Key Storylines
- AFRICA: Egyptian authorities have freed three members of a human rights group whom they had detained last month following widespread international criticism.
- AMERICAS: The US Labor Department’s employment update is expected to report the slowest job growth in six months due to a surge in coronavirus cases and government inaction.
- ASIA: Bangladesh’s government has transported another 1,600 Rohingya refugees to the flood and cyclone-prone Bhasan Char island, in a move that rights groups have raised concerns about.
- EUROPE: European Council chief Charles Michel warned of new, tougher sanctions against Turkey due to Ankara failing to de-escalate its stand-off with Greece.
- MIDDLE EAST: Israel warned of an increased threat to its citizens from abroad after Iran called to avenge last week’s assassination of its top nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh.
- TECH & COMMUNICATIONS: The US has blacklisted China’s largest maker of processor chips, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp., over security concerns.
Top Story
- Americas: US reportedly in talks to resolve criminal charges against Huawei executive detained in Canada.
- The US is reportedly in talks with detained Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou over a possible deal under which Meng could return to China from her detention in Canada.
- Meng has reportedly spoken to Justice Department officials about the possibility of reaching a “deferred prosecution agreement”.
- As part of the reported deal being discussed, Meng would have to admit to wrongdoings related to bank fraud allegations before being allowed to return to China.
- The bank fraud allegations that Meng faces involve allegedly misleading HSBC in a manner which could have led to the bank breaking US sanctions on Iran.
- Meng’s two-year-old case has been another factor among many others in China’s strained relationship with both Canada and the US in recent years.
- Reporting: WSJ, BBC, WaPo
Africa
- Egypt: Authorities have freed three members of a human rights group whom they had detained last month following widespread international criticism. (BBC)
- Ethiopia: Tigray People’s Liberation Front leader Debretsion Gebremichael claimed protests were breaking out in the Tigray region’s capital city of Mekelle, but the claim remains unverified due communications largely being down in the Tigray region. (Reuters)
- Sudan: The Sudan Human Rights Commission, the body investigating a bloody crackdown against pro-democracy demonstrators in the country last year, has summoned the top generals of the country’s former Transitional Military Council. (AFP)
Americas
- Brazil: Indigenous leaders have delivered a petition of more than 400,000 signatures to Congress demanding the removal of illegal miners from the Amazon. (AFP)
- Peru: Police opened fire on farm workers demanding wage increases resulting in the death of one of the protesters. (AFP)
- United States: The Labor Department’s employment update is expected to report the slowest job growth in six months due to a surge in coronavirus cases and government inaction. (Reuters)
Asia
- Bangladesh: The government has transported another 1,600 Rohingya refugees to the flood and cyclone-prone Bhasan Char island, in a move that rights groups have raised concerns about. (BBC)
- India: The government has summoned Canada’s ambassador to New Delhi to formally protest Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s recent comments on the ongoing farmer protests in the country. (Reuters)
- Japan: Tokyo announced that the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics due to the coronavirus pandemic will cost the country an estimated $2.8 billion dollars. (DPA)
Europe
- Region: European Council chief Charles Michel warned of new, tougher sanctions against Turkey due to Ankara failing to de-escalate its stand-off with Greece. (AFP)
- Region: The European Union has told the UK government to decide what form of post-Brexit relationship it wants with the 27-country bloc. (Reuters)
- Belarus: UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet said the situation in the country was deteriorating. (AP)
- Denmark: The country will end new oil and gas exploration in the Danish North Sea as part of a plan to phase out fossil fuel extraction by 2050. (Guardian)
- Russia: A court has ordered the arrest of physicist Anatoly Gubanov, a specialist in hypersonic aircraft, on suspicions of high treason. (RFE-RL)
Middle East
- Region: The foreign ministers of Israel and Jordan held a rare meeting to discuss the potential restart of stalled negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. (AFP)
- Region: Israel warned of an increased threat to its citizens from abroad after Iran called to avenge last week’s assassination of its top nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh. (AFP)
- Qatar: Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said the country has seen “some movements” toward resolving the boycott of Doha by four neighboring countries. (AP)
Tech & Communications
- Technology: The US has blacklisted China’s largest maker of processor chips, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp., over security concerns. (AP)
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
- Confirmed Cases as of 04DEC20: 65,323,809
- Total Recovered Cases as of 04DEC20: 42,046,970
- Deaths as of 04DEC20: 1,508,906
- Countries with Confirmed Cases: 191
- Sourcing: John Hopkins University
Tomorrow’s Outlook (05DEC20)
- Global: The IISS Manama Dialogue will be held in Bahrain. (to 06DEC)
- Global: The UN’s International Volunteer Day – 1986
- Belarus: A women’s march against embattled President Alexander Lukashenko is expected to be held.
- Kuwait: Parliamentary elections will be held.
- United States: President Donald Trump will visit Georgia.
END
