Key Storylines
- AFRICA: South African President Cyril Ramaphosa held a phone conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday evening
- AMERICAS: The International Court of Justice ordered the Colombian navy to “cease” interfering in Nicaraguan waters in a bitter row over sea borders between the two countries.
- ASIA: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is in Japan as part of her first trip abroad in more than two years, as her government seeks to promote the country’s reopening for business and tourism following a pandemic-related border closure.
- EUROPE: Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen arrived in Kyiv for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
- MIDDLE EAST: Iranian intelligence officers arrested three people with ties to Israel’s Mossad agency who were charged with involvement in releasing classified information.
- TECH & COMMUNICATIONS: The member states of the “Five Eyes” intelligence sharing network warned that intelligence indicates Russia intends to launch powerful cyberattacks against countries supporting Ukraine.
Top Story
- Ukraine: Putin Claims Victory in Mariupol, Leaving Ukrainian Defenders Held Up
- Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed victory in the biggest battle of the Ukraine war declaring the port of Mariupol “liberated” after nearly two months of siege, despite hundreds of defenders still holding out inside a giant steel works.
- Putin added that rather than risk Russian soldiers’ lives by launching a final ground assault on the remaining Ukrainian stronghold in the city, they should instead blockade it “so that not even a fly comes through.”
- Ukrainian fighters rejected Moscow’s previous deadlines to leave and said they did not believe Russia’s promises of safe passage.
- Many Ukrainians described a “horrible situation” in the encircled complex, reporting that the trapped civilians — mostly women and children — are without drinking water, food, and fresh air.
- Mariupol’s definitive fall would deprive Ukraine of a vital port, complete a land bridge between Russia and the Crimean Peninsula, and free up Russian troops to move elsewhere in the Donbas.
- Reuters, NBC News, WaPo, AFP, AP
Africa
- Botswana: A court summoned former President Ian Khama to appear before it on multiple criminal charges, including possession of firearms. (BBC)
- Mali: A Russian soldier has been killed in Hombori in the central Mopti region. (BBC)
- South Africa: President Cyril Ramaphosa held a phone conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday evening. (BBC)
- Sudan: A racist insult broadcast live on television during a high-profile trial involving ex-President Omar al-Bashir triggered a public outcry. (BBC)
- Tanzania: The founder of the Umoja Party said they have decided to use the portrait of the late President John Magufuli on their T-shirts because their policies resonate with those of the former leader. (BBC)
Americas
- Colombia: The International Court of Justice ordered the navy to “cease” interfering in Nicaraguan waters in a bitter row over sea borders between the two countries. (AFP)
- Haiti: A small plane crashed onto a busy street in the capital of Port-au-Prince killing at least six people including the pilot. (Reuters)
- Nicaragua: Parliament banned 25 NGOs critical of the government. (AFP)
- Peru: The government will present a bill to allow for chemical castration as a penalty for raping a minor. (Reuters)
- United States: The Justice Department appealed Monday’s federal court ruling ending mask mandates on public transport after the CDC said the measure was still necessary. (Reuters)
Asia
- Australia: Finance Minister Simon Birmingham said his government would not challenge Julian Assange’s extradition to the United States from the UK. (AFP)
- China: President Xi Jinping proposed a “global security initiative” that upholds the principle of “indivisible security”, a concept also endorsed by Russia, although he gave no details of how it would be implemented. (Reuters)
- New Zealand: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is in Japan as part of her first trip abroad in more than two years, as her government seeks to promote the country’s reopening for business and tourism following a pandemic-related border closure. (AP)
- North Korea: The government held a cabinet meeting to assess economic performance and urged officials to achieve their goals “at all costs.” (Yonhap)
- Taiwan: Health authorities approved a second COVID-19 booster vaccine dose for those 65 and older, and a third dose for the immunocompromised. (Reuters)
Europe
- Region: Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen arrived in Kyiv for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. (AFP)
- France: Imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny accused presidential Marine Le Pen of having links to the Kremlin. (AP)
- Germany: Finance Minister Christian Lindner said the country is moving “as fast as possible” to end reliance on Russian energy but ruled out an immediate end to imports. (BBC)
- Italy: Ecological Transition Minister Roberto Cingolani said the country is obliged to stop buying Russian gas “soon” as the payments are funding the Ukraine war. (AFP)
- United Kingdom: Queen Elizabeth II is marking her 96th birthday privately at the Sandringham estate in the country’s east, a refuge from the affairs of state. (AP)
Middle East
- Afghanistan: A hospital official said an explosion in a Shiite mosque in the country’s north killed at least 10 people and wounded 40. (AP)
- Egypt: Human Rights Watch said the autopsy analysis and photos of Ayman Hadhood’s body should be made public and reviewed by independent forensic experts to determine whether he was tortured in custody. (AP)
- Iran: Intelligence officers arrested three people with ties to Israel’s Mossad agency who were charged with involvement in releasing classified information. (AP)
- Israel: The military reported the interception of at least four rockets fired by militants in Gaza. (AFP)
- Lebanon: A Portuguese national wanted by Interpol in connection with the 2020 Beirut port explosion was arrested in Chile. (AFP)
Tech & Communications
- Cybersecurity: The member states of the “Five Eyes” intelligence sharing network warned that intelligence indicates Russia intends to launch powerful cyberattacks against countries supporting Ukraine. (AFP)
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 21APR22)
- Confirmed cases: 507,135,707
- Deaths: 6,208,798
- Countries with confirmed cases: 192
- Sourcing: John Hopkins University
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global (as of 21APR22)
Tomorrow’s Outlook (22APR22)
- Global: Earth Day.
- China: Boao Forum for Asia annual conference.
- Eastern Christianity: Good Friday.
- Europe: US-EU consultations on the Indo-Pacific in Brussels.
- Kenya: Deadline for political parties to present election candidates.
- United States: International Monetary Fund-World Bank Spring meetings in Washington DC. (to 24APR)
- United States: Bretton Woods Committee annual meeting, virtual.
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