WORLD BRIEFING: August 14, 2024
The Russian border region of Belgorod declared an emergency on Wednesday after new attacks by Ukrainian forces, with Kyiv claiming control of hundreds of square miles of Russian territory after its rare cross-border incursion. “The situation in the Belgorod region continues to be extremely difficult and tense,” Belgorod Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov said in a video message posted on his Telegram account. The declaration came after Belgorod began evacuations on Monday as a result of Ukrainian advances, following Kyiv’s surprise incursion into the neighboring Kursk region last week. It was a notable change in tactics for Ukraine and marked the first time foreign troops had entered Russian territory since World War II. Regional authorities are now appealing to the Russian government to declare a federal emergency, Gladkov said. Two locations in Belgorod, the city of Shebekino and the village of Ustinka, had been attacked by Ukrainian drones, he added. There were no casualties but two residences were damaged. - CNN
Russia is withdrawing some of its military forces from Ukraine to respond to a Ukrainian offensive into Russian territory, U.S. officials said, the first sign that Kyiv’s incursion is forcing Moscow to rejigger its invasion force. The officials said the U.S. is still seeking to determine the significance of Russia’s move and didn’t say how many troops the U.S. assesses Russia is shifting. But the new U.S. assessment bolsters claims by Ukrainian officials who said last week’s surprise invasion of Kursk province had drawn Russian forces away from Ukraine, where Moscow’s advantage in manpower and equipment is allowing them to grind forward in several places.
China has urged all sides in the Ukraine war to de-escalate as Kyiv’s forces pierced deep into Beijing ally Russia’s Kursk border region. In response to the offensive, Beijing Monday urged all parties to follow “three principles for de-escalating the situation”. Those are “no expansion of the battlefield, no escalation of fighting and no fuelling the flame by any party”, a foreign ministry spokesperson said in a statement. China will continue to maintain communication with the international community and play a constructive role in promoting a political solution to the crisis,” they added. China presents itself as a neutral party in the war and says it is not sending lethal assistance to either side, unlike the United States and other Western nations. - AFP
Africa’s top public health body declared what it termed a “public health emergency of continental security” on Tuesday over an outbreak of mpox that has spread from the Democratic Republic of Congo to neighbouring countries. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) had warned last week of an alarming rate of spread of the viral infection, which is transmitted through close contact and causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions. Most cases are mild but it can kill.
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas in a meeting in Moscow on Tuesday. Abbas said that Russia was considered one of the “dearest friends” of the Palestinian people, while Putin reaffirmed Russia’s support for a two-state solution. “Everyone is well aware that Russia today, unfortunately, must defend its interests and defend its people with arms in hand. But what is happening in the Middle East, what is happening in Palestine, of course, does not go unnoticed on our part,” Putin said, according to a Kremlin transcript.
A Thai court has dismissed Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin for appointing to his cabinet a former lawyer who was once jailed. The Constitutional Court on Wednesday ruled that Mr Srettha had violated the "rules on ethics" with "the display of defiant behaviour". The 67-year-old Srettha, who has been in power for less than a year, is the third PM in 16 years to be removed by the same court. He will be replaced by an interim leader until Thailand's parliament convenes to elect a new prime minister. Wednesday's verdict signals political uncertainty for a country that has seen multiple coups, the last being in 2014 when the military seized power. - BBC
Starbucks has ousted chief executive Laxman Narasimhan, replacing him with Chipotle’s Brian Niccol, as the world’s largest coffee chain responds to falling sales and activist pressure. Several outlets reported that falling sales is behind the change. Upon news of the announcement, Starbucks shares soared 20 percent while Chipotle dropped ten percent.
