Coronavirus
Iran reports 845 new cases of the virus on Tuesday, adding
11 deaths to their count with a total of 77. 435 people recovered of the 2336
total number of infected people in Iran.[1]
Germany, France, and UK sent a 5 million euro aid package to Iran including “both
material and financial support to combat the rapid spread of the disease”;
furthermore, ”The material will be transported urgently by plane on 2 March and
will include equipment for laboratory tests, as well as other equipment,
including protective body suits and gloves.”[2]
Russia confirms their fourth case of Coronavirus yesterday. It is the first
developed within the country; although, the person contracted it in Italy. [3]
Saudi Arabia reports their first case of the virus from Iran.[4]
Indonesia reports their first two cases from Malaysia.[5]
7 more people died due to Coronavirus in the US state of Washington, totaling 9
people.[6]
The CDC releases more than 120 from quarantine to their residence of San
Antonio, Texas after confirming that they have recovered.[7]
Tornadoes ravage a southern
state of the United States
Many tornadoes ravage the southern state of the United States
of Tennessee on Monday. At least 19 people died so far, and 9 were added to the
death toll this morning.[8]
United States
Gymnastics seeks settlement
“USA Gymnastics has proposed a $215 million settlement to
compensate victims” on January 30.[9]
Over a month later Simone Biles, the current Olympic Gymnastics champion,
and Aly Raisman, a three-time Olympic gold medalist, both feel that the
organization has not made proper restitution to the years of sexual abuse with
more than 160 victims by their doctor Larry Nassar.[10]
The proposal would exempt the US Olympics and Paralympic Committee as well as
the former CEO and former national team coordinators of liability. The US
Gymnastics organization has responded to their complaints with claims of due
diligence, respect, and empathy.[11]
The Boy Scouts of America filed for bankruptcy to settle
with victims in a similar situation affecting thousands of men a couple weeks
ago.[12]
Afghanistan War
Continues
The Taliban have ended their truce as attacks were carried
out in two districts, “attacking five of our posts in Panjwahi and
Maiwand," local police chief Sultan Mohammad Hakimi told AFP.” Taliban
spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid also told AFP, "The reduction in violence...
has ended now and our operations will continue as normal,… As per the
(US-Taliban) agreement, our mujahideen will not attack foreign forces but our
operations will continue against the Kabul administration forces."[13]
An explosion in east Afghanistan killed three, injuring eleven others.[14]
Syrian Civil War
Assad’s regime captures Saraqeb, a strategic city, in south
Idlib as the Turkish forces downs a Syrian fighter jet, “the third such shot-down
in three days.”[15]
Iran has stockpiled
five times the agreed limit of enriched uranium
The International Atomic Energy Agency determined that as of
February 19, 2020 Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium is five times the agreed
limit of 300 kilograms at 1510 kilograms. The United States forsook the 2015
nuclear deal with Iran after 3 years, including Germany, France, the United
Kingdom, China, and Russia. Iran has not been cooperative as the UN has been
seeking access to two facilities for review; furthermore, they have not sufficiently
replied to inquiries of the organization. Some analysts can argue that the
stockpile is enough to load a nuclear weapon; however, the report states that
the uranium needs to be enriched more than 20 times their current level of 4.5%,
having “several more steps, including further enrichment, to make it suitable
for use in an atomic bomb.”[16]
China’s Forced Labor
in Factories
Australian Strategic Policy Institute composed a report,
identifying 83 famous companies that have Uighur Muslim forced labor as part of
their manufacturing supply chain in China. The brands include “Apple, BMW, Gap,
Huawei, Nike, Samsung, Sony and Volkswagen.” Twenty-seven factories force at
least 80,000 of the Muslim minority to labor. These jobs were given after
graduation from “vocational centres”, where the people are detained, enduring
many atrocities as I have previously reported. “Uighurs continued to live “a
harsh, segregated life” once they entered the workforce of major factories”[17]
[1] “Iran Confirms 835 New Cases of
Coronavirus, 11 More Deaths.” IFP
News (Iran Front Page), 3 Mar. 2020,
ifpnews.com/iran-confirms-835-new-cases-of-coronavirus-11-more-deaths.
[2] “UK, Germany and France Offer Iran a € 5
Million Aid Package to Fight Coronavirus.” NEWS.am, 2 Mar. 2020, news.am/eng/news/563497.html.
