Key Storylines
- AFRICA: The leader of the main opposition party appeared in Tanzania’s high court to face terrorism charges in a case described by his party as a politically-motivated move to crush dissent.
- AMERICAS: At least two people have been confirmed dead hours after Hurricane Ida made landfall in the U.S. state of Louisiana.
- ASIA: Thai lawmakers began a no-confidence debate targeting Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha and five members of his Cabinet.
- EUROPE: Russia’s defense ministry said it will hold naval drills in the Caspian Sea with small missile and artillery ships from Iran, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan in early September.
- MIDDLE EAST: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke with United Arab Emirates’ de-facto leader, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed, by telephone in a sign of reducing tensions between the countries.
- TECH & COMMUNICATIONS: The UN Environment Program announced that use of leaded gasoline has been eradicated from the planet.
Top Story
- Afghanistan: The twenty-year war comes to an end as U.S forces completely withdraw from the country.
- The last U.S. military planes flew out of Kabul airport on Monday evening, marking the end of the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan and the efforts to airlift thousands of U.S. citizens and Afghan allies.
- The final U.S. withdrawal came one minute before the Aug. 31 deadline set by President Biden.
- Commander of U.S. Central Command Kenneth McKenzie said that while the withdrawal ended an American military presence, “the diplomatic mission to ensure additional U.S. citizens and eligible Afghans, who want to leave, continues.”
- In a formal address, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the U.S. diplomatic mission to Afghanistan would be transferred to Doha, Qatar.
- Military forces destroyed dozens of MRAPs, Humvees, and aircraft before they left shortly after midnight Tuesday morning local time so that they would not fall into the hands of the Taliban.
- The Taliban marched into Kabul’s international airport hours after the final U.S. troop withdrawal that ended America’s longest war.
- Axios, WSJ, Xinhua, WaPo, Yahoo News, AP
Africa
- DR Congo: Eleven children including five girls, have been kidnapped by Islamist rebels in the country’s northeast. (AFP)
- Ethiopia: The education minister said that more than 7,000 schools have been destroyed as a result of the conflict in the Tigray region. (AFP)
- Nigeria: Officials in northern states have called for central government help in rehabilitating surrendering Boko Haram fighters and civilians escaping jihadist rule. (AFP)
- Tanzania: The leader of the main opposition party appeared in the country’s high court to face terrorism charges in a case described by his party as a politically-motivated move to crush dissent. (AFP)
Americas
- Brazil: A new report claims that nearly 30% of all Brazilian gold exports in 2019 and 2020 came from illegal mines. (Reuters)
- Colombia: Courts ruled that former general Mario Montoya, accused of murdering 104 civilians, could not be prosecuted because he is under the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, created by the 2016 peace deal with FARC. (AP)
- Mexico: Security forces in Chiapas state blocked a caravan of several hundred Central American migrants heading to the United States on foot. (AFP)
- United States: At least two people have been confirmed dead hours after Hurricane Ida made landfall in Louisiana. (Xinhua)
Asia
- Australia: Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the country will receive 500,000 doses of Pfizer’s vaccine from Singapore this week as part of a swap deal to curb COVID-19 infections. (Reuters)
- Japan: A group of researchers said a new mutation of the COVID-19 Delta variant had been discovered for the first time in the country. (Xinhua)
- South Korea: A project to recover Korean War remains at a battle site near the Demilitarized Zone was launched jointly with the United States. (Yonhap)
- Thailand: Lawmakers began a no-confidence debate targeting Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha and five members of his Cabinet. (AP)
- Vietnam: The country announced an amnesty for more than 3,000 prisoners ahead of its independence anniversary. (AFP)
Europe
- Region: The European Commission said that 70% of the European Union’s adult population had been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. (Reuters)
- Germany: Unemployment fell more than expected in August, as a recovery continues in Europe’s largest economy despite rising COVID-19 figures. (Reuters)
- Poland: The country’s Constitutional Tribunal is set to decide on whether the country’s constitution or European Union treaties take precedence. (Reuters)
- Russia: The defense ministry said it will hold naval drills in the Caspian Sea with small missile and artillery ships from Iran, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan in early September. (Reuters)
- United Kingdom: Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the number of citizens still in Afghanistan is in the low hundreds. (Reuters)
Middle East
- Region: The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen reported that it intercepted a Houthi drone targeting Abha International Airport in Saudi Arabia. (Reuters)
- Region: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke with United Arab Emirates’ de-facto leader, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed, by telephone in a sign of reducing tensions between the countries. (AP)
- Bahrain: The country’s first ambassador to Israel, Khaled Al Jalahma, announced on Twitter that he arrived in Tel Aviv to start his official work at the embassy. (Al-Bawaba)
- Israel: The country recorded its highest daily COVID-19 case tally of nearly 11,000 new infections, amid a surge caused by the Delta variant as schools prepare to re-open. (AFP)
Tech & Communications
- Technology: The UN Environment Program announced that use of leaded gasoline has been eradicated from the planet. (BBC)
World
- Cyclones: Nothing to report.
- Hurricanes:
- Tropical Depression Ida
- Location: 32.6N 90.3W
- Movement: NNE
- Wind: 35 mph
- Map
- Tropical Storm Kate
- Location: 23.0N 50.9W
- Movement: N
- Wind: 40 mph
- Map
- Earthquakes: Nothing to report.
- Volcanoes: Nothing to report
- Global Disease Outbreaks:
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global (as of 31AUG21)
- Confirmed cases: 217,190,410
- Deaths: 4,511,602
- Countries with confirmed cases: 192
- Sourcing: John Hopkins University
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global (as of 31AUG21)
Tomorrow’s Outlook (01SEP21)
- Event: CSIS hosts conversation with U.S. Marine Corps Commandant.
- Event: Atlantic Council discussion on the 2021 German elections.
- Event: Stimson Center discussion on Japan-Taiwan ties.
- Event: SEC chairman speaks at European Parliament Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs.
- Africa: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visiting Nairobi, Abuja, and Dakar.
- Asia/U.S: 70th anniversary of the ANZUS treaty.
- Australia: Wattle Day.
- China: Visit by US Climate Envoy John Kerry. (to 03SEP)
- China: Belt and Road Summit and Exhibition in Hong Kong. (to 02SEP)
- Eritrea: Revolution Day.
- Honduras: Flag Day.
- Japan: 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games. (to 05SEP)
- Mexico: President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to deliver a State of the Nation address.
- Poland: Veteran’s Day.
- Slovakia: Constitution Day.
- Slovenia: Informal meeting of EU defense ministers in Kranj. (to 02SEP)
- United States: Visit by South Korean nuclear envoy Noh Kyu-duk. (to 03SEP)
- United States: Visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
- Uzbekistan: Independence Day.
END
