03NOV21 Global Overnight Overwatch Report

Key Storylines

AFRICA: The U.N. human rights chief said Ethiopia’s year-long war has been marked by “extreme brutality” as a joint investigation into alleged atrocities faults all sides for committing abuses.
AMERICAS: Colombian drug lord Daniel Rendon Herrera pleaded guilty in the United States to charges of narcotics distribution and supporting a terrorist group.
ASIA: China hit back against criticism by US President Joe Biden, who accused Beijing of not showing leadership after President Xi Jinping skipped the make-or-break COP26 United Nations summit in Glasgow.
EUROPE: Angela Merkel is expected to say ‘goodbye’ as she heads to France for the last time as chancellor of Germany.
MIDDLE EAST: The Islamic State claimed responsibility for yesterday’s attack on a military hospital in Kabul, which killed at least 19 people.
TECH & COMMUNICATIONS: Facebook announced the shutdown of its facial-recognition systems and will delete the face scan data of more than one billion users.

Top Story

Global: France calls leaked Macron text ‘new low’ in Australia subs row
- France’s ambassador to Australia, Jean-Pierre Thebault, said that Australia acted with deceit when it abruptly cancelled a multi-billion-dollar deal with Paris to build a fleet of submarines.
- In remarks to Australia’s National Press Club in Canberra, Thébault said Australia’s decision to cancel the contract for diesel-powered boats in favor of a nuclear submarine alliance with the United States and Britain was “treason in the making” and a “stab in the back.”
- Australia leaking President Emmanuel Macron’s text messages to the media is a “new low” and a warning to other world leaders that their communications with the Australian government could be used against them.
- Thebault pointed to Canberra’s suggestion that dissatisfaction with the French conventional submarines had been communicated as “fiction”, saying Paris could not be expected to interpret “ambiguous attitudes”.
- French ambassador Jean-Pierre Thébault condemned the handling of the AUKUS nuclear submarine deal and accused the government of deliberate deceit.
- The French diplomat said Prime Minister Morrison’s decision to scrap the submarine deal without giving more warning was not a thing that should be done between partners and friends.
- Reuters, WaPo, AP, AFP, The Guardian, Bloomberg,

Africa

DR Congo: Security forces said a group of rebels attacked several neighborhoods, including army and police positions, in the city of Bukavu, capital of South Kivu province. (Xinhua)
Ethiopia: The U.N. human rights chief said the country’s year-long war has been marked by “extreme brutality” as a joint investigation into alleged atrocities faults all sides for committing abuses. (AP)
Nigeria: Emergency services said two more bodies were pulled out from the debris of a collapsed Lagos high-rise building, bringing the death toll to 22 people. (AFP)
Sudan: Prime minister Abdalla Hamdok who was ousted in a coup last week wants detainees released and governing bodies restored before he will enter into any dialogue. (Reuters)
Tunisia: The interior ministry discovered a tunnel near the French ambassador’s residence from a house frequented by a known extremist. (Reuters)

Americas

Region: Colombian drug lord Daniel Rendon Herrera pleaded guilty in the United States to charges of narcotics distribution and supporting a terrorist group. (Reuters)
Haiti: UNICEF issued a warning that the country’s schools are increasingly being targeted by gangs, with children becoming targets of robbery or ransom. (AP)
Peru: Interior minister Luis Barranzuela resigned following reports that he held a Halloween party at his home in violation of COVID-19 rules. (AFP)
United States: Health authorities gave final clearance for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to be administered to children ages 5 and up. (AP)
United States: Glenn Youngkin won the Virginia governor’s race tapping into culture war fights over schools and race to become the first Republican to win statewide office in a dozen years. (AP)

Asia

China: The country hit back against criticism by US President Joe Biden, who accused Beijing of not showing leadership after President Xi Jinping skipped the make-or-break COP26 United Nations summit in Glasgow. (AFP)
Japan: In their first in-person talks, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and US President Joe Biden agreed to enhance their countries’ bilateral alliance on economic and security issues. (Kyodo)
Myanmar: The junta will continue to deny ASEAN’s special envoy access to the country’s ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi. (DPA)
Philippines: Human rights groups have asked the Commission on Elections to disqualify the son of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos from running for president in next year’s elections. (AP)
Taiwan: A European Parliament delegation arrived in Taiwan to build closer ties with the island despite warnings from China. (AFP)

Europe

Region: Angela Merkel is expected to say ‘goodbye’ as she heads to France for the last time as chancellor of Germany. (DPA)
Bosnia: UN High Representative Christian Schmidt warned the country’s peace is at risk unless the international community takes measures to stop Serb separatists. (Reuters)
Russia: The Kremlin rejected US President Joe Biden’s criticism of President Vladimir Putin for not showing up at the COP26 summit, saying Moscow is serious about climate change. (AFP)
Spain: The government adopted a European Union copyright directive that allows third-party online news platforms to negotiate directly with content providers. (Reuters)
Ukraine: New legislation was passed criminalizing the manufacture and use of fake COVID-19 vaccine certificates. (Reuters)

Middle East

Afghanistan: The Islamic State claimed responsibility for yesterday’s attack on a military hospital in Kabul, which killed at least 19 people. (AFP)
Afghanistan: The Taliban announced a total ban on the use of foreign currency in the country, threatening the already damaged economy. (WaPo)
Iran: The head of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani said negotiations to revive the 2015 nuclear agreement will fail unless US President Joe Biden can guarantee that Washington will not again leave the pact. (Reuters)
Israel: Lawmakers are set to try and pass the first national budget in three years. (WaPo)
Syria: The military reported an Israeli air raid on a military post in Zaika, a town in the outskirts of Damascus. (AP)

Tech & Communications

Social Media: Facebook announced the shutdown of its facial-recognition systems and will delete the face scan data of more than one billion users. (NYT)

World

Cyclones: Nothing to report
Hurricanes:
- Tropical Storm Wanda
  - Location: 38.0N 40.0W
  - Movement: NNE
  - Wind: 50 mph
  - Map
- Earthquakes: Nothing to report.
- Volcanoes:
  - La Palma, Spain
    - Explosive activity continues
    - Erupting
    - Source
  - Global Disease Outbreaks:
    - COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global (as of 03NOV21)
      - Confirmed cases: 247,719,391
      - Deaths: 5,016,369
      - Countries with confirmed cases: 192
      - Sourcing: John Hopkins University

Tomorrow’s Outlook (04NOV21)

Global: OPEC+ Ministerial Meeting, virtual.
Denmark: Nordic Council Annual Meeting. (to 05NOV)
Falklands Islands: Parliamentary elections.
India:
Italy: National Unity and Armed Forces Day.
Iran: Hostage crisis anniversary.
Lebanon: Visit by UN Special Rapporteur Olivier De Schutter. (to 12NOV)
Lithuania: Baltic Assembly annual session. (to 05NOV)
Norway: Visit by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. (to 05NOV)
Russia: Non-working week. (to 07NOV)
Russia: Unity Day.
Tonga: National Tonga Day.
United Kingdom: Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26) in Glasgow (to 12NOV)
United States: 1st anniversary of the US officially leaving the Paris climate agreement.
Vatican City: Pope Francis meets Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

END