South Asia
Maldivian President Ibrahim Solih began his four-day visit to India, where he will meet with Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, President Droupadi Murmu, and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. He was received by Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairy Dr. Sanjeev Balyan, going against the protocol that requires heads of state to be welcomed by senior government officials, such as the PM. [The Maldives Journal, Avas]
India has launched an investigation into the death of a man who returned from the United Arab Emirates to Kerala and tested positive for the monkeypox virus on Saturday. This is Asia’s first death at the hands of the virus. [NDTV]
Central Asia and the Caucasus
An Armenian soldier was wounded on Monday after Azerbaijani forces opened fire at Armenian military positions in Artsakh. The Artsakh defence ministry said the incident occurred when Azerbaijani soldiers were caught crossing the border. [Public Radio of Armenia, Armen Press]
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu will visit Tashkent today to participate in the first trilateral summit of the ministers of foreign affairs, trade, and transport of Turkey, Uzbekistan, and Azerbaijan. The meeting will focus on reviving the Trans-Caspian East-West-Middle Corridor or ‘The Middle Corridor,’ which was proposed by Turkey in 2013. The corridor begins in Turkey, passes through Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan, and ends in China. [Turkey MFA, MFA]
East and Southeast Asia
The Philippines’ new president, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., said on Monday that he “has no intention” of rejoining the International Criminal Court (ICC). His comments come after the ICC announced the reopening of the case against former President Rodrigo Duterte’s infamous War on Drugs. “ICC is saying now that the investigation will continue. What we’re saying is we have our own investigation and it’s a continuing investigation. So why have another probe,” Marcos Jr. said. [Manila Times]
Taiwan reported spotting four Chinese military aircraft in its air defence identification zone (ADIZ) on Monday. The island responded to the incursion by scrambling its own jets, issuing radio warnings, and deploying air defence missile systems to track the Chinese Shenyang J-16 fighter planes. The incursion by China comes ahead of United States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s possible visit to the island this week. [Taiwan News]
Europe
The British House of Commons’ foreign affairs committee is preparing an official trip to Taiwan in November or December as the United Kingdom’s relationship with China deteriorates. The reports about the visit come amid speculation regarding United States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taipei during her Asia tour this week. [The Guardian]
In a telephonic conversation, French President Emmanuel Macron told his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky that Russia will “not go unpunished” for its decision to bomb a jail housing Ukrainian prisoners of war last week. According to Ukrainian authorities, over 50 prisoners died in the attack on Friday in Olenivka, which has been under the control of Russia-backed separatists since 2014. [Politico]
A day after Kosovo postponed the controversial new travel rules to ease tensions at the Serbian border, Russia declared its support for the “peace-loving, constructive position” of Serbia, calling Pristina’s demands “unreasonable.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov mentioned that showing “prudence on all sides” is important since the rules have only been delayed for a month. He further urged Kosovan allied countries to “use all their influence to warn the Kosovo authorities against taking any ill-considered steps that could lead to further escalation of tension.” [TASS]
Latin America and the Caribbean
On Monday, international rights groups and the United States government came out in support of Guatemalan journalist José Rubén Zamora, who has been detained by Guatemala’s government since Friday on charges of money laundering, influence-peddling, and blackmail. Juan Pappier, a senior Americas researcher at Human Rights Watch, and US State Department official Brian Nichols denounced his arrest, and called for the “safeguarding of press freedom and full respect of due process under Guatemalan law” and demanded his immediate release, accusing the government of attempting to silence its critics. [NBC News]
Panama’s teachers’ associations on Monday declared an end to nationwide protests that have rocked the country for over a month. Teachers, along with construction workers and indigenous groups, had been demonstrating against the soaring cost of living, demanding price cuts for food, fuel, and medicines, higher investments in education, and measures to curb corruption in the government; some of these demands have now been agreed to by President Laurentino Cortizo. [Associated Press]
Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
Iran and Afghanistan have agreed to establish a joint border commission to prevent skirmishes along their volatile border. The decision was made during a meeting between Iranian and Taliban officials at an undisclosed location on Monday. A day earlier, Iranian security guards killed a Taliban soldier as Tehran accused Afghan soldiers of shooting at an Iranian post. [IRNA]
Annual food inflation in Iran reached 100% in four Iranian provinces, the country’s statistical authority reported on Monday. It said the national food inflation is at 87%, compared to almost 60% last year. The sudden spike in prices occurred after the government cancelled a food import subsidy in May to save around $15 billion annually. The move resulted in a massive price rise in basic food items like bread, milk, and oil. [Iran International]
North America
In a joint call with Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, and Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Gen. Valery Zaluzhny on Monday, United States (US) National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley discussed the details of the US’ new $550 million security package, which includes extra ammunition for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS). Both sides also welcomed the departure of the first vessel containing Ukrainian grain from Odesa, further underscoring the need for Russia to adhere to its commitments under the recent grain export deal. [The White House, US Department of Defense]
On Monday, Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly announced that her German counterpart Annalena Baerbock will begin a two-day visit to the country on Tuesday to reaffirm their mutual commitment to standing up for international peace and stability, and to hold Russian President Vladimir Putin “accountable for his unprovoked and unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine.” The pair will also discuss ways to tackle the global food security crisis caused by Putin’s “war of choice.” [Global Affairs Canada]
Oceania
A second spy satellite jointly built by Australia and the United States (US) is set to be launched in New Zealand on Tuesday. The first of the two satellites was launched two weeks ago and will be used for intelligence gathering for the two countries’ Western allies. An Australian defence spokesperson said the country had partnered with the US’ spy agency, the National Reconnaissance Office, for “two space missions as part of a broad range of cooperative satellite activities”. [The Guardian]
New Zealand Prime Minister (PM) Jacinda Ardern is on a special state visit to Samoa to commemorate 60 years of friendship with the island nation. Upon arrival, Ardern was greeted by Samoan Deputy PM Tuala Tevaga Ponifasio and High Commissioner Dr. Trevor Matheson. [NZ Herald]
Sub-Saharan Africa
The death toll from floods in Uganda’s eastern region—encompassing Bugisu, Mbale, and Kapchorwa—rose to 24 on Monday. The state ministry in charge of relief, disaster preparedness, and refugees and Uganda Red Cross have stepped up search and rescue operations. Torrential rains over the weekend triggered intense flooding and have caused heavy damage to life and property, with the Red Cross now sending trucks with relief supplies to assist those in need. [Reuters]
A day after MONUSCO peacekeepers opened fire killing two in Kasindi, Congolese police dispersed around 100 anti-United Nations demonstrators in Beni on Monday, leaving several civilians injured. Dalzon Mikundi, the president of the Beni Urban Youth Council, called on the people to “put pressure peacefully and not to fall into vandalism” and urged the government to “play its role well in securing its population so as not to rely on foreign forces.” [Associated Press]