Key Storylines
- AFRICA: The South African army deployed 10,000 troops to help the nation’s east coast recover from storms that have claimed 443 lives and ravaged infrastructure.
- AMERICAS: Brazil will “in the coming days” lift public health emergency measures in place for over two years, citing a drop in the number of deaths and infections.
- ASIA: White House Indo-Pacific coordinator Kurt Campbell and the State Department’s top official for Asia will travel this week to the Solomon Islands.
- EUROPE: A series of “powerful” Russian strikes on military infrastructure in Lviv left six dead and eight injured igniting blazes in Ukraine’s western city that spared fierce fighting.
- MIDDLE EAST: Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi warned that Israel will be targeted by his country’s armed forces if it makes “the tiniest move.”
- TECH & COMMUNICATIONS: Elon Musk tweeted “Love Me Tender”, an Elvis Presley song, a day after Twitter Inc adopted a “poison pill” to protect itself from the billionaire’s $43 billion cash offer to buy the social media company.
Top Story
- Global: US Envoy in Seoul for Talks Over North Korea Missile Program.
- S. Special Representative Sung Kim and his deputy, Jung Pak, met South Korean officials, including nuclear envoy Noh Kyu-duk, after arriving in Seoul for a five-day visit.
- The US Envoy to North Korea said the United States and South Korea will maintain the “strongest possible joint deterrent” over North Korea’s “escalatory actions,” amid concerns that Pyongyang is preparing to resume nuclear testing.
- Mr Kim reiterated that the United States has offered to meet North Korea “anywhere without any preconditions”, saying that Washington has not “closed the door on diplomacy”.
- Pyongyang’s test of ‘great significance’ came a day before an annual US-South Korea military drill, and ahead of a visit to Seoul by the US envoy for North Korea.
- Analysts believe this weekend’s missile launch could indicate the North is planning a nuclear test, which could include miniaturized nuclear warheads
- Weapons tested include nuclear-capable missiles targeting both the U.S. mainland and its allies such as South Korea and Japan.
- Reuters, Japan Times, AFP, SCMP, AP, Yonhap
Africa
- Region: A joint military force from Nigeria, Niger, and Cameroon killed more than 100 Islamist insurgents, including 10 commanders in the past few weeks. (Reuters)
- Algeria: The Health Ministry said that no new COVID-19 cases were reported over the past 24 hours for the first time since the outbreak of the disease two years ago. (Xinhua)
- South Africa: The army deployed 10,000 troops to help the nation’s east coast recover from storms that have claimed 443 lives and ravaged infrastructure. (AFP)
- Sudan: The country reaffirmed its ownership of the disputed Fashaga district on the border with Ethiopia’s war-weary Tigray region. (Xinhua)
- Tunisia: President Kais Saied directed the navy to control the environmental impact from a sunken fuel ship to prevent possible disasters. (Xinhua)
Americas
- Brazil: The government will “in the coming days” lift public health emergency measures in place for over two years, citing a drop in the number of deaths and infections. (AFP)
- Ecuador: Police discovered nearly 2.5 tons of cocaine hidden in a Europe-bound container. (DPA)
- Mexico: President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s plan to increase state control of power generation was defeated in parliament. (Reuters)
- Peru: Former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori was rushed to the hospital for the second time in a month. (AlJazeera)
- United States: Border authorities arrested 210,000 migrants attempting to cross the Mexican border in March, the highest monthly total in two decades. (Reuters)
Asia
- Australia: Prime Minister Scott Morrison denied that his government would make cuts to the country’s universal healthcare scheme if he were re-elected next month. (Reuters)
- China: Officials said three people died from COVID-19 in Shanghai, the first reported deaths in the country’s most populous and wealthiest city. (AP)
- India: The country criticized a World Health Organization study which claims coronavirus killed four million people nationally. (AFP)
- Solomon Islands: White House Indo-Pacific coordinator Kurt Campbell and the State Department’s top official for Asia will travel this week to the Pacific Island country. (Reuters)
- Sri Lanka: President Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed a new Cabinet in a move seen as an attempt to pacify ongoing protests that have called for his resignation. (DPA)
Europe
- Montenegro: The former long-serving head of the Balkan country’s top court has been arrested for allegedly helping cover up her son’s drug-smuggling operation. (AP)
- Russia: Moscow launched mass strikes overnight on the Ukrainian military and associated military targets, using its air force, missile forces, artillery, and air defense systems to hit hundreds of targets across its southern neighbor. (Reuters)
- Spain: Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the country will reopen its embassy in Kyiv “shortly.” (AFP)
- Sweden: Police arrested 26 people after weekend clashes between police and protesters rallying against plans by a far-right group to burn copies of the Koran. (AFP)
- Ukraine: A series of “powerful” Russian strikes on military infrastructure in Lviv left six dead and eight injured igniting blazes in the western city that spared fierce fighting. (AFP)
Middle East
- Egypt: A court sentenced acting Muslim Brotherhood leader Mahmoud Ezzat to life in prison over national security charges. (Xinhua)
- Iran: President Ebrahim Raisi warned that Israel will be targeted by his country’s armed forces if it makes “the tiniest move.” (AP)
- Palestinian Territories: The Health Ministry said two men were critically injured by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank. (WaPo)
- Saudi Arabia: The kingdom pushed Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi to step down earlier this month, and authorities have confined him to his home in Riyadh and restricted communications with him in the days since. (WSJ)
- Yemen: The country’s new leader Abdullah al-Alimi said the new leadership is “ready for war” should the latest push for peace with Houthi rebels fail. (Al-Monitor)
Tech & Communications
- Technology: Elon Musk tweeted “Love Me Tender”, an Elvis Presley song, a day after Twitter Inc adopted a “poison pill” to protect itself from the billionaire’s $43 billion cash offer to buy the social media company. (Reuters)
World
- Cyclones: Nothing to Report.
- Hurricanes: Nothing to Report.
- Earthquakes: Nothing to Report.
- Volcanoes: Nothing to Report.
- Global Disease Outbreaks:
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global (as of 18APR22)
- Confirmed cases: 504,598,742
- Deaths: 6,198,747
- Countries with confirmed cases: 192
- Sourcing: John Hopkins University
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global (as of 18APR22)
Tomorrow’s Outlook (19APR22)
- Event: Peterson Institute discussion on the impacts of Russian sanctions on trade.
- Event: Economic Club of Washington hosts conversation with Poland amb. to the U.S. Marek Magierowski.
- Global: G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting.
- Global: IMF Global Policy Agenda published.
- Africa: African Union to hold an expert session on migration, refugees, and internally displaced people.
- China: Boao Forum Asia Annual Conference. (to. 22APR)
- East Timor: Public holiday.
- Eswatini: King’s Birthday.
- Russia: Working Visit by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
- United Kingdom: Court issues order for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to be extradited to US.
- Venezuela: Independence Declaration Day.
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