Subject: Morning Brief: China makes history by landing on the far side of the moon
From: "Foreign Policy" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 3 Jan 2019 07:16:24 -0600 (CST)

China Makes History By Landing on the Far Side of the Moon

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MORNING BRIEF

Today's Global News from Foreign Policy

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01/03/2019

01/03/2019

TOP NEWS

China Makes History By Landing on the Far Side of the Moon

Top News:  No one had managed to land on the side of the moon that continuously faces away from the earth until 2019. At 2:26 a.m. GMT on Jan. 3, China’s lunar vehicle, Chang’e-4, named after the moon goddess of Chinese mythology, touched down on the moon’s South Pole-Aitken basin, the oldest and deepest crater on its surface.

Democratic Republic of the Congo: The president of Congo’s electoral commission has said that the results of the country’s election, which are slated to be announced on Sunday, could be delayed. Less than 20 percent of local tally sheets have made it to official counting centers and the atmosphere in the country is tense. Government minister Lambert Mende accused Radio France Internationale (RFI) of pouring “petrol on the flames at a time when we are waiting for the compilation of the provisional results.” In addition to cracking down on both Congolese and international journalists, the government is restricting internet access across Congo’s major cities, fueling frustration.

AFRICA

•  Niger’s defense ministry said that its forces had killed upward of 280 Boko Haram fighters in a sweep operation using airstrikes and ground troops.

•  Algeria is denying entry to Syrians seeking to enter the country via its borders with Niger and Mali.

•  The government of Sudan is blocking access to social media platforms including WhatsApp, Twitter, and Facebook in an effort to curb the reach of protests against President Omar al-Bashir.

AMERICAS

•  In the United States, the partial shutdown of the U.S. government is affecting overburdened immigration courts and the ability of employers to check the immigration status of potential hires.

•  In Brazil, President Jair Bolsonaro has issued a temporary but wide-ranging executive order which allows the Brazilian government to “supervise, coordinate, monitor and accompany the activities and actions” of NGOs.

•  Colombian President Ivan Duque met with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Cartagena, where they announced that the two countries would attempt to cut coca production by 50 percent before 2023.

ASIA

•  A North Korean diplomat, Jo Song Gil, who served as the country’s acting Ambassador to Italy, is missing. Some reports claim he is seeking asylum from the Italian government.

•  Apple CEO Tim Cook cited a failure to anticipate “economic deceleration,” in China as a key reason for a drop in projected revenue for the tech giant.

•  India deported a Rohingya family of five to Myanmar on Thursday, sparking fears of further repatriations. The Indian government estimates that 40,000 Rohingya, whom they consider illegal aliens, are living in the country.

EUROPE

•  The U.S. Ambassador to Russia visited Lefortovo detention centre in Moscow to meet with Paul Whelan, the American accused of espionage by Russian authorities.

•  Belgian Interior Minister Pieter De Crem promised to investigate violence on the streets of Brussels on New Years’ Eve, calling the events of Jan. 1 “totally unacceptable.”

•  Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos granted citizenship to three fisherman—originally from Egypt and Albania—for their role in a wildfire rescue. Pavlopoulos said the act was designed to send a message “to the formations of populism and xenophobia, who are against the spirit of European humanism and solidarity exemplified by the three fishermen.”

MIDDLE EAST

•  Saudi Arabia’s state news agency, SPA, reported on Thursday that prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for 5 out of the 11 people held over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

•  Twenty-three Israeli paramilitary police were injured during an operation to remove Jewish settlers from an illegal outpost in the West Bank.

•  American comedian Hasan Minhaj appealed for donations to relief efforts in Yemen as he poked fun at Netflix’s decision to censor an episode of his show in Saudi Arabia. Minhaj tweeted “Clearly, the best way to stop people from watching something is to ban it, make it trend online, and then leave it up on YouTube.”

- By Jefcoate O'Donnell

(Xinhua/Jin Liwang/Getty Images)

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