Diplomacy

Follow us on Telegram for the latest updates: https://t.me/mothershipsg Singapore has not recognised Myanmar's military leaders as the country's government, Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said on Tuesday, Mar. 2, The Straits Times (ST) reported. Call for dialogue among internal stakeholders in Myanmar Nevertheless, he said that under the country's 2008 constitution, the military has "a special role as an institution" in Myanmar's politics. Such a view is consistent with Vivian's public statements thus far -- he has been referring to Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi as State Counsellor, Win Myint as President, and the military-appointed foreign minister Wunna Maung Lwin as the army representative. Speaking to the media after Asean foreign ministers met in an informal online meeting , which was attended by Wunna Maung Lwin as well, Vivian said that while Asean wants to "continue to engage and to be helpful and to be constructive ... » Learn More about S’pore has not recognised military leaders as Myanmar’s govt: Vivian Balakrishnan

This past month, Filipina journalist Maria Ressa won the Nobel Prize for championing press freedom in the Philippines. The Philippine government and supporters of President Rodrigo Duterte repeatedly harassed Maria and her news website Rappler with trumped-up criminal charges for reporting on abuses during the country’s drug war. The drug war claimed at least 8,000 lives at the hands of police, and the Duterte administration is under investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity in alleged extrajudicial killings. Duterte is refusing to comply with the investigation. As Americans reflect on this year’s Nobel Peace Prize winners, how can the US stand in solidarity with those fighting for human rights and assist in bringing international justice? One way is for the US to join the ICC and support its mission of punishing the most serious offenses of international humanitarian law. By joining the ICC, the US can work to bring ... » Learn More about [OPINION] Catching up to the world: Why the US should join the ICC

WASHINGTON, USA – President Donald Trump on Tuesday, September 11, announced the firing of hawkish national security advisor John Bolton, a move widely seen as boosting the president's push to negotiate with US foes in Afghanistan, North Korea and other trouble spots. Trump, who said he had disagreed "strongly" with Bolton on policy, announced via Twitter: "I asked John for his resignation, which was given to me this morning." A replacement – the White House's fourth national security chief in less than 3 years – would be named next week, Trump said. Bolton, who had been scheduled to give a press conference at the White House on an unrelated matter, denied being fired and insisted that he had resigned. The news, coming days after Trump caused uproar by revealing he was canceling secret talks with Afghanistan's Taliban , stunned Washington. Bolton is a veteran and controversial figure closely linked to the invasion of Iraq and other aggressive ... » Learn More about Trump fires hawkish national security chief John Bolton

SINGAPORE, Nov 28 (The Straits Times/ANN): As Indonesia kicks off its maiden presidency of the high-profile Group of 20 (G-20) on Wednesday (Dec 1), the heat is on for President Joko Widodo to prove he is a force to be reckoned with, observers said. Known to shy away from foreign policy, he had stepped out of his comfort zone last month to speak at the G-20 summit in Rome, and then at the COP26 climate talks in Glasgow, Scotland. He told world leaders that Indonesia, as G-20 host, would encourage joint efforts for global economic recovery. He also vowed to tackle climate change in his country through forestry and land use to achieve a net carbon sink by 2030. Judging by his upbeat remarks back home, Jokowi - as he is better known in Indonesia - was pleased. "I felt there was something different in those meetings, compared with previously. There were so many requests for bilaterals from other countries. Whether I was sitting or standing, the leaders approached me, and they were ... » Learn More about Time for President Jokowi to show his global leadership as Indonesia hosts G-20 – News Analysis by The Straits Times