Key Storylines
- AFRICA: South Africa’s Ministry of Defense and Military Veterans announced that more than 50 South African citizens remained missing after the terror attack in Mozambique last week.
- AMERICAS: Canada now has over one million COVID-19 cases as it faces a third wave of infections, forcing several provinces to increase restrictions in recent days.
- ASIA: Around 70% of COVID-19 patients tested at a Tokyo hospital last month carried a mutation known for decreasing vaccine protection.
- EUROPE: Bulgarians are heading to the polls to cast their vote for a new parliament after months of anti-government protests and an increase in COVID-19 infections.
- MIDDLE EAST: A strict lockdown came into effect in Lebanon to prevent the spread of COVID-19 during Easter.
- TECH & COMMUNICATIONS: “All 533,000,000 Facebook records were just leaked for free,” Alon Gal, chief technology officer at the Hudson Rock cybercrime intelligence firm, stated on his Twitter account.
Top Story
- Jordan: Fallout from a possible coup attempt in the Middle Eastern nation.
- In a video given to the BBC by his lawyer, Prince Hamzah bin Hussein, King Abdullah’s half-brother, accuses the country’s leaders of corruption, incompetence, and harassment.
- Jordan’s military has demanded Prince Hamza bin Hussein to cease actions targeting “security and stability” in what people familiar with the matter said could be related to a plot to destabilize the country.
- The Jordanian press warned against efforts to harm the “security and stability” of the kingdom, the day after a security sweep involving a half-brother of King Abdullah II.
- Saudi Arabia’s official news agency said they “confirmed its full support to Jordan and its king and crown prince in all decisions and procedures to maintain security and stability and defuse any attempt to affect them.”
- Reporting: BBC, Reuters, AFP, AP,
Africa
- Algeria: The nation recorded 95 additional COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the North African country to 117,524. (Xinhua)
- Ethiopia: The nation recorded 1,997 additional COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide tally to 213,311. (Xinhua)
- Mozambique: South Africa’s Ministry of Defense and Military Veterans announced that more than 50 South African citizens remained missing after the terror attack last week. (Xinhua)
Americas
- Canada: The nation now has over one million COVID-19 cases as it faces a third wave of infections, forcing several provinces to increase restrictions in recent days. (AFP)
- United States: Johnson & Johnson will seize control of the production of its COVID-19 vaccine at a facility in Baltimore where millions of doses worth of drugs were contaminated. (AP)
- United States: A state of emergency has been declared in Florida after a leak from a large reservoir of toxic wastewater in Tampa Bay. (BBC)
Asia
- Indonesia: A collision between a cargo ship and a fishing boat left 17 people missing off Indonesia’s main island of Java. (AP)
- Japan: Around 70% of COVID-19 patients tested at a Tokyo hospital last month carried a mutation known for decreasing vaccine protection. (Reuters)
- Myanmar: German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas warned that the nation could face a civil war in the aftermath of the military coup. (DPA)
- South Korea: Daily new COVID-19 cases surpass 500 for the fifth straight day, putting health authorities on alert over another potential wave of virus infections amid spring weather. (YNA)
Europe
- Bulgaria: Citizens are heading to the polls to cast their vote for a new parliament after months of anti-government protests and an increase in COVID-19 infections. (AP)
- France: New nationwide restrictions to decrease the spread of COVID-19 have taken effect in the nation. (DPA)
- Kosovo: The parliament will elect a new president again after failing the day before because not enough deputies took part in the vote. (RFE)
- Russia: The country confirmed 8,817 new COVID-19 cases in the past day, bringing the case total to 4,580,894. (TASS)
- United Kingdom: “It is time to look at whether Scotland retains its controversial ‘not proven’ verdict,” Nicola Sturgeon has said, as part of attempts to tackle the “shamefully low” conviction rates for rape and sexual assault. (Telegraph)
Middle East
- Region: Iraqi Airways is expected to start direct flights to Abu Dhabi on May 1. (Reuters)
- Lebanon: A strict lockdown came into effect in the nation to prevent the spread of COVID-19 during Easter. (EFE)
- United Arab Emirates: Police in Dubai arrested several people on public debauchery charges, authorities said, over a widely shared video that featured naked women posing on a balcony in the city. (AP)
Tech & Communications
- Cybersecurity: “All 533,000,000 Facebook records were just leaked for free,” Alon Gal, chief technology officer at the Hudson Rock cybercrime intelligence firm, stated on his Twitter account. (AFP)
World
- Cyclones: Nothing to report.
- Hurricanes: Nothing to report.
- Earthquakes: Nothing to report.
- Volcanoes: Nothing to report.
- Global Disease Outbreaks:
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global (as of 03APR21)
- Confirmed cases: 130,806,979
- Total recovered cases: 74,234,651
- Deaths: 2,847,093
- Countries with confirmed cases: 192
- Sourcing: John Hopkins University
- Ebola Virus Disease: Guinea (as of 28MAR21)
- Confirmed cases: 18
- Deaths: 9
- Sourcing: WHO
- Ebola Virus Disease: DR Congo (as of 28MAR21)
- Confirmed cases: 12
- Deaths: 6
- Sourcing: WHO
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global (as of 03APR21)
Tomorrow’s Outlook (05APR21)
- Global: IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings Week.
- Global: G24 Ministers and Governors Meeting (virtual).
- Israel: President meets political parties to discuss a new government.
- Vietnam: The new president expected to be sworn in.
END
