Drone Hits Central Moscow Building in a String of Aerial Attacks on City |
A drone hit a building in central Moscow (The Guardian) today in the sixth consecutive night of aerial attacks on the capital region, while the governor of a Russian region near the border with Ukraine said a drone attack killed three people. Moscow officials blamed Kyiv for the strikes, though Ukraine did not immediately comment. Amid a reported rise in Ukrainian air attacks on Russian territory, a U.S. State Department spokesperson said today that Washington does not encourage or enable attacks inside Russia and that “it is up to Ukraine to decide how it chooses to defend itself.”
As fighting continues on the war’s front lines, Russia has also bombarded Ukraine’s grain supplies in recent weeks, with a strike overnight in the Odesa region destroying thousands of tons of grain (VOA), Ukrainian officials said. Kyiv’s counteroffensive has been slow to advance, though Ukrainian officials said yesterday that their forces entered the southern village (NYT) of Robotyne.
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Xi Jinping Skips Speech at BRICS Summit |
Chinese officials did not issue an explanation (Bloomberg) for why President Xi Jinping did not deliver scheduled remarks at a business forum at the BRICS summit convening Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa in Johannesburg. China’s commerce minister read the speech instead, which defended the Chinese economy despite international concerns about its weak performance.
On this episode of The President’s Inbox, CFR expert Zongyuan Zoe Liu discusses the causes and consequences of China’s faltering economy.
U.S./China: U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan called on China (FT) to “maintain a level of transparency” and release economic data after Beijing recently stopped publishing youth unemployment data and cracked down on corporate due diligence reporting.
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India Becomes First Country to Land Spacecraft on Moon’s South Pole |
With its Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission, India became the fourth nation in history (The Hindu) to achieve a soft landing on the moon’s surface, and the first nation to reach its south pole. In an address broadcasted online, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called it a “historic day for India’s space sector.”
Myanmar: More than five hundred civil society groups jointly called on the United Nations (Al Jazeera) to cut ties with Myanmar’s junta over accusations that the militants are blocking aid from reaching those who need it. Instead, they urged the United Nations to partner with ethnic and civil society organizations in order to deliver aid.
This Backgrounder by Lindsay Maizland details Myanmar’s troubled history.
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Middle East and North Africa |
UN Libya Envoy Calls for Country’s Unification Ahead of Elections |
The comments by Abdoulaye Bathily were an apparent change in position (Reuters) from the United Nations, which previously said that new elections should precede the unification of Libya’s two warring factions. The announcement comes after the UN-recognized capital, Tripoli, saw its worst violence in years last week.
Ethiopia/Saudi Arabia: Authorities from both countries will jointly investigate allegations (Reuters) by Human Rights Watch that Saudi border guards killed hundreds of Ethiopian migrants crossing over from Yemen, Ethiopia’s foreign minister said.
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African Union Suspends Niger Over Coup |
The bloc is preparing sanctions (AP) on Niger, which had already been under sanctions applied by some countries in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) shortly after Niger’s military coup. The African Union also plans to review ECOWAS’s action to put a military force on standby.
Zimbabwe: Zimbabweans are voting in a presidential election (NYT) today amid concerns over high inflation and economic turmoil. Many polling stations opened hours behind schedule due to a delay in ballot delivery, stoking concerns about the election’s credibility.
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EU Climate Commissioner Steps Down to Run in Dutch Election |
The Dutch elections were triggered in July after the previous prime minister stepped down over a dispute regarding immigration policy. Frans Timmermans, who left the European Union (EU) climate post, will head an alliance (FT) between the Dutch Labour party and the Greens. |
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Study Finds Climate Change Enabled Canada’s Fires |
Climate change made the hot, dry conditions (CBC) that allowed for Canada’s destructive wildfires in recent months twice as likely, the United Kingdom-based World Weather Attribution initiative found. The group expects these conditions to become more common.
Dominican Republic/Haiti: Haitians were urged to stock up on water and Dominican businesses closed as Tropical Storm Franklin approached their shared island (AP) of Hispaniola. The storm made landfall today, bringing heavy winds and rain and cutting off power to thousands of homes.
This Backgrounder by CFR’s Diana Roy looks at how Caribbean nations are building climate resilience.
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Republican Presidential Hopefuls Hold First Primary Debate in Milwaukee |
The war in Ukraine is among the issues that most divides (Time) Republican presidential candidates. Former President Donald Trump, who faces multiple criminal indictments and leads primary polls, will not attend the debate. |
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Council on Foreign Relations |
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