Key Storylines
- AFRICA: The World Health Organization says a new polio outbreak in Sudan can be linked to an ongoing vaccine-sparked epidemic in neighboring Chad, just one week after it declared the continent free of wild polio.
- AMERICAS: The US announced they will not join a global effort to develop, manufacture and equitably distribute a coronavirus vaccine, partly since the World Health Organization is involved in the process.
- ASIA: Australia’s economy fell into its first recession in almost 30 years, as it deals with the economic fallout of the global coronavirus pandemic.
- EUROPE: Prosecutors in Russia asked Germany to provide information on the medical tests conducted on Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny.
- MIDDLE EAST: Amnesty International accused Iran’s government of “a catalogue of shocking human rights violations” against detained demonstrators and others involved in the November 2019 antiestablishment protests.
- TECH & COMMUNICATIONS: Facebook and Twitter say the FBI warned them of Russian state-backed Internet Research Agency setting up networks to spread disinformation on the social media websites.
Top Story
- France: Trial of suspected accomplices of the Charlie Hebdo attack begins.
- The trial of 14 suspects related to the January 2015 terror attacks on the Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine started.
- The suspects are accused of being accomplices to the attack by providing help to the militant Islamist attackers who carried out the attacks, by buying weapons, cars, and helping with logistics
- Eleven of the defendants are being tried at a court in Paris itself, while the other three defendants, who traveled to areas of Syria under the Islamic State’s control in 2015 and are possibly dead, are being tried in-absentia.
- Meanwhile, Charlie Hebdo marked the start of the trial by reprinting a series of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad that sparked protests in several Muslim countries in the past.
- Reporting: AP, BBC, Reuters, DPA
Africa
- Region: The World Health Organization says a new polio outbreak in Sudan can be linked to an ongoing vaccine-sparked epidemic in neighboring Chad, just one week after it declared the continent free of wild polio. (AP)
- Mauritius: The government demanded up to 34 million dollars from Japan as compensation to the country’s fishermen affected by the recent oil spill that was caused by a Japanese vessel. (DPA)
- Tunisia: Parliament approved Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi’s new politically independent and technocratic government, making it the country’s third government in less than a year. (AFP)
Americas
- Region: Mexico will “seek to find mutually satisfactory solutions” with the US, after Washington asked for discussions over the imports of perishable goods to protect US farmers. (Reuters)
- Brazil: Deltan Dallagnol, the prosecutor leading the “Operation Car Wash” corruption probe, resigned after six years in the role. (AFP)
- Chile: Strikes by truck drivers in the country have affected the exports of salmon, fruit, meat and wine from the country to the US, Europe and Asia. (Reuters)
- United States: The country announced they will not join a global effort to develop, manufacture and equitably distribute a coronavirus vaccine, partly since the World Health Organization is involved in the process. (WaPo)
Asia
- Australia: The country’s economy fell into its first recession in almost 30 years, as it deals with the economic fallout of the global coronavirus pandemic. (BBC)
- Cambodia: Former Khmer Rouge senior figure Comrade Duch, who was convicted of crimes against humanity in the country, has died. (BBC)
- Japan: Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga announced he will contest for the leadership of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and is now being seen as the favorite to become the country’s next Prime Minister. (Reuters)
- Taiwan: The country is set to make changes to its passports due to instances of the country’s citizens being mistaken for Chinese citizens and facing restrictions that Chinese citizens face, according to Foreign Minister Joseph Wu. (Reuters)
Europe
- Region: Prosecutors in Russia asked Germany to provide information on the medical tests conducted on Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny. (Reuters)
- Region: Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz rejected refugee distribution among EU countries as an option and said EU asylum reform should focus on protecting the bloc’s external borders, fighting against traffickers, and localized aid to prevent migration flows to EU countries. (DPA)
- Bulgaria: Thousands of people staged a demonstration in front of the parliament building in capital Sofia, marking one of the biggest anti-government protests so far in two months of demonstrations calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Boyko Borissov. (Reuters)
- Greece: Government officials confirmed the first coronavirus case in the country’s largest migrant camp on the island of Lesbos, where nearly 13,000 asylum seekers live in unsanitary conditions. (AFP)
- Norway: The government’s quarterly public spending was more than the government’s overall income between April and June, marking the government’s first deficit in 25 years. (Reuters)
Middle East
- Iran: Amnesty International accused the government of “a catalogue of shocking human rights violations” against detained demonstrators and others involved in the November 2019 antiestablishment protests. (RFE-RL)
- Iraq: French President Emmanuel Macron landed in the country for an official visit. (DPA)
- Israel: The police said one of their officers shot and wounded a Palestinian driver who attempted to run over and stab security personnel in the West Bank. (AP)
Tech & Communications
- Social Media: Facebook and Twitter say the FBI warned them of Russian state-backed Internet Research Agency setting up networks to spread disinformation on the social media websites. (NYT)
World
- Cyclones:
- Hurricanes:
- Tropical Storm Nana
- Location: 210 miles E-NE of Limon, Honduras
- Wind: 60 mph
- Movement: W at 16 mph
- Map
- Tropical Storm Nana
- Earthquakes:
- Chile
- Location: 95 km NW of Vallenar, Chile
- Magnitude: 6.5
- Depth: 14.3 km
- Map
- Chile
- Volcanoes: Nothing to report.
- Global Disease Outbreaks:
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global
- Confirmed Cases as of 02SEP20: 25,773,958
- Total Recovered Cases as of 02SEP20: 17,088,314
- Deaths as of 02SEP20: 857,552
- Countries with Confirmed Cases: 188
- Sourcing: John Hopkins University
- Ebola Virus Disease: DR Congo (11th Ebola outbreak figures from Equateur Province)
- Confirmed Cases as of 30AUG20: 103
- Probable Cases as of 30AUG20: 6
- Deaths as of 30AUG20: 47
- Sourcing: WHO
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global
Tomorrow’s Outlook (03SEP20)
- Global: Senior Chinese foreign affairs official Yang Jiechi will visit Myanmar, Spain and Greece. (to 04SEP)
- Global: G20 Foreign Ministers will hold a virtual extraordinary meeting.
- Global: Defense Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to hold a meeting in Russia. (to 04SEP)
- Europe: European pharmaceutical industry leaders are expected to deliver a briefing over their efforts to develop anti-coronavirus drugs.
- Europe: EU’s top court is expected to deliver a ruling in the case of a French bid for Berlusconi family’s media firm’s shares.
- Europe: The WHO is expected to hold a press conference on the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
- Argentina: Former Spanish minister Rodolfo Martín Villa is expected to testify online over crimes against humanity related to the 1976 Vitoria massacre in Spain.
- Belarus: Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin will visit.
- France: The government will introduce its coronavirus economic recovery plan.
- Germany: Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven will visit and meet with Chancellor Angela Merkel.
- Jamaica: Parliamentary elections will be held in the country.
- Qatar: Independence Day – 1971
- San Marino: Founding of the Republic/Feast of Saint Marinus – 301
- Slovakia: A verdict is expected in the murder trial of journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee in 2018.
- United States: President Donald Trump to visit Latrobe, Pennsylvania.
- Zimbabwe: The corruption trial of former Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko to be held. (to 04SEP)
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