Musings From Abroad

US journalist killed in Ukraine as committee for press seeks justice

Published

1 year ago

March 14, 2022

An American journalist was killed near the capital, Kyiv in Ukraine when he and a colleague came under fire, regional police and a government official have said.

Russian troops opened fire on the car of Brent Renaud and another journalist in Irpin, about 10km (6 miles) northwest of the capital, the Kyiv police force said in a statement on Sunday. It said the injured journalist was taken to a hospital in Kyiv.

The adviser to Ukraine’s interior minister, Anton Herashchenko, confirmed the incident on a Telegram channel.

The journalist being treated at the hospital said he and a colleague were shot after they were stopped at a checkpoint just after a bridge in Irpin.

Juan Arredondo told Italian journalist Annalisa Camilli in an interview from the hospital before being taken for surgery that the colleague who was with him was hit in the neck and remained on the ground earlier on Sunday.

Camilli told The Associated Press news agency that she was at the hospital when Arredondo arrived and that Arredondo himself had been wounded, hit in the lower back when stopped at a Russian checkpoint.

He told Camilli that he and Renaud were filming refugees fleeing the area when they were shot at while in a car approaching a checkpoint. The driver turned around but the firing at them continued, Arredondo added.

Meanwhile, the Committee to Protect Journalists called for the killers to be brought to justice.

“We are shocked and saddened to learn of the death of U.S. journalist Brent Renaud in Ukraine. This kind of attack is totally unacceptable, and is a violation of international law,” said Carlos Martinez de la Serna, CPJ’s program director, in New York. “Russian forces in Ukraine must stop all violence against journalists and other civilians at once, and whoever killed Renaud should be held to account.”

Musings From Abroad

China supports South Africa on BRICS summit— Report

Published

15 hours ago

June 9, 2023

Ifeoluwa Dada

Local media in China are reporting that the Asian giant will support South Africa to host the BRICS summit later this year.

South Africa has come under diplomatic pleasure following its continued relations with Russia, with the United States alleging recently that it aided Russia with ammunition in the ongoing Ukraine war.

South Africa is under the spotlight as it decides if it would arrest Russian President, Vladimir Putin during his expected visit for the BRICS Summit in August after the International Criminal Court placed a warrant on the European leader.

But with China now backing South Africa’s stance in the international space, particularly in hosting the BRICS summit and in relations with Putin’s expected visit, it may find some courage to rebuff the West.

Chinese President, Xi Jinping is reported to have had a phone conversation with South Africa’s Ramaphosa with assurances communicated.

Musings From Abroad

Italy, Netherlands, EU set to announce aid package for Tunisia

Published

15 hours ago

June 9, 2023

Ifeoluwa Dada

Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni has said that a fresh aid package to Tunisia would be announced by the European Union alongside her country and the Netherlands on Sunday.

Meloni, who recently ended a visit to Tunisia, will visit again on Sunday with her Dutch counterpart, Mark Rutte and the EU Commission’s Ursula von der Leyen with high hopes.

“It seems to me that important steps forward are being taken,” Meloni said.

There are concerns that the delay with the loan could deepen Tunisia’s financial crisis and escalate migrants’ crisis across the Mediterranean Sea in search of a better life in Europe.

Creditors, which are largely European, want President Kais Saied to accept the terms of financial reforms by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for its loan which will unlock extra funds in bilateral aid for the country.

Creditors are also refusing to provide Tunisia with long-term budget support unless the IMF agrees to a deal that assures them of repayment of its debts. They have, however, given Tunisia smaller sums to help it purchase food and fuel.

President Saied announced last week that additional taxes would be implemented as a stopgap measure before an expected IMF loan.

Tunisia is in debt to the tune of roughly 80% of its GDP, and the IMF agreed in principle last year to a new loan of nearly $2 billion to help it overcome its severe financial crisis.