Overseas Security Advisory Council Daily New 3/31/23
March 31, 2023
Today's Headlines - OSAC's daily selection of global security news
Africa
The hijacked ship has been found abandoned, but an unknown number of its crew is still missing.
The Ethiopian government on Thursday announced it is scrapping criminal charges against leaders of the rebel Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), in line with a peace deal in its northern region.
Supporters of Nigeria's ruling party are calling on the Department of State Services, often referred to as Nigeria’s secret police, to name the politicians the agency says are plotting to set up an interim government to prevent the handover of power...
Senegal's leading opposition politician and presidential aspirant Ousmane Sonko on Thursday received a two-month suspended prison sentence for libel in a case involving the tourism minister.
US Vice President Kamala Harris announced plans to boost trade with and investment in Tanzania during a visit there on Thursday, part of an African tour aimed at strengthening ties with a continent where China and Russia increasingly hold sway.
The son of Ugandan leader Yoweri Museveni, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, said he would send Ugandan troops to defend Moscow in case of an "imperialist" threat.
East Asia & Pacific
Australia said it has "deep concerns" about delays in the case of Australian journalist Cheng Lei who faced a closed door trial in Beijing on national security charges a year ago.
Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said Friday he will visit China this weekend for talks with his counterpart Qin Gang, becoming Japan's first top diplomat to do so in more than three years amid growing frictions between the two countries,
According to the Coast Guard, hundreds of passengers survived, but many suffered burns after a fire broke out on board a ferry on March 29.
Europe
Bulgarians head to the polls on Sunday for the fifth time in two years, with the EU's poorest member -- traditionally close to Moscow -- divided over the invasion of Ukraine. The ultra-nationalist Vazrazhdane party,
Russia used its long-range arsenal to bombard anew several areas of Ukraine on Friday, killing at least two civilians and damaging homes as Ukrainians commemorated the anniversary of the liberation of Bucha.
Middle East & North Africa
Egypt's Central Bank says it has raised interest rates as the embattled Middle Eastern country continues to battle surging inflation and a depreciating currency
TUNIS (Reuters) -Tunisia on Friday introduced a quota system for potable water and banned its use in agriculture until Sept. 30 in response to a severe drought that has hit the country, the agriculture ministry said. Tunisia, which is suffering a fo...
South & Central Asia
Matiullah Wesa, an advocate for girls’ education in Afghanistan, is arrested as the Taliban cracks down on women’s rights activists.
Thirty-five bodies have been found inside a well at a Hindu temple in central India after dozens of people fell into the muddy water when the well’s cover collapsed, officials said Friday. Video of Thursday’s collapse at the temple complex in Indore,
Sri Lanka’s government has announced significant cuts in fuel prices, providing welcome relief for many after a year of shortages and skyrocketing prices amid the country’s worst economic crisis
Western Hemisphere
Police successfully deactivated a vest-like explosive device Thursday that an unknown number of people allegedly had taped to the chest of a security guard at a jewelry store in Ecuador’s main port city. The guard was uninjured. Authorities would qu...
A Mexican court issued arrest orders Thursday for six people in relation to the fire that killed 39 migrants at a detention facility this week in the border city of Ciudad Juarez, according to the federal prosecutor leading the investigation. Sara I...
Seizures of marijuana shipments on Venezuela's coast and along its border with Colombia have underscored the country's role as an important corridor for a particular type of Colombian cannabis flooding Latin America's markets. In early March, Colomb...
OSAC Analysis - Unclassified OSAC analytical reports and other resources
Middle East & North Africa
After receiving many inquiries regarding the judicial reform protests in Israel and the violence in the West Bank, OSAC’s MENA Team launched this survey to gain a better understanding of the operational posture of OSAC members operating in Israel an...
South & Central Asia
Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan is facing multiple legal challenges, to include possible arrest, which would likely prompt his supporters to protest across major cities in Pakistan, especially in the Punjab and Khyber Pakthunkwa provinces...
