30NOV20 Global Overnight Overwatch Report

Key Storylines

AFRICA: The leader of rebel forces in Tigray stated that his troops were still fighting near the regional capital of Mekelle, which fell to Ethiopian troops after nearly a month of battles and airstrikes.
AMERICAS: Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said that a recent protest in Havana by an artists’ collective in the name of freedom of expression was an effort by US President Donald Trump’s administration “to overthrow the revolution” before his term ends.
ASIA: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison demanded an apology from China after a foreign ministry spokesperson tweeted a fake image showcasing an Australian soldier murdering an Afghan child.
EUROPE: The European Union will start discussions on how best to improve transatlantic relations after U.S. President Donald Trump’s term, EU officials stated.
MIDDLE EAST: The Iraqi Health Ministry recorded 1,614 additional COVID-19 cases, bringing nationwide infections to 550,435.
TECH & COMMUNICATIONS: The British government announced that it will ban providers from using Huawei equipment in the country’s 5G network after September 2021.

Top Story

United States: Fear grows over a possible surge of COVID-19 cases.

The US could deal with a “surge upon surge” of COVID-19 cases as people return home from the Thanksgiving holiday, Dr. Anthony Fauci warned.
A fight over COVID-19 aid and avoiding a government shutdown is expected to dominate the two or three-week session occurring as the COVID-19 pandemic rockets out of control in President Donald Trump’s final weeks in office.
According to data from the state, California recorded 7,415 hospitalizations for COVID-19, surpassing the previous record of 7,170 set in July.
Hospitalizations reached a new record of 93,238 in the United States; it was the third time the metric was over 90,000 this month, according to the COVID Tracking Project.
Reported: BBC, AP, Xinhua, CNN

Africa

Ethiopia: The leader of rebel forces in Tigray stated that his troops were still fighting near the regional capital of Mekelle, which fell to government troops after nearly a month of battles and airstrikes. (Reuters)
Nigeria: The national electricity grid collapsed, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) reported in a statement. (Reuters)
Nigeria: Five Boko Haram insurgents were killed and several others injured by troops who raided the terror group’s hideouts in the northeastern state of Borno, said a spokesman for the army. (Xinhua)
Tanzania: A report alleges that at least 18 Burundian refugees were kidnapped and tortured by the police. (AP)

Americas

Brazil: President Jair Bolsonaro’s party suffers significant losses in the just-completed municipal elections, with only five mayoral candidates he supported winning their races and none in the most prominent cities. (AP)
Cuba: President Miguel Diaz-Canel said that a recent protest in Havana by an artists’ collective in the name of freedom of expression was an effort by US President Donald Trump’s administration “to overthrow the revolution” before his term ends. (AFP)
United States: US president-elect Joe Biden received a foot fracture and will likely have to wear a medical boot, his team announced after the 78-year-old was taken to the doctor after he slipped while playing with his dog. (AFP)

Asia

Australia: Prime Minister Scott Morrison demanded an apology from China after a foreign ministry spokesperson tweeted a fake image showcasing an Australian soldier murdering an Afghan child. (DPA)
India: COVID-19 cases increased by 38,772, the health ministry reported, making it the 23rd straight day that daily cases stayed below the 50,000 mark. (Reuters)
Mongolia: The country confirmed 7 additional COVID-19 cases, bringing the national tally to 791, the country’s National Center for Communicable Diseases (NCCD) reported. (Xinhua)
Sri Lanka: At least 8 prisoners were killed and more than 50 injured in clashes with guards at a Sri Lankan prison, officials reported, as authorities tried to end a protest over rising COVID-19 cases in the country’s crowded jails. (Reuters)

Europe

Region: The European Union will start discussions on how best to improve transatlantic relations after U.S. President Donald Trump’s term, EU officials stated. (Reuters)
Austria: The nation’s economy grew by 12% in the third quarter compared to the April-June period thanks to an increase in economic activity after pandemic-related restrictions were lifted, the statistics office announced. (Reuters)
France: Four police officers were charged in connection to the beating and racial abuse of a black music producer, a judicial source reported, days after the event in Paris that intensified controversy over a new security law. (AFP)
Spain: The country is going to approve a budget that will lead to an increase in the tax take, increased spending on social services, and a landmark use of money from the EU’s COVID-19 recovery fund, according to María Jesús Montero, the minister promoting the measure. (FT)

Middle East

Iraq: The Health Ministry recorded 1,614 additional COVID-19 cases, bringing the nationwide infections to 550,435. (Xinhua)
Iran: The nation held a funeral for top nuclear physicist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, who was assassinated in a move that Tehran blamed on its archfoe Israel. (RFE)
Iran: The country’s English-language Press TV noted that the weapon used in the assassination of a prominent nuclear scientist last week was made in Israel. (Reuters)

Tech & Communications

Cybersecurity: The British government announced that it will ban providers from using Huawei equipment in the country’s 5G network after September 2021. (DPA)

World

Tomorrow’s Outlook (01DEC20)

Global: OECD Economic Outlook launched
Global: Italy takes over the one-year presidency of the G20
Global: U.N. Security Council monthly presidency rotates
Global: NATO meeting of foreign affairs ministers opens
Global: CSIS hosts Washington, DC launch of the 2021 U.N. Global Humanitarian Overview
Europe: ECOFIN meeting of EU finance ministers
Europe: European Space Agency online media roundtable to discuss debris removal mission
Germany: Tighter COVID-19 rules imposed
Greece: Greek Economic Summit commences
Romania: National Day
Somalia: Senate Elections

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