03DEC20 Global Overnight Overwatch Report

Key Storylines

AFRICA: Former warlord Alieu Kosiah has become the first Liberian citizen to face prosecution for alleged war crimes during the country’s civil conflict two decades ago, after he went on trial at Switzerland’s Federal Criminal Court.
AMERICAS: The Organization of American States has urged the International Criminal Court to begin formal investigations of human rights abuses in Venezuela.
ASIA: Hong Kong media tycoon and pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai was denied bail after being charged with fraud.
EUROPE: France is in mourning over the death of former President Valery Giscard d’Estaing after he died from the new coronavirus at the age of 94.
MIDDLE EAST: Iran’s Guardian Council has approved the recent bill requiring the government to step-up uranium enrichment and halt UN inspections if sanctions on Tehran are not lifted within two months.
TECH & COMMUNICATIONS: IBM warned that hackers are increasingly targeting companies involved in the distribution process of coronavirus vaccines.

Top Story

United States: Coronavirus hospitalizations and deaths reach record high.
- Coronavirus hospitalizations and deaths reached a record high as new coronavirus cases crossed 200,000, all over the last 24 hours.
- According to Johns Hopkins University data, the US reported a record 3,157 deaths yesterday.
- And on the same day, coronavirus hospitalizations surpassed 100,000 for the first time since the pandemic started in the country earlier this year.
- The grim records came as CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield the starkest of warnings about the months of pandemic ahead, saying “I actually believe they’re going to be the most difficult time in the public health history of this nation.”
- Reporting: Reuters, NYT, BBC, WaPo, WSJ, AFP

Africa

Region: Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director John Nkengasong said 60% of the continent’s population needs to be vaccinated against the new coronavirus in the next two or three years or face the prospects of the virus becoming endemic in the continent. (AP)
Liberia: Former warlord Alieu Kosiah has become the first of the country’s citizens to face prosecution for alleged war crimes during the country’s civil conflict two decades ago, after he went on trial at Switzerland’s Federal Criminal Court. (AFP)
Namibia: The Environment Ministry said it is placing 170 “high value” wild elephants on sale due to droughts and an increase in the country’s elephant population. (Reuters)
Uganda: Musician and opposition presidential hopeful Bobi Wine has resumed his campaign after suspending it in protest over police brutality. (AP)

Americas

Mexico: The Health Ministry said it had signed an agreement with Pfizer to acquire 34.4 million doses of the company’s coronavirus vaccine. (Reuters)
Peru: Congress voted overwhelmingly in favor of partially withdrawing funds from its state-run pension system as a lifeline for people reeling from the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic. (Reuters)
United States: The House of Representatives approved a law that will remove Chinese companies from the country’s stock exchanges if the companies do not comply with Washington’s auditing rules. (Guardian)
Venezuela: The Organization of American States has urged the International Criminal Court to begin formal investigations of human rights abuses in the country. (WaPo)

Asia

Region: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison struck a conciliatory tone in the diplomatic row between Canberra and China over a graphic tweet, saying that his goal was for the two countries to have a “happy coexistence.” (AP)
Bangladesh: The government has started transferring hundreds of Rohingya refugees to the Bhashan Char delta island that is prone to flooding and cyclones, with human rights groups alleging people were being coerced into leaving. (AFP)
China: Hong Kong media tycoon and pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai was denied bail after being charged with fraud. (Guardian)
Thailand: Flash flooding has resulted in the deaths of at least five people in the country’s southern region. (Reuters)

Europe

Region: European Union diplomats are reportedly hoping to strike a Brexit deal with the UK by the weekend, with Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney saying “It’s the time to hold our nerve and trust. And I believe if we do that, there’s a good chance that we can get a deal across the line in the next few days.” (Reuters)
Czech Republic: Foreign Minister Tomas Petricek said the country plans to open a branch of its Israel embassy in Jerusalem. (DPA)
France: The country is in mourning over the death of former President Valery Giscard d’Estaing after he died from the new coronavirus at the age of 94. (AFP)
Turkey: Health Minister Fahrettin Koca revealed plans to start vaccinations in the country with an experimental “inactivated” form of Chinese company Sinovac’s vaccine. (AP)

Middle East

Iran: The country’s Guardian Council has approved the recent bill requiring the government to step-up uranium enrichment and halt UN inspections if sanctions on Tehran are not lifted within two months. (The Guardian)
Iraq: The US Embassy in Baghdad has reportedly partially withdrawn its staff over security worries. (AFP)
Israel: Almost 300 people from Ethiopia have arrived in the country as the government sought to achieve its pledge to reunite hundreds of families split between the country and Ethiopia. (AP)
Lebanon: Health Minister Hamad Hassan said the country will not have enough hospital beds to deal with a surge in coronavirus infections. (Reuters)
Syria: Turkey said one of its soldiers was killed during clashes with Kurdish militia forces in the country’s Turkish-controlled northern regions. (AFP)

Tech & Communications

Cybersecurity: IBM warned that hackers are increasingly targeting companies involved in the distribution process of coronavirus vaccines. (Reuters)

World

Cyclones:
- Cyclone Burevi
  - Location: 944 nautical miles S-SW of Kolkata, India
  - Wind: 40 mph
  - Movement: W-NW at 9 mph
  - Map
Hurricanes: Nothing to report.
Earthquakes: Nothing to report.
Volcanoes: Nothing to report.
Global Disease Outbreaks:

Tomorrow’s Outlook (04DEC20)

Europe: The Foreign Ministers of OSCE member countries will meet for the 2020 OSCE Ministerial Council.
Europe: The European Defense Agency will hold its annual conference virtually.

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