South Asia
Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan will travel to Russia from February 23-24 to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. During the visit, the two will review bilateral ties, including energy cooperation. It will mark the first visit by a Pakistani head of state to Russia in over two decades. [Indian Express]
The Taliban are creating a “grand” Afghan army that will include officers and troops who served the old regime, an official tasked with overseeing the military's transformation said on Monday. The official added that they had successfully repaired half of the 81 helicopters and planes rendered unserviceable by United States troops during their chaotic withdrawal last year. [The Hindu]
Central Asia and the Caucasus
Jailed former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has gone on a second hunger strike to protest the government’s refusal to provide him with proper healthcare and “the way the authorities treat me and our people.” Saakashvili has been in jail since October 1 last year after he was arrested for alleged corruption and fraud. [RFE/RL]
Two lawmakers seen as loyal to Turkmenistan’s authoritarian President, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, were registered by the Election Commission as candidates for the upcoming presidential election. Earlier this month, Berdimuhamedov hinted that he planned on resigning soon; shortly afterwards, the Election Commission announced that it would conduct a snap election in March. Berdimuhamedov’s son, Serdar, has also been registered as a candidate. [RFE/RL]
East and Southeast Asia
Malaysia clarified that it is not planning on opening any government office in Afghanistan, after photos of a meeting between acting Afghan Foreign Affairs Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and Malaysian special advisor on Afghanistan Ahmad Azam Ab Rahman were posted to Twitter on Sunday. [Channel News Asia]
With the conclusion of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, the city has now begun preparations for the Paralympic Winter Games, which will commence on March 4. Almost 600 athletes from around the world will participate in the event. [Global Times]
Europe
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that the country will end free testing and do away with COVID-19 laws for the general public from 1 April, saying it is time to “get our confidence back.” The PM further added that those who test positive for COVID-19 will no longer have to isolate by law from this Thursday and starting April will not even be advised to stay at home if infected. [The Guardian]
On Monday, the European Union expressed concern over escalating violence in Myanmar and called for an end to the unnecessary use of force and the state emergency. Additionally, it expanded its sanctions on the Myanmar military junta, targeting 22 officials and four entities, including the state-owned Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise, the junta’s major source of funding. The extended sanctions, including the oil and gas companies, come as the bloc continues its response to last year’s coup. [DW]
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán met his Slovenian counterpart Janez Janša on Monday to sign a cooperation agreement on protecting minorities on the two sides of the Hungary-Slovenia border. Orbán hailed his relations with Jansa, saying that the new agreement addresses many aspects overlooked by the previous one. Both Hungary and Slovenia affirmed that they view minorities as an asset. [HUNGARY today]
Latin America and the Caribbean
On Monday, former Peruvian President Ollanta Humala (who was in office from 2011 to 2016), his wife Nadine Heredia, and a number of other associates went on trial for mishandling of funds from private companies and from former Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez. Humala is also under the scanner for money laundering operations for electoral campaigns in 2006 and 2011, during which he is alleged to have received millions from Brazilian construction company Odebrecht and Venezuela. The former president faces up to 20 years in prison while his wife could be put behind bars for 26 years. [MercoPress]
A tribunal of nine judges in Colombia’s Constitutional Court voted on Monday to legalise abortion until the 24th week of pregnancy without having to provide a reason. Until now, women in Colombia had only been able to access abortion services when their lives were in danger, the foetus had malfunctions, or the pregnancy was the result of rape. Pro-choice lawmakers have for years faced heavy pushback from sections of the country's majority Roman Catholic population. [Associated Press]
Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
On Monday, The United States Navy’s Fifth Fleet, which is based in the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea regions, announced the launch of a new fleet of unmanned drones with allied nations to patrol the Persian Gulf amid ongoing tensions with Iran. [Associated Press]
Jordanian King Abdullah II has for years held massive amounts of money in at least six Credit Suisse bank accounts, The Guardian reported on Monday. The report states that the King and his wife have hoarded large sums of money in the accounts that were created in the wake of the 2011 Arab Spring protests. Leaked data from the bank suggested that just one of the accounts is worth around $250 million. Recently, the King and his palace have been accused of high levels of corruption. [The Guardian, Times of Israel]
North America
Canadian parliamentarians on Monday passed a motion to extend the federal Emergencies Act, which was imposed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last week in an effort to quell the ‘Freedom Convoy’ protests and border blockades. Trudeau’s Liberal party, with support from the New Democrats, passed the vote with a margin of 185 to 151; the Conservative and Bloc Quebecois expressed strong opposition. Trudeau assured that his government will use the act very cautiously. [CTV News]
On Monday, the federal criminal trial of three former Minneapolis police officers involved in the murder of George Floyd entered its final stages with the jury only left to hear closing statements from the defence and prosecution before going into deliberation. Throughout the trial the defence pleaded for innocence saying the three officers were following protocol by trusting the senior officer Derek Chauvin, who was convicted of manslaughter last year for choking Floyd with his knee for more than three minutes. The murder of Floyd prompted unprecedented protests in America and around the world against racism and police brutality. [The Washington Post]
Oceania
On Monday, Australia opened its border for double vaccinated international arrivals. Minister for Trade, Tourism, and Investment Dan Tehan said “the return of international arrivals was an important step in Australia’s COVID-19 recovery.” According to a press release, fifty-six international flights arrived in Australia from the United States, Singapore, Japan, the United Kingdom, and other destinations. [Minister for Trade, Tourism, and Investment, Australia]
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison dismissed China’s counterclaims about the laser incident and reiterated that the Chinese vessel was in Australia’s exclusive economic zone. On Monday, Morrison said a Chinese naval vessel had targeted an Australian surveillance plane with a laser, potentially endangering the crew’s lives. In response, China accused Australia of spreading false information said the Chinese vessel was operating in accordance with the law. [News.com.au]
Sub-Saharan Africa
Several Zambian citizens have raised alarm about the decision of the newly-elected administration of President Hakainde Hichilema to approve a contract for an Australian company to begin large-scale copper mining in the Lower Zambezi National Park, which is home to 50 mammal species and 400 bird species, as well as a diverse displace of trees, grass, and flowers. Aside from deforestation and the displacement of wildlife, locals are also concerned that the mining will result in water and air pollution. [Africa Feeds]
On Monday, Malian lawmakers approved a plan to allow the transitional government led by Colonel Assimi Goïta to stay in power for up to five years as part of a democratic transition period. The proposal was approved by 120 out of 121 members of the interim parliament and is further confirmation that the junta government, which came into power following a coup in August 2020, will not honour the originally internationally agreed-upon transition period of 18 months to hold elections. [Africanews]