China-U.S. conflict over Taiwan continues to escalate

Reuters, 10/14–China's military started a new round of war games near Taiwan on Monday, saying it was a warning to the "separatist acts of Taiwan independence forces" and offered no date for when they may conclude … Taiwan, which China views as its own territory, had been on alert for more war games since last week's national day speech by President Lai Ching-te … said China had no right to represent Taiwan even as he offered to cooperate with Beijing … The Chinese military's Eastern Theatre Command said the "Joint Sword-2024B" drills were taking place in the Taiwan Strait and areas to the north, south and east of Taiwan … Chinese ships and aircraft are approaching Taiwan in "close proximity from different directions", focusing on sea-air combat-readiness patrols, blockading key ports and areas, assaulting maritime and ground targets and "joint seizure of comprehensive superiority" … China's coast guard circled Taiwan and staged "law enforcement" patrols close to Taiwan's offshore islands.

North Korean troops headed to fight in Ukraine 

National Public Radio, 10/24–South Korea’s president vowed on Thursday to respond to North Korea’s deployment of troops to Russia, including by potentially supplying offensive weapons to Ukraine … South Korea’s intelligence chief told lawmakers Wednesday that North Korea has sent 3,000 troops, including special forces, to Russia for training, and that the North plans to increase that number to 10,000 by December.
The deployment of North Korean troops could add to concerns that the war risks spilling over and affecting tensions in Asia, from the Korean Peninsula to the Taiwan Strait … The North Koreans will likely be put “in charge of security and such at first. But as time goes by, and with training, they may be able to support Russian operations,” Lee says. “Then, it is expected that there will be many casualties during that process.”

Saudi Arabia vies with Iran in imperialist ambitions

Foreign Affairs, 10/22–There are many Middle Eastern conflicts that could reshape the global political order. But the one most likely to do so is the battle between the region’s two dominant powers: the kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran … Iran and Saudi Arabia are both autocratic energy titans, collectively controlling nearly a third of the world’s oil reserves and a fifth of its natural gas … In Iran’s 1979 revolution, protesters … transformed the country from a U.S.-allied monarchy into an anti-American theocracy … 1979 was also a pivotal year for Saudi Arabia … the Saudi government abandoned modernization efforts and redirected vast resources to reactionary forces at home and abroad. The country empowered fundamentalist clerics to exercise control over education and the judiciary … In exporting these policies, in part with U.S. encouragement …  Saudi Arabia spent tens of billions of dollars to fund thousands of mosques as well as jihadi groups that became the antecedents of the Taliban and al Qaeda.

Bosses in Dominican Republic take the ethnic cleansing route

Associated Press, 10/8–The Dominican Republic said Tuesday it has deported or repatriated nearly 11,000 Haitians in the past week, fulfilling a pledge to do so weekly … The Dominican government announced last week that it would deport up to 10,000 Haitians a week … These are the largest such deportations in recent history there. The announcement prompted Haitian officials to request an emergency meeting at the Organization of American States, where Haitian permanent representative Gandy Thomas called the deportations “a strategy of ethnic cleansing” and “a discriminatory campaign against Haitians due to their nationality and color of their skin.” At least half a million Haitians live in the Dominican Republic, according to human rights groups … The mass deportations have led to an increase in abandoned children across the Dominican Republic, warned activist William Charpentier …  “They take their parents, or one of the parents, and leave the children behind, even while they’re in school.”