News Headlines - 27 March 2021

▽Death toll rises to 141 in Myanmar’s bloodiest day

Myanmar has seen the most violent crackdown on pro-democracy protesters on Saturday when the ruling military regime put on a show of its strength on its annual Armed Forces Day... Myanmar NOW, a leading news outlet in the country, reported that it has verified the deaths of 141 civilians in 44 towns and cities in eight out of 15 regions on Saturday.

▽Iran and China sign 25-year cooperation agreement | Al Jazeera

Iran and China have signed a long-gestating 25-year cooperation accord as both countries remain under Unites States sanctions... The agreement is said to have been in the works since Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Iran in 2016, also agreeing to increase bilateral trade more than 10-fold to $600bn in the next decade.
No details of the agreement have yet to be officially published, but it is expected to be a sweeping “strategic accord” that includes significant Chinese investments in Iran’s key sectors such as energy and infrastructure, in addition to military cooperation.

▽Eurovision 2021: Belarus banned from contest as song deemed 'too political' | Sky News

Belarus has been banned from this year's Eurovision Song Contest because its entry has been judged to be too political.
The country was asked a few weeks ago to change its song after organisers said it put the "non-political nature of the contest in question" and risked bringing it into disrepute... Belarus broadcaster BTRC was asked to modify the song - called Ya Nauchu Tebya (I'll Teach You), by Galasy ZMesta - or submit a new one.
Eurovision said on Friday that a fresh entry had been sent, featuring the same artists, but that it still broke the rules.

▽New Yorker, Pitchfork and Ars Technica unions authorize strike. - The New York Times

Union workers at The New Yorker, Pitchfork and Ars Technica said Friday they had voted to authorize a strike as tensions over contract negotiations with Condé Nast, the owner of the publications, continued to escalate.
In a joint statement, the unions for the three publications said the vote, which received 98 percent support from members, meant workers would be ready to walk off the job if talks over collective bargaining agreements continued to devolve.

▽Biden at Press Conference Says He Plans to Run for Re-Election in 2024 - Bloomberg

President Joe Biden said he plans to run for re-election in 2024, resolving for now uncertainty about his future political intentions... He added that he expects Vice President Kamala Harris to remain on his ticket, but scoffed at a question about whether he expects former President Donald Trump to be his opponent.
“I have no idea if there will be a Republican party,” he said.
He emphasized that he only expects to run again, and had not made a final decision, saying he couldn’t plan “three-and-a-half years ahead for certain.”