South Asia
The Taliban announced the reopening of passport services, offering hope for thousands of Afghans wishing to escape the humanitarian crisis in the country. A day after the announcement was made, hundreds were seen queuing outside the passport office in Kabul, with some desperate to leave the country to seek medical treatment that has been disrupted following the Taliban’s takeover in August. [Straits Times]
A gas explosion in Karachi resulted in 10 deaths, with at least 13 others injured. While the exact cause of the explosion is yet to be determined, the incident has drawn concern because it happened just hours before the Organisation of Islamic Countries meeting in Islamabad. [SCMP]
Central Asia and the Caucasus
Jailed former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has developed several serious neurological conditions “as a result of torture, ill-treatment, inadequate medical care, and a prolonged hunger strike,” a group of independent doctors said after examining him on Saturday. Saakashvili was arrested by the police on October 1 in Tbilisi for alleged abuse of power and corruption, sparking the largest anti-government protests in a decade. [RFE/RL]
Uzbekistan on Saturday sent technical experts to Afghanistan’s city of Mazar-e-Sharif to help repair its airport equipment and restart operations. Uzbek presidential envoy for Afghanistan Ismatilla Ergashev said that the repair work would be completed by early 2022. [RFE/RL]
East and Southeast Asia
The death toll in the Philippines after Typhoon Rai struck the country last week has risen to 208. The police have reported that 239 people have been injured and another 52 are missing. The typhoon, with wind speeds of about 195 km/h, has displaced almost 300,000 people. [BBC]
Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai on Sunday denied having accused anyone of sexually assaulting her. This is the first time Peng addressed the matter publicly after a post claiming former vice-premier Zhang Gaoli had sexually assaulted her appeared on her Weibo account in November. [Reuters]
Europe
On Sunday, Germany’s new defence minister, Christine Lambrecht, said that North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies are willing to discuss Russia’s demands concerning NATO and its expansion but would not allow the country to “dictate” to the alliance or its partners. [Politico]
On Sunday, thousands of Polish citizens protested in Warsaw against Prime Minister Andrzej Duda’s new media law that limits foreign ownership of local media companies. Critics suggest the bill targets American-owned television station TVN, which has been critical of the current right-wing government. Against this backdrop, opposition leader Donald Tusk has vowed to defend “free media and free speech.” [The First News]
British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss will replace David Frost as the United Kingdom’s lead post-Brexit negotiator, which is tasked with resolving the ongoing dispute with the European Union over the Northern Ireland protocol. [Reuters]
Latin America and the Caribbean
In yet another sign of a rift among member nations in Mercosur, Uruguay did not sign the joint declaration at Friday’s 59th heads of state summit. Uruguay has repeatedly pushed for countries to be allowed to enter into independent trade deals with third parties and for a reduction or elimination of the common external tariff, but has been rebuffed by Argentina. In response, Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou has said that his administration will advance trade negotiations with China regardless of Mercosur approval. [MercoPress]
Brazilian Federal Police Inspector Denisse Ribeiro has filed a police report against President Jair Bolsonaro for making false claims about the country’s voting system on social media. Ahead of the 2022 election, in which he will run for a second term, Bolsonaro has repeatedly said that the electronic voting system can be manipulated, despite electoral authorities rejecting such claims, and even warned that he will not concede defeat. [Telesur]
Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
The seventh round of talks between Iran and world powers in Vienna aimed at restoring the 2015 nuclear deal was adjourned on Friday to allow the Iranian negotiators to return home for consultations. European negotiators called the talks “disappointing” and said that they are “rapidly reaching the end of the road.” [Associated Press]
The United Nations Human Rights Council on Friday voted to establish an independent investigation into human rights abuses committed during the Ethiopian civil war. Addis Ababa said that it was “extremely disappointed” by the move and called it “politically motivated.” [Reuters]
North America
American lawmakers urged the Biden Administration to address the economic and humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, calling for the release of $9.5 billion frozen assets.
11 former senior officials who were part of the American military forces or served as top diplomats also called for the United States (US) to intervene saying the US has “reputational interest” in aiding Afghanistan due to their twenty yearlong presence in the country. [The Hill]
On Sunday, Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) said he will not support President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better plan, jeopardising the passage of the government’s $ 2 trillion social spending and climate legislation. Manchin said he has multiple reservations regarding the cost of the bill and its implications on the national debt. A White House official accused Manchin of reversing his position and urged him to honour his commitment. [NPR]
Oceania
Former Australian Senate President Scott Ryan has been appointed as the government’s envoy to Canada. In October, Ryan resigned from his post after four years. Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne said Ryan would have an important role as the government’s envoy, given Australia’s cooperation with Canada on several critical international issues. Payne also announced the appointments of Amanda Gorely and Bill Costello to the United Nations in Geneva and Timor-Leste, respectively. [ABC News]
28 members of the Australian Defence Force joined their counterparts from the United States Army Pacific Command and the Japan Ground Self Defense Force for Exercise Yama Sakura 81, held in Japan from December 1 to 16. The Exercise aimed to strengthen the security alliance between Japan and the US and promote joint force interoperability. [Department of Defence, Australia]
Sub-Saharan Africa
At the two-day Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit in Istanbul over the weekend, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu focused on the themes of “joint development and enhanced cooperation for prosperity.” It forms part of the Turkish government's wider goal of increasing its presence on the African continent, and follows President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s tour of Angola, Nigeria, and Togo in October. To date, Erdoğan has visited 31 African countries. [Africa News, Anadolu Agency]
The East African community, a regional intergovernmental bloc made up of six countries, is reportedly going to hold an extraordinary Heads of State Summit on December 22 to follow an extraordinary meeting of the Council of Ministers on December 20. During these meetings, regional leaders are set to formally approve the Democratic Republic of Congo’s bid to join the Community. [The East African]