News Wire | January 2023 Archive
MONTHLY NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE
Russia Replaces Commander for Ukraine War, as Signs of Dissension Grow
By Anatoly Kurmanaev | The New York Times (free)
Russia has replaced the general in charge of its trouble-plagued war against Ukraine, amid signs of dissension among President Vladimir Putin’s top allies—a shake-up that critics said would not address what ails the Russian military.
More from WPR: Russia Is Recruiting the Afghan Commandos That the U.S. Abandoned
In a First, South Korea Declares Nuclear Weapons a Policy Option
By Choe Sang-Hun | The New York Times
President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea said for the first time Wednesday that if North Korea’s nuclear threat grows, South Korea would consider building nuclear weapons of its own or ask the United States to redeploy them on the Korean Peninsula.
More from WPR: The North Korean Nuclear Threat Is Creating a Regional Arms Race
Discontent, Death Toll Rise as Peru’s Poor Demand Change
By Simeon Tegel | The Washington Post (free)
The mourners, thousands of them, stood by the coffins of 17 people killed by security forces in the remote region of Puno, staring down riot police and chanting, “Dina, murderer.”
More from WPR: Peru’s Challenge Runs Deeper Than the Current Crisis
With FBI Search, U.S. Escalates Global Fight Over Chinese Police Outposts
By Megha Rajagopalan & William K. Rashbaum | The New York Times
Beijing says the outposts aren’t doing police work, but Chinese state media reports say they “collect intelligence” and solve crimes far outside their jurisdiction.
More from WPR: Washington’s Hawkish China Consensus Is Reaching a Point of No Return
U.S. and Japan Say They Will Strengthen Military Cooperation
By Edward Wong | The New York Times
U.S. and Japanese officials said Wednesday that the two nations would expand their military cooperation, including improving Japan’s missile strike capabilities and making the U.S. Marine unit in that country more flexible for potential combat.
Honduran Environmental Defenders Shot Dead in Broad Daylight
By Nina Lakhani| The Guardian (free)
Two environmental defenders have been shot dead in broad daylight in Honduras, triggering fresh calls for an independent investigation into the persecution and violence against a rural community battling to stop an illegally sanctioned mine.
More from WPR: Castro Will Have Her Hands Full Cleaning Up Honduras’ Mafia State
Brazil ‘Mega-Protest’ Fizzles Amid Authorities’ Concern
By Carla Bridi & Natália Scarabotto | Associated Press (free)
Skittish Brazilian authorities on Wednesday spared no effort to boost security in the face of a social media flyer promoting a “mega-protest to retake power” in two dozen cities. Whether because of preventative measures adopted or not, the supposed uprising was a dud.
More from WPR: The Roots of Brazil’s Capital Riot Run Deep—and Far
El Salvador Passes Law on Cryptocurrency Transfers
Al Jazeera (free)
El Salvador, which became the first country in the world to recognize Bitcoin as a legal tender two years ago, has approved a law that would regulate the issuance of other digital assets by both the state and private entities.
More from WPR: El Salvador’s Bitcoin Gamble Just Went Bust
The Real Risks Facing Brazil After January 8
By Brian Winter | Americas Quarterly (free)
After the failed insurrection in Brasília, authorities worry about domestic terrorism and the loyalties of Brazil’s armed forces and police, writes AQ’s editor-in-chief.
More from WPR: Brazil’s ‘Capital Riot’ Highlights the Challenges Lula Faces
U.K. and Poland Confirm Plans to Send Modern Heavy Tanks to Ukraine
By Jim Pickard, Ben Hall & Raphael Minder | Financial Times (free)
Britain and Poland have confirmed they are planning to send modern heavy tanks to Ukraine, heaping pressure on Germany and other governments to follow suit.
More from WPR: Why the War in Ukraine Hasn’t Polarized Western Democracies
Huge Rare Earth Elements Deposit in Arctic Sweden
Associated Press (free)
Iron-ore miner LKAB said Thursday that it has identified “significant deposits” of rare earth elements in Arctic Sweden that are essential for the manufacture of electric vehicles and wind turbines.
