Philippines resumes sending workers to Kuwait with new protections after labor concerns; heightened tensions between Hezbollah and Israel following explosions in Lebanon.
The Philippines has resumed sending workers to Kuwait with new protective measures to ensure their rights and welfare, following a suspension due to labor concerns and the tragic murder of domestic worker Jullebee Ranara in January 2023. An agreement reached in June 2024 between the two countries addressed labor issues, leading to enhanced protections for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).
Meanwhile, tensions have sharply escalated between Hezbollah and Israel after Hezbollah's hand-held radios detonated in southern Lebanon and Beirut, causing multiple explosions. This followed the previous day's deadly detonation of thousands of pagers reportedly planted by Israel's Mossad, sparking fears of a wider Middle East conflict as Hezbollah retaliated with rocket attacks.
Shifting gears, President Tayyip Erdogan of Türkiye announced plans to bolster ties with groups like BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) while still maintaining its Western alliances. Türkiye, a NATO member, is focusing on engaging with new global economic and technological centers without abandoning its Western commitments.
In related regional news, Egypt has firmly rejected changes to its Gaza border security arrangements amidst the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, speaking alongside US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, stressed the necessity of an Israeli withdrawal from the Philadelphi Corridor and advocated for a Palestinian presence at the Rafah crossing to facilitate a ceasefire deal.
Over in Europe, the European Union is taking stringent measures against Hungary to reclaim funds after the country defied a 200 million euro fine for violating EU asylum laws. Due to Hungary's refusal to pay, the EU has initiated deductions from funds allocated to Budapest and is imposing additional daily fines, aiming to enforce compliance and uphold migrants' asylum rights.
Lastly, addressing a critical health emergency, Gavi has committed to purchasing 500,000 doses of Bavarian Nordic's mpox
vaccine for up to $50 million to combat an outbreak in Africa, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This effort, which includes transportation and logistics costs, aligns with the WHO's declaration of the outbreak as a global health emergency and is supported by additional funding from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.