• During an interview with CBS News’ “60 Minutes,” President Joe Biden twice affirmed he would send U.S. forces to defend Taiwan from a Chinese attack, leading Beijing to register formal complaints with Washington. U.S. officials said after the interview that U.S. policy toward Taiwan has not changed, but China says Biden is blurring the lines around the “One China” policy with repeated statements of support for Taiwan — often in response to Chinese aggression. (Financial Times)
• The Biden administration is said to be restarting efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, appointing a diplomat to oversee the transfer of the last remaining detainees and indicating it would allow plea negotiations to go forward that could allow progress on the case of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who planned the 9/11 attacks. The administration is hoping to avoid the political backlash former President Barack Obama faced for taking a higher-profile approach, which resulted in a congressional ban on the transfer of prisoners from Guantanamo to U.S. territory. (The Wall Street Journal)
• U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi condemned Azerbaijan and called for the international community to recognize that the deadly clashes last week were “initiated by the Azeris” during her visit to Armenia, where she went to convey “the strong and ongoing support of the United States” for Yerevan — traditionally a close Russian ally. (The New York Times) Farther east, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, whose forces clashed with fellow Russian ally Tajikistan last week, urged his country to have trust in the army and refrain from going to the border in ad hoc volunteer militias while reprimanding those “who slander our strategic partners.” (Reuters)
• The European Union executive recommended cutting off around $7.5 billion in funding to Hungary in the first use of sanctions introduced two years ago to protect the rule of law in member states where it is being undermined. Hungary has proposed setting up an anti-graft agency and pledged to crack down on corruption, but Prime Minister Viktor Orban has few friends in Brussels due to his close association with Russian President Vladimir Putin. (Reuters)

Ukraine is riddled with unexploded bombs

The Economist

Iran raises possibility of meeting at U.N. assembly to revive nuclear deal

Reuters 

Iran does not rule out the possibility of a meeting on the sidelines of the annual U.N. General Assembly in New York on reviving its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said on Monday.

Brussels faces legal challenge over labelling gas and nuclear ‘green’

Alice Hancock, Financial Times 

Opposition gathers over what can be deemed clean energy for investment purposes.

China’s local government financing vehicles struggle to pay IOUs 

Guo Yingzhe, Caixin Global

More LGFVs failing to redeem maturing commercial paper issued to suppliers.

Bangladesh fears new Rohingya exodus from fighting in Myanmar

Syful Islam, Nikkei Asia 

Dhaka stresses ‘burden’ of hosting refugees, says it cannot accept more.

U.S. aircraft carrier to visit South Korea for first time since 2018

Josh Smith, Reuters 

A U.S. aircraft carrier will visit South Korea this week for joint drills for the first time in about four years, officials of both countries said on Monday, as the allies seek to deploy U.S. nuclear-capable “strategic assets” to deter North Korea.

South Korea complains of growing friction with US over high-tech trade

Christian Davies and Song Jung-a, Financial Times 

Seoul’s trade minister accuses Joe Biden of about-face on electric vehicle subsidies.

Ukrainian officials try to build pressure to hold Russia accountable 

Ron DePasquale and Juston Jones, The New York Times 

After its recent success in reclaiming territory in its northeast with a lightning offensive, Ukraine on Sunday tried to build support for holding Russia accountable for alleged war crimes.

Kremlin says Ukrainian war crimes claims are a lie

Reuters 

The Kremlin on Monday rejected allegations that Russian forces had committed war crimes in Ukraine’s Kharkiv province as a “lie”.

Europe’s Energy Crisis Forces Factories to Go Dark

Liz Alderman, The New York Times 

Manufacturers are furloughing workers and shutting down lines because they can’t pay the gas and electric charges.

Zelenskyy promises no ‘lull’ in taking back Ukrainian towns

Jon Gambrell, The Associated Press 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy promised his country there would be no letup in the counteroffensive that has reclaimed towns and cities from Russian troops, as shelling continued Sunday across a wide stretch of Ukraine.

