Inside Daily Brief

For July 28, 2023

Hey Insiders,

📰 Our top stories today include the reappointment of Wang Yi as China's foreign minister, an analysis of data on U.S. capital punishment, and the latest on the controversial judicial reforms that were approved in Israel this week.
⏬ Scroll down for some quick hits and upcoming events.
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China's Wang Yi has been reappointed as foreign minister. In his first official comments since the announcement, Wang emphasized the importance of deepening international partnerships and safeguarding China's sovereignty.

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Wang Yi is succeeding Qin Gang, who was in the role for seven months before disappearing from public view in late June, allegedly due to unspecified health reasons.
The National People's Congress Standing Committee, the top decision-making body in China, announced Qin's dismissal without providing a reason on Tuesday.
Speculation about Qin's removal has been rife, with some saying it may be due to health issues and others pointing to potential political tensions. The Washington Post reported rumors that Qin may have fathered a child out of wedlock in the U.S.
Wang Yi previously held the foreign minister's position from 2013-2022.
- He also serves as the head of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission.
Wang's statement highlighted the ministry's commitment to global governance reform and protecting China's interests.

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Qin was instrumental in facilitating communication between the U.S. and China, having met with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on June 18 when the latter visited Beijing.

What the numbers say: The U.S. executed 1,392 individuals using lethal injection between 1976 and 2023, making it the predominant execution method, with an additional 163 people executed through electrocution.

Relevance: In 2022, the number of documented executions reached a five-year peak, according to Amnesty International's latest death penalty report. The organization's data show that 883 individuals were executed in 20 nations, a 53% increase from 2021. The significant rise in executions was predominantly driven by countries in the Middle East and North Africa.

According to the human rights non-profit, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt accounted for 90% of the executions in the studied countries. The United States executed 18 people in 2022, a 64% increase from the year before.

Although the study does not include China, Amnesty International estimates that thousands of people were executed there last year.

Singapore has executed a woman for the first time in 20 years. Despite opposition from human rights groups, Singapore remains one of the few countries that have recently carried out executions for drug-related charges.

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Saridewi Djamani, 45, was convicted for possessing over 30 grams (~1 ounce) of heroin, more than double the amount that warrants the death penalty in Singapore.
Djamani's appeal against the execution was dismissed in October 2022, and her plea for presidential clemency was also denied.
Djamani is the 15th prisoner executed since Singapore resumed the death penalty in March 2022 after a two-year hiatus.
Singapore has conducted four executions this year, with another drug convict set to be executed on Aug. 3.
In April, despite pleas from activists and the U.N., another Singaporean was executed for trafficking 1kg (35oz) of cannabis he never touched.

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According to Harm Reduction International (HRI), Singapore is among the 35 nations and regions that impose capital punishment for drug-related offenses.

SpaceX successfully launched its 50th mission of the year, deploying 22 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. The launch occurred from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station shortly after midnight, following several weather-related delays.

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SpaceX has launched approximately 4,500 Starlink satellites as part of efforts to offer internet connectivity across the world.
SpaceX is now exclusively launching upgraded V2 mini Starlinks, phasing out the older versions.
The Falcon 9 B1062 rocket landed on the drone ship "A Shortfall of Gravitas" after the launch, marking its 15th successful launch and landing.
This mission marked SpaceX's 220th consecutive successful launch and the 136th consecutive Falcon recovery.

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Earlier this month, SpaceX said it anticipates $8B in revenue in 2023, up from $4B in 2022.

General Abdourahmane Tchiani has declared himself the new leader of Niger following a coup. The coup resulted in the detention of the elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, raising concerns about the nation's political stability.

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During a speech broadcast on the state-run TV network, Tchiani justified the coup, saying the military couldn't watch the "gradual and inevitable demise of our country."
A banner appeared on the screen describing Tchiani as "President of the National Council for Safeguarding the Homeland."
Mohamed Bazoum was considered an important Western ally in the fight against extremist groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State.
Countries including the U.S. have expressed concerns that Niger's new leadership may establish a political alliance with Moscow.

The head of Israel's air force warned that the country's adversaries might capitalize on the political turmoil caused by a judicial system overhaul, a claim rejected by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The controversial reform approved this week diminishes the Supreme Court's power to annul government decisions it considers "unreasonable."

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Major-General Tomer Bar urged security forces to stay "vigilant and prepared" following weeks of anti-government protests.
Reservists angered by the reform have reportedly decided not to serve in the army if they are called.
Protesters accuse Netanyahu of undermining the judiciary's independence while facing a corruption trial.
According to local media reports, military intelligence warned Netanyahu several times about potential security risks stemming from his push to approve the judicial overhaul.
Netanyahu described the reforms as "minor" and described claims that the changes could mark the end of the country's democracy as "silly."

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Opposition leader Yair Lapid recently warned that the government's policies are jeopardizing the nation's safety.

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White House advisor Jake Sullivan met with Saudi's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman amid efforts by the Biden administration to improve relations with the oil-rich kingdom.
Prosecutors allege that former President Trump asked an aide to delete security camera footage to undermine a federal investigation into Trump's mishandling of classified documents.
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