South Asia
According to an official from the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs, Indian authorities have asked Twitter to comply with its orders to block the tweets and accounts of those who are allegedly involved with inciting violence at the farmers’ protests. Previously, Twitter had withheld the accounts and tweets, and subsequently restored them to “protect public conversations.” [Reuters]
The spokesperson of the Nangarhar province’s police, Farid Khan, reported that an Afghan judge was shot dead in Jalalabad. This comes less than a month after two female judges working in the Supreme Court in Kabul were killed in an attack. [Al Jazeera]
Central Asia and the Caucasus
A new “trimmed-down” Kyrgyz parliament was sworn in yesterday under newly elected president Sadyr Japarov. Japarov said that this was because the number of cabinet members has also been reduced from 48 to 16. [RFE/RL]
Human rights experts have called for the “prompt release” of prisoners of war and other captives who were detained during the recent Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The UN Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner in Geneva said, “Everyone deprived of their liberty for reasons related to the conflict should be returned to their homes, and relatives of those killed must be able to receive the mortal remains of their loved ones, in line with the cease-fire agreement signed on November 9, 2020.” [RFE/RL]
East and Southeast Asia
Newly-released figures from Taiwan’s Immigration Agency show that over 10,800 Hong Kongers received local resident permits in 2020. This is more than double the figure for 2019 and the highest number for over three decades. The high numbers are reflective of citizens fleeing China’s increasing crackdown on civil liberties and freedom in the autonomous region. [New Strait Times]
On Wednesday, thousands of Burmese protestors demonstrated in front of the Japanese foreign affairs ministry in Tokyo, urging the ministry to make use of its “political, diplomatic, and economic power” to restore the country’s civilian government and “take a harder stance” against the recent military coup in Myanmar. [Reuters]
Europe
Russia hinted on Tuesday that it may return to the Open Skies Treaty if the United States showed a willingness to do the same. During talks with Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde, who is also the current chair of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that though Russia had declared its intention to withdraw, it hasn’t yet formally submitted the relevant notice to other parties. [Associated Press]
Norway, Iceland, and Lichtenstein have canceled a major grant for a culture and natural heritage project in Poland’s Carpathian Mountains, after the region passed a resolution “expressing opposition to the promotion and affirmation of the ideology of the so-called LGBT movements”. [Reuters]
British authorities have requested the European Union to extend the “grace periods” that exempt goods moving from the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland from checks at the border. This call has been supported by Ireland, which is also a member of the European Union. [Reuters]
Latin America and the Caribbean
Former Peruvian President Martín Vizcarra, who was impeached under highly controversial circumstances in November, is set to contest in the April election after the National Jury of Elections (JNE) approved his candidacy. [Telesur]
Brazil’s industrial production dropped by 4.5% in 2020, with the auto and clothing industries the hardest-hit sectors. In fact, the economy as a whole contracted by 4.5% during 2020. [Merco Press]
Nicaragua has approved Russia’s Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use and is in talks with Russia to acquire shipments of the vaccine that was recently reported to be 92% effective. [Associated Press]
Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
Following Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif’s suggestion for Washington and Tehran to ‘synchronize’ their return to the nuclear deal, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said, “There are (many) steps in that process ... before we’re reaching the point where we are going to engage directly with the Iranians and willing to entertain any sort of proposal.” [Middle East Online]
Syrian Arab Army (SAA) reported sustaining missile attacks launched by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) from the Golan Heights. The SAA said that most of these missiles were shot down and that only ‘materials’ were lost, no lives. [Al-Masdar News]
North America
Canadian PM Justin Trudeau announced on Tuesday that the country will produce millions of COVID-19 shots at a plant in Montreal to avoid any disturbances caused by international delivery delays and protectionist measures. The National Research Council-owned facility in Montreal will make the Maryland-based Novavax vaccine, which is said to be efficient against the UK variant of the coronavirus. [CBC]
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Wednesday ruled that it was within its jurisdiction to hear arguments against the United States in a case brought to the court by Iran over Washington’s crippling sanctions on the country since 2018. The court rejected the US’ objections that the case lacked jurisdiction and admissibility, and that Tehran could not base claims at the ICJ on a 1955 bilateral friendship pact. [Al Jazeera]
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the renewal of the New START treaty on Wednesday, after it was approved by Russia last week. Blinken said that the accord made the world safer, and stressed the US’ commitment to effective arms control “that enhances stability, transparency and predictability while reducing the risks of costly, dangerous arms races.” [CNN]
Oceania
Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne denounced the “unlawful” and “politically” motivated sentencing of Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny. She also called on Russia to “conduct a thorough and transparent investigation” into his poisoning in August. [Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs]
Google and Facebook have warned that they will “pull out” of Australia over the current government’s continued push for the two companies to compensate any Australian news outlets that show up in their search functions. [RNZ]
Sub-Saharan Africa
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has attempted to engage in dialogue with opposition politician Bobi Wine, who continues to allege fraud in the recent presidential election. However, officials from Wine’s party have reiterated his disinterest in talking with Museveni. [The Observer]
Nine Malian soldiers were killed in Boni in the Mopti region by “heavily armed individuals in armoured vehicles”. It was reported at the assailants also seized equipment and weapons from the troops. [Africa News]
World News Monitor: 04 February, 2021
A quick look at events from around the globe.
February 4, 2021
SOURCE: THE CANADIAN PRESS