South Asia
Indian Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard personnel were deployed to Morbi, Gujarat for rescue operations after a suspension bridge collapse on Sunday evening killed at least 132 people. The bridge was opened just last week after being shut for six months for repair work by a private company. Local authorities claim that the officials had not received a “fitness certificate” and that the bridge was opened without the required clearance. [India Today]
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the C-295 Aircraft Manufacturing Facility in Vadodara, Gujarat, marking the opening of the first such private facility in the country. While laying the foundation stone, Modi lauded the facility as a critical step towards his “Make in India” and Atmanirbhar Bharat mission, which seeks to enhance India’s local manufacturing facilities in several industries, including defence. [Indian Prime Minister’s Office]
Central Asia and the Caucasus
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Saturday that he is ready to sign a document extending the presence of Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh for 10 to 20 years during an upcoming meeting with the presidents of Azerbaijan and Russia in Moscow. He also expressed willingness to ink an agreement as a basis for peace with Azerbaijan. [Armen Press]
Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev vowed to strengthen ties with the European Union (EU) during a meeting with European Council President Charles Michel in Tashkent on Friday. The pair signed the ‘Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation’ agreement to “strengthen interaction on a wide range of issues in the field of politics, economics, security and the human dimension.” Mirziyoyev’s office said the deal “will open a new page” in bilateral ties. [Uzbekistan Presidency]
East and Southeast Asia
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen on Saturday pledged to strengthen cooperation with the United States and Japan. The president noted that one way to do that is through the Global Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF), a cooperation platform co-founded by Taiwan and the US; Japan and Australia have also been invited to become formal partners. [Taiwan News]
A series of flash floods and landslides resulting from Tropical Storm Nalgae in the Philippines has killed at least 98 people, the country’s national disaster agency said on Monday. Naguib Sinarimbo, the civil defence chief of the Bangsamoro region in Mindanao, said that authorities had switched from a “search and rescue” operation to a “retrieval operation,” as “the chances of survival after two days are almost nil.” [Channel News Asia]
Europe
The opposition Labour Party has called for an investigation into allegations claiming that former British Prime Minister (PM) Liz Truss’s phone was hacked while she served as foreign secretary under now-former PM Boris Johnson. The Daily Mail reported on Sunday that foreign agents had intercepted Truss’s communications with foreign officials, including discussions on arms delivery to Ukraine. [Politico]
German authorities have launched a probe into allegations by Spanish activist group Safeguard Defender that claimed that China is running undeclared police stations in 30 countries, including Germany. Dutch authorities, too, said last week that they have opened an investigation into the matter, with claims that Beijing is using the facilities to target Chinese dissidents. [Reuters]
Thousands of Czech citizens gathered in Prague on Sunday in solidarity with Ukraine and to support democracy. Demonstrators held Czech, Ukrainian, and European Union flags and placards saying “Czech Republic against fear” and “We will manage it.” Organised by Million Moments for Democracy, the demonstration came in response to three recent anti-government protests that demanded the resignation of the pro-Western coalition government, led by conservative Prime Minister Petr Fiala, for supporting Ukraine against ongoing Russian aggression. [Associated Press]
Latin America and the Caribbean
On Friday, Argentine Minister of Economy Sergio Massa announced that the country had reached a deal with the Paris Club on the repayment of $1.97 billion in debt. Fines and penalties were removed and the loan was extended from 2026 to 2028, with the interest rate having been lowered as well (from 9% to 3.90% in the first three semesters and 4.50% thereafter). [MercoPress]
Former Haitian presidential candidate Éric Jean-Baptiste, 52, and his bodyguard were killed by armed gunmen in Port-au-Prince on Saturday, in yet another depiction of the worsening security situation in the country. The international community has in recent weeks begun discussions on deploying a security mission to the country to deal with rising gang violence, which has disrupted the delivery of humanitarian aid as well as access to basic necessities such as food, fuel, water, and medicine. [Miami Herald]
Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Friday promised to draft a new constitution guaranteeing rights and freedoms during a speech on transforming Turkey in the next century. Erdoğan vowed to protect the rights of women who wanted to wear the hijab and safeguard family values against the “threat of perverted currents,” a reference to LGBTQ rights and same-sex relationships in the country. He also vowed to build the controversial Istanbul Canal cutting through Istanbul and endorsed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s suggestion of making Turkey an energy hub to deliver Russian gas to Europe. His speech was seen as an effort to boost his popularity, which has been declining owing to economic turmoil, ahead of next year’s election. [Associated Press]
Lebanese President Michel Aoun vacated his post on Sunday, a day before his mandate expires, without a designated successor, an unprecedented event in Lebanon’s history. There are fears that his move could exacerbate the country’s economic crisis and create a power vacuum. Aoun denounced the caretaker government led by Prime Minister Najib Mikati for worsening the situation and lamented that he was leaving behind “a robbed country, a worn-out state, and institutions that no longer have any value.” [Arab News]
North America
United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturdaydiscussed “regional and global issues, including counterterrorism cooperation and Russia’s continuing aggression against Ukraine” with his Indian counterpart S. Jaishankar ahead of the Indian external affairs minister’s visit to Russia this week. [US Department of State]
On Thursday, Canada’s House of Commons unanimously recognised the Indian Residential School System as genocide in a vote introduced by NDP MP Leah Gazan. “I look forward to working with the government to ensure the will of Parliament is honoured by formally recognizing residential schools as a genocide. Survivors deserve no less,” she said. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission gave details of the emotional, physical, and sexual abuse suffered by children. Around 150,000 Indigenous children were forced to attend these schools, resulting in at least 4,100 deaths, though new unmarked graves continue to be discovered. [Global News]
Oceania
The United States (US) is planning to deploy six nuclear-capable B-52 bombers at the Tindal airbase in northern Australia. In a veiled reference to China, the US Air Force said its deployment of the long-range bombers to Australia is designed to send “a strong message to adversaries about Washington’s ability to project lethal air power.” [Reuters]
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese lauded the “resilience” of flood victims during a visit to a quarantine facility in Victoria on Monday, where 125 people from flood-affected homes are currently being housed. “What’s extraordinary about Australians is that at the most difficult of times, they show the greatness of the Australian character,” he said. [Perth Now]
Sub-Saharan Africa
Zimbabwe’s ruling ZANU-PF party has put its weight behind incumbent President Emmerson Mnangagwa as its only candidate in next year’s election. Mngangwa entered office in 2017 via an army-backed coup to overthrow dictator Robert Mugabe, who had ruled for 30 years. Then, in 2018, he secured a controversial victory against Nelson Chamisa in a democratic election. [Africanews]
The Democratic Republic of Congo on Saturday expelled Rwandan Ambassador Vincent Karega as it continues to accuse Kigali of arming the M23 rebels in eastern DRC. Government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya claims that there has been a “massive arrival of elements of the Rwandan element to support the M23 terrorists” in recent days. [The East African]