02SEP21 Global Overnight Overwatch Report

Key Storylines

AFRICA: Nigerian Police said 73 students were kidnapped by unidentified gunmen from their school in the country’s northwestern state of Zamfara.
AMERICAS: The World Health Organization called on countries with a surplus of Covid-19 vaccines to speed up donations to Latin America and the Caribbean.
ASIA: North Korea has rejected around three million doses of a Chinese Covid-19 vaccine, suggesting they should be given to countries in greater need.
EUROPE: Following a meeting between Presidents Joe Biden and Volodymyr Zelensky the United States pledged an additional $60 million in military aid to Ukraine.
MIDDLE EAST: Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said the country was talking with the Taliban and working with Turkey for technical support to restart operations in Kabul airport.
TECH & COMMUNICATIONS: The US Department of Justice is allegedly preparing an antitrust lawsuit against Google over the company’s digital advertising practices.

Top Story

Global: Beijing warns that poor U.S-China ties could undermine climate cooperation.
- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned US Climate Envoy John Kerry that sour U.S-China relations could undermine cooperation between the two countries on climate change.
- Wang emphasized that “China-U.S. climate change cooperation cannot be separated from the general environment of relations” and urged the US to “meet China halfway and take positive actions to push relations back on track.”
- Foreign Minister Wang’s comments come at a time when cooperation between the world’s two largest emitters of carbon dioxide is paramount.
- After traveling to Japan earlier this week, US Climate Envoy John Kerry made a stop in Tianjin to meet his Chinese counterpart and emphasized how China plays a “super critical role” in tackling climate change.
- Washington’s climate envoy held talks with vice-premier Han Zheng and will meet top diplomat Yang Jiechi via videoconference.
- The Guardian, Bloomberg, WaPo, France24, South China Morning Post

Africa

Ivory Coast: A prominent television presenter has received a 12-month suspended sentence for promoting rape during a live broadcast. (BBC)
Libya: The speaker of the House of Representatives, Aguila Saleh, stressed the importance of holding elections as scheduled in December this year. (Xinhua)
Nigeria: Police said 73 students were kidnapped by unidentified gunmen from their school in the country’s northwestern state of Zamfara. (Xinhua)
South Africa: The country has declined a request to host Afghans who have fled into Pakistan to escape the Taliban, as it is already accommodating “a substantial number” of refugees from other countries. (AFP)

Americas

Region: The World Health Organization called on countries with a surplus of Covid-19 vaccines to speed up donations to Latin America and the Caribbean. (NYT)
Argentina: Facebook will invest $1.5 million in Argentine media to train journalists and promote online development, a first in Latin America. (AFP)
Brazil: The agriculture ministry is investigating a suspected case of mad cow disease in the country (Reuters)
Nicaragua: Lawyers for two jailed opposition figures said they are suffering “psychological torture” in prison. (AFP)

Asia

India: Authorities cracked down on public movement and imposed a communications blackout in Kashmir after the death of top separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani. (AP)
Indonesia: Authorities said attackers believed to be West Papua rebels killed four soldiers and wounded two others at a military post in the country’s eastern region. (AP)
New Zealand: Authorities said that a drop in new COVID-19 cases is a sign that the lockdown enforced nationwide is working in limiting the spread of the infectious Delta variant. (Reuters)
North Korea: Pyongyang has rejected around three million doses of a Chinese Covid-19 vaccine, suggesting they should be given to countries in greater need. (AFP)
South Korea: The Korean Health and Medical Workers Union dropped plans to strike after reaching an agreement with the government on work conditions. (Reuters)

Europe

Region: EU defense ministers discussed proposals for a rapid reactionary force after the bloc was left on the sidelines during the U.S-led evacuation from Afghanistan. (AFP)
Bulgaria: Parliament decided that the country’s presidential elections will take place on November 14, as the Balkans country looks to navigate a political crisis. (AFP)
Germany: Police carried out raids against biker groups in several western cities in connection with three killings. (AP)
Russia: The Kremlin said that U.S. military assistance to Ukraine could make Kyiv behave unpredictably in the conflict in its east and expressed regret at a U.S.-Ukrainian friendship that was motivated by opposition to Russia. (Reuters)
Ukraine: Following a meeting between Presidents Joe Biden and Volodymyr Zelensky the United States pledged an additional $60 million in military aid to Kyiv. (DPA)

Middle East

Afghanistan: The United Nations warned that its stockpiles of food in Afghanistan may run out this month, threatening to add a hunger crisis to the challenges facing the country’s new Taliban rulers. (AP)
Oman: A military cooperation agreement with South Korea was reached during a meeting between defense chiefs in Muscat. (Yonhap)
Qatar: Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said the country was talking with the Taliban and working with Turkey for technical support to restart operations in Kabul airport. (Reuters)
Yemen: A military official said Sixty-five fighters have been killed after Houthi rebels launched a renewed offensive on Marib, the last government stronghold in the country’s oil-rich north. (AFP)

Tech & Communications

Technology: The US Department of Justice is allegedly preparing an antitrust lawsuit against Google over the company’s digital advertising practices. (NYT)
Technology: The US Federal Trade Commission has banned a maker of “stalkerware,” software used to secretly surveil a smartphone user’s activities and location. (AP)

World

Tomorrow’s Outlook (03SEP21)

China: Visit by US Climate Envoy John Kerry.
China: V-J Day.
France: IUCN World Conservation Congress in Marseille. (to 11SEP)
Japan: 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games. (to 05SEP)
Mexico: Talks between Venezuela’s government and opposition to continue, moderated by Norway in Mexico City.
Qatar: Independence Day.
Russia: Eastern Economic Forum. (to 04SEP)
San Marino: Feast of Saint Marinus and Republic Day.
Slovenia: Informal meeting of EU defense ministers in Kranj.
Taiwan: Armed Forces Day.
Tokelau: Tokehaga Day.
United Kingdom: Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab to visit Pakistan.
United States: Visit by South Korean nuclear envoy Noh Kyu-duk.

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