In March, a group apparently consisting of former members of the Zairian armed forces launched a series of attacks on civilian and military installations in Kinshasa, and were repulsed by loyalist soldiers.

Though notoriously secretive, the operation is far removed from the Church s more sensitive, doctrinal core. Besides, the commission s members have impeccable loyalist credentials, which is also true of the cardinals appointed by Francis to look into broader issues of reform.

I also look to the Unionist community to show determination in condemning and doing all it can to discourage the continuation of the appalling lawlessness, which has in recent times so badly affected both loyalist communities and their vulnerable nationalist neighbours.

Loyalist Congolese army troops under the command of General Mbuza Mabe slaughtered at least 4 Banyamulenge (16 others are reported to have disappeared) and wounded at least 9 more, forcing the rest to flee, as well as killing 2 non Banyamulenge civilians and ransacking houses.

Nobel laureate Mohamed ElBaradei, a liberal reformer, has little in common with Ahmed El Zind, the head of the Judges Club and a Mubarak loyalist. But the anti Morsi forces that backed the revolution regard the price of cleansing the judiciary as too high, arguing that the constitutional declaration will lead to dictatorship.

Israel is considering Abbas s request to transfer arms and ammunitions from Egypt and Jordan in hopes of bolstering his loyalist forces. There is also an American proposal to allow the Badr Brigade a wing of the Palestine Liberation Army that is currently stationed in Jordan to relocate to the Palestinian territories as Abbas s rapid reaction force in Gaza in anticipation of a feared civil war.

What is perverse about this is that every recent poll in Thailand shows that Thaksin remains wildly popular with the vast majority of Thais, most of whom live outside Bangkok. So, despite the ousting of two Thaksin proxies in a row by the court and the elite, Thais are likely to return yet another Thaksin loyalist if they are allowed to vote in an unrigged election.