The Kenyan Gen Z Demonstrations

 

Kenyan youth are going to demonstrations to voice their frustration with the government. The source of contention related to police brutality, increases in taxes, and dissatisfaction with President William Ruto. The demonstrations are spreading throughout Kenya. Much of the discontent is also expressed on social media platforms. Not only is it used as an organizing tool, but increasing awareness of issues in Kenyan politics. Generation Z is feeling the strain of economic hardship. The youth are experiencing a high rate of unemployment in Kenya. Combined with the increase in the cost of living, this added to the  discord. President William Ruto is becoming the main focus, not just the government in general. Growing protests show that his administration is in a precarious position. The finance bill has sparked public rage that will not be placated. What Kenya needs is to expand sectors of the economy and increase the quality of education. Getting assistance from the African Union and securing trade agreements with multiple countries can be long term solutions. Law enforcement needs complete reform. The use of tear gas, water cannons, and in some cases live ammunition are clear violations of human rights. The Gen Z protests would not happen if the youth knew change could happen with their vote. The behavior of the police is a unsettling reminder of the colonial past. Considering the influence of the IMF some believe it never disappeared. President William Ruto is now being accused of authoritarian rule. The press is also under pressure in Kenya. Kenya major media networks KNT and NTV are under certain restrictions. Internet services were deliberately slowed down. More restrictions are going to motivate the youth to continue demonstrations. The Gen Z movement could be a turning point in Kenya's political system. 

The Pro-Monarchy Movement In Nepal

 

A movement to restore the monarchy in Nepal has grown. The movement has a coalition of Hindu nationalist, pro-royalist, and anti-federalist factions. The monarchy was abolished in 2008. The circumstances for the removal retales to the civil war peace settlement. The pro-monarchy movement does have the support of a political party. The Rastriya Prajatantra  Party has organized demonstrations. Law enforcement has responded with violence. Some speculate that the reason the RPP is supportive of the pro-monarchy movement relates to election performance. The RPP does not have enough votes to have a majority in parliament. The pro-republicans see the movement as undermining progress of Nepal. The former king, Gyanendra Shah as shown interest in a return to government. When King Gyanedra dismissed the government in 2005, this resulted in the loss of the monarchy's credibility. The shift to a republican parliamentary system did not produce the results the public wanted. Economic challenges, constantly rotating governments, and ineffective political parties left the Nepalese frustrated. Unaddressed dissatisfaction caused the pro-monarchy movement to develop. The Shah dynasty had been in power for 240 years. The 2008 experiment with being a federal parliamentary republic is not doing as well as expected. If democratic political system cannot provide for citizens, then they will turn to other alternatives. The restoration of the monarchy is a shift to a Nepalese conservatism. The aftermath of the Nepalese Civil War and ineffective prime ministers created the pro-monarchy movement. 

Israel Attacks Iran

 

Israel has attacked major Iranian cities. Tehran was hit with airstrikes. Israel's aggression has escalated to the extent of regional war. Iran now is a target of  expansionist regional designs. Israel wants to fight Iran to eliminate competitors in West Asia. The argument was that Israel was attempting to stop Iran's nuclear program. Israel has nuclear weapons, which is more precarious. Israel did an unilateral strike and it further isolates the country. Iran responded with attacks on Tel Aviv. During Israel's attacks government officials were assassinated from the operation. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei vowed that more retaliation would follow. Israel does not have the capability to fight Hezbollah, the Houthi rebels, and Iran all at once. Israel is active in Syria, Lebanon, Yemen and the occupied territories. The Trump administration favors Israel and has an anti-Iranian position. A regional war between Israel and Iran could expand beyond its borders. Nuclear sites were not only attacked, but ballistic missile factories. If the United States continues its support of Israel, military bases will be attacked. Israel is now under a state of emergency. War with Iran has been Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's goal for decades. The Likud Party's belligerent actions could result in mass global conflict. A regional war maintains the possibility of Israel suffering a major defeat. Unless the US and EU countries come to its assistance. Oil production from the Middle East could be disrupted. A Israel-Iran War might result in an energy crisis.   

