VIF News Digest: International Developments (US, EU, Russia and Africa), 19th August, 2019 – 3rd September 2019)

US

Trump: 'Congress has a lot of thinking to do' on gun control after Midland-Odessa shooting: USA Today, 1 September 2019

A day after the country's latest mass shooting, the fourth high-profile one since the House of Representatives went on recess at the end of July, President Donald Trump said lawmakers have "a lot of thinking to do" about ways to address gun violence. Saturday's deadly shooting in the area of Midland-Odessa, Texas, renewed lawmakers' demands for action on gun control once Congress returns from recess on Sept. 9.

The shootings and deaths have brought mixed messages from Trump on gun control, and lawmakers have split on ways for Congress to address the issue. On Sunday, speaking to reporters after returning from Camp David, Trump said “Congress has a lot of thinking to do," when asked about the impact the Texas shooting could have on negotiations over gun measures. Click here to read... [2]

EPA Proposes Rollback on Methane Emissions Regulations: US News, 29 August 2019

The Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday announced a plan that will weaken regulations of methane emissions. The proposed rule would lessen federal requirements for technology that monitors methane leaks from the oil and gas industry, which is the largest methane emissions source in the country.
According to the EPA, the proposal will save the oil and gas industry $17 to $19 million a year. EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler argued that because methane is valuable to the oil and gas sector, companies already have an incentive to stop leaks. Acting Assistant Administrator for the EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation Anne Idsal said that the proposal would get rid of “inappropriate regulatory duplications” from the Obama administration that have “just minimal environmental benefits.”

The agency previously tried to target the 2016 performance standards rule by proposing to halt its enforcement while it was considering repealing or replacing it, but a federal court stopped the effort. Click here to read... [3]

White House slams China's 'highly dubious' infrastructure project as Bolton warns Ukraine: Fox News, 28 August 2019

The White House shot back at China and its multibillion-dollar global infrastructure project, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), this week, saying any outcomes would be "highly dubious" and other countries should be wary of working with China. “China’s Belt and Road Initiative purports to address the legitimate infrastructure demands of the world’s less-developed economies, but primarily aims to export China’s own economic imbalances – industrial overcapacity, excess labor, large foreign currency reserves – and to convert these into political influence and strategic military access,” a senior administration official told Fox News on Wednesday. A war of words also escalated between China and National Security Adviser John Bolton, who this week warned Ukraine not to become subject to China’s machinations.

Ahead of his trip to Ukraine, Bolton warned about the dangers of BRI. After meeting with officials in Kiev, Bolton said the two countries “share a common commitment to preserving Ukraine’s security and sovereignty, and to ensuring it is not subject to Chinese economic exploitation.” Click here to read... [4]

Trump’s new trade war tool might just be antique China debt- Bllomberg Businessweek, 29 August 2019

Collectors of pre-Communist debt are lobbying the White House to force Beijing to make good. The Trump administration has been studying the unlikely prospect of reviving century-old claims on Chinese bonds sold before the founding of the communist People’s Republic.

The defaulted China bonds can be found in the attics and basements of thousands of Americans, or on EBay, where the certificates sell as collectibles for as little as a few hundred dollars each. The PRC, which succeeded the Republic of China after it replaced the imperial dynasty, has never recognized the debt, though that hasn’t stopped decades of attempts to collect payment on it.

Now, with Trump ratcheting up the trade rhetoric with China, holders of the antiquarian bonds are hoping he’ll press their case, even as other parts of the U.S. government are accusing people of fraudulently selling the same paper. Click here to read... [5]

European Union (EU)

Germany's far-right AfD hopes for first state election wins: The Local, 29 August 2019

Germany is bracing for what could be the first outright election victories for the far-right AfD party on Sunday, when voters in two states in the ex-communist east go to the polls. Even strong vote results, coming 30 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, would badly rattle Chancellor Angela Merkel's fragile coalition government.

The anti-immigration Alternative for Germany has polled strongly in both Brandenburg and Saxony states, part of its eastern electoral heartland. In Brandenburg, which surrounds Berlin, the AfD has been polling at around 21 percent, neck and neck with the governing Social Democratic Party (SPD). Click here to read... [6]

Protests erupt after French supermarket uses automation to evade labour laws: France 24, 27 August 2019

A French hypermarket used self-service checkout stations to circumvent the country’s strict limits on working on Sundays, and many people were none too happy. For the first time in French history, a hypermarket was open on a Sunday afternoon. French labor law prohibits the employees of hypermarkets and large supermarkets from working after 1 pm on Sundays. But last Sunday, the Géant Casino de la Roseraie in Angers, in northwestern France, was open to customers until 9 pm. So how did they do it? Self-checkout stations and security guards employed by an external company.Trade unions and protestors were also displeased. Nearly 200 protesters, including some Yellow Vest demonstrators, disrupted business by tipping over shopping carts in the store and blocking the entrances. Click here to read... [7]

UK factory output 'falls at fastest pace for seven years': BBC, 2 September 2019

Activity in the UK's manufacturing sector contracted at the fastest pace for seven years in August, a closely-watched survey has suggested. The uncertainty surrounding Brexit and the global economic downturn were some of the factors hitting firms, according to the survey from IHS Markit/CIPS. The purchasing managers' index (PMI) produced by IHS Markit/CIPS fell to 47.4 in August, down from 48 in July.A figure below 50 indicates the sector is contracting.

