GLOBAL DIARY

“This is not only a peace between leaders, it’s a peace between peoples—Israelis, Emiratis and Bahrainis are already embracing one another.” – BENJAMIN

NETANYAHU, PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL

YOSHIHIDE SUGA REPLACED SHINZO ABE AS JAPAN’S PRIME MINISTER

Yoshihide Suga has been formally elected as Japan’s new prime minister after a vote in parliament. He replaces outgoing Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who resigned for health reasons.

64 WORLD LEADERS BACK PLAN TO SAVE EARTH BY 2050

Leaders from 64 countries have signed a 10-point Pledge For Nature, outlining steps to combat climate change by helping the world ‘live in harmony with nature’ by 2050. Emmanuel Macron, Angela Merkel and Boris Johnson are among the figure heads who signed the document stating the world is in a ‘state of planetary emergency’ requiring ‘urgent and immediate global action’. The measures include a pledge to re-double efforts to slow down deforestation, eliminate unregulated and unsustainable fishing practices and stop plastic being dumped into the ocean by 2050.

SERBIA, KOSOVO AGREE TO NORMALIZE ECONOMIC TIES

Under US brokerage, leaders from Serbia and Kosovo signed a deal to normalize economic ties in what Donald Trump has praised as a “truly historic” move. Serbia also agreed to relocate its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. Serbian President Aleksander Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti signed the pact in the White House — voicing optimism about the deal, but while noting that differences remain. Although US President Trump praised the deal as a “truly historic day,” Serbia made clear during the talks that it would not go so far as to recognize Kosovo as a fully-fledged state. Both Serbia and Kosovo also agreed to halt talks on normalizing political ties for a year to allow the economic agreement to roll out.

Suga, who was formerly the chief Cabinet secretary and Abe’s right-hand man, received 377 votes from party lawmakers and regional representatives out of a total of 534. He beat two contenders to the top post — former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida. They received a combined 157 votes.

“We cannot afford dither and delay because biodiversity loss is happening today. Left unchecked, the consequences will be catastrophic for us all. Extinction is forever so our action must be immediate.” – BORIS JOHNSON, UK PRIME MINISTER

ISRAEL AND UAE HISTORIC DIRECT FLIGHT THE FIRST STEP OF PEACE DEAL

The first official flight from Israel to the United Arab Emirates has landed, a major step in normalising relations after the announcement of a peace deal. The El Al airliner made the three-hour trip, carrying a delegation of Israeli and US officials. The flight was allowed to cross Saudi Arabian airspace, nor mally blocked to Israeli air traffic. The UAE has become only the third Arab country in the Middle East to recognise Israel since its founding in 1948. The UAE repealed a law boycotting Israel which had been in place since 1972, and earlier this month the two countries opened direct telephone services for the first time. The agreement to normalise relations - brokered by the US - was made public in a surprise announcement on 13 August.

DONALD TRUMP GETS SECOND NOBEL PRIZE NOMINATION

President Donald Trump has been nominated for a second Nobel Peace Prize - this time for his work in securing a deal between Kosovo and Serbia, two former Balkan war foes. Swedish parliament member Magnus Jacobsson tweeted that he nominated the

KIM JONG-UN APOLOGISES FOR KILLING OF SOUTH KOREAN OFFICIAL

North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un has issued a rare personal apology for the killing of a South Korean official, Seoul says. Mr Kim reportedly told South Korean leader Moon Jae-in that the “disgraceful affair” should not have happened. South Korea has said the 47-year-old man was found by troops floating in the North’s waters. He was then shot dead and his body was set alight, according to Seoul. It is not known what the man was doing there. The South Korean government has said he may have been trying to defect to the North but his family has denied this.

governments of the United States, Serbia and Kosovo ‘for their joint work for peace and economic development, through the cooperation agreement signed in the White House. Trade and communications are important building blocks for peace.’ The announcement came on the same day Trump announced that Bahrain had joined United Arab Emirates and Israel in a peace deal that garnered the president his first Nobel Prize nomination.

FRANCE TO RELEASE $49 BILLION IN ECONOMIC STIMULUS IN 2021

France’s government presented its 2021 budget on Monday, a plan that aims to rescue the country’s beleaguered economy from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic by injecting a 42 billion-euro ($49 billion) stimulus next year. France’s economy is expected to shrunk 10% this year, in its worst recession since World War II. Earlier this month, French President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist government unveiled a 100 billion-euro ($117 billion) recovery plan aimed at creating jobs and saving struggling businesses. The government hopes the economy will grow 8% next year, boosted by the recovery plan. The massive plan includes money to bring back the manufacturing of medical supplies to French factories, develop hydrogen energy, help museums and the cinema industry, train young people for 21st century jobs and hire more staff at unemployment offices.