Spain Drops Sedition Charge Against Former Catalan Leader
Associated Press (free)
A Spanish judge has dropped sedition charges against former Catalan President Carles Puigdemont for his role in the region’s illegal secession push in 2017 that brought Spain’s most serious political crisis for decades.
Benin Opposition Wins Seats in Parliament, First Time in Four Years
Al Jazeera (free)
Benin’s opposition has returned to parliament after a four-year absence, winning 28 seats in elections dominated by President Patrice Talon’s allies, according to preliminary results.
Health Workers in Zimbabwe Dismayed as Law Curbing Strikes Is Passed
By Nyasha Chingono | The Guardian (free)
Zimbabwe’s health workers have criticized the government for passing contested legislation that outlaws any industrial action, saying it will worsen the sector’s already damaging brain drain.
Army: Fourteen Malian Soldiers Killed in Two Armed Group Attacks
Al Jazeera (free)
Fourteen Malian soldiers were killed and 11 wounded in two separate attacks in central Mali after their vehicles struck explosive devices, the army has said.
Iran Gives Death Sentence to Former Defense Official, a Dual U.K. Citizen
By Farnaz Fassihi | The New York Times
Iran’s judiciary announced Wednesday that a former deputy defense minister had been convicted and sentenced to death on charges of spying for Britain, where he had lived for a decade as a dual national.
Abu Dhabi Oil Chief Appointed President of COP28 Climate Summit
By Simeon Kerr, Camilla Hodgson & Aime Williams | Financial Times
The head of Abu Dhabi’s state-owned oil company has been appointed president of this year’s U.N. climate summit by host nation the United Arab Emirates, prompting concern among climate advocates that the move could stymie efforts to reduce fossil fuel consumption.
Former Top Israeli Legal Officials Oppose Judicial Overhaul
By Tia Goldenberg | Associated Press (free)
Former top Israeli legal officials spoke out Thursday against sweeping changes to the country’s justice system planned by the new conservative government, lending their voices to a growing outcry against the proposed overhaul.
More from WPR: Netanyahu’s New Partners Could Spell Trouble for U.S.-Israel Ties
Azerbaijan Appoints First Ever Ambassador to Israel Amid Iran Row
Reuters
Azerbaijan appointed its first ever ambassador to Israel on Wednesday amid escalating tensions with its large southern neighbor Iran.
China Moves to Repair Ties With Australia by Lifting Coal Ban
By Rhiannon Hoyle, Keith Zhai & Sha Hua | The Wall Street Journal
China effectively ended a ban on Australian coal that has been a centerpiece of a diplomatic dispute lasting more than two years, in the latest indication that Beijing is taking a less confrontational approach in its foreign policy as the economy struggles.
Australia Finalizing New Security Pact With Pacific Neighbor
By Nick Perry | Associated Press (free)
The leaders of Australia and neighboring Papua New Guinea said Thursday they are finalizing a new security treaty—a move that comes as a challenge to China’s growing assertiveness in the region.
India Revives Network of Village Guards in Kashmir After Militant Attack
By Fayaz Bukhari | Reuters
India is reviving a network of thousands of village guards in Jammu and Kashmir, including arming some with automatic rifles, after a militant attack in the disputed region killed seven civilians earlier in January, a police official said.
Pakistan Premier Says UAE Extends $2 Billion Loan, Offers $1 Billion More
By Jon Gambrell | Associated Press (free)
Pakistan’s prime minister said Thursday that the United Arab Emirates agreed to extend a $2 billion loan to his country and provide an additional $1 billion as his nation struggles to recover from devastating floods this summer.
Death Toll in Peru Rises to 47 Amid Extraordinary Violence
By Mitra Taj, Julie Turkewitz & Genevieve Glatsky | The New York Times
“What happened yesterday was really a massacre,” said one human rights activist.
More from WPR: Peru’s Challenge Runs Deeper Than the Current Crisis
U.S. Involvement in Ukraine War Deepens, With Troops to Train in Oklahoma
By Dan Lamothe | The Washington Post
The Pentagon is planning to bring Ukrainian troops to the United States for training on the Patriot missile defense system, U.S. officials said Tuesday, signaling the Biden administration’s latest test of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s threshold for Western intervention in the conflict.
