China & Indo-Pacific

- Two new islands have appeared near Indonesia’s Anak Krakatoa volcano after a September eruption. - President Trump plans to call Russian President Putin regarding a plague incident in Russia, dismissing it as not bioweapon-related. - Japan and the US will conduct expanded military exercises near Taiwan involving about 45,000 Japanese personnel and 12,000 US troops. - China has nominated Song Li for the WHO chief position, potentially making her the first mainland Chinese leader of the UN health agency; satellite images show Chinese attack jets stationed at a new military facility in Laos, marking Beijing's first foothold in mainland Southeast Asia.

Recent headlines

• Indonesia starts arrival health checks over plague fears — khmer_times_kh
• Trump doesn't think Russia plague incident is bioweapon, plans Putin call Wednesday — cnbc_top
• Russia lifts plague lab-related measures. Should China – and the world – be relieved? — scmp
• What Does China’s New Military Base in Laos Mean? — foreign_policy
• Iran joins SCO drill as China resists direct intervention in US-Iran war — al_monitor