Monday Briefing | February 24
Stories to Follow
Protestors demand Assange’s release preceding extradition hearings: As WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange faces his first hearing this Monday on whether or not Britain should extradite him to the United States, hundreds of protestors gathered in London for his support. Protestors included people close to Assange such as his father John Shipton and WikiLeaks editor-in-chief Kristinn Hrafnsson, to public figures such as former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis, English rock band Pink Floyd’s co-founder Roger Waters, and fashion designer Vivienne Westwood, all demanding his release. WikiLeaks first published classified U.S. documents in 2017, and he may face 18 charges that may amount to a 170-year sentence if extradited. The second hearing will be in May.
Coronavirus continues to spread: The coronavirus–now officially called the COVID-19–is continuing to spread around the world. The disease with pneumonia-like symptoms that first broke out in Wuhan, China late last year is now at a global count of 77,809 confirmed cases, and 2,372 have died. While the majority of cases are in mainland China, 31 other countries have also identified the disease, with Japan confirming 738 cases, and South Korea at 433. Numbers are also spiking in Italy and Iran. You can find the most recent numbers here.
Erdogan to meet with French, German and Russian leaders: As President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey announced on Saturday that he plans to hold a summit with the leaders of France, Germany, and Russia, regarding the escalating conflict in Syria’s northern region of Idlib. The meeting is planned for March 5, where they will aim to find a way to avoid confrontation of Turkish and Russian-backed Syrian forces.
Happening This Week
Anna Akana with Macedo | Wednesday, Feb. 26, 6:30 pm-9:30 pm | Mercury Lounge, 217 East Houston St
Actress, film director, writer, and singer Anna Akana (known for her YouTube channel and appearances on Ant-man (2015)and Comedy Central) is performing her debut album Casualty in the East Village!
Journalist Adam Cohen on Injustice at the Supreme Court | Thursday, Feb. 27, 6:00 pm-8:00 pm | NYU School of Law’s D’Agostino Hall: Lipton Hall, 108 West 3rd Street
NYU’s School of Law invites former New York Times editorial board member and former senior writer at TIME magazine, journalist Adam Cohen to talk with Professor Melissa Murray (NYU School of Law) about how the Supreme Court has “done little to protect the rights of the poor and disadvantaged.”
In Your Free Time
Best on Netflix: Check out this year’s Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature winner, American Factory. Produced by the Obamas’ new film production company Higher Ground Productions, it’s a documentary that examines the complex relationships that develop when a wealthy Chinese businessman buys and reopens a former General Motors car plant in Ohio, reviving a community that had lost everything after GM had shutdown in 2008. It’s a must-see for anyone interested in international relations, as the film demonstrates how foreign affairs and economics come to affect local communities.
This week’s Monday Briefing was brought to you by Erika Wakabayashi.
