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[ChairmanPoo]

Wait, are actual Catalans being discriminated against? I thought that was a level they had not yet sunk to...

http://www.elnacional.cat/en/news/european-parliament-police-repression-catalonia_198528_102.html

No, they are clearly being treated nicely and fairly, and everyone is just trying to find something to complain about/sarc.

Well, the EU says that this is a Spanish inner affairs problem, so it clearly isnt repression at all (sarcasm mode off)

For the record, what's happening is a lighter version of what went om in the Basque Country 30 years ago. Back then the EU didnt really say very much about goverment sponsored death squads, so I wouldn't hold my breath about them doing anything now

[Arx]

There is a thread for that, folks, but it's not this one.

Suicide bomber in Nigeria kills 13, injures 5: http://a.msn.com/r/2/AAtVgRE?a=1&m=EN-ZA

[Culise]

Well, the EU says that this is a Spanish inner affairs problem, so it clearly isnt repression at all (sarcasm mode off)

For the record, what's happening is a lighter version of what went om in the Basque Country 30 years ago. Back then the EU didnt really say very much about goverment sponsored death squads, so I wouldn't hold my breath about them doing anything now

Of course, this shouldn't be too surprising, since the European Union turns 24 this November 1.  Obama didn't do anything about Hurricane Katrina, either.

Yes, I know you probably meant the EEC.  I couldn't resist the jibe, though. 

[martinuzz]

Meanwhile in Jemen, people are about to die of hunger.

The Untited Nations and over 20 aid organisations have demanded that Saudi-Arabia immediatly lifts it's blockade of Jemen and let food shipments through, or
"the world will see the largest famine it has ever seen, and millions of people will die of hunger"

I wonder what the UN will do if Saudi-Arabia doesn't budge and lets millions starve.

[IronyOwl]

Digging a bit, the context appears to be that the Saudis have a new leader who's been considerably more bellicose than previous ones. They supposedly view the Yemen conflict as a proxy war with Iran, their hated rival, and so are rather gung-ho about fighting one of Yemen's rebel groups. The current blockade was supposedly in response to a missile flying around 500 miles into their territory before being shot down; they claim Iran's smuggling in such missiles and they need the blockade to prevent this/"review policy".

Yemen is, not surprisingly, a complete shithole that's been utterly crippled by ~3 years of war and I assume decades of general douchebaggery, hence the heavy reliance on free food and other supplies to not starve to death, run out of gas, etc.

I wonder what the UN will do if Saudi-Arabia doesn't budge and lets millions starve.

Given that the Saudis are a US ally and this is to "fight terrorism," I imagine a whole lot of harsh language.

[Culise]

No actual news yet, but I thought this might be of interest here.  As such...

Zimbabwe: Army tanks seen heading towards capital Harare amid rising tensions between Robert Mugabe's Zanu PF and military

Mugabe allies hit out at Zimbabwe army chief

[Arx]

Word on the street is that this isn't a coup, but no-one really knows anything. It's one of those situations where everyone's just circulating the same 3-4 pictures and speculating.

[smjjames]

It's starting to look like a coup, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-41992351 , soldiers took over a TV and radio station in Harare and there were reports of gun and artillery fire in a district that lots of politicians including Mugabe live in. The US State Department has advised US citizens in Zimbabwe to shelter in place.

Clearly something is going on, though not 100% clear what.

Edit:Now it says that the military made a statement saying that they're targeting criminals, not the government. I fail to see what taking over a TV station has to do with that.

[Arx]

Ex-vice president Mnangagwa might be put in control. Might. Nothing official yet, as far as I know.

A Zimbabwean guy I know was speculating that Robert Mugabe bit the dust and the military is trying to prevent Grace Mugabe from taking over, but I think that's a bit far fetched.

[Reelya]

My news says Mugabe and his wife have both been arrested.
http://www.news.com.au/world/africa/bloodless-correction-mugabe-wife-in-custody-of-zimbabwes-army/news-story/2f55a687f28a6e2399447206c1127d35

ZIMBABWE’S army says it has President Robert Mugabe and his wife in custody and is securing government offices and patrolling the capital’s streets following a night of unrest that included a military takeover of the state broadcaster. The night’s action triggered speculation of a coup, but the military’s supporters praised it as a “bloodless correction”.

Also note that when they talk about "targeting criminals" they seem to be talking about corruption not street crime. They're talking about "criminals around Mugabe" who are "committing crimes that are causing social and economic suffering in the country in order to bring them to justice". e.g. so this is a purge being carried out against the faction around Mugabe in order to crush their political power. Most likely to prevent them consolidating their own faction in power after Mugabe's death (he's 93).

[Arx]

The fact of the matter is that it's too soon to say exactly what's happening here. The military can say whatever they want, I'll be waiting for their actions before I make any calls.

[Reelya]

Well from their statements it sounds like a political purge type situation.

Any organization is generally going to sugar-coat whatever they're doing. In this case they're basically publicly stating that they're taking out Mugabe's political and economic faction from power, which i have little reason to think they're pretend to be doing if they weren't actually doing that. It would be near suicide to make a claim like that and not be able to follow through. I'm pretty sure Zimbabweans would have a good idea which public figures are part of Mugabe's faction, so at the very least, even if it's a "for show" purge then all the public figures too closely associated with the Mugabe regime would have to go.

And of course, he must have some supporters, so they'd be careful to try and suppress any outcry there, perhaps also targeting likely leaders of any blowback against what they're doing. So supporter groups of Mugabe would have to be also targeted and at least monitored, if not having their leadership detained.

[smjjames]

It's certainly coup-like though https://www.vox.com/world/2017/11/15/16654740/zimbabwe-coup-situation-robert-mugabe-house-arrest

[IronyOwl]

Interesting. Look forward to seeing how this develops.

[Strife26]

It's certainly coup-like though https://www.vox.com/world/2017/11/15/16654740/zimbabwe-coup-situation-robert-mugabe-house-arrest

If it looks like a coup and quacks like a coup and involves tanks rolling through cities like a coup. . .