KEY STORYLINES
- AFRICA: Algerians voted for a new parliament as the government grapples with soaring unemployment and a deep financial crisis caused by a collapse in oil revenues.
- AMERICAS: Venezuelan security forces battled protesters who lit fires and hurled stones in rage at President Nicolas Maduro’s decree to create an alternative congress.
- ASIA: Indian troops launched a major operation in southern parts of disputed Kashmir to root out rebels fighting against India’s rule.
- EUROPE: Voting began in Britain’s local elections, the first nationwide electoral test for PM Theresa May.
- MIDDLE EAST: A delegation representing the Syrian armed opposition returned to peace talks being held in Kazakhstan a day after it said it had suspended its participation.
- TECHNOLOGY: A ‘phishing’ scam that tricked people with what appeared to be Google Docs links was doused by Google after spreading wildly.
TOP STORY
- United Kingdom: Prince Philip to retire from public duties.
- The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, is retiring from royal duties this autumn, Buckingham Palace announced.
- Queen Elizabeth II, who is 91, will continue to carry out her duties supported by other members of the royal family.
- The health of the queen and of Prince Philip has been a source of increasing concern, as both have had recent prolonged periods of sickness.
- The announcement came hours after news of an emergency all-staff meeting at Buckingham Palace leaked, prompting a flurry of unfounded speculation that one of the royal family’s most senior members had died.
- Coverage: BBC, CNN, NYT, Reuters, WP
AFRICA
- Algeria: Algerians voted for a new parliament as the government grapples with soaring unemployment and a deep financial crisis caused by a collapse in oil revenues. (AFP)
- Nigeria: The country aims to set up a national airline and develop its aviation infrastructure, currently seen as a barrier to economic growth. (Reuters)
- South Sudan: The government increased registration fees nearly six-fold for international aid groups seeking to operate in the war-torn nation. (Reuters)
AMERICAS
- Brazil: Justice Minister Osmar Serraglio announced the federal government will send troops into the state of Rio de Janeiro amid ongoing violence. (Xinhua)
- Colombia: The UN Security Council headed to the country to demonstrate its commitment to the peace agreement between the government and the FARC rebel group. (AP)
- Venezuela: Security forces battled protesters who lit fires and hurled stones in rage at President Nicolas Maduro’s decree to create an alternative congress, as the death toll rose to 34. (Reuters)
ASIA
- Region: Indian troops launched a major operation in southern parts of disputed Kashmir to root out rebels fighting against India’s rule. (AP)
- Region: China said it wants to be good neighbors with North Korea, after the isolated country’s state news agency published rare criticism of Chinese state media calling for tougher sanctions over the North’s nuclear program. (Reuters)
- Afghanistan: Veteran warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar returned to the capital Kabul, eight months after signing a peace deal with the government. (BBC)
- Korean Peninsula: North Korea accused South Korea of engaging in “military hostilities” and demanded Seoul put an immediate end to what it described as a threat at its border. (UPI)
- South Korea: The country began early voting in the election to replace ousted President Park Geun-hye. (AP)
EUROPE
- Region: A Greek court blocked a second extradition request by Turkey for the final two of eight soldiers who fled to Greece in JUL2017 following a failed coup attempt. (Reuters)
- Azerbaijan: The US urged Azeri authorities to conduct a transparent investigation into the death of an Azerbaijani blogger and activist Mehman Qalandarov. (RFE/RL)
- Germany: The military’s chief of staff Volker Wieker promised a full investigation into the case of an army officer arrested on suspicion that he was part of a small group planning a far-right attack. (AP)
- United Kingdom: Voting began in local elections, the first nationwide electoral test for PM Theresa May. (AFP)
MIDDLE EAST
- Region: A Palestinian attempted to stab Israeli police near a flashpoint holy site in Hebron in the occupied West Bank and was shot and wounded. (AFP)
- Iran: A coal mine explosion in the country’s north killed at least 35 people, as rescuers worked a second day to reach those trapped inside after the blast. (AP)
- Iraq: Iraqi forces opened a front in western Mosul in a major shift intended to accelerate the ongoing operation against the Islamic State group. (NYT)
- Syria: A delegation representing the Syrian armed opposition returned to peace talks being held in Kazakhstan a day after it said it had suspended its participation. (Reuters)
TECHNOLOGY AND COMMUNICATIONS
- Technology: A ‘phishing’ scam that tricked people with what appeared to be Google Docs links was doused by Google after spreading wildly. (AFP)
WORLD
- Cyclones: Nothing to Report
- Hurricanes: Nothing to Report
- Earthquakes: Nothing to Report
- Volcanoes: Nothing to Report
- Global Disease Outbreaks:
- Ebola Virus Disease (EVD)
- Chikungunya Virus Disease (CHIK)
- Suspected Cases as of 28APR: 23,253 (Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Panamá, Paraguay, Perú, and Venezuela)
- Suspected Cases (01JAN16-31DEC16): 349,936
- Confirmed Cases as of 28APR: 7,405 (Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, México, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Perú, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela)
- Confirmed Cases (01JAN16-31DEC16): 152,250
- Deaths as of 28APR: 7 (Brazil)
- Deaths (01JAN16-31DEC16): 172
- Deaths (01JAN15-31DEC15): 91 (Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Puerto Rico)
- Novel Coronavirus (MERS-CoV, SARS-related)
- Cases as of 29APR: 1,952 (Saudi Arabia (KSA), Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the United Kingdom (UK), France, Tunisia, Italy, Oman, Kuwait, Yemen, Malaysia, Greece, Egypt, Lebanon, the Netherlands, Iran, Algeria, Austria, Turkey, The Philippines, Germany, China, South Korea, and the US)
- Deaths as of 29APR: 693 (Saudi Arabia, France, Qatar, United Kingdom, UAE, Oman, South Korea)
- Sourcing: WHO, WHO-2
- Zika Virus
- Reported autochthonous Transmission as of 13APR: American Samoa, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Bonaire (Netherlands), Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Cabo Verde, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Curaçao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Fiji, French Guiana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Indonesia, Jamaica, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mexico, Micronesia (Federated States of), Montserrat, New Caledonia, Nicaragua, Palau, Panamá, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Martin, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Singapore, Sint Eustatius and Saba (Netherlands), Sint Maarten, Suriname, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks and Caicos, United States of America, Vietnam, United States Virgin Islands, and Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of).
- Outbreak Terminated as of 13APR: Bangladesh, Cambodia, Cook Islands, French Polynesia, Gabon, Isla de Pascua (Chile), Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu.
- Locally Acquired Without Vector Borne Transmission as of 13APR: Argentina, Canada, Chile, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, Portugal, Spain, and the United States of America.
- Sourcing: WHO, WHO-2, CDC, CDC-2
TOMORROW’S OUTLOOK (05MAY)
- Europe: Europe Day – 1964
- Ethiopia: Liberation Day/Patriot’s Victory Day – 1941
- Kyrgyzstan: Constitution Day – 1993
- Mexico: Cinco de Mayo – 1862
END