Key Storylines
- AFRICA: The UN says Islamist insurgents in Somalia appear to be investing in businesses and real estate and shifting millions of dollars through formal bank systems.
- AMERICAS: The Lima Group of countries rejected the planned parliamentary elections in Venezuela, which are already boycotted by most opposition parties within the country, as the elections lacked “the most minimal democratic guarantees.”
- ASIA: Thousands of protesters demanding the resignation of Thailand Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha’s government took to the streets of capital city Bangkok and were met with a counterdemonstration and a heavy police presence.
- EUROPE: Turkish Energy Minister Fatih Donmez said his country’s Oruc Reis survey vessel reached its intended destination in the Eastern Mediterranean and is set to take readings.
- MIDDLE EAST: Israel and Lebanon reportedly started unprecedented US-mediated talks on their disputed maritime border at a UN base on the land border between the two countries.
- GLOBAL: Human Rights Watch’s UN Director Louis Charbonneau criticized the UN Human Rights Council’s voting system, as China, Russia, Cuba and Pakistan were elected to the Human Rights Council.
- TECH & COMMUNICATIONS: NASA’s Kate Rubins and Russia’s Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov landed successfully at the International Space Station for the first time using a fast-track maneuver to reach the station in just three hours.
Top Story
- Europe: Azerbaijan claims to have struck targets within Armenia.
- Russia issued a fresh appeal to Armenia and Azerbaijan to halt their fighting over the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region as the recent ceasefire agreement continues to falter.
- Russia’s appeal took place as Azerbaijan claimed to have struck targets inside Armenia, and not just the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region, for the first time.
- Azerbaijan claimed it struck two missile launch sites inside Armenia in areas bordering the separatist Kalbajar district. Azerbaijan also alleged that Armenia is using the missile launch sites to target civilian areas.
- Meanwhile, Armenia’s Defense Ministry confirmed that sites within Armenia had been struck.
- However, Armenia’s Defense Ministry said its military was not directly firing into Azerbaijan previously but claimed it now felt justified to do so.
- Reporting: Reuters, AFP, Deutsche Welle
Africa
- Mozambique: Health Minister Armindo Tiago tested positive for the coronavirus and is in isolation at home. (Reuters)
- Namibia: Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila announced plans to organize special courts to deal with cases of physical and sexual violence against women. (AFP)
- Nigeria: Public reaction to the police’s decision to unveil a new police unit replacing the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, that allegedly carried out rights abuses, is negative. (BBC)
- Somalia: The UN says Islamist insurgents in the country appear to be investing in businesses and real estate and shifting millions of dollars through formal bank systems. (Reuters)
Americas
- Argentina: Thousands of people took to the streets of cities across the country to stage anti-government protests over the government’s response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. (BBC)
- Colombia: Defense Minister Carlos Holmes Trujillo survived a no confidence motion in the Chamber of Representatives, with lawmakers voting overwhelmingly against the motion. (DPA)
- Mexico: Police and the country’s federal anti-money laundering agency have frozen more than a thousand bank accounts that allegedly moved around $125 million for 14 crime gangs, including some of the country’s largest drug cartels. (AP)
- Venezuela: The Lima Group of countries rejected the planned parliamentary elections, which are already boycotted by most opposition parties within the country, as the elections lacked “the most minimal democratic guarantees.” (DPA)
- United States: The Supreme Court ruled that the White House can order an end to census field operations early. (AP)
Asia
- Afghanistan: Acting Defense Minister Assadullah Khalid is visiting the Helmand province after the country’s security forces launched a counter-offensive against Taliban insurgents who have battled their way near to the province’s capital. (Reuters)
- China: President Xi Jinping pledged to promote the development of Shenzhen, the country’s biggest tech center, and promised to ease regulations to spur the growth of new industries. (AP)
- North Korea: Kim Jong Un visited the typhoon-struck northeastern Komdok area where he criticized government agencies for “defeatism,” according to state media reports. (AP)
- Thailand: Thousands of protesters demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha’s government took to the streets of Bangkok and were met with a counterdemonstration and a heavy police presence. (DPA)
