved to the village or that I be relocated elsewhere, as I cannot carry out my work under these circumstances. Respectfully. Signed by “The school Principal, Saniyeh Nusseibeh.” Saniyeh Nusseibeh Collection, Khazaen Archive. Used with permission.
Saniyeh's role as principal of Deir Ghassana Girls’ School was tragically brief, as the Nakba upended the lives of countless Palestinians. After May 1948, she was unable to continue her work at the school.
Upon returning to Jerusalem, Saniyeh received devastating news that her family had lost their summer home in Qalunya village to the newly established state of Israel. The house, with its beautiful fruit tree garden, had been a cherished family retreat for Saniyeh, her sister Monira, and their mother. The harsh reality of the Nakba weighed heavily on Saniyeh and her family as they struggled to come to terms with their displacement and loss.
Through Saniyeh's correspondence, we gain insight into the state of education in rural areas and the remarkable generosity of village communities towards educators. Due to the distance from Jerusalem and transportation challenges, Saniyeh and her sister Monira, who also taught in the three villages, were warmly welcomed and hosted by the villagers. In addition to providing them with a home near the school, the mothers of their students were caring and grateful, as evidenced by their testimonials.
Saniyeh's papers contain letters from fellow educators commending her outstanding leadership at Deir Dibwan school, and recognizing the significant advancements she made in girls’ education. These letters also express congratulations on her promotion, a prestigious recognition bestowed upon her by the Jordanian authorities.
A letter from the Jordanian Ministry of Education in 1954 notifying Saniyeh of her promotion to the tenth grade in the field of education and administration. Saniyeh Nusseibeh Collection, Khazaen Archive. Used with permission.
In the aftermath of 1948, Saniyeh, along with her mother and sister Monira, made a trip to Damascus to visit her sister Soad and her niece Alia Nasibah, who had settled there for two years after the Nakba. Later, Sania traveled to Egypt with her fellow teachers, as they had received an invitation from the Egyptian government.
In 1958, Saniyeh embarked on a new chapter in her life, that of family life, by marrying Fawzy Abdallah Aldajany. It was during her pregnancy that she had to leave her career behind, leading to the end of her professional journey.
Saniyeh Nasibah, who had lived through many historical eras that Palestine went through, passed away in 2005 at the age of nearly 90. She had witnessed the Ottoman rule, the British mandate, the Israeli occupation, the Jordanian rule, and the complete Israeli control over Palestine.
Saniyeh Nusseibeh in the nineties of the last century. Saniyeh Nusseibeh Collection, Khazaen Archive. Used with permission.
Saniyeh's story resurfaced through scraps of decaying papers that tell of her dedication to educating girls in the Palestinian countryside. She played an active role in enhancing their position in society and reinforcing the status of schools in villages. Her enduring legacy as an educator and advocate for girls’ education honors the resilience and fortitude of Palestinian women. Her story serves as a powerful example of Palestinian society's unrelenting desire to educate and empower girls, highlighting the vital role that women play in education and administration.
Note: This story is published today to mark Land Day- held on March 30 every year. The day holds great importance for both Palestinian citizens and the diaspora worldwide, as it signifies a pivotal moment in Palestinian history. On this day, six individuals lost their lives during protests against land confiscation by Israel. However, the day is not only a commemoration of this tragic event, but also a celebration of the resilience of the Palestinian people.
Written by مدونة خزائن khazaaen Translated by Sarah Khaled سارة خالد, Mariam A. · View original post [ar]
Top US General Says A Rusian Victory In Ukraine Would Force A 'Doubling' Of The US Defense Budget
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff U.S. Army Gen. Mark A. Milley testifies before the House Appropriations Committee-Defense on the 2024 DoD Budget in the Rayburn House Office Building, March 23, 2023, in Washington D.C. (DoD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Alexander Kubitza)
Military.com: Not Stopping Russia in Ukraine Would Force 'Doubling' of US Defense Budget, Milley Says
The top general in the U.S. military warned Thursday that not supporting Ukraine now would lead to a massive increase in future defense budgets -- and global conflict that has been avoided since World War II ended.
