South Asia
Following Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s decision to dissolve the Parliament, his party, the Nepal Congress Party, voted to oust him from the position as the party’s Chairman. Further, they have also decided to initiate disciplinary actions against him. [Times of India]
As Jammu and Kashmir concluded its local polls, the Farooq Abdullah-led People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration secured victory, with over 100 seats. However, India’s ruling party, the Bharatiya Janata Party, emerged as the single largest party, with 74 seats. This is the first local election in Jammu and Kashmir since the state lost its special status in August 2019. [NDTV]
Central Asia and the Caucasus
Following new Covid-19 restrictions, Uzbekistan has banned travellers from eight countries including Australia, Austria, Denmark, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, South Africa, and the United Kingdom until January 10. Uzbek citizens returning from the aforementioned countries will be required to quarantine for 14 days upon their return. [RFE/RL]
East and Southeast Asia
Indonesian President Joko Widodo kept his June promise to reshuffle the cabinet and remove ministers who didn’t “get a sense” of the COVID-19 crisis response. The newly appointed cabinet is expected to largely aid in the mass vaccination drive that will begin next year. [The Jakarta Post]
Japan is expected to increase its fleet of coast guard patrol vessels around the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea by April 2023 due to China’s growing maritime activity in the area. China is currently conducting “standard” naval training of its defence forces in the disputed region. [Nikkei Asia]
Europe
Russia on Tuesday said that it would impose entry bans on representatives of EU member states and institutions in response to the bloc’s sanctions on Russian officials over the poisoning of Kremlin critic and opposition leader Alexei Navalny. [Politico]
On Tuesday, Norway’s top court rejected the argument posed by several environmental groups and paved the way for the government to move ahead with its plan for oil exploration in the Barents Sea. The petition was filed by several groups, including Greenpeace, who believe this action to be against the Norwegian constitution’s guarantee of the right to a healthy environment. [DW]
Latin America and the Caribbean
Peruvian rural agricultural workers blocked the Pan-American highway to protest against the Congress’ decision not to approve a bill that would have introduced new regulations on labour conditions and boosted exports and industrialisation. [Telesur]
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin called on the United States to “respect Cuba’s sovereignty and independence” and “stop its blockade and sanctions” and “stop interfering in its domestic affairs”. [Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China]
Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
Yemen’s Houthis have enforced new restrictions on female students at the Lebanese International University in the capital, Sana’a. According to the new rules, female students are to be taught separately from male students and special classrooms are to be allocated for them. Additionally, the group has also banned female students from wearing short or tight clothes or open abayas and has ordered them to cover their hair completely. [Middle East Monitor]
Following the normalisation deal between Khartoum and Tel Aviv, the United States has passed legislation reinstating Sudan’s sovereign immunity, a step that would shield it from being sued in American courts for past terror attacks. This removes a major hurdle to investments in the African country. Additionally, US lawmakers also authorised $700 million dollars aid to Sudan, in debt relief and direct assistance. [Reuters]
North America
The US Department of Defense said on Tuesday that the US military had deployed a group of navy ships off the coast of Somalia to support the withdrawal of about 700 troops from the country. The naval group will help relocate the military and civilian personnel from Somalia “to other East Africa operating locations while maintaining pressure on violent extremists and supporting partner forces,” the US Africa Command said. [Al Jazeera]
After months of negotiations, the United States Congress on Monday finally approved an $892bn Covid-19 aid package. President Donald Trump is expected to sign the plan into law. [Reuters]
Canada on Monday pledged CAN$90m in aid to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, to help respond to the rising needs of vulnerable people in UNRWA’s five areas of operation - the West Bank, Gaza, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan. The announcement comes after the organization’s chief warned last month that it was facing its “worst financial crisis” ever. [France 24]
Oceania
Despite lingering diplomatic and trade tensions between the two countries, China's demand for Australian steel remains relatively untouched, causing the price of Australian iron ore to rise. This has also contributed to the value of the Australian dollar increasing to a two and a half year high. [ABC News]
Sub-Saharan Africa
A UN peacekeeping spokesperson in the Central African Republic (CAR) said that rebel forces have been “pushed back” from entering the capital city, Bangui, and that the situation is now “under control”. The government was concerned about a possible armed coup ahead of the December 27 election. However, after UN peacekeepers thwarted rebel forces, President Faustin-Archange Touadéra said that the election would proceed as scheduled. [Africa Feeds, Africa News]
Protests and unrest have persisted in the Ivory Coast ever since Alassane Ouattara secured re-election under highly controversial circumstances in November. Thus, members from the ruling party and the opposition have met to discuss ways to resolve these tensions that have resulted in the deaths of at least 85 people in post-electoral violence. [Africa News]
South Africa has now recorded close to 25,000 deaths from the coronavirus, the country’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) reported. At the same time, the new mutant strain of the coronavirus has also been reported in the country. [Africa Times]
World News Monitor: 23 December, 2020
A quick look at events from around the globe.
December 24, 2020
Indonesian President Joko Widodo. SOURCE: COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS