ONS: 30 September 2013

KEY STORYLINES

• AFRICA: In Mali, fresh clashes broke out between the Army and Tuareg separitists in Kidal.
• AMERICAS: A Colombian Congressional delegation is to meet FARC negotiators for a new round of peace talks in early October.
• ASIA: In Pakistan, US drone strike on a militant compound in the Boya area of North Waziristan killed three militants.
• EUROPE: Turkish PM Erdogan announced a series of democratic reforms.
• MIDDLE EAST: Gunmen attacked the main military base in Yemen’s Hadramawt, wounding several soldiers.
• TECHNOLOGY: Japan and the US will discuss strengthening defences against cyber-attacks Thursday in the first review in 15 years of operations of the security alliance.

 

TOP STORY

• Iraq: Multiple bombings hit Baghdad.
• Eleven car bombs targeting Shiite-majority areas of Baghdad province killed at least 42 people and wounded more than 120.
• The deadliest attack took place in Sadr City, where a car bomb killed at least seven people, including two soldiers.
• The blasts came a day after a suicide bomber attacked mourners at a Shiite mosque south of Baghdad, collapsing the roof and killing 47 people.
• The UN mission in Iraq said about 800 Iraqis were killed in acts of violence in August.
• Coverage: AFP, AP, BBC, NYT, Reuters, WaPo

 

AFRICA

• Egypt: Gunmen attacked a police station in al-Arish city killing at least two officers. (DPA)
• Mali: Fresh clashes broke out between the Army and Tuareg separitists in Kidal. (AFP)
• Mali: French soldiers discovered a cache of explosives and bombs in a building owned by the World Food Program in Kidal. (Xinhua)
• Sudan: Protesters marched in Khartoum calling for the overthrow of the government. (AFP)

 

AMERICAS

• Colombia: A Congress delegation is to meet FARC negotiators for a new round of peace talks in early October. (Xinhua)
• Cuba: IAEA Director General Amanoe began a three-day official visit to the country. (Xinhua)
• Mexico: At least nine people were killed and six wounded in cartel clashes over territory in three cities. (AP)

 

ASIA

• Afghanistan: An airstrike in Ghazni killed ten militants. (Xinhua)
• Afghanistan: Former Finance Minister Ashraf Ghani launched his bid to become the next President of the country. (AFP)
• Japan: The Coast Guard arrested a Chinese crew member of a freighter over a fatal collision with a Japanese ship off Tokyo. (AFP)
• Pakistan: A US drone strike on a militant compound in the Boya area of North Waziristan killed three militants. (AFP)

 

EUROPE

• Italy: PM Letta said he would ask parliament for a vote of confidence in his coalition after Silvio Berlusconi pulled his party’s ministers from the cabinet. (AFP)
• Portugal: PM Coelho suffered defeat in local elections after voters appeared to have rejected his austerity policies. (DPA)
• Turkey: PM Erdogan announced a series of democratic reforms. (AFP)

 

MIDDLE EAST

• Iran: US Secretary Kerry said a deal with the government could be brokered within months if Tehran proves that its nuclear program was not being used to build atomic weapons. (AFP)
• Syria: UN experts wrapped up their investigation of seven alleged chemical attacks. (AFP)
• Syria: French FM Fabius said Britain, France and China will be involved in the Geneva peace conference in November. (AFP)
• Yemen: Gunmen attacked the main military base in Hadramawt, wounding several soldiers. (AP)

 

TECHNOLOGY AND COMMUNICATIONS

• Cybersecurity: Japan and the US will discuss strengthening defenses against cyber-attacks Thursday in the first review in 15 years of operations of the security alliance. (AFP)

 

WORLD

• Cyclones: Tropical Depression 22W (Twenty-Two)
• Location: 336 NM N of Koror, Palau
• Movement: N at 8
• Winds: 28 mph
• Map
• Cyclones: Typhoon 20W (Wutip)
• Location: 101 NM NNW of Da Nang, Vietnam
• Movement: WNW at 11 mph
• Winds: 103 mph
• Map
• Cyclones: Tropical Depression 21W (Sepat)
• Location: 562 NM SSE of Yokosuka, Japan
• Movement: WNW at 17 mph
• Winds: 35 mph
• Map
• Hurricanes: Tropical Depression Eleven
• Location: 1375 miles WSW of The Azores
• Movement: E at 5 mph
• Winds: 35 mph
• Map
• Hurricanes: 10% chance of tropical cyclone formation
• Location: Southwestern Caribbean Sea
• Movement: N at 10 mph
• Map
• Earthquakes: 137km ENE of L’Esperance Rock, New Zealand
• Magnitude: 6.7
• Depth: 34.8 km
• Map
• Volcanoes: Nothing to report.
• Global Disease Outbreaks:

• Novel Coronavirus (Sars)
• Cases: Global Number of Cases as of 20SEP: 132 (Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Italy, France, Germany, Jordan, Qatar, UAE, United Kingdom)
• Deaths: Global Number of Deaths as of 20SEP: 58 (Saudi Arabia, France, United Kingdom)
• Sourcing: WHO, WHO-2

 

TOMORROW’S OUTLOOK (01OCT)

• Global: 9th International Energy Fair in Serbia.
• Albania: New parliament will start session.
• Azerbaijan: Will take over as president of the UNSC.
• Bali: Anniversary of three bomb attacks at restaurants in two tourists areas killing at least 26 people – 2005.
• Belarus: CIS conference.
• China: National Day of the People’s Republic of China – 1949.
• Nigeria: Independence Day – 1960.
• South Korea: US Army will deploy air cavalry squadron comprised of approx. 380 soldiers and 30 OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters.
• United States: Pentagon must cut $53 billion from budget for 2014 fiscal year.

 

END