Russian-Occupied Kherson Cut Off as Ukraine Counter-Attacks – Britain
Reuters
A Ukrainian counter-offensive has virtually cut off the Russian-occupied southern city of Kherson and left thousands of Russian troops stationed near the Dnipro River “highly vulnerable”, British defense and intelligence officials said on Thursday.
Ukraine’s Grain is Ready to Go, But Ships Aren’t. Why?
By Aya Batrawy | Associated Press (free)
Shipping companies are not rushing to export millions of tons of grain trapped in Ukraine, despite a breakthrough deal to provide safe corridors through the Black Sea. That is because explosive mines are drifting in the waters, ship owners are assessing the risks and many still have questions over how the deal will unfold.
Kim Threatens to Use Nukes Amid Tensions With U.S., South Korea
By Hyung-Jin Kim | Associated Press (free)
“Our armed forces are completely prepared to respond to any crisis, and our country’s nuclear war deterrent is also ready to mobilize its absolute power dutifully, exactly and swiftly in accordance with its mission,” Kim said in Wednesday’s speech, according to the official Korean Central News Agency.
More from WPR: The Challenge of a Nuclear North Korea
Biden and China’s Xi to Speak During Tense Taiwan Standoff
By Christian Shepherd | The Washington Post
President Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are expected to speak on Thursday, Eastern time, amid angry warnings from Beijing that the bilateral relationship cannot make progress unless the White House stops House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) from visiting Taiwan.
U.S. Carrier Strike Group Returns to South China Sea Amid Taiwan Tensions
By Greg Torode | Reuters
Officials with the U.S. Navy’s Seventh Fleet confirmed the deployment of the USS Ronald Reagan to the vital trade route but did not comment on questions about tensions over the trip by Pelosi, speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Followers of Cleric Enter Iraqi Parliament in Show of Force
By Ali Abdul-Hassan & Samya Kullab | Associated Press (free)
Hundreds of Iraqi protesters breached Baghdad’s parliament Wednesday chanting anti-Iran curses in a demonstration against a nominee for