ONS: 13 July 2012

by TRG Alerts Admin on July 13, 2012

KEY STORYLINES

AFRICA: In the DR Congo, the M23 movement gave the army an ultimatum to withdraw from settlements in the eastern Kivu region.
AMERICAS: Mexican Presidential runner-up Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador will ask Mexico’s electoral tribunal to void the 01JUL election results.
ASIA: The Southeast Asia summit ended without a diplomatic consensus from the ASEAN bloc.
EUROPE: Russia will impose restrictions on foreign-funded NGOs involved in political activity.
MIDDLE EAST: The Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood said its political party, the Islamic Action Front, will boycott early parliamentary elections due by the end of the year.
TECHNOLOGY: Betaworks buys Digg for Pennies on the Dollar.

TOP STORY

Syria: Government forces killed more than 200 – mostly civilians – in the rebellious Hama district.

Helicopter gunships and tanks bombarded the village of Tremseh, killing mostly civilians.
Following the barrage, pro-government militiamen targeted victims individually.
The Syrian National Council urged the UN Security Council to pass a binding resolution against Damascus.
Coverage: AP, BBC, Guardian, Reuters, Telegraph (UK)

AFRICA

DR Congo: The M23 movement gave the DR Congo army an ultimatum to withdraw from settlements in the eastern Kivu region. (AFP)
Ethiopia: Dissident writer Eskinder Nega and five other exiled journalists received prison sentences on charges of conspiring with rebels to overthrow the government. (Reuters)
Mali: US President Obama authorized as much as USD10 million in emergency aid to help those fleeing the conflict in northern Mali. (UPI)
South Africa: More than 30 people were killed when a train ploughed into a truck carrying farm workers. (Reuters)

AMERICAS

Region: Two sophisticated drug-smuggling tunnels were discovered in Tijuana and San Luis, Arizona. (AP)
Colombia: FARC rebels claimed they had shot down a missing military plane by showing its alleged wreckage, but President Santos said that was “unlikely.” (AFP)
Mexico: Left-wing presidential candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said he had proof Pena Nieto enlisted help to buy around 5 million votes. (Reuters)
Venezuela: The National Electoral Council offered the seven presidential candidates to sign a binding agreement on an unconditional recognition of election results. (Itar-Tass)

ASIA

Region: The ASEAN bloc failed to issue a joint statement at the end of the Southeast Asia statement due to lack of consensus over the territorial dispute with China. (AP)
Region: Dozens of militants who came from Afghanistan to attack a village in Pakistan’s northwest and took scores of hostages fled back across the border, leaving behind the captives and carrying the bodies of 15 fighters killed in a battle with the army. (AP)
Cambodia: The country will unilaterally withdraw 486 military personnel from the Provisional Demilitarized Zone to abide by an ICJ order issued last year. (Xinhua)
India: The defense ministry successfully tested the nuclear-capable Agni-I ballistic missile. (Kyodo)
Pakistan: A bomb hit a public gathering near Quetta, killing at least seven people. (Xinhua)

EUROPE

Region: Navy ships from Turkey, Israel and Britain engaged in separate military drills south of Cyprus. (Xinhua)
Region: Russian DM Serdyukov stated Russia and the Ukraine will further integrate military cooperation, including a joint anti-piracy accord and repairing Russian armored hardware at Ukrainian defense plants. (Interfax)
Northern Ireland: The IRA wounded 20 policemen following Belfast riots that followed a Protestant parade past Ardoyne, a power base for militant Catholics. (AP)
Russia: The State Duma voted almost unanimously to pass a bill placing harsh restrictions on all foreign-funded NGOs involved in political activity. (AP)

MIDDLE EAST

Iran: US President Obama ordered more sanctions on Iran designed to hinder the country’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs. (AP)
Jordan: The Muslim Brotherhood said its political party, the Islamic Action Front, will boycott early parliamentary elections due by the end of the year. (BBC)
Syria: US officials said the Syrian government has begun to move parts of its chemical weapons out of storage facilities; critics view the bill as part of a broad crackdown on civil liberties. (WSJ)
Syria: The Muslim Brotherhood released a statement blaming Kofi Annan for prolonging the conflict. (AFP)

TECHNOLOGY AND COMMUNICATIONS

Acquisition: New York-based incubator Betaworks bought social news aggregator Digg for an undisclosed sum; the WSJ speculated the price was $500,000. (WSJ)

WORLD

TOMORROW’S OUTLOOK (14 JUL)

South America: Anniversary of the start of the Football War between Honduras and El Salvador – 1969.
Egypt: Secretary Clinton visits newly elected President Morsi.
France: Anniversary of the storming of the Bastille (Bastille Day) – 1789.

END