The military coup in Myanmar and its geopolitical implications | The Hindu In Focus Podcast
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What does the future now hold for Aung San Suu Kyi?
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What does the future now hold for Aung San Suu Kyi?
In this episode we turn our attention to international affairs and take a deep dive into what’s happening in Myanmar, where the military has once more taken over the country, declaring a year-long state of emergency and placing elected leaders like Aung San Suu Kyi under detention.
It seized control following a general election which Ms Suu Kyi s National League for Democracy (NLD) party won by a landslide. The armed forces had backed the opposition, who were claiming widespread fraud. And though Myanmar’s election commission said there was no evidence to support these claims the coup was staged as a new session of parliament was set to open.
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Video report by ITV News International Affairs Editor Rageh Omaar
Deadly violence and repressive measures have alarmed observers as Uganda prepares to vote on Thursday, with longtime President Yoweri Museveni challenged by young singer and lawmaker Bobi Wine.
Wine, until now more comfortable performing in concerts with global stars, has captured the imagination of many across Africa in a generational clash.
But authorities have used the Covid-19 pandemic as a reason to ban rallies in urban areas where Wine has strong support, including the capital, Kampala.
Bobi Wine s campaigning has been curtailed by authorities. Credit: AP
In recent days, Wine has been arrested and blocked from staying in hotels while campaigning, and one bodyguard was killed.
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We turn to international affairs in this episode and we look at the recent Morocco-Israel deal and its implications for the region. Here’s the story so far: Morocco has become the fourth Arab country to normalise ties with Israel in five months. On December 10, U.S. President Donald Trump announced the deal, claiming that the series of normalisation agreements between Arab countries (the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan and now Morocco) and the Jewish state was bringing peace to West Asia. In return for Morocco’s decision to establish formal ties with Israel, the U.S. has recognised Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, a disputed territory in northwestern Africa, which has been under Moroccan control for decades. Morocco has long been campaigning internationally, using economic pressure and diplomacy, for recognition of its claims to Western Sahara. It appears that it got what it wanted from this deal but could the move now end up reigniting a dormant conflict?