South Asia
On Thursday, Anurag Srivastava, the spokesperson for the Indian Ministry of External Affairs urged Pakistan to address “core issues” in the Kulbhushan Jadhav case and allow “unimpeded, unconditional and unhindered” consular access as mandated by the International Court of Justice. [Economic Times]
Several Rohingya refugees, who were residing in the camps in Bhashan Char island, accused authorities in Bangladesh of orchestrating attacks against the residents of the camp, including women and children. Unnamed sources said that the attack was in response to a hunger strike held by the residents to demand for an improvement in the camps’ living conditions. [Al Jazeera]
Central Asia and the Caucasus
The Kyrgyz Internal Affairs Ministry and Security Council have reportedly been unable to track the whereabouts of President Sooronbai Jeenbekov and recently-resigned Prime Minister Kubatbek Boronov since Sunday, despite statements from the Presidential office that Jeenbekov is still in charge after demonstrators stormed parliament buildings and brought down the government. [ASIA-Plus]
East and Southeast Asia
South Korean Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee is one of the final two candidates running to become the next director-general of the World Trade Organization. Her competitor is Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and the two women will go head-to-head in the final round of negotiations this month before the final vote on 6 November. [The Korea Herald]
Police and demonstrators clashed in Jakarta on Thursday, on the third day of mass protests against the government’s new omnibus job creation bill. [Reuters]
The Chinese embassy in New Delhi advised Indian journalists on Wednesday to observe the “one-China” doctrine, after the country’s newspapers displayed advertisements for Taiwan’s 10 October national day. In response, Taiwan accused China of trying to impose censorship in India. [The Straits Times]
Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said on Thursday that he will meet with the country’s monarch next week and present his case for taking over the government from PM Muhyiddin Yassin. [Reuters]
Europe
The Italian government revoked the “security decrees,” which were implemented by former Interior Minister Matteo Salvini in 2018 and 2019, and effectively reinstated laws that allow authorities to grant visas to undocumented migrants on humanitarian grounds. [Human Rights Watch]
On Thursday, a court in Madrid overruled the Spanish government’s decision to impose a partial lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus amidst a sudden surge in cases. The court said that the government’s decision interfered with “the citizens’ fundamental rights.” [Reuters]
Russian authorities evacuated over 2,300 people from villages in the western region of Ryazan after a wildfire near an ammunition depot set off explosions. More than 20 people were hospitalized on Thursday morning, until when the fire had not yet been contained. [CNN]
Latin America and the Caribbean
After reporting 31,553 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, Brazil has now surpassed five million recorded cases, with the death toll nearing 150,000, making it the third worst-hit country after the United States and India. [BBC]
Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has announced that it is making efforts to secure the release of seven Indian citizens who were kidnapped in Asshweif, Libya, on 14 September, while they were on their way to Tripoli airport to return to the country. [Indian Express]
The foreign ministers of Greece and Turkey met for the first time yesterday for negotiations over their dispute regarding territorial rights and energy exploration in the Eastern Mediterranean. Both sides agreed to hold bilateral discussions on the issue. [Reuters]
The United States Justice Department claims to have taken control of 92 web domains used by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to spread political disinformation by posing as media outlets in the US, Middle East, Europe, and Southeast Asia. [National Post]
Jordan’s King Abdullah has appointed palace aide and veteran diplomat Bisher Al-Khasawneh as the Kingdom’s new Prime Minister, just a few days after Omar Al Razzaz resigned from the post. [The National]
North America
US President Donald Trump has refused to participate in the next presidential debate, after the Commission on Presidential Debates announced that the second debate would be virtual to ensure the candidates’ safety. [CNN]
US National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien said on Wednesday that the US would reduce its troops in Afghanistan from the current 5,000 to 2,500 early next year. [Al Jazeera]
US President Donald Trump declared on Wednesday that the experimental coronavirus drug administered to him during his treatment is a cure for the deadly virus, and promised that it would soon be available to all US citizens for free. [POLITICO]
Oceania
The tax cuts proposed by Australian PM Scott Morrison’s administration were officially approved by the parliament. It is hoped that $50 billion in tax cuts, for both businesses and ‘low-and-middle-income earners’, will result in greater economic spending, to the tune of $12.5 billion, over the course of the next year. [news.com.au]
Sub-Saharan Africa
Unknown pirates in the River Nile attacked a World Food Programme (WFP) convoy in South Sudan, resulting in the death of one humanitarian worker. The convoy was made up of three cargo vessels and one speed-boat. There were 13 crew members on board; three other workers suffered gunshot wounds. [The East African]
Hundreds of Namibians took to the streets of the capital city Windhoek to protest against gender-based violence, demanding the prosecution of assailants. [Africa Feeds]
World News Monitor: 9 October, 2020
A quick look at events from around the globe.
October 9, 2020
SOURCE: VOA