"If that rules-based order, which is in its 80th year, if that goes out the window, then be very careful," Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Mark Milley testified to Congress on Thursday. "We'll be doubling our defense budgets at that point because that will introduce not an era of great power competition. That'll begin an era of great power conflict. And that'll be extraordinarily dangerous for the whole world."
Milley's remark at a House Appropriations Committee defense subcommittee hearing comes amid growing skepticism from Republicans about the price tag of U.S. aid to Ukraine. Milley was testifying alongside Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin about the Biden administration's $842 billion request for Pentagon spending for fiscal 2024.
Read more ....
WNU Editor: The proposed 2024 US defense budget is $886 billion .... Biden wants $886 billion defense budget with eyes on Ukraine and future wars (Reuters).
Russia - Ukraine War: Military Summary And Analysis For 3.29.2023 (Video)
WNU Editor: A lot of updates on the Russia - Ukraine war from the Military Summary channel (see above). Alexander Mercouris gives his updates on the war below.
Tweets On the Russia - Ukraine War
Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine - 29 March 2023.
— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) March 29, 2023
Find out more about Defence Intelligence's use of language: https://t.co/PaAb5bO1If
🇺🇦 #StandWithUkraine 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/Gv8rYaPnqw
NEW: #Wagner Group forces have likely taken the AZOM industrial complex in northern #Bakhmut and continue to make gains within the city.
— ISW (@TheStudyofWar) March 29, 2023
Our latest: https://t.co/0S65jxVWZT pic.twitter.com/fH9ya8cpGU
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned in an @AP interview that if Ukraine loses a battle in Bakhmut, a key eastern city, Russia could begin building international support for a deal that could force his country to make unacceptable compromises. https://t.co/qxaot2iihK
— The Associated Press (@AP) March 29, 2023
Xi visited Putin in Russia last week, raising the prospect that Beijing might be ready to provide Moscow with the weapons and ammunition it needs to refill its depleted stockpile. But Xi’s trip ended without any such announcement. https://t.co/ihxY1t1EFA
— The Associated Press (@AP) March 29, 2023
The leader of Russia's Wagner mercenary group says his forces have suffered heavy losses in Bakhmut. https://t.co/bzjdBfej5o
— DW News (@dwnews) March 29, 2023
Russian spies more effective than army, say experts https://t.co/VsVurDLynW
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) March 29, 2023
This is what it looks like on Ukraine's front lines, just meters away from Russian snipers and mortars. pic.twitter.com/CMVClHSfZ7
— DW News (@dwnews) March 29, 2023
The European Union imposed tough sanctions on Russia, yet trade keeps flowing between the two sides. Here's a look at the areas where business is still booming pic.twitter.com/kAK6Vylhhg
— Reuters (@Reuters) March 29, 2023
Tweets Of The Day
A judge ruled that former US Vice President Mike Pence must testify about conversations with former President Donald Trump before the Capitol attack, Nashville school shooter was under doctor's care for 'emotional disorder,' and more. Here are the top 5⃣ stories of the day pic.twitter.com/ZcT3XXA6mu
— Reuters (@Reuters) March 29, 2023
Stocks rose broadly Wednesday, as strong gains in tech helped the Nasdaq rebound after a losing session. Sentiment was also lifted by easing concerns around the state of the banking sector.
— CNBC (@CNBC) March 29, 2023
The Dow rose 1%.
The S&P 500 gained 1.42%.
The Nasdaq surged 1.79%. pic.twitter.com/edjPPFMetU
BREAKING: The Vatican says Pope Francis will be hospitalized for several days for treatment of a pulmonary infection after experiencing difficulty breathing in recent days. https://t.co/79B0wBitw3
— The Associated Press (@AP) March 29, 2023
A vote on whether to indict Donald Trump likely wouldn’t come until late April at the earliest.
