WORLD BRIEFING: September 1, 2023
Today marks 555 days since Russia launched its full scale invasion of Ukraine
A deadly fire in Johannesburg's inner city was "a wake-up call" for South Africa, says President Cyril Ramaphosa. Seventy-four people were killed - including 12 children - after a blaze in a five-storey building, which was being occupied by homeless people. More than 50 others were injured. Earlier, the city of Johannesburg confirmed it owned the building, but said cartels had taken it over. Officials say the cause of the deadly fire is unclear - BBC
The ouster of Gabon's president by mutinous soldiers appears to have been well organized and capitalized on the population's grievances against the government as an excuse to seize power, analysts said. Soldiers on Wednesday ousted President Ali Bongo Ondimba, whose family has ruled the oil-rich country in Central Africa for more than five decades. The coup leaders accused Bongo of irresponsible governance that risked leading the country into chaos and said they put him under house arrest and detained several Cabinet members. Meanwhile, the African Union Peace and Security Council met Thursday and announced the immediate suspension of Gabon from "all activities of the AU, its organs and institutions" until the country restores constitutional order - VOA
Ukraine has opened more than 3,000 criminal cases over Russia’s alleged crimes against children. The allegations include “murders, mutilations, abduction of children, forced displacement, deportation, sexual violence against children and kidnapping” - CNN
The drone attack on an airbase in the Russian city of Pskov on Tuesday was launched from inside Russia, Ukraine's military intelligence chief has said. Kyrylo Budanov said two Ilyushin cargo planes were destroyed and two damaged. Russia says four were damaged. Mr Budanov did not say whether the attack was carried out by Ukrainian or Russian operatives. Ukraine's drone attacks on Russia occur almost daily. It had already admitted the Pskov attack. But Mr Budanov's comments appear to end speculation that it was caused by a long-range weapon - BBC
The U.N. secretary-general said Thursday that he has reached out to Russia with “concrete proposals” to renew the collapsed grain deal Moscow pulled out of in July and then followed with a series of attacks on Ukraine’s ports and grain infrastructure. “The proposal is relating to the need to reestablish the Black Sea initiative,” Antonio Guterres told reporters at the United Nations during a brief news conference. “At the same time, we have some concrete solutions for the concerns allowing for more effective access of Russian food and fertilizer to global markets at adequate prices.” He did not go into detail on the proposal, only saying it addresses some of Moscow’s concerns. But he cautioned that any revival of the initiative must be stable. “We cannot have a Black Sea initiative that moves from crisis to crisis, from suspension to suspension,” Guterres said. “We need to have something that works, and that works to the benefit of everybody” - VOA
Russian media report a fire in a factory workshop that produces electronics for missiles. Tomilinskiy electronic factory in Moscow region reportedly produces components for Kalibr missiles.