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📰 Taliban's new laws shock

📰 Taliban's new laws shock

and French warship rescues oil tanker crew

Ross Crabtree
August 24, 2024

Hello and welcome back to Geopolitics Daily,

In the past 24 hours, Israel has rejected compromises on the presence of troops in Gaza’s Philadelphi and Netzarim corridors, leading to another failed ceasefire attempt.

In Russia, Ukrainian forces have targeted the Volgograd airfield, while a US warship's transit through the Taiwan Strait has raised concerns in Beijing.

Amid these events, Poland and India have strengthened their security cooperation and defence industry ties ahead of Indian Prime Minister Modi’s diplomatic visit to Kyiv.

More details below ⤵️

Top 5 Stories

1️⃣ 🇦🇫 Details emerge from the Taliban’s legal campaign to erase women from public life: Afghanistan’s Taliban regime has intensified its restrictions on women’s presence in public under newly approved vice and virtue legislation. Issued on Wednesday and sanctioned by supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, the regulations impose stringent controls on everyday life, including public transportation, music, grooming, and social gatherings. Among the rules, Article 13 specifically targets women, mandating that they must fully veil their bodies in public, with face coverings required to prevent "temptation." Additionally, the new laws deem a woman’s voice as "intimate," prohibiting them from singing, reciting, or reading aloud in public. Women are also forbidden from making eye contact with men to whom they are not related by blood or marriage, and the same applies to men. The 114-page, 35-article document, reviewed by The Associated Press, marks the Taliban’s first formal codification of vice and virtue laws since their takeover in 2021, when they established a ministry dedicated to enforcing these principles.

2️⃣ 🇫🇷 🇾🇪 French ship rescues 29 Mariners from adrift oil tanker, after Houthi attack: A French destroyer rescued 29 crew members from the oil tanker ‘Sounion,’ which was repeatedly attacked in the Red Sea by Yemen's Houthi rebels, officials said Thursday. During the rescue operation, the French vessel also destroyed a bomb-carrying drone boat in the vicinity. This attack, one of the most severe in the Red Sea in recent weeks, is part of a broader Houthi campaign targeting ships amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza, disrupting a crucial trade route that typically handles $1 trillion in cargo annually. The Sounion, which had been drifting after the attack, is now anchored in the Red Sea, according to the European Union's Operation Aspides. The crew, consisting of 25 Filipinos and Russians, along with four private security personnel, have been safely transported to Djibouti.

3️⃣ 🇵🇱 🇮🇳 Poland, India deepen security cooperation: Poland is eager to strengthen its defence industry ties with India, Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced on Thursday (Aug 22). Warsaw aims to capitalise on New Delhi's efforts to modernise its armed forces and reduce dependence on Russian suppliers. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, visiting Warsaw on his way to Kyiv, discussed defence cooperation with Tusk, who emphasised Poland's readiness to assist in upgrading India's military equipment. This marks the first visit by an Indian prime minister to Warsaw in 45 years, highlighting the significance of the security agenda. Poland has been a key supporter of Ukraine since Russia's 2022 invasion, while India has maintained a neutral stance. However, India's recent push to diversify its defence procurement, historically reliant on Moscow, has gained momentum since the onset of the Ukraine conflict.

4️⃣ 🇺🇦 🇷🇺 Ukraine strikes Volgograd airfield: Ukraine launched a night-time drone strike on a Kremlin military airfield near Volgograd and announced the capture of another village in Russia’s Kursk region, as Russian forces continued their advance in the Donetsk region. Volgograd Governor Andrei Bocharov confirmed the attack occurred around 3 a.m., with local residents reporting multiple explosions. Hours later, ammunition was still detonating as thick black smoke engulfed the area. Ukraine’s SBU security service claimed responsibility for the strike on the Marinovka airbase, located about 45 miles west of Volgograd, near Kalach-na-Donu. The base houses approximately 30 Su-34 and Su-35 fighter jets, which are used for bombing Ukrainian positions on the frontline. The extent of damage to the jets remains unclear.

5️⃣ 🇹🇼 🇺🇸 🇨🇳 US warship transits Taiwan strait: China announced on Thursday that it tracked the passage of the U.S. Navy's guided-missile destroyer USS Ralph Johnson through the Taiwan Strait. The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer conducted what the U.S. 7th Fleet described as a routine transit through international waters where freedom of navigation and overflight are recognized under international law. The 7th Fleet, stationed in the Asia-Pacific, stated that the ship travelled through a corridor beyond the territorial waters of any coastal state. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for China’s Eastern Theater Command confirmed that the People's Liberation Army monitored the destroyer throughout its journey. The U.S. military emphasised that the passage of USS Ralph Johnson underscores the United States' commitment to maintaining freedom of navigation for all nations.

