African Nations Dumping US Dollar Like Hot Potatoes, And More News From 21st March.

Sudan and Algeria are leading the talks to trade with Russia in Rubles and dumping the US Dollar to bypass the SWIFT sanctions.

Africa.

• US troops at AFRICOM hold military drills in West Africa, despite locals protesting.

• Russia-Egypt trade was at a decade high in 2022, and Egyptian leadership is keen on increasing business further.

• The Republic of Congo is penning a new energy deal with Russia in Moscow.

• Egypt and Turkiye are in talks to restore diplomatic relations. The topic of Palestine is up for discussion.

• Zimbabwe starts the “serious talks” to join BRICS. Being crumbled by United Nations and US sanctions, Zimbabwe finds trade with BRICS will “hold a brighter future for the people”. Sanctions were slapped on the country following the passing of historic land back legislation against white landlords.

• Sudan, Zimbabwe, Niger, Mali, and Malawi seek to trade with China and Russia in their currencies, not the US Dollar or Franc.

• India increases rice exports to Africa. African leaders decry US sanctions on Russia are primarily responsible for grain shortages in the continent. Many countries in Africa slamming US foreign policy for on coming drought projected to affect millions on the continent.

• China to increase the speed of Belt and Road projects in Africa to help the continent trade with Arab countries in the north.

Asia-Pacific.

• Xi Jinping’s visit to Russia is celebrated by China and China’s partners in the Indo-Pacific region.

• The US urges Japan to hold meetings with India to assure a security partnership, a move against China.

• Indian diplomats are keen on building relationships with China and security cooperation but are worried about Pakistan.

• Sikhs continue to be attacked as the Amritpal Singh case heats up. The Punjab government claims Singh is in hiding, while his family suspect foul play from the police. Amritpal Singh’s father accused the Punjab police of conspiracy to assassinate his son.

• Several in the Sikh diaspora in Canada, the US and the UK take to the Indian embassy and protest what they refer to as “unjust persecution of Sikhs in India”.

  

• US-Philippines leadership to meet soon to discuss the location of new American military bases on the Islands.

• Former Australian SAS officer, Oliver Schulz, was charged with war crimes in Australian courts for allegedly stabbing an Afghan man to death.
  

Latin America.

• Mexican President AMLO led a historic rally declaring to the United States that Mexico was an “independent and free” nation. To a crowd of hundreds of thousands gathered, President AMLO denounced the threats from the United States, including mocking them.

  

• Argentina to buy Chinese-Pakistani F-17 Thunder Fighter Jets.

• Haiti continues to protest illegal US-Canadian troops’ occupation. Haitians protesting are demanding free, fair and immediate elections in the country. Local journalists call the US interference “blatant imperialism” and claim people waving Russian flags want Russian President Putin to intervene.

  

In other news, France’s president narrowly survives a no-confidence vote in the French parliament. Emmanuel Macron denies rumours of a parliamentary reshuffle.

Palestinian prisoners will go on a mass hunger strike on 22nd March. Palestinians across the nation are set to join in. They are protesting Israeli violence and extra-judicial practices against Palestinians. Palestinian prisoners have been sounding the alarms of “brutal treatment” from Israeli occupation forces in prisons.

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