World roundup: March 7 2022

Stories from Iran, Ethiopia, Brazil, and more

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

An apparent Israeli missile strike hit positions south of Damascus on Monday morning, killing at least two civilians according to Syrian state media. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claims the strike hit “a weapons and ammunition depot” belonging to a pro-government militia.

Elsewhere, the US State Department on Monday added an al-Qaeda affiliated group in Idlib province, Katibat al-Tawhid wal-Jihad, to its Specially Designated Global Terrorist list. This group, which I believe is principally made up of Uzbek fighters, is also accused of involvement in the August 2016 bombing of the Chinese embassy in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, and the April 2017 bombing of a metro station in St. Petersburg, Russia.