South Asia
Indian Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat warned of a prospective “overflow” of the conflict in Afghanistan into Jammu and Kashmir. He said that it was necessary for India to prepare for this impending crisis by imposing stronger checks on those who enter the region. [Hindustan Times]
Sri Lanka has imposed a ban on the import of Chinese fertilisers after an expert investigation detected the presence of harmful bacteria. However, the farmers in the country have raised alarm that such a ban could ruin their crops and further deepen food shortages. [Straits Times]
Central Asia and the Caucasus
According to Uzbekistan’s Central Election Commission, 80.8% of eligible voters participated in the Presidential election held on Sunday. Incumbent President Shavkat Mirziyoyev is expected to comfortably win a second term. [ANI News]
Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has rejected the idea of hosting an American military base in Kyrgyzstan. He said such a move would place the Central Asian country in a “cat and mouse” game in terms of its ties with the United States and Russia. His comments came after reports suggesting that the United States would seek to reposition its troops in Central Asia following its withdrawal from Afghanistan. [RFE/RL]
East and Southeast Asia
On Friday, representatives from Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the United States’ Department of State met virtually to discuss the expansion of Taiwan’s participation in the United Nations (UN) and other international organisations, such as the World Health Organization and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. [Taipei Times]
On Monday, Chinese President Xi Jinping celebrated the restoration of the country’s seat in the United Nations 50 years ago as a “victory of the Chinese people, and the people from all countries around the world” at a meeting in Beijing that commemorated the 50th anniversary of the event. [People’s Daily Online]
Europe
On Sunday, Pope Francis called on the international community to avoid sending migrants rescued at sea to “unsafe” countries and to devise measures to manage and regulate migratory flows. The Pope said that such measures must consider “alternatives to detention,” and offer “regular paths of migration and access to asylum procedures.” [Euronews]
The British Rapid Action Force successfully completed an evacuation mission from Afghanistan for 15,000 vulnerable Afghans who are covered by the country’s Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy. Those on board will receive support through Operation Warm Welcome to allow them to begin their lives in the United Kingdom. [UK Government]
Russian oil and gas giant Gazprom could cut Moldova’s gas supply if the country does not settle pending bills and sign a new contract. On Friday, Moldova declared a 30-day emergency in order to acquire cheaper gas prices from Europe after a recent Russian hike. Chișinău owes the company $709 million. [The Moscow Times]
Latin America and the Caribbean
Around 2,000 largely Central American migrants continued their passage through southern Mexico towards the United States border. The migrant caravan is largely made up of citizens of Honduras and El Salvador. There are also tens of thousands of migrants from Honduras, El Salvador, and Haiti waiting near the Guatemalan border for refugee or asylum papers. [Associated Press]
Sandra Mason, 72, was elected as Barbados’ first-ever president after the country recently became a republic and removed Queen Elizabeth as its head of state, following in the footsteps of Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, and Dominica. Mason has served as governor-general since 2018 and will be sworn in on November 30. [BBC]
Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
On Sunday, Israel approved the construction of 1,355 new homes to be built in West Bank settlements. The move is the first time Israel has announced new settlement construction since United States President Joe Biden took office in January. [Haaretz]
The United States (US) military killed a senior Al-Qaeda leader in an airstrike in northwest Syria on Friday. The US Central Command said Al-Qaeda “continues to present a threat to America” and is using Syria as a “safe haven” to rebuild. [US Central Command]
North America
The Biden administration plans to announce a new program that will make it easier for Afghan evacuees to settle in the United States. The new program will allow groups of private individuals, called sponsor circles, to fund the resettlement process of Afghan evacuees. The program will be a collaboration between the Department of State and the Community Sponsorship Hub, a non-governmental organization. [CBS News]
United States President Joe Biden and top Congressional Democrats are close to signing a $2 trillion domestic spending package that primarily focuses on social services and climate change policies. Leaders in the party have been working to reach a consensus after trimming the package down from $3.5 trillion. [Huff Post]
Oceania
The Australian and Indonesian navies conducted joint maritime patrolling exercises along their naval border as part of 11th AUSINDO CORPAT 2021. The five-day event included sharing mariner techniques and strengthening interoperability with regards to maritime surveillance and security. The commander of the Australian fleet, Rear Admiral Mark Hammond, said the defence partnership with Indonesia reflects Australia’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific. [Department of Defence, Australia]
On Friday, Australian Minister for Trade, Tourism, and Investment Dan Tehan said the European Union has again postponed the successive round of negotiations for a free trade agreement amid the AUKUS dispute. Tehan said the bloc has delayed negotiations until February 2022, though the Union said it has not yet decided on a new date. [Reuters]
Sub-Saharan Africa
A delegation of representatives from the United States Security Council, comprised of the ambassadors of the United States, France, Kenya and Niger, arrived in Bamako, Mali to meet with the military junta and push the interim government to adhere to its commitment to return the country to civilian rule and hold an election by February 27, 2022. [Africa News]
Despite rising pro-democracy protests in the country, King Mswati III of Eswatini has said that he will not hold dialogue with the demonstrators until after the Incwala Festival of First Fruits, which will conclude at the end of January or the beginning of February and signal the onset of the harvest season. The King did, however, meet with a delegation from the Southern African Development Community on Friday. [Nation]