New orders fell at the fastest pace for seven years, and business confidence fell to its lowest level since the survey first began to track the measure in 2012. "High levels of economic and political uncertainty alongside ongoing global trade tensions stifled the performance of UK manufacturers in August," said Rob Dobson, director at IHS Markit. Click here to read... [8]

RUSSIA

Tehran welcomes Russia's concept for Persian Gulf security - Iranian Foreign Minister: Sputnik News, 2 September 2019

Iran welcomes Russia's initiative on Persian Gulf security and is ready to sign a non-aggression pact with its neighbours, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Monday.The Russian Foreign Ministry unveiled in late July, amid US-Iranian tensions in the region, the Collective Security Concept for the Persian Gulf Region, proposing a "renouncement of permanent deployment of troops of extra-regional states" in the Gulf. "As for the Persian Gulf security, our stand is really close to the Russian stand. I believe security can be ensured through cooperation and synergy, not resilience ... We have heard [taken note of] Russia's initiative for regional security. We welcome the initiative ... We are also ready to sign a relevant agreement, a non-aggression pact with our neighbours in the Persian Gulf. So, we welcome Russia's concept ... and encourage our Russian friends to move further on the matter", Zarif said after talks with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow.

The concept promotes multilateralism as the core of the new security system in the region. Click here to read... [9]

New Borei-Class attack submarine to join Russian Pacific Fleet – Sputnik News, 3 September 2019

The submarine was originally destined to operate in the Russian Northern Fleet, but the Russian Defence Ministry later changed the decision, re-tasking it to the Pacific Ocean. According to the source, the vessel will be stationed in Kamchatka. A crew for the submarine has already been trained and is waiting for its launch in the city of Severodvinsk. Knyaz Oleg will become the third Borei-class vessel in the Russian Pacific fleet. Borei is a 4th generation ballistic missile submarine which carries up to 16 intercontinental ballistic missiles RSM-56 Bulava (NATO reporting name SS-NX-30) with a flight range of up to 9,000 km (around 5,600 miles). Click here to read... [10]

Russian lawmakers set up ‘anti-foreign meddling’ commission, will send results to PACE, OSCE : Russia Today, 19 August 2019

Lawmakers in Moscow are gearing up to examine reports of foreign meddling and deliver the findings to the parliamentary assemblies of the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Co-operation (OSCE), as well as to the ‘offending’ countries. On Monday, the council of the State Duma, the lower house of the nation’s parliament, created a 12-person commission tasked with investigating foreign meddling in Russia’s domestic affairs.

Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, who is a member of the ruling United Russia Party (ER), said the new body will “analyze and study” and compile reports on all foreign meddling. The findings will later be presented to law enforcement, as well as the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE, he said. The commission’s reports may also be sent to “a number of countries” that “cynically infringe upon our sovereignty” by interfering in Russia’s affairs, Volodin stressed. Click here to read... [11]

AFRICA

Ex-Sudan president got millions from Saudis, court hears: Reuters, 19 August 2019

Sudan’s ousted president Omar Hassan al-Bashir acknowledged receiving millions of dollars from Saudi Arabia, a police detective told a court on Monday at the start of a corruption trial that many Sudanese thought they would never see. Bashir listened to the testimony without comment, sitting in a metal cage and wearing traditional white robes and a turban in his first appearance in a Khartoum courtroom.

He is charged with illicit possession of foreign currency and accepting gifts in an unofficial manner. Bashir’s lawyer dismissed the accusations, telling reporters after the hearing it was usual for leaders to hold amounts of foreign currency. The veteran leader spoke to confirm his name and age. When asked about his residence, Bashir laughed and said: “formerly the airport district, at army headquarters but now Kobar prison,” referring to the detention complex where he sent thousands of opponents during his rule. Click here to read... [12]

Sudan’s top General sworn in as leader of new ruling body: The New York Times, 21 August, 2019

Sudan’s top general was sworn in Wednesday as the leader of a joint military-civilian body created to rule Sudan during a three-year transition period toward democratic elections. Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan was sworn in before the country’s top judge and will lead the 11-member Sovereign Council for 21 months, followed by a civilian leader appointed by the pro-democracy movement for the next 18.

The long-awaited move came after more than four months of tortuous negotiations between the ruling military council and the pro-democracy movement after the army’s removal of the longtime autocratic president, Omar al-Bashir, in April. Click here to read... [13]

Nigeria: Thousands trapped as Boko Haram seizes two local government areas in Borno: allAfrica, 22 August 2019

Thousands of Nigerian citizens were feared trapped on Wednesday after Boko Haram fighters attacked two local government areas in northern Borno and held control without immediate pushback from the military, Premium Times has learnt.

