ONS: 18 September 2018

By TRG Alerts Admin

KEY STORYLINES

AFRICA: Ethiopian authorities cut mobile internet access in the capital Addis Ababa, amidst deadly unrest that left five people dead in the city, as thousands protested.
AMERICAS: The Trump administration imposed tariffs on an additional $200 billion worth of Chinese imports, significantly escalating the trade war.
ASIA: Beijing vowed to retaliate against the US president’s decision to slap more tariffs on Chinese imports, saying it had undermined efforts to reach a negotiated settlement and would spark counter-measures.
EUROPE: Poland was banned from the EU body representing the member states’ judicial institutions over its perceived lack of independence after controversial reforms.
MIDDLE EAST: A Russian military plane was accidentally shot down by Syrian air defenses, with Russia blaming the Israeli Air Force for driving it into the line of fire.
TECHNOLOGY: The US will spare Apple Inc’s Watch and other consumer gadgets from the latest round of tariffs on Chinese goods, according to a list of products released by the USTR.

TOP STORY

Korea: South Korea’s President arrives in Pyongyang for denuclearization summit with Kim Jong Un
- President Moon was warmly received in person by Kim at the Pyongyang airport, and the two drove through the city together past crowds of thousands.
- This is the third summit this year between the two leaders, and the first visit to Pyongyang in a decade.
- Moon aims to break the deadlock on denuclearization that has stalled progress between North Korea and the US
- The US wants the North to completely denuclearize before relaxing pressure, while the North wants an official end to the Korean war.
- Moon’s administration has cautioned against hoping for a complete breakthrough, but expects progress on reducing tensions.
- Reporting: AP, AFP, Yonhap, Reuters, Xinhua

AFRICA

Ethiopia: Authorities cut mobile internet access in the capital Addis Ababa, amidst deadly unrest that left five people dead in the city, as thousands protested. (Xinhua)
Libya: The internationally recognized government said a “regular force” would be tasked with securing the capital’s only working airport, closed again last week due to violence between militias. (AFP)
Nigeria: Floods in much of the central and southern regions of the country have killed 100 people across 10 states, the emergency and disasters agency said. (Reuters)

AMERICAS

Argentina: Ex-president Cristina Kirchner was charged with corruption as a judge asked that her parliamentary immunity be lifted so she can be detained. (AFP)
United States: The Trump administration imposed tariffs on an additional $200 billion worth of Chinese imports, significantly escalating the trade war. (WaPo)
United States: More than 400,000 homes and businesses in North Carolina and South Carolina, were still without power after storm Florence hit over the weekend. (Reuters)

ASIA

Region: Japan carried out its first submarine drill in the South China Sea, a move likely to anger Beijing which claims most of the disputed waters. (AFP)
Afghanistan: At least nine local policemen were killed in northern Balkh province when another officer opened fire on them, the latest in a series of insider attacks. (AP)
China: Beijing vowed to retaliate against the US president’s decision to slap more tariffs on Chinese imports, saying it had undermined efforts to reach a negotiated settlement and would spark counter-measures. (FT)

EUROPE

Region: EU Council President Donald Tusk said an extra European summit in November may be necessary to clinch a Brexit deal with the UK, warning that failure remains possible. (AFP)
France: Interior Minister Gerard Collomb, a key ally of President Macron, announced he will step down from his post well ahead of running for mayor of Lyon in 2020. (Reuters)
Poland: The country was banned from the EU body representing the member states’ judicial institutions over its perceived lack of independence after controversial reforms. (AFP)
Ukraine: An envoy of the Istanbul-based patriarch of the Orthodox church announced that the Ukrainian church would be declared independent of the Russian branch, in light of the armed conflict in the Donbas. (AFP)

MIDDLE EAST

Region: Russia and Turkey agreed to establish a demilitarized zone in Syria’s Idlib, in a move aimed at preventing a regime assault on the rebel-held province. (AFP)
Region: A Russian military plane was accidentally shot down by Syrian air defenses, with Russia blaming the Israeli Air Force for driving it into the line of fire. (AP)
Iraq: The government decided to deploy federal troops along the border between the country’s semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan and Turkey. (Xinhua)
Yemen: The Saudi-led coalition said pro-government forces in Yemen launched a new offensive against the rebel-held port city of Hodeida, after an 11-week pause during UN efforts to hold peace talks. (AFP)

TECHNOLOGY AND COMMUNICATIONS

Technology: The US will spare Apple Inc’s Watch and other consumer gadgets from the latest round of tariffs on Chinese goods, according to a list of products released by the USTR. (Reuters)

WORLD

TOMORROW’S OUTLOOK (19 SEP)

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