The Sunday Subject – March 24, 2024

Hong Kong passed a new security law covering acts such as insurrection and sabotage.

Authorities in Hong Kong approved the measure at the behest of China. Critics of the law fear it will be used to target dissidents and further tighten China’s grip on the territory. 

Vaughan Gething has become the first minister of Wales.

Gething is the first black person to hold the post. For the first time none of the leaders of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, or the British prime minister is a white male.

Leo Varadkar announced he would step down as prime minister of Ireland.

Varadkar cited personal and political reasons, without giving any further details. His government recently suffered heavy referendum defeats over altering the constitution. Fine Gael, head of the governing coalition, will elect a new leader in the coming weeks.

A terrorist attack in Moscow killed at least 140 people and wounded many others.

The region’s governor said the death toll could rise significantly. Vladimir Putin tried to connect the attackers to Ukraine, while American officials stated that an affiliate of the Islamic State could be behind the attack. Ukraine firmly denied having any involvement in the attack. Meanwhile, in the Russian federal election, Putin alloted 87% of the vote to himself. Tens of thousands of Russians silently marked their ballots with the name of Alexei Navalny to protest against the dictator. 

Chuck Schumer, the Senate majority leader, called for early elections in Israel.

Schumer, one of Israel’s staunchest supporters in the Democratic Party, said that Binyamin Netanyahu had “lost his way.” President Biden endorsed the message. Netanyahu agreed to send officials to Washington to discuss Israel’s planned invasion of Rafah, which Biden has suggested is a “red line.” Meanwhile, Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority, appointed a new prime minister, Mohammad Mustafa. Mustafa has long had a close relationship with Abbas as his economic advisor.

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