More from WPR: Why the War in Ukraine Hasn’t Polarized Western Democracies
Uganda’s Worst Ebola Outbreak in Two Decades Is Over, WHO Declares
By Abdi Latif Dahir | The New York Times
The World Health Organization on Wednesday declared the latest Ebola epidemic in Uganda over, closing the chapter on a deadly outbreak that lasted nearly four months and killed dozens of people.
U.S., Japan Set to Announce Shake-Up of Marine Corps Units to Deter China
By Ellen Nakashima & Dan Lamothe | The Washington Post
Japan, already Washington’s most important ally in the Indo-Pacific, is deepening its strategic partnership with the United States in an effort to counter China—a development that will be showcased this week with a shake-up of U.S. Marine Corps units in Okinawa and a White House embrace of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
Biden Reaches Deals on Climate, Chips With Heads of Mexico, Canada
By Tarini Parti & Anthony Harrup | The Wall Street Journal
President Biden defended his approach to the border as he wrapped up two days of meetings on migration and the North American economy with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Brazilian Authorities Arrested the Rioters. Now They Are Arresting Security Officials
By Ana Ionova, André Spigariol & Jack Nicas | The New York Times
Brazilian authorities Tuesday issued arrest warrants for two government security officials, zeroed in on people suspected of funding this week’s violent protests and asked a federal court to freeze the assets of the far-right former president, Jair Bolsonaro, a broad expansion of the investigation into the invasion of Brazil’s Congress, Supreme Court and presidential offices by protesters on Sunday.
More from WPR: Brazil’s ‘Capital Riot’ Highlights the Challenges Lula Faces
Political Vacuum in Haiti Deepens as Senators’ Terms Expire
By Dánica Coto & Evens Sanon | Associated Press (free)
Haiti awoke Tuesday stripped of its last democratically elected institution—this time, its Senate—an alarming development that solidifies what some call a de facto dictatorship nominally in charge of a country wracked by gang violence.
More from WPR: Haitians Have a Solution to Haiti’s Crisis
Colombia VP Says She Was Targeted With Roadside Bomb
By Manuel Rueda | Associated Press (free)
Colombia’s Vice President said Tuesday that her security team found more than seven kilos of explosives buried next to a rural road that leads to her home in the southwestern province of Cauca. She described the incident as an assassination attempt.
Jair Bolsonaro Plans Return to Brazil as Prosecutors Seek to Seize Assets
By Michael Pooler | Financial Times
Jair Bolsonaro said he was preparing to leave the U.S. and return home within the next few weeks, as prosecutors in Brazil sought to freeze the former president’s assets following riots in the capital by his radical followers.
Macron Government Unveils Plans to Raise French Retirement Age to 64
By Leila Abboud | Financial Times (free)
Emmanuel Macron’s government is to raise the retirement age by two years to 64 by 2030 as part of a broader overhaul of France’s costly pension system that is likely to trigger mass strikes later this month.
Putin Secretly Pardoned Convicts Recruited by Wagner to Fight in Ukraine
By Yan Zhuang | The New York Times
A U.S. warship sailed through the strait separating Taiwan and China on Tuesday, the navy said, the first such passage since leaders from the two rival superpowers held a video summit.
More from WPR: For Putin and Russia, the Wagner Group Could Be a Recipe for Disaster
Armenia Cancels Military Drills, Widening Rift With Moscow
By Avet Demourian | Associated Press (free)
The prime minister of Armenia said Tuesday that his country has refused to host military drills planned by a Russia-dominated security pact, an announcement that reflected the Armenian government’s growing tensions with Moscow.
Ethiopia’s Tigray Forces Say They Hand Over Heavy Weapons
Associated Press (free)
The spokesman for Tigray forces in Ethiopia says they have handed over heavy weapons as a key part of the agreement signed with Ethiopia’s government late last year to end a two-year conflict.
More from WPR: With the Guns Silenced, Ethiopia and Tigray Must Now Secure the Peace
‘A Wild Card’: Son of Uganda’s President Jostles to Succeed His Father
By Abdi Latif Dahir | The New York Times
General Muhoozi Kainerugaba has been positioning himself as Uganda’s next leader. But his provocative tweets have unnerved Ugandans and put his father in a bind.
