Headlines:
- Russia Strikes Nagorno-Karabakh Deal
- US Approves UAE Arms Deal
- UAE Announces Abandoning of Islamic Laws
Russia Strikes Nagorno-Karabakh Deal
Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia signed an agreement on Tuesday 10 November to end six weeks of fierce fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh in a deal Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan described as “unspeakably painful” in an emotional Facebook post. The post was the first indication of a deal, with Pashinyan saying the agreement would take effect from 1am on Tuesday to end a conflict that has left at least 1,000 people dead. The deal was later confirmed by Azerbaijan and the Kremlin. The agreement came hours after ethnic Armenian officials in the disputed region confirmed that the key city of Shusha (known as Shushi in Armenia), the second-biggest city in the enclave, had been taken by Azeri forces. Azerbaijan also said on Monday it had taken dozens more settlements. Russia will deploy nearly 2,000 peacekeepers, 90 armored personnel carriers and 380 vehicles and pieces of special equipment at the line of contact along the Lachin corridor. Protests soon began in the Armenian capital of Yerevan after the decision.
US Approves UAE Arms Deal
The Trump administration notified Congress it has approved the sale of more than $23 billion in advanced weapons systems, including F-35 fighter jets and armed drones, to the United Arab Emirates. The $23 billion package includes up to 50 F-35 Lightning II aircraft, up to 18 MQ-9B Unmanned Aerial Systems and a package of air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions. The UAE has been building its militray capabilities for over a decade now, but its lack of independence means it’s been getting involved in international issues without proposing or pursuing any political solutions in places such as Yemen, Somalia or Syria.
UAE Announces Abandoning of Islamic Laws
The United Arab Emirates announced on Saturday a major overhaul of the country’s Islamic personal laws, allowing unmarried couples to cohabitate and loosening alcohol restrictions. The government said the legal reforms were part of efforts to improve legislation and the investment climate in the country, as well as to consolidate “tolerance principles”. “I could not be happier for these new laws that are progressive and proactive,” said Emirati film-maker Abdallah Al Kaabi, whose art has tackled taboo topics such as homosexual love and gender identity. 2020 has been a tough and transformative year for the UAE.” The announcement also follows an historic US-brokered deal to normalise relations between the UAE and Zionist entity, which is expected to bring an influx of Zionist tourists and investment.