South Asia
The Taliban’s second deputy prime minister, Abdul Salam Hanafi, reaffirmed the group’s view that the United States’ drone strike to kill Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahri violated the Doha Agreement and Afghanistan’s sovereignty. He stressed that the Taliban would ensure that Afghan soil was not being used for activities against its neighbours. [Khaama Press News Agency]
Bangladesh will approach the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank for a $1 billion loan from each organisation to revive its depleting foreign exchange reserves. Dhaka is reportedly also seeking to secure a $4.5 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund. [Dhaka Tribune]
Central Asia and the Caucasus
A Taliban military official on Wednesday threatened to invade and seize Tajikistan within a week if it continues to interfere in Afghanistan’s internal affairs. The Taliban has accused Uzbek authorities of providing shelter to Ahmad Massoud, the leader of the National Resistance Front (FNS) of Afghanistan, which has been waging armed resistance against the Taliban. [Fergana News]
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) “fully supports” efforts by Armenia and Azerbaijan to normalise ties, deputy assistant secretary-general Javier Colomina said on Wednesday. Colomina was referring to the recent meetings between top officials of both countries. He said normalising relations would lead to “stability and prosperity of the South Caucasus,” a region of “strategic importance” for NATO. [Azer News]
East and Southeast Asia
South Korea’s Foreign Ministry appointed Lee Shin-wha as the country’s new ambassador on North Korean human rights issues. Lee’s appointment, which fills a position that has remained vacant for five years, has been met with stern criticism from North Korea, which has denounced “Seoul’s vicious political provocation to battle with Pyongyang until the end.” [The Korea Herald]
Cambodian Prime Minister (PM) Hun Sen, who is the current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), said on Wednesday that that body will “be forced to rethink” its role in regard to the five-point peace plan that it drew up last year “if more prisoners are executed” in Myanmar. He added that the plan had “not advanced to everyone’s wishes.” [Channel News Asia]
Europe
A United Nations Human Rights Committee report concluded that France had discriminated against a Muslim woman by barring her from participating in vocational training in a public school in 2010 for wearing a hijab. The Committee said that the French state school’s action violated gender equality and religious freedom laws. [TRT World]
The European Union has called for the resolution of brewing tensions in Taiwan through dialogue to preserve “peace and the status quo in the Taiwan Strait.” The comments were made against the backdrop of United States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan against the advice of China. [Reuters]
In an interview with the South China Morning Post on Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky admitted that he wants to “talk directly” with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to help end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “Since the beginning of the large-scale aggression on February 24, we have asked officially for a conversation, but we (haven’t had) any conversation with China even though I believe that would be helpful,” Zelensky noted, adding, “China, as a big and powerful country, could come down and sort of put the Russian Federation [in] a certain place.” [South China Morning Post]
Latin America and the Caribbean
Peruvian Prime Minister (PM) Aníbal Torres has resigned from his post due to “personal reasons”, saying he is honoured to have “served our homeland and its most neglected and forgotten people.” Torres’ resignation comes at a time when President Pedro Castillo, who came into power a year ago, is battling record-low approval ratings and facing five criminal investigations. Castillo has also survived two impeachment attempts and is now tasked with appointing his fifth PM since entering office. [Aníbal Torres V. (Twitter), Al Jazeera]
Longtime China-ally Venezuela put out a statement condemning United States (US) House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, saying it “constitutes a violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity” of China and ‘interferes’ in its “internal affairs.” [Venezuelan Ministry of External Relations]
Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
Saudi Arabian oil company Aramco on Wednesday signed a deal with the China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) that “outlines pathways for strategic cooperation” and “supports the long-term relationship between the two companies.” The companies agreed to cooperate in petroleum refining, improving upstream/downstream technologies, and carbon capture. Additionally, the MoU calls for establishing a joint energy manufacturing hub at the King Salman Energy Park in Dammam. [Saudi Press Agency]
Russian space agency Roscosmos announced on Wednesday that it would launch an Iranian satellite to orbit from Kazakhstan’s Baikonur Cosmodrome next week. Iran said the satellite, Khayyam, is meant to monitor agricultural productivity, water resources, and natural disasters. [IRNA]
On Wednesday, Iran, the United States, and the European Union said they would send representatives to Vienna to resume talks aimed at reviving the 2015 nuclear deal. The talks would be based on a new proposal made by the EU. [Associated Press]
North America
On Wednesday, the United States (US) Senate ratified Finland and Sweden’s North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) accession protocols in an overwhelming majority, voting 95-1. Calling it a “slam dunk for national security,” Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky) remarked, “Even closer cooperation with these partners will help us counter Russia and China.” President Joe Biden welcomed the decision and said he looks forward to signing off on the accession. [The Hill]
In a joint press conference following their meeting in Montreal on Wednesday, Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly and her German counterpart Annalena Baerbock condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin for using the energy crisis as a “game” in an effort to create conflict between Canada, Germany, and other allies. “Our strongest weapon is unity within this alliance. There is no chance, not even a single inch, that Putin is successful in splitting us,” Baerbock asserted. [CBC News]
Oceania
The New Zealand government on Wednesday released its first national plan to prepare for climate change-induced natural disasters. Climate minister James Shaw said the plan is “crucial” in terms of preparedness for future crises and that Auckland will strive to reduce emissions. The plan has been released after the country witnessed weeks of erratic weather conditions and flooding. [The Guardian]
Australia could receive vaccines for monkeypox as soon as next week. Health Minister Mark Butler confirmed that Canberra has secured supplies of additional doses of the JYNNEOS vaccine, which can be used before or after exposure to the virus. “We’ve secured supplies of new third generation vaccines,” he told reporters. Additional details about the vaccine rollout are expected to be announced later today. [Daily Mail]
Sub-Saharan Africa
The Congolese government has expelled the spokesperson of United Nations peacekeeping mission MONUSCO in the wake of deadly protests that have thus far killed over 30 people, including 4 peacekeepers. The Democratic Republic of Congo’s government said spokesperson Mathias Gillman had made “indelicate and inappropriate comments” and said his presence “is not likely to promote a climate of mutual trust and calm” between the people and MONUSCO. [Reuters]
The South African government put out a statement yesterday affirming that "eliminating malaria remains top priority" and requires cooperation with countries across the region. In fact, of the 16 South African Development Community countries, 8 have set a target of eliminating the disease by 2030. [South African Government News Agency]