World roundup: December 7 2022

Stories from Nepal, Germany, Peru, and elsewhere

INTERNATIONAL

In today’s global news:

• Worldometer is tracking COVID-19 cases and fatalities.

• The New York Times is tracking global vaccine distribution.

MIDDLE EAST

SYRIA

Al Jazeera, citing a “Turkish source,” is reporting that Ankara has given the Russian and US governments two weeks to convince the Syrian Democratic Forces militia to withdraw from its positions near the Syrian-Turkish border at Kobane, Manbij, and Tell Rifaat. If the SDF hasn’t vacated those premises by then it sounds like the Turks will finally undertake their long-discussed invasion. The US has apparently countered with an offer to move the SDF’s Kurdish elements away from the border and replace them with its relatively meager Arab units, but the Turks at a minimum want the SDF to relinquish control of Syrian oilfields and that may not be something Washington is prepared to consider.