25NOV20 Global Overnight Overwatch Report

Key Storylines

AFRICA: Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s office dismissed growing international calls for dialogue over the country’s conflict in the Tigray region, saying the calls were “unwelcome” and that the country would handle the conflict on its own.
AMERICAS: The Chinese Embassy in Brazil said critical comments about Huawei made by President Jair Bolsonaro’s son harms the relationship between Brasilia and Beijing.
ASIA: Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam vowed to restore order to the city’s political system in her annual policy speech to the city’s Legislative Council.
EUROPE: A graffiti-daubed car reading “You damned children and old people murderers” on one side and “Stop globalization politics” on the other, hit the gate of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s office.
MIDDLE EAST: Casualties from the internationally banned cluster bombs nearly doubled last year due to their use by Russian-backed forces in Syria.
TECH & COMMUNICATIONS: India banned 43 Chinese mobile phone apps, including Alibaba Group’s e-commerce app Aliexpress.

Top Story

United States: Biden transition starts in earnest with introduction of foreign policy and national security team.
- US President-elect Joe Biden declared “America is back” and said Washington will be “ready to lead” again on the global stage, as his team plunged into a formal transition.
- President-elect Biden said that the White House is being “sincere” in helping with the transition.
- The President-elect also formally announced his foreign policy and national security team, including Antony Blinken as his nominee for Secretary of State, Alejandro Mayorkas as his pick for Homeland Security, and Avril Haines as Director of National Intelligence, among others.
- Biden’s team also held meetings with officials from President Donald Trump’s administration and were in active discussions with every federal agency.
- Reporting: AP, WaPo, BBC, WSJ, Reuters

Africa

Region: Morocco reinforced its positions at the Guerguerat border post, which it took earlier this month, to protect the only road leading from Western Sahara to Mauritania. (AFP)
Burkina Faso: President Roch Kabore is moving closer to reelection as he extended a lead over opponents with half of districts reporting results from the country’s recent election, even as opposition concerns over the validity of the count continue. (Reuters)
Egypt: The UN said it was “very concerned” over the recent reports of the government arresting human rights activists. (AFP)
Ethiopia: Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s office dismissed growing international calls for dialogue over the country’s conflict in the Tigray region, saying the calls were “unwelcome” and that the country would handle the conflict on its own. (AP)

Americas

Region: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called for the release of Cuban rapper Denis Solis Gonzalez, whose arrest triggered protests in Cuba. (AFP)
Brazil: The Chinese Embassy in the country said critical comments about Huawei made by President Jair Bolsonaro’s son harms the relationship between Brasilia and Beijing. (Reuters)
Canada: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the country will receive its first coronavirus vaccines in early 2021 but likely after those countries that have the capability to produce the vaccines for themselves. (AFP)
Mexico: Former Treasury Secretary Luis Videgaray angrily denied embezzlement allegations levied against him. (AP)

Asia

Region: Japan protested China’s increased activity and what it calls infiltration in the Senkaku island regions during Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to the country. (AP)
China: Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam vowed to restore order to the city’s political system in her annual policy speech to the city’s Legislative Council. (AFP)
New Zealand: A soldier who reportedly has close ties to far-right extremist groups was charged with spying and is the first military member in the country to face such a charge. (AP)
Thailand: Pro-democracy protesters gathered in capital city Bangkok as the police summoned 12 protest leaders for defaming the country’s royals, marking the first use of the draconian law in almost three years. (AFP)

Europe

Region: The European Union said it was ready to be “creative” in the final stages of the Brexit trade negotiations, but warned that the UK will be reduced to “just a valued partner” regardless of what kind of deal is finalized. (AP)
Region: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said “the first European citizens might already be vaccinated before the end of December” and urged EU member-states to urgently prepare their logistical supply chains for any vaccine rollouts. (AP)
Region: Ethnic Armenian forces ceded the Kalbajar district in the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region to Azerbaijani forces. (AP)
Germany: A graffiti-daubed car reading “You damned children and old people murderers” on one side and “Stop globalization politics” on the other, hit the gate of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s office. (DPA)
Switzerland: One person was arrested following a suspected terror attack at a store in the southern city of Lugano. (BBC)

Middle East

Region: Overnight Israeli airstrikes in Syria killed at least eight pro-Iranian militia fighters. (AFP)
Lebanon: Judge Fadi Sawan, who leads the probe into the deadly Beirut port blast, is reportedly seeking investigations against three members of cabinet over their potential responsibility in the disaster. (AFP)
Syria: Casualties from the internationally banned cluster bombs nearly doubled last year due to their use by Russian-backed forces in the country. (NYT)
Yemen: Houthi rebels gave the UN permission to inspect and secure an abandoned oil tanker off the country’s coast in the Red Sea. (BBC)

Tech & Communications

Tech Regulation: India banned 43 Chinese mobile phone apps, including Alibaba Group’s e-commerce app Aliexpress. (Reuters)

World

Cyclones:
- Tropical Cyclone Nivar
  - Location: 782 nautical miles S-SW of Kolkata, India
  - Wind: 70 mph
  - Movement: W-NW at 9 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 25NOV20: 59,850,910
  - Total Recovered Cases as of 25NOV20: 38,334,402
  - Deaths as of 25NOV20: 1,411,216
  - Countries with Confirmed Cases: 191
  - Sourcing: John Hopkins University

Tomorrow’s Outlook (26NOV20)

Global: The Food & Agriculture Organization will release its annual State of Food and Agriculture report.
Global: The Second Review Conference of the Convention on Cluster Munitions will be held virtually. (to 27NOV)
Americas: New US sanctions on Cuba will take effect.
Americas: Colombian President Ivan Duque and Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno will lead the 9th Colombia-Ecuador Binational Cabinet meeting reviewing security, infrastructure, border, and economic issues.
Middle East: The flydubai airline will launch daily flights from the UAE to Israel.
Belarus: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will visit and meet with President Alexander Lukashenko and Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei.
China: The Defense Ministry will hold a press conference.
Greece: A general strike will be held across the country over the government’s labor laws.
India: Trade unions are expected to go on strike against the government’s economic policies.
New Zealand: An inquiry into the Christchurch mosque attacks will be presented to the country’s Governor General Patsy Reddy.
Russia: The Duma will undertake a third reading of the draft federal budget for 2021.
Russia: Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein and Deputy Prime Minister Ali Allawi will visit and meet with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and other government officials.
South Korea: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit and meet with Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha.
Tunisia: The National Union of Tunisian Journalists will hold demonstrations and rallies over public media firm reforms.

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