Key Storylines
- AFRICA: Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed accused the ruling party of the Tigray region of launching an attack on a military base and ordered a military offensive against them, as the Cabinet declared a 6-month-long state of emergency in the Tigray region.
- AMERICAS: Hurricane Eta struck Nicaragua’s northern region bringing with it high rainfall and triggering landslides.
- ASIA: South Korea’s military detained a person who entered the country by crossing through its heavily militarized border with North Korea.
- EUROPE: Austrian police conducted a series of raids and detained fourteen people following yesterday’s terror attack in capital city Vienna.
- MIDDLE EAST: Dubai’s, FlyDubai, become the first Emirati airline to announce regular service to Israel following the recent diplomatic normalization deal between Israel and the UAE.
- TECH & COMMUNICATIONS: Turkish authorities fined the social media apps and websites Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Periscope, YouTube, and TikTok, for not complying with Ankara’s controversial new law on social media websites.
Top Story
- United States: No clear winner in presidential election, vote counting continues.
- No clear winner emerged in the US Presidential election, as vote counting is set to continue into a second day and possibly until the end of the week in battle ground states such as Pennsylvania.
- According to the Associated Press, former Vice President Joe Biden currently leads President Donald Trump 238 – 213 in the electoral college count, with Biden flipping the state of Arizona and Trump winning the swing states of Ohio, Florida, and Texas.
- The states of Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Nevada, still remain too close to call, with the low amount of votes counted in Alaska leaving the state too early to call for now.
- President Trump currently leads in Michigan, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Georgia, and Alaska, while former Vice President Biden leads in Wisconsin and Nevada.
- Late into the night, President Trump made claims of voter fraud without giving any proof, claimed victory even though no winner had been declared, and said he would a launch a Supreme Court challenge even as votes were still being counted.
- Reporting: AP, PBS/AP, ABC, Reuters, NYT, WSJ, WaPo, BBC
Africa
- Libya: The acting UN envoy to the country said military officials from the country’s two warring factions agreed to a road map for implementing a ceasefire deal reached last month. (AFP)
- Ethiopia: Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed accused the ruling party of the Tigray region of launching an attack on a military base and ordered a military offensive against them, as the Cabinet declared a 6-month-long state of emergency in the Tigray region. (BBC)
- Nigeria: At least nine soldiers died after their truck crossed a landmine in the country’s restive northeast. (AFP)
- Zimbabwe: The police arrested anti-corruption campaigner and journalist Hopewell Chin’ono once again for allegedly breaking his bail conditions. (Guardian)
Americas
- Region: Naval forces from the US, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Peru, and Uruguay started the joint UNITAS LXI exercise. (UPI)
- Chile: Victor Perez, the country’s third Interior Minister in 2020, announced his resignation amid a legislative attempt to oust him. (Reuters)
- Guatemala: Interior Minister Oliverio García Rodas handed in his resignation following his decision to allow Planned Parenthood to operate in the country in the face of President Alejandro Giammettei’s opposition to abortion. (AP)
- Nicaragua: Hurricane Eta struck the country’s northern region bringing with it high rainfall and triggering landslides. (AP)
- United States: The country formally withdrew from the landmark Paris climate agreement. (Reuters)
Asia
- Region: South Korea’s military detained a person who entered the country by crossing through its heavily militarized border with North Korea. (NYT)
- Region: Australia called upon China to clarify whether some Australian exports to Beijing will face new curbs from Friday amid increasing tensions between the two countries. (Guardian)
- Taiwan: The White House notified the US Congress of approving the sale of $600 million worth of armed drones to the country. (AP)
Europe
- Austria: The police conducted a series of raids and detained fourteen people following yesterday’s terror attack in capital city Vienna. (BBC)
- Denmark: Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and several other Cabinet members are self-isolating after Justice Minister Nick Haekkerup tested positive for coronavirus. (DPA)
- Germany: Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer warned the US it was facing a “very explosive situation” following the developments in the US election. (AFP)
- Norway: The Supreme Court is set to hear an appeal by environmental groups to prevent the provision of new exploration licenses in the Barents Sea off the country’s northern region. (DPA)
Middle East
- Region: Dubai’s, FlyDubai, become the first Emirati airline to announce regular service to Israel following the recent diplomatic normalization deal between Israel and the UAE. (AP)
- Israel: The army said it shot and killed a Palestinian gunman who attempted to launch a shooting attack. (Xinhua)
- Saudi Arabia: Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir condemned the terror attack in Vienna as a heinous crime contrary to all religions and human values. (Reuters)
- Syria: Army bombardments of the country’s last major rebel bastion in the Idlib province reportedly resulted in the deaths of seven civilians, including four children. (AFP)
Tech & Communications
- Social Media: Turkish authorities fined the social media apps and websites Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Periscope, YouTube, and TikTok, for not complying with Ankara’s controversial new law on social media websites. (AFP)
World
- Cyclones:
- Hurricanes:
- Hurricane Eta
- Location: 90 miles W of Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua
- Wind: 70 mph
- Movement: W at 7 mph
- Map
- Hurricane Eta
- Earthquakes: Nothing to report.
- Volcanoes: Nothing to report.
- Global Disease Outbreaks:
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global
- Confirmed Cases as of 04NOV20: 47,521,750
- Total Recovered Cases as of 04NOV20: 31,668,966
- Deaths as of 04NOV20: 1,215,756
- Countries with Confirmed Cases: 190
- Sourcing: John Hopkins University
- Ebola Virus Disease: DR Congo (11th Ebola outbreak figures from Equateur Province)
- Confirmed Cases as of 17OCT20: 119
- Probable Cases as of 17OCT20: 9
- Deaths as of 17OCT20: 53
- Sourcing: WHO
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global
Tomorrow’s Outlook (05NOV20)
- Africa: Sudan, Egypt, and Ethiopia will resume talks over Ethiopia’s GERD dam on the river Nile. (to 07NOV)
- Americas: The Pan American Health Organization will hold a press conference on the status of the coronavirus pandemic in the region.
- Asia: The Malabar naval exercises, including the US, Japan, India, and Australia, will be held.
- Europe: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will speak at the 12th German Economic Forum. (to 06NOV)
- Europe: Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla will visit Germany, France, and the United Kingdom.
- Europe: The 39th Baltic Assembly session will be held. (to 06NOV)
- China: Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam will reportedly visit.
- Egypt: The second phase of the country’s legislative elections will be held. (to 06NOV)
- France: Chancellor Angela Merkel will hold a virtual meeting with Prime Minister Jean Castex.
- India: Farmers are expected to potentially hold protests against new farm laws.
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines: Parliamentary elections will be held.
- Syria: The UN Security Council will hold a meeting to discuss the situation in the country.
- United Kingdom: A new, 4-week-long coronavirus lockdown will begin in England.
- United States: The Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee will hold a meeting.
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