Key Storylines
- AFRICA: The Ethiopian government denied U.S. claims of ethnic cleansing in the northern Tigray region as “completely unfounded.”
- AMERICAS: Demonstrators in Patagonia lobbed stones at a van carrying visiting Argentinian President Alberto Fernandez in Chubut province on Saturday.
- ASIA: Singapore and Australia are talking about forming an air travel bubble that would allow travel between the two nations without the need for quarantine, looking to reopen borders that have been mostly shut for nearly a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- EUROPE: Italy seeks to vaccinate 80 percent of its population by September, according to the government’s new national vaccination plan.
- MIDDLE EAST: The trial of British-Iranian aid worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was held at the Revolutionary court, her lawyer Hojjat Kermani told the Iranian Emtedad website, hoping she would be declared not guilty of the charge of “propaganda against the system.”
- TECH & COMMUNICATIONS: China has completed feasibility studies of the fourth phase of its lunar exploration program and is planning to construct an international lunar research station on the moon’s south pole in the future.
Top Story
- Myanmar: More protesters die in demonstrations as tension continues in the aftermath of the coup.
- According to witnesses and local media, two protesters have been killed in the latest crackdown by regime armed forces on a protest movement against a February 1 military coup.
- The UN World Food Programme’s country director for Myanmar has warned that growing unrest and increased economic strife increase hunger in the nation.
- The repressive tactics being used against journalists trying to report on the coup in Myanmar and its aftermath have come under sharp criticism from Amnesty International.
- The civilian leader of Myanmar’s government in exile vowed to continue supporting a “revolution” to remove the military that seized power in last month’s coup, as security forces again met protesters with lethal forces, killing at least seven.
- Reporting: DPA, FT, DPA, AP,
Africa
- Ethiopia: The government denied U.S. claims of ethnic cleansing in the northern Tigray region as “completely unfounded.” (Xinhua)
- Ethiopia: The nation recorded 1,483 additional COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide tally to 174,054. (Xinhua)
- Zambia: The State mining company is seeking further deals as it prepares to complete its acquisition of a majority stake in Glencore’s struggling copper business in the country. (FT)
Americas
- Argentina: Demonstrators in Patagonia threw stones at a van carrying visiting President Alberto Fernández in Chubut province. (DPA)
- Honduras: President Juan Orlando Hernández’s name keeps appearing in the New York trial of an alleged drug trafficker, and one of the candidates running to replace him in the primary elections has been convicted in the same court of laundering money for the same cartel. (AP)
- United States: Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin stated that he was traveling to Asia to increase military cooperation with American allies and foster “credible deterrence” against China. (AFP)
Asia
- Region: Singapore and Australia are discussing an air travel bubble that would allow travel between the two nations without the need for quarantine, looking to reopen borders that have been mostly shut for nearly a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Reuters)
- India: The number of new COVID-19 cases and deaths per day in the nation has increased over the past few days, reaching the highest so far this year and signaling the challenge of a new pandemic wave in the country. (Xinhua)
- Japan: The government is leaning towards ending a state of emergency for Tokyo and surrounding areas over COVID-19 as scheduled on March 21. (Reuters)
- South Korea: The nation’s new COVID-19 cases stayed above 400 for the sixth consecutive day as health workers struggled to bring down infections amid a nationwide vaccination campaign. (YNA)
Europe
- Region: Leaders of a group of European states wrote to the presidents of the European Council and European Commission declaring “huge disparities” in the allocations of vaccines between member states. (FT)
- Belarus: The bipartisan Human Rights Commission of the U.S. House of Representatives has demanded the government immediately release jailed blogger and RFE/RL consultant Ihar Losik and other “political prisoners.” (RFE)
- Germany: Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives could be heading for a crushing defeat in two-state polls, as the nation launches elections that will eventually see Merkel leave the role she started more than 15 years ago. (DPA)
- Italy: The country seeks to vaccinate 80 percent of its population by September. (DPA)
Middle East
- Iran: The trial of British-Iranian aid worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was held at the Revolutionary court, her lawyer Hojjat Kermani told the Iranian Emtedad website, hoping she would be declared not guilty of the charge of “propaganda against the system.” (Reuters)
- Palestinian Territories: The government has praised the Munich Group’s efforts to hold an international peace conference in the Middle East. (Xinhua)
- Saudi Arabia: An Australian citizen has been extradited to the kingdom just days after a Moroccan court allowed the transfer request, and without letting his lawyers, who say he faces a “credible risk” of torture, time to challenge the decision. (The Guardian)
Tech & Communications
- Space: China has completed feasibility studies of the fourth phase of its lunar exploration program and is planning to construct an international lunar research station on the moon’s south pole in the future. (Xinhua)
World
- Cyclones:
- Tropical Storm Habana
- Location:21.9S 70.3E
- Movement: SE
- Wind:75 mph
- MAP
- Tropical Storm Habana
- Hurricanes: Nothing to report
- Earthquakes: Nothing to report
- Volcanoes: Nothing to report
- Global Disease Outbreaks:
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global (as of 13MAR21)
- Confirmed cases: 119,553,696
- Total recovered cases: 67,688,236
- Deaths: 2,649,033
- Countries with confirmed cases: 192
- Sourcing: John Hopkins University
- Ebola Virus Disease: Guinea (as of 07MAR21)
- Confirmed cases: 18
- Deaths: 9
- Sourcing: WHO
- Ebola Virus Disease: DR Congo (as of 07MAR21)
- Confirmed cases: 11
- Deaths: 4
- Sourcing: WHO
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global (as of 13MAR21)
Tomorrow’s Outlook (15MAR21)
- Global: The U.S. extends National Emergency with respect to Iran.
- Global: Secretary of State Blinken begins Japan / South Korea trip for ‘2+2’ meetings.
- Europe: EU asset freeze and travel restrictions on Russia due to expire, unless extended.
- Europe: Franco-Spanish summit.
- Europe: CAR war crimes trial resumes at The Hague.
- North America: U.S.-Canada High-Level Ministerial Dialogue on Climate Ambition initial meeting around now.
- Hungary: The nation commemorates the 1848 revolution.
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