WORLD BRIEFING: September 12, 2023
Today marks 566 days since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine
A special train carrying North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has entered the Russian Far East. Russian government sources say Kim and President Vladimir Putin are expected to hold talks on Wednesday. Russian railway sources say the train with Kim on board crossed the border on Tuesday morning. NHK filmed what appeared to be Kim's train on a coastal railway line in the Russian Far East - NHK
Photos released by KCNA showed that Kim is traveling with Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui, senior military official Ri Pyong-chol and munitions industry official Jo Chun Ryong, among others, a signal that arms transfers could be on the leaders' agenda. “Considering that a large number of military personnel is accompanying him, (we) are closely monitoring whether negotiations over arms trade between North Korea and Russia, and technology transfers will take place," the Yonhap news agency quoted South Korean Defense Ministry spokesperson Jeon Ha-kyou as saying - Japan Times
The death toll from floods in Libya in one city alone stands at more than 1,500, a minister who visited the eastern port of Derna has told the BBC. Up to 10,000 people are recorded to be missing after the flooding as a result of Storm Daniel, the Red Crescent says.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Canadian delegation are stuck in New Delhi after his aircraft experienced technical issues, an inauspicious end to a trip that included criticism from the Indian government. Trudeau, government staff and journalists traveling with the prime minister were set to leave India on Sunday night after the Group of 20 leaders’ summit. It’s unclear when and how they will be able to depart the country. “These issues are not fixable overnight, our delegation will be staying in India until alternate arrangements are made,” a statement from the PMO said - Bloomberg
Threads, the much-hyped social media app from Facebook-parent Meta, is taking heat for blocking searches for “coronavirus,” “Covid,” and other pandemic-related queries - CNN
Rescuers in Morocco have been using their bare hands as desperate search efforts continue for survivors of Friday's powerful earthquake. A total of 2,681 people are known to have died in the tremor - the country's deadliest in 60 years. Morocco's government is under pressure to accept more international aid, as rescuers battle with exhaustion. So far, it has accepted help from only four countries - Spain, the UK, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates - BBC
Egypt has voiced anger after Ethiopia announced it had filled the reservoir at a highly controversial hydroelectric dam on the Blue Nile river. Ethiopia has been in dispute with Egypt and Sudan over the megaproject since its launch in 2011. Egypt relies on the Nile for nearly all its water needs. Egypt's foreign ministry said Ethiopia was disregarding the interests of the downstream countries - BBC
Turkey’s current account swung back to a wider deficit than forecast in July after a rare surplus the previous month, as surging gold imports added to a deteriorating trade gap. The shortfall was $5.5 billion, compared with a revised surplus of $651 million in June and a deficit of $3.5 billion in July 2022, according to central bank data published on Monday - Bloomberg
Ukraine has regained control of a set of Black Sea oil drilling platforms that Russia has occupied since 2015. Ukraine's Military Intelligence released a video detailing the operation, involving a battle between Ukrainian special forces on boats and a Russian SU-30 fighter jet - Kyiv Independent
The European Union has warned Russia of “consequences” for those involved in organizing the “illegal” elections over the weekend in Ukrainian regions occupied by the Kremlin, while Germany said new EU sanctions are possible - RFE/RL
Most Ukrainians consider their president directly responsible for corruption in government. According to a recent poll published by the Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation, 78% of surveyed Ukrainians believe that the president bears direct responsibility for corruption in the government and regional administrations. Only 18% of respondents disagreed with this statement.Older Ukrainians seem more demanding of the head of state, reads the report. The share of respondents who think the president is responsible for corruption ranges from 70% to 81% among people aged 18-29 and those over 60, respectively - Kyiv Independent