The world at aglance NEWS 724 August 2019 THE WEEKKhartoum
Bashir on trial:
Sudan’s former
president, Omar
al-Bashir, has
gone on trial
on corruption
charges in
Khartoum.Avast
hoard of cash was
reportedly found
in grain sacks in
the ex-dictator’s
home shortly after he was ousted in April.
The court heard that Bashir–who ruled
for 30 years–has admitted receiving
more than $90m from various senior
Saudi royals. Separately, Sudan’s military
junta and civilian leaders signedapower-
sharing agreement, potentially paving the
way foratransition to democratic rule.
Khan Sheikhun, Syria
Rebel town captured:Syrian and Russian
forces have pushed rebel fighters out of a
key town in Idlib province. The recapture
of Khan Sheikhun isasignificant victory in
the regime’s battle to retake Idlib, the last
corner of Syria still in rebel hands. On
Monday, regime air strikes hitaTurkish
military convoy making its way to one of
the nearby observation points that Ankara
has set up, as part ofadeal struck with
Moscow to de-escalate the conflict in Idlib.
Turkey fears thatamajor regime offensive
in Idlib, which is home to three million
people, would createafresh humanitarian
crisis, and drive tens of thousands more
refugees to its borders. It supports some of
the moderate rebel groups that are active
there. However, Syria has accused it of
sending supplies to the jihadists who
control much of the province.Abuja
Anti-fraud official
suspended:The
senior Nigerian
official in charge of
leading President
Buhari’s drive to tackle entrenched
corruption, and recover looted state
assets, has himself been accused of
corruption and other malfeasance, and
suspended from office. Okoi Obono-Obla,
the chairman of the Special Presidential
Investigation Panel for the Recovery of
Public Property, was suspended last week
by the president, on suspicion of falsifying
his academic qualifications and financial
impropriety, among other things. Obono-
Obla denies wrongdoing, and says that he
is being smeared by powerful politicians –
including the vice-president Yemi
Osinbajo–whose interests are threatened
by his anti-corruption investigations.Srinagar, Kashmir
Tense lockdown:
Most offices and shops
remained closed in
Indian-administered
Kashmir this week –
and mobile and internet
services blocked–two
weeks after the New Delhi
government abruptly
revoked the territory’s
special autonomous
status and introduced a
security lockdown (see
page 11).Around 4,
people have reportedly
been arrested under
controversial public safety
laws, and residents face
strictly enforced
curfews imposed to
prevent and
contain
unrest.Kabul
Wedding bombing:At least 63 people
were killed on Saturday inasuicide bomb
attack onawedding party inaShia district
of Kabul. The bomber detonated his device
in the men’s section of the wedding hall,
where guests were dancing toalive band.
The Sunni supremacists of Islamic State
claimed responsibility for the atrocity, the
most deadly in Kabul this year. The attack
came as US negotiators were reported to
be close to signingapeace deal with
Taliban insurgents to end the US’s 18-year
military involvement in Afghanistan.
However, President Trump cautioned this
week that it was too early to say if the deal
would go through, and allow the US to
withdraw its remaining 14,000 troops.
Many Afghans fear this could trigger a
new civil war, similar to the one that
followed Soviet withdrawal in 1989.Tehran
Academic held:
ABritish-Iranian
academic has
been arrested
at his home in
Tehran. Kameel
Ahmady is a
renowned
anthropologist,
known for his
research into
female genital
mutilation and child marriage in Iran. His
wife, Shafagh Rahmani, says he has not
been formally charged, nor told what he
stands accused of. Iran has in recent years
arrestedanumber of dual nationals in
order to put diplomatic pressure on
London. Ahmady is being held in the
notorious Evin Prison where Nazanin
Zaghari-Ratcliffe is also an inmate.Kathmandu
New rules for Everest:Nepal is introducing
new rules to stop inexperienced climbers
tackling Mount Everest and avoid the long
queues–and fatalities–that blighted this
year’s climbing season. The rules, which
will be put to parliament for approval
before the new season begins next spring,
will mean permits are only issued to
climbers who can prove that they have
previously scaledaNepalese peak higher
than 6,500 metres (Everest is 8,
metres). Climbers will also have to provide
acertificate of physical fitness, and agree to
be accompanied by an expert local guide.