World roundup: January 13 2023

Stories from Turkey, Ethiopia, Bolivia, 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

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad met with the Russian government’s Syria envoy on Thursday, after which according to Syrian media he offered some thoughts about a potential summit with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Specifically, Assad suggested that any such meeting would need to “produce tangible results sought by Syria,” which means it would need to discuss Turkey ending its support for Syrian rebels and ending its occupation of much of northern Syria. For their part the Turks would at a minimum want assurances that the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces militia would give up its positions near the border and that the Syrian government will not do anything to those rebels that could create another wave of refugees.