Former Liberian Rebel Seeks to Overturn Swiss War Crimes Ruling
By Emma Farge | Reuters
A Liberian man convicted of 22 counts of war crimes including rape, murder and an act of cannibalism is seeking to overturn the judgment at an appeal trial that opened in Switzerland on Wednesday where he also faces new charges of crimes against humanity.
Egypt Vows to Cut Military’s Outsized Role in Economy Under IMF Bailout
By Andrew England | Financial Times
Egypt has committed to reducing the military’s role in the economy as part of its $3 billion IMF bailout package, as the Arab state grapples with a foreign currency crisis, a weakening pound and rising inflation.
Iran Sentences Belgian Aid Worker to Prison, Lashes
Associated Press (free)
Iran has sentenced a Belgian aid worker to a lengthy prison term and 74 lashes after convicting him of espionage in a closed-door trial, state media reported Tuesday.
Israeli President Invites Turkey’s Erdogan to Visit, Receives Envoy
Reuters
Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Wednesday invited his Turkish counterpart President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to visit the country as he received Ankara’s new ambassador in another token of the countries’ recently warming ties.
U.K. and Japan to Sign Defense Pact to Counter China Threat
By Jasmine Cameron-Chileshe & George Parker | Financial Times
Rishi Sunak, the U.K. prime minister, and his Japanese counterpart, Fumio Kishida, will on Wednesday sign a defense agreement, enabling the U.K. and Japan to deploy forces in each other’s countries.
Myanmar Junta Chief Family Assets Found in Thai Drug Raid
By Panu Wongcha-um & Poppy Mcpherson | Reuters
Thai officials found assets belonging to adult children of Myanmar’s junta leader during a raid on the Bangkok apartment of a Myanmar tycoon charged with drug trafficking and money laundering, according to an official record and two people with knowledge of the case.
More from WPR: As Myanmar’s Crisis Gets Bloodier, the World Still Looks Away
Indonesia Admits Historical Rights Violations—but Shirks Accountability
By Rebecca Tan | The Washington Post
Indonesian President Joko Widodo expressed regret Wednesday for egregious human rights violations in the country over the past six decades, including a U.S.-backed anti-communist purge that led to the massacre of some 500,000 Indonesians during the height of the Cold War. He promised to prevent similar violations from happening again but stopped short of explicitly admitting the government’s role in the atrocities or making any commitments to pursue accountability.
Bolsonaro in Florida Hospital; 1,500 Supporters Detained After Brasilia Riots
By Gabriel Araujo, Anthony Boadle & Jamie McGeever | Reuters
Far-right former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was admitted to a hospital in Florida on Monday with stomach pains as 1,500 of his supporters were rounded up in Brasilia after storming key buildings in the capital over the weekend.
More from WPR: Brazil’s ‘Capital Riot’ Highlights the Challenges Lula Faces
China Suspends Travel Visas From Japan and South Korea Over COVID Curbs
By Eleanor Olcott, Eri Sugiura & Thomas Hale | Financial Times (free)
Beijing has suspended visa issuance for visitors from Japan and South Korea in its first retaliation against the flurry of COVID-19 entry restrictions introduced in recent weeks by governments against travelers from China.
In Mexico, Biden Looks for Help With Migrants and Stronger Partnership
By Michael D. Shear & Natalie Kitroeff | The New York Times
President Biden was under growing political pressure Monday to confront the surge of undocumented migrants at the southern border as he began two days of diplomacy in Mexico City intended to secure more help from Mexico to stem the tide of people fleeing toward the United States.
More from WPR: U.S. Border Policy Must Adapt to the Region’s New Migration Patterns
U.S. Carbon Emissions Grew in 2022, Even as Renewables Surpassed Coal
By Elena Shao | The New York Times
America’s greenhouse gas emissions from energy and industry increased 1.3 percent in 2022, continuing to rebound from an abrupt pandemic decline in 2020 but not quite reaching pre-pandemic levels, according to preliminary estimates published Tuesday by the Rhodium Group, a nonpartisan research firm.
