Key Storylines
- AFRICA: Opposition parties in Chad rejected the army’s appointment of President Idriss Déby’s son as the country’s leader as an “institutional coup”.
- AMERICAS: US President Joe Biden is set to open the upcoming global climate summit with a pledge to cut the country’s coal and petroleum pollution in half.
- ASIA: Australia scrapped agreements linked to China’s Belt and Road initiative leading to another spat between the two countries.
- EUROPE: Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu is overseeing Russian military exercises in Crimea.
- MIDDLE EAST: Israel’s military hit multiple Syrian defense positions after a Syrian missile targeted a village near a secretive nuclear site in Israel’s southern region.
- TECH & COMMUNICATIONS: NASA’s Perseverance rover manufactured oxygen on Mars from the planet’s carbon dioxide atmosphere.
Top Story
- India: Global record daily coronavirus infections reported in India.
- India reported more than 314,000 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, marking the highest one-day case tally globally.
- The country also saw its worst one-day coronavirus death toll as 2,104 people died over the last 24 hours.
- India’s one-day tally of more than 314,000 new coronavirus cases surpassed the previous one-day high of 300,669 recorded coronavirus cases set in the United States.
- India’s second wave of the coronavirus means the country’s total coronavirus caseload now stands at 15.9 million.
- Additionally, the severe second wave has left multiple hospitals in several cities across India scrambling for oxygen, beds, and other medical supplies.
- Reporting: Reuters, DPA, BBC, NYT, WSJ
Africa
- Region: The US State Department said they saw no evidence of Eritrean troops withdrawing from Ethiopia’s Tigray region despite assurances of a pull out. (Reuters)
- Algeria: Renowned Islamic scholar Said Djabelkhir was sentenced to three years in prison for “offending the precepts of Islam”. (AFP)
- Chad: Opposition parties rejected the army’s appointment of President Idriss Déby’s son as the country’s leader as an “institutional coup”. (BBC)
Americas
- Region: US Vice President Kamala Harris will meet virtually with Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei next week to discuss migration issues. (Reuters)
- Ecuador: The government imposed fresh coronavirus restrictions, including a nighttime curfew, amid a spike in coronavirus cases. (Reuters)
- Haiti: Roman Catholic organizations have shut down for three days and are demanding the release of five priests, two nuns and two other people kidnapped more than a week ago. (AP)
- United States: President Joe Biden is set to open the upcoming global climate summit with a pledge to cut the country’s coal and petroleum pollution in half. (AP)
Asia
- Region: Australia scrapped agreements linked to China’s Belt and Road initiative leading to another spat between the two countries. (BBC)
- Indonesia: Searchers have still been unable to find one of the country’s submarines that recently went missing as the country’s defense chiefs said the oxygen supply onboard the submarine will last till Saturday. (Reuters)
- Papua New Guinea: Prime Minister James Marape escaped an attempt to oust him from office after parliament agreed to adjourn work, including a no-confidence vote, for four months due to the country’s coronavirus outbreak. (Reuters)
Europe
- Region: Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu is overseeing Russian military exercises in Crimea. (Reuters)
- Region: The EU’s climate monitoring service said the continent faced record heat and rainfall in 2020, while temperatures reached record highs in Arctic Siberia. (AFP)
- Russia: Almost 1,500 people were detained by authorities during protests demanding the release of imprisoned opposition politician Alexei Navalny. (AP)
Middle East
- Region: Israel’s military hit multiple Syrian defense positions after a Syrian missile targeted a village near a secretive nuclear site in Israel’s southern region. (AFP)
- Iran: The US reportedly believes that serious differences still remain between Washington and Tehran over the resumption of the 2015 JCPOA deal despite some progress in their recent indirect talks. (Reuters)
- Syria: The government received its first doses of a coronavirus vaccine from the WHO’s COVAX facility. (Reuters)
Tech & Communications
- Space: NASA’s Perseverance rover manufactured oxygen on Mars from the planet’s carbon dioxide atmosphere. (BBC)
World
- Cyclones:
- Hurricanes: Nothing to report.
- Earthquakes: Nothing to report.
- Volcanoes: Nothing to report.
- Global Disease Outbreaks:
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global (as of 20APR21)
- Confirmed cases: 143,012,106
- Total recovered cases: 81,979,884
- Deaths: 3,046,149
- Countries with confirmed cases: 192
- Sourcing: John Hopkins University
- Ebola Virus Disease: Guinea (as of 11APR21)
- Confirmed cases: 16
- Deaths: 12
- Sourcing: WHO
- Ebola Virus Disease: DR Congo (as of 11APR21)
- Confirmed cases: 11
- Deaths: 6
- Sourcing: WHO
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global (as of 20APR21)
Tomorrow’s Outlook (23APR21)
- Global: US President Joe Biden will host a virtual Leaders’ Climate Summit.
- Global: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will participate in the C5+1 Ministerial along with the foreign ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
- Global: The European Conference on Space Debris will be held virtually.
- Europe: The environment ministers of EU member states will hold an informal meeting.
- New Zealand: Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne will visit, marking her first official trip to the country after the opening of the Australia-NZ travel bubble.
- Slovenia: Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou will visit.
- United Kingdom: Australian Trade Minister Dan Tehan is scheduled to meet with his counterpart Liz Truss.
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