Syrian government sends reinforcements to Eastern Ghouta, UN Security Council holds emergency meeting

1. UN Security Council holds urgent meeting on Ghouta, Syria

Residents of Eastern Ghouta receive aid on March 5, 2018. AP photo

On the evening of March 7 (Vietnam time), the United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting to discuss the failure of the 30-day ceasefire in Syria. The meeting, proposed by France and the UK, will take place in the context of continued airstrikes and clashes in the Eastern Ghouta area, a suburb of the Syrian capital Damascus, causing many civilian deaths and a humanitarian disaster in the area.

The International Federation of the Red Cross (ICRC) announced that it had to suspend humanitarian operations in Ghouta due to the continued violence. Since the fierce escalation of the conflict in Ghouta on February 18, only on March 5, aid and ambulance convoys from the United Nations and international organizations were able to enter the Eastern Ghouta area.

2. Russian plane crashes in Syria, 39 soldiers killed

Antonov-26 military transport aircraft. Photo: TASS

TASS news agency (Russia) said that the Antonov-26 transport plane carrying 33 military passengers and 6 crew members crashed while preparing to land near Russia's Hmeymim airbase in Latakia province (Syria).

"The accident happened at 3:00 p.m. Moscow time (9:00 p.m. Vietnam time). No one survived" - TASS quoted a statement from the Russian Ministry of Defense.

The Russian Defense Ministry stated: "According to updated information, there were 33 passengers and 6 crew members on board the An-26 transport plane that crashed while landing at Hmeymim airport. All of these people were servicemen of the Russian Armed Forces."

3. Trump's senior economic adviser resigns

Senior economic adviser to US President Donald Trump Gary Cohn. Photo: Reuters

US President Donald Trump's top economic adviser Gary Cohn is to resign, the BBC reports. Mr Cohn, a free trade advocate, was angered by Mr Trump's plans to impose import tariffs on aluminium and steel.

The 57-year-old former chairman of Goldman Sachs helped the US president push through tax reform late last year. However, the two are not believed to be close.

In August 2017, Mr Cohn criticized Mr Trump for his response to the protests in Charlottesville, Virginia, saying the government “could and must do better”. He reportedly drafted a resignation letter after the event.

4. North Korean delegation arrives in South Korea to participate in the Paralympic Games for the disabled

North Korean delegation arrives in South Korea to participate in the Paralympics in South Korea. Photo: Yonhap.

On March 7, a 24-member delegation from North Korea arrived in South Korea to attend the Paralympic Games for the disabled in PyeongChang, which will take place from March 9-18.

North Korea's delegation includes several athletes competing in several Paralympic sports, including skiers Kim Jong-hyon and Ma Yu-chol.

This is the first time North Korea has attended such a sporting event. The decision to attend comes after Seoul and Pyongyang announced a landmark agreement to ease tensions on the peninsula.

5. US Secretary of State focuses on security on first visit to Africa

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visits Africa to balance influence with China. Photo: AFP

On March 7, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited Ethiopia - a stop on his first diplomatic trip to Africa. This visit of Mr. Tillerson focused on security issues as well as increased cooperation in the region which is being influenced by China.

During his trip to Africa, Secretary of State Tillerson visited Ethiopia and Kenya, two important US allies in the fight against the al Shabaab militant group in Somalia.

The US Secretary of State is also expected to visit Djibouti, home to US, French and Chinese military bases. In West Africa, Mr. Tillerson will visit Chad and Nigeria, two major oil-producing countries that play an important role in the fight against the Boko Haram militant group.

6. Syrian government sends reinforcements to Eastern Ghouta

Syrian soldiers patrol after retaking the town of Nashabiyeh in Eastern Ghouta from rebels on March 4. Source: THX/TTXVN

Reuters/Sputniknews reported on March 7 that the Syrian government has sent reinforcements to join the fight in Eastern Ghouta, thereby stepping up efforts to defeat rebels in their last stronghold in the area near the capital Damascus.

SOHR said at least 700 fighters along with pro-Syrian government militias had arrived at the front lines in Eastern Ghouta.
In recent days, government forces have retaken about 45% of the area's territory.

7. Boko Haram rebels kill 10 civilians in Nigeria

Boko Haram gunmen. Source: Her Campus

Local militia said on March 7 that four villagers who were collecting firewood were killed when they stepped on a landmine planted by terrorists near the town of Dikwa, 90 km east of Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state.

Three other firewood collectors were also killed in an attack, while the other fled towards Dikwa. Also on March 6, three people were killed in an attack by Boko Haram militants in Gamboru, close to the border with Cameroon.