20NOV20 Global Overnight Overwatch Report

Key Storylines

AFRICA: Tigray region rebels in Ethiopia have fired rockets on Bahir Dar, the capital city of the neighboring Amhara province.
AMERICAS: The number of deaths in Mexico due to the new coronavirus have crossed 100,000, becoming only the fourth country to cross the grim milestone.
ASIA: US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are both set to attend today’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) virtual conference.
EUROPE: Azerbaijan’s army has entered the district of Agdham in the Nagorno-Karabakh region that was ceded by Armenia as part of the recent Russian-brokered peace deal between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
MIDDLE EAST: Israel has accused Lebanon of changing its positions in talks on their disputed maritime border, warning that the shift could lead to a “dead end” that would be damaging for the whole region.
TECH & COMMUNICATIONS: Journalist and government critic Hopewell Chin’ono was freed by a Zimbabwean court after his arrest on charges of obstructing justice two weeks ago.

Top Story

United States: Statewide audit reaffirms Biden win in Georgia.
- The first-ever risk-limiting audit of votes in the state of Georgia has reaffirmed President-elect Joe Biden’s victory in Georgia, according to Georgia’s secretary of state.
- The vote recount, which saw counties recounting by hand every vote cast in the presidential election in the state, showed President-elect Biden ahead of President Donald Trump by 12,284 votes.
- The complete hand recount had been required by a new state law and was not conducted due to any suspected issues with the votes an official recount request.
- The audit report plainly stated that “The audit confirmed the original result of the election, namely that Joe Biden won the Presidential Contest in the state of Georgia”.
- Reporting: AP, ABC, NYT, WSJ, BBC, Reuters

Africa

Egypt: Authorities have arrested the head of one of the country’s leading human rights organizations in the latest detention of opposition figures, protesters, and activists already by the government. (NYT)
Ethiopia: Tigray region rebels have fired rockets on Bahir Dar, the capital city of the neighboring Amhara province. (Reuters)
Ghana: Special anti-corruption Prosecutor Martin Amidu has resigned from his post alleging political interference, less than three ahead of the country’s upcoming elections. (VOA)
Uganda: The death toll from the ongoing protests over the arrest of opposition presidential hopeful and musician Bobi Wine has risen to 37. (AP)

Americas

Brazil: A report produced by the leaders of the Yanomami indigenous group said more than a third of the group may have been exposed to the new coronavirus. (Reuters)
Colombia: Thousands of workers and students across the country held protests to demand improvements to healthcare, help for small businesses, and a basic wage for the unemployed. (BBC)
Mexico: The number of deaths in the country due to the new coronavirus have crossed 100,000, becoming only the fourth country to cross the grim milestone. (AP)
Peru: The Constitutional Court has ruled former President Martín Vizcarra’s lawsuit to reverse his dismissal from office inadmissible. (VOA)
United States: California and Ohio became the latest states to impose new or reintroduce coronavirus restrictions amid an alarming surge in infections. (Reuters)

Asia

Region: US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are both set to attend today’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) virtual conference. (Reuters)
Australia: Military personnel who spoke out against alleged war crimes in Afghanistan by some of the country’s armed forces said they felt vindicated by the inquiry report which called for the possible prosecution of troops accused of unlawful killings. (Reuters)
China: Canada’s Ambassador Dominic Barton visited two Canadian citizens that have been detained by Beijing for almost two years amid a dispute over the arrest of a Huawei executive in Canada. (AP)
India: The total number of coronavirus cases in the country have exceeded 9 million, with a new surge being seen in the capital city New Delhi despite a nationwide downward trend of daily infections. (DPA)
Thailand: The police said they will arrest two student leaders for attending a banned protest last month, just one day after embattled Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha threatened to use the law against protesters. (Reuters)

Europe

Region: Azerbaijan’s army has entered the district of Agdham in the Nagorno-Karabakh region that was ceded by Armenia as part of the recent Russian-brokered peace deal between Azerbaijan and Armenia. (Deutsche Welle)
Region: The European Union and the UK are reportedly close to a post-Brexit agreement but fishing rights, guarantees of fair competition, and ways to solve future disputes still remain sticking points. (Reuters)
France: President Emmanuel Macron has given the French Council of the Muslim Faith a 15-day ultimatum to accept a charter of republican values. (BBC)
Serbia: The leader of the country’s Orthodox Church Patriarch Irinej has died after testing positive for the new coronavirus. (AP)

Middle East

Region: Israel has accused Lebanon of changing its positions in talks on their disputed maritime border, warning that the shift could lead to a “dead end” that would be damaging for the whole region. (AFP)
Region: Syria has condemned US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s visit to the “occupied” Golan Heights, calling it a provocative act before the end of US President Donald Trump’s presidency. (Reuters)
Israel: The Prime Minister’s office said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will undergo a routine examination of his digestive tract under sedation, with Defense Minister Benny Gantz set to serve as acting Prime Minister during the examination. (AP)

Tech & Communications

Media: Journalist and government critic Hopewell Chin’ono was freed by a Zimbabwean court after his arrest on charges of obstructing justice two weeks ago. (Reuters)

World

Tomorrow’s Outlook (21NOV20)

Global: A G20 Leaders Summit will be held virtually under the chairmanship of Saudi Arabia. (to 22NOV)
Global: The 2020 Halifax International Security Forum will be held virtually, featuring NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Canadian Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan, Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid, and multiple other senior ministers from across the world. (to 22NOV)
Global: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo with his Europe and Middle East tour which includes planned visits to France, Turkey, Georgia, Israel, the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. (to 23NOV)
Global: The UN’s World Television Day – 1998
Europe: The 25th anniversary of the announcement of the Dayton Accord between Bosnian, Serb, and Croat leaders.
Australia: The newly-imposed coronavirus lockdown in the state of South Australia will be lifted early.
Bosnia & Herzegovina: Dayton Agreement Day (only in the Republika Srpska) – 1995
Iran: The government will tighten its coronavirus restrictions.
Thailand: Anti-government protests are expected to be held in capital city Bangkok.
United States: A night-time coronavirus curfew will be imposed in the state of California. (to 21DEC)

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