The Srinagar administration announced a curfew from Monday till Wednesday over fears of protests and demonstrations in the region on the one year anniversary of the revocation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, which stripped Jammu and Kashmir of their special status. [Hindustan Times]
Following the virtual meeting conducted between China, Nepal, Pakistan and Afghanistan, Nepal’s Foreign Minister, Pradeep Gyawali, dismissed reports of creation of a “sub-regional alliance or organisation comprising of those 4 countries.” [WION]
Separatist groups in the Baloch and Sindh regions of Pakistan formed an alliance to counter Chinese influence in their regions in pursuance of the Belt and Road Initiative. A joint statement by the Baloch Raji Ajoi Sangar and the Sindudesh Revolutionary Army called the Chinese interests in the regions “expansionist” and “oppressive”. In response, China has requested Pakistan to declare the two groups as “terrorist organisations”. [Nikkei Asian Review; WION]
Central Asia and the Caucasus
An activist in Almaty has been detained for picketing the Consulate of China in an apparent protest to an interview where Chinese Ambassador Zhang Xiao reportedly stated that Kazakhstan and China would enter an exchange of troops to one another's territory to quash riots. Serik Azhibai, the detainee, protested with a poster that read: “Ambassadors bring reconciliation, enemies bring discord! Get out of the country!” [RFE/RL]
East and Southeast Asia
China will offer loans and priority access for its coronavirus vaccines, although it is not part of Covax, a World Health Organisation-backed mechanism that aims to ensure equitable distribution of vaccines to participating countries. Beijing has, however, been making overtures of its own to developing countries, such as Nepal, Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Philippines. [SCMP]
China has suspended two agreements on surrendering fugitive offenders and mutual legal assistance in criminal matters that were signed between Hong Kong and New Zealand. This comes in response to New Zealand’s unilateral suspension of the agreement on surrendering fugitive offenders. [China Daily]
Japan and China have agreed to hold working-level talks on maritime security in the East China Sea (ECS), where China continues to claim the Japan-controlled Senkaku Islands. [The Mainichi;Japan Today]
Europe
Up to 20,000 people assembled in Berlin over the weekend to protest COVID-19 measures taken by German authorities. Around 130 arrests were made for offences such as breaching peace and public order, and the use of “unconstitutional symbols”. While attempting to dismiss the crowds due to violation of social distancing rules, 45 police officers were injured. [DW]
French authorities announced their decision to halt the ratification of the country’s extradition treaty with Hong Kong following China’s decision to impose the new national security legislation. The agreement was signed between Hong Kong and France on May 4, 2017. [France 24]
The Polish Supreme Court’s Supreme Audit Office ruled today that the July 12 presidential elections were valid and legal, despite complaints and concerns about the validity and fairness of the vote. The decision clears the path for the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party to continue in power. [Poland Daily]
The European Union will not provide funding to six Polish towns that have declared themselves “LGBT-free zones”. Officials said that their applications were rejected on the basis of not being in line with the program’s objectives of “equal access and non-discrimination”. [Euronews]
Latin America and the Caribbean
Despite President Jair Bolsonaro announcing a 120 ban on fire-setting in the Amazon, fires in the rainforest are 28% higher than at the same time last year. In fact, Brazil's space research agency INPE recorded 6,803 last month. [NBC News]
Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Nassif Hitti has resigned from his post, citing “the absence of an effective will to achieve structural, comprehensive reform” during the ongoing financial and health crisis in the country as the reason. President Michel Aoun and Prime Minister Hassan Diab have appointed Aoun’s diplomatic advisor Charbel Wehbe as Hitti’s replacement. [Reuters]
Ethiopia, Egypt, and Sudan have once again resumed talks on the Nile issue. This is the first time leaders are meeting for negotiations following Addis Ababa’s announcement that the first stage of water filling at the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) has begun. [Al-Monitor]
The foreign ministers of Iran and the United Arab Emirates on Sunday agreed to mutual cooperation in battling the coronavirus pandemic. The thaw in relations between the regional foes has been widely noted, especially against the backdrop of long-standing American support to the Sunni Arab Gulf. [Haaretz]
North America
US President Donald Trump has set September 15 as the deadline for TikTok to find a US buyer. Failure to do so will result in the nationwide ban of the app. Trump has also said that any deal would have to include a “substantial amount of money” coming into the US Treasury. [CNN]
Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday that bans IT professionals on H1-B visas from replacing American citizens in federal government contracts. [The Economic Times]
Oceania
Amid a huge surge in COVID-19 cases, the city of Melbourne, in the Australian state of Victoria, has imposed stage 4 restrictions, and Premier Daniel Andrews warned that the alert level could be raised to stage 5 if the situation worsens. The state recorded 439 new cases and 11 further deaths from the virus over the past 24 hours. [ABC News]
Sub-Saharan Africa
South African General Xolani Mankayi has ordered his soldiers to prepare for possible military intervention in Mozambique amid rising conflict in a country that has become seized by Islamic extremists. [All Africa]
