Around the World in 5 – 14
“hunger prays to rage for
resilience, improvisational genius
implodes, anarchy duets
with despair.”
Monday, 9 June saw the continuation of civil unrest as the state of California announced it had sued the Trump administration following its decision to deploy the National Guard in response to a weekend of protests and periodic clashes between law enforcement and demonstrators. The public outcry stemmed from large-scale immigration enforcement operations carried out on Friday. Governor Gavin Newsom expressed outrage at Trump’s actions, accusing him of “putting fuel on this fire… commanding a state’s National Guard without consulting the governor of that state is illegal and immoral… California will be taking him to court.”
During his recent visit to London, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated he expects all 32 NATO members to agree to a significant hike in military spending at an upcoming summit in the Netherlands. Speaking at the London-based think tank Chatham House, Rutte claimed that Russia is outpacing NATO in ammunition production and said the alliance must make a “quantum leap” in collective defence. He warned that Russia would have attack-ready capabilities within five years, justifying a 400% increase in air and missile defences to counter the growing threat. Rutte also proposed setting a new target of 3.5% of economic output for military spending and 1.5% on defence-related infrastructure. Currently, only 22 of the 32 members meet or exceed the 2% target set in 2014.
A focus on Russia continued in Mali, as its mercenary group Wagner announced it will withdraw from the country after more than three and a half years on the ground. Media statements from the group claimed that their withdrawal comes after successfully dismantling armed rebel factions. Despite these claims, Russian presence remains through the Africa Corps, a Kremlin-backed paramilitary group formed by Wagner’s deceased founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin. Recent attacks by rebel groups on Malian state forces and mercenaries have claimed around 100 lives, undermining the group’s claim of success. Local sources also reported that Ukrainian-backed Tuareg rebels have played a role in many of the assaults.
Nearly 200 km from Gaza, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) aboard the Madleen was seized by Israeli forces. The FFC had aimed to deliver essential aid to Gaza, drawing international attention to the famine currently overwhelming the region. However, they were intercepted early on Monday and forced to dock at Ashdod Port. Legal representatives of the coalition have contested Israel’s actions, stating it had no legal right to intervene in international waters. The UK government, under whose flag the Madleen was operating, urged Israel to treat the detainees with “restraint, in line with international humanitarian law”. French President Macron also requested the release of six French nationals, calling the blockade a “disgrace”.
In India, the north-eastern state of Manipur has imposed a curfew and suspended internet access following an outbreak of violent protests over the arrest of a local leader. On Sunday, local police arrested five leaders of Arambai Tenggol, an armed Meitei radical group, citing their involvement in “various criminal activities”. Manipur has been gripped by recurring violence since 2023, fuelled by ethnic clashes between the majority Meitei and minority Kuki communities, with disputes rooted in land rights and political influence. Over 250 people have been killed in the conflict, with thousands more displaced.
Prison, Sliman Mansour, c.1982.
