Oliver Scanlan

Oliver Scanlan lives in Parbatipur, Bangladesh where he works for a local NGO which advocates for indigenous peoplesâÛª rights. He has studied Chinese and spent a year studying in Beijing, which inspired his twin passions for global affairs and tricky languages. He is an intern for oD's terrorism and security section.

Beijing implicated in US cyber espionage report

A report to the US Congress accuses Beijing of increasing online espionage, the Prime Minister of Belgium has been appointed President of the European Council, the Bangladesh Supreme Court has condemned the assassins of the country’s first Prime Minister to death. All this and more, in today’s upd

By Oliver Scanlan

/ 20 Nov 2009

US ambassador's opposition to troop increases in Afghanistan revealed

The US Ambassador to Kabul cables the Whitehouse expressing his reservations about troop increases. President Obama faces diplomatic hurdles in his visit to Japan. Saudi Arabia evacuates villages and closes schools in response to escalating violence in Yemen. All this and more, in today’s security

By Oliver Scanlan

/ 13 Nov 2009

Iran has tested sophisticated nuclear warhead designs

The IAEA has asked Iran to explain evidence that it has tested a sophisticated design for a nuclear warhead. Saudi Arabia continues its assaults on Yemeni militants. The agreement that ended the Honduras political crisis has collapsed. All this and much more in today’s update.

By Oliver Scanlan

/ 6 Nov 2009

Iran offers new terms for nuclear deal

Iran seeks alterations to an international agreement over its nuclear programme. The political stand off in Honduras appears to have been solved by an agreement between Manuel Zelaya and Roberto Micheletti. Presidential hopeful Abdullah Abdullah withdraws his candidacy from the Afghanistan elector

By Oliver Scanlan

/ 31 Oct 2009

Iran nuclear deal in jeopardy

International agreement on Iran’s nuclear programme on the verge of failure. Further bomb blasts strike Pakistan. The US commander in Afghanistan is due to address NATO. All this and more in today’s security update.

By Oliver Scanlan

/ 23 Oct 2009

UN High Commissioner backs Gaza Report

Speaking on Thursday, Navanethem Pillay, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, endorsed the recent UN report into the Gaza war and called for ‘impartial, independent, prompt and effective

By Oliver Scanlan

/ 16 Oct 2009

Israeli Foreign Minister says ‘no chance’ of peace deal

Ahead of a meeting with US envoy to the middle east George Mitchell on Thursday, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Leiberman announced that he would tell the envoy that there was

By Oliver Scanlan

/ 9 Oct 2009

PLO supports deferral of UN Gaza resolution

On Friday, the four national sponsors of the United Nations Human Rights Council's controversial official report into the Gaza War decided to defer a vote to adopt its

By Oliver Scanlan

/ 3 Oct 2009

Iran reveals ‘secret’ enrichment site as China rules out sanctions

On Thursday Jiang Yu, a spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, endorsed renewed diplomatic efforts as being the best means for resolving the ongoing dispute surrounding Iran’s nuclear programme.

By Oliver Scanlan

/ 25 Sep 2009

Obama abandons missile shield plans

Speaking on Thursday, US President Barack Obama announced that plans for a European ‘missile shield’ to guard the US and her allies against ballistic missiles have been shelved. Specifically, the

By Oliver Scanlan

/ 18 Sep 2009

Russia rules out Iran sanctions

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov appeared to rule out further sanctions against Iran at a UN Security Council meeting on Thursday, instead placing his faith in the latest set of

By Oliver Scanlan

/ 11 Sep 2009

At least sixty dead in Afghanistan air strike

It was reported on Friday that a NATO air strike on hijacked oil tankers in northern Afghanistan claimed the lives of sixty people, many of them civilians. According to the

By Oliver Scanlan

/ 4 Sep 2009