ONS: 27 August 2019

By TRG Alerts Admin

KEY STORYLINES

AFRICA: The Khalifa Hifter led Libyan National Army says it has taken control areas adjacent to the strategic town of Gharyan, which is located just 62 miles from the country’s capital of Tripoli.
AMERICAS: Brazil rejected an offer of aid from G7 countries to fight the Amazon wildfires, with one official also reportedly stating that French President Emmanuel Macron should take care of “his home and his colonies”.
ASIA: China says it will conduct military exercises in the East China Sea near Taiwan this week, as relations remain tense between Beijing and the self-ruled island.
EUROPE: Italy’s 5-Star Movement halted talks on potentially forming a new government with the opposition Democratic Party (PD), saying it would only restart them if the opposition party agreed to retain Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte as government leader.
MIDDLE EAST: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said he would hold talks with the United States only when US sanctions against the country are lifted, speaking a day after President Donald Trump said he was open to meeting and trying to end the nuclear standoff.
TECHNOLOGY & COMMUNICATIONS: The US government reportedly aims to launch a program in one month, that focuses on protecting voter registration databases and systems ahead of the 2020 presidential election.

TOP STORY

China: Authorities charge Australian writer with espionage.
- China formally arrested Australian writer and pro-democracy activist Yang Hengjun on espionage charges, which in China is an offence punishable by death.
- The news was announced by Yang’s lawyers and the Australian government, with Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne demanding China to uphold “basic standards” of justice.
- Yang had initially been taken into Chinese custody back in January, when he arrived in China from the United States.
- The pro-democracy activist has written about pushing for democracy and more human rights in China and apart from writing, he also has prior experience of working for the Chinese foreign ministry.
- Additionally, authorities have barred Yang’s wife, who is also an Australian permanent resident, from leaving China.
- Reporting: WaPo, NYT, Reuters, AFP, CNN, AP

AFRICA

Cameroon: Renewed fighting between the military and separatists in the country’s English-speaking regions, left at least 40 people dead over the weekend, during which a prominent Catholic bishop was also abducted. (VOA)
Libya: The Khalifa Hifter led National Army says it has taken control areas adjacent to the strategic town of Gharyan, which is located just 62 miles from the country’s capital of Tripoli. (AP)
Sudan: The government wants the UN Security Council to lift its suspension of troop withdrawals from the country and ensure all peacekeepers leave Darfur by June 2020. (AP)
Zimbabwe: The government attracted criticism from the US State Department due to its heavy-handed response to the country’s opposition. (Reuters)

AMERICAS

Region: Health officials from 10 countries agreed to provide Venezuelan migrants with a regional vaccination card beginning in October, to ensure that they are provided with necessary vaccines. (Reuters)
Argentina: A court rejected a request from lawyers to throw out a corruption case against former president and current vice presidential candidate Cristina Kirchner. (AFP)
Brazil: The country rejected an offer of aid from G7 countries to fight the Amazon wildfires, with one official also reportedly stating that French President Emmanuel Macron should take care of “his home and his colonies”. (AFP)
United States: President Donald Trump’s administration is being sued by 19 states and the District of Columbia, due to the administration’s plans to withdraw from a court settlement that governs the care of migrant children in federal detention. (NPR)

ASIA

Region: China says it will conduct military exercises in the East China Sea near Taiwan this week, as relations remain tense between Beijing and the self-ruled island. (AFP)
Malaysia: Prosecutors concluded making their case against former Prime Minister Najib Razak in his first corruption trial, paving the way for the start of his second court case on his alleged corruption. (AP)
Nauru: Lionel Aingimea, a former human rights lawyer, became the country’s new President, after Parliament voted 12-6 in favor of him. (AFP)
Sri Lanka: The country’s new army chief dismissed international outrage over his appointment, saying “anyone can make allegations” that he had committed war crimes. (AFP)

EUROPE

Region: French President Emmanuel Macron announced that Russia, Ukraine, Germany, and France will hold talks in September, with the goal being ending the conflict in eastern Ukraine. (RFE-RL)
Italy: The 5-Star Movement halted talks on potentially forming a new government with the opposition Democratic Party (PD), saying it would only restart them if the opposition party agreed to retain Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte as government leader. (Reuters)
Romania: The Social Democrat party-led minority government is facing the risk of not surviving an expected no-confidence vote, after it lost its junior ally’s support and its only other viable partner, the ethnic Hungarian UDMR party, also refused to lend the minority government any support. (Reuters)
Russia: Authorities denied US Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) a travel visa as part of a congressional delegation visiting the country, the Senator’s office said. (RFE-RL)

MIDDLE EAST

Region: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a warning to Iran and its Lebanese Shiite proxy, the militant Hezbollah group, that Israel “knows how to defend itself and how to pay back its enemies”. (AP)
Iran: President Hassan Rouhani said he would hold talks with the United States only when US sanctions against the country are lifted, speaking a day after President Donald Trump said he was open to meeting and trying to end the nuclear standoff. (Reuters)
Iraq: The country’s Prime Minister and President both condemned the recent airstrikes on the bases and weapons depot of a paramilitary force, that blames Israel for the airstrikes. (Reuters)
Syria: Clashes between regime forces and anti-government fighters resulted in the deaths of 51 combatants on both sides in the country’s northwestern regions. (AFP)

TECHNOLOGY AND COMMUNICATIONS

Cybersecurity: The US government reportedly aims to launch a program in one month, that focuses on protecting voter registration databases and systems ahead of the 2020 presidential election. (Reuters)

WORLD

Cyclones: Nothing to report.
Hurricanes:
- Tropical Storm Dorian
  - Location: 30 miles SE of St. Lucia
  - Wind: 50mph
  - Movement: W-NW at 11mph
  - Map
Earthquakes: Nothing to report.
Volcanoes: Nothing to report.
Global Disease Outbreaks:

TOMORROW’S OUTLOOK (28 AUG)

Japan: Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to visit.
Poland: Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis to meet with Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.
Russia: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to meet with President Vladimir Putin.

END