The Daily World News Report of the 22nd of February 2020

Coronavirus

Today is the second day of new cases over 400 as South Korea counts 229. 200 of the newly infected were related to the Daegu church super-spreader at the Shincheonji church of Jesus.[1] One of the reported cases was an employee of Samsung at a small factory in the city of Gumi near the super-spreader event. They closed the facility down immediately at the discovery, placing his close colleagues on self-quarantine.[2]

Asia

Min Htin Ko Ko Gyi, a well-known filmmaker, in Myanmar was sentence to one year in August last year for criticizing the military on Facebook, and he was released seven months later after possible justice reform as he says that “The prison law in Myanmar is out of date and needs to be replaced.”[3]

Africa

The ruling elite of Algeria have been facing a year of pressure to step down as the demonstrators “mark the first anniversary of a protest movement.”[4] In April 2019 President Abdelaziz Bouteflika resigned after ruling for five four year terms, totaling twenty years, due to the movement.[5]

Middle East

Around 3000 troops of the United States army are returning home from “Iran and its proxies in the region” including Iraq and Kuwait. They are members of the “rapid-respond force”, who were called in “the most significant no-notice deployment of military forces in more than 30 year” according to the 82nd Airborne Division Facebook page.[6] These troops were sent to help relieve tension as a result of the Iran backed attack at the US embassy on December 31, 2019.[7]

Although the Taliban and the United State have confirmed to sign an agreement on February 29, 2020 in Afghanistan, the Taliban attacked the Afghan forces in the Balkh province on the first day of their ‘week-long “reduction in violence”. “The incidents did not spark immediate alarm on either side” according to Reuters.[8] “The violence reduction period” still seems to be possible to be successful.

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[1] Ly, Mimi Nguyen. “South Korea Sees Record Jump in Virus Cases to 433.” The Epoch Times, 22 Feb. 2020, www.theepochtimes.com/south-korea-sees-record-jump-in-virus-cases-to-433_3246680.html.

[2] “Samsung Electronics Confirms Coronavirus Case at Phone Factory Complex in South Korea.” Reuters, 22 Feb. 2020, www.reuters.com/article/us-china-health-southkorea-samsung-elec-idUSKCN20G0CG.

[3] Lwin, Khin Moh Moh, and Mratt Kyaw Thu. “Filmmaker Min Htin Ko Ko Gyi Freed from Prison .” Myanmar Now, 21 Feb. 2020, myanmar-now.org/en/news/filmmaker-min-htin-ko-ko-gyi-freed-from-prison.

[4] “Algerians Mark First Anniversary of Anti-Regime Protests.” PressTV, 21 Feb. 2020, www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/02/21/619198/Algeria-protests-first-anniversary-Bouteflika.

[5] “Abdelaziz Bouteflika: Algerian Leader Resigns amid Protests.” BBC News, BBC, 3 Apr. 2019, www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-47795108.

[6] Ly, Mimi Nguyen. “800 US Soldiers Return Home from Middle East.” The Epoch Times, 20 Feb. 2020, www.theepochtimes.com/800-us-soldiers-return-home-from-middle-east_3245505.html.

[7] Stieber, Zachary. “Iran-Backed Groups Attack US Embassy in Iraq.” The Epoch Times, 31 Dec. 2019, www.theepochtimes.com/us-embassy-evacuated-after-iranian-backed-protesters-breach-compound_3189675.html.

[8] Sediqi, Abdul Qadir, and Orooj Hakimi. “Taliban, Afghan Forces Clash on First Day of Violence Reduction Period.” Reuters, 22 Feb. 2020, www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-afghanistan-talks-idUSKCN20G0KT.