— The Associated Press (@AP) March 29, 2023
The grand jury investigating hush money paid on Trump’s behalf will take a previously scheduled hiatus, a person familiar with the matter said. https://t.co/fML6pyiL5F
Thousands of protesters again took to the streets of French cities over President Macron's pension reform.https://t.co/DuDNdHCg2m
— DW News (@dwnews) March 29, 2023
The top US general warns of 'off the charts' use of munitions were the United States to engage another major power in a warhttps://t.co/uADStWed9T pic.twitter.com/G4zR3orhu0
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) March 29, 2023
A very strange video! The US is illegally occupying Syrian territory and its occupation forces are openly stealing Syria's oil. Now, US army bases in Syria have been attacked. Yet, UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq suggests there is no evidence of a US military presence in Syria. pic.twitter.com/iEn2XyHBcH
— Glenn Diesen (@Glenn_Diesen) March 29, 2023
The number of nuclear warheads that states could deploy reached a total of 9,576 at the beginning of 2023 — up from 9,440 the previous year — according to a new report. https://t.co/BfkDYPkrRd
— DW News (@dwnews) March 29, 2023
Months Of Leaks Rattle Canada’s Spy Agency
A sign outside the CSIS headquarters in Ottawa. Photograph: Chris Wattie/Reuters
The Guardian: ‘This is very bad for them’: months of leaks rattle Canada’s low-profile spy agency
Allegations of attempted meddling by China put uncomfortable spotlight on publicity-shy CSIS
Most Canadians have no idea where the country’s spy agency is located, nor do they know much about its daily operations. This is not because the Canadian Security Intelligence Service operates in a particularly clandestine fashion, it’s because most Canadians don’t care.
The CSIS, a civilian-run organisation based in a triangular structure of concrete and glass on the outskirts of Ottawa, lacks the intrigue of Britain’s MI5 and the notoriety of America’s Central Intelligence Agency.
“I look nothing like Daniel Craig, and I did not arrive here in an Aston Martin. I’m just as disappointed as you are – on both fronts,” its director, David Vigneault, said in a speech in 2018, poking fun at the service’s largely uncharismatic reputation. “Most of you remember the movie Fight Club. And you will know that the first rule of Fight Club is ‘don’t talk about Fight Club’. Well, the first rule of CSIS has always been ‘don’t talk’. Period.”
Read more ....
WNU Editor: No one really knows where these leaks are coming from. But it is clear that there is at least one person in the national security bureaucracy who is not satisfied with the complete lack of response from the Canadian government on intelligence reports that China is interfering in Canada's elections.
Ukraine President Zelensky Invites Chinese President Xi Jinping To Ukraine
Politico: Zelenskyy to Xi Jinping: Come to Ukraine
'We are ready to see him here,’ Ukrainian president says.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday invited his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to Ukraine, for what would be the first direct communication between the two leaders since the beginning of Russia’s all-out war on Ukraine.
“We are ready to see [Xi] here,” Zelenskyy said in an interview with the Associated Press, a U.S. newswire, on a train to Kyiv, adding, “I want to speak with him.” “I had contact with him before full-scale war. But during all this year, more than one year, I didn’t have [contact],” Zelenskyy said.
Read more ....
Update #1: Zelensky invites China’s Xi to visit Ukraine (The Hill)
Update #2: Zelensky invites Xi Jinping to Ukraine (Ukrinform)
WNU editor: I personally would not mind if Chinese President Xi goes to Kyiv. Anything to get the peace process moving forward should be supported. But I also know the Chinese do not operate like this. The will want Zelensky to first fly to Beijing to meet Xi. I also know the Chinese will first want to enter into talks before any official announcement is made.
