The Daily World News Report of the 24th of February 2020

 Coronavirus

Iran abruptly becomes the Coronavirus highest country in deaths outside of China after a delayed announcement of 8 total deaths yesterday & 3 deaths and 15 cases newly reported that day. The site of the infections and deaths are at a city called Qom. “Turkey, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Armenia closed their land borders with Iran on Sunday.”[1] Kuwait, Iraq,[2] and Barhrain has reported their first cases of Coronavirus. [3] All three cases are tied to Iran. South Korea confirms seventh dead as they are reporting new cases increases to above 100 like China did last week.[4] Italy report six deaths as “more than 200 people have come down with the virus since Friday”. A town named Veneto with nearly twelve other towns in Lombardy are the affected region in southeast Italy.[5] China reports 150 new deaths today as the spike reported last week appears to be the new norm with 409 new cases up from an average of more than 100 for most of last week.[6]

India

Donald Trump is visiting India’s capital city of New Delhi today as the country has been facing protests of thousands of people throughout “several parts of the capital for the last two months”. The protests have become violent. They are concerning a new immigration law that “eases the path for non-Muslims from neighbouring Muslim-majority nations to gain citizenship”. There are “heavy stone pelting from both sides” of those who are for and against the law.[7] 4 people were killed including a head constable. Among the 50 injured are 10 policemen.[8]

Middle East

‘"Around 730 cell towers have restarted," said Naqeebullah Sailab, vice chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of Afghanistan’ in the territory of the Taliban as part of ‘a week-long "reduction in violence"’, showing that the effort is for the long-term. They are preparing for a signing of a peace deal with the United States on February 29, 2020.[9]

On Sunday Palestinian militants attack southern Israel with more than twenty rockets “after Israel said it killed a Palestinian militant who tried to place a bomb along the Israel-Gaza barrier fence.”[10]

As I reported last week with the Algerian’s protests, demanding that their ruling elite to resign for more than a year now, Iraq confronts the same issue. One protestor was killed and seven others injured on Sunday by Iraqi forces in Baghdad. Almost 500 people have been killed since October 2019 in Iraq, “facing an extraordinary domestic crisis”. The protesters also seek “an end to foreign interference, mainly by Iran and the United States”. [11]

An earthquake hit the province of Van in Turkey. Its magnitude was 5.7. Nine people are confirmed killed, and 38 are injured with nine of them “in serious condition.” More than a thousand building collapsed. Earthquakes are common in the region of 43 villages at the border of Turkey and Iran.[12]

South America

Of the 300 human rights leaders killed in 31 countries last year 106 were killed in Colombia, and 40 have been killed in 2020 “including a national park ranger and several indigenous rights and environmental advocates, according to Indepaz, a Colombian peace-building nonprofit based in Bogotá”. When I searched for the article and publication of Indepaz, the website was malicious. Many illegal business such as mining, logging, and drugs kill to reduce the awareness of their business. The following human rights activist has received death threats many times; even getting shot in 2014:

“Becerra, 31, has dedicated her life to helping indigenous communities throughout Colombia [to] protect their territories by obtaining legal recognition of their lands by the government and stopping mega-infrastructure projects like roadways and hydroelectric power plants from being built in these regions without the communities’ consent, all while risking her life.”[13]

Africa

A bombing of a political rally happen on Sunday in Ambo, Ethiopia, injuring 29 people. The rally was in support of reelecting the Nobel Peace Prize winner Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in August. Some arrests have been made; however, the attack has not been claimed or confessed at the time of the report.[14]

---

[1] Bizaer, Maysam. “Neighbours Close Borders with Iran as Virus Concerns Rise.” Al Jazeera, 23 Jan. 2020, www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/02/neighbours-close-borders-iran-virus-concerns-rise-200223160135283.html.

[2] “First Confirmed Coronavirus Case in Iraq Is Iranian National.” Al Arabiya, AFP, 24 Feb. 2020, english.alarabiya.net/en/News/2020/02/24/First-confirmed-coronavirus-case-in-Iraq-is-Iranian-national.html.

[3] “Kuwait, Bahrain Announce First Coronavirus Cases.” ABS CBN, Agence France-Presse, 24 Feb. 2020, news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/02/24/20/kuwait-bahrain-announce-first-coronavirus-cases.

[4] Awhotu, Ese. “Coronavirus: China Reports 150 New Deaths.” Peoples Daily, 24 Feb. 2020, peoplesdailyng.com/coronavirus-china-reports-150-new-deaths/.

[5] Italy records sixth death from coronavirus; stock market slides

[6] Awhotu, Ese. “Coronavirus: China Reports 150 New Deaths.” Peoples Daily, 24 Feb. 2020, peoplesdailyng.com/coronavirus-china-reports-150-new-deaths/.

[7] “Violence Breaks out in India's Capital over New Citizenship Law Ahead of Trump Visit.” The Straits Times, 2020 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. Co.., 24 Feb. 2020, www.straitstimes.com/asia/south-asia/violence-breaks-out-in-indias-capital-over-new-citizenship-law-ahead-of-trump-visit.

[8] “CAA Protests Live Updates: Cop among 4 Killed in Violence; Schools Shut on Tuesday in Northeast Delhi.” The Times of India, Times Internet, 24 Feb. 2020, timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/caa-protests-live-updates-policeman-killed-entry-exit-gates-of-5-metro-stations-closed-in-northeast-delhi/liveblog/74267159.cms.

[9] Blanchard, Elise. “Mobile Phone Services Restored as Afghan Truce Holds.” Yahoo!, AFP, 22 Feb. 2020, news.yahoo.com/mobile-phone-services-restored-afghan-truce-holds-110912584.html.

[10] Federman, Josef. “Https://Www.theglobeandmail.com/World/Article-Palestinian-Rockets-Strike-Israel-after-Gaza-Border-Clash/.” The Globe and Mail, The Associated Press, 23 Feb. 2020, www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-palestinian-rockets-strike-israel-after-gaza-border-clash/.

[11] “Iraqi Security Forces Kill One, Wound Seven in Baghdad.” The Daily Star, Reuters, 23 Feb. 2020, www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2020/Feb-23/501623-iraqi-security-forces-kill-one-wound-seven-in-baghdad.ashx.

[12] “Several Dead in Turkey after Earthquake Hits Iran Border Area.” Al Jazeera, 23 Feb. 2020, www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/02/dead-turkish-province-bordering-iran-earthquake-200223080425944.html.

[13] Tomassoni, Teresa. “Colombia Was the Deadliest Place on Earth for Environmental Activists. It's Gotten Worse.” NBC News, NBC Universal, 23 Jan. 2020, www.nbcnews.com/science/environment/colombia-was-deadliest-place-earth-environmental-activists-it-s-gotten-n1139861.

[14] “Ethiopia: 29 Injured in 'Bomb Attack' at pro-Abiy Rally.” MSN, AFP, 23 Feb. 2020, www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/ethiopia-29-injured-in-bomb-attack-at-pro-abiy-rally/ar-BB10iNCC.