Major Story

🇵🇸 🇮🇱 ISRAEL’S DEMAND FOR TROOPS IN GAZA REPORTEDLY PREVENTING CEASEFIRE

Disagreements over Israel's military presence in Gaza and the release of Palestinian prisoners are hindering a potential ceasefire and hostage deal, according to sources involved in the recent US-mediated talks. These sources, including Hamas officials and Western diplomats, revealed that the disputes have intensified due to new demands from Israel. Specifically, Israel wants to maintain troops along the Netzarim Corridor, a strategic area that restricts Palestinian movement between northern and southern Gaza, as well as along the Philadelphi Corridor near the Gaza-Egypt border. These demands have become major sticking points in the negotiations, even after Hamas accepted a previous ceasefire proposal by U.S. President Joe Biden in May.

Philadelphi and Netzarim Corridors

Israel's current control over the Philadelphi Corridor, Gaza's border with Egypt, has become a major point of contention in the ongoing ceasefire negotiations. Hamas accuses Israel of changing the terms at the last minute, fearing that any concessions could lead to further demands. Despite Israel's denial of introducing new conditions, sources close to the talks indicate that Israel's latest proposals include maintaining a military presence in key areas like the Netzarim Corridor, which limits Palestinian movement. This perceived shift in Israel's stance has led to frustration among mediators and Hamas, who had hoped to build on earlier agreements. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has been working to narrow these differences, urging both sides to accept a new U.S. proposal. However, the details of this proposal and the exact terms of Israel's military presence in Gaza remain undisclosed, with both sides needing to finalise the implementation agreements.

Future talks

The next round of US-mediated talks between Israel and Hamas is expected to take place in Cairo soon, centering on a US bridging proposal. High-level officials including CIA Director Bill Burns, Mossad Chief David Barnea, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, and Egypt's lead negotiator are anticipated to attend. Before heading to Cairo, Sheikh Mohammed is scheduled to visit Tehran.

Hamas officials have expressed concerns over the proposal, particularly regarding Israel’s continued military presence along Gaza’s crossings and the deportation of Palestinian prisoners in any potential swap. A senior US administration official, however, stated that the proposal does not alter previously agreed commitments on the Netzarim Corridor and aims to provide significant benefits for Gaza.

The ongoing disputes over military withdrawal, prisoner releases, and the conditions for a ceasefire continue to hinder the progress of negotiations. Despite these challenges, mediators are striving to keep the dialogue open, aiming to bring an end to the conflict and secure the release of remaining hostages.

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Other News

1️⃣ 🇧🇩 Bangladeshi journalists jailed amidst chaos: A court in Dhaka, Bangladesh, has granted police permission to detain and interrogate two journalists for four days in connection with the murder of a garment worker who had participated in recent protests against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. These protests, which led to Hasina's resignation and subsequent flight to India in early August, have intensified threats against journalists in the country. Since the unrest began, dozens of journalists have been injured, and at least five have been killed. The arrested journalists, Shakil Ahmed, the former head of news at Ekattor TV, and Farzana Rupa, a former correspondent for the same channel, were apprehended at Dhaka's main airport on Wednesday while attempting to travel to Paris via Istanbul with their daughter. Ekattor TV, known for its pro-Hasina stance, dismissed the couple following the government's collapse.

2️⃣ 🇵🇸 🇮🇱 Civilians in limbo as Gaza ‘safe zones’ full,while Israel continues its assault: Thousands of Gazans under Israeli airstrikes have been unable to follow Israeli evacuation orders directing them to move to a designated "safe humanitarian zone" due to severe overcrowding in the area. Over the weekend, the Israeli military instructed residents from several neighbourhoods around Deir al-Balah to relocate to the coastal town of al-Mawasi, which was previously designated as a refuge for displaced individuals. However, many, like a 34-year-old woman sheltering with 16 relatives, have found the area fully occupied, leaving them without a safe place to go. Humanitarian officials have confirmed that the overcrowding is preventing many from evacuating, despite the ongoing dangers of remaining in their homes.