Europe
- Region: Turkish Energy Minister Fatih Donmez said his country’s Oruc Reis survey vessel reached its intended destination in the Eastern Mediterranean and is set to take readings. (Reuters)
- Region: The Czech Republic and the Netherlands are the latest countries in the continent to impose fresh coronavirus restrictions, amid a new wave of coronavirus infections. (BBC)
- Germany: The country reported more than 5,000 new cases of the coronavirus in one day for the first time since April. (DPA)
- Russia: The European Union reportedly finalized sanctions against one organization from the country, as well as six of the country’s security officials, over the poisoning of opposition leader Alexei Navalny. (DPA)
Middle East
- Region: Israel and Lebanon reportedly started unprecedented US-mediated talks on their disputed maritime border at a UN base on the land border between the two countries. (Reuters)
- Iran: Health officials admitted that the country is facing a third coronavirus wave as it reported its largest number of deaths in in one day since the outbreak first started in March, as well as its largest number of new infections. (Guardian)
- Saudi Arabia: Riyadh presided over a virtual global interfaith forum as part of its G20 presidency, with participation from Muslim clerics, Jewish rabbis, Christian priests and others religious figures. (AP)
Global
- UN: Human Rights Watch’s UN Director Louis Charbonneau criticized the UN Human Rights Council’s voting system, as China, Russia, Cuba and Pakistan were elected to the Human Rights Council. (Reuters)
Tech & Communications
- Space: NASA’s Kate Rubins and Russia’s Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov landed successfully at the International Space Station for the first time using a fast-track maneuver to reach the station in just three hours. (AP)
World
- Cyclones:
- Tropical Storm Nangka
- Location: 59 nautical miles SE of Hanoi, Vietnam
- Wind: 40 mph
- Movement: WNW at 7 mph
- Map
- Tropical Storm Nangka
- Hurricanes: Nothing to report.
- Earthquakes: Nothing to report.
- Volcanoes: Nothing to report.
- Global Disease Outbreaks:
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global
- Confirmed Cases as of 14OCT20: 38,180,468
- Total Recovered Cases as of 14OCT20: 26,495,369
- Deaths as of 14OCT20: 1,086,996
- Countries with Confirmed Cases: 188
- Sourcing: John Hopkins University
- Ebola Virus Disease: DR Congo (11th Ebola outbreak figures from Equateur Province)
- Confirmed Cases as of 10OCT20: 119
- Probable Cases as of 10OCT20: 9
- Deaths as of 10OCT20: 53
- Sourcing: WHO
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global
Tomorrow’s Outlook (15OCT20)
- Global: The IMF and World Bank will hold their joint annual meetings virtually. (to 18OCT)
- Global: The UN’s International Day of Rural Women – 2008
- Asia: US Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun will visit India and Bangladesh. (to 16OCT)
- Europe: An EU summit will be held with Brexit negotiations and possible sanctions on Russia for Alexei Navalny’s poisoning expected to be discussed. (to 16OCT)
- Europe: The Digital and Telecommunications Ministers of EU member states will hold a virtual meeting.
- Middle East: The UN Security Council will hold meetings on Yemen and the Middle East, with a prisoner exchange between Yemen’s warring parties also reportedly set to take place.
- Middle East: Israel’s Knesset will vote on the recent diplomatic normalization agreement with the UAE.
- China: The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress will meet. (to 17OCT)
- France: President Emmanuel Macron will meet with the country’s police unions.
- The Holy See: Pope Francis will host the Global Compact on Education. (to 18OCT)
- Italy: The government’s coronavirus state of emergency is set to expire.
- Lebanon: President Michel Aoun will hold parliamentary consultations to choose the country’s next Prime Minister.
- Morocco: French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin will visit. (to 16OCT)
- Thailand: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit and meet with Prime Minister Wang Yi.
- Ukraine: The government will close the Stanytsia Luhanska checkpoint with occupied Lugansk. (to 31OCT)
- United States: Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, who had been blacklisted by the US in the past over alleged human rights violations, will visit and meet with Defense Secretary Mark Esper. (to 19OCT)
- United States: Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud will speak at the Washington Institute.
- United States: The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court.
- United States: President Donald Trump will visit North Carolina.
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