• Overnight News Summaries ,
• 15 Nov

Key Storylines

• AFRICA: A second vaccine to fight Ebola in the DR Congo has been approved by authorities.
• AMERICAS: Acting US Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor told the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump of a previously undisclosed call between President Trump and Ambassador to the EU Gordon Sondland, in which President Trump asked about if Ukraine would open “the investigations” he sought into political rivals.
• ASIA: The Chinese Commerce Ministry announced that Beijing is holding intense discussions with the United States over a “phase one” trade agreement but it also reiterated that tariffs cancellation will be crucial to striking any such agreement.
• EUROPE: The United Kingdom has informed the European Union that it has no plans to name an EU commissioner before the country’s elections next month, a decision that could lead to another delay to the start of Ursula von der Leyen’s term as President of the European Commission.
• MIDDLE EAST: The Russian Defense Ministry is setting up a helicopter base, which will be protected by Pantsir surface-to-air missile systems and three military helicopters, in the Syrian city of Qamishli.
• TECH & COMMUNICATIONS: China completed a test of the Mars exploration lander it intends to use in a planned mission to Mars next year.

Top Story

• Israel: Rockets from Gaza fired despite ceasefire.

• • The Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad announced that it had agreed to an Egypt-mediated ceasefire with Israel.
  • The ceasefire went into effect approximately 48 hours since hostilities first broke out between Israel and Islamic Jihad.
  • Israel made no official remarks on the ceasefire, but Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said, “quiet will be answered with quiet,” and that Israel “will not cease” the targeted killings.
  • After a brief period of calm following the announcement of the ceasefire agreement, alarms once again started ringing warning of rocket fire in southern Israel.
  • No one has claimed responsibility yet for this post-ceasefire launch of rockets from the Gaza strip and it remains unclear how this will impact the ceasefire agreement.
  • Reporting: AFP, BBC, AP, Guardian, Reuters, DPA

Africa  

• Burkina Faso: Authorities have suspended the minor opposition political party “The Patriotic Front for Renewal” for three months due to the party’s calls for President Roch Marc Christian Kabore and his administration to resign. (AFP)
• DR Congo: A second vaccine to fight Ebola in the country has been approved by authorities. (BBC)
• Libya: Teachers in the country are continuing to hold strikes over salaries and “phantom” employees. (AFP)
• Tunisia: Rachid Ghannouchi, a seasoned leader of the Islamist Ennahdha party, is the new Parliament Speaker after Parliament voted 123 votes from a possible 217 in his favor. (AP)

Americas  

• Region: A stand-off took place between the supporters of interim Venezuelan President Juan Guaidó and supporters of embattled President Nicolas Maduro at the Venezuelan embassy in Brazil. (AFP)
• Bolivia: The country’s political crisis deepened as pro-Evo Morales lawmakers were blocked from entering the country’s legislature and his supporters took to the streets and clashes with security forces. (WaPo)
• Brazil: The leaders of BRICS countries, who are in the country for the annual BRICS summit, rallied against what they called politically motivated protectionism and said that their countries will work towards countering it. (Reuters)
• United States: Acting Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor told the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump of a previously undisclosed call between President Trump and Ambassador to the EU Gordon Sondland, in which President Trump asked about if Ukraine would open “the investigations” he sought into political rivals. (WaPo)

Asia  

• Region: US Defense Secretary Mark Esper and US Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Mark Milley will meet their South Korean counterparts in Seoul and discuss North Korea, the funding for US troops stationed in South Korea as well as the now scrapped South Korea-Japan intelligence-sharing pact GSOMIA. (Reuters)
• Cambodia: The country’s strongman leader Hun Sen released dozens of opposition activists who his government said were helping his arch-rival and opposition leader Sam Rainsy organize a coup, while Rainsy remains outside the country in Indonesia. (AFP)
• China: The Commerce Ministry announced that Beijing is holding intense discussions with the United States over a “phase one” trade agreement but it also reiterated that tariffs cancellation will be crucial to striking any such agreement. (Reuters)
• Hong Kong: The Chinese government backed Global Times newspaper said that city authorities are planning to impose a weekend curfew but later retracted the story. (Reuters)

Europe  

• Region: Turkish authorities say they are treating the death of British citizen James Le Mesurier, an ex-British Army officer who helped found Syria’s White Helmets, as suicide but have simultaneously banned his wife from leaving Turkey until the investigation is completed. (AFP)
• Region: The United Kingdom has informed the European Union that it has no plans to name an EU commissioner before the country’s elections next month, a decision that could lead to another delay to the start of Ursula von der Leyen’s term as President of the European Commission. (AFP)
• Netherlands: In an attempt to resolve pollution problems, the government has reduced the highway speed limit and announced subsidies for pig farmers to encourage them to reduce their nitrogen output. (NYT)
• Turkey: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with US President Donald Trump but their meeting yielded little on resolving key issues that have strained bilateral ties between Ankara and Washington, including Ankara’s purchase of S-400 air defense systems from Russia and Washington’s partnership with Kurdish forces in Syria. (WSJ)

Middle East  

• Iran: Rasoul Danialzadeh, a fugitive businessman who has been charged with financial crimes and is accused of having links with the imprisoned brother of President Hassan Rouhani, has returned to the country “under the guidance … of the Revolutionary Guards’ intelligence agents”, the judiciary said. (Reuters)
• Iraq: Four more people were killed and 50 other wounded by government security forces in Baghdad, during an attempt to push protesters back into their main camp in the city. (Reuters)
• Kuwait: Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al Sabah has submitted his Cabinet and government’s resignation, with new parliamentary elections expected to be held in early 2020. (AP)
• Syria: The Russian Defense Ministry is setting up a helicopter base, which will be protected by Pantsir surface-to-air missile systems and three military helicopters, in the city of Qamishli. (Reuters)

Tech & Communications

• Space: China completed a test of the Mars exploration lander it intends to use in a planned mission to Mars next year. (AFP)

World  

• Cyclones: Nothing to report.
  • Tropical Depression Kalmaegi
    • Location: 447 nautical miles E of Manila, Philippines
    • Wind: 35 mph
    • Movement: W-NW at 8 mph
    • Map
• Hurricanes: Nothing to report.
• Earthquakes: Nothing to report.
• Volcanoes: Nothing to report.
• Global Disease Outbreaks:

• • Ebola Virus Disease:
    • Confirmed Cases as of 11NOV19: 3169 (DR Congo)
    • Probable Cases as of 11NOV19: 118 (DR Congo)
    • Deaths as of 11NOV19: 2192 (DR Congo)
    • Sourcing: WHO

Tomorrow’s Outlook (15NOV19)

• Belgium: King’s Feast – 1952
• Belgium: German Community Day – 1990
• Brazil: Republic Day – 1889
• Chile: Chinese President Xi Jinping to meet with President Sebastian Pinera.
• Iran: Birthday of Imam Jafar al-Sadiq – unknown
• Ivory Coast: National Peace Day – unknown
• Nepal: Bangladeshi President Abdul Hamid will visit.
• Palestinian Territories: Independence Day – 1988

END