BIG political #geography news from yesterday: #UK says it will give #ChagosIslands to #Mauritius, which has claimed them for decades and recently had vindication from intl courts and UN. No date yet - pending treaty. https://bbc.com/news/articles/c98ynejg4l5o

#disputedterritory #IndianOcean #Chagossians #islands #sovereignty #Africa #colonialism

UK hands sovereignty of Chagos Islands to Mauritius

In a historic move, the UK gives up sovereignty of a strategic group of islands in the Indian Ocean.

Sabina Shoal may be new conflict hotspot as Manila, Beijing spar over control

Analysts note shoal’s location ideal for projection of power and call for Manila to strengthen presence in disputed area to counter China.

South China Morning Post

Though #GazaStrip is where vast majority of fighting and deaths are happening in the current #Palestine/#Israel war, the conflict also involves the #Lebanon border region and, increasingly, the #WestBank (especially #Palestinian-governed city of #Jenin).
https://www.polgeonow.com/2023/12/israel-palestinian-controlled-areas-map-after-ceasefire.html

#map #maps #mapping #israelpalestineconflict #israelpalestinewar #politicalgeography #borders #warzone #Hamas #geography #geopolitics #middleeast #Mediterranean#conflictmap #disputedterritory @geography

Israel / Palestine: Map of Control After End of Truce (December 8, 2023)

Two months into the war, Israel has captured large parts of the Gaza Strip from Hamas, while fighting escalates in the West Bank.

#Venezuela & #Guyana headed to urgent de-escalation talks after both countries and neighboring #Brazil put their militaries on alert as tensions spike over #Essequibo/#GuayanaEsequiba territorial dispute. https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/guyana-agreed-talks-venezuela-territorial-dispute-pressure-brazil-105536104

#conflicttracking #disputedterritory #geopolitics

Guyana agreed to talks with Venezuela over territorial dispute under pressure from Brazil, others

The government of Guyana, under pressure from neighboring Brazil and a Caribbean trading bloc, has agreed to join bilateral talks with Venezuela over an escalating territorial dispute

ABC News

#Venezuela & #Guyana headed to urgent de-escalation talks after both countries and neighboring #Brazil put their militaries on alert as tensions spike over #Essequibo/#GuayanaEsequiba territorial dispute. https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/guyana-agreed-talks-venezuela-territorial-dispute-pressure-brazil-105536104

If Venezuela & Guyana came to blows, it would be first fighting between two countries in the Americas since Peru vs. Ecuador "Cenepa War" 28 years ago

#conflicttracking #disputedterritory #geopolitics #geography #military #wars #SouthAmerica #Caribbean @geopolitics

Guyana agreed to talks with Venezuela over territorial dispute under pressure from Brazil, others

The government of Guyana, under pressure from neighboring Brazil and a Caribbean trading bloc, has agreed to join bilateral talks with Venezuela over an escalating territorial dispute

ABC News

Internal debate in #UK govt over whether to give #ChagosIslands, which intl. court ruled 2 years ago were under "unlawful occupation", to legal owner #Mauritius. Islands' people were infamously expelled to build military base also used by #USA. https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2023/12/07/uk-drops-plans-to-hand-chagos-islands-back-to-mauritius/

#geography #disputedterritory #IndianOcean #islands #geopolitics #occupation

#government

UK drops plans to hand Chagos Islands back to Mauritius

The United Nations has called for the islands to be returned, with a UN court ruling Britain’s possession of the overseas territory “unlawful”.

Modern Diplomacy

Internal debate in #UK govt over whether to give #ChagosIslands, which intl. court ruled 2 years ago were under "unlawful occupation", to legal owner #Mauritius. Islands' people were infamously expelled to build military base also used by #USA. https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2023/12/07/uk-drops-plans-to-hand-chagos-islands-back-to-mauritius/

#geography #disputedterritory #IndianOcean #islands #geopolitics #occupation @geopolitics @geography

UK drops plans to hand Chagos Islands back to Mauritius

The United Nations has called for the islands to be returned, with a UN court ruling Britain’s possession of the overseas territory “unlawful”.

Modern Diplomacy

After low-turnout referendum in support, #Venezuela looks to have formally fully annexed (absorbed) the disputed #GuayanaEsequiba / #Essequibo region, currently controlled by #Guyana. It had previously labeled it on maps as a special "zone in reclamation".

Venezuela also says it will create new state/province to (theoretically) govern the area, but apparently hasn't done so quite yet.

https://english.elpais.com/international/2023-12-06/venezuela-guyana-dispute-maduro-mobilizes-the-army-and-announces-annexation-of-essequibo.html

#geography #disputedterritory #Essequibo #admin1 #borders #SouthAmerica

Venezuela-Guyana dispute: Maduro mobilizes the army and announces annexation of Essequibo

Via a law announced Tuesday, Venezuela will create a new province or state in the disputed territory, having already appointed a single provisional authority: Major-General Alexis Rodríguez Cabello

EL PAÍS English

After low-turnout referendum in support, #Venezuela looks to have formally fully annexed (absorbed) the disputed #GuayanaEsequiba / #Essequibo region, currently controlled by #Guyana. It had previously labeled it on maps as a special "zone in reclamation".

Venezuela also says it will create new state/province to (theoretically) govern the area, but apparently hasn't done so quite yet.

https://english.elpais.com/international/2023-12-06/venezuela-guyana-dispute-maduro-mobilizes-the-army-and-announces-annexation-of-essequibo.html

#geography #disputedterritory #Essequibo #admin1 #borders #SouthAmerica @geography

Venezuela-Guyana dispute: Maduro mobilizes the army and announces annexation of Essequibo

Via a law announced Tuesday, Venezuela will create a new province or state in the disputed territory, having already appointed a single provisional authority: Major-General Alexis Rodríguez Cabello

EL PAÍS English
South China Sea: Philippine coast guard removed Chinese barrier in contested waters

The Philippine coast guard says it has complied with a presidential order to remove a floating barrier placed by China’s coast guard to prevent Filipino fishing boats from entering a lagoon in a disputed shoal in the South China Sea. Philippine officials on Monday condemned the installation of the 300-meter (980-foot) -long barrier at the entrance to the lagoon at Scarborough Shoal as a violation of international law and the Southeast Asian nation’s sovereignty. The Philippine coast guard’s report late Monday that it had removed the barrier underscores intensifying Philippine efforts to fight China’s increasingly aggressive actions in one of the world’s most hotly contested waters.

AP News