Russia Announces Plan to Leave International Space Station
The head of Russia’s space agency said the country will withdraw (WaPo) from the International Space Station (ISS) after its current agreement to use the station ends in 2024, at which point it will focus on building its own outpost. NASA officials said they have not yet received (Reuters) official word from Moscow about its plans to leave the station.
Russia’s withdrawal will end two decades of space cooperation with the United States and comes amid heightened tensions between countries over the war in Ukraine. Russia has considered withdrawing from the station since at least 2021, but the war and subsequent U.S. sanctions appear to have accelerated the decision.
Analysis
“The long isolation of ISS from geopolitics looks like it is regretfully coming to an end,” NASA Watch’s Keith Cowing tells Grid.
“Russia’s decision to leave should not have a significant effect on the daily function of ISS. Like a number of minor incidents that have happened over the previous months, it is more of a political action,” Air University’s Wendy Whitman Cobb writes for The Conversation.
The 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit Luzon (Axios), the country’s most populous island, killing at least four people and injuring dozens more. Tremors were felt hundreds of miles away in the capital, Manila.
CFR’s Alice C. Hill and Madeline Babin examine how governments are responding to intensifying heat waves.
South and Central Asia
Bangladesh Seeks $4.5 Billion Loan From IMF
The government requested the loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to help combat an economic crisis (Daily Star) that officials have blamed on price shocks triggered by the war in Ukraine.
Pakistan: The government issued monsoon warnings (The Guardian) in fourteen cities after flash floods killed more than three hundred people across the country in recent days.
Middle East and North Africa
Greece, Saudi Arabia Reach Agreement to Build Undersea Data Cable
During a visit to Athens, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman finalized the terms (Al Jazeera) of a plan to build an undersea fiber-optic data cable that will connect Asia and Europe.
Tunisia: The country’s election authority announced that Tunisians accepted a new constitution, with more than 94 percent of voters approving the constitution and 30 percent of registered voters turning out for Monday’s referendum. Several opposition groups accused election officials (France24) of inflating turnout numbers.
Sub-Saharan Africa
Deadly Protests Against UN Forces Continue in DRC
Seven civilians and three UN peacekeepers died (BBC) during the second day of protests against the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Local media reported that peacekeepers shot the protesters. The UN mission denied the claim.
Ethiopia: Regional forces killed eighty-five members (Reuters) of the terrorist group al-Shabab during a confrontation near the border with Somalia on Monday, according to state media.
Europe
French National Assembly Passes Massive Inflation Relief Package
Parliament’s lower house approved the $20 billion package, which includes several stopgap measures (Politico) to help households cope with the increased costs of living. The package will now be debated in the Senate.
Americas
El Salvador Announces Plan to Buy Back Debt
The plan, estimated to cost around $1.7 billion, includes repurchasing bonds (Reuters) set to mature between 2023 and 2025. The announcement comes as the government prepares for an $800 million bond maturity in January.
Haiti: More than two hundred people have been killed over ten days as gang violence continues (BBC) to rock the capital of Port-au-Prince, the United Nations reported. Nearly half of those killed were civilians with no gang ties.
Senate Advances Legislation to Boost Chip Manufacturing
Lawmakers say the bill, which would provide nearly $280 billion in subsidies and research funding, is critical to competing with China (WSJ). A final Senate vote could come as soon as today. The bill would then be sent to the House of Representatives.
The Why It Matters podcast breaks down the importance of chips to the global economy, innovation, and security.
