07APR21 Global Overnight Overwatch Report

Key Storylines

AFRICA: The French government opened up its state archives concerning the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.
AMERICAS: Brazil reported more than 4,000 COVID-19 deaths over 24 hours for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic started.
ASIA: Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu accused China of pressuring Paraguay to ditch its support for Taipei in exchange for COVID-19 vaccines, which Taiwan prevented after asking India to step in and provide COVID-19 vaccines to Paraguay.
EUROPE: The left-wing Inuit Ataqatigiit opposition party, which opposes the Kvanefjeld mining project, has won Greenland’s legislative elections with 37% of the vote.
MIDDLE EAST: Iranian authorities said Tehran has produced 55 kg of uranium enriched to up to 20%, indicating a quicker rate of production than the 10 kg a month rate required by a law Iran’s parliament passed last year.
TECH & COMMUNICATIONS: Chinese TV stations are blurring out Western brand logos in their broadcasts in support of the Chinese government’s Xinjiang cotton campaign.

Top Story

Middle East: Iran says its Saviz cargo ship was attacked in the Red Sea.
- An Iranian cargo ship believed to be linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards suffered minor damage in an “explosion”, Iran’s foreign ministry said, adding that the incident was “under investigation”.
- The foreign ministry made the announcement following media reports of the Saviz allegedly being attacked by Israel.
- Israeli officials have currently given no comments on the reported attack on the Saviz cargo ship.
- The Saviz cargo ship had for years been anchored off the coast of Yemen and is believed to have served as a base for Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.
- The explosion on the cargo ship took place on the same day the US and Iran held “constructive” indirect talks over the potential revival of the 2015 JCPOA deal.
- Reporting: AP, Reuters, NYT, AFP, RFE-RL

Africa

DR Congo: The UN said a record-high 27.3 million people in the country are suffering from acute hunger. (AP)
Mali: US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield urged the country’s interim government to conduct free and fair elections by the end of the 18-month transition period following last year’s coup. (AP)
Nigeria: A group of gunmen attacked a police station and freed prisoners just one day after another prison break. (AFP)
Rwanda: The French government opened up its state archives concerning the 1994 genocide in the country. (AFP)

Americas

Region: US President Joe Biden’s special envoy Ricardo Zuñiga said Washington is looking to create legal methods for Central American migrants to reach the United States. (Reuters)
Brazil: The country reported more than 4,000 COVID-19 deaths over 24 hours for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic started. (BBC)
Mexico: The government gave emergency approval to a coronavirus vaccine developed by the Indian pharma firm Bharat Biotech. (DPA)
United States: President Joe Biden brought forward the deadline for states to make all adults eligible for coronavirus vaccines by two weeks to 19 April. (AP)
Venezuela: Healthcare students staged a protest in front of the University Hospital in Caracas, demanding a national vaccination plan and 100% vaccination coverage for doctors and nurses as the country faces a spike in coronavirus cases. (Reuters)

Asia

Region: The US military warned that China is probably accelerating its timetable for the capture of Taiwan. (AP)
Region: Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu accused China of pressuring Paraguay to ditch its support for Taipei in exchange for COVID-19 vaccines, which Taiwan prevented after asking India to step in and provide COVID-19 vaccines to Paraguay. (Reuters)
Japan: The Osaka prefecture declared a coronavirus medical emergency and canceled Olympic torch events scheduled across the region. (Reuters)
Myanmar: Troops killed seven anti-coup protesters in the town of Kale, while protesters in commercial capital Yangon set a Chinese-owned factory ablaze and burned the Chinese flag. (Reuters)
North Korea: Kim Jong Un admitted that Pyongyang was facing the “worst-ever situation” during an address to grassroots members of his ruling party. (AP)

Europe

Region: Life expectancy across most European Union countries has declined during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. (AP)
Armenia: Former President Robert Kocharian was cleared of coup charges related to a deadly crackdown on protesters more than a decade ago. (RFE-RL)
Greenland: The left-wing Inuit Ataqatigiit opposition party, which opposes the Kvanefjeld mining project, has won the legislative elections with 37% of the vote. (BBC)
Turkey: A massive trial involving 497 defendants accused of involvement in the 2016 failed coup attempt is expected to be conducted today. (DPA)
United Kingdom: Authorities began administering doses of Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine. (Reuters)

Middle East

Region: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas received a clean bill of health in Germany, ahead of the upcoming Palestinian elections. (AP)
Iran: Authorities said the country has produced 55 kg of uranium enriched to up to 20%, indicating a quicker rate of production than the 10 kg a month rate required by a law the country’s parliament passed last year. (Reuters)
Syria: The US and Russia traded blows at the UN Security Council over a vote later this month that could strip Damascus of voting rights in the international chemical weapons watchdog. (AP)

Tech & Communications

Media: Chinese TV stations are blurring out Western brand logos in their broadcasts in support of the Chinese government’s Xinjiang cotton campaign. (BBC)

World

Cyclones:
- Tropical Cyclone Seroja
  - Location: 510 nautical miles N-NE of Learmonth, Australia
  - Wind: 50 mph
  - Movement: SW at 15 mph
  - Map
Hurricanes: Nothing to report.
Earthquakes: Nothing to report.
Volcanoes: Nothing to report.
Global Disease Outbreaks:
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global (as of 07APR21)
  - Confirmed cases: 132,501,757
  - Total recovered cases: 75,273,065
  - Deaths: 2,875,514
  - 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 (08APR21)

Global: The International March of the Living honoring all victims of the Holocaust will be held virtually.
Global: International Roma Day
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: Bangladesh will host the 10th D-8 Summit which will be attended by delegations from Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Pakistan, Nigeria, and Turkey.
Africa: The Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) will hold an extraordinary summit to discuss the situation in Mozambique.
Africa: Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is expected to visit Senegal and Angola. (to 09APR)
Americas: US Special Envoy for the Northern Triangle Ricardo Zuniga will visit Guatemala and El Salvador.
Asia: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is expected to visit India, Pakistan, and Kazakhstan.
Europe: The European Medicines Agency will meet again to discuss the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. (to 09APR)
Europe: Cyprus’ President Nicos Anastasiades, Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides, and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar will hold separate meetings with the UK’s Minister for European Neighbourhood and the Americas Wendy Morton.
Brunei: British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab will visit.
France: Trade unions at state-controlled power firm EDF are expected to go on strike.
India: Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani will visit.
Lebanon: Arab League Assistant Secretary-General Hossam Zaki is expected to visit.
Palestinian Territories: President Mahmud Abbas is reportedly expected to return from Germany after completing routine medical tests during his visit.

END