Key Storylines
- AFRICA: Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo became the world’s first recipient of a free coronavirus vaccine from the WHO’s COVAX vaccine scheme.
- AMERICAS: Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is reportedly set to ask US President Joe Biden about sharing some of the US supply of coronavirus vaccines with Mexico during a virtual summit today.
- ASIA: Around 1,000 people gathered outside a court in Hong Kong to protest the hearing of 47 democracy activists charged with conspiracy to commit subversion.
- EUROPE: Over 400 European Parliament lawmakers urged EU officials to use new US President Joe Biden’s term in office as an opportunity to stop what they called Israel’s “de-facto annexation” of the West Bank.
- MIDDLE EAST: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Iran of being responsible for last week’s attack on an Israeli-owned ship in the Gulf of Oman, an accusation which Iran “strongly rejected”.
- TECH & COMMUNICATIONS: Companies selling refrigerators, washers, hair dryers or TVs in EU countries will now have to ensure their appliances can be repaired for up to 10 years under new EU regulations.
Top Story
- Myanmar: Aung San Suu Kyi faces new charges, protests continue.
- Aung San Suu Kyi has been seen for the first time since being detained during Myanmar’s recent military coup as she appeared in court via video link.
- During her appearance in court, Suu Kyi was charged for making comments likely to induce the public to “commit an offence against the state” and violating a telecommunications law for the wrongful possession of devices.
- Suu Kyi’s appearance in court came one day after 18 people were killed in the deadliest day of protests so far against the country’s recent military coup.
- The violence does not appear to have cowed Myanmar’s public however, as anti-coup protests resumed across the country once again this morning.
- Reporting: NYT, BBC, Reuters, WSJ, AP, DPA
Africa
- Algeria: Riots broke out in the town of Ouargla after a court gave activist Ameur Guerrache, a key figure in the country’s Mekhadma protest movement, a seven-year prison sentence for condoning acts of terrorism. (AFP)
- Ghana: President Nana Akufo-Addo became the world’s first recipient of a free coronavirus vaccine from the WHO’s COVAX vaccine scheme. (AFP)
- Libya: Two journalists detained last week after a news conference with new Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Mohammed Dbeibah were released by authorities. (AP)
- Morocco: Human rights activists raised concerns that businessman Dr Osama Al-Hasani could be extradited to Saudi Arabia, as Australian consular officials said they were seeking help for the dual Australian-Saudi Arabian national Al-Hasani. (Guardian)
Americas
- Region: Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is reportedly set to ask US President Joe Biden about sharing some of the US supply of coronavirus vaccines with Mexico during a virtual summit today. (Reuters)
- Argentina: Thousands of people protested against the “VIP vaccinations” scandal across the country. (AFP)
- El Salvador: President Nayib Bukele’s party appeared likely to emerge as the big winner in the country’s legislative elections. (WaPo)
Asia
- Afghanistan: The US wasted billions of dollars on vehicles and construction work in the country that were then largely abandoned or destroyed, according to a new report by the US government’s Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction. (AP)
- China: Around 1,000 people gathered outside a court in Hong Kong to protest the hearing of 47 democracy activists charged with conspiracy to commit subversion. (Reuters)
- India: Prime Minister Narendra Modi received his first dose of a coronavirus vaccine as the government opened its coronavirus vaccination campaign to the wider public. (BBC)
- Japan: Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga issued an apology following a key government spokesperson’s resignation after she attended expensive dinners hosted by Suga’s son. (Reuters)
- Philippines: The country’s coronavirus vaccination campaign started, with the director of the country’s top public hospital being inoculated with a vaccine manufactured by China’s Sinovac firm, which the country’s Food and Drug Administration has warned against due to the vaccine’s low efficacy rate. (DPA)
Europe
- Region: Over 400 European Parliament lawmakers urged EU officials to use new US President Joe Biden’s term in office as an opportunity to stop what they called Israel’s “de-facto annexation” of the West Bank. (AFP)
- Armenia: Political tensions in the country continued to intensify after a group of anti-government protesters broke into a government building to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan before leaving peacefully. (AP)
- France: Prosecutors are calling for former President Nicolas Sarkozy to be sentenced to prison for two years if found guilty of bribery, ahead of an expected court verdict today. (DPA)
- Russia: Investigators have identified one policeman as a suspect in their criminal investigation into a flight data leak that could have helped out opposition politician Alexei Navalny’s poisoners. (Reuters)
- Slovakia: The government is set to increase its coronavirus-related restrictions, including stricter limits on people’s movement, amid a coronavirus surge. (Reuters)
Middle East
- Region: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Iran of being responsible for last week’s attack on an Israeli-owned ship in the Gulf of Oman, an accusation which Iran “strongly rejected”. (AP)
- Iran: The government ruled out holding informal talks with the US and European countries over reviving the 2015 JCPOA nuclear deal, insisting that Tehran will only hold talks once the US lifts its sanctions on Tehran. (BBC)
- Saudi Arabia: The fiancee of murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi called for the country’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to be punished for Khashoggi’s killing. (BBC)
- Yemen: The UN called for 3.85 billion dollars in funding to prevent millions of people from falling into hunger in the country. (DPA)
Tech & Communications
- Tech Regulation: Companies selling refrigerators, washers, hair dryers or TVs in EU countries will now have to ensure their appliances can be repaired for up to 10 years under new EU regulations. (AP)
- Technology: The Chinese government started testing its homegrown digital currency in cities such as Shenzhen, Shanghai and Beijing. (NYT)
World
- Cyclones: Nothing to report.
