Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya will meet (RFE/RL) with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun today after protesters staged (Al Jazeera) their largest demonstration yet over Belarus’s disputed presidential election.
 
President Alexander Lukashenko flew over (CNBC) Sunday’s rally in a helicopter and brandished an assault rifle after landing. Authorities arrested two members (Bloomberg) of the opposition’s coordinating council today. The United States and European Union have rejected the results of the election, in which Lukashenko claimed victory, while Russia has backed the embattled leader.

A four-day sentencing hearing began today (New Zealand Herald) for the man who pleaded guilty to murdering fifty-one people and attempting to kill forty others in the 2019 terrorist attacks on two Christchurch mosques. He had planned to attack a third mosque, the court heard.
 
Philippines: At least fifteen people died and seventy-seven were injured in two explosions (Manila Times) in the southern town of Jolo. A suicide bomber is believed to be responsible for one of the explosions, and authorities are investigating the terrorist group Abu Sayyaf.

The Taliban chose twenty negotiators (AP) to represent the militant group in intra-Afghan peace talks. The team will have wide-ranging authority, including the ability to sign agreements with the Afghan government.
 
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani discusses the peace process in Afghanistan during this CFR event.
 
India: Prominent lawyer Prashant Bhushan must apologize today (Reuters) to India’s Supreme Court for criticizing the body, including in a tweet about its chief justice, or face prison time. Bhushan said in a statement that he will not apologize (Hindustan Times).

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo landed in Israel (Times of Israel) to begin a Middle East trip aimed at normalizing ties between Israel and Arab countries. His five-day tour will include stops in Bahrain, Sudan, the United Arab Emirates, and possibly Oman and Qatar.
 
CFR’s Steven A. Cook explains the recent Israel-UAE agreement to normalize relations.
 
Syria: A natural gas pipeline exploded (Bloomberg) near Damascus, causing blackouts across Syria, state media reported. Oil Minister Ali Ghanem alleged that the explosion was a “terrorist attack.” No deaths or injuries were reported.

Negotiations are ongoing between military officials who took control of Mali last week and mediators from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Military leaders agreed to release (Al Jazeera) former President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and want a military-led transitional government, according to unnamed sources on both sides.
 
For Africa in Transition, CFR’s John Campbell writes that the coup is unlikely to lead to fundamental change in Mali.
 
Ivory Coast: Interethnic violence erupted (RFI) after President Alassane Ouattara’s party nominated him to run for a third term in the country’s October presidential election. Two people were reportedly killed and several others were wounded.

European trade commissioner Phil Hogan apologized for spurning Ireland’s coronavirus restrictions (FT) to attend a dinner last week, though a spokesperson said he will not step down. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen asked Hogan to provide a report of the incident.

Thirteen people died in a stampede while trying to escape a police raid (teleSUR) at a Lima nightclub. The nightclub was open despite coronavirus restrictions, and authorities are searching for those responsible.
 
Caribbean: Tropical Storm Laura hit the Dominican Republic and Haiti yesterday, killing at least thirteen people (Miami Herald) and causing damage and flooding. The storm is now near Cuba.

The Food and Drug Administration granted emergency approval (NYT) to expand convalescent plasma treatments for coronavirus patients. President Donald J. Trump praised the decision, which had been delayed over concerns of insufficient data to support the therapy.