04NOV21 Global Overnight Overwatch Report

Key Storylines

AFRICA: US Vice President Kamala Harris plans to support Libya’s path toward elections at a conference in Paris next week.
AMERICAS: Two members of Chile’s indigenous Mapuche community died, and three others were injured in clashes with security forces.
ASIA: China is expanding its nuclear arsenal more quickly than anticipated, but Beijing slammed the Pentagon report as overhyping the threat.
EUROPE: French President Emmanuel Macron presented the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour to outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel during her farewell visit to the country.
MIDDLE EAST: Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati agreed with President Michel Aoun on a “roadmap” to resolve a diplomatic row with Saudi Arabia.
TECH & COMMUNICATIONS: Google plans to allow third-party payment systems in South Korea to comply with a new law, marking the first time the U.S. tech giant has amended its payment policy for a specific country.

Top Story

Japan: Prime Minister Fumio Kishida may act as foreign minister until a new cabinet is formed.
- Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced he may take on the portfolio of foreign minister until a new cabinet is formed, as incumbent FM Toshimitsu Motegi is set to take a new post.
- After Akira Amari resigned from the post of the secretary-general of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi was appointed to the party’s No. 2 post.
- Yoshimasa Hayashi had been seen as the front-runner to take over the foreign minister position but is unpopular with conservatives for his stance on China.
- In a special session expected to be held Wednesday the Diet is set to reappoint Kishida as prime minister, and he will then relaunch the Cabinet.
- Kishida told reporters “since I have gained the people’s mandate through the general election, I now plan to speedily implement policies” on key issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic as well as economic and diplomatic challenges.
- Reuters, Xinhua, South China Morning Post, Japan Times, Kyodo

Africa

Ethiopia: The United States repeated its call to all parties in the Tigray conflict to stop military operations and begin ceasefire talks. (Reuters)
Libya: US Vice President Kamala Harris plans to support the country’s path toward elections at a conference in Paris next week. (Reuters)
Nigeria: Emergency services said the death toll from the collapse of a high-rise building in the commercial capital Lagos rose to 36. (AFP)
Uganda: President Yoweri Museveni has called for a meeting of East African leaders to discuss Ethiopia’s civil war. (BBC)

Americas

Canada: The provincial governments of Ontario and Quebec announced that they will not issue a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for healthcare workers. (AFP)
Chile: Two members of the indigenous Mapuche community died, and three others were injured in clashes with security forces. (AFP)
Mexico: US Ambassador Ken Salazar expressed concerns to the government regarding a proposed constitutional change to limit competition in the electrical power sector. (AP)
Venezuela: The International Criminal Court is opening a formal investigation into allegations of torture and extrajudicial killings committed by security forces under President Nicolás Maduro. (AP)

Asia

China: The country is expanding its nuclear arsenal more quickly than anticipated, but Beijing slammed the Pentagon report as overhyping the threat. (AFP)
Japan: The head of the country’s largest labor federation Tomoko Yoshino said she is determined to listen to the voices of all workers in fighting for better wages and conditions. (AP)
North Korea: A new academic study concluded that the country could get all the uranium it needs for nuclear weapons through its existing Pyongsan mill. (Reuters)
Taiwan: The European Parliament’s official delegation to the island said Taipei is not alone and called for bolder actions to strengthen ties amid rising pressure from Beijing. (Reuters)
Vietnam: The Southeast Asian country is in negotiations with Iranian authorities over the seizure last month of an oil tanker off the Iranian coast. (Reuters)

Europe

Bosnia: The UN Security Council voted unanimously to renew the mandate of the EU military peacekeeping mission in the country. (AFP)
France: President Emmanuel Macron presented the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour to outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel during her farewell visit to the country. (Xinhua)
Germany: The disease control agency has reported the highest number of new infections with the coronavirus since the outbreak of the pandemic. (AP)
Netherlands: The country reported a new outbreak of highly pathogenic H5 bird flu among ducks at a poultry farm in the central province of Flevoland. (Reuters)
Ukraine: A comprehensive new study concluded that the country’s separatist forces are being armed and supplied by Russia. (NYT)

Middle East

Afghanistan: The United Nations Security Council strongly condemned a terrorist attack on Tuesday against a hospital in Kabul, which left dozens killed and injured. (Xinhua)
Israel: Parliament passed a national budget for the first time in three years, avoiding a November deadline that would have brought down the new government and triggered another election. (AP)
Lebanon: Prime Minister Najib Mikati agreed with President Michel Aoun on a “roadmap” to resolve a diplomatic row with Saudi Arabia. (Reuters)
United Arab Emirates: Emirates airlines will start daily flights between Dubai and Tel Aviv from December 6. (AFP)

Tech & Communications

Technology: Google plans to allow third-party payment systems in South Korea to comply with a new law, marking the first time the U.S. tech giant has amended its payment policy for a specific country. (Reuters)

World

Cyclones: Nothing to report
Hurricanes:
- Tropical Storm Wanda
  - Location: 41.5N 39.5W
  - Movement: N
  - 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 04NOV21)
      - Confirmed cases: 248,224,178
      - Deaths: 5,024,462
      - Countries with confirmed cases: 192
      - Sourcing: John Hopkins University

Tomorrow’s Outlook (05NOV21)

Denmark: Nordic Council Annual Meeting.
Lebanon: Visit by UN Special Rapporteur Olivier De Schutter. (to 12NOV)
Lithuania: Baltic Assembly annual session.
Norway: Visit by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
Panama: Colón Day.
Russia: Non-working week. (to 07NOV)
United Kingdom: Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26) in Glasgow. (to 12NOV)
United Kingdom: Guy Fawkes Night.
United States: Funeral of former Secretary of State Colin Powell in Washington DC.

END