[3] MacDonald, Bryan. “ 1st Case of New
Coronavirus for Russian Citizen on Home Soil, Patient Had Visited Italy .” RT News, 2 Mar. 2020,
www.rt.com/russia/482128-coronavirus-russia-first-home-soil/.
[4] Khalid, Tuqa. “Saudi Arabia Reports
First Coronavirus Case, a Saudi National Coming from Iran.” Al Arabiya, Al Arabiya Network, 2 Mar. 2020,
english.alarabiya.net/en/News/gulf/2020/03/02/Saudi-Arabia-reports-first-coronavirus-case-state-media.html.
[5] Brugen, Isabel Van. “Indonesia Confirms
First Coronavirus Cases, a Mother and Daughter.” The Epoch Times, 2 Mar. 2020,
www.theepochtimes.com/indonesia-confirms-first-coronavirus-cases-a-mother-and-daughter_3256973.html.
[6] “Coronavirus Death Toll Rises to 9 in
Washington State.” CBS
News, 3 Mar. 2020,
www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/coronavirus-outbreak-death-toll-us-infections-latest-news-updates-2020-03-03/.
[7] “More than 120 Diamond Princess Cruise
Ship Evacuees Being Released from Quarantine.” Kens 5, 2 Mar. 2020,
www.kens5.com/article/news/local/more-than-120-diamond-princess-cruise-ship-evacuees-being-released-from-quarantine/273-b94d0e44-dfe1-4796-bc5b-2ccca7a97b59.
[8] McNamara, Audrey, and Brian Dakss.
“Tornadoes Kill at Least 19 in Tennessee as Nashville Sees ‘Stunning’ Damage.” CBS News, 3 Mar. 2020,
www.cbsnews.com/news/nashville-tornado-tennessee-kills-many-hits-cbs-affiliate-directly/.
[9] Armour, Nancy. “USA Gymnastics Offers to
Pay Larry Nassar Survivors $215 Million in Bankruptcy Settlement.” USA Today, 30 Jan. 2020,
www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2020/01/30/usa-gymnastics-offers-pay-larry-nassar-survivors-215-million/2858853001/.
[10] Correa, Carla, and Meghan Louttit. “More
than 160 Women Say Larry Nassar Sexually Abused Them. Here Are His Accusers in
Their Own Words.” New
York Times, 24 Jan. 2018,
www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/01/24/sports/larry-nassar-victims.html.
[11] Gleeson, Scott. “A 'Heartbroken' Aly
Raisman Blasts USA Gymnastics Settlement as 'Offensive'.” USA Today, 2 Mar. 2020,
www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2020/03/02/aly-raisman-olympic-gold-medalist-blasts-usa-gymnastics-settlement/4927666002/.
[12] Milman, Oliver. “Boy Scouts of America
Files for Bankruptcy amid New Sex-Abuse Lawsuits.” The Guardian, 18 Feb. 2020,
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/feb/18/boy-scouts-of-america-files-for-bankruptcy-amid-new-sex-abuse-lawsuits.
[13] Haidary, Emal, and Usman Sharifi.
“Taliban End Partial Truce as Afghan Violence Resumes.” Yahoo!, AFP, 2 Mar. 2020,
news.yahoo.com/taliban-end-partial-truce-afghan-violence-resumes-153659616.html.
[14] “ 3 Killed, 11 Injured in East
Afghanistan Blast as Taliban ‘Resumes Ops’ against Kabul Forces .” RT News, 2 Mar. 2020,
www.rt.com/newsline/482119-afghanistan-blast-taliban-us/.
[15] Alsaafin, Linah. “Turkey Shoots down
Third Plane as Syrian Forces Retake Town.” Al Jazeera, 3 Mar. 2020,
www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/03/turkey-shoots-plane-syrian-forces-retake-town-200303135102188.html.
[16] “Iran's Enriched Uranium Stocks 5 Times
over Nuke Deal Limit: IAEA.” Al
Jazeera, 3 Mar. 2020,
www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/03/iran-enriched-uranium-stocks-5-times-nuke-deal-limit-iaea-200303143054668.html.
[17] Withnall, Adam. “Apple, Samsung and Sony
among 83 Global Brands Using Uighur Muslim 'Forced Labour' in Factories, Report
Finds.” Independent, www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/uighur-muslims-china-forced-labour-work-xinjiang-apple-nike-bmw-sony-gap-a9371711.html.
