Russian President Vladimir Putin will not visit South Africa to attend the upcoming BRICS summit in August. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov announced on Monday that the Russian President would participate in the Johannesburg summit via video conferencing. The move comes amid speculation regarding the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrant against Putin, issued in March this year, which would require South Africa, an ICC member, to arrest the Russian President in case he steps on its soil.
India has eased guidelines for international travellers in the context of COVID-19 in light of progress made in vaccination coverage globally. The Health Ministry announced that from 20 July, India has decided to drop the requirement for RT-PCR-based testing of a random 2% subset of international travellers to the country. However, the precautionary measures to be followed by airlines and international travellers in the context of COVID-19 shall continue to apply.
At least two people and an armed attacker were killed and five others injured in a shooting in Auckland, New Zealand, on Thursday. The incident occurred hours before the opening match of the Women’s Soccer World Cup in the city, which PM Chris Hipkins said would proceed as planned. He added that the incident was not a national security risk.
World Bank chief Ajay Banga said in New Delhi on Wednesday that India has an “opportunity currently… to cash in on the ‘China plus one’ opportunity” as it “won’t stay open for 10 years.” His comments come as firms seek to diversify their supply chains outside of China, and India has a window of three-to-five years to seize this opportunity to attract investment.
Dozens of Iraqi protesters stormed the Swedish embassy in Baghdad on Wednesday to demonstrate against a planned Quran burning in the Nordic country. Videos on social media showed demonstrators breaking into the compound, climbing over the fence, trying to break down doors, and setting fire to the premises.
Former Venezuelan spy chief Hugo Carvajal has been extradited to the US from Spain on drug trafficking charges. Washington accuses Carvajal, who was an advisor to ex-Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, of using his position to protect cocaine shipments from Venezuela to the US. He is also accused of supplying weapons to FARC, a Colombian far-left militant organisation.
In Kenya, law enforcement authorities shot and killed at least two individuals, with 26 others sustaining injuries from the shooting, during Wednesday’s demonstrations organised by the opposition to protest the escalating cost of living. The opposition had mobilised nationwide protests over a span of three days, urging President William Ruto to revoke a finance law that introduced additional taxes. Amid the demonstrations, the Interior Ministry reported that over 300 individuals were apprehended for alleged offences, including looting, vandalism, and assaulting police officers. These individuals are now set to face legal charges.