ONS: 03 September 2014

By TRG Alerts Admin

KEY STORYLINES

AFRICA: Security sources said that the death of the leader of Somali Shebab rebels in a US air strike is a “very strong probability” but still unconfirmed.
AMERICAS: Venezuelan President Maduro replaced longtime Oil Minister and economic czar Ramirez as part of a cabinet shakeup.
ASIA: Rival Pakistani politicians explored the possibility of a negotiated solution to weeks of protests aimed at the removal of PM Sharif.
EUROPE: US President Obama arrived in Estonia to meet Baltic leaders and reaffirm Washington’s commitment to the security of ex-Soviet NATO members.
MIDDLE EAST: HRW reported that Islamic State militants carried out a mass killing of hundreds of Iraqi soldiers captured when the extremists overran a military base north of Baghdad in June.
TECHNOLOGY: Google said it is working on a super-fast “quantum” computer chip as part of a new “hardware initiative”.

TOP STORY

President Poroshenko said that he and Russian President Putin had agreed to a “permanent ceasefire” in the east of the country.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Putin and Poroshenko had discussed steps “but in principle Russia cannot agree on a ceasefire as it is not a participant in the conflict.”
US President Obama said that it was “too early to tell” how serious the reports of a cease-fire are.
Russian photographer Andrei Stenin, missing since early August, was confirmed dead in Ukraine.
Australia banned uranium sales to Russia over its actions in Ukraine while announcing it will set up an embassy in Kiev and may offer military assistance.
Coverage: AFP, AFP-2, AFP-3, AP, NYT, Reuters

AFRICA

Region: The EU signed development programs with 21 African, Caribbean and Pacific countries for a total amount of 339 million euros. (Xinhua)
Nigeria: Boko Haram militants reportedly seized another town in the northeast after heavy fighting with government troops. (AFP)
Somalia: Security sources said that the death of the leader of al-Qaeda-linked Shebab rebels in a US air strike is a “very strong probability” but still unconfirmed. (AFP)

AMERICAS

United States: The Department of Homeland Security reported that investigators have found no evidence to support a complaint that young migrants crossing the border illegally had been subject to “systemic abuse” in detention. (NYT)
Uruguay: President Mujica denied that he has been pressured by the US to let six men being held at Guantanamo resettle in the country. (AP)
Venezuela: President Maduro replaced longtime Oil Minister and economic czar Ramirez as part of a cabinet shakeup. (AP)

ASIA

Indonesia: The country’s anti-corruption agency named energy minister Jero Wacik a suspect in a corruption case. (Reuters)
Pakistan: The military said it had killed more than 900 militants and lost 82 soldiers since the start of a major operation against the Taliban in the tribal northwest in June. (AFP)
Pakistan: Rival politicians on explored the possibility of a negotiated solution to weeks of protests aimed at the removal of PM Sharif. (Reuters)
Sri Lanka: A retired soldier died a day after setting himself alight in what police said was a protest against UN moves to investigate the country’s war record. (AFP)
Thailand: The UN said it was “seriously concerned” about growing restrictions on human rights activists in the country after a string of curbs on freedom of expression. (AFP)

EUROPE

Estonia: US President Obama arrived in the country to meet Baltic leaders and reaffirm Washington’s commitment to the security of ex-Soviet NATO members. (AFP)
Poland: Deputy PM Bienkowska was announced as the country’s candidate to become one of the new European commissioners. (Reuters)
United Kingdom: PM Cameron is to chair an emergency meeting following the execution of a second US journalist by Islamist fighters in Iraq and the threat that a British hostage will be next. (AFP)

MIDDLE EAST

Region: A senior Israeli official said Israel is lobbying world powers against any Iranian nuclear deal that would let Tehran retain potential bomb-making technologies. (Reuters)
Iraq: The White House said the video purporting to show US journalist Steven Sotloff being executed is authentic. (AFP)
Iraq: HRW reported that Islamic State militants carried out a mass killing of hundreds of soldiers captured when the extremists overran a military base north of Baghdad in June. (AP)
Iraq: The US is adding 350 more troops to help protect the American Embassy in Baghdad and its support facilities in the capital. (AP)

TECHNOLOGY AND COMMUNICATIONS

Technology: Google said it is working on a super-fast “quantum” computer chip as part of a new “hardware initiative”. (Reuters)

WORLD

Cases as of 24JUL: 837 (Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Italy, Iran, France, Germany, Jordan, Oman, Qatar, UAE, United Kingdom, Egypt, US, Yemen)
Deaths as of 24JUL: 291 (Saudi Arabia, France, Qatar, United Kingdom, UAE, Oman)
Sourcing: WHO, WHO-2

TOMORROW’S OUTLOOK (04SEP)

Europe Region: NATO’s next summit in southern Wales SEPT 04-05 (Kerry Present)
Russia: Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjorn Jagland to hold negotiations with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow

END