Japan said on Monday that it will “take destructive measures against ballistic and other missiles that are confirmed to land in [its] territory,” after North Korea notified it of a planned satellite launch between 31 May and 11 June.
The Pentagon said China had declined the US’ invitation for Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin to meet with his Chinese counterpart Shangfu in Singapore, in early May. The Pentagon added that it believed in open communication “to ensure that competition does not veer into conflict.”
The Africa Union (AU) adopted the Roadmap for the Resolution of the Conflict in Sudan during the Heads of State and Government Peace and Security Council meeting on 27 May. The council condemned the violence in Sudan and outlined six elements for peace in the resolution. It called for a peace process coordinated by the AU, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the League of Arab States and the UN. The US, UK, Norway and the EU have supported the passing of this resolution.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB)has approved a $350 million policy-based loan to provide budget support to Sri Lanka. The bank warned that Colombo still had a long road to recovery. The support extended by ADB is a part of the $3 billion bailout facility provided by the International Monetary Fund Extended Fund Facility to the country.
The EU and US criticised Kosovo for escalating tensions with Serbia after its police attacked protestors with tear gas on Friday. In response to Kosovo’s actions, Serbian President Aleksandr Vučić deployed the country’s army closer to the Kosovo border.
Terrorists in Anantnag, Jammu and Kashmir shot dead a civilian migrant working at an amusement park. This is the latest in a series of attacks against migrant workers who have moved to Jammu and Kashmir for employment.
Russia launched air strikes on Kyiv overnight, and Ukraine’s air defence troops destroyed more than 20 drones, the Ukrainian capital’s military administration reported early on Tuesday. Serhiy Popko, the chief of Kyiv’s military administration, stated on Telegram that Russia only utilised Iranian-made Shahed drones in the “massive” strike, which was launched through multiple rounds. It was the city’s third attack in 24 hours.
Brazil’s President, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, said on Monday that he supports Venezuela’s accession to the BRICS multilateral grouping. During a news conference with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, the Brazilian president commented, “There are many proposals regarding countries that want to join the BRICS. We will discuss it and, should an official request be filed, we will review it and make a decision. If you want to hear my personal opinion, then I favour it.”
The Ukrainian Parliament imposed sanctions on Iran, a key ally of Russia on Monday. It has accused Iran of giving Shahed drones to Russians in their large-scale attack on Kyiv last week. “The resolution synchronises Ukrainian sanctions with the actions of the entire civilised world on the path to the complete isolation of Iran,” the parliament said. The resolution bans the export of “military and dual-use goods” and halts any further economic and financial dealings with the citizens of Iran. Further, the sanctions will not allow Iran to use Ukrainian airspace and stop the flow of Iranian goods from Ukrainian territory.
NATO has angrily reacted to clashes between Serb protesters and NATO troops in Kosova. The alliance has termed the attack, which led to 25 peacekeepers getting injured, as “totally unacceptable.” Serbs were protesting against the installation of ethnic Albanian mayors in northern Kosovo. Meanwhile, Serbian authorities have condemned the failure of NATO troops to stop the “brutal actions” of Kosovo police.