The Press Roundup

 

January 25, 2024 (Thursday)

Curated Summary

Looking ahead: Censorship, AI, disinformation, and repression undermining elections (ifex)

• Internet restrictions, AI-driven disinformation, and mass arrests have increased before major elections in Asia, undermining freedom of expression during a crucial time for democracy.
• Several countries in the region have updated laws and regulations that are being used as tools of censorship during election periods. For example, Bangladesh passed the Cyber Security Act, which critics argue is a renaming of the Digital Security Act, a law used to detain critics and journalists. Pakistan approved amendments to existing laws on blasphemy, national security, and data protection, giving authorities broad censorship powers. Indonesia amended the Electronic Information and Transactions Law, criminalizing the dissemination of "false statements" causing "public unrest."
• These laws have enabled ruling parties to exert "toxic control over news and information." In Pakistan, social media platforms became inaccessible during opposition party events.

Netanyahu has got to go (SpyTalk)

• The author, Jeff Stein, shares his personal experience as a Vietnam War veteran and his subsequent involvement in activism against the war. He mentions his disillusionment with the war and his belief that it was a criminal endeavor.
• Stein highlights two events that reignited his interest in politics: the U.S. invasion of Cambodia and the publication of the Pentagon Papers. These events confirmed his suspicions about the war's origins and the Nixon administration's role in hindering progress.
• The author mentions his decision to join Vietnam Veterans Against the War and pursue a career in investigative journalism to expose lies and deceptions within the intelligence and national security community.
• The article emphasizes the focus of SpyTalk on reporting on the intersection of intelligence, foreign policy, and military operations, while avoiding hyper-partisan politics.

Chinese paper exposes India's role in terrorism in Pakistan (The Nation)

• The Chinese newspaper Global Times has published a report exposing India's alleged sponsorship of terrorism in Pakistan, specifically in Balochistan.
• India is accused of covertly providing financial support and weapons to terrorist forces in Balochistan, with the aim of destabilizing Pakistan.
• The report highlights the capture of Indian spy Kulbhushan Yadav in 2016 as evidence of India's covert operations in Balochistan.
• According to the report, India is also accused of fostering regional instability by supporting insurgency among local populations in Balochistan.
• The newspaper quotes Helen, Deputy Director of the National Institute of International Strategy at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, who criticizes India for employing a double standard in dealing with terrorism.
• The report suggests that India's motives include tarnishing Pakistan's global image, obstructing investments, and placing Pakistan on the FATF blacklist.

TTP after Pakistan - Iran confrontation (Business Recorder)

• The Taliban regime in Kabul closely observed the missile and drone exchange between Iran and Pakistan, as it impacted their own situation.
• Pakistan's response to the exchange diluted its own threat of taking decisive action against TTP sanctuaries in Afghanistan.
• Pakistan had been communicating concerns, warnings, and threats about border activity with Iran for years.
• The Pakistani public supported the government in rejecting Iran's action as a violation of international law.
• The exchange with Iran has made it harder for Pakistan to take unilateral decisive action across the Durand Line. The TTP is unlikely to suddenly stop its second insurgency.

When chaos erupted in Ecuador, disinformation followed (The New York Times)

• Ecuador experienced a spate of violence starting on January 7, including jailbreaks, prison riots, bombings, and attacks on a television network. The chaos resulted in over 20 deaths.
• The violence caused fear among Ecuadoreans, leading to empty streets in major cities like Guayaquil and Quito. The new president, Daniel Noboa, declared a state of emergency and labeled the situation as an "internal armed conflict," allowing the army to take control.

United States of the Ionian Islands: The history of the British rule in Greece (Greek Reporter)

• The United States of the Ionian Islands was a little-known period of Greece's history, where the Ionian islands were under British rule and did not experience direct Ottoman rule.
• The Ionian islands have a rich and turbulent history due to their strategic location at the edge of the Ottoman Empire, attracting the interest of powerful nations.
• The British Empire, along with other powers, sought to gain control over the Ionian islands due to their strategic position in the Mediterranean.
• The islands were initially part of the Republic of Venice, which prevented Ottoman Turks from occupying them. However, after the dissolution of the Republic of Venice, the French became the rulers of the islands.

Orban uses Sweden's NATO bid to take center stage in Europe (The New York Times)

• Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has pledged to push for Sweden's admittance into NATO, but has not provided a timeline for a vote and has stated that the final decision is not his to make.
• Hungary's delay in accepting Sweden into NATO has raised questions about why they are "messing with the Swedes."
• Turkey's Parliament has voted to accept Sweden into NATO, leaving Hungary as the last obstacle to Sweden's membership.
• Hungary's reasons for delaying Sweden's NATO membership have been inconsistent, including claims of scheduling issues, concerns about isolating Turkey, and objections to past remarks made by Swedish officials.
• Hungary's stance on Sweden aligns with its desire to maintain good relations with Russia and ensure a steady flow of Russian natural gas and oil.
• Hungary's stalling on Sweden's NATO membership has put Prime Minister Orban in the center of attention as a defender of national sovereignty.
• Sweden's foreign minister has rebuffed Hungary's invitation to negotiate, stating that there is no reason to do so.

Sunak forced to rule out conscription as Russia war threat rises (The Telegraph)

• Gen Sir Patrick Sanders, the head of the Army, warned that the UK may need to train and equip citizens for future conflict with Russia, but Downing Street has ruled out conscription.
• The Army is predicted to have just 72,500 fully trained soldiers by 2025, which would not be enough to fight an all-out war with Russia.
• Gen Sir Patrick emphasized the importance of civilians in wartime, stating that "regular armies start wars, citizen armies win them." He called for an army that can rapidly expand, resource the second echelon, and train and equip a citizen army.
• Grant Shapps, the Defence Secretary, warned that the UK is moving towards a pre-war world and expects conflict internationally within five years. He also advocated for increased defense spending.
• Estonia's top military commander warned that Nato had underestimated Russia's capacity to produce ammunition and recruit troops, prompting a re-evaluation among Nato allies.
• Gen Lord Dannatt, the former head of the Army, supported Gen Sir Patrick's comments, stating that if the country finds itself at war, fighting with an army of 75,000 soldiers will not be sustainable.

How the border could cost Biden the election (The Economist)

• The mismatch between the number of people around the world who want to move to the US and the number of Americans willing to allow immigration is a significant issue that could impact President Biden's chances of re-election.
• In 2016, Donald Trump campaigned on the issue of "border chaos" and illegal immigration, which resonated with voters and helped him secure the Republican nomination and win the presidency.
• While the number of migrants attempting to cross the southern border was not as high in 2016, it has increased significantly since then, with nearly 250,000 attempts in November alone.
• Many of these migrants are seeking asylum and are being released into the US to wait for their claims to be processed, which can take years.

Ukraine calls for international probe into downing of Russian military plane (The Strait Times)

• Ukraine's ombudsman stated that they will do everything possible to secure an international investigation into the downing of the Russian military transport plane.
• Russia claimed that the plane was carrying 65 captured Ukrainian soldiers to a prisoner exchange, but Kyiv has challenged parts of Moscow's narrative and has not confirmed the presence of Ukrainian prisoners on board.
• The ombudsman called for a recognized international investigation and plans to send letters to the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross to request such a probe.
• The ombudsman expressed doubts about the presence of a large number of people on the plane and stated that there was no indication of prisoners of war.
• Ukrainian President Zelenskiy called for greater clarity on the incident and accused Russia of "playing with the lives of Ukrainian prisoners."