South Asia
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reported that Afghanistan has the third highest refugee population, with 2.7 million Afghans in 98 countries. Of these, 1.3 million registered refugees are in Pakistan and 780,000 are in Iran. [Khaama News Press Agency]
Nepalese human rights groups are criticising the government’s plan to water down its laws on war crimes, claiming that a proposed will would allow atrocities committed by government forces and rebels during the Maoist rebellion, which ended in 2006 and resulted in 13,000 deaths, to go unpunished. [Al Jazeera]
Central Asia and the Caucasus
The Kurdish administration in northern Syria has repatriated 146 Tajik women and children to Dushanbe. The women and children were detained and sent to the Al Hol refugee camp in 2019 because their male relatives fought with the Islamic State. Their repatriation was coordinated by Kurdish authorities, the Syrian and Tajik foreign ministries, and the Red Cross. [RFE/RL]
Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan on Tuesday accused Azerbaijan of using Armenian prisoners of war as a “political tool” to extract concessions from Yerevan. He also blamed Azerbaijani forces for “destructing and desecrating” Armenian cultural and religious heritage in areas that were captured by Azerbaijan during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war. [Armen Press]
East and Southeast Asia
China’s Defence Ministry warned on Tuesday that if the United States (US) goes ahead with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s planned trip to the self-governing island of Taiwan on Monday, the Chinese military “will by no means sit idly by” and will take “strong measures” to prevent “any external interference and “Taiwan independence” separatist attempts.” [Global Times]
Indonesian President Joko Widodo met with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, in Beijing, on Tuesday. The two sides agreed to speed up the development of a new Five-Year Action Plan for the Implementation of the China-Indonesia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Widodo is the first foreign leader to visit China since the Winter Olympics. [Office of the Indonesian President]
South Korean Unification Minister Kwon Young-se said on Tuesday that there is a possibility that North Korea could carry out its first nuclear test since 2017 this week to mark its “Victory Day.” “I think there is such a possibility,” the minister said during a radio interview. Victory Day, which falls on Wednesday, is the 69th anniversary of the 1953 armistice, which brought an end to the Korean War. [Yonhap News Agency]
Europe
The United Kingdom announced fresh sanctions against 42 Russians, including Minister of Justice Konstantin Chuychenko and Deputy Minister of Justice Oleg Sviridenko. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said British authorities would continue to sanction those legitimising Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “illegal invasion” of Ukraine. [UK Government]
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said that the Arab power will sign a deal with Greece for “cheaper renewable energy,” which will also help southwestern Europe. The Saudi leader met Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Athens on Tuesday and is scheduled to visit France today. [Al Jazeera]
On Tuesday, Ukrainian Central Bank Governor Kyrylo Shevchenko said that Ukraine had submitted a $15-$20 billion loan request with the International Monetary Fund over the next two or three years in a Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) or an Extended Fund Facility (EFF) format. Due to Russia’s invasion, the Ukrainian economy faces a 35% to 45% contraction and suffers from about a $5 billion shortage every month. [Reuters]
Latin America and the Caribbean
A report by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) released on Tuesday demanded Colombian President-elect Gustavo Petro to scale up measures to address gang violence in the country by tackling illegal armed structures and consolidating state presence in violence-stricken regions. It further noted that “the predominantly military response of the State has failed to stop the expansion of the groups, and the scarce presence of civilian institutions has aggravated the situation.” [Telesur]
On Tuesday, the United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin visited Brasilia and stressed that “credible deterrence demands military and security forces that are ready, capable, and under firm civilian control,” reiterating that deepening democracy is key to deepening security in the nation as Brazil heads to the polls on October 2. His remarks follow Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro claiming “the Army is on our side” in securing his re-election. US senators have warned that “US law restricts our cooperation with foreign militaries that participate in anything that might resemble a coup.” [Reuters]
Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pandor on Tuesday said Israel should be classified as an apartheid state due to its prolonged occupation of the West Bank and violation of international law against Palestinians. Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly, Pandor noted that “the Palestinian narrative evokes experiences of South Africa’s own history of racial segregation and oppression.” [Al Jazeera]
Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussain said on Tuesday that Baghdad will ask the United Nations Security Council for help to expel Turkish and Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) forces from Iraqi Kurdistan. His comments came after a Turkish missile strike at a resort in Zakho last week killed nine tourists and injured 31 people. [Rudaw]
North America
An unnamed White House official said on Tuesday that United States President Joe Biden will speak with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Thursday amid rising tensions over House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s possible visit to Taiwan, the self-governing island that Beijing claims is part of its territory. The call also comes as Biden’s economic and national security officials prepare to present him with recommendations regarding tariff cuts on Chinese imports, which were imposed during the Trump administration. The pair could also discuss North Korea’s nuclear programme, Russia’s war in Ukraine, and the Biden administration’s attempts to revive the Iran nuclear deal. [Associated Press]
On Tuesday, a French diplomatic source confirmed that Canada has sent a request to France regarding the extradition of a 93-year-old retired Roman Catholic priest, Johannes Rivoire, so he can be prosecuted for sexual abuse committed while he was working in Canada’s northern parishes for the Catholic congregation Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. “This request is currently being processed by the Ministry of Justice, which has asked Canadian authorities for additional information,” the source said. [Reuters]
Oceania
Alok Sharma, the president of the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), is visiting Fiji between July 26-27, where he will discuss “the action needed from major emitters.” He will also hold discussions on “adaptation, loss and damage, and climate finance” and visit a local village to examine the impact of climate change on the daily lives of locals. [UK Government]
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his Labor government will not endorse a cap on fossil fuel projects, as it would have a “devastating impact on the Australian economy”. Albanese argued that if Australia did stop coal exports, it would result in “a lot of jobs lost... a significant loss to our economy… significantly less taxation, revenue for education, health and other services.” He added that a ban on coal exports “wouldn’t lead to a reduction in global emissions” but would instead lead to “a replacement with coal from other countries that’s likely to produce higher emissions … because of the quality of the product.” [The Guardian]
Sub-Saharan Africa
At a joint press conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Tuesday, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni defended his country’s ties with the Kremlin, stating that “if Russia makes mistakes, we tell them. When they have not made mistakes, we can’t be against them.” Likewise, Lavrov insisted that Russia is not to be blamed for the global food crisis, reaffirming that “there is a very loud campaign around this, but our African friends understand their root cause,” denying any link with its “special military operation” in Kyiv. [AFP]
In a statement on Monday, the United Nations’ peacekeeping mission in Mali (MINUMSA) acknowledged that “certain measures were not taken” before the scheduled arrival of Ivorian troops in Mali’s capital Bamako, adding that “the Mission is trying to understand how these dysfunctions were able to occur in order to avoid them occurring again in the future.” This comes after the Malian military authorities ordered the expulsion of MINUMSA spokesperson Olivier Saldago last week. [RFI]