ONS – 13 April 2019

By TRG Alerts Admin

KEY STORYLINES

AFRICA: Cyclone Idai that cut a deadly swath through Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe last month is expected to cost the three countries more than $2bn, the World Bank has said.
AMERICAS: A refugee fund set up by the World Bank, the United Nations and the Islamic Development Bank approved a $31.5 million grant for Colombia to aid Venezuelan migrants and refugees.
ASIA: Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic launched on Friday a partnership center to support cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC).
EUROPE: Kosovo said it would punish the denial of war crimes committed by Serb forces, an effort likely to further inflame tensions between Belgrade and Pristina.
MIDDLE EAST: Israeli planes targeted a military position near the province of Hama in Syria, but Syrian air defenses intercepted and downed some of the rockets, Syrian state television said.
TECHNOLOGY: The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank have launched a private blockchain and quasi-cryptocurrency called “Learning Coin” to better understand the emerging technology.

TOP STORY

North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un is open to a 3rd summit with the United States
- Two days after President Donald Trump floated the idea of a 3rd summit, Kim Jong Un during a meeting at the Supreme People’s Assembly, he stated he is willing to meet with the U.S. but only if the US brought the “right attitude”.
- Kim said that he will wait “till the end of this year” for the United States to decide to be more flexible
- KIm stated, “If it (the United States) keeps thinking that way, it will never be able to move the DPRK even a knuckle nor gain any interests no matter how many times it may sit for talks with the DPRK.”
- Kim’s comments signal he won’t cling to talks with the United States forever and is potentially looking for other countries to build diplomatic relations with.
- Kim said he would not hesitate to sign an agreement if it takes into account both countries’ considerations.
- Kim said that his personal relationship with Trump is still good, but that he had no interest in a third summit if it were a repeat of Hanoi.
- Reporting: Reuters, BBC, AP, The Guardian, VOA

AFRICA

Region: Cyclone Idai that cut a deadly swath through Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe last month is expected to cost the three countries more than $2bn, the World Bank has said. (The Guardian)
Cameroon: Six students — five boys and one girl — of a government secondary school have been kidnapped in Fongo Tongo, a local government official said. (Xinhua)
Libya: In a statement released by the country’s Foreign Ministry, Brazil called for a cessation of hostilities and reaffirmed its support for the United Nations’ (UN’s) efforts in the country. (Xinhua)
Sudan: Activists say 16 people, including a soldier, have been killed since the military forced President Omar al-Bashir from power on Thursday following months of protests. (AP)

AMERICAS

Region: Hundreds of migrants crossed into Mexico’s southern border city of Chiapas, seeking a visa to aid them on their path north towards the border with the U.S. (Reuters)
Region: Chilean President Sebastian Pinera said that he rejects military intervention in Venezuela, he made the remark while meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, during which the pair made a deep analysis of the panorama of Latin America. (Xinhua)
Region: A refugee fund set up by the World Bank, the United Nations and the Islamic Development Bank approved a $31.5 million grant for Colombia to aid Venezuelan migrants and refugees. (Reuters)
United States: Prosecutors have just under two months to present British authorities with a final and detailed criminal case to justify the possible extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, a U.S. government official stated. (Reuters)

ASIA

Region: Brunei’s warship KDB Daruttaqwa has set sail for deployment to Qingdao in China, Busan in South Korea and Changi in Singapore. (Xinhua)
China: Premier Li Keqiang, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic launched on Friday a partnership center to support cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC). (Xinhua)
Indonesia: Tens of thousands of citizens have flocked to presidential campaign rallies ahead of a final debate between the two candidates. (AP)
Japan: A U.S. serviceman fatally stabbed a Japanese woman and then killed himself in Okinawa, Japan’s Foreign Ministry said, amid growing resentment about the presence of American troops in the southwestern region. (AP)

EUROPE

Region: Kosovo said it would punish the denial of war crimes committed by Serb forces, an effort likely to further inflame tensions between Belgrade and Pristina. (RFE)
Ukraine: The self-proclaimed eastern Ukrainian republics of Donetsk and Lugansk (DPR and LPR) were skeptical about plans of the so-called Easter Ceasefire, revealed by Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko. (TASS)
United Kingdom: Police say four men from Sri Lanka have been arrested on suspicion of belonging to a banned extremist organisation. (AP)

MIDDLE EAST

Region: Israeli planes targeted a military position near the province of Hama in Syria, but Syrian air defenses intercepted and downed some of the rockets, Syrian state television said. (Reuters)
Jordan: They will host a trilateral summit with Cyprus and Greece, to be attended by Jordanian King Abdullah II, Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades, and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Sunday, according to an official statement from the Royal Court. (Xinhua)
Lebanon: President Michel Aoun said that Lebanon will not accept any attempt by U.S. President Donald Trump to recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the occupied Shebaa Farms or Kfarchouba Hills. (Xinhua)
Yemen: The internationally-backed President Abdu-Rabbu Mansour Hadi arrived in the country’s southeastern province of Hadramout coming from Saudi Arabia to attend an extraordinary session of the country’s parliament. (Xinhua)

TECHNOLOGY AND COMMUNICATIONS

Technology: The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank have launched a private blockchain and quasi-cryptocurrency called “Learning Coin” to better understand the emerging technology. (Financial Times)

WORLD

Cyclones: Nothing to report.
Hurricanes: Nothing to report.
Earthquake:
- Magnitude: 6.8
  - Location: 102 km SSW of Luwuk, Indonesia
  - Depth: 17.5 km
  - Map
- Volcanoes: Nothing to report.
- Global Disease Outbreaks:
  - Ebola Virus Disease:
    - Ebola Virus Disease:
    - Confirmed Cases as of 10APR19: 1140 (DR Congo)
    - Suspected Cases as of 10APR19: 66 (DR Congo)
    - Deaths as of 10APR19: 764 (DR Congo)
    - Sourcing: WHO

TOMORROW’S OUTLOOK (14 APR)

END