White House Under Pressure to Expel Jair Bolsonaro After Brazil Riots
By Felicia Schwartz, Stefania Palma & Bryan Harris | Financial Times
Joe Biden condemned violent riots in Brazil as the White House faced calls from Congress to expel Jair Bolsonaro, the Latin American country’s former president, from the U.S., where he has been staying since leaving office.
At Least 17 Dead in Deadliest Day of Anti-Government Protests in Peru
By Hugo Courotto & Marco Aquino | Reuters
At least 17 people were killed in clashes with police in southern Peru, the country’s human rights office said Monday, the deadliest day so far of protests demanding early elections and the release of jailed former president Pedro Castillo.
More from WPR: Peru’s Challenge Runs Deeper Than the Current Crisis
Chile, Colombia Call for Extraordinary OAS Meeting After Brazil Riots
Reuters
Chilean President Gabriel Boric called for an extraordinary meeting of the Organization of American States on Monday to address riots in Brazil where supporters of far-right former President Jair Bolsonaro stormed top government buildings.
Peru Bans Bolivia’s Evo Morales as Political Crisis Simmers
By Marco Aquino | Reuters
Peru barred Bolivia’s socialist former president, Evo Morales, from entering its territory Monday, Peru’s government announced in a statement, a decision Morales later derided as an attack meant to distract from rights violations.
Russian Forces May Have Scored Rare Success in Battle Near Bakhmut
By John Paul Rathbone | Financial Times
Forces from Russia’s Wagner contract militia stepped up their attacks on Soledar in eastern Ukraine and may have taken control of most of the town in an assault that could deliver Moscow its first military success since last summer.
More from WPR: Ukraine Needs More Than Perfect Heroes to Defeat Russia
German Prosecutors Assess Possible Corruption Probe Into Finance Minister
By Guy Chazan | Financial Times
German prosecutors are assessing whether to open a corruption investigation into finance minister Christian Lindner over allegations of a conflict of interest concerning a private bank that provided his mortgage.
France’s Macron to Forge Ahead With Contested Pension Overhaul
By Noemie Bisserbe | The Wall Street Journal
French President Emmanuel Macron is pressing ahead with his plan to raise the country’s retirement age despite opposition from unions and lawmakers, a decisive test of the centrist leader’s ability to enact his pro-business agenda during his second term in office.
Gabon Names Vice President and New Prime Minister
Reuters
Gabon’s president, Ali Bongo, on Monday appointed the country’s first female prime minister, Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda, to the role of vice president and named a new PM to replace her, his secretary general said.
Uganda Court Quashes Part of Law Used Against Government Critics
Reuters
A court in Uganda on Tuesday quashed a section of a communications law that has been used to prosecute government critics, journalists and writers, including two who fled to exile in Germany, its judgment said.
More from WPR: Museveni Is Still Disappearing Uganda’s Opposition
Video Shows Soldiers Tossing Bodies on Fire in Mozambique
By Mogomotsi Magome | Associated Press (free)
Members of the Southern African Development Community military mission in Mozambique are being investigated after a video circulated on social media showing them throwing bodies on a pile of burning rubble, officials said Tuesday.
U.S. Navy Says It Seized Iran Assault Rifles Bound for Yemen
By Jon Gambrell | Associated Press (free)
The U.S. Navy seized over 2,100 assault rifles from a ship in the Gulf of Oman it believes came from Iran and were bound for Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, a Navy spokesman said Tuesday. It was the latest capture of weapons allegedly heading to the Arab world’s poorest country.
U.N. Extends Critical Aid From Turkey to Syria’s Rebel North
By Edith M. Lederer | Associated Press (free)
The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously Monday to keep a key border crossing from Turkey to Syria’s rebel-held northwest open for critical aid deliveries for another six months. Syria’s ally Russia—in a surprise move—supported the resolution.
Israel’s Ben-Gvir Orders Police to Remove Palestinian Flags From Public Spaces
By Dov Lieber | The Wall Street Journal
Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has ordered the police to remove Palestinian flags from public spaces, the latest in a series of measures by the country’s new government that threatens to escalate tensions with Palestinians.
