Key Storylines
- AFRICA: William Ruto will be sworn in as Kenya’s president after narrowly winning the coveted job in a bitterly fought but peaceful election.
- AMERICAS: NASA is now targeting September 27 as the earliest possible launch date for its uncrewed Artemis 1 mission to the Moon.
- ASIA: South Korea warned North Korea’s government that using its nuclear weapons would put it on a “path of self-destruction.”
- EUROPE: The Ukrainian military claimed that it encountered an Iranian-supplied suicide drone used by Russia on the battlefield.
- MIDDLE EAST: The UN said a cholera outbreak in several regions of Syria presents “a serious threat to the Syrian people and the region.”
- TECH & COMMUNICATIONS: A former Twitter Inc executive turned whistleblower is set to testify before a US Senate committee about his claims of serious security lapses at the social media network.
Top Story
- Europe: Armenia, Azerbaijan Report Deadly Border Clashes in Nagorno-Karabakh.
- Armenia and Azerbaijan reported large-scale border clashes that left Azerbaijani troops dead in the latest flare-up between the arch foes.
- There have been frequent reports of shootouts along the border since the end of the 2020 war between Yerevan and Baku over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
- The Armenian Defense Ministry said that the hostilities erupted minutes after midnight, with Azerbaijani forces unleashing an artillery barrage and drone attacks in many sections of Armenian territory.
- But Azerbaijan’s defense ministry accused Armenia of “large-scale subversive acts” near the districts of Dashkasan, Kelbajar and Lachin on the border, adding that its army positions “came under fire, including from trench mortars”.
- Russia moved quickly to broker a cease-fire, but it was not immediately clear whether it was holding.
- During EU-mediated talks in Brussels in April and May, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan agreed to “advance discussions” on a future peace treaty.
- AFP, AP, Reuters, The Guardian, CNN, NYT
Africa
- Burkina Faso: Junta chief Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba sacked his defense minister and assumed the role himself after a series of jihadist attacks. (AFP)
- Ethiopia: The northern region of Tigray was hit by an air strike two days after rebel authorities there said they were ready for a ceasefire. (AFP)
- Kenya: William Ruto will be sworn in as the country’s president after narrowly winning the coveted job in a bitterly fought but peaceful election. (AFP)
- Nigeria: At least nine people have been killed and two others are missing following devastating floods in the northern state of Jigawa. (BBC)
- Sudan: The UN children’s agency said about a third of children do not go to school with multiple crises threatening to disrupt the education of millions more. (AFP)
Americas
- Brazil: President Jair Bolsonaro, who is trailing in pre-election polls but has seen the gap between him and left-wing rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva narrow, has “every chance” of being re-elected. (AFP)
- Canada: A police officer was killed when a shooter opened fire west of Toronto. (AFP)
- Colombia: At least 17 people were killed over the last three days in Colombia in a spate of violent incidents. (AFP)
- United States: NASA is now targeting September 27 as the earliest possible launch date for its uncrewed Artemis 1 mission to the Moon. (AFP)
- United States: The Department of Justice accepted the appointment of one of the judges proposed by Donald Trump as a “special master” in the investigation of classified documents seized from the former president’s Florida home last month. (AFP)
Asia
- Australia: The flood-battered east faces further extreme weather in the coming months after forecasters confirmed that a “triple-dip” La Nina was under way in the Pacific.(AFP)
- China: The foreign ministry declined to say whether President Xi Jinping will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin or Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit this week. (Reuters)
- Hong Kong: The city broke two heat records for September in a little over a week, as the crowded financial hub swelters through one of its hottest summers. (AFP)
- Kazakhstan: Pope Francis, warned by doctors not to travel to Ukraine in the future, will embark on a three-day trip to the country instead to bear a message of peace. (AFP)
- South Korea: Seoul warned North Korea’s government that using its nuclear weapons would put it on a “path of self-destruction.” (AP)
Europe
- Finland: Prime Minister Sanna Marin called on the European Parliament for unity at the European Union (EU) level to deal with Russian energy blackmail. (AFP)
- France: New wildfires in the southwest have torn through over 1,000 hectares of land and forced the evacuation of residents amid record temperatures for September. (AP)
- Türkiye: Ankara continues to back Azerbaijan and called on Armenia to “cease its provocations” after clashes erupted between the two South Caucasus countries that resumed decades-old hostilities. (AP)
- Ukraine: The military claimed that it encountered an Iranian-supplied suicide drone used by Russia on the battlefield. (AP)
- United Kingdom: King Charles heads to Northern Ireland leading the mourning for Queen Elizabeth before his mother’s coffin is flown to London ahead of four days of lying in state. (AP)
Middle East
- Afghanistan: A former member of parliament is urging the world to label the Taliban a “gender apartheid” regime because of its crackdown on human rights. (AP)
- Iran: Tehran called for restraint from Armenia and Azerbaijan after the deadliest flare-up in fighting since a six-week war ended nearly two years ago. (AFP)
- Saudi Arabia: Authorities arrested a man who claimed to have traveled to the holy city of Mecca to perform an umrah pilgrimage on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II. (AFP)
- Syria: The UN said a cholera outbreak in several regions of the country presents “a serious threat to the people and the region.” (Reuters)
- United Arab Emirates: State-backed digital bank Wio launched in the small gulf state and would focus initially on small and medium enterprises (SMEs) while eyeing an eventual public listing. (Reuters)
Tech & Communications
- Social Media: A former Twitter Inc executive turned whistleblower is set to testify before a US Senate committee about his claims of serious security lapses at the social media network. (Reuters)
World
- Cyclones:
- Hurricanes: Nothing to Report.
- Earthquakes: Nothing to Report.
- Volcanoes: Nothing to Report.
- Global Disease Outbreaks:
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global (as of 13SEP22)
- Confirmed cases: 609,236,836
- Deaths: 6,516,151
- Countries with confirmed cases: 192
- Sourcing: John Hopkins University
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global (as of 13SEP22)
Tomorrow’s Outlook (14SEP22)
- Event: CSIS discussion on a G7 climate club.
- Event: Wilson Center SVNP Conference discussion on digital transformation, governance, and peacebuilding.
- Event: ‘SVNP 2022 – Terrorism in Africa: State of Play and Solutions’ Wilson Center Africa Program discussion.
- Event: PIIE discussion with White House Council of Economic Advisers’ Jared Bernstein.
- Event: Brookings discussion on expanding supply chains in North America.
- Event: U.S. Chamber of Commerce Global Aerospace Summit.
- Costa Rica: Visit by Under US Secretary of State Jose Fernandez.
- Europe: ECB interest rates rise becomes effective.
- France: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivers her 2022 EU State of the Union address at the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
- Germany: Visit by Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Gharibaschvili.
- Germany: G7 Trade Ministers Meeting.
- Indonesia: G20 Labor and Employment Ministers Meeting.
- Kazakhstan: Visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping.
- Nicaragua: Battle of San Jacinto.
- Senegal: Grand Magal of Touba.
- United States: United Nations Security Council briefing and consultations on the Middle East and Syria.
- United States: House Committee on Foreign Affairs closed members briefing on ‘Iran Nuclear Negotiations.
END