- Hurricanes: Nothing to report.
- Earthquakes: Nothing to report.
- Volcanoes: Nothing to report.
- Global Disease Outbreaks:
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global (as of 01MAR21)
- Confirmed cases: 114,122,043
- Total recovered cases: 64,465,898
- Deaths: 2,531,857
- Countries with confirmed cases: 192
- Sourcing: John Hopkins University
- Ebola Virus Disease: DR Congo (as of 21FEB21)
- Confirmed cases: 6
- Deaths: 4
- Sourcing: WHO
- Ebola Virus Disease: Guinea (as of 21FEB21)
- Confirmed cases: 8
- Deaths: 5
- Sourcing: WHO
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global (as of 01MAR21)
Tomorrow’s Outlook (02MAR21)
- Global: The European Court of Justice will hold sessions to discuss EU-Morocco accords and the export of goods from the Western Sahara region. (to 03MAR)
- Africa: IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva will speak at the African Fiscal Forum. (to 03MAR)
- Asia: The foreign ministers of ASEAN member-states are expected to hold a special meeting to discuss the situation in Myanmar.
- Asia: The finance ministers of ASEAN member-states will hold a virtual meeting. (to 03MAR)
- Europe: The defense ministers of EU member-states will hold an informal meeting. (to 03MAR)
- Europe: The European Court of Justice will deliver a ruling on the European Commission’s appeal over charges against Italy allegedly providing illegal government aid to banks.
- Europe: The European Court of Justice will deliver a ruling related to a complaint by applicants to Poland’s top court.
- Europe: Trade ministers of EU member-states will hold a meeting. (to 03MAR)
- Middle East: US Special Envoy for Yemen Timothy Lenderking will travel to several countries in the Arabian Peninsula. (to 03MAR)
- Afghanistan: US Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad will visit Qatar, Afghanistan, and other countries in the region for the first time since President Joe Biden took office, to continue peace discussions.
- Ghana: The country’s coronavirus vaccination campaign will begin.
- Kazakhstan: Eurasian Economic Commission Chairman Mikhail Myasnikovich will visit. (to 03MAR)
- Micronesia: Parliamentary elections will be held.
- Nigeria: The country is set to receive its first ever doses of a coronavirus vaccine, with the expected delivery of 3.9 million doses of AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine through the WHO’s COVAX facility.
- Pakistan: The country will receive 2.8 million free doses of AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine through the WHO’s COVAX facility.
- Turkey: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected to unveil a new action plan on human rights.
- Ukraine: European Commission Vice President Charles Michel will visit. (to 03MAR)
- United States: Four million doses of Johnson & Johnson’s coronavirus vaccine will be distributed across the country.
- United States: The Senate Committee on Armed Services will hold a hearing on global security challenges and strategy.
- United States: FBI Director Christopher Wray will testify to the Senate Judiciary Committee over the FBI investigation into the storming of Capitol Hill.
- Venezuela: EU ambassador to Caracas Isabel Brilhante Pedrosa is expected to leave the country.
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