ONS: 21 April 2014

By TRG Alerts Admin

KEY STORYLINES

AFRICA: A car bomb in Somali capital of Mogadishu killed lawmaker Isak Mohamed and wounded another person.
AMERICAS: Fresh violence erupted in Caracas between police and opponents of Venezuelan President Maduro.
ASIA: North Korea said that an upcoming 23APR – 29APR Asian tour by US President Obama could escalate military tensions.
EUROPE: Russian President Putin signed a decree to appoint Rear ADM Berezovsky as a Deputy Commander of the Russian Black Sea Fleet and Rear ADM Smolyak as the Head of the Nakhimov Higher Naval Institute.
MIDDLE EAST: Syrian Parliamentary speaker Mohammed Lahham said the country will hold presidential elections on 03JUN.
TECHNOLOGY: A director at the China Banking Regulatory Commission (CBRC) said the fast development of internet finance in China is driving an increase in cases of illegal fund raising.

TOP STORY

US VP Biden will begin a two-day visit on Monday amid growing anxiety that Russia President Putin will press to grab more of eastern Ukraine.
US VP Biden is set to meet with Ukraine’s interim PM Yatsenyuk, Parliament Speaker, acting President Turchynov and other key legislators.
Ukrainian PM Yatsenyuk warned in an interview that Russia is undermining global stability and nuclear nonproliferation efforts amid the ongoing crisis.
Russian FM Lavrov accused Ukraine of violating an accord reached in Geneva last week aimed at averting a wider conflict between the two neighbors.
Coverage: AP, CNN, NYT, Reuters, WP

AFRICA

Region: Rwandan Hutu rebels exiled in the eastern DR Congo condemned the arrest of a group accused of plotting a grenade attack against the government in Kigali. (AFP)
Libya: A Jihadist group released a video showing a kidnapped hostage from the Tunisian embassy pleading with the authorities in Tunis to negotiate with his captors. (AFP)
Somalia: A car bomb in Mogadishu killed lawmaker Isak Mohamed and another wounded another person. (AFP)

AMERICAS

Region: Chinese FM Wang Yi was in Cuba in the first stop on a tour of four Latin American countries. (AFP)
Mexico: Troops released a group of 60 migrants trying to reach the US who were being held captive in a home in the north of the country. (AFP)
Venezuela: Fresh violence erupted in Caracas between police and opponents of President Maduro. (BBC)

ASIA

Region: Japan warned that the seizure of a Japanese ship in Shanghai over pre-wartime debts threatened ties with China and could undermine the basis of their post-war diplomatic relationship.
Afghanistan: Security forces arrested four militants, including a would-be suicide bomber, in the Jawzjan province. (Xinhua)
Indonesia: The government called on regional governments to stop “shifting responsibility” for asylum-seeker. (AFP)
Korea, North: The government said that an upcoming 23APR – 29APR Asian tour by US President Obama could escalate military tensions. (AFP)
Philippines: Suspected communist guerrillas in paramilitary-style uniforms shot dead the mayor of Gonzaga. (AFP)

EUROPE

Russia: Unidentified persons in Dagestan’s capital city Makhachkala shot and wounded a police officer. (Itar-Tass)
Russia: President Putin signed a decree to appoint Rear ADM Berezovsky as a Deputy Commander of the Russian Black Sea Fleet and Rear ADM Smolyak as the Head of the Nakhimov Higher Naval Institute. (Interfax)
United Kingdom: An explosion and fire in Gibraltar left some areas without power. (BBC)

MIDDLE EAST

Iraq: A suicide bomber detonated a vehicle at a police checkpoint in the Suweirah area killing 10 and wounding 35 people. (AFP)
Palestinian Territories: Militants in the Gaza Strip fired three rockets into Israel but caused no casualties or property damage. (AFP)
Syria: Parliamentary speaker Mohammed Lahham said the country will hold presidential elections on 03JUN. (AP)
Syria: State-run media reported that a pair of mortar shells hit near the parliament building in central Damascus, killing five people. (AP)
Yemen: Three al-Qaeda suspects, including an alleged senior militant, were killed in a drone strike in the south of the country. (AFP)

TECHNOLOGY AND COMMUNICATIONS

Cybersecurity: A director at the China Banking Regulatory Commission (CBRC) said the fast development of internet finance in China is driving an increase in cases of illegal fund raising. (Reuters)

WORLD

Cases: Global Number of Cases as of 17APR: 243 (Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Italy, France, Germany, Jordan, Oman, Qatar, UAE, United Kingdom)
Deaths: Global Number of Deaths as of 17APR: 93 (Saudi Arabia, France, Qatar, United Kingdom, UAE, Oman)
Sourcing: WHO, WHO-2

TOMORROW’S OUTLOOK (22APR)

Asia Region: U.S. President Barack Obama is due to visit Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and the Philippines

END