18OCT21 Global Overnight Overwatch Report

Key Storylines

AFRICA: Former prime minister Jose Maria Neves won Cabo Verde’s presidential election, as his main rival Carlos Veiga conceded defeat.
AMERICAS: The chair of the Venezuelan opposition’s negotiating team urged the government to resume dialogue as soon as possible.
ASIA: Malaysia and Indonesia share strong skepticism over Australia’s decision to acquire nuclear-powered submarines.
EUROPE: British lawmakers will pay tribute to their fallen colleague David Amess, as counter-terrorism police probed whether the suspect arrested was motivated by Islamist extremism.
MIDDLE EAST: The European Union’s top diplomat Josep Borrell said that he is optimistic to restart negotiations with Iran to save the JCPOA and hopes officials will meet for preliminary talks later this week.
TECH & COMMUNICATIONS: Facebook says it plans to hire 10,000 workers in the European Union over the next five years to work on a new computing platform called Metaverse.

Top Story

China: Beijing denies report of hypersonic missile test, says tested space vehicle.
- China denied reports that it tested a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile earlier this year, insisting instead that it was a routine spacecraft check.
- Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said the launch involved a spacecraft rather than a missile and was of “great significance for reducing the use-cost of spacecraft and could provide a convenient and affordable way to make a round trip for mankind’s peaceful use of space.”
- Zhao’s comments on the August test came a few after China launched a second three-person crew to its space station on a six-month mission.
- China said the object launched into space earlier this year was a reusable space vehicle, describing a more wholesome incident than a Financial Times report over the weekend that Beijing sent a hypersonic missile into orbit.
- US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told a Monday news conference that the US was closely watching China’s weapons development but declined to comment on the FT report.
- BBC, AP, WaPo, Bloomberg, Reuters

Africa

Cabo Verde: Former prime minister Jose Maria Neves won the country’s presidential election, as his main rival Carlos Veiga conceded defeat. (Reuters)
DR Congo: Three new Ebola cases have been confirmed in the country’s east, bringing the total to five in the last 10 days. (Xinhua)
Ethiopia: Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has linked food aid from abroad with diplomatic pressure on the country. (BBC)
Ivory Coast: Former President Laurent Gbagbo launched a new party following his acquittal by the International Criminal Court and return from a decade abroad. (Reuters)

Americas

Region: US officials are working with Haitian authorities to secure the release of twelve adults and five children with a US-based missionary group who were abducted by a gang notorious for killings, kidnappings, and extortion. (AP)
El Salvador: Thousands of people took to the streets in protest against President Nayib Bukele who has stoked concern that he is steadily consolidating power. (Reuters)
Peru: Police seized five tons of cocaine and marijuana worth over $200 million in a nationwide narcotics operation. (Reuters)
Venezuela: The chair of the opposition’s negotiating team urged the government to resume dialogue as soon as possible. (Reuters)

Asia

Region: Malaysia and Indonesia share strong skepticism over Australia’s decision to acquire nuclear-powered submarines. (Reuters)
Australia: Researchers from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) warned that relaxing health orders could lead to a new surge of COVID-19 cases once cities begin to open their borders to international travelers later this year. (Xinhua)
Japan: Around 1,040 candidates are expected to participate in the general election scheduled on Oct. 31 to compete for seats in the House of Representatives. (Xinhua)
Myanmar: The junta chief announced the release of more than 5,000 people jailed for protesting against a February coup, days after ASEAN delivered a major blow to the military regime. (Strai ts Times)
Taiwan: The driver of an express train that crashed in the northeast in 2018, killing eighteen people, was sentenced to four years and six months in prison for negligence causing death. (AFP)

Europe

France: Prime minister Jean Castex met Pope Francis at the Vatican as the French Catholic Church weathers the storm over clerical child sex abuse. (AFP)
Georgia: US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin landed in the country on the first stop of a visit to three allies on the Black Sea. (AFP)
Kosovo: Preliminary results indicate that center-right opposition parties have dominated the country’s municipal elections but more than half the communes will go to runoffs. (AP)
Sweden: Foreign Minister Ann Lunde landed in Israel, the first visit by the country’s top diplomat in a decade. (Jerusale m Post)
United Kingdom: Lawmakers will pay tribute to their fallen colleague David Amess, as counter-terrorism police probed whether the suspect arrested was motivated by Islamist extremism. (AFP)

Middle East

Iran: The European Union’s top diplomat Josep Borrell said that he is optimistic to restart negotiations with Tehran to save the JCPOA and hopes officials will meet for preliminary talks later this week. (AFP)
Kuwait: The country’s state-owned oil company says a fire has erupted at a major oil refinery and left some workers with light injuries. (AP)
Qatar: The Ministry of Transportation and Communication signed a comprehensive air transport agreement with the European Union. (Reuters)
United Arab Emirates: Dubai’s civil defence services contained a fire that broke out at an oil waste disposal unit in the Jebel Ali industrial area. (Reuters)

Tech & Communications

Technology: Facebook says it plans to hire 10,000 workers in the European Union over the next five years to work on a new computing platform called Metaverse. (AP)

World

Tomorrow’s Outlook (19OCT21)

Global: OECD publishes latest long-term economic projections and assessment of future fiscal challenges.
Event: S. Agency for Global Media and IREX host ‘Confronting Disinformation in Asia’ discussion.
Americas: Annual CAF conference.
Americas/Asia: South Korean, Japanese and U.S. nuclear envoys to hold talks in Washington on reviving dialogue with North Korea.
Europe: The European Commission to begin review of the bloc’s Stability and Growth Pact.
Europe: European Parliament to hold session on Poland’s rule of law dispute.
Japan: Parliament to be dissolved ahead of Oct. 31 general elections.
Turkey: TRT World Forum. (to 20OCT)
Turkey: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to visit Angola, Nigeria, and Togo for talks on trade and economic development. (to 20OCT)
United States: Senate Banking Committee hearing on international policy.

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