February 10, 2020

Daily News Brief

February 10, 2020

Top of the Agenda

Coronavirus Death Toll Surpasses 2003 SARS Outbreak

Chinese health authorities reported 97 more deaths from a new coronavirus yesterday, bringing the total number of people killed by the virus worldwide to 910—more deaths than occurred (SCMP) in the 2003 outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

Millions of people across China returned to work (CNN) today after a national holiday was extended due to the virus, while many firms allowed employees to work from home. Schools across the country remain closed (FT). Chinese President Xi Jinping toured a Beijing neighborhood and spoke to residents about responses to the virus, state media reported, and a team of World Health Organization (WHO) researchers will arrive in China this week to investigate.

Analysis

“Medical experts say available data show the disease—officially named ‘novel coronavirus pneumonia,’ or NCP, by Chinese health officials on Saturday—is much more contagious than severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, but the probability of death for those infected is much lower,” Alex Horton, Gerry Shih, and Marisa Iati write for the Washington Post.

“Chinese technology firms have played a prominent role in the battle against the epidemic. These efforts are designed to reinforce the government’s response and insulate the companies from public backlash. They are also likely to tie the tech sector to the state even more tightly than before,” CFR’s Adam Segal and Lauren Dudley write for the Net Politics blog.

This CFR Backgrounder discusses what to know about the coronavirus outbreak.

Pacific Rim

Twenty-Nine Dead in Thailand’s Worst Mass Shooting

A soldier killed at least twenty-nine people and injured fifty-seven in a shooting spree (Reuters) that unfolded over eighteen hours and four locations in the city of Nakhon Ratchasima, also known as Korat, before he was killed by authorities.

South and Central Asia

Two U.S. Soldiers Killed in Afghanistan Attack

Two U.S. soldiers were killed (AP) and six wounded after a man in an Afghan army uniform opened fire on U.S.-Afghan forces, the U.S. military said.

This CFR timeline looks at the U.S. war in Afghanistan.

Kazakhstan: At least ten people died (Al Jazeera) and dozens were wounded in clashes in the country’s southern Zhambyl province.

Middle East and North Africa

Israel Bars Palestinian Agriculture Exports Via Jordan

The Israeli military will no longer allow (AP) Palestinian agricultural products to be exported via Jordan, officials from both countries said, marking the latest escalation in Israel and the Palestinian territories’ monthslong trade war.

Iran: The country tried and failed (AP) to launch a communications satellite into orbit, state television reported. Attempted launches of the other satellites failed twice last year.

Sub-Saharan Africa

African Union Summit Focuses on Regional Violence

The summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, is focused on ending regional violence (Al Jazeera), including conflicts in Libya and South Sudan. This year’s African Union (AU) chair, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, said he would host two May summits on conflict resolution and on trade.

CFR’s The World Next Week podcast discusses the significance of this year’s AU summit.

Central African Republic: A court sentenced twenty-eight militia members for crimes including the 2017 murders of ten UN peacekeepers in what the minister of justice called the country’s first sentence (UN) for crimes against humanity.

Europe

Nationalist Party Tops Irish Elections

Nationalist party Sinn Fein won the highest vote share (FT) in preliminary general election results and demanded a role in the new government despite the second- and third- most voted parties’ claims that they would not participate in such a coalition.

This CFR Backgrounder discusses Sinn Fein’s influence.

Switzerland: A proposal to expand an anti-racism law to also cover discrimination based on sexual orientation (Guardian) passed a nationwide referendum with 63.1 percent of votes.

Americas

Soldiers Occupy El Salvador Legislature

Armed police and soldiers entered the country’s legislature (BBC) in support of President Nayib Bukele’s proposal to spend $109 million on military equipment. Opposition lawmakers called the move an unprecedented act of intimidation.

Peru: A terminally ill woman sued the government (AP) to protest a national ban on euthanasia in what the public defender’s office called the country’s first petition for the right to “death in dignified conditions.”

United States

First Foreign-Language Film Wins Best Picture

Parasite, a South Korean film that combines satire, dark comedy, and horror to critique social inequality, won the Oscar for best picture (WaPo) at the 2020 Academy Awards, becoming the first non-English film to do so. Its director, Bong Joon-ho, was named best director.

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