Overseas Security Advisory Council Daily News 1/31/2023
January 31, 2023
Today's Headlines - OSAC's daily selection of global security news
Africa
Multiple jihadi attacks across Burkina Faso over several days have resulted in the death of at least 32 people, including soldiers and civilians, government authorities said Tuesday.
The pope is planning to spend three days in the Democratic Republic of Congo, one of the most populous and most Catholic nations in Africa. While it has extensive natural riches, its people have long been buffeted by conflict and exploitation.
A suspect on Tuesday faced a murder charge in the killing of a prominent LGBTQ activist in Kenya, with authorities dismissing activists’ suggestions that it was a hate crime.
Liberian President and former international football star George Weah announced Monday (Jan. 31) that he would run for a second term in October, rejecting mounting criticism that he is out of touch with a population facing steep price rises and food...
At least 50 attacks against staff and facilities of the electoral commission have been recorded between 2019 election and end of 2022.
Two weeks on from the death of government critic John Williams Ntwali, police have failed to answer questions over the alleged road accident in which they say he was killed.
East Asia & Pacific
Human rights monitoring groups say Myanmar’s military is increasingly turning to airstrikes with deadly results to try to crush stiff armed resistance, two years after it seized power and plunged the
By Shubham Batra, Sarita Chaganti Singh and Shivangi AcharyaNEW DELHI (Reuters) -India is considering a number of tariffs and non-tariff steps to cut imports of non-essential consumer and electronic goods,
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said more fighter jets and bombers would be deployed as Washington strengthens joint training and operational planning with Seoul.
The U.S. military is poised to secure expanded access to key bases in the Philippines on the heels of a significant revamp of U.S. force posture in Japan — developments that reflect the allies’ concern with an increasingly fraught security environme...
Europe
Three people wounded by a knife-wielding man at a major underground railway station in Brussels have been discharged from the hospital and the attack isn't considered to be terrorism, prosecutors said Tuesday.
Latest Transparency International report on perceived levels of public corruption gives Hungary, Bosnia, Serbia and Albania the thumbs down – but notes progress in Kosovo, North Macedonia and Moldova.
Public transport networks, especially train services, have been impacted; while some electricity companies report up to 100% of staff have joined the strikes.
Turkey's advances across the increasingly depopulated border of Iraqi Kurdistan attract little global attention, but the escalation risks further destabilising a region where foreign powers have intervened with impunity,
Kyiv said it had repelled multiple Russian attacks around Bakhmut, as Moscow’s troops pushed to encircle the besieged city.
Russia said on Tuesday that its forces had taken control of Blahodatne, a village just north of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, where some of the heaviest fighting of the war has taken place in recent weeks.
Middle East & North Africa
Millions of people under the poverty line look for cheap food alternatives as prices soar and the pound sinks to new lows
Turkey's advances across the increasingly depopulated border of Iraqi Kurdistan attract little global attention, but the escalation risks further destabilising a region where foreign powers have intervened with impunity,
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is wrapping up a two-day visit to Israel and the occupied West Bank on Tuesday with renewed appeals for Israeli-Palestinian calm amid an alarming spike of violence.
The money exchange shop in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley was buzzing with business. Cellphones pinged endlessly and employees shouted out various rates as customers flocked in carrying plastic bags of the crashing local currency to buy U.S. dollars.
South & Central Asia
By Shubham Batra, Sarita Chaganti Singh and Shivangi AcharyaNEW DELHI (Reuters) -India is considering a number of tariffs and non-tariff steps to cut imports of non-essential consumer and electronic goods,
The New-York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called on Kazakh authorities to "thoroughly" investigate several recent attacks against journalists in the Central Asian country.
ISLAMABAD: The law enforcement agencies on Monday put the security of the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi on...
An Islamabad sessions court stated on Tuesday that charges against PTI chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan in the Toshakhana reference will be framed on February 7. The reference was filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) last ...
Although the Galle Face area will be the main venue for the independence celebrations next Saturday, across the country, religious and cultural events are to be held to mark the occasion, which the government wants to celebrate on a glorious note wi...
Western Hemisphere
Colombia's ceasefire with four armed groups has led to significant reductions in violence during its first month, Interior Minister Alfonso Prada said on Monday, with fewer murders and attacks on armed forces.
It’s not clear how the violence happened, but civilians in southern Mexico took action over the weekend to make sure the government heard their complaints, surrounding a group of officers and leading them to a crime scene where two officers and thre...