Beijing will not want President Xi to fly to Ukraine, or President Zelensky flying to Beijing, just for a photo-op. Beijing will want something concrete in return, but the problem is that I do not see Ukraine President Zelensky willing to compromise on anything right now.
Update #3: This is not a good sign. The Chinese Foreign ministry does not know what the Ukraine President is talking about .... China’s MFA has no information about possible Zelensky–Xi meeting (Ukrinform).
Bulgaria's Pro-Kremlin Leader Refuses To Send Weapons To Ukraine
A Soviet-era S-300 -- an antiaircraft system which is still in service with the Bulgarian Army and which the United States reportedly asked Sofia to donate to Ukraine. (file photo)
RFE: Bulgaria's Pro-Kremlin Leader Refuses To Send Soviet-Era Fighter Jets And Tanks To Ukraine
With its stockpile of Soviet-era weapons, Bulgaria, home to a thriving arms industry, could be a key ally of Ukraine, which is trained on and equipped with such arms, in its war against invading Russian forces.
But with parliament now dissolved ahead of elections on April 2, the fifth snap poll in two years amid political uncertainty, the caretaking government is in no mood to provide lethal aid to Kyiv, appointed as it was by President Rumen Radev, who is known for his pro-Kremlin leanings.
Radev, a former air force pilot, doubled down on his hard-line stance on March 21, balking at joining a dozen EU states to supply Ukraine with at least 1 million artillery shells over the next year.
Read more ....
WNU Editor: Bulgaria joins Austria and Hungary to not get involved in this war .... Bulgaria Refuses To Send Weapons To Ukraine, Joins Hungary & Austria's Neutral Stance (Zero Hedge/Remix News).
Ukraine Zelensky Explains Why Russia Must Not Win In The Battle For Bakhmut (Video)
WNU Editor: Ukraine President Zelensky admits that the battle for Bakhmut is all about PR, and denying Putin a victory. Small comfort to the thousands of Ukrainians who have died in the battle for this city.
Video Shows British Instructors Training Ukrainian Forces To Use Depleted Uranium Shells
Zero Hedge: Watch: Ukrainian Soldiers Seen With Depleted Uranium Ammo In UK
Ukrainian soldiers have been filmed alongside depleted uranium ammunition that Britain is supplying to their country for the fight against Russia.
The footage is contained in a documentary the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) released Sunday as Ukrainian tank crews completed their training.
Britain is gifting 14 Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine together with depleted uranium shells, which Declassified revealed last week.
Read more ....
Update #1: British instructors trained Ukrainian forces to use depleted uranium shells — website (TASS)
Update #2: Ukrainians given depleted uranium training (RT)
WNU Editor: You can see the depleted uranium shells starting at the 6:16 mark in the above video.
Russian Media Says Over 5.5 Mln Refugees Have Arrived In Russia from Ukraine, Donbass Since The Start Of The War
© Peter Kovalev/TASS
TASS: Over 5.5 mln refugees arrive in Russia from Ukraine, Donbass since February 2022
About 39,000 people, including over 11,000 children, are staying at temporary accommodation centers in Russia
MOSCOW, March 28. /TASS/. The number of refugees who have arrived in Russia from Ukraine and Donbass since February 2022 has grown to 5.5 million people, a law enforcement official told TASS on Tuesday.
"Overall, since February [2022], a little more than 5.5 million people, including over 749,000 children, have arrived in Russia," the official said.
About 39,000 people, including over 11,000 children, are staying at temporary accommodation centers in Russia. The others are living with their relatives, in private homes or have left Russia.
Read more ....
Update: Over 5.5 million refugees entered Russia amid Ukraine conflict – TASS (RT).
WNU Editor: Other sources say only 2.8 million have fled to Russia (link here).