More from WPR: Netanyahu’s New Partners Could Spell Trouble for U.S.-Israel Ties
Ukraine’s Consequences Are Finally Spreading to Syria
By Mona Yacoubian | War on the Rocks (free)
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is reverberating more than 1,000 miles away in Syria.
Nepal’s New PM Secures Vote of Confidence in Parliament
Associated Press (free)
Nepal’s newly appointed prime minister secured a decisive vote of confidence in parliament on Tuesday with support from both his seven-party coalition and the opposition.
More from WPR: Nepal’s Federal System Has Won Over Voters. Now It Must Deliver
Prominent Chinese ‘Wolf Warrior’ Diplomat Moved to Obscure Role
By Tom Mitchell | Financial Times
One of China’s most prominent “wolf warrior” diplomats has been moved to an obscure department, in an unusual transfer for an official who had seemed to be one of the foreign ministry’s highest flyers.
More from WPR: The Humble Roots of China’s ‘Wolf Warrior’ Diplomacy
Satellite Images Show Crowds at China’s Crematoriums as COVID Surges
By Samuel Oakford, Lily Kuo, Vic Chiang, Imogen Piper & Lyric Li | The Washington Post
A Washington Post examination of satellite imagery, firsthand videos posted to social media and witness accounts suggests that China’s COVID death toll is far higher than the government’s tally, undermining Beijing’s claim that the outbreak remains under control.
More from WPR: China’s Short-Lived Zero-COVID Protests Could Have a Lasting Impact
Philippines Top Court Voids Old South China Sea Energy Deal
Reuters
The Supreme Court in the Philippines on Tuesday declared the country’s 2005 energy exploration agreement with Chinese and Vietnamese firms was illegal, ruling the constitution does not allow foreign entities to exploit natural resources.
Bolsonaro Supporters Lay Siege to Brazil’s Capital
By Jack Nicas & André Spigariol | The New York Times (free)
Thousands of supporters of Brazil’s ousted former president, Jair Bolsonaro, stormed Brazil’s Congress, Supreme Court and presidential offices on Sunday to protest what they falsely claim was a stolen election, the violent culmination of years of conspiracy theories advanced by Bolsonaro and his right-wing allies.
More from WPR: Brazil’s ‘Capital Riot’ Highlights the Challenges Lula Faces
Mali Pardons Ivorian Soldiers It Had Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison
By Elian Peltier | The New York Times
The military junta that controls Mali pardoned 49 Ivorian soldiers and suspended their prison sentences, ending a diplomatic dispute that highlighted the growing isolation of the West African country and its strained relations with its neighbors.
Biden Makes First Mexico Visit Amid Concerns Over Migration, Fentanyl
By Mary Beth Sheridan & Toluse Olorunnipa | The Washington Post
President Biden is embarking on the first visit to Mexico by an American president in nine years, a trip that comes at a moment of surging trade but growing U.S. concerns over irregular migration and a historic number of deaths from drug overdoses.
More from WPR: U.S. Border Policy Must Adapt to the Region’s New Migration Patterns
U.S. Military Deepens Ties With Japan and Philippines to Prepare for China Threat
By Kathrin Hille | Financial Times
The U.S. and Japanese armed forces are rapidly integrating their command structure and scaling up combined operations as Washington and its Asian allies prepare for a possible conflict with China such as a war over Taiwan, according to the top Marine Corps general in Japan.
Colombia, Venezuela Presidents Discuss Investment, Trade
By Deisy Buitrago | Reuters
Colombian President Gustavo Petro and his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro discussed binational investment and trade at a meeting in Caracas on Saturday, the Colombian government said.
More from WPR: Petro’s Road to ‘Total Peace’ for Colombia Passes Through Venezuela
Honduras Extends, Expands State of Emergency Meant to Fight Crime
Reuters
The Honduran government Saturday extended a state of emergency declaration for 45 days, expanding it to additional areas of the country in an effort to fight criminal gangs amid high levels of violence.
More from WPR: Honduras’ Hernandez Will Face Justice, but His Narco-State Could Live On
Chilean Justice Minister Resigns Amid Critique of Pardons
Reuters
Chilean justice minister Marcela Rios has resigned her post, the country’s President Gabriel Boric said Saturday, amid accusations of wrongdoing over pardons given to people connected to violent 2019 protests.
