South Asia
The Indian Enforcement Directorate has issued summons to opposition leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case. The charges against the Congress leaders include money laundering and other financial irregularities. [The Hindu]
The Sri Lankan government has lifted import restrictions on 369 goods. However, it cautioned importers against excessively expanding operations due to the “difficult economic situation,” warning them to only import those goods “on the basis of importance and urgency” due to a severe foreign reserve shortage. [Colombo Page]
Central Asia and the Caucasus
Russian President Vladimir Putin held separate phone conversations with his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Wednesday. They discussed the ongoing tensions in Nagorno-Karabakh, wherein Putin urged both leaders to respect the ceasefire deals reached following the end of the 2020 war. The Russian President also vowed to enhance strategic ties with both countries. [Kremlin, Kremlin]
Jailed former Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev has been charged for the deaths of around 450 people during ethnic clashes in 2010 when he was President. Atambayev was sentenced to 11 years in prison in 2020 for his role in releasing a crime leader from jail. He is also facing charges for attempting to seize power during anti-government protests in 2020 and provoking riots between his supporters and the police in 2019. [RFE/RL]
East and Southeast Asia
After the United States said it plans to expand ties with Pacific Island countries in light of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s tour of the region, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian condemned the US for its “bullying practice of projecting its own image and imposing its own will onto others.” He stressed that any cooperation between China and Pacific Island nations is mutually beneficial and recognises that the region is “not the backyard of any country” or an “arena for geopolitical games.” [Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs]
On Wednesday, Malaysia began the imposition of a ban on chicken exports. Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced the measure on May 23 and said it would remain in place until domestic prices have ‘stabilised.’ [The Straits Times]
Europe
The United Kingdom’s Health Security Agency confirmed 190 cases of Monkey Pox, with 183 in England alone. The Agency further confirmed that it had seen cases where the virus was passed by person-to-person contact. [UK Government]
On Wednesday, Germany and the United States (US) agreed to send advanced weapons to Ukraine as Russian intensifies its offensive in eastern Ukraine. While Germany has pledged to provide Ukraine with modern anti-aircraft missiles and radar systems, the US will provide four sophisticated, medium-range rocket systems and ammunition. Russia slammed the US and accused it of “pouring fuel on the fire.” [Euronews]
On Wednesday, during a visit by Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulous, Latvia declared its support for Greece in the face of Turkey’s “unlawful” aggression. In a joint statement, Sakellaropoulous and her Latvian counterpart Egils Levits said, “In the context of the new geopolitical environment, particularly in the critical situation after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, [Turkey’s behaviour] not only complicates bilateral communication, but also poses a risk of a further destabilisation in the broader region, and undermines the unity of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) alliance.” [Greek City Times]
Latin America and the Caribbean
On Wednesday, the United States (US) Embassy in Havana strongly criticised the judicial trial of two Cuban artists, Luis Manuel Otero Alcantara and Maykel Castillo, who were respectively sentenced to seven and ten years in jail. The US Embassy condemned it as violative of human rights and a “neither free nor fair” trial, claiming they are “being persecuted for their art and opinions” while calling for their immediate release. The duo have been charged for their participation in the San Isidro Movement last July, which the Cuban state has denounced as a US-orchestrated “soft coup” attempt. [Reuters]
On Wednesday, Oaxaca State Governor Alejandro Murat announced that 11 people have been killed and 20 still missing due to the Agatha hurricane that made landfall in Mexico on Monday. The category two hurricane—with wind gusts of up to 169km/h—brought intense rainfall, triggering flash floods and landslides that swept away at least five people. The Mayor of Santa Catarina de Xanaguía reported power outages and damages to roads and houses. It has also affected supplies of essential medicines, food, drinking water, and clothes. [BBC]
Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid has said he is optimistic about the normalisation of ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia. “With Saudi Arabia, if it will happen, it’ll happen with baby steps,” he added. Last week, it was reported that Israeli and Saudi officials were in talks regarding the establishment of bilateral ties, how the Gulf country has emphasised that any deal with Israel would depend on whether the Palestinian conflict is resolved. [Jerusalem Post, Axios]
Hundreds of Sudanese protesters on Wednesday demanded the dismissal of United Nations special envoy to Sudan Volker Perthes after prominent Islamist leader Mohamed Ali al-Gizouli accused Perthes of interfering in Sudan’s internal affairs. “Volker, you German, the crisis will be solved by the Sudanese,” protesters chanted during a procession in Khartoum. [AFP]
North America
An anonymous source from the White House revealed that President Joe Biden is considering a visit to Saudi Arabia in a bid to ease rising oil prices. Saudi Arabia, which is the largest oil exporter in the world, has limited oil production owing to an arrangement with Russia. The relationship between Biden and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS) has been increasingly tense following the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, with MBS allegedly involved. Biden had vowed that the Saudi rulers would “pay the price” for Khashoggi’s killing during his presidential campaign in 2019. [ABC News]
During a phone conversation on Wednesday, Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly and her Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar discussed the impact of the Ukraine war, especially on global food security, the importance of a free and open Indo-Pacific, and working toward a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between Ottawa and New Delhi. The pair also vowed to “deepen cooperation in all facets” of their bilateral relationship. [Global Affairs Canada]
Oceania
Australian Member of Parliament Julian Hill asked Prime Minister (PM) Anthony Albanese to urge the United States (US) to drop its extradition request for Julian Assange. Before he was appointed the country’s PM, Albanese had rallied to get Assange free and let him “come home.” Assange is currently in a prison in the United Kingdom pending his extradition to the US, where he faces spying charges. [The Sydney Morning Herald]
In a speech to the NZ-China council, the Chinese ambassador to New Zealand, Wang Xiaolong, warned against framing the world “as democracies versus autocracries,” calling it “dangerous” and “a sure recipe for at least relapsing into the Cold War-era.” He further added that “bloc politics” and “exclusive circles” go against the “spirit of multilateralism.” Wang’s comments come after Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern agreed to bolster cooperation for a free and open Indo-Pacific with American President Joe Biden. [Newshub]
Sub-Saharan Africa
MINUSMA spokesperson Olivier Salgado said on Wednesday morning that one United Nations (UN) peacekeeper “succumbed to his injuries” while three others were severely wounded due to a “terrorist” attack in Kidal. The Jordanian contingent “came under direct fire with small arms and RPG (rocket launchers) for about an hour,” Saldago revealed. 172 UN soldiers have died so far in recurrent attacks in Mali, which is currently under military rule. [Africa News]
Following its continued efforts to mediate talks between neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda, Angola announced on Wednesday that the DRC has agreed to release two Rwandan soldiers who had been detained since Saturday for “trespassing into Congo territory.” Kigali had earlier claimed that the two were “kidnapped” while on patrol. The two countries have repeatedly levelled retaliatory accusations over their support for rival rebel groups. [The East African]