19OCT20 Global Overnight Overwatch Report

Key Storylines

AFRICA: Tunisian Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi imposed a nationwide curfew amid a growing surge in new coronavirus infections.
AMERICAS: Former Bolivian President Evo Morales’ party is claiming victory in the country’s presidential election.
ASIA: Japan and Vietnam reached an agreement in principle for Japan to export military equipment and technology to Vietnam during new Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s first official foreign visit.
EUROPE: French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said the police were conducting more operations in connection with the recent slaying of a teacher by a suspected Islamist terrorist.
MIDDLE EAST: Veteran Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat is in “critical” condition and in a medically induced coma in an Israeli hospital due to complications from the coronavirus.
GLOBAL: The number of worldwide coronavirus cases surpassed 40 million cases according to the Johns Hopkins University.
TECH & COMMUNICATIONS: Thailand’s police ordered an investigation into four news outlets in a bid to prevent the country’s ongoing anti-government and anti-monarchy protests from growing.

Top Story

China: Economy surges from coronavirus slump.
- Government data showed that China’s economy, the world’s second largest, grew by 4.9% over a year ago in Q3 of this year.
- The data indicates that China’s recovery from the fallout of the global coronavirus pandemic is gaining momentum, amid growing exports and a recovery in domestic consumption.
- The 4.9% growth figure also bring China back to forecasts made earlier this year before the coronavirus pandemic of China’s economy achieving 5.5-6% growth in 2020.
- China’s economy previously grew by 3.2% in Q2 of 2020 after a historic decline of 6.8% in Q1 this year due to the beginning of the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic.
- The 4.9% growth figure means that China now stands poised to potentially dominate global growth this year.
- Reporting: AP, NYT, BBC, WSJ, Reuters, DPA

Africa

Region: The United Nations Undersecretary General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock said the Sahel region is “a canary in the coalmine of our warming planet” ahead of an international donor conference for the region. (Guardian)
Morocco: Authorities allowed mosques to reopen for the first time in seven months, even as coronavirus infections grow in the country. (AP)
Tunisia: Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi imposed a nationwide curfew amid a growing surge in new coronavirus infections. (Reuters)

Americas

Bolivia: Former President Evo Morales’ party is claiming victory in the country’s presidential election. (AP)
Chile: Protests marking the one-year anniversary of last year’s anti-inequality protests started off peacefully but turned violent after shops were looted with vandals burning down two churches and a police headquarters. (BBC)
Colombia: Thousands of indigenous people arrived in capital city Bogota where they are demanding a meeting with President Ivan Duque and a consultation on the full implementation of the country’s 2016 peace deal. (AFP)

Asia

Region: Japan and Vietnam reached an agreement in principle for Japan to export military equipment and technology to Vietnam during new Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s first official foreign visit. (AFP)
Region: Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry said a scuffle broke out between Chinese diplomats and Taiwanese government employees at a recent reception in Fiji that was marking Taiwan’s national day. (AP)
Afghanistan: The US special envoy to Kabul warned that “distressingly high” levels of violence could derail the ongoing peace negotiations between the Taliban and the government. (AP)
China: Beijing denied media reports that the country warned the US it might arrest US citizens in the country arbitrarily. (Reuters)

Europe

Region: Ethnic Armenian forces in the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region and Azerbaijan traded accusations of renewed shelling placing another new ceasefire in the region on the verge of collapsing. (Reuters)
France: Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said the police were conducting more operations in connection with the recent slaying of a teacher by a suspected Islamist terrorist. (Reuters)
Italy: Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte introduced new anti-coronavirus measures amid a surge in new infections, including restrictions placed on bars and restaurants and a push to increase remote working. (AFP)

Middle East

Region: Veteran Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat is in “critical” condition and in a medically induced coma in an Israeli hospital due to complications from the new coronavirus. (AFP)
Region: Israel and Bahrain formally established diplomatic relations after officials from both countries officially signed the recent US-brokered deal in Bahrain’s capital city Manama. (BBC)
Iran: The US rejected the expiry of a UN arms embargo on the country and threatened to impose sanctions on any individual or entity that aids Tehran’s conventional weapons program. (UPI)

Global

Coronavirus: The number of worldwide coronavirus cases surpassed 40 million according to the Johns Hopkins University. (AP)

Tech & Communications

Media: Thailand’s police ordered an investigation into four news outlets in a bid to prevent the country’s ongoing anti-government and anti-monarchy protests from growing. (Reuters)

World

Cyclones:
- Tropical Depression Nineteen
  - Location: 427 nautical miles East of Manila, Philippines
  - Wind: 35 mph
  - Movement: W at 13 mph
  - Map
Hurricanes: Nothing to report.
Earthquakes: Nothing to report.
Volcanoes: Nothing to report.
Global Disease Outbreaks:

- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global
  - Confirmed Cases as of 19OCT20: 40,063,546
  - Total Recovered Cases as of 19OCT20: 27,517,015
  - Deaths as of 19OCT20: 1,113,909
  - 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

Tomorrow’s Outlook (20OCT20)

Global: Denmark, Germany, the European Union, and the United Nations will host a virtual international donor conference for countries in Africa’s Sahel region.
Global: The UN’s World Statistics Day – 2010
Asia: New Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga will make his first official foreign visits to Vietnam, and then Indonesia. (to 21OCT)
Americas: The Organization of American States will hold its General Assembly. (to 21OCT)
Colombia: Anti-government protests are expected to be held. (to 21OCT)
Europe: The appeal trial of the former leader of Basque separatist group ETA, Josu Ternera, will be held in Paris, France.
Europe: The European Parliament will vote on amendments to the Digital Services Act.
Middle East: The UN Security Council will hold a meeting on the Persian Gulf region.
Germany: Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi will meet with Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Germany: The trial of two far-right suspects over the assassination of CDU politician Walter Luebcke will resume.
Sudan: International Criminal Court prosecutor Fatou Bensouda will visit and discuss about former dictator Omar al-Bashir who is wanted for war crimes. (to 21OCT)
United States: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will hold the US-UAE Strategic Dialogue.
United States: Secretary of Defense Mark Esper will discuss US alliances and partnerships at an Atlantic Council online event.
United States: The Heritage Foundation will broadcast a recorded interview with Acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf during a virtual event on immigration.
United States: NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft will become the country’s first spacecraft to attempt to collect a sample from the surface of the near-Earth asteroid Bennu.

END