South Asia
India and the Maldives signed seven Memorandums of Understanding worth $1.7 million. India will fund several infrastructure and development projects in the Maldives, including a mental health centre, a multi-sports complex, and youth centres. [The Print]
The Taliban strongly condemned the burning of the Holy Quran in Sweden, warning that such incidents would “aggravate [the] sensitivities” of the Muslim community and result in “undesired consequences.” The released statement also called on Swedish authorities to take strict action against the perpetrators. [MFA Afghanistan]
Newly-appointed Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif appointed 30 federal ministers, marking the beginning of the first phase of the induction of his 34-member cabinet. While reports suggested that key coalition leader and Pakistan People’s Party chair Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari would be appointed as the Foreign Minister, the published list did not include his name. [Geo TV]
Central Asia and the Caucasus
The United States (US) has welcomed recent steps taken by Armenia and Azerbaijan to resolve ongoing tensions in Nagorno-Karabakh and restart peace negotiations. The US Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs hailed Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev for meeting each other in Brussels earlier this month. The Bureau also welcomed the talks between the foreign ministers of the two countries. [Armen Press]
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan held a phone conversation with European Council President Charles Michel on Monday to discuss the implementation of the agreements reached following their joint meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Brussels on April 6. During the meeting, Pashinyan and Aliyev focussed on ways to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and agreed to restart peace talks. [Public Radio of Armenia]
East and Southeast Asia
In rare comments from Myanmar’s former democratic leader, Aung San Suu Kyi called on citizens to remain united. “Aung San Suu Kyi tells the people ‘be united,’ to have open dialogue among each other. ‘Everyone has a different view - discuss and talk patiently,’” a source familiar with Suu Kyi’s legal proceedings said. Suu Kyi is currently on trial for a series of alleged offences, including violating a state secrets law and multiple counts of corruption, which carry a combined maximum jail term of more than 150 years. [Channel News Asia]
Timor Leste is headed to the polls today to choose its next President. The two top contenders for the post are Ramos-Horta, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996, and incumbent President Lu Olo Guterres, a former guerilla fighter. The winner will take office for five years from May 20—the 20th anniversary of the country’s independence from Indonesia. [The Straits Times]
Europe
Poland’s Central Statistical Office on Monday reported a 11% year-on-year increase in the prices of goods and services for the month of March, indicating a 21-year high in the inflation rate. Experts suggest that inflation is expected to continue and peak during the summer. According to the Polish Economic Institute (PIE), the war in Ukraine has contributed significantly to an increase in energy and food prices. [The Warsaw Voice]
On Monday, Swedish national police chief Anders Thornberg called riots in Sweden “extremely serious crimes against our society.” Thornberg said, “Attempts were made to kill police officers.” The riots in Sweden began on April 14 ahead of planned demonstrations by anti-Islamic and anti-immigrant extremist Rasmus Paludan and his Stram Kurs, also known as the Hard Line movement. In particular, Paludan’s plans to hold Quran burning sessions in Muslim-inhabited areas provoked rioting by sections of the country’s Muslim community. [The Local]
On Monday, two British soldiers previously captured by Russian forces appeared on a Russian state-owned TV channel urging a prison swap with pro-Russian Ukrainian politician Viktor Medvedchuk, who is currently in the custody of Ukrainian authorities. Medvedchuk is Russian President Vladimir Putin’s close ally and has been campaigning for closer ties with Russia. [Reuters]
Latin America and the Caribbean
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s proposed law to ensure that the state-owned Federal Electricity Commission owns a minimum of 54% of the electricity market failed to gather the required two-thirds majority in parliament. The proposal had generated alarm in the United States and Canada, which argued that Mexico would be violating its commitments under the USMCA trilateral trade agreement by pivoting towards state ownership and potentially “damaging the environment” as well as foreign business and investor interests. [Al Jazeera]
Argentine President Alberto Fernández said that his government would seek to “help Venezuela face its economic and political crisis through dialogue and conciliation” via the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States. Fernández’s predecessor, Mauricio Macri, who was in office from 2015 to 2019, oversaw the fracturing of bilateral ties after recognising opposition leader Juan Guaidó as the legitimate president of Venezuela. [Telesur]
Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
The United Nations (UN) said on Monday that Yemen’s Houthi rebels have agreed to stop using child soldiers in the ongoing civil war with a Saudi-led coalition. The Houthis signed an action plan to end the recruitment and killing of children in armed conflict. Per the UN, the Houthis have recruited and deployed nearly 3,500 children since the war began in 2014. [Associated Press]
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi warned Israel on Monday that Iran “will target the heart of the Zionist regime” if Israel makes the “slightest move” against Iran. Israel is accused of assassinating Iranian nuclear scientists, sabotaging nuclear facilities, and threatening to bomb nuclear sites if Iran accelerates its nuclear programme. [Reuters]
North America
Late on Monday, United States (US) Vice President Kamala Harris announced that the US is committing to ending all direct-ascent anti-satellite missile testing, with hopes that the international community will soon follow suit. The US pointed out that Russia’s anti-satellite missile test last year and China’s similar test in 2007 were “reckless and irresponsible” and resulted in a lot of debris. Washington argued that such tests jeopardise the “long-term sustainability” of outer space. [The White House]
The United States (US) Customs and Border Protection on Monday reported that more than 5,000 Ukrainian refugees were detained at US borders in the month of March, many of whom were eventually granted entry under humanitarian conditions. In February, the US detained 1,100 Ukrainians at its borders. President Joe Biden has promised to accept up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees. On the same day, the Biden administration also increased the temporary protected status for Ukrainians for another 18 months. [The Hill]
Oceania
On Tuesday, New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, said she would relaunch the country’s Working Holiday Scheme with Singapore. The number of visas granted under this scheme would rise from 200 to 300 and will apply to people aged 18-30. The government plans to extend the visa length for this programme from six months to one year. The scheme is likely to be implemented from May 5. [Newshub]
During a campaign stop ahead of the May 21 federal election, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison vowed that his government would not make cuts to the country’s universal healthcare system if re-elected. [Reuters]
Sub-Saharan Africa
A joint military force comprised of troops from Nigeria, Niger, and Cameroon claims to have killed over 100 Islamist fighters, including 10 commanders, in the Lake Chad region over the past few weeks. In particular, they have targeted Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province insurgents via ground and air offensives. Nigeria also secured a $1 billion weapons deal with the United States last week. [Reuters]
In a joint article with Rwandan Foreign Minister Vincent Biruta, British Home Secretary Priti Patel defended the United Kingdom's decision to sign an agreement with the East African country to relocate a number of illegal immigrants to Rwanda. She argued the Johnson administration has in fact presented a “bold and innovative” plan to combat the “broken” deadly global asylum system, which she said is “collapsing” under the pressure exerted by humanitarian crises and human trafficking. [The Times]