Key Storylines
- AFRICA: Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita said his presence alongside three Arab counterparts at an Israeli-hosted summit was the “best response” to terrorism.
- AMERICAS: White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre tested positive for COVID-19 after having returned from Europe with US President Joe Biden.
- ASIA: Thousands of American and Filipino forces have begun one of their largest combat exercises in years.
- EUROPE: Armenia’s Foreign Ministry called on Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh to take “concrete steps” after Azerbaijani forces seized control of a strategic village in the breakaway region.
- MIDDLE EAST: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the top diplomats of Israel and four Arab states held a landmark meeting to discuss issues from the Iran nuclear negotiations to the global shockwaves of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
- TECH & COMMUNICATIONS: China Evergrande New Energy Vehicle Group will start accepting orders for its inaugural electric car, the Hengchi 5 sport utility vehicle, “imminently” and open sales centers in 15 major cities across the country.
Top Story
- Ukraine: Turkey to Host Next Round of Russia-Ukraine Negotiations on Tuesday.
- Peace talks between Russia and Ukraine will take place in Turkey on Tuesday and it was important that they take place face-to-face after a lack of major progress in negotiations so far.
- Ukrainian officials played down the chances of a major breakthrough at the talks, due to be held in Istanbul after Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan spoke to Russia’s Vladimir Putin on Sunday.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine could declare neutrality and offer security guarantees to Russia to secure peace “without delay,” though he said only a face-to-face meeting with Russia’s leader could end the war.
- The Ukrainian president offered a diplomatic opening declaring Ukraine’s “neutrality” and renouncing its ambitions to join NATO but stressed that Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are “beyond doubt” and any deal must be voted on by a national referendum held without Russian troops in Ukraine.
- The Kremlin said talks between negotiators from Moscow and Kyiv have so far made no major breakthroughs on the conflict in Ukraine as the delegations prepare for a new round of talks in Istanbul.
- Daily Sabah, Reuters, AP, WaPo, AFP,
Africa
- Ghana: President Nana Akufo-Addo announced the removal of the mandatory requirement for face masks to be worn in public. (BBC)
- Kenya: A court acquitted 16 motorcycle taxi riders arrested over a vicious attack on a female diplomat after the state failed to provide any evidence against them. (AFP)
- Morocco: Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita said his presence alongside three Arab counterparts at an Israeli-hosted summit was the “best response” to terrorism. (Reuters)
- Rwanda: The country wants additional funding to keep its troops in Mozambique’s troubled northern Cabo Delgado region where they are fighting Islamist militants. (BBC)
- South Sudan: Security forces withdrew from First Vice-President Riek Machar’s residence in Juba. (BBC)
Americas
- Brazil: President Jair Bolsonaro launched his re-election campaign telling thousands of supporters that opinion polls were wrong, and he is sure to win this year’s election. (Reuters)
- Canada: Indigenous leaders and survivors of the country’s notorious residential schools are meeting with Pope Francis in hopes of securing a papal apology for abuses committed against them by Catholic priests and school workers. (AP)
- El Salvador: Congress approved emergency powers that temporarily suspended some constitutional protections after the Central American country recorded a sharp rise in killings attributed to criminal gangs. (Reuters)
- Mexico: Nineteen people were shot and killed at a festive gathering in the town of Las Tinajas, Michoacan state. (AFP)
- United States: White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre tested positive for COVID-19 after having returned from Europe with President Joe Biden. (AP)
Asia
- Region: Thousands of American and Filipino forces have begun one of their largest combat exercises in years. (AP)
- China: Millions of people were confined to their homes as the eastern half of Shanghai went into lockdown to curb the country’s biggest ongoing Covid-19 outbreak. (AFP)
- Myanmar: Detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi skipped three days of her trial in a junta court after COVID-19 was detected among her staff and she was placed in quarantine. (AFP)
- Japan: Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will order the government to compile emergency measures by the end of April to deal with the impact of rising prices of oil and other goods. (Reuters)
- South Korea: Officials said the country’s daily average of new COVID-19 cases declined last week for the first time in more than two months. (AP)
Europe
- Armenia: The Foreign Ministry called on Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh to take “concrete steps” after Azerbaijani forces seized control of a strategic village in the breakaway region. (AFP)
- France: President Emmanuel Macron called for restraint in both words and actions in dealing with the Ukraine conflict. (Reuters)
- Russia: The Kremlin expressed concern after US President Joe Biden called President Vladimir Putin a “butcher” over his military operation in Ukraine. (AFP)
- Turkey: A second mine which could have come from Ukraine was discovered off the country’s coast near Bulgaria. (AFP)
- United Kingdom: The government instructed public sector bodies to review energy contracts they have with Russian firms and consider switching suppliers, noting that existing energy agreements could benefit the Russian state. (Reuters)
Middle East
- Region: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the top diplomats of Israel and four Arab states held a landmark meeting to discuss issues from the Iran nuclear negotiations to the global shockwaves of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. (AFP)
- Israel: The Islamic State claimed responsibility for a shooting in Hadera that killed two people and wounded four. (AP)
- Jordan: King Abdullah II landed in Ramallah to meet Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, in his first trip to the Israeli-occupied West Bank since 2017. (AFP)
- Kuwait: Authorities said a fire broke out at an under-construction new terminal at the country’s international airport. (AP)
- United Arab Emirates: The country urged Western countries to be “reasonable” in their expectations, underlining its commitment to the global OPEC+ energy alliance. (AFP)
Tech & Communications
- Technology: China Evergrande New Energy Vehicle Group will start accepting orders for its inaugural electric car, the Hengchi 5 sport utility vehicle, “imminently” and open sales centers in 15 major cities across the country. (Reuters)
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 28MAR22)
- Confirmed cases: 481,009,234
- Deaths: 6,124,067
- Countries with confirmed cases: 192
- Sourcing: John Hopkins University
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global (as of 28MAR22)
Tomorrow’s Outlook (29MAR22)
- Event: Atlantic Council conversation with the Baltic presidents.
- Event: AEI discussion on US-China policy.
- Event: Heritage Foundation discussion with GOP Sen. Marco Rubio on the threat posed by the CCP.
- Australia: Budget Night.
- Central African Republic: Boganda Day.
- DR Congo: UN Security Council briefing.
- Germany: Global Solutions Summit.
- Madagascar: Martyrs Day.
- Nigeria: Fourteen states to attend Emirati Annual Investment Meeting to seek up to $15 billion in foreign direct investment.
- Russia: President Vladimir Putin to hold a meeting on the future of the Russian aviation industry.
- Ukraine: President Volodymyr Zelensky to speak before the Danish parliament.
- United States: Secretary of State Blinken continues Israel / West Bank / Morocco / Algeria trip. (to 30MAR)
- United States: Border Security Expo.
- United States: National Vietnam Veterans Day.
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