South Asia
According to a Guyanese official, India and Guyana are discussing a long-term deal for the supply of crude oil, with India looking to purchase a one-million-barrel cargo. India is the world’s third-largest consumer of crude oil, with its demand surging by over 25% in the past seven years. [Reuters]
A new variant of the COVID-19 virus was found in Sri Lanka that is reported to be more highly transmissible and can prospectively remain airborne for about sixty minutes. This comes as the island nation faces a second wave of the pandemic, reporting over 638 deaths on Sunday. [India Today]
Central Asia and the Caucasus
Armenian Prime Minister (PM) Nikol Pashinyan has resigned, paving the way for snap parliamentary elections in June. According to Armenia’s constitution, snap elections are only possible once the PM resigns. Armenia has been in a political crisis since it lost the war against Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh last year and Pashinyan’s popularity has drastically dropped during this period. Pashinyan has, however, said that he plans to take part in the elections. [RFE/RL]
Tajikistan and Russia have completed the large-scale military exercises which began last Monday. 50,000 personnel from both sides participated in the drills, which were held in Tajikistan’s Harb-Maidon, Momirak, and Sambuli training ranges. [Azer News]
East and Southeast Asia
In a special meeting held on Saturday that was attended by heads of state and the Myanmar military, the ASEAN agreed on a five-point consensus regarding the Myanmar crisis. ASEAN members urged for an end to violence and called for constructive dialogue among all parties concerned. [Global Times]
Indonesian authorities said on Sunday that the submarine that had gone missing during naval exercises was found cracked into three parts in the waters north of Bali island, and all 53 crew on board were also found dead. “Based on the authentic evidence, I declare that the KRI Nanggala-402 has sunk and all the crew have died,” Indonesian Air Chief Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto said. “They’re the best soldiers... and may the God Almighty reward their good deeds and dedication,” he remarked. [The Straits Times]
Europe
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Saturday said that he would sign a decree allowing the transfer of presidential powers to the nation’s security council if he were ever to become incapable of performing his duties. Under the current laws, the power would be transferred to the country’s prime minister in such a scenario. Opposition leaders have strongly condemned the move, arguing that it would prevent a possible democratic transition given that the council is led by Lukashenko and unofficially headed by his son, Viktor. [DW]
Jailed Kremlin critic and opposition leader Alexei Navalny announced on Friday that he was ending his hunger strike after more than three weeks due to loss of sensation in parts of his hands and legs. However, he stressed that he would continue to demand adequate medical assistance to appropriately treat his condition. [Euronews]
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the bloc plans on inoculating over 70% of its adult population by the end of July. This comes as the European Union sees a rise in vaccine deliveries, which she said would help increase the bloc’s “ambition”. [Euronews]
Latin America and the Caribbean
Brazil is confronting two monumental concerns with its COVID-19 vaccination programme as 1.5 million people have reportedly failed to show up for their second dose and the Chinese-made Sinovac vaccine has been shown to be minimally effective. A study in Chile found that the Sinovac Biotech COVID-19 vaccine, which has thus far made up 80% of the shots administered in Brazil, is merely 16% effective after the first dose. This is particularly alarming in a country that continues to post upwards of 70,000 new cases and 3,000 deaths every day. [NBC News]
The Organization of American States’ (OAS) InterAmerican Commission on Human Rights released a report detailing the “critical” failures of Mexican security forces, positing that the country is beset by: “lack of access to justice, weak police forces, and the militarisation of law enforcement”. [Associated Press]
Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
At least 82 people were killed in a fire caused by an oxygen tank explosion at a hospital treating COVID-19 patients in Baghdad. Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi blamed negligence on part of the authorities and dismissed his health minister. The incident comes amid a severe coronavirus crisis in the country, which has thus far killed 15,257 people and infected more than a million. [Reuters]
Turkish forces killed 31 Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants on Sunday as part of the country’s anti-terror operations in northern Iraq. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan praised the efforts of Turkey’s military and said that Ankara is “determined to eradicate terror.” [Anadolu Agency, Presidency of Turkey]
North America
US General Austin S. Miller, who commands the coalition forces in Afghanistan, said on Sunday that the American military had begun its withdrawal from the war-torn nation. Miller added that foreign military bases would be handed over to the Afghan Ministry of Defence and other Afghan forces. [The New York Times]
US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin on Sunday expressed support for India’s frontline healthcare workers, saying that he had directed the Pentagon to “use every resource at our disposal” to rapidly provide them with the materials they need to combat the surge in COVID-19 infections in the country. “In the next few days, we will provide transportation and logistics assistance to deliver needed supplies to India, including oxygen-related equipment, rapid testing kits, and personal protective equipment,” the leader added. [US Department of Defence]
Canadian PM Justin Trudeau on Saturday reassured citizens about the safety of AstraZeneca vaccine doses made in the US by taking his first shot on camera. “There is no reason for anyone to be concerned,” the PM noted, insisting that the 1.5 million jabs loaned to Canada by the US were not impacted by quality-control issues at a facility in Baltimore. [CBC News]
Oceania
Former United States (US) Undersecretary of Defence, Michèle Flournoy, who served under President Barack Obama, has spoken out against New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta’s recent comments by saying that the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance should be used to place pressure on China. Keeping this in mind, she said that Australia’s combative stance on China is seen by American policymakers as “very courageous” for “standing up” for its “interests and values”. Flournoy said, “Five Eyes is invaluable as an intelligence cooperation mechanism and set of relationships but, honestly, I do think it goes beyond that. It’s really a national security set of relationships more broadly.” New Zealand has recently expressed its opposition to “expanding the remit” of the grouping. [Sydney Morning Herald]
Following the ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting in Jakarta on Saturday, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne released a statement saying that Canberra continues to call for the Tatmadaw in Myanmar to “exercise restraint, refrain from violence, release all those detained and engage in dialogue.” On the ASEAN, it said that the body lies at the “core of an open, stable, and resilient Indo-Pacific” and welcomed the consensus reached by the Association on Myanmar. [Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs]
Sub-Saharan Africa
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) released a report arguing that climate change has impeded and undermined "multilateral peacebuilding efforts" in Mali. The researchers posit that due to a combination of “weak governance” and an over-reliance on “natural-resource based livelihoods”, “grievances and marginalisation” have been intensified and pushed some citizens towards extremism. [SIPRI]
Civil society groups have voiced their opposition to the military’s decision to form an 18-month transitional council before handing the government back to civilian rule following President Idriss Déby’s death last week at the frontline of a battle with rebel insurgents. To this end, a number of citizens are planning to hold a massive protest on Tuesday. [Africa News]
World News Monitor: 26 April, 2021
A quick look at events from around the globe.
April 26, 2021
Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan SOURCE: REUTERS