December 5, 2022

*) West African leaders agree to create regional force West African leaders have agreed to create a regional force to intervene against terrorism and in the event of coups. The president of the Economic Community of West African States, Omar Alieu Touray, said the leaders of the group decided to act to take control of the security in the region. Several countries in the region are suffering from the spread of militancy and terrorism, including Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, and southwards to the Gulf of Guinea. *) Blinken vows to oppose Israel settlements, annexation in occupied West Bank US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has promised to counter Israeli settlements and annexation in the occupied West Bank just days before Benjamin Netanyahu’s return to power. Netanyahu has sealed a coalition deal with extreme-right movements including Religious Zionism, which is set for a post in charge of settlements in the West Bank. Speaking to J Street, a pro-Israel US advocacy group, Blinken said President Joe Biden's administration will continue to unequivocally oppose any acts that undermine the prospects of a two-state solution. *) China reports more Covid deaths as some restrictions eased China has reported two additional deaths from Covid-19 as some cities moved cautiously to ease pandemic restrictions following increasingly vocal public frustrations. The National Health Commission said that one death was reported each in the provinces of Shandong and Sichuan. Authorities fear that lifting Covid restrictions entirely could lead to millions of deaths in the country, but an outpouring of public anger appears to have prompted authorities to lift some of the more heavy restrictions. *) Flash flood in South Africa kills more than a dozen at religious gathering In South Africa, at least 14 people have died and others are still missing after a flash flood swept away members of a church congregation along the Jukskei River in Johannesburg. Officials said a group of 33 worshippers was conducting religious ritua