Key Storylines
- AFRICA: Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa praised neighboring Malawi for successfully holding elections without using foreign observers, as he also questioned whether external monitors were still necessary for elections in any southern African country.
- AMERICAS: US President Donald Trump signed-off on a temporary federal government funding bill that will keep it open through December 11.
- ASIA: India accused Pakistan of killing three soldiers and wounding four in shelling along the shared highly militarized frontier that divides the disputed Kashmir region between the countries.
- EUROPE: The European Union took legal action against the UK over its plans to move ahead with legislation that breaches parts of the legally binding divorce agreement the two sides agreed to last year.
- MIDDLE EAST: One of the main contenders running to become the next Interpol Chief, the UAE’s Major General Nasser Ahmed Al-Raisi, reportedly presided over the “torture” of an academic from the UK.
- TECH & COMMUNICATIONS: The Russian group that was previously accused of meddling in the 2016 US elections is reportedly now posing as an independent news outlet to target right-wing social media users ahead of this year’s US elections.
Top Story
- China: Large police presence in Hong Kong to ward off National Day protests.
- Police in Hong Kong city arrested at least 60 people on suspicion of unauthorized assembly on China’s National Day holiday.
- However, there was no sign of large crowds anywhere in the city with only some people breaking into pro-democracy chants sporadically.
- Thousands of police officers were already deployed across Hong Kong to thwart any protests planned for China’s National Day, including officers being stationed on virtually every corner of the Causeway Bay shopping district.
- The police already rejected a request by a group of civic society organizations, to hold their annual march through the city.
- The arrests also take place on the same day that executive Carrie Lam hailed the “return to peace” in Hong Kong after China’s imposition of a national security law upon the city.
- Reporting: Reuters, DPA, AFP, WaPo, AP
Africa
- Region: Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa praised neighboring Malawi for successfully holding elections without using foreign observers, as he also questioned whether external monitors were still necessary for elections in any southern African country. (AFP)
- Algeria: US Defense Secretary Mark Esper is set to arrive in the country and discuss the threat posed by extremist groups in the region, as the country tries to play mediator in war-ravaged Libya and Mali. (AFP)
- DR Congo: Former Health Minister Oly Ilunga, who is convicted of embezzling funds allocated to fighting a deadly Ebola outbreak in the country, is taking his case to the UN’s Human Rights Council. (AFP)
Americas
- Region: Hundreds of migrants in northern Honduras are heading towards Guatemala, two weeks after Guatemala reopened its borders that were previously closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. (AP)
- Brazil: Violence against indigenous groups in the country increased by 150% due to a push by the agriculture and mining industries into their lands, according to a study by the Indigenous Missionary Council, an organization linked to the Catholic Church. (AFP)
- Ecuador: The IMF approved a $6.5 billion loan for the country to help the sectors of the economy that are struggling due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Reuters)
- United States: President Donald Trump signed-off on a temporary federal government funding bill that will keep it open through December 11. (Reuters)
Asia
- Region: India accused Pakistan of killing three soldiers and wounding four in shelling along the shared highly militarized frontier that divides the disputed Kashmir region between the countries. (AP)
- Region: Vietnam said China’s military drills this week in the South China Sea will hurt the negotiations on the creation of regional maritime code of conduct for the South China Sea. (Reuters)
- Afghanistan: Abdullah Abdullah, Chairman of the country’s High Council for National Reconciliation, said that the government and the Taliban were nearing a compromise on the key sticking point of which interpretation of Islam should be used to to frame the country’s laws following any peace deal. (AFP)
Europe
- Region: Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron both called for a ceasefire between the Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces currently fighting over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh territory. (RFE-RL)
- The Holy See: The Vatican rejected US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s request for an audience with Pope Francis, saying the Pope does not receive politicians during an election period. (BBC)
- Russia: Opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who still remains in Germany, said that Russian President Vladimir Putin was behind his suspected poisoning but added that he was not afraid. (Reuters)
- United Kingdom: The European Union took legal action against the government over its plans to move ahead with legislation that breaches parts of the legally binding divorce agreement the two sides agreed to last year. (AP)
Middle East
- Israel: Despite the ongoing coronavirus lockdown, the country registered a new high of coronavirus infections in one day. (DPA)
- Syria: The US announced new sanctions against facilitators of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. (UPI)
- United Arab Emirates: One of the main contenders running to become the next Interpol Chief, the country’s Major General Nasser Ahmed Al-Raisi, reportedly presided over the “torture” of an academic from the UK. (Telegraph)
Tech & Communications
- Social Media: The Russian group that was previously accused of meddling in the 2016 US elections is reportedly now posing as an independent news outlet to target right-wing social media users ahead of this year’s US elections. (Reuters)
World
- Cyclones: Nothing to report.
- Hurricanes: Nothing to report.
- Earthquakes:
- Tonga
- Location: 37 km NNE of Pangai, Tonga
- Magnitude: 6.4
- Depth: 35 km
- Map
- Tonga
- Volcanoes: Nothing to report.
- Global Disease Outbreaks:
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global
- Confirmed Cases as of 01OCT20: 33,995,564
- Total Recovered Cases as of 01OCT20: 23,660,562
- Deaths as of 01OCT20: 1,014,557
- Countries with Confirmed Cases: 188
- Sourcing: John Hopkins University
- Ebola Virus Disease: DR Congo (11th Ebola outbreak figures from Equateur Province)
- Confirmed Cases as of 26SEP20: 118
- Probable Cases as of 26SEP20: 6
- Deaths as of 26SEP20: 50
- Sourcing: WHO
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global
Tomorrow’s Outlook (02OCT20)
- Global: The third Urban 20 (U20) Mayors Summit will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
- Global: A High-level Plenary Meeting to Commemorate and Promote the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons will be held at the UN.
- Global: The UN’s International Non-Violence Day – 2008
- Africa: US Defense Secretary Mark Esper will visit Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco.
- Europe: The leaders of EU member-states will meet for a special EU summit, with tensions between Greece and Turkey expected to be the biggest point of discussion.
- Europe: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will visit Greece, Italy, the Holy See, and Croatia.
- Europe: Brexit discussions between the UK and the European Union continue.
- Europe: Ireland’s EU Commissioner-designate Mairead McGuinness’s confirmation hearing will be held by EU lawmakers.
- Czech Republic: Senate and regional elections will be held. (to 03OCT)
- Guinea: Independence Day – 1958
- Spain: New coronavirus restrictions will be placed in Ibiza.
- United States: Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar will testify to the House’s Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis.
- United States: The Bureau of Labor Statistics will release unemployment data.
- United States: President Donald Trump will travel to Florida.
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