Ukrainian Officials Say They Can't Defend Itself Against Russia's Su-35 Jets
Russian Sukhoi Su-35 jet fighters perform a flight during the Aviadarts competition, as part of the International Army Games 2021, at the Dubrovichi range outside Ryazan, Russia August 27, 2021. Maxim Shemetov/Reuters
ABC News: Russian jets of newer generation increase 'dominance' in combat zone, Ukrainian official says
Ukrainian officials said Russia has replaced ageing jets with updated Su-35s.
Newer generation fighter jets are giving Russia "increasing dominance" in the skies over the conflict zone in eastern Ukraine, according to a senior Ukrainian official.
It is a potentially worrying shift for the United States and its allies because Russia’s inability to achieve total air superiority throughout the course of the war has been key to Ukrainian successes on the battlefield.
In a briefing last week with journalists, a Western official downplayed the concern, stating that Russia’s ability to control the skies has been limited by air defense and surface-to-air missiles.
"We’re not seeing a huge change in that situation," the official said.
The senior official in Kyiv, who spoke exclusively to ABC News, said Russia had replaced older models of aircraft with its more modern Su-35.
Read more ....
Update #1: New Russian Su-35 jets increasingly dominating Ukraine skies, says Kyiv official (First Post)
Update #2: Ukraine can't defend itself against Russia's newest jets – ABC (RT)
WNU Editor: In response. Ukraine wants F-16s .... Ukraine should start preparing for receiving F-16 fighters - Air Force spox (Ukrinform).
British Intelligence Says Russia Has Removed Its Submarines From Crimea To Avoid Ukraine’s New “Long-Strike Range Capability”
A Russian navy submarine is seen in the Bay of Sevastopol | Viktor Drachev/AFP
Politico: Russia removes submarines from Crimea to avoid Ukraine’s firepower, UK says
British intelligence says relocation is highly likely due to ‘a change in local security threat.’ Russia has “almost certainly” removed its submarines from Crimea, British intelligence said Tuesday.
The Kremlin’s move comes as a reaction to Ukraine’s new “long-strike range capability” and repeated attacks on the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula, from where the Russian Black Sea fleet has now “almost certainly relocated its KILO-class submarines” to Novorossiysk in southern Russia, the U.K. said.
In a statement, the British defense ministry said that the submarine relocation is “highly likely” due to the “change in local security threat level,” after the fleet headquarters and main naval aviation field were attacked in recent months.
Read more ....
WNU Editor: This UK report makes sense. The expectation in Moscow is that NATO will soon be transporting even longer range weapon missile and drone systems to Ukraine. It is why anti-air platforms are being installed around Moscow, and why assets like Russia's strategic bomber fleet are being moved farther away from Ukraine. I guess submarines are now being included on the list.
US Official Says New US Drone Routes Over Black Sea ‘Definitely Limit’ Intelligence Gathering
An MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft system (UAS) sits in a hangar at Andersen Air Force Base after arriving for a deployment as part of an early operational capability (EOC) test to further develop the concept of operations and fleet learning associated with operating a high-altitude, long-endurance system in the maritime domain. Unmanned Patrol Squadron (VUP) 19, the first Triton UAS squadron, will operate and maintain two aircraft in Guam under Commander, Task Force (CTF) 72. (Senior Airman Ryan Brooks/U.S. Air Force)
CNN: New US drone routes over Black Sea ‘definitely limit’ intelligence gathering, says US official
The US decision to fly its surveillance drones further south over the Black Sea after a Russian jet collided with a US drone earlier this month “definitely limits our ability to gather intelligence” related to the Ukraine war, a senior US military official tells CNN.
Flying drones at greater distances reduces the quality of intelligence they can gather, a US military official explained, noting that spy satellites can compensate to some degree but have shorter times over targets, again reducing effectiveness relative to surveillance drones.
After the Russian jet collided with a US Reaper drone earlier this month, the US began flying its surveillance drones further south and at a higher altitude over the Black Sea than previously, placing them further away from airspace surrounding the Crimean peninsula and eastern portions of the Black Sea.
Read more ....