Biden Warns Russia Against Using Unconventional Weapons

Marc Santora and Norimitsu Onishi, The New York Times 

Some officials worry that the more cornered Vladimir Putin feels, particularly with recent setbacks from Ukraine’s counteroffensive, the greater the chance that he might turn to an unconventional weapon.

Russia turns to recruiting trucks, big wages to woo volunteer soldiers

Reuters 

The Russian army, seeking contract soldiers for what it calls the “special military operation” in Ukraine, is using mobile recruiting trucks to attract volunteers, offering nearly $3,000 a month as an incentive.

Ukraine’s Military Says Iranian Attack Drones Have Reached the Battlefield

Andrew E. Kramer, The New York Times 

A new and, Ukrainian officers say, frighteningly effective weapon has appeared in the war on the Russian side: Iranian-made attack drones.

Kremlin says it values Hungary taking ‘sovereign positions’ inside EU

Reuters 

The Kremlin on Monday said it welcomed Hungary taking “sovereign positions” on many issues within the European Union, as it wade into the 7.5-billion-euro funding row between Budapest and Brussels.

Thousands take part in anti-government protest in Moldova

Alexander Tanas, Reuters 

Thousands of protesters denouncing high inflation and fuel prices massed outside Moldova’s government on Sunday demanding the resignation of pro-Western President Maia Sandu and her government.

Britain and world say final goodbye to Queen Elizabeth II

Danica Kirka et al., The Associated Press 

Britain and the world said a final goodbye to Queen Elizabeth II at a state funeral Monday that drew presidents and kings, princes and prime ministers — and crowds who massed along the streets of London to honor a monarch whose 70-year reign defined an age.

López Obrador splits Mexico’s opposition with plan to boost military

David Agren, Financial Times 

Constitutional amendment places National Guard under control of generals for the first time.

Fiona nears Dominican Republic after pounding Puerto Rico

Dánica Coto, The Associated Press 

Hurricane Fiona bore down on the Dominican Republic Monday after knocking out the power grid and unleashing floods and landslides in Puerto Rico, where the governor said the damage was “catastrophic.”

Arab Israelis disillusioned after Mansour Abbas’s stint in power 

James Shotter, Financial Times 

Failure to deliver could discourage country’s Palestinian citizens from participating in election.

Iranian police call woman’s death in custody an ‘unfortunate incident’

Tom Perry et al., Reuters 

Iranian police said on Monday the death of a young woman in custody was an “unfortunate incident” they do not want to see repeated, a semi-official news agency reported, denying accusations of mistreatment that have fuelled protests.

Turbulence in Nigeria dollar market hits airlines and investors

Aanu Adeoye and David Pilling, Financial Times 

Chronic shortage of currency tips into crisis as African power giant fails to profit from rising oil prices.

Russia says ready for U.S. prisoner swap talks but scolds embassy

Reuters 

Russia’s foreign ministry said on Monday that it was ready for talks on a prisoner exchange to free U.S. citizens jailed in Russia, but that the American embassy in Moscow was “not fulfilling its official duties” to maintain dialogue.

G7 needs to mind the maritime gaps to enforce a Russia oil cap

Michelle Wiese Bockmann, Financial Times 

Producers and buyers are already exploiting the same tactics used to ship US-sanctioned Iranian and Venezuelan crude.

For Russia’s Putin, military and diplomatic pressures mount

Jon Gambrell, The Associated Press 

Pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin mounted on the battlefield and in the halls of global power as Ukrainian troops pushed their counteroffensive Saturday to advance farther into Ukraine’s partly recaptured northeast.

India will need more than a target to triple its exports

Ritesh Kumar Singh, Nikkei Asia 

Trade pacts with EU and others will be vital to reaching Modi’s goal.

Will South Korea’s Yoon become another Lee Myung-bak?

Hiroshi Minegishi, Nikkei Asia 

Hit by low approval ratings, president may have to amend pro-Japan stance.