- Overnight News Summaries ,
- Tags: Africa, Caribbean, Department of Homeland Security, earthquake, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Mexico, Middle East, Protest, protests, Russia, Tehran, Tunisia, UAE, United States, virus, Yemen
- 03 Sep
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
- Ukraine: Government reports progress on ceasefire in east.
- 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
- Cyclones: Nothing to report.
- Hurricanes: Tropical Storm Dolly
- Location: 40 miles SW of Tampico, Mexico
- Movement: W at 8 mph
- Winds: 40 mph
- Map
- Hurricanes: Tropical Storm Norbert
- Location: 135 miles WSW of Cabo Corrientes, Mexico
- Movement: NW at 8 mph
- Winds: 60 mph
- Map
- Earthquakes: Nothing to report.
- Volcanoes: Nothing to report.
- Global Disease Outbreaks:
- Ebola Virus Disease (EVD)
- Cases: 3069 (Guinea, Mali, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, DR Congo) –
- Deaths: 1552 (Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone)
- Sourcing: WHO, WHO-2
- Novel Coronavirus (MERS-CoV, SARS-related)
- 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