05APR21 Global Overnight Overwatch Report

Key Storylines

AFRICA: Mozambique’s military said it killed a “significant” amount of jihadists during a battle for the key gas hub of Palma in the country’s north that was captured by the Islamic State last month.
AMERICAS: Brazil’s Environment Minister Ricardo Salles said Brasilia seeks $1 billion in foreign aid, including from the United States, to help reverse deforestation in the Amazon rainforest.
ASIA: Vietnam’s former prime minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, who is credited with the country’s successful handling of the coronavirus pandemic, was sworn-in as the country’s new president.
EUROPE: Turkish authorities detained ten retired admirals after they endorsed a letter warning against the government’s approval of plans to develop a shipping canal in Istanbul.
MIDDLE EAST: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption trial has reopened with prosecutors accusing the PM of treating favors as “currency”.
TECH & COMMUNICATIONS: Russia extended its deadline for Twitter to delete banned content to May 15.

Top Story

Asia: Cyclones, flash floods and landslides kill at least 66 in Indonesia, East Timor.
- At least 66 people have died in Indonesia and East Timor due to flash floods and landslides triggered by Tropical Cyclone Seroja, with officials expecting the number to increase in the coming days.
- The affected areas stretch from eastern Indonesia’s Flores island to East Timor.
- The cyclone is still affecting the disaster-stricken areas and increasing the difficulty faced by rescue efforts, with East Timor’s authorities being forced to temporarily pause evacuations due to the cyclone.
- Thousands of people have already been evacuated or left displaced due to the cyclone, flash floods and landslides.
- Reporting: Reuters, BBC, AP, AFP

Africa

Region: Egypt said the ongoing meeting between the country, Sudan, and Ethiopia over Ethiopia’s Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam may be the last chance to talk before the dam is filled for a second year in a row. (Reuters)
Egypt: Supply Minister Ali Moselhy said the country’s strategic reserves of wheat and sugar stand at 3.6 months of consumption. (Reuters)
Libya: The European Union urged all foreign forces and mercenaries to leave the country. (AP)
Mozambique: The military said it killed a “significant” amount of jihadists during a battle for the key gas hub of Palma in the country’s north that was captured by the Islamic State last month. (AFP)

Americas

Brazil: Environment Minister Ricardo Salles said Brasilia seeks $1 billion in foreign aid, including from the United States, to help reverse deforestation in the Amazon rainforest. (Reuters)
Colombia: President Ivan Duque extended the country’s coronavirus restrictions due to intensive care unit occupancy rates and rising coronavirus numbers. (Reuters)
United States: Crews are working to prevent the collapse of a wastewater lake in Florida as authorities ordered the evacuation of a Tampa Bay area to avoid a “catastrophic flood”. (AP)
Venezuela: The country will ask the UN for “immediate aid” to clear landmines allegedly placed by Colombian armed groups in the country’s southeast. (AFP)

Asia

Region: An aide to President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines said China’s territorial “incursions” could result in “unwanted hostilities”. (Reuters)
Afghanistan: President Ashraf Ghani will reportedly announce a new peace proposal for the country ahead of an international conference aimed at kick-starting the stalled peace talks between the government and the Taliban. (AFP)
India: The country reported its biggest number of daily coronavirus cases as officials recorded more than 100,000 COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours for the first time since the pandemic started. (DPA)
Malaysia: A court began hearing former prime minister Najib Razak’s appeal against his conviction and 12-year jail sentence over the 1MDB scandal. (AP)
Vietnam: Former prime minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, who is credited with the country’s successful handling of the coronavirus pandemic, was sworn-in as the country’s new president. (AFP)

Europe

Region: EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell vowed “unwavering” support for Ukraine following Russian troop movements near Ukraine’s northern and eastern borders and the Crimean peninsula. (Guardian)
Bulgaria: Prime Minister Boyko Borissov’s ruling center-right GERB party won 24.2% of votes in the country’s parliamentary elections, with 42.5% of the vote having been counted currently. (Reuters)
Kosovo: Parliament elected and swore-in Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu as the country’s new president. (AP)
Turkey: Authorities detained ten retired admirals after they endorsed a letter warning against the government’s approval of plans to develop a shipping canal in Istanbul. (AFP)
United Kingdom: Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the public in England will be able to take a coronavirus test twice a week as the country and economy continue toward a full reopening. (Reuters)

Middle East

Region: The United Arab Emirates announced it will invest $3 billion in Iraq following Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi’s trip to the country. (Reuters)
Israel: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption trial has reopened with prosecutors accusing the PM of treating favors as “currency”. (Reuters)
Jordan: King Abdullah II’s half-brother Prince Hamzah, accused of plotting against the government, stated he will disobey the government’s orders restricting his movement. (AFP)

Tech & Communications

Social Media: Russia extended its deadline for Twitter to delete banned content to May 15. (Reuters)
Technology: South Korea’s LG Electronics is set to become the first major smartphone brand to completely withdraw from the market after it failed to find a buyer for its loss-making mobile division. (Reuters)

World

Cyclones:
- Tropical Cyclone Seroja
  - Location: 501 nautical miles W-NW of Darwin, Australia
  - Wind: 50 mph
  - Movement: W-SW at 4 mph
  - Map
Hurricanes: Nothing to report.
Earthquakes:
- New Zealand
  - Location: 193 km NE of Gisborne, New Zealand
  - Magnitude: 6.0
  - Depth: 10 km
  - Map
Volcanoes: Nothing to report.
Global Disease Outbreaks:
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global (as of 05APR21)
  - Confirmed cases: 131,336,037
  - Total recovered cases: 74,493,117
  - Deaths: 2,853,365
  - 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

Tomorrow’s Outlook (06APR21)

Global: Representatives of Iran and world powers will hold indirect talks over the 2015 JCPOA deal in Vienna, Austria.
Global: The finance ministers and central bank governors of G7 countries will hold a meeting.
Global: The IMF and the World Bank will hold their annual spring meeting. (to 11APR)
Global: Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry will visit the United Arab Emirates, India, and Bangladesh. (to 09APR)
Global: Maintenance work will be carried out on the Russia to China Power of Siberia gas pipeline. (to 07APR)
Global: The IMF will release its latest World Economic Outlook report.
Global: The UN’s International Day of Sport for Development and Peace – 2014
Americas: US Special Envoy for the Northern Triangle Ricardo Zuniga will visit Guatemala and El Salvador. (to 08APR)
Asia: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is expected to visit India, Pakistan, and Kazakhstan. (to 08APR)
Asia: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is expected to make an announcement related to a potential NZ-Australia travel bubble.
Europe: The European Medicines Agency will meet again to discuss the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. (to 09APR)
Europe: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will meet with European Council President Charles Michel and the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Armenia: A court hearing in the criminal case against former Armenian President Robert Kocharyan, who was charged with overthrowing constitutional authorities in 2008, will be held.
France: New coronavirus travel restrictions will be imposed.
Greenland: Local Diet elections will be held.
Israel: The newly-elected parliament is expected to be sworn-in.
Libya: Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi will visit. (to 07APR)
Libya: Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias will visit.
Palestinian Territories: Palestine’s electoral commission will announce the approved lists for Palestine’s first legislative elections in 15 years.

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