This Week in Explainers: Is a wider conflict in West Asia imminent?

The first two weeks of 2024 are over. The world has already seen many major developments in just the second week of January. While the Maldives found itself embroiled in a diplomatic row with India this week, South Africa took Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) accusing it of genocide in Gaza. Taiwan has elected a new president. The presidential polls were keenly watched around the globe as it came amid rising tensions between the self-governing island and China. France got its youngest prime minister after President Emmanuel Macron appointed his ally Gabriel Attal to the post. He is just 34 and France’s first openly gay PM. As we get ready for the remainder of January, it is important to keep track of what went down in the world this week. If you have missed any developments, fret not! Here’s our weekly roundup of explainers of stories from around the world. 1. There are concerns that Israel’s war with Hamas could spread further in West Asia. The United States and the United Kingdom struck Houthi sites in Yemen, further increasing the possibility of a wider conflict in the region. This came after the drone and missile attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea by the Iran-backed militia. The Houthi rebels have vowed retaliation after the US and Britain airstrikes this week. The rebel group, which has declared support for Hamas, has been targeting ships in the Red Sea since November, saying they are avenging Israel’s offensive in Gaza. Read our story here to understand what is going on. 2. India and the Maldives have traditionally enjoyed close ties. However, tensions arose between the two countries after some Maldivian ministers made racist and derogatory remarks against India and its leader following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Lakshadweep last week. The Maldives government promptly suspended the three deputy ministers – Malsha Shareef, Mariyam Shiuna and Abdulla Mahzoom Majid – after a massive backlash on social media over their remarks, but the damage was done. [caption id=“attachment_13607712” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] A diplomatic row has erupted between the Maldives and India. Reuters File Photo[/caption] The row has brought the relations between the two nations into the spotlight. India has always been the “first responder” to the Indian Ocean country. India is among the top sources of tourism for the Maldives. Beyond tourism, New Delhi has often come to the island nation’s assistance in its time of need. We explain in our report here how a rift with India would only hurt common Maldivians. 3. Taiwan has made a choice between “war and peace” or “democracy and autocracy”. The island nation of 24 million people that went to polls on Saturday (13 January) elected Lai Ching-te of the pro-sovereignty Democratic Progressive party (DPP) as its next president. Lai will replace President Tsai Ing-wen who stepped down because of term limits. The polls were held amid the looming threat of China, which views Taiwan as a province and has pledged to “re-unify” it with the mainland. Here’s how Beijing tried to meddle in the polls. [caption id=“attachment_13607752” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Supporters of the Democratic Progressive Party presidential candidate Lai Ching-te, attend a rally in southern Taiwan’s Tainan city, on 12 January. AP[/caption] 4. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) heard South Africa’s genocide case against Israel this week. Israel has denied the charges, claiming South Africa distorted the truth in its case. South Africa moved the ICJ against Israel on 29 December under United Nation’s 1948 Genocide Convention. The convention defines “genocide” as “acts committed with intent to destroy, wholly or partly, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group”. South Africa accused the West Asian country of committing genocide against the Palestinians in its war in Gaza. It has asked the UN’s highest court to order Israel to immediately halt its military operations in the narrow enclave. Here’s our explainer on the case. 5. The Iranian navy seized an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman, raising worries that Tehran could threaten shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most important oil chokepoint. The US denounced Iran for seizing the Greek-operated oil tanker, the St. Nikolas, and demanded the release of its crew. But, why did Iran target the oil tanker? Read our explainer here to find out. 6. Gabriel Attal was made France’s youngest PM as President Emmanuel Macron’s seeks to rejuvenate the remainder of his second term. Attal has served as the education minister of the country. His star has only risen under Macron, who is battling unpopularity amid growing political pressure from the far right. Attal’s appointment comes ahead of June’s European Union ballot and the upcoming Olympics in Paris. You can read our profile on the new France PM here. [caption id=“attachment_13607782” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] New French prime minister Gabriel Attal arrives to attend the weekly cabinet meeting after a cabinet reshuffle at the Elysee Palace in Paris, 12 January. AP[/caption] 7. Ecuador was rattled by a series of violent acts this week. Heavily armed gangsters stormed the studio of a major television station during a live broadcast. Several other seemingly coordinated attacks were witnessed across the South American country, prompting President Daniel Noboa to declare an emergency and a virtual war on the gangs by authorising the military to act against them. Read our report here to understand what’s happening in Ecuador. 8. The Nepal police arrested a controversial spiritual leader known as “Buddha Boy” over allegations of rape and sexual abuse. Ram Bahadur Bomjon, 33, was nabbed from a house on the outskirts of Kathmandu. He is also allegedly involved in the disappearance of at least four of his followers — two men and two women — from his camp. Thousands in Nepal believed Bomjon was a reincarnation of the Buddha and had grabbed international attention as a teenager. Here’s our explainer on Nepal’s “Buddha Boy”. You are all caught up for the week. If you like our explainers and want to remain updated, bookmark this page.