South Asia
A “pressure cooker bomb” explosion in a government office in Nepal resulted in eight deaths. The Janatantrik Tarai Morcha, a Nepalese armed group, has claimed responsibility for the attack, and it said was a part of the group’s “campaign against corruption.” [The Hindu]
In response to India’s amendment to the law on customs, its free trade partners, including South Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka, have called upon the World Trade Organisation to seek clarifications from India about the law. These countries believe that the amendment will result in the establishment of non-tariff barriers to trade. [LiveMint]
Central Asia and the Caucasus
A military plane crash in Kazakhstan on Saturday killed four people and injured two others. Authorities said that the survivors were hospitalised and that their condition remained “extremely serious.” The AN-26 aircraft was travelling to Almaty from Nur-Sultan, when it disappeared from radar screens. It caught fire after it crashed at Almaty airport at the end of the runway. [RFE/RL]
Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan have agreed on a way forward to address the border issues between the two nations and said on Friday that if things went according to plan, the matter would be resolved within three months. The announcement came after Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoev held talks with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov in Tashkent on March 12. [RFE/RL]
East and Southeast Asia
Burmese security forces killed dozens of anti-government protesters in Yangon on Sunday, after several Chinese-funded factories were smashed and set ablaze in the city. The Chinese embassy said that many of its citizens were hurt in the arson attacks, and called on Myanmar to protect Chinese companies and personnel in the country. [CGTN]
A senior US official on Saturday told Reuters that despite the Biden administration’s efforts to reach out to Pyongyang “through several channels starting in mid-February,” Washington has received no response from North Korea. The matter is sure to be discussed during US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to South Korea and Japan, which will take place next week. [Reuters]
Europe
Ukrainian armed forces chief Colonel-General Ruslan Khomchak on Saturday said that Russia’s aggression in Donbas was not only a threat to Ukraine, but to all NATO members. On the same day, Moscow-backed forces reportedly undertook 10 attacks against Ukrainian positions in Donbas, near the village of Pisky. [UNIAN, MENAFN]
The European Council announced its decision to revoke sanctions against nine individuals responsible for the misappropriation of state funds. These measures had been imposed in 2011 to help the Egyptian government recover stolen state assets. [European Council Press Release]
Latin America and the Caribbean
Former Bolivian President Jeanine Áñez, who led the country from November 2019 to November 2020 following a coup to oust President Evo Morales, has been arrested on charges of terrorism, sedition, and conspiracy. She said that the current ruling party, MAS, which is led by President Luis Arce, has “decided to return to the styles of the dictatorship”. Arce Belongs to the same party as Morales and his administration is looking to prosecute the former right-wing president and several of her Cabinet members. [Merco Press]
Argentinian protesters attacked a minibus carrying President Alberto Fernández in Patagonia to express their anger over the government's approval of gold, silver, and uranium mining projects in the region. Fernández was visiting Patagonia to gain stock of the damage costs by recent forest fires that have destroyed at least 200 homes, forced many to evacuate, and left several without electricity of water. [BBC]
Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
The Palestinian Authority and the Arab League joined hands on Friday to condemn the Czech Republic’s inauguration of a diplomatic office in Jerusalem. Arab League Secretary-General Aboul Gheir released a statement that said, “The legal status of Jerusalem will be affected by the decision of one country or another to open representative offices. East Jerusalem is an occupied land under the International law.” Kosovo, too, opened an embassy in Jerusalem over the weekend. [Middle East Monitor, Al Jazeeera]
The London Metropolitan Police’s War Crimes unit has opened a probe into whether or not to revoke the citizenship of Asma al-Assad, the wife of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, on charges of “supporting and encouraging terrorism”. Guernica 37, a London-based Barristers’ Chambers that looks at international criminal and human rights law, has presented the police with evidence of how she has participated in the atrocities committed by the Assad regime. [The New Arab]
North America
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday spoke with UN Special Envoy on Yemen Martin Griffiths regarding the situation in the war-torn nation, and its impact on civilians. Blinken expressed support for the Special Envoy’s efforts to facilitate dialogue between the various conflict parties and stressed that there was no military solution to the crisis. [US Department of State]
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Saturday ordered the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to assist with providing care for migrant children arriving at the US-Mexico border over the next 3 months. A spike in unaccompanied minors has exceeded the existing capacities of shelters run by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which have already been significantly reduced to limit the spread of COVID-19. [Reuters]
The Canadian government on Friday announced the launch of public consultations on new trade negotiations with the UK that will help frame a new bilateral trade agreement between the two sides, and could include discussions on the UK potentially joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). [Global Affairs Canada]
Canadian Foreign Minister Marc Garneau spoke with UN Human Rights chief Michelle Bachelet on Friday, and reiterated Ottawa’s commitment to work with partners to promote human rights and gender equality. Garneau also raised several issues that were of concern to Canada, which included the coup in Myanmar, the treatment of Uighurs in China, the brutal crackdown on dissent in Belarus, and human rights violations in Venezuela, Sri Lanka, and Nicaragua. [Global Affairs Canada]
Oceania
Australia has deported a 15-year-old boy to New Zealand, in what is thought to be the first instance of a minor being sent back to New Zealand. Given that his background and citizenship are said to be “complicated”, it is expected that his deportation will further inflame tensions between New Zealand and Australia. Kiwi PM Jacinda Ardern has previously accused Australia of dumping its problems on New Zealand. In fact, just last week, Australian Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton referred to such deportations as Australia “taking out the trash”, which resulted in New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta saying that Dutton had merely “trash[ed] his own reputation”. [Stuff]
Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs and her counterpart from New Zealand, Nanaia Mahuta, released a joint statement on changes to Hong Kong’s electoral system passed by China’s National People's Congress on March 11. The changes will put pro-Beijing loyalists in charge and have electoral candidates vetted by Beijing. Payne and Mahuta said, that the changes “undermine rights and freedoms and the high degree of autonomy guaranteed by China to Hong Kong until 2047 under the Sino-British Joint Declaration” and “run contrary to the ultimate aim of a Hong Kong Chief Executive elected through universal suffrage, weaken Hong Kong’s democratic institutions, and erode freedom of speech and association”. [Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs]
Sub-Saharan Africa
Despite unconfirmed but increasing reports of Tanzanian President John Magufuli receiving treatment for the coronavirus in Kenya and then being transferred to India, Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa claimed that Magufuli is “in good health” and “working” in Tanzania. However, the President has not been spotted in public since February 24. [Africa Feeds]
Chadian President Idriss Déby launched his electoral campaign in the capital city, N’Djamena ahead of the April 11 election. Having entered into office in 1990, the Patriotic Salvation Movement (MPS) candidate is seeking a sixth term in power. His victory seems all but assured, after three opposition candidates dropped out of the race due to concerns over the legitimacy and credibility of the upcoming election. [Africa News]