The UN Reports A Decline In Birth Rate

 

The UN Population Fund released the State of World Population report. Birth rates are declining globally based on their data. The focus of the UN Population Fund was on reproductive rights, women's health, making every pregnancy wanted, and women's rights. To a degree, a contradiction exists. The emphasis on women having children tends to be more anti-woman. The countries with the highest fertility rates tend to have women who do get access to an equal amount of education. The United Nations makes it appear as a crisis. The world population is larger than it was a century ago. The report did a survey that only used 14 countries. The UNPFA had a survey sample of 14,000 people. The countries that were part of the report included Thailand, South Korea, Italy, Hungary, Germany, Sweden, Brazil, Nigeria, India, Morocco, Mexico, US, South Africa, Germany, and Indonesia. Some reported wanting to have children, but financial security was an obstacle. Women cited in the report that unequal domestic division of labor as a reason for not having children. The lack of employment security, warfare, and environmental concerns were also reasons for subjects not wanting to have children. The contemporary period provides no benefit to being a parent. While underpopulation can be an issue for certain nations, overpopulation is more precarious. Few jobs, limited access to healthcare, and education create an atmosphere of conflict. The world does not have the capacity to take care of billions of people. The UN report sounds more like an advocation for natalism. This connects to many conservative circles that see declining birthrate as nations weakening. Besides the economic factors related to birthrate decline, culture is one. A growing number of women do not want to marry, be in a relationship, or have children. A portion of men are unable to establish any form of relationship with women. Men just might not want to be fathers. The report is misleading because of the sample size and the few countries selected for the survey. The declining birth rate is not a crisis. Nations with aging populations must consider solutions to demographic challenges.  

Ghana and Morocco Visa Agreement

 

Ghana and Morocco have reached an agreement related to visas. Citizens of Ghana can now travel to the North African country without visa requirements. Online travel authorization will still be required. Applying through the embassy is no longer necessary. Ghana and Morocco already have direct flights. The reasons for the agreements related to tourism, trade, and enhancing diplomatic relations . Tourism is a major part of the economies of both nations. Travelers can mean more business for hotels, restaurants, and airlines. Trade among African nations needs to be increased. Europe and North America are becoming unreliable trade partners. Inter-African trade provides stable economies and growth. Diplomatic relations can be positive, if members of an agreement benefit equally. What could disturb diplomatic relations is Morocco's actions in the Western Sahara. Ghana decided to not press the issue related to recognition of the Western Sahara as an independent state. The Kingdom of Morocco must seriously consider granting independence to the Western Sahara. The shift seems to be more autonomy to the area. Morocco's diplomatic efforts are undermined by unreasonable policies directed at the Western Sahara. Ghana is making adjustments not to interfere with the new diplomatic relationship. Ghana is supporting Morocco's Western Sahara autonomy plan. Ghana should expect that relations with Algeria could deteriorate over time. Ghana's only path forward is to act as a neutral negotiator. Getting Algeria and Morocco to secure trade and visa agreements would bet helpful to Ghana.      

Kurds and Alawites Are Victims of Violence In Syria

 

After the fall of the Baathist government, Alawites have been subject to violence. Kurds throughout the Syrian civil war faced attacks. The removal of Bashar al-Assad did not create an improved condition for the war torn country. The Latakia massacre killed an estimated 1,300 people. The new regime of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham claimed that they were only fighting loyalist to the Baathist government. HTS is using terrorism and violence to impose its will upon a population that rejects it. HTS views Alawites as collaborators of the Assad government. Turkish involvement is going to grow. The excuse for occupation of Syrian territory is to prevent more refugee traffic. Syrians and Kurds have been fleeing to Turkey since the civil war broke out in 2011. Alawites are now seeking safety in Lebanon. The condition of Syria can only be described as ethnic cleansing. The sanctions imposed during this civil war undermined Syria's standard of living. The Alawites are facing a similar condition to Sunnis in Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein. Death squads emerged inflicting violence based on ethnicity and religion. The difference with Syria was that terrorist organizations and armed groups were funded by the West and Gulf monarchies. Iraq was invaded by the United States and terrorist organizations went their to fight . ISIS was a product of the Iraq War and the desire to depose Bashar al-Assad. When a country is destabilized racial and ethnic tensions are exploited. President Ahmed al-Sharaa is not seeking to share power or create a federal system. Certain ethnic groups are going to see more violence directed at them. The civil war never stopped, but went through an evolution. Yazidis and Syrian Turkmen might might no longer be welcomed in the HTS regime. Syria is going through ethnic conflict and balkanization. Alawites and Kurdish refugees are only going to increase in number.