Key Storylines
- AFRICA: A South African court postponed the long-delayed corruption trial against former president Jacob Zuma to September 9 following his hospitalization last week.
- AMERICAS: U.S Military personnel will be required to get the COVID-19 vaccine beginning next month under a plan laid out by the Pentagon and endorsed by President Joe Biden.
- ASIA: NATO has designated the security situation in Afghanistan “difficult and challenging” and called on the Taliban to cease their attacks.
- EUROPE: Lithuania’s parliament will debate on whether to build a high metal fence on its border with Belarus to stop migrants from crossing in record numbers.
- MIDDLE EAST: Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman said that the Biden administration should give up the pressure policy pursued by former U.S. President Donald Trump.
- TECH & COMMUNICATIONS: Researchers have recorded an increase of false and misleading information about the coronavirus after a decline in the spring as Delta variant cases surge.
Top Story
- North Korea: Pyongyang urges South Korea and the United States to halt military drills
- The DPRK urged the U.S. military to leave South Korea, pledging to build up its nuclear capabilities in response to the upcoming joint U.S.-South Korea military drills set to begin this week.
- The drills have led to increased tensions on the Korean Peninsula after Seoul and Pyongyang agreed to reconnect a hotline last year.
- Kim Yo-Jong, the powerful sister of leader Kim Jong-Un said in a statement that “The dangerous war exercises pushed ahead by the U.S. and the South Korean side disregardful of our repeated warnings will surely make them face a more serious security threat.”
- South Korea’s Unification Ministry said in a statement that North Korea didn’t answer a hotline call and ignored regularly scheduled inter-Korean calls via a military communication line.
- A U.S Defense spokesman called the military drills an “ROK-U.S. bilateral decision, and any decisions will be a mutual agreement.”
- Xinhua, Al Jazeera, WaPo, Bloomberg, NBC News
Africa
- Algeria: At least seven people have been killed and two people were seriously injured as forest fires spread in the North African country. (Al Jazeera)
- Guinea: The country has ordered 155 people into quarantine after confirming West Africa’s first known case of Marburg virus. (WaPo)
- South Africa: A court postponed the long-delayed corruption trial against former president Jacob Zuma to September 9 following his hospitalization last week. (Reuters)
- Zambia: The country’s status as one of the continent’s most stable democracies is being tested with President Edgar Lungu seeking re-election. (WaPo)
Americas
- Region: Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris spoke yesterday about migration, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the need to strengthen Central American economies. (Reuters)
- Canada: The country reopened its border to fully vaccinated Americans yesterday, increasing hopes in border towns hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic to get a boost from tourists before the end of the summer. (WSJ)
- United States: The Senate is close to granting final approval to the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure plan. (AP)
- United States: Military personnel will be required to get the COVID-19 vaccine beginning next month under a plan laid out by the Pentagon and endorsed by President Joe Biden. (AP)
Asia
- Afghanistan: NATO has designated the security situation in the country “difficult and challenging” and called on the Taliban to cease their attacks. (DPA)
- Bangladesh: The government started vaccinating Rohingya refugees as a virus surge raises health risks in crowded camps. (AP)
- China: The country decided to recall its ambassador to Vilnius and demanded the Lithuanian government recall its ambassador to Beijing over its decision to allow the Taiwan authorities open a “representative office” under the name of “Taiwan”. (Xinhua)
- India: Six men were detained by police in New Delhi after they were filmed chanting anti-Muslim slogans at a protest rally held in the city on Sunday. (BBC)
- Pakistan: The country announced a ban on train travel for unvaccinated people starting on October 1 to counter vaccine hesitancy. (DPA)
Europe
- Austria: The country plans to start COVID-19 vaccine booster shots on October 17. (Reuters)
- Germany: The country’s GDL train drivers’ union said its members would go on strike from Aug. 10 until Aug. 13 after pay talks with rail operator Deutsche Bahn failed. (Reuters)
- Lithuania: The country’s parliament will debate on whether to build a high metal fence on its border with Belarus to stop migrants from crossing in record numbers. (Reuters)
- Poland: Nationwide demonstrations are planned across the country against a bill by the ruling nationalist party to silence an independent, U.S.-owned television broadcaster critical of the government. (WaPo)
- United Kingdom: London’s Tower Bridge reopened to traffic, after a “technical failure” left the 19th-century landmark’s arms pointing skyward for almost twelve hours. (AFP)
Middle East
- Iran: The country’s foreign ministry spokesman said that the Biden administration should give up the pressure policy pursued by former U.S. President Donald Trump. (Xinhua)
- Israel: The military said soldiers shot and wounded a Palestinian woman after she attacked them with a knife in the West Bank. (AP)
- United Arab Emirates: The ruler of Sharjah has appointed Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed al-Qasimi as deputy ruler as well as chairman of the Sharjah Petroleum Council. (Reuters)
- Yemen: Thirteen Houthis were killed in a Saudi-led coalition airstrike in the central province of Marib late last night. (Xinhua)
Tech & Communications
- Media: Researchers have recorded an increase of false and misleading information about the coronavirus after a decline in the spring as Delta variant cases surge. (WSJ)
World
- Cyclones: Nothing to report.
- Hurricanes:
- Tropical Storm Kevin
- Location: 18.1N 113.3W
- Movement: NW
- Wind: 45 mph
- Map
- Earthquakes: Nothing to report.
- Volcanoes:
- Mount Merapi, Indonesia
- Moderately large pyroclastic flow
- Erupting
- Source
- Global Disease Outbreaks:
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global (as of 10AUG21)
- Confirmed cases: 203,479,773
- Deaths: 4,306,398
- Countries with confirmed cases: 192
- Sourcing: John Hopkins University
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global (as of 10AUG21)
Tomorrow’s Outlook (11AUG21)
- Global: Russia and China to hold the joint counterterrorism military exercise in Qingtongxia.
- Global: Indian and Russian troops to hold joint military exercise in Volgograd, Russia.
- Global: U.S., Russian, Chinese, and Pakistani officials to meet in Qatar to discuss Afghanistan crisis.
- Global: OAS Permanent Council commemorates International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples.
- Event: Atlantic Council discussion on humanitarian frameworks for Venezuela.
- Chad: Independence Day.
- Israel: Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid to visit Morocco.
- South Africa: Suspended secretary-general of South Africa’s ruling ANC party, Ace Magashule, to appear in court on corruption charges.
END
