Key Storylines
- AFRICA: Chad’s military junta claimed to have won against the FACT rebels in the country’s north.
- AMERICAS: The AFL-CIO will file the first complaint under the trade deal that replaced NAFTA with a petition asking the US government to file a labor complaint against Mexico under the new trade agreement.
- ASIA: The Taliban announced a three-day Eid-al-Fitr ceasefire in Afghanistan that will begin later this week.
- EUROPE: More than 2,100 migrants reached Italy’s Lampedusa island in fishing boats.
- MIDDLE EAST: Iran publicly confirmed for the first time holding talks with Saudi Arabia to resolve issues between Tehran and Riyadh.
- TECH & COMMUNICATIONS: The US government activated emergency powers to counter potential fuel shortages following the cyberattack on a crucial pipeline supplying fuel to the east coast.
Top Story
- Israel: Hundreds hurt in clashes at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa mosque.
- Israeli police and Palestinians clashed outside the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem, ahead of a Jewish nationalist march.
- The clashes occurred on the anniversary of Israel taking control and later annexing East Jerusalem and the walled Old City that is home to Muslim, Jewish, and Christian holy places, in a move at most of the world has not recognized.
- Israeli police fired tear gas, stun grenades and rubber-coated bullets to deter Palestinian stone-throwers in the latest in a series of clashes in Jerusalem.
- At least 215 Palestinians and 9 Israeli police officers were hurt during the violence.
- The latest violence follows days of clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police at the nearby Sheikh Jarrah district of East Jerusalem, over an anticipated Israeli Supreme Court decision on the possible eviction of Palestinian families, which the Supreme Court has postponed due to the ongoing unrest.
- Reporting: AP, NYT, BBC, Reuters, AFP, DPA
Africa
- Region: Sudan reportedly deported around three dozen Ethiopian peacemakers working with UN mission in Darfur to a refugee camp. (AP)
- Chad: The country’s military junta claimed to have won against the FACT rebels in the country’s north. (BBC)
- Somalia: Six people died in capital city Mogadishu after a suicide bomber attacked a police station. (AP)
- South Africa: President Cyril Ramaphosa said that if richer countries monopolized on coronavirus vaccines it would amount to “vaccine apartheid”. (Reuters)
Americas
- Region: The AFL-CIO will file the first complaint under the trade deal that replaced NAFTA with a petition asking the US government to file a labor complaint against Mexico under the new trade agreement. (Reuters)
- Region: Around 300 Colombian citizens took to the streets of Mexico City, Mexico, to protest alleged state repression against protesters in Colombia. (EFE)
- Brazil: Several Supreme Court justices said a 2020 ruling that prohibited police from conducting raids in Rio de Janeiro favelas unless for “absolutely exceptional” reasons must be reviewed after a recent deadly police operation. (AP)
Asia
- Region: South Korean President Moon Jae-in said he viewed his last year in office as the last chance to achieve lasting peace in the Korean peninsula, adding that it was time to act on the stalled talks with North Korea over its nuclear and missile programs. (Reuters)
- Afghanistan: The Taliban announced a three-day Eid-al-Fitr ceasefire that will begin later this week. (AP)
- China: The Foreign Ministry called a planned UN virtual event on the repression of Uyghur Muslims and other minorities in Xinjiang an insult to the United Nations. (Reuters)
- India: The country reported a significant drop in daily coronavirus infections and deaths, though the decline is likely due to lower testing rates over the weekend. (DPA)
- Myanmar: The country’s military junta suspended more than 11,000 academics and other university staff opposed to them. (Reuters)
Europe
- Region: US President Joe Biden will virtually join a meeting of the so-called Bucharest Nine countries, a group of the easternmost members of NATO. (AP)
- France: A group of active soldiers again published an open letter warning President Emmanuel Macron that the country’s “survival” is at stake due to his “concessions” to Islamism. (AFP)
- Germany: The country’s Catholic progressive churches will defy the recent Holy See pronouncement barring priest from blessing same-sex unions with plans to offer such blessings at services in around a hundred churches across the country this week. (AP)
