Increased Covid-19 vaccine production would save lives; France turns a blind eye to Egypt’s rights violations; land rights activists face trial in Vietnam; Morocco forcibly returns Saudi-Australian man to Saudi Arabia; government declares stage of siege in eastern Congo; Tanzania’s new president setting new tone; Syrian refugees blocked from school exams in Lebanon; and still no accountability for Beirut blast.

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Even as India fights the world’s worst surge in Covid-19 infections, rich countries continue to block a proposal by it and South Africa to allow a wider production of vaccines globally. Meanwhile, India’s daily COVID-19 shots have fallen sharply as domestic companies struggle to boost supplies

 

The French government has agreed to sell 30 fighter jets to Egypt, turning a blind eye to increasing human rights violations by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s government.

Prominent Vietnamese land rights activists, Can Thi Theu, and one of her sons, will be facing trial tomorrow for speaking out against human rights abuses and the confiscation of land by the government. Vietnam has arrested hundreds of dissidents in recent years and 137 political prisoners are currently serving criminal sentences for exercising their basic rights.

 

Morocco has forcibly returned a Saudi-Australian man to Saudi Arabia despite fears expressed by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) that he could face torture in Saudi Arabia. No information has since emerged about the situation of Osama al-Hasani, who had previously been cleared of the charges he has now been rearrested for.

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s president FelixTshisekedi has declared a 'state of siege' in in two provinces in the east of the country wracked by violence from armed groups and civilian massacres.

Tanzania’s new President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who was sworn in as head of state soon after the death of former President John Magufuli, seems to be setting a new tone, be it with regard to the country’s approach to the coronavirus, media freedom or dealing with the opposition.

Lebanon’s Education Ministry is blocking Syrian refugee students from taking school examinations unless they provide official documents that few are able to obtain.

And lastly: It’s been nine months since the catastrophic explosion at Beirut’s port that killed more than 200 people and devastated half the city. Yet, Lebanese authorities have still not held anybody to account for the blast.

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