25AUG21 Global Overnight Overwatch Report

Key Storylines

AFRICA: Morocco’s foreign ministry regretted the unjustified decision of neighboring Algeria to break off diplomatic ties.
AMERICAS: The U.S. Supreme Court ordered the reinstatement of the Trump-era “Remain in Mexico” asylum policy, which was suspended on Joe Biden’s first day in office.
ASIA: Filipino president Rodrigo Duterte will run for vice president next year, a decision critics said was a “smokescreen” and driven by fear of criminal charges.
EUROPE: Russia is preparing to evacuate more than 500 people on four military planes from Afghanistan.
MIDDLE EAST: Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin exchanged views on Afghanistan.
TECH & COMMUNICATIONS: The United States has approved licenses authorizing suppliers to sell chips to Huawei for its growing auto component business.

Top Story

Global: U.S Vice President Kamala Harris arrives in Vietnam.
- U.S Vice President Kamala Harris met with Vietnamese top leaders offering them support in the enhancement of its maritime security in an effort to pressure Beijing’s assertiveness in the South China Sea.
- Harris called on Beijing to “abide by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and to challenge its bullying and excessive maritime claims.”
- The Vice President also announced the distribution of an additional 1 million coronavirus vaccine doses to Vietnam.
- Vietnamese Prime Minister Prime ham Minh Chinh told China his country would not enter an alliance to confront Beijing, but negotiations for a code of conduct in the South China Sea should continue.
- Before arriving in Vietnam, the Vice President’s flight was delayed due to an “anomalous health incident” with similarities to Havana syndrome.
- Reuters, CNBC, AP, South China Morning Post, BBC

Africa

Ivory Coast: The country’s first confirmed case of Ebola virus since 1994 has recovered after two weeks, according to the health ministry. (AFP)
Madagascar: The UN reported that the island is on the brink of the world’s first climate change-induced famine. (BBC)
Morocco: The foreign ministry regretted the unjustified decision of neighboring Algeria to break off diplomatic ties. (AP)
Uganda: Government officials said a flight carrying Afghan evacuees touched down in the country where they will be given temporary refuge. (AFP)

Americas

Colombia: Student activist Esteban Mosquera was shot to death in Popayan by unknown assailants. (AP)
Mexico: A group of migrants in Tlaxcala state threw rocks at immigration officers, sending one to the hospital with serious injuries. (AP)
Mexico: The country’s first group of refugees from Afghanistan were welcomed to Mexico City by Foreign Relations Secretary Marcelo Ebrand. (AP)
United States: The Supreme Court ordered the reinstatement of the Trump-era “Remain in Mexico” asylum policy, which was suspended on Joe Biden’s first day in office. (AP)
Venezuela: Authorities said at least 15 people died in the Andes after heavy rain triggered mudslides. (AFP)

Asia

Indonesia: The navy said it seized a tanker and its crew who were wanted on charges of stealing nearly 300,000 barrels of crude oil from Cambodia’s reserves. (AFP)
Indonesia: The Southeast Asian country approved Russia’s Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use. (Reuters)
Japan: The economy ministry indicated that a state of emergency would be expanded from 13 to 21 prefectures. (Reuters)
Philippines: President Rodrigo Duterte will run for vice president next year, a decision critics said was a “smokescreen” and driven by fear of criminal charges. (AFP)
South Korea: The country’s daily new coronavirus cases rose to over 2,000 as the Seoul metropolitan area reported a record high daily caseload since the pandemic began. (Yonhap)

Europe

France: The country has detained an Afghan evacuee as part of an investigation into links with the Taliban. (France24)
Germany: A court ruled the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline is not exempt from European Union rules that ensures fair competition. (Reuters)
Russia: Moscow is preparing to evacuate more than 500 people on four military planes from Afghanistan. (AP)
Ukraine: The army said that a soldier had been killed and two others wounded in the country’s pro-Russia separatist east. (AFP)
United Kingdom: Foreign minister Dominic Raab said that the deadline for evacuating people from Afghanistan was up to the last minute of this month. (Reuters)

Middle East

Region: Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin exchanged views on Afghanistan. (Reuters)
Afghanistan: The World Bank reported that it has halted disbursements of aid money to Afghanistan as it assesses how the Taliban plan to rule the country. (NYT)
Israel: Prime Minister Naftali Bennett prepares for his first state visit to the U.S where he is scheduled to meet with senior administration officials, including Secretary of State Blinken and Defense Secretary Austin, and on Thursday with President Biden. (WaPo)
Syria: Parliament Speaker Hammouda Sabbagh called for lifting Western sanctions imposed on the country and slammed them as a violation of international Law. (Xinhua)

Tech & Communications

Tech: The United States has approved licenses authorizing suppliers to sell chips to Huawei for its growing auto component business. (Reuters)

World

Tomorrow’s Outlook (26AUG21)

Asia: US Vice President Kamala Harris concludes visit to Vietnam and Singapore.
Europe: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan visiting Bosnia and Montenegro. (to 28AUG)
Europe: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov visiting Hungary, Austria, and Italy. (to 27AUG)
Italy: G20 Conference on Women’s Empowerment in Santa Margherita Ligure.
Ireland: Irish Prime Minister Michael Martin and President Michael Higgins host French President Emmanuel Macron.
Japan: 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games. (to 05SEP)
Middle East: Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi visiting Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Iran to discuss Afghanistan. (to 27AUG)
Namibia: Namibia Day.
Papua New Guinea: Repentance Day.
South Korea: Visit by Colombian president Ivan Duque.
United States: Visit by Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.
United States: Federal Reserve Economic Policy Symposium in Jackson Hole, WY. (to 28AUG)
United States: Women’s Equality Day.

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