NASA confirms "touchdown" on Mars

The American Mars rover "Perseverance" has successfully landed on the Red Planet. This was
confirmed by the control center of the US space agency NASA in Pasadena, California. Just a few
minutes after landing, the rover was sending its first pixelated black and white photos of Mars.
"Perseverance" is supposed to search for traces of earlier microbial life on the planet and to research
the local climate and geology. A later mission, jointly developed with the European Space Agency
ESA, will also bring samples from Mars back to Earth.

Young protester in Myanmar dies days after being shot in the head

A protester seriously injured in the protests in Myanmar has died. The 20-year-old died after being
shot in the head at a demonstration in Naypyidaw last week, a hospital doctor said. The young
woman had become a symbol of the protest movement in the past week. Since the military coup on
February 1, mass protests against the military junta have taken place in the Southeast Asian country.
The demonstrators are demanding a return to democracy and the release of the disempowered de
facto Prime Minister Aung San Suu Kyi.

USA allow asylum seekers from Mexico back into the country

After the change in direction in migration policy, the US government is again allowing asylum
seekers from Mexico to cross the border. Starting this Friday, applicants will be allowed to come to
the United States for their court hearings and remain there for the duration of their trials. So far
they had to wait for the decision in Mexico. The US Democrats also introduced a bill for President
Joe Biden's proposed immigration reform in Congress. According to this, among other things, the
way to naturalization should be paved for eleven million migrants without a valid residence permit.

USA show willingness to talk in the nuclear conflict

In the dispute over the nuclear deal with Iran, the new US administration is ready to meet with
representatives of the Tehran leadership and the other contracting states. The State Department in
Washington said that they would accept an invitation from the EU Foreign Affairs Representative,
Josep Borrell, to jointly find a diplomatic solution. The nuclear deal was agreed in 2015 between Iran
and the USA, Germany, France, Great Britain, Russia and China. In 2018, the United States
unilaterally withdrew from the agreement under then President Donald Trump.

NATO postpones decision on Afghanistan

NATO will continue its operation in Afghanistan for the time being. No final decision was made about
the future presence in the crisis country, said Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg after consultations
with the defense ministers of the alliance. It should first be checked again whether the Taliban had
met the conditions for a NATO withdrawal. This means that around 10,000 soldiers from various
countries, including Germany, will initially stay in the Hindu Kush to support the democratically
elected government by training and advising security forces.

Algeria is heading for new elections

In the face of resurgent protests in his country, Algeria's President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has
announced early parliamentary elections. In addition, the cabinet should be reshaped within 48
hours, said the head of state in a televised address on Thursday evening. A "fundamental change"
must lead to institutions of which there is no doubt, stressed Tebboune. He also pardoned dozens of
detained activists of the "Hirak" protest movement. It was created around two years ago and
overthrew the then long-term ruler Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

Draghi wins second vote of confidence

In Italy, the new Prime Minister Mario Draghi also survived the second vote of confidence. In the
Chamber of Deputies in Rome, 535 parliamentarians voted for his government of national unity, only
56 against. The Senate had already given him confidence with a clear majority. This ends a political
crisis that blocked the southern European country for weeks amid the corona pandemic. In return
for EU aid money, the Italian government will probably have to push through unpopular reforms.