Consular Messages - Department of State travel advisories and alerts
Africa
Last Update: Reissued with updates to health information. Exercise normal precautions in Angola. Some areas have increased risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory.
Last Update: Reissued with updates to health information. Exercise normal precautions in Botswana.
Last Update: Reissued with updates to health information. Exercise increased caution in Djibouti due to terrorism and crime.
On March 24, the Government of Equatorial Guinea announced that negative COVID PCR test results and proof of a COVID-19 vaccine will no longer be required for traveling to or within Equatorial Guinea.
Last Update: Reissued with updates to health information. Exercise increased caution in Mozambique due to health issues, crime and terrorism. Some areas have greater risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory.
Last Update: Reissued with updates to health information. Exercise normal precautions in Namibia.
Last Update: Reissued with updates to health information. Exercise normal precautions in Rwanda. Some areas have increased risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory.
Last Update: Reissued with updates to health information. Exercise increased caution in South Africa due to crime and civil unrest.
Last Update: Reissued with updates to health information. Exercise increased caution in Tanzania due to crime, terrorism, and targeting of LGBTI persons. Some areas have increased risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory.
Reissued with updates to Crime and removal of Health concerns related to the Ebola Virus Disease outbreak. Reconsider travel to Uganda due to crime and terrorism. Some areas have increased risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory.
Last Update: Reissued after periodic review without changes. Exercise normal precautions in Zambia.
Reissued after periodic review with updates to crime information. Exercise increased caution in Zimbabwe due to crime.
Europe
Please be advised that Polish Armed Forces will be conducting training exercises to simulate combat in an urban environment between the hours of 9AM and 8PM over the next few days. These planned exercises have been widely reported in the Polish medi...
Western Hemisphere
There are ongoing police anti-gang operations that involve gunfire in the Les-Palmes, Torcelle, and Vivy Mitchell areas, all well south of Ave Mais Gate. Although ongoing police operations that involve gunfire are currently well south of the Embassy...
Events - Upcoming OSAC meetings, webinars, and training courses
Global
OSAC Tanzania Country Chapter Meeting
The U.S. Embassy in Lilongwe invites you to attend U.S. Department of State’s Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) Country Chapter meeting, on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, from 9am to 10:30am at Farmer’s Daughter Café.
The OSAC Academia Sector Committee cordially invites all ASC members to attend the Spring Health, Safety, & Security Seminar hosted by Vanderbilt University, April 13 - 14.
Africa
Tanzania Country Chapter Meeting
East Asia & Pacific
All OSAC Pan-Asia Regional Committee (PARC) members are invited to attend the "Bouncing Back: Security in 2023 & Beyond" PARC Summit on April 26 - 27, 2023 at Bloomberg in Singapore.
OSAC Manila country chapter members are invited to attend a meeting on 20 April 2023.
Middle East & North Africa
REGISTRATION OPEN>>The OSAC Middle East and North Africa Regional Committee (MENA RC) will hold its annual conference May 31 - June 1 on the campus of NYU Abu Dhabi.
South & Central Asia
All OSAC Pan-Asia Regional Committee (PARC) members are invited to attend the "Bouncing Back: Security in 2023 & Beyond" PARC Summit on April 26 - 27, 2023 at Bloomberg in Singapore.
Western Hemisphere
Join OSAC Dominican Republic for their first Chapter meeting in several years on Thursday, April 13 at 8:15 AM ET!
The OSAC Jamaica Chapter is happy to invite all Chapter members to their first Country Chapter meeting in Montego Bay in several years on March 6 at 11:00 AM local.
OSAC FBSC members are invited to participate in our annual conference on 16 - 17 May hosted by the LDS Church in Salt Lake City, Utah.
All Full Access OSAC members are invited to participate in OSAC's 1.5 day intensive Crisis Management Forum May 9-10, 2023 at the US Department of State Headquarters in Washington, DC. Registration is required.
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.
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