Monday 5th
France: French prosecutors are to recommend that Nicolas Sarkozy stands trial over alleged irregularities in his failed 2012 re-election campaign, which could affect the former president’s hopes of returning to the Élysée Palace. Sarkozy was put under formal investigation in February, when he was questioned by magistrates at the Paris financial prosecutor’s office over the claims of dual accounting and the discovery of €18m (£15.5m) in false invoices issued by the Bygmalion event organisation company. (The Guardian)
G-20: The G20 summit of the world’s top economies has committed to inclusive and sustainable economic growth and job creation, according to a draft resolution out early on Monday. The draft said it is important to promote positive public perception of “the benefits of trade and investments”. (The Economist)
Germany: Sunday the CDU (Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands) was relegated behind the Social Democrats and the party antimigrants AFD at a regional election test in Mecklenburg-West Pomerania. The vote in Mecklenburg -Western Pomerania will have no effect on Angela Merkel, who does not intend to change its political line. (Le Figaro)
Italy: In the frame of G-20, Italian Prime minister, Matteo Renzi had a side meeting with Jack Ma, the founder of e-commerce giant Alibaba. The two closed a deal to make 500 Italian wines available for purchase on Alibaba as of September 9. The deal covers nine “protected designation of origin” products (including parmesan cheese, Tuscan olive oil, and balsamic vinegar). They are to be registered under ‘Aliprotect’ – a scheme to prevent the website from selling counterfeit products with Italian-sounding names. The ultimate goal, Renzi said during a meeting with Italian entrepreneurs in Shanghai, is to boost Italy’s agricultural exports to up to 50 billion euros by 2020. (La Stampa)
Economic growth has halted, Istat national statistics agency said in a monthly bulletin out Monday. “The Italian economy’s growth phase has been interrupted due to declining internal demand and to a fall in industrial production,” the agency said. Negative July numbers suggest the present weakness will continue in the “coming months”, Istat said. (Ansa)
Syria: Syrian state media is reporting that multiple bomb blasts have struck government and military targets around the country. State television Monday morning reported blasts in the coastal city of Tartus, the central city of Homs, the suburbs of the capital Damascus, and the northeastern city of Hassakeh. (Haaretz)
US Secretary of State, John Kerry and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov met on the sidelines of the G20. Kerry and Lavrov were unable to strike a deal for ceasefire in Syria. This is the second time in two weeks that Kerry and Lavrov have failed to reach a deal on a ceasefire deal. The previous time they met was in Geneva on Aug. 26. Kerry has said the United States won’t accept just any deal just to have it collapse again. (The Jerusalem Post)
War on Terror: Ankara-Six Syrian villages in Aleppo are now under the control of Free Syrian Army (FSA) forces as part of Operation Euphrates Shield which began on August 24. The towns, al-Qadi, Kobbet al-Turikman, al-Battal hill, Aar hill, al-Suwaida, and Waqef in Aleppo northern countryside were cleared of ISIS terrorists. (Asharq al-Aawasat)
Tuesday 6th
Brexit: World politicians warned Theresa May of the potential cost of Brexit to jobs, investment and trade as they urged her to end uncertainty over the deal she will seek. As the G20 summit closed in China, the Italian government joined Japan in laying bare the consequences of the Prime Minister’s stated determination to curtail free movement of EU citizens. Carlo Calenda, Italy’s Economic Development´s Minister, struck an aggressive tone, telling the UK to hurry up its departure and also be ready to face curbs on exports to the EU when it decides exactly how it will exit the bloc. (The Independent)
France: Paris´ Mayor, Anne Hidalgo, Tuesday detailed the project “Refugee Camp” in the capital. The first, located in northern Paris, will be open in the coming weeks. The second one, in Ivry-sur-Seine, at the end of 2016. Migrants are intended to remain “five to ten days” in the center, said Anne Hidalgo, before being directed according to their personal situation: asylum seekers, migrants eligible for asylum, refugees will found hospitality in dedicated housing. Those who will not or cannot apply for asylum will leave the care system. (Le Figaro)
Iraq: A car bomb ripped through a bustling commercial area of central Baghdad overnight, killing at least 12 civilians, Iraqi officials said Tuesday. Shortly after the attack, ISIS claimed responsibility for the bombing in a statement posted online. (The Daily Star Lebanon)
In light of security threats aimed at Islamic State commanders, the terror group has banned the full-face cover in sensitive areas of Mosul, Iraq. Following the murders of several commanders of the terror group by veiled women, the group has purportedly banned females from entering buildings in the city while wearing the full-body covering. (The Jerusalem Post)
Wednesday 7st
Austria: Austria’s interior minister has threatened to sue Hungary if it refuses to take back refugees who had crossed their shared border. And the Austrian government has backed draft measures allowing it to turn migrants away directly at the border after an annual threshold of 37,500 is exceeded. The UN has criticised the emergency decree, saying it would “break a taboo” by abandoning efforts to protect refugees in Austria. (The Independent)
France: A car containing gas canisters has been discovered in Paris: a couple is now in custody. The Suspected car has been found on Sunday morning near the Notre-Dame Cathedral. The anti -terrorist section of the crime squad were seized. (Le Figaro)
War on terror: Turkey would be ready to join any initiative proposed by the United States to capture an ISIS stronghold in Syria, President Tayyip Erdogan said in remarks published Wednesday, as Turkish-backed forces took more Syrian land from extremists. Obama floated the idea of joint action with Turkey to capture Raqqa during talks between the two leaders at a G20 summit in China, Erdogan said, according to Wednesday’s edition of Turkey’s Hurriyet daily. (The Daily Star- Lebanon)
Thursday 8th
France: Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor alleged jihadist commando attacks of 13 November in Paris and Saint -Denis, “exercised his right to silence “at his hearing today by a judge, said his lawyer. (Le Figaro)
Palestine: Palestinian suspends the first multiparty elections in a decade. The Supreme Court ruled in Ramallah, the suspension of the municipal elections scheduled for October 8 . It was the first election after a decade in which the two main political forces had agreed to attend to re-measure its forces to citizens. (El Pais)
War on terror: Turkey’s military said Thursday it had taken control of four residential areas in northern Syria as it presses an offensive to sweep ISIS out of a patch of border territory. The military said it had taken control of the Kantara, Es Sehid, Al Humran and Taslihuyuk settlements. (The Daily Star- Lebanon)
Friday 9th
France: A commando of women “radicalized ” and ready to strike: here’s what we know about the profile and projects of three young women arrested Thursday night in Essonne in the investigation into the discovery of a car loaded of gas found last weekend in Paris. Following their eventful arrest, investigators found that the youngest of the three, which had been reported missing by his father on Sunday night, had sworn allegiance to the Islamic State. The three young women wanted to revenge the death of Abu Mohammed al- Adnani, spokesman of the Islamic State and “Minister attacks “. (Le Figaro)
Turkey: On 8th and 9th September NATO´s Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, visit Turkey for first time with EU officials. European officials and NATO´s representative have visited Turkey for the first time since the attempted coup. They sought to reassure their ally that they would continue their partnership, even amid growing concerns over Ankara’s actions. (Die Welle)
UK: A “significant” Isis plot to attack the UK has been foiled by Scotland Yard. Counter terrorism detectives arrested two men in London on suspicion of “preparation of terrorist acts”, following a raid in west London. (The Independent)
