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WHO finds that the Omicron variant of Covid-19 is already in 77 counties and was likely in most countries before its identification. 
Summary:

• The Omicron variant is spreading at an unprecedented rate according to the World Health Organization and the efficacy of vaccines have been brought into question.
• New studies by Discovery Health and the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) have found that protection against catching Covid-19 had dropped to 33% from its initial 80% following the spread of the Omicron variant.
• However, protection against hospitalization due to Covid-19 is at 70% compared to its prior 93% which gives hope that severe infection due to Covid-19 can be avoided through vaccination.
• WHO is also demanding fair and equitable distribution of vaccines as western countries around the world make third dose boosters programs.
• WHO Chief Dr. Tedros stated “Let me be very clear: WHO is not against boosters. We’re against inequity. Our main concern is to save lives, everywhere. It’s really quite simple: The priority in every country, and globally, must be to protect the least protected, not the most protected.”
• With uncertainty due to the rapid spread of Covid-19 variants and doubts over vaccines one thing remains clear, protecting those in the most compromised position requires top priority.

Other Headlines:

Fuel Tanker Explosion in Haiti Kills Dozens

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• A large truck hauling fuel exploded in Haiti’s second-largest city taking the lives of many and injuring dozens. 
• Authorities find that at least 60 people have been killed due to a fuel tanker explosion in the northern city of Cap-Haitien.
• Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry stated “Three days of national mourning will be decreed throughout the territory, in memory of the victims of this tragedy that has devastated the entire Haitian nation.”

Belarusian Opposition Leader To Serve 18 Years For Inciting Protests Against Belarus President 

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• In the country’s latest crackdown of opposition leaders, popular Belarusian Youtube Blogger, Sergei Tikhanovsky, was sentenced to 18 years in prison on Tuesday, for opposing and inciting mass protests and unrest in 2020 against current Belarus President, Alexander Lukashenko. 
• Many questioned the validity of the sentencing as Tikhanovsky’s criminal trial was held behind closed doors for months. 
• Tikhanovsky’s wife, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who is currently in exile after entering into the presidential race on her husband’s behalf, expressed her outrage on the sentencing stating, “while hiding the political prisoners in closed trials, he [Lukashenko] hopes to continue repressions in silence. But the whole world watches. We won’t stop,”  
• EU leaders and the US have expressed their concerns as Belarus continues to either jail or exile those who oppose Lukashenko’s presidency. 
• Many believe Lukashenko began the ongoing migrant border crisis in Poland in retaliation to the EU denouncing Lukashenko and the ongoing imprisonment of those who oppose him.

New Civil Lawsuit States January 6th Riot Was A “Coordinated Act Of Domestic Terrorism”

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• The District of Columbia filed a civil lawsuit against far-right groups, Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers, for coordinating, recruiting, and planning the insurrection on January 6th, 2021 in what was deemed a “coordinated act of domestic terrorism” 
• Washington’s attorney general, Karl Racine, stated the lawsuit intended to seek compensation for damages incurred on Jan. 6th as well as inflict financial damage to the aforementioned groups. 
• While many criminal cases have been filed against those who instigated the Capitol Riot, this will be the first civil lawsuit filed against the far-right group leaders.  
• The new lawsuit comes as the House Select Committee continues to investigate the capitol attack and is now issuing subpoenas in an effort to focus on those who instigated the Capitol Riot.   

Discussions At A Standstill As World Leaders Meet To Revive Iran Nuclear Deal

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• As world leaders continue to have closed-door discussions to revive the 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal, Iran’s chief negotiator, Ali Bagheri Kani, took to Twitter this week to express his ongoing frustrations with the stalled discussions.
• Khani made it clear that “diplomacy is a two-way street” and stated that playing the blame game will not lead to any real diplomatic understandings leaving many to believe that the private discussions in Vienna were at a standstill. 
• Khani’s comments came shortly after officials from France, the UK, and Germany expressed their disappointment on how they have not yet had any real discussions or negotiations on the topic at hand. 
• With the talks still ongoing, Iran seeks to have harsh sanctions previously placed on their country removed while the US and other western leaders insist on keeping some sanctions even though Iran maintains that they have no intentions of creating a nuclear bomb. 

UN Finds Taliban Responsible For At Least 100 Deaths Since The Fall Of The Previous Afghan Government

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• On Tuesday, the UN Deputy High Commissioner For Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif, stated that the UN has received credible allegations that the Taliban were responsible for the death of at least 100 Afghan National Security Force personnel since the Taliban took over 3 months ago. 
• Al-Nashif further reported that the bodies were then displayed for the public to see, creating fear amongst the Afghan population. 
• Taliban spokesman, Qari Sayed Khosti, denied the allegations and stated some former members of the previous Afghan Security forces were killed due to personal enmities. 
• The report further alleges that since taking over, the Taliban have committed various crimes, including targeted killings, suspicious disappearances, and restricting women’s rights.