Mexico on Saturday surpassed the United Kingdom to become the nation with the third-most coronavirus deaths, per Johns Hopkins University.
By the numbers: The U.S. and Brazil lead COVID-19-related death counts, with over 153,600 and 92,400, respectively as of Saturday. But Mexico's 46,688 deaths inched past the U.K.'s 46,278, with Mexican officials reporting 688 new deaths on Friday alone.
Mexico is only sixth in total number of coronavirus cases. Countries with higher case counts include U.S., Brazil, India, Russia and South Africa.
President Trump "has a deal on his desk," whereby Microsoft would lead an acquisition of 100% of the U.S. operations of TikTok, according to a source familiar with the negotiations.
Why it matters: Trump Friday night said he plans to ban TikTok, as India has done, over concerns that the app could be sharing U.S. user data with the Chinese government.
A nuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates successfully activated its first reactor on Saturday, the AP reports.
Why it matters: The $20 billion Barakah nuclear power plant, located near the country's western border with Saudi Arabia, was built with the help of South Korea and is the first nuclear power plant on the Arabian Peninsula.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture identified more than a dozen of the unsolicited seeds sent to Americans mostly from China that have sparked warnings in all 50 states, per USA Today.
Catch up quick: Small packets of seeds have been shipped to seemingly random American households nationwide. While most species identified seem to be innocuous herbs, officials have advised recipients not to plant the seeds for fear they could be invasive or harmful to humans.
President Trump said Friday that he plans to ban Chinese video app TikTok as soon as Saturday, via either executive order or emergency economic powers, according to White House press pool comments.
Why it matters: TikTok has been caught in the crossfires of the United States' escalating tensions with China.
SenseTime, a Chinese developer of facial recognition technologies, is wrapping up a $1.5 billion funding round at a $10 billion valuation and is in talks to list on China’s STAR market, per Reuters.
Why it matters: This is the company’s first fundraise since being placed on a U.S. blacklist for alleged involvement in human rights abuses against Uyghur Muslims in China. It previously raised nearly $3 billion, including from U.S.-based firms like Fidelity, Glade Brook, Qualcomm Ventures, and Silver Lake Partners.
The Trump administration has announced it will sanction the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC), a paramilitary organization operating in Xinjiang, where Chinese authorities, aided by the XPCC, are perpetrating a cultural and demographic genocide against ethnic minorities.
Why it matters: XPCC controls vast swaths of the economy in Xinjiang. Depending on how rigorously the sanctions are enforced, they could hobble the region's economy and blunt China's plans for further economic development of the region.
Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam said Friday that she is postponing the city's legislative elections for a year due to rising coronavirus concerns, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Why it matters, via Axios' Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian: The move is the latest in a rapid-fire series of measures dismantling Hong Kong's democratic traditions.
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday postponed easing some portions of England's coronavirus lockdown due to rising cases, the BBC reports.
Why it matters: The decision, which comes after a move to reimpose far more stringent lockdown measures across some cities in northern England, highlights the difficult balance countries across the world face between reopening their economies and keeping their caseloads in check.
