November 20, 2024
🇿🇦 South African officials are assessing safety for a potential rescue of illegal miners trapped underground. Authorities insist they are not trapped but avoiding arrest. Recent court ruling allows supplies to be delivered as fears grow for miners' health.
🇨🇳 China’s President Xi Jinping met Argentine President Javier Milei on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, as reported by Chinese state television CCTV.
🇨🇳 Chinese President Xi Jinping urges German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to assist in resolving EU tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles promptly, according to state television CCTV.
November 19, 2024
🇭🇰 Hong Kong jails 45 democracy activists in a landmark national security trial. Benny Tai, labeled an “organiser,” receives a 10-year sentence. Other sentences range from just over four years to 10 years.
🇰🇷 South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol announces a 45% increase in the country’s contribution to the World Bank’s International Development Association fund, raising it to over $600 million.
🇸🇻 El Salvador court orders trial for former president and military officials over 1989 murders of six Jesuit priests and two collaborators during the civil war. This significant ruling seeks accountability for past atrocities.
🇭🇰 Hong Kong’s High Court sentences pro-democracy activist Benny Tai to 10 years in prison, marking a significant moment in a national security trial that has raised global concerns about the city’s pro-democracy movement.
🇲🇩 Moldova’s interior minister resigns as pro-European President Maia Sandu begins post-election changes after winning a second term by a smaller margin than expected.
🇧🇩 Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus expresses hope for stronger ties with the U.S., the largest buyer of Bangladeshi garments, despite criticism from President-elect Trump regarding violence against minorities.
🌎 G20 leaders focus on sustainable development and transitioning to cleaner energy on the final day of the Rio summit.
🇻🇳 Iran, Israel, China, Russia, and the US to showcase military equipment at an arms expo in Hanoi this December. A unique event where geopolitical rivals exhibit their arms together.
🇮🇷 Iran rejects new EU and British sanctions on its shipping lines, calling them ‘unjustified’. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei states sanctions are based on false claims of missile transfers to Russia.
🇺🇸 U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirms that the Mutual Defense Treaty with the Philippines includes armed attacks in the South China Sea.
🇺🇦 A Russian drone attack in Ukraine’s Sumy region has resulted in the deaths of eight people, including a child, according to Ukrainian officials.
🇺🇸 A senior U.S. official indicates a “real opportunity” to end the Israel-Hezbollah conflict, noting that gaps are narrowing in efforts for a ceasefire agreement.
🌍 Development banks are struggling to attract private investments for climate action. As global officials negotiate funding for poorer nations this week, investment manager Rob Drijkoningen is viewed as a key player in bridging the financial gap.
🇺🇦 President Zelenskiy addresses parliament as Ukraine marks 1,000 days since Russia’s invasion. The speech reflects on the ongoing conflict and its impact on the nation.
🇺🇦 President Zelenskiy announces a ‘resilience’ plan as Ukraine marks 1,000 days since the invasion, urging citizens to stay strong and revealing plans to significantly increase production of strike weapons.
🇶🇦 Qatar confirms that Hamas' political office in Doha has not been permanently closed, according to foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari.
🇸🇩 U.S. envoy calls for more aid in Sudan, advocating for humanitarian corridors and pauses. Discussions with government leaders aim to expedite relief efforts in the war-affected region.