Update: Drone incident hindered US intelligence gathering related to Ukraine war, says senior military official (First Post)
WNU Editor: i am sure the US will find another way to gather their intelligence.
Is China A 'Near-Peer' Threat To The U.S.?
Air & Space Forces: The US Thinks China Is a ‘Near-Peer’ Threat. Does China Agree?
The U.S. military wants to reinvent itself to prepare for a possible conflict with China, a country which many experts believe poses the greatest threat to U.S. national security. But how do Chinese leaders assess the strength of the People’s Liberation Army relative to the U.S. military? Researchers sought to answer that question in a recent report.
The RAND Corporation report is one of the first analyses to study how the PLA understands and assesses military balance, in contrast to previous research that focused on quantitative aspects, such as how many pieces of equipment the PLA has and how its capabilities compare to those of the U.S.
Specifically, the report focused on how the PLA views itself in four areas Chinese president Xi Jinping is worried about: political reliability, mobilization, fighting and winning wars, and leadership and command.
Read more ....
WNU Editor: In Asia, China's military is definitely up to matching what the US can deploy. But when looked globally, China's lack of infrastructure to deploy forces and materials is limited. I give them another 10 to 20 years before they become the "peer-threat" that many in the Pentagon are worried about.
Prospects for peace loom as much as prospects for another war in Nagorno-Karabakh
Baku claims the move was “urgent measure” to prevent supply of arms.
Originally published on Global Voices
Screenshot taken from news channel Kanal 13 video report.
This article was first published on OC Media. An edited version is republished here under a content partnership agreement.
Ever since the second Karabakh war in 2020, one question keeps getting repeated: will there be another war, considering the on-going tensions and the lack of progress in signing the final, peace agreement. Most recently, on March 26, Azerbaijani forces, as per an announcement by the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense crossed the line of contact, under the control of Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh. The Russian Ministry of Defense said the move was a breach and violation of the agreement signed between Armenia and Azerbaijan on November 9, 2020. It urged Azerbaijan to comply with the agreement, which placed areas of the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast that Azerbaijan had not taken control of at the time of the ceasefire under the control of a Russian peacekeeping force.
Earlier that month, on March 5, three Nagorno-Karabakh police officers and two Azerbaijani soldiers were killed as a result of clashes. On March 16, two civilians died in a landmine explosion in Aghdam, a region that was formerly under the control of Armenia but which came under Azerbaijan's control following the second Karabakh war. On March 22, the Armenian Defense Ministry said a soldier was killed on the border with Nakhchivan, just south of Yerevan. Azerbaijan's Ministry of Defense was quick to deny any involvement in the death of the soldier. It did however hold Armenia accountable for wounding one of its own soldiers on March 20.
Escalated rhetoric
The mutual accusations of ceasefire violations are all too common. The hostile narrative by leaders throws any prospects of further constructive dialogue out of the window. What is different this time, however, is not just the hostile rhetoric from Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev and other government officials who echo Aliyev's remarks, but an attempt to “create a pretext for military action by portraying the ‘other’ as unwilling to negotiate,” wrote Azerbaijani writer, activist, Samad Shikhi. President Ilham Aliyev said during Novruz celebrations that “if Armenians wish to live comfortably, they must recognize Azerbaijan's borers and sign a peace deal according to our conditions.”
Following Aliyev's remarks, several Azerbaijani officials posted similar statements online, stating that Armenia must “reciprocate Azerbaijan’s peace proposals” to be allowed to live in its internationally recognised borders. Some, resorted to using “Hayastan,” the Armenian name for Armenia in an apparent attempt to insult Armenia. “Hayasız” means “shameless” in Azerbaijani.
Russian boots
The mutual accusations go beyond Armenia and Azerbaijan. Russia's presence on the ground via its peace keepers has been a point of contestation as well. Since March 5, they stand officially accused by official Baku of “escorting Armenian convoys and arms to the region,” reported OC Media, a claim official Yerevan denied. The road in question was used to connect four villages cut off from the rest of Nagorno-Karabakh following the closure of the Lachin Corridor.
The most recent advancement on March 26, with no casualties, concerns the official allegation that Baku claims the move was part of an “urgent measure” to prevent the supply of arms and Armenian troops through what it describes as an alternative unpaved road to the Lachin Corridor.
The 2020 ceasefire agreement stipulated that a new section of the Lachin Corridor be constructed to bypass the entrance to Shusha, though a final agreed route has not been made public. There have been unconfirmed media reports that an alternative route was being used to bring in supplies from Armenia, though no evidence of arms transfers has emerged.
Following the second Karabakh war, Azerbaijan made several military advances, breaching the line of contact with Nagorno-Karabakh.
In December 2020, in the immediate aftermath of the ceasefire, two villages in the Hadrut region of Nagorno-Karabakh, stipulated to be under the control of the Russian peacekeeping force, were captured by Azerbaijani troops, who took dozens of soldiers captive.
Russian peacekeepers remained silent at the time.
In March 2022, Azerbaijani troops advanced in the direction of the village of Parukh (Farukh), forcing villagers to evacuate and positioning themselves in the mountains surrounding the village. Despite the peacekeeping mission deploying troops and armored vehicles to the area, residents have not been allowed to return due to security concerns.
These and other incidents in Nagorno-Karabakh have led officials in Yerevan and Stepanakert (Khankendi in Azerbaijani) to question the effectiveness of the Russian peacekeeping contingent. There have also been growing calls for an international peacekeeping mission or UN mandate for the Russian mission.
Following deadly March 5 clashes, Baku officially repeated earlier demands that Russia set up checkpoints on the Lachin Corridor. Both Yerevan and Stepanakert reject the demand, while Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated checkpoints were not envisaged according to the November 9 agreement signed in 2020 during his visit to Baku in late February.
Lachin Corridor is supposedly under the protection of Russian peacekeepers who have been deployed in the territory since November 2020, following the Russia-brokered agreement signed between Russia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. They are also in charge of providing security for entry and exit points of the corridor. In a broader context, however, the role of some 2,000 Russian peacekeepers remains vague. The lack of clearly defined roles, responsibilities, and activities in the 2020 agreement is now becoming an issue. The blockade is a testament to that.
International calls continue
There have been continuous international calls for de-escalation with the on-going blockade of Lachin Corridor. Most recently, on March 22, the White House called on both parties to de-escalate. “We do not want to see any violence, and we want to see all sides take appropriate steps to deescalate the tension and to stop the violence,” said John Kirby, the White House National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications. Meanwhile, Catherine Colonna, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, said she would travel to Yerevan and Baku in early April, in an attempt to “restore free movement along the Lachin corridor and improve the supply of Nagorno-Karabakh.”
In February, the European Union deployed a two-year monitoring mission, consisting of 100 unarmed monitors, to Armenia's border with Azerbaijan.
Meanwhile, on March 23, Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan tweeted:
There will be a #peace treaty between #Armenia and #Azerbaijan, and it will be based on the joint official statements adopted at the highest level. There won’t be а new escalation! The international community must strongly support this narrative.
— Nikol Pashinyan (@NikolPashinyan) March 23, 2023
The tweet was seen by some as a public attempt by the prime minister to avoid a new war.
Amid #Armenia‘s recent provocations on the border and illegal military cargo transportations to #Karabakh, we think he is just grandstanding.
The aim of this tweet is to show the international community that “Armenia is on the side of peace”. https://t.co/HxY4otvz4K— Deutsches Zentrum für Südkaukasus (@Sudkaukasus) March 24, 2023
Pashinyan's tweet was made days before Azerbaijan's advancement on March 26. Since then, there have been no further measures or steps to stall escalations, leaving the prospects for the peace deal looming just as the possibility for yet another war.
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