Myanmar's military regime on Saturday fired the country's ambassador to the United Nations, Kyaw Moe Tun, a day after he gave a pro-democracy speech asking UN member nations to publicly condemn the Feb. 1 coup, The New York Times reports.
The latest: Kyaw Moe Tun told Reuters later on Saturday, "I decided to fight back as long as I can."
The Palestinian Authority on Saturday announced fresh coronavirus restrictions, including a partial lockdown, for the occupied West Bank as COVID-19 cases surge.
The big picture: The new measures come as Israel, which leads the world in vaccinations, faces increased pressure to ensure Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip have equal access to vaccines.
New Zealand's largest city Auckland will enter a seven-day coronavirus lockdown starting Sunday after a new local case of the virus was discovered, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced.
Why it matters: The action comes roughly two weeks after the city of 2 million residents entered a three-day lockdown over a cluster of the more transmissible UK variant that was reported in the city.
The southeastern region of Iran on Saturday reported internet disruptions following demonstrations against Monday's fatal border shootings, AP reports.
The big picture: Iran has a history of suppressing freedom of speech, association and assembly, according to Amnesty International. Internet blackouts are now common around the world when power hangs in the balance, Axios' Dave Lawler and Sara Fischer write.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday announced travel restrictions on people coming to the U.S. from Guinea and the Democratic Republic of Congo, both of which are fighting outbreaks of the Ebola virus, according to the United Nations.
The state of play: Starting next week, flights from those countries will be directed to six U.S. airports, where airlines are directed to collect and provide passenger information. The CDC will monitor new arrivals who were in the DRC or Guinea during the previous 21 days.
Biden administration officials on Friday announced visa restrictions and other sanctions on specific Saudi Arabian citizens in connection with the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Yes, but: While the Office of the Director of National Intelligence on Friday released an unclassified report assessing that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman approved the operation to "capture or kill" Khashoggi, the Biden administration declined to directly target MBS.
The Brazilian capital of Brasilia will enter a 24-lockdown on Saturday as coronavirus cases and hospitalizations surge, Reuters reports.
Why it matters: Hospitals in Brasilia, the third-largest city in Brazil, have struggled to keep up with hospitalizations from the virus. More than 80% of the city's intensive care beds are occupied, according to Reuters.
The report released Friday on the murder of Jamal Khashoggiwas short on evidence or new information, but Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) tells Axios that the “definitive” statement assigning responsibility to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) speaks volumes.
What he’s saying: Schiff, the chairman of the House intelligence committee, says that while some intelligence couldn’t be published because of the need to protect sources and methods, “we rarely see something published that is this definitive and I think that's an important accomplishment for the administration.”
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Friday that regulators have agreed to eliminate a controversial part of the U.S. government plan to reform global digital tax rules, clearing the way toward a quicker deal.
What's happening: Yellen told G20 finance ministers the U.S. would be dropping a "safe harbor" provision the Trump administration had been fighting for, which would have essentially allowed tech companies to opt out of any new tax regime, the FT reports.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) has released an unclassified report assessing that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) approved the operation to "capture or kill" Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.
Driving the news: The White House also announced sanctions on entities implicated in the murder, though not on MBS directly. Officials also announced a new "Khashoggi ban" under which individuals accused of harassing journalists or dissidents outside their borders can be barred from entering the U.S.
Myanmar's Ambassador to the United Nations, Kyaw Moe Tun, on Friday denounced the Feb. 1 military coup, asking member nations to publicly condemn the uprising, The Irrawaddy reports.
What he's saying: "The military detained State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, President U Win Myint and other political leaders and social activists. Since then, people from all strata of life have come out on the streets all over the country and expressed their disappointment with the military coup," Tun said, in prepared remarks.
Sens. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) are among the Democrats criticizing the Biden administration for Thursday night's airstrike against facilities in Syria linked to an Iran-backed militia group, demanding that Congress immediately be briefed on the matter.
Why it matters: The strikes, which the Pentagon and National Security Council say were a response to threats against U.S. forces in the region, constitute the Biden administration's first overt military action.
President Biden reaffirmed U.S. support for the people of Ukraine and vowed to hold Russia accountable for its aggression in a statement on Friday, the 7th anniversary of Russia's 2014 invasion of Crimea.
Why it matters: The statement reflects the aggressive approach Biden is taking to Russia, which he classified on the campaign trail as an "opponent" and "the biggest threat" to U.S. security and alliances.
The CEO of the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board has resigned after the Wall Street Journal revealed that he traveled to the United Arab Emirates to obtain the first dose of a coronavirus vaccine.
Why it matters: Mark Machin, who managed $375 billion in assets as head of Canada's largest pension fund, reportedly used his connections to jump over millions of Canadians waiting in line for a vaccine.
Americans tend to think the top U.S. foreign policy priorities should include protecting American jobs, preventing terror attacks, reducing the spread of infectious diseases, and stopping the spread of nuclear weapons, according to data from the Pew Research Center.
By the numbers: There's a sharp partisan divide over whether limiting China's influence should be a top priority, with 63% of Republicans believing it should versus 36% of Democrats. Both numbers have risen significantly since 2018.
The Biden administration notified Israel in advance about the airstrike against an Iranian-backed Shiite militia base on the Syrian-Iraqi border Thursday evening, Israeli officials told me.
Why it matters: The airstrike was the first overt military action by the U.S. in the Middle East since Biden assumed office, and one that Israeli officials see as a positive signal about the new administration's posture toward Iran.
The United States on Thursday carried out an airstrike against facilities in Syria linked to an Iran-backed militia group, the Pentagon announced.
The state of play: The strike, approved by President Biden, comes "in response to recent attacks against American and Coalition personnel in Iraq, and to ongoing threats to those personnel," Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said in a statement.
President Biden spoke with Saudi Arabia's King Salman this evening ahead of the release of a CIA report expected to implicate the king's son, and the kingdom's de facto ruler, in the murder of a U.S.-based journalist, Jamal Khashoggi.
Why it matters: In one month, Biden has ended support for the Saudi war effort in Yemen, frozen a large arms deal and snubbed Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) by declining to speak with him directly.
