Key Storylines
- AFRICA: Russia has reportedly blocked the renewal of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) over disagreements on the withdrawal of foreign troops and mercenaries.
- AMERICAS: Colombia’s “social investment” tax reform, which prompted deadly anti-government protests earlier this year, was officially adopted into law.
- ASIA: The foreign ministers of South Korea and China met for talks on regional security issues, two days after North Korea claimed to have tested a newly developed cruise missile.
- EUROPE: The Chinese embassy in London condemned the “despicable and cowardly” action of certain British lawmakers that led to the postponement of a reception in the country’s parliament.
- MIDDLE EAST: Iran has demoted its chief nuclear negotiator and replaced him as deputy foreign minister with someone who is an opponent of concessions to the West.
- TECH & COMMUNICATIONS: Facebook briefly took down Alabama Governor Kay Ivee’s campaign page but denied it was politically motivated, saying the page had been mistakenly flagged as an imposter account.
Top Story
- Global: North and South Korea test missiles hours apart raising tensions on the Korean peninsula.
- The two Koreas test-launched ballistic missiles hours apart from each other in a display of military assets that came amid a faltering diplomatic push to strip North Korea of its nuclear program.
- Seoul said North Korea fired two ballistic missiles across its east coast, the first ballistic missile test in six months.
- South Korea successfully test-launched a ballistic missile from a submarine, stepping up its strike capabilities.
- South Korean President Moon Jae-in inspected the firing at a local test center of the Agency for Defense Development (ADD), hours after North Korea lobbed two ballistic missiles into the East Sea.
- Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga called the tests launched by North Korea “”a threat to the peace and security of Japan and to the region.”
- United States Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) said North Korea’s recent missile launches do not pose an immediate threat to the US military and the territory of the United States and its allies.
- AP, BBC, Bloomberg, Yonhap, NBC News, Newsweek
Africa
- Algeria: Journalist Mohamed Mouloudj was ordered into provisional detention, accused of spreading false news and belonging to a terror group. (AFP)
- Guinea: Military officials began consultations with political, religious, and business leaders to discuss the formation of a transitional government following the coup that ousted President Alpha Conde on Sept. 5. (Reuters)
- Libya: Russia has reportedly blocked the renewal of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) over disagreements on the withdrawal of foreign troops and mercenaries. (AFP)
- Nigeria: A total of 114 of the 266 inmates who escaped from a Nigerian prison on Sunday have been recaptured. (Reuters)
Americas
- Colombia: The “social investment” tax reform, which prompted deadly anti-government protests earlier this year, was officially adopted into law. (AFP)
- Haiti: Prime Minister Ariel Henry fired Bed-Ford Claude, the prosecutor investigating the assassination of President Jovenel Moise, who had sought charges against the PM and to bar him from leaving the country. (CNN)
- Mexico: Drug lord Vicente Carrillo Fuentes, former leader of the Juarez cartel, was sentenced to 28 years in prison. (AP)
- Mexico: Gunmen stormed a hotel in San Luis Potosi state and kidnapped some 20 migrants believed to mostly be from Haiti and Venezuela. (Reuters)
Asia
- Region: The foreign ministers of South Korea and China met for talks on regional security issues, two days after North Korea claimed to have tested a newly developed cruise missile. (AP)
- China: The country tightened lockdowns and increased orders for mass testing in cities along the coast amid the latest surge in COVID-19 cases. (WaPo)
- Hong Kong: Nine activists were sentenced to between 6 and 10 months in jail for joining a Tiananmen vigil banned by police last year. (AFP)
- Indonesia: Police said a small cargo plane with three crew members on board crashed into a mountain in Indonesia’s jungle-clad Papua region. (AFP)
- North Korea: State media denounced the United States for meddling in Taiwan issues and voiced its support for Beijing’s “One China” policy. (Yonhap)
Europe
- Region: The European Commission announced plans for a new chipmaking “ecosystem”, to promote semiconductor self-sufficiency. (Reuters)
- Poland: The leader of the ruling party signaled it will try to overturn the Senate’s rejection of a media bill which opponents say is intended to silence a U.S.-owned channel critical of the government. (Reuters)
- Slovakia: Pope Francis finished his four-day visit to the country with an open-air mass in front of some 50,000 people in the western town of Sastin-Straze. (AFP)
- Spain: A devastating forest fire in southern Andalusia was brought under control as authorities vowed to bring the arsonists to justice. (DPA)
- United Kingdom: The Chinese embassy in London condemned the “despicable and cowardly” action of certain lawmakers that led to the postponement of a reception in the country’s parliament. (Xinhua)
Middle East
- Region: S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will host a virtual meeting on Friday with Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco to mark the first anniversary of the Abraham Accords. (Reuters)
- Egypt: The United States said it would release nearly $200 million in military aid to the country but would withhold $130 million more due to human rights concerns. (AP)
- Iran: The country has demoted its chief nuclear negotiator Abbas Araghchi and replaced him as deputy foreign minister with Ali Bagheri who is an opponent of concessions to the West. (AFP)
- Saudi Arabia: Air defences destroyed an explosives-laden drone launched by Yemen’s Houthi group toward Abha airport in the southwest of the kingdom. (Reuters)
- United Arab Emirates: Three former U.S. intelligence operatives who worked as cyber spies for the country admitted to violating U.S. hacking laws and prohibitions on selling sensitive military technology. (Reuters)
Tech & Communications
- Social Media: Facebook briefly took down Alabama Governor Kay Ivee’s campaign page but denied it was politically motivated, saying the page had been mistakenly flagged as an imposter account. (AP)
World
- Cyclones: Nothing to report
- Hurricanes:
- Tropical Depression Nicholas
- Location: 30.1N 93.8W
- Movement: E
- Wind: 30 mph
- Map
- Tropical Storm Chanthu
- Location: 30.2N 126.2E
- Movement: ESE
- Wind: 50 mph
- Map
- Earthquakes: Nothing to report
- Volcanoes: Nothing to report
- Global Disease Outbreaks:
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global (as of 15SEP21)
- Confirmed cases: 225,885,016
- Deaths: 4,650,841
- Countries with confirmed cases: 192
- Sourcing: John Hopkins University
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global (as of 15SEP21)
Tomorrow’s Outlook (16SEP21)
- Global: UN General Assembly. (to 30SEP)
- Event: Hudson Institute discussion on China’s ‘COVID obstructionism’.
- Event: Wilson Center discussion on the ‘China Conundrum’.
- Event: CSIS discussion on Chinese State Capitalism.
- Event: Brookings Institution discussion with South Korean trade minister.
- Africa: WHO Online Briefing.
- Africa: West African leaders discuss Guinea coup.
- Bahamas: Parliamentary elections.
- Europe: German Chancellor Angela Merkel to meet Lithuanian President Gitanas Nasueda in Berlin, and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris.
- Europe: Final day of Russian-Belarusian Zapad 2021 military exercises.
- Judaism: Yom Kippur ends at sundown.
- Malaysia: Malaysia Day.
- Mexico: Independence Day.
- Middle East: Iranian fuel arrives in Lebanon.
- Papua New Guinea: Independence Day.
- Tajikistan: Shanghai Cooperation Organization annual summit in Dushanbe. (to 17SEP)
- United Kingdom: DSEi Defence Systems and Equipment International Exhibition continues. (to 17SEP)
- United States: Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in Italy for the G20 Agriculture Ministers’ Meeting.
- United States: S. House annual hearing on ‘Worldwide Threats to the Homeland’.
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