Pressed by Peru’s embattled president to take action in response to weeks of deadly protests, Congress narrowly agreed on Monday to reconsider a proposal to move the 2026 national elections up to this October.
OSAC Analysis - Unclassified OSAC analytical reports and other resources
East Asia & Pacific
OSAC reissued this Country Security Report (CSR) on January 30, 2023 to update the sections on Crime, Drug Crime, Protest & Demonstration Activity, Law Enforcement Concerns, Road Safety, and Safety Concerns for LGBTI+ Travelers.
Middle East & North Africa
OSAC reissued this Country Security Report (CSR) on January 30, 2022 as part of a periodic update.
Western Hemisphere
After over a month of unrest throughout Peru, demonstrations escalated in Lima on January 19. The spread of unrest to the capital posed an operational challenge to many private sector members, since until then Lima had been spared the violence and e...
Consular Messages - Department of State travel advisories and alerts
East Asia & Pacific
Due to the effects of the recent flooding in Auckland, the U.S. Consulate in Auckland will be closed to the public on 31 January and 1 February.
Europe
The U.S. government cautions its citizens of possible imminent retaliatory attacks by terrorists against churches, synagogues, and diplomatic missions in Istanbul or other places Westerners frequent, especially in the Beyoglu, Galata, Taksim, and Is...
South & Central Asia
Due to the Sri Lankan Independence Day preparations and festivities, road closures will be in effect around the U.S. Embassy in Colombo from February 1-3 between 6 AM and 12 PM (rehearsals) and on February 4 from 4 AM to 12 PM (parade). These closu...
Western Hemisphere
There are reports of anticipated small-scale demonstrations against U.S. policy scheduled to begin this afternoon at 4 P.M. in the city of La Paz. They are expected to culminate outside of the U.S. Embassy. American citizens are advised to avoid th...
Events - Upcoming OSAC meetings, webinars, and training courses
Global
Please RSVP to mcnicholsjv@state.gov or wartenberglg@state.gov RSVP with your contact information; Company Represented; Full name and Nationality Refreshments will be served.
OSAC's Energy Sector Committee (ESC) invites all ESC members to save the date for the upcoming ESC Spring Meeting at ExxonMobil Houston Campus in Spring, Texas on March 22 - 23, 2023.
All OSAC Cameroon Chapter members are invited to attend an in-person meeting on Tuesday, January 31 at 11:00 local time.
The Europe Regional Committee (ERC) in partnership with the OSAC United Kingdom Country Chapter will be delivering a half day Crisis Management Workshop for Young Professionals in London on Wednesday, March 29, 2023. A full day Spring Conference and...
The Africa Regional Committee invites all Full Access Members to "Save the Date" for their Spring Conference taking place in South Africa, March 28 - 30, 2023.
All OSAC ASC members are encouraged to "save the date" for our next in-person Health, Safety, and Security Seminar hosted by Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN on April 13 - 14.
East Asia & Pacific
All current and prospective OSAC Pan-Asia Regional Committee (PARC) members are invited to attend a networking reception hosted at the Executive Order Bar & Lounge in San Francisco, CA on Wednesday, February 8th from 5:00 – 7:00pm PST.
OSAC members based in New Zealand are invited to attend OSAC New Zealand's country chapter relaunch on 23 February 2023.
Manila country chapter members are invited to a hybrid meeting on 17FEB2023 from 2-4 pm local (GMT +8).
Middle East & North Africa
The OSAC Iraq-Baghdad Chapter will meet in-person on Wednesday, March 15.
The OSAC Qatar-Doha Chapter will meet on Tuesday, January 31.
South & Central Asia
All current and prospective OSAC Pan-Asia Regional Committee (PARC) members are invited to attend a networking reception hosted at the Executive Order Bar & Lounge in San Francisco, CA on Wednesday, February 8th from 5:00 – 7:00pm PST.
Western Hemisphere
OSAC's Latin America Regional Committee (LARC) invites all members to save the date for the LARC's Spring Conference in Miami, FL from March 7-9.
All OSAC Ecuador – Guayaquil Chapter members are invited to attend an in-person meeting on Wednesday, February at 10:00 Guayaquil local.
All OSAC Uruguay Chapter members are invited to attend a hybrid meeting on Tuesday, February 21 at 14:00 Uruguay local (12:00 Eastern).
The opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Department of State or any affiliated organization(s). Nor have these opinions been approved or sanctioned by these organizations. This product is unclassified based on the definitions in E.O. 13526. OSAC’s full disclaimer and copyright policy is available on our site.
Comments
Post a Comment