Key Storylines
- AFRICA: The UN said an estimated 350,000 people in Ethiopia’s embattled Tigray region faced famine conditions.
- AMERICAS: Conservative candidate Keiko Fujimori, who is narrowly trailing leftist Pedro Castillo in Peru’s presidential election, asked election authorities to annul results from 802 polling stations.
- ASIA: Myanmar’s military junta opened new corruption cases against ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other former officials from her government.
- EUROPE: Russia suggested that opposition politician Alexei Navalny was working for the United States.
- MIDDLE EAST: Yemen’s Houthi rebels reportedly started renovation work at Sana’a airport in preparation for a potential reopening of the facility under UN-led peace efforts.
- TECH & COMMUNICATIONS: The world’s largest meat supplier JBS confirmed that it paid the equivalent of $11 million in ransom to hackers.
Top Story
- Global: US to donate 500 million Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines to 100 countries.
- The US will purchase 500 million doses of Pfizer/BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine to donate to 92 low and lower middle-income countries and the African Union.
- President Joe Biden is expected to unveil more details of the plan during a speech later today on the eve of the G7 Summit, and is expected to urge fellow G7 leaders to follow America’s lead.
- The 500 million doses will be donated through June 2022 via the WHO’s COVAX vaccine program.
- The US is now also set to be COVAX’s largest vaccine donor and single largest funder as a result.
- Reporting: AFP, NYT, Reuters, WSJ, AP, BBC, WaPo
Africa
- Region: Egypt and Sudan reached an agreement to coordinate efforts to push Ethiopia to negotiate “seriously” over the controversial Grand Renaissance Dam. (Reuters)
- Ethiopia: The UN said an estimated 350,000 people in the country’s embattled Tigray region faced famine conditions. (AP)
- Nigeria: President Muhammadu Buhari told young people to “behave” so that the country can attract jobs and investment. (Reuters)
Americas
- Region: The Keystone Pipeline got canceled after Canadian officials failed to persuade the US to overturn President Biden’s cancellation of its permit. (AP)
- Region: Argentinian President Alberto Fernandez apologized for saying modern-day Mexicans originate from indigenous peoples, Brazilians “from the jungle” and Argentinians from Europe. (AFP)
- Colombia: Thousands of people participated in fresh protests against President Ivan Duque across the country. (AFP)
- Guatemala: Six former military members were charged with allegedly participating in the death and forced disappearance of at least 183 civilians during the country’s civil war. (Reuters)
- Peru: Conservative candidate Keiko Fujimori, who is narrowly trailing leftist Pedro Castillo in the presidential election, asked election authorities to annul results from 802 polling stations. (AFP)
Asia
- Afghanistan: The Islamic State’s affiliate in the country claimed responsibility for the attack that killed 10 workers of the HALO Trust demining organization. (AP)
- China: A group of lawyers submitted evidence to prosecutors at the International Criminal Court that they believe establishes jurisdiction for the global tribunal to investigate allegations against Beijing for targeting Uyghurs. (AP)
- India: The country reported its record single-day COVID-19 death toll of 6,148 after the state of Bihar revised its figures. (DPA)
- Myanmar: The military junta opened new corruption cases against ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other former officials from her government. (Reuters)
- Thailand: Parliament approved a bill allowing the government to borrow an additional $16 billion to deal with the country’s latest COVID-19 outbreak. (Reuters)
Europe
- Region: The WHO warned that vaccination rates in the region were still insufficient to prevent a COVID-19 resurgence and called on countries to maintain protective measures. (AFP)
- Region: US President Joe Biden reportedly plans to warn the UK against getting involved in a row with the EU and imperiling the peace in Northern Ireland. (Reuters)
- France: The medieval martial arts enthusiast who slapped President Emmanuel Macron will appear before a judge in a fast-track trial today. (Reuters)
- Greece: Thousands of workers marched through capital city Athens in protest of government plans to overhaul labour laws which unions say will undermine workers’ rights and enable companies to extend working hours. (Reuters)
- Russia: Moscow suggested that opposition politician Alexei Navalny was working for the United States. (AFP)
Middle East
- Region: Israeli special forces reportedly killed three Palestinians in the northern West Bank. (AFP)
- Bahrain: Hundreds of people staged a rare protest in the country following the death of a vaccinated prisoner from the new coronavirus. (AP)
- Iraq: An airport in Baghdad, where US soldiers are posted, was reportedly targeted with a “booby-trapped drone”. (AFP)
- United Arab Emirates: Abu Dhabi will only allow those vaccinated against COVID-19 or those who recently tested negative for COVID-19 to access several public spaces. (Reuters)
- Yemen: Houthi rebels have reportedly started renovation work at Sana’a airport in preparation for a potential reopening of the facility under UN-led peace efforts. (Reuters)
Tech & Communications
- Cybersecurity: The world’s largest meat supplier JBS confirmed that it paid the equivalent of $11 million in ransom to hackers. (WaPo)
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 10JUN21)
- Confirmed cases: 174,458,307
- Deaths: 3,759,039
- Countries with confirmed cases: 192
- Sourcing: John Hopkins University
- Ebola Virus Disease: Guinea (as of 10JUN21)
- Confirmed cases: 16
- Deaths: 12
- Sourcing: WHO
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global (as of 10JUN21)
Tomorrow’s Outlook (11JUN21)
- Global: The British government will hold the 47th G7 Summit in Cornwall, with the leaders of the G7 countries, including President Joe Biden, set to meet in-person for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic first started. (to 13JUN)
- Global: Five new non-permanent members of the UN Security Council are scheduled to be elected. Albania, Brazil, and the United Arab Emirates are expected to be elected unopposed while two countries out of the DR Congo, Gabon, and Ghana will be elected.
- Global: South Korean President Moon Jae-in will embark on a European tour, attending the G7 Summit as an invited guest and visiting Austria, and Spain post-summit. (to 17JUN)
- Europe: The foreign ministers of the EU Med Group will hold a meeting.
- Europe: The EURO 2020 international soccer tournament will begin after a one-year delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Europe: A Helsinki Commission hearing on Sweden’s Leadership of the OSCE will be held.
- Europe: The European Parliament’s Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party will hold its annual congress. (to 12JUN)
- Europe: The energy ministers of EU member-states will meet.
- Europe: Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, outgoing Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster and Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will participate in a British-Irish Council meeting.
- Botswana: Mozambique’s Foreign Minister Verónica Macamo will visit.
- China: Hong Kong pro-democracy activist and media tycoon Jimmy Lai will appear in court.
- Costa Rica: Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will visit and meet with President Carlos Alvarado.
- Germany: The Green Party will announce Annalena Baerbock as the party’s chancellor candidate.
- Pakistan: The Finance Ministry will unveil the government’s budget.
- Tajikistan: Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev will visit. (to 12JUN)
- United States: The 105th annual Pulitzer Prize winners will be announced.
- United States: The House Committee on Homeland Security will hold a hearing on border security.
END