Peru Anti-Government Protesters Clash With Police in Puno
Al Jazeera (free)
Dozens of anti-government protesters have clashed with police in southern Peru amid renewed unrest in the wake of the removal and detention of former President Pedro Castillo.
More from WPR: Peru’s Challenge Runs Deeper Than the Current Crisis
German Police Detain Iranian on Suspicion of Planning Chemical Attack
By Christopher F. Schuetze | The New York Times
A 32-year-old Iranian citizen had procured cyanide and ricin in an effort “to commit an Islamist-motivated attack,” the authorities said.
Serbia Says KFOR Rejected Its Forces’ Return to Kosovo
By Jovana Gec | Associated Press (free)
NATO-led peacekeepers in Kosovo have rejected a demand from Serbia that its security forces be allowed to return to the breakaway province amid ongoing tensions, Serbia’s president said Sunday.
Czech Ex-Premier Babis Acquitted in EU Funds Fraud Case
By Karel Janicek | Associated Press (free)
A Prague court Monday acquitted former Prime Minister Andrej Babis of fraud charges in a $2 million case involving European Union subsidies.
It’s High Time to Prepare for Russia’s Collapse
By Alexander J. Motyl | Foreign Policy
Not planning for the possibility of disintegration betrays a dangerous lack of imagination.
Detained Journalist’s Hunger Strike Highlights Press Freedom Woes in Senegal
By Elian Peltier | The New York Times
The health of a prominent Senegalese journalist detained on charges of exposing confidential government information is deteriorating after a nearly three-week hunger strike, according to his lawyers, who say that he has refused care from doctors at the hospital where he is being treated.
More from WPR: Senegal’s Democratic ‘Exceptionalism’ Is Showing Cracks
Polls Close in Benin Parliamentary Election
Al Jazeera (free)
Polling stations have closed in Benin as voters went to the polls for a parliamentary election seen as a test of democracy in the West African nation.
Armed Group Abducts 32 People From Southern Nigeria Train Station
Al Jazeera (free)
Attackers armed with assault rifles have abducted 32 people from a railway station in Nigeria’s southern Edo state, the governor’s office said.
Iran Executes Two Men Arrested in Protests
By Farnaz Fassihi | The New York Times
Iran on Saturday hanged two men, a 22-year-old national karate champion and a 39-year-old poultry worker, who participated in antigovernment demonstrations and whose executions were condemned as a ploy by the government to use violence and sow fear to crush the protests.
More from WPR: Iran’s Domestic Upheaval Only Makes It More Dangerous
Thousands of Israelis Protest New Government’s Policies
By Shlomo Mor | Associated Press (free)
Thousands of Israelis took to the streets Saturday evening to protest plans by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s new government that opponents say threaten democracy and freedoms.
More from WPR: Netanyahu’s New Partners Could Spell Trouble for U.S.-Israel Ties
Israel Revokes Palestinian FM’s Travel Permit Over U.N. Move
By Josef Federman | Associated Press (free)
Israel on Sunday revoked the Palestinian foreign minister’s VIP travel permit, part of a series of punitive steps against the Palestinians that Israel’s new hard-line government announced days ago.
Philippine Defense Chief Quits in Latest Security Shakeup
By Jim Gomez | Associated Press (free)
The acting Philippine defense chief has resigned, officials said Monday, in the latest in a series of top-level changes in the country’s security establishment that has sparked speculation of renewed military unrest.
More from WPR: In a Surprise, Marcos Is Turning the Page on the Philippines’ Duterte Era
New Chinese Foreign Minister Heads to Africa for First Trip
Al Jazeera (free)
China’s new foreign minister Qin Gang is starting his term with a weeklong trip to five African countries, its foreign ministry announced.
More from WPR: Xi’s Third Term Could Be a Turning Point in China-Africa Relations
Malaysia Pledges to Invest in Indonesia’s New Capital
By Achmad Ibrahim & Niniek Karmini | Associated Press (free)
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Monday his country would invest in the development of Indonesia’s new capital on Borneo island, which both nations share.