The insurgents attacked Gubio and Magumeri local government areas - about 50 kilometres apart - between morning and evening on Wednesday, and have maintained a grip on them a day later, military sources said. The two local government areas have a combined population of almost 300,000 inhabitants. Click here to read... [14]

Mozambique, Russia sign energy, security deals: AFP, 22 August 2019

Mozambique's President Filipe Nyusi signed energy and security agreements with Russian's Vladimir Putin on Thursday in the first visit by a leader from the southern African state in two decades. Nyusi's visit came weeks his government signed a peace deal with former rebel movement Renamo and just two months before elections where the Mozambique leader will seek a second term.

Russia has been looking to expand its influence in Africa and oil and gas producer Mozambique already signed a debt swap agreement with Moscow in 2017. Click here to read... [15]

Former UN economist becomes prime minister in crisis-hit Sudan: Bloombergk 22 August 2019

A Sudanese economist who’s worked for the United Nations and African Development Bank was sworn in as the first prime minister since President Omar al-Bashir’s overthrow, pledging to overhaul the country’s ravaged economy.

Abdalla Hamdok, the opposition’s choice for the premiership, took the oath of office late Wednesday. He’s the latest person to join a transitional government that’s meant to rule for three years and divide powers between pro-democracy activists and the military that ousted Bashir. His appointment came after months of protests, crackdowns and stalled negotiations. Click here to read... [16]

Japan to host Africa aid forum as China looms large: AFP, 27 August 2019

Japan hosts development talks with African leaders this week, looking to boost its presence on the continent and offer an alternative to investments by an increasingly assertive China.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said he wants the latest round of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) to help "launch impactful Japanese action" on the continent. Click here to read... [17]

Cash for shelter programme empowers refugees and their hosts in Kenya: UNHCR, 27 August 2019

When South Sudanese mother Florence Idiongo joined thousands of refugees fleeing to Kenya three years ago, she had to live in a plastic tent with 12 people, including her children, younger siblings and other relatives. It was hot, crowded and offered minimal protection for her and her family, who had to watch over their food and other belongings constantly. “We sometimes had to cook inside the tent during the rainy season and this was very risky for the children’s health,” she adds.

Fortunately, her situation has changed for the better. With an ATM card and some guidance from UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, she has been able to withdraw funds and join more than 1,000 refugees building better and safer housing in the Kalobeyei settlement, according to their needs. Click here to read... [18]

Over twenty African presidents in Japan as 7th TICAD opens: africanews, 28 August 2019

Over twenty African leaders are participating in seventh edition of the Tokyo International Conference for African Development (TICAD) summit, which kicked off today (August 28) in Japan. TICAD has been held in Japan except for TICADVI which was held in Africa. TICAD7 is taking place in Yokohama, Japan. It starts today and will end on Friday 30 August 2019.

On Tuesday, August 27, the TICAD7 Ministerial Preparatory Meeting was held in Yokohama, and Mr. Taro Kono, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, attended the meeting as a Co-chair and rallied for support to achieve a successful summit. In response, the Co-chair, Sameh Shoukry, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt stated an intention to strengthen partnerships and to aim to achieve AU Agenda 2063 and SDGs through the TICAD7 process, under the theme of TICAD7, “Advancing Africa’s Development through People, Technology and Innovation”. Click here to read... [19]

Japan to drive Africa investment with enhanced trade insurance –Abe, 28 August 2019

Japan will offer enhanced trade insurance to boost private sector investment in Africa, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Wednesday as his country competes with rival China for influence in the resource-rich continent.

“Let me make a promise,” Abe told the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) attended by a few dozen African leaders and representatives of international organisations such as the World Bank. “The Japanese government will do its utmost so that our private-sector investment in Africa, which came to $20 billion over the past three years, will be expanded continuously,” Abe added. Click here to read... [20]

Severe hunger threatens millions in Somalia as climate emergency deepens: The Guardian, 29 August 2019

Somalia faces a new humanitarian crisis with more than 2 million people now threatened by severe hunger, aid agencies say. A further 3 million people are uncertain of their next meal, latest assessments suggest.

The new emergency comes two years after the threat of a major disaster in the unstable east African state was averted by timely aid from the international community. Click here to read... [21]

Dozens arrested in South Africa as looting rocks Johannesburg: BBC, 2 September, 2019

Dozens of people have been arrested in the South African city of Johannesburg after rioters looted shops and torched buildings and vehicles. Police fired tear gas, rubber bullets and stun grenades in an attempt to quell the unrest on Monday.

Many of the targeted shops are reported to be owned by foreign nationals. But the country's police minister, Bheki Cele, said "criminality rather than xenophobia" was to blame for the "senseless violence".Click here to read... [22]