- Italy: More than 2,100 migrants reached the country’s Lampedusa island in fishing boats. (AP)
Middle East
- Region: Iran said it “strongly condemns” Iraq’s raid of Tehran’s consulate in the city of Karbala over the killing of prominent activist Ehab Wazni. (AP)
- Region: Iran publicly confirmed it was holding talks with Saudi Arabia to resolve issues between Tehran and Riyadh. (Reuters)
- Iraq: Protesters set ablaze trailers belonging to Iran’s consulate in the city of Karbala following the killing of prominent activist Ehab Wazni. (AP)
- Saudi Arabia: The country’s economy shrank by 3.3% in the first quarter from a year earlier even though its non-oil economy showed signs of recovery, according to government estimates. (Reuters)
Tech & Communications
- Cybersecurity: The Biden administration activated emergency powers to counter potential fuel shortages following the cyberattack on a crucial pipeline supplying fuel to the east coast. (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 (as of 10MAY21)
- Confirmed cases: 158,366,256
- Total recovered cases: 94,422,263
- Deaths: 3,294,009
- Countries with confirmed cases: 192
- Sourcing: John Hopkins University
- Ebola Virus Disease: Guinea (as of 02MAY21)
- Confirmed cases: 16
- Deaths: 12
- Sourcing: WHO
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global (as of 10MAY21)
Tomorrow’s Outlook (11MAY21)
- Global: UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres will visit Russia and meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
- Global: The UN will release its mid-year World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) report.
- Global: The Copenhagen Democracy Summit 2021 will be held, with US President Joe Biden expected to open the event.
- Global: The United States, Japan, and France will hold joint military exercises in Japan. (to 17MAY)
- Global: Russia’s Primorye Territory Court will hear the case of 14 North Korean citizens accused of attacking Russian border guards in the Sea of Japan in 2019.
- Africa: US Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa Jeffrey Feltman will visit Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Sudan. (to 13MAY)
- Europe: The leaders of Poland, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, and Slovakia will hold a mixed online and in-person summit.
- Europe: Argentina’s President Alberto Fernandez and Economy Minister Martin Guzman will embark on a European tour with planned stops in Spain, Portugal, France, and Italy, including a meeting with Pope Francis. (to 13MAY)
- Europe: A mutual agreement between Hungary and Turkey to recognize each other’s COVID-19 immunity certificates will enter force.
- Middle East: The foreign ministers of Arab League countries will hold an extraordinary virtual session to discuss the ongoing unrest in Jerusalem.
- Australia: Treasurer Josh Frydenberg will unveil this year’s budget.
- Azerbaijan: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will visit.
- China: The government is expected to release the results of its decennial census.
- Germany: Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz will meet with the state leader of Bavaria Markus Soeder.
- Greece: Defense Minister Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos will speak at an event hosted by the CSIS think tank.
- Iran: Candidate registration for the upcoming presidential election will be held. (to 15MAY)
- Iraq: The UN Security Council will hold a meeting to discuss the country.
- Montenegro: Parliament could vote to remove Justice Minister Vladimir Leposavic for remarks denying the 1995 Srebrenica massacre.
- Myanmar: The date will mark 100 days since the military’s coup ousted an elected civilian government.
- South Korea: Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi and Economy Minister Amir Peretz will visit and meet with their counterparts and sign a free trade agreement between their two countries. (to 13MAY)
- South Sudan: US Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan Donald Booth will visit. (to 13MAY)
- Thailand: Government promoted prayer sessions will be held at Buddhist temples and online to boost the country’s morale amid a coronavirus surge.
- United Kingdom: Queen Elizabeth will deliver remarks at the State Opening of Parliament.
- United States: Health agency chiefs will testify about the government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.
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