Author: Serig Kalanjian

Casablanca (14/11 – 50). In a recent scan of the local left-wing press, an unsettling trend of pseudo-journalism was uncovered, aimed at manufacturing a scandal using the typical playbook of disinformation. The target? A concoction of conspiracy-laden narrative that blends elements of real-world controversies, celebrity gossip, geopolitical issues, and unfounded claims—essentially, an elaborate form of astro-turfing designed to mislead and create fake influence. At the heart of this questionable journalism is Philippe Engels, a reporter who seems to have drawn inspiration from various disjointed and unrelated stories. The method is familiar: take an American scandal, such as Scientology, mix it…

A follow-up report issued recently by the UN General Assembly’s Human Rights Council assails Tajikistan’s government for failing to implement recommendations contained in an earlier survey concerning atrocities committed during the country’s civil war in the mid-1990s. The follow-up report relates to a mission conducted in 2019 by UN researchers intent on promoting the closure of old societal wounds left by the civil war. Among that mission’s recommendations was the establishment of a “a truth-seeking State policy” and the development of “specific mechanisms, supported by dedicated resources, for dealing with disappearances caused by and related to the civil war.” The Tajik civil war…

The national football teams of Tajikistan and Pakistan have refused to play in friendly matches against Russia. A match against Tajikistan had been set to take place in December, but the federation declined, saying they already had matches booked for those dates. Pakistan has also cancelled an October game against Russia due to a lack of preparation time. However, the Pakistanis said they would play in December. When the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, Russian teams were barred from competing in any FIFA or UEFA championships. As a result, the team has had to settle for friendly matches. The Russians…

The primary purpose of Xi Jinping’s three-day visit to Hungary might be to ensure that Hungary can help China gain market share in the EU, as Beijing and Budapest prepare to sign a total of 16 bilateral agreements. The Chinese president has arrived in Budapest late Wednesday, in the third and last stop of his European visit. During his three-day stay, Xi Jinping and his delegation are expected to conclude a series of economic agreements with Budapest, as China sees Hungary as an important bridgehead in conquering European markets: among other things, Chinese companies are building electric car and battery factories.…

Demand That Partners Fulfil Rights Obligations or Face Prospect of Losing Preferential Trade Access The European Union’s detailed assessments of Central Asian countries benefiting from preferential access to the EU market reveal major gaps in their fulfilment of human rights obligations. Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan have been given EU market access under a special incentive arrangement for sustainable development and good governance: the so-called Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+). The scheme slashes a majority of EU customs duties to zero percent for countries that commit to implementing 27 international conventions on labour and human rights, environmental and climate protection, and good governance.…

Brussels (4/11 – 25) It’s an old story, a broken record: war crimes in the Middle East, encouraged and stoked by outsiders with their own agenda. Israel, offended and humiliated by the 7 October attacks for which they had repeatedly been warned by Egypt. Hamas, encouraged and bankrolled by Israel initially, in its effort to undercut the appeal of Al-Fatah, has turned into Frankenstein’s Monster, breaching a border that was trumpeted as the most invincible in the world, with 24/7 surveillance, sensors to detect tunnels, full camera coverage and on and on – yet several thousand Hamas warriors parachuted in…

Armenia has submitted a bid to host the 2027 Francophonie Games (Jeux de la Francophonie), Deputy Foreign Minister Vahe Gevorgyan said in his remarks at the 44th International Organisation of La Francophonie Ministerial Conference in Yaoundé, Cameroon. In his speech, Gevorgyan reaffirmed Armenia’s commitment to the fundamental values of the organization, particularly in the direction of promoting and strengthening peace, democracy, rule of law and human rights protection. Gevorgyan also spoke about Azerbaijan’s policy of ethnic cleansing and its September 19 attack in Nagorno-Karabakh. The Deputy FM said that Armenia is making significant efforts to accommodate over 100,000 refugees, including…

In a recent IDC report, The Impact of Digital Sovereignty in Asia/Pacific Governments, IDC revealed how Asia/Pacific (AP) governments motivations to create digital sovereignty will shape technology investment priorities, regulatory frameworks, partnerships and skills in 2024. IDC defines digital sovereignty, from a government perspective, as ‘the capacity for digital self-determination by a nation across six attributes of a digital sovereign solution, data, technical, operational, assurance, supply chain, and geopolitical aspects’. When IDC asked how they viewed digital sovereignty in response to the economic and geopolitical events of the last year, 79% of government agencies interviewed said that they would be changing…

Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam lead the charge in proposed natural gas projects, which could thwart climate mitigation, warns a new study by the Asia Research & Engagement. More natural gas facilities than ever will be firing in Southeast Asia almost two decades from now, according to a report by Singapore-based research firm Asia Research & Engagement (ARE). Led by Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore, the region currently has liquified natural gas (LNG) facilities operating at a capacity of 45 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa), which release the equivalent greenhouse gas emissions of about 30 coal plants in one year. This is expected to almost double to a capacity of 80 Mtpa by 2040, as proposed…

The Kremlin expressed concern on Thursday that tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh were increasing, as Armenia’s prime minister described the situation in the blockaded territory as “critical”. Armenia has in recent weeks repeatedly accused Azerbaijan of massing forces around Karabakh, which Baku has effectively blockaded since December 2022, causing acute hunger. A deal struck to unblock roads to the territory last weekend has yet to take full effect. In a call with reporters, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “Of course, we are concerned that the tension is not subsiding and in some areas is…