Global developments on September 3, 2024

Good morning everyone!

Today we look at the US presidential election campaign, developments in Africa and America, and other news from around the world.

Let’s get started.

Africa

– During his trip to China, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said he wanted reduce his country’s trade deficit with Beijing. In 2023, the African country sold $12.5 billion worth of goods to Beijing, while importing $25 billion worth of Chinese products.

Ramaphosa’s call comes ahead of the ninth forum on China-Africa cooperation, which starts on Wednesday.

-A memorial A commemoration was held in the eastern city of Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday to commemorate the 200 victims of the conflict between the country’s army and the rebel group M23.

The government has been fighting rebels in the region since the militants launched a new uprising in 2022.

High-ranking officials from the capital Kinshasa had come to the ceremony.

-Authorities in Tunisia on Monday a presidential candidate arrested in a move that was seen by the opposition as anti-democratic. On the same day, the country’s electoral commission overturned a court ruling that put three candidates back on the October ballot.

President Kais Saied is expected to face little opposition in the election, having jailed many of his political rivals during his first term.

In 2021, Saied dissolved parliament and has since ruled by decree.

Other links:

WHO chief says smallpox outbreaks in Africa can be ended within 6 months -AP

Burkina Faso: Russian Bear Brigade troops leave for war in Ukraine -BBC

Gabon’s transitional president presented a draft version of the future constitution – Africa News

Ghana raises cocoa price on farms – Africa News

Africa faces high costs as temperatures rise, WMO says -Reuters

America and the Caribbean

-The U.S. Department of Justice said Monday that the a plane seized Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro used it in the Dominican Republic, saying its purchase violated sanctions imposed by Washington.

The seizure comes as Western capitals and protesters in Venezuela stepped up pressure on Maduro after he claimed victory in disputed July elections, which the opposition says he narrowly lost.

– Mexico’s Chamber of Deputies is expected to open a debate today on a controversial package of judicial reforms submitted by outgoing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and his ruling Morena party.

The proposal would reduce the number of Supreme Court justices, shorten their terms from 15 to 12 years and call for elections for the country’s more than 7,000 judges and magistrates.

Supporters of the reform package say it would end the atmosphere of impunity for criminal gangs, while critics say this challenge is being driven by prosecutors and law enforcement agencies.

Morena and his partners hold a two-thirds supermajority in the lower house of Congress and are down just one seat in the Senate after the June elections. President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum supports the reforms and is expected to take office next month.

-Brazil today publishes figures on economic growth for the second quarter.

Other links:

Musk’s Starlink ignores order to block X in Brazil -Newspaper

Milei rejects pension law, forces government to increase payments – Buenos Aires times

Venezuelan Attorney General Requests Arrest Warrant for Opposition Leader Gonzalez -Reuters

Google opens second data center in Latin America, investing more than $850 million -Reuters

Argentina sends gold bars abroad to be financially certified -Bloomberg

Real estate magnate who nearly won Colombian presidential election dies of cancer -AP

Asia/Indo-Pacific

-Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Mongolia on Monday for a state visit. The trip comes as Moscow tries to secure a planned gas pipeline, known as Power of Siberia 2, that would connect China and Russia via a route through landlocked Mongolia.

Last week, the Ukrainian government urged Mongolian authorities to arrest Putin based on an arrest warrant issued last year by the International Criminal Court (ICC). The Russian leader was accused of kidnapping hundreds of Ukrainian children.

As a member of this international organization, Mongolia and the 123 other member states are obliged to comply with the orders of this organization.

– Pope Francis will meet with Indonesian President Joko Widodo in Jakarta today.

During his multi-day trip through Asia, the Pope will also visit Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore.

-Vietnam celebrated its national day yesterday.

Other links:

Pacific leaders’ summit removes mention of Taiwan after Chinese anger, unraveling shaky deal -AP

Military-ruled Myanmar to hold census next month in preparation for 2025 elections -AP

China and the Philippines accuse each other of ramming ships in the South China Sea – NBC

China warns Japan of retaliatory measures over possible new chip restrictions -Bloomberg

Indonesia expects to close $3.5 billion in deals at Africa forum -Reuters

South Korea denies hospital emergency rooms collapse due to deployment of military doctors -Reuters

Trump ‘busy’, misunderstands Taiwan’s role as chip maker, minister says -Reuters

Europe

-The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) first place in the German state of Thuringia in the regional elections held on Sunday. The party won 33.5% of the vote, while the conservative Christian Democrats and the Social Democrats of Chancellor Olaf Scholz lagged behind.

In neighboring Saxony, the AfD narrowly trailed the Christian Democrats.

The AfD’s victory in Thuringia is the first major election victory of a far-right political party in Germany since World War II.

Regional elections are held every five years, with each state holding elections at different times. Next month, the northeastern state of Brandenburg is holding parliamentary elections.

-The British Parliament returned from summer recess yesterday.

-Today San Marino celebrates its Founding Day, the day that marks 1,100 years since the microstate became a sovereign state.

Other links:

Russian missiles target Kiev on first day of school -BBC

Hungary misses first deadline for payment of €200 million fine imposed by ECJ – Euronews

Romania changes choice of EU commissioner, nominates woman – Politics

Poland has ‘duty’ to shoot down Russian missiles over Ukraine, minister says – Financial Times

German and British tourists boost Spanish GDP growth as home economies decline -Reuters

UK suspends 30 of its 350 arms export licenses to Israel -Reuters

Middle East

-Israeli protesters launched a general strike Monday, amid outrage over the government’s failure to free the remaining hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli forces recovered the remains of six hostages from the coastal enclave over the weekend. More than 100 hostages remain in captivity.

In a combative press conferencePrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Hamas would pay a “high price” for its actions.

– Turkey will release inflation figures for August today.

Other links:

Biden says Netanyahu not doing enough to bring Israeli hostages home -Today in the US

Israeli fire kills dozens in Gaza as polio vaccinations continue -Reuters

Hamas says hostages in Gaza operating under new instructions

7 US personnel injured in Iraq attack that killed 15 ISIS members: officials -ABC

Suspected attacks by Yemeni Houthi rebels on 2 ships in Red Sea, officials say -AP

Turkey arrests 15 members of anti-US youth group over attack on 2 US soldiers -AP

United States

-Vice President Kamala Harris has a six percentage point lead over former President Donald Trump in a head-to-head race, according to a new report. ABC News/Ipsos Poll.

While Harris’ poll results have remained largely unchanged since she secured the Democratic nomination in July, she has widened her lead among women voters, taking 54% of the vote to Trump’s 41%. She is nearly tied among men.

There are 63 days left until Election Day.

-President Joe Biden and Harris held a campaign rally in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, yesterday to celebrate Labor Day. The event marked the first campaign appearance between the two since Harris replaced Biden at the top of the Democratic presidential ticket in July.

Harris also hosted an event in Detroit, Michigan, while her running mate, Governor Tim Walz, hosted events in his home state of Minnesota and neighboring Wisconsin.

The holiday commemorating the country’s labor movement has long been considered the unofficial start of the fall campaign.

Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, held no announced events.

Other links:

Trump says he had ‘every right’ to interfere in 2020 election – NBC

Harris’s Sun Belt Opens New Path to Potential Victory – The Hill

Walz unharmed after several vehicles behind his motorcade crash in Milwaukee – Politics

New Jersey Democrats Pick Longtime Lawmaker to Replace Pascrell on November Ballot – Appeal

US economy grows at revised 3% on resilient consumers -Bloomberg

That’s it for today. See you tomorrow.

Refer a friend

Notes:

https://www.ft.com/content/e6f08c78-59bb-47e2-b8b5-74614c61c241

https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Your-Week-in-Asia/Pope-in-Asia-China-Africa-forum-Japan-Australia-2-2