South Asia
During a public address on Sunday, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said that normalising ties with India would be “ignoring all [the] struggles” of the people in Kashmir. This comes shortly after the United Nations General Assembly’s President called upon Pakistan to raise the Kashmir issue in the United Nations with greater vigour. [Al Jazeera]
Following his five-day visit to the United States, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said that the United States recognises India’s significance in resolving the conflict in Afghanistan and restoring peace in the country. Jaishankar said that this recognition was made during his meeting with American Secretary of Defence Antony Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. [Economic Times]
Central Asia and the Caucasus
Azerbaijan has said that it is ready to find a “constructive” solution to resolve its border demarcation issue with Armenia. In this respect, Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov said that “Baku has supported Russia’s proposal to establish a trilateral commission on the delimitation and demarcation of the Azerbaijani-Armenian border.” [TASS]
United States (US) President Joe Biden’s administration has proposed a $24 million aid package to Armenia, which includes $600,000 in military assistance. However, the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) said that the amount falls short of the needs of Armenians displaced by Azerbaijan in last year’s war and called on the US to send a more “robust” assistance package to Armenia. ANCA also urged the US to halt all “arms and aid” to Azerbaijan. [Armen Press]
East and Southeast Asia
In its recently held live-fire exercises, a brigade affiliated with the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Army used long-range rocket artillery and anti-tank missiles, traditionally used against ground targets, to hit maritime targets. The live-fire shooting practice was held at Bohai Bay and tested the damage effectiveness of long-range rockets against different types of maritime targets. [Global Times]
Search teams on the KM Karya Indah ferry, which caught fire when it was heading to Sanana, a port in the northeast of Indonesia, are looking for one missing person after rescuing all other passengers, an official said. “There were 275 people on board, 274 had been evacuated safely,” Muhammad Arafah, head of the local search and rescue team told Kompas TV yesterday. [CNA]
Europe
Following a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko, Russia announced a second $500 million loan to Belarus. This comes as the European Union and the United States have raised concern about the grounding of an aircraft in Belarus to arrest a journalist critical of the Lukashenko administration. [Al Jazeera]
Health workers across Europe have taken to the streets to call for higher investments into their sector, recalling the horrors of the COVID-19 virus that showed the weakness of the healthcare facilities across the bloc. Demonstrations were seen in Belgium and Spain, amongst other countries. [Euronews]
Latin America and the Caribbean
Cuban Health Minister José Ángel Portal and his Argentinian counterpart Carla Vizzotti met in Havana last week. On Friday, they signed a pact to bolster bilateral ties in the biotechnology sector to boost COVID-19 vaccine research, development, and delivery. In fact, Argentinian Foreign Minister Felipe Solá met with Cuban Ambassador Pedro Pablo Prada last month to secure deliveries of Cuba’s Soberana vaccine. [Merco Press]
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, called for an independent investigation into arbitrary and excessive use of force by security forces during the ongoing protests in Colombia, which began on April 28 and have thus far led to the deaths of at least 63 people. She said, “It is essential that all those who are reportedly involved in causing injury or death, including state officials, are subject to prompt, effective, independent, impartial and transparent investigations and that those responsible are held accountable.” [Al Jazeera]
Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
Syrian President Bashar Al Assad was re-elected by a landslide 95.1% majority for a fourth seven-year term in office in last week’s elections, which have been described as illegitimate by the West. After the results were announced, Assad took to Facebook to thank “all Syrians for their high sense of nationalism and their notable participation.” [Reuters]
On Sunday, an Israeli court filed terrorism charges against four Jewish men accused of physically assaulting and attempting to murder a Palestinian in Jerusalem. The four suspects were detained in a joint operation by the Shin Bet security service and the Israeli police, who have been carrying out a wave of arrests against participants involved in rioting in Israeli cities during the 11-day conflict with Hamas. [Times of Israel, Haaretz]
North America
On Friday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced $25 million in funding to support Palestinian civilians impacted by the recent conflict in Gaza and the West Bank. The funds will be directed to the United Nations and other organisations that will deliver aid in the form of food, shelter, water, sanitation, and hygiene. Trudeau said, “The recent violence in the region is alarming—we have all seen the disturbing images of displaced civilians, loss of life, and pain inflicted on families. Today’s funding will go directly to experienced organizations which will help the most vulnerable Palestinian civilians cope with the impacts of the recent conflict. Canada will continue to support peacebuilding efforts that contribute to achieving a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in the Middle East.” [Prime Minister of Canada]
On Friday, US President Joe Biden released his $6 trillion budget proposal for 2022, which proposes raising the corporate tax to 28% and the capital tax on the richest citizens to 39.6%. Senate Republicans, however, have voiced their opposition to a plan that they feel will deepen the country’s fiscal deficit. In fact, the plan itself acknowledges that the deficit will stand at $1.8 trillion following this spending initiative. [ABC News]
Oceania
Following an in-person meeting with New Zealand Prime Minister (PM) Jacinda Ardern, Australian PM Scott Morrison said that the two countries ties are “far more than a partnership,” and lauded their combined efforts to support COVID-19 vaccine deliveries to the smaller Pacific islands. He further reiterated the importance of working with “like-minded” partners to “ensuring a world that favours freedom and a free and open Indo-Pacific.” [Prime Minister of Australia]
Despite claims that New Zealand is moving closer to China at the expense of its friendship with Australia, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern reaffirmed, “We’re (Australia and New Zealand) much more closely aligned on some of these issues than some others would portray,” adding, “It’s not quite the contentious issue that people would make out.” [7 News]
Sub-Saharan Africa
One week after the eruption of the Mount Nyiragongo volcano in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the country recorded 61 earthquakes over the last 24 hours. The Goma Volcanic Observatory said that the volcano’s crater “continues to collapse, which contributed to the earthquake and caused ash emissions visible from Goma.” [CNN]
Days after the dismissal of President Bah N’Daw and Prime Minister (PM) Moctar Ouane by Malian Colonel Assimi Goïta, the military leader has now officially stamped his control over the government, after the constitutional court named him the country’s transitional president. In truth, this is a post which he held in all but title following last August’s coup to depose President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta and PM Boubou Cissé. [Radio France Internationale]
World News Monitor: 31 May, 2021
A quick look at events from around the globe.
May 31, 2021
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad SOURCE: