Asia

Good morning, Just the regional roundup today Asia Stability Ratings and News Summary More Unstable Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Laos, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, North Korea, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkmenistan More Stable No countries were more stable over this period Unchanged Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, East Timor, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Maldives, Singapore, Taiwan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam Regional News Summary In Singapore, inflation has eased to 0.6% in July, the lowest since January 2021, driven by declines in food, transport, and housing costs. Economic relief came as the stock market showed resilience. Payment institution 2C2P secured a major Singapore license, while Abaxx facilitated collaboration between the China City Gas Association and Asian partners. SOURCE - CNBC ...

Good morning, Putin Vows Military Resolution in Ukraine Russian President Putin declared Russia will “resolve all our tasks militarily” should Ukraine reject negotiations. Speaking from Beijing after China’s military parade, he rejected ceasefire proposals while suggesting Zelensky “could always go to Moscow”–a proposal Ukraine’s foreign minister deemed “knowingly unacceptable.” Putin reiterated demands for Ukrainian NATO abandonment and cessation of alleged ethnic Russian discrimination, while refusing to cede occupied Donbas territories. Trump stated Putin “knows where I stand” and threatened additional sanctions beyond targeting India for Russian oil purchases. UK Defence Secretary Healey announced 1 billion pounds in seized Russian assets would fund Ukrainian military aid, describing it as “Putin’s dirty money returned with interest.” ...

Good morning, As a reminder, it’s just the regional news summaries this week while I’m out on leave. Asia Stability Ratings and News Summary More Unstable Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, North Korea, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Vietnam More Stable No countries were more stable over this period Unchanged Bhutan, Brunei, China, East Timor, Japan, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Singapore, Uzbekistan ...

Good morning Russia Demands Role in Ukraine Security Talks Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned that discussing Ukraine security guarantees without Moscow’s participation is a “road to nowhere.” More - Al Jazeera Israel Begins Gaza City Assault Israeli forces launched “preliminary actions” for a planned assault on Gaza City. More - BBC Asia and Oceania Stability Ratings and News Summary Asia More Unstable Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, North Korea, Pakistan, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan ...

Children Dying of Hunger in Darfur, Oil Near Two-Month Low on Oversupply Fears, rump Promises Trilateral Meeting If Putin Summit ‘Goes Ok’ Good morning 🇸🇩 Children Dying of Hunger in Darfur Children are dying of starvation in Sudan’s besieged city of el-Fasher as prices have soared so dramatically that money for a week’s worth of meals now buys only one, with community kitchens serving animal feed residue to desperate families. The BBC obtained rare footage showing the 14-month RSF blockade has created catastrophic conditions where doctors report over 60 malnutrition deaths last week, with severely malnourished children “just waiting for their death” in hospitals lacking therapeutic food supplies. International aid groups condemned the “calculated use of starvation as a weapon of war” as cholera spreads through displaced person camps, while humanitarian convoys remain blocked despite UN appeals for access to the trapped population. More - BBC ...

Trump-Putin-Zelensky Summit Planned, Trump Plans 100% Chip Tariffs 🇺🇦 Trump, Putin, Zelensky Talks Planned President Trump said there’s a “good chance” he could meet with Putin and Zelensky after calling talks between his envoy Steve Witkoff and the Russian leader “very good,” though he provided no details on timing or conditions. The Kremlin described the Moscow discussions as “constructive” with both sides exchanging “signals,” while the White House said Russia expressed desire to meet Trump who remains “open to meeting with both leaders.” The optimism comes despite muted expectations for Friday’s ceasefire deadline, with Trump simultaneously imposing an additional 25% tariff on India for buying Russian oil and Russia continuing large-scale air attacks on Ukraine including a deadly strike on a Zaporizhzhia holiday camp. More - BBC ...

Ukraine parliament votes to restore anti-corruption agencies, Sudan Camp Children Die From Hunger, Trump’s Tariff Deadline Frenzy Andrew Sheves Good morning 🇺🇦 Ukraine parliament votes to restore anti-corruption agencies This story is just breaking at the time of writing. Read more on Al Jazeera 🇸🇩** Sudan Camp Children Die From Hunger** Thirteen children died last month from severe food shortages at Lagawa displacement camp in Sudan’s East Darfur state, medics reported, as famine spreads through the war-torn region. The Sudan Doctors Network documented “deteriorating humanitarian conditions” and widespread malnutrition at the camp housing 7,000 people, which has faced repeated attacks by armed groups. The deaths highlight Sudan’s deepening humanitarian crisis after 27 months of civil war between the army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, with nearly a million people now in famine conditions and cholera outbreaks spreading in Darfur. More - BBC ...

Ukraine Protests Over Corruption Changes, Brazil Joins ICJ Genocide Case Andrew Sheves Good morning 🇺🇦** Ukraine Protests Over Corruption Changes** Thousands of Ukrainians protested in Kyiv and other cities after President Zelensky signed a law stripping anti-corruption bodies NABU and SAP of their independence, marking the largest anti-government demonstrations since Russia’s 2022 invasion. European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen demanded “explanations” from Ukraine’s government, with her spokesman warning there “cannot be a compromise” on rule of law standards for EU candidate countries. Critics see the move as a return to pre-2014 corruption under pro-Russian President Yanukovych, potentially undermining Ukraine’s EU integration prospects that many feel they’re paying for with Russian bloodshed. More - BBC ...

USAID Will Destroy Food for 30,000, US Announces Syria De-escalation Andrew Sheves 🇺🇸** USAID Will Destroy Food for 30,000 Kids** Nearly 500 tonnes of high-energy biscuits intended to feed 27,000 starving children in Afghanistan and Pakistan will be incinerated after expiring in a Dubai warehouse following Trump’s closure of USAID. Deputy Secretary of State Michael Rigas called the waste “a casualty of the shutdown of USAID,” which closed July 1, leaving over 60,000 tonnes of food aid stuck worldwide. The $793,000 worth of expired fortified wheat biscuits will cost an additional $100,000 to destroy, despite lawmakers warning officials in March about the potential waste as 319 million people face limited food access globally. More - Al Jazeera ...

Trump Announces Big Brazil, Copper and Pharma Tariffs, Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Talks Andrew Sheves 🇺🇸** Trump Announces Big Brazil, Copper and Pharma Tariffs** President Trump threatened a 50% tariff on Brazil over its prosecution of former President Jair Bolsonaro, calling the coup attempt case a “witch hunt” in the most extreme example yet of weaponizing trade policy for unrelated demands. Brazil’s President Lula fired back saying his nation won’t be “tutored” and threatened reciprocal measures, while the real plummeted 2.9% against the dollar. Trump also announced 30% tariffs on Algeria, Libya, Iraq and Sri Lanka, plus floated 50% duties on copper products and up to 200% on pharmaceuticals if companies don’t shift production to the US within a year. More - Bloomberg ...