Key Storylines
- AFRICA: Explosions in Burundi’s largest city of Bujumbura killed at least five people and injured fifty others
- AMERICAS: UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi warned that the mass expulsion of Haitian migrants from the United States may violate international law.
- ASIA: South Korean President Moon Jae-in called for the resumption of talks with North Korea, as well as an end-of-war declaration on the Korean Peninsula.
- EUROPE: Russian chief of general staff, Valery Gerasimov, and his American counterpart, chair of the joint chiefs of staff Mark Milley, met in Helsinki to discuss risk mitigation in military activities.
- MIDDLE EAST: President Ebrahim Raisi told the UN General Assembly that Iran wants to resume nuclear talks with world powers that would lead to the removal of U.S. sanctions.
- TECH AND COMMUNICATIONS: Facebook’s independent Oversight Board reiterated demands for more transparency from the company on how it treats high-profile users and politicians who break the platform’s rules.
Top Story
- Australia: Magnitude 5.9 earthquake strikes near Melbourne.
- A 5.9 magnitude earthquake rattled southeast Australia, damaging buildings in the city of Melbourne.
- According to Geoscience Australia, the earthquake’s epicenter hit the small town of Mansfield, Victoria with a depth of 10 km (6 miles).
- Prime Minister Scott Morrison noted that earthquakes are “very rare events in Australia” and no injuries were reported.
- Apartment buildings were evacuated in Melbourne, where photos showed partially collapsed buildings and debris in the streets.
- Buildings were damaged as a magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck near Melbourne, one of the country’s largest quakes on record.
- In a statement, the Bureau for Meteorology issued no tsunami threat to the Australian mainland and the island of Tasmania.
- BBC, Canberra Times, Axios, WaPo, Reuters, CNBC
Africa
- Region: The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases on the continent reached 8,177,919. (Xinhua)
- Burundi: Explosions in the country’s largest city of Bujumbura killed at least five people and injured fifty others. (Reuters)
- Mozambique: The United Nations is urging “caution” over people returning to the northern province of Cabo Delgado. (BBC)
- Tunisia: A military judge jailed two lawmakers from the Islamist Karama party, bringing the total number of imprisoned MPs to five. (Reuters)
Americas
- Region: UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi warned that the mass expulsion of Haitian migrants from the United States may violate international law. (Reuters)
- Region: The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) selected two biomedical centers in Argentina and Brazil to produce coronavirus vaccines in Latin America. (Reuters)
- Brazil: Health Minister Marcelo Quiroga tested positive for the Coronavirus while in New York accompanying President Jair Bolsonaro to the UN General Assembly. (AP)
- Venezuela: Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino accused Colombia of violating his country’s airspace with an Air Force drone. (Reuters)
Asia
- Australia: The country’s trade minister said a trade deal with the EU would be mutually beneficial and allow EU members a greater presence in the Indo-Pacific. (Reuters)
- China: During his address to the UN General Assembly, Xi Jinping pledged not to build new coal-fired power projects abroad. (Reuters)
- India: Prime Minister Narendra Modi left for a four-day visit to the United States at the invitation of U.S. President Joe Biden. (Xinhua)
- Philippines: Manila City Mayor Francisco Domagoso announced his plan to run for president in the 2022 elections. (Xinhua)
- South Korea: President Moon Jae-in called for the resumption of talks with North Korea, as well as an end-of-war declaration on the Korean Peninsula. (Xinhua)
Europe
- Czech Republic: President Milos Zeman was released from the hospital. (AP)
- Germany: Outgoing chancellor Angela Merkel campaigned for Armin Laschet, her conservative party’s candidate to succeed her in Sunday’s national elections. (DPA)
- Russia: Chief of general staff, Valery Gerasimov, and his American counterpart, chair of the joint chiefs of staff Mark Milley, met in Helsinki to discuss risk mitigation in military activities. (Reuters)
- Spain: Lava poured from an erupting volcano on the island of La Palma for the fourth consecutive day. (Reuters)
- Ukraine: The chief aide to President Volodymyr Zelensky was targeted in an assassination attempt when his car came under fire. (AFP)
Middle East
- Afghanistan: Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi requested to participate in the UN General Assembly and named a new UN Ambassador. (AFP)
- Iran: President Ebrahim Raisi told the UN General Assembly that Tehran wants to resume nuclear talks with world powers that would lead to the removal of U.S. sanctions. (Reuters)
- Lebanon: The country raised gasoline prices by 16%, the second hike in a week. (Reuters)
- Saudi Arabia: Riyadh condemned the failed coup attempt in Sudan. (Reuters)
Tech & Communications
- Social Media: Facebook’s independent Oversight Board reiterated demands for more transparency from the company on how it treats high-profile users and politicians who break the platform’s rules. (WaPo)
World
- Cyclones: Nothing to report
- Hurricanes:
- Tropical Depression Peter
- Location: 21.5N 66.1W
- Movement: NW
- Wind: 35 mph
- Map
- Tropical Depression Rose
- Location: 23.4N 38.4W
- Movement: NW
- Wind: 35 mph
- Map
- Earthquakes:
- Melbourne, Australia
- Magnitude: 5.9
- Depth: 10 km
- Map
- Jiquilillo, Nicaragua
- Magnitude: 6.5
- Depth: 30.7 km
- Map
- Volcanoes:
- La Palma, Spain
- Explosive activity continues
- Erupting
- Source
- Global Disease Outbreaks:
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global (as of 22SEP21)
- Confirmed cases: 229,599,859
- Deaths: 4,710,273
- Countries with confirmed cases: 192
- Sourcing: John Hopkins University
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global (as of 22SEP21)
Tomorrow’s Outlook (23SEP21)
- Global: UN General Assembly. (to 30SEP)
- Global: UN Food Systems Summit in New York City.
- Global: International Day of Sign Languages.
- Global: UN Security Council open debate on climate and security.
- Global: Conference on Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty begins. (to 24SEP)
- Event: CSIS and AMTI hold third session of 11th Annual South China Sea Conference.
- Event: Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission hearing on food insecurity in Central America.
- Event: CSIS discussion on ‘The Future of Work in the Mekong Subregion’.
- Asia: Meeting of Chinese-Pakistani Joint Cooperation Committee.
- Europe: European Central Bank General Council meeting in Frankfurt.
- France: Future of Food and Farming Summit in Paris. (to 24SEP)
- Germany: Visit by Maltese President William Vella.
- India: Expected test of Agni V intercontinental ballistic missile.
- Isle of Man: Parliamentary Elections.
- Israel: Court hears custody battle over Italy cable-crash boy.
- Saudi Arabia: National Day.
- United States: House Foreign Affairs subcommittee hearing on U.S. development programs.
- United States: House Foreign Affairs subcommittees hearing on ‘Transatlantic Cooperation on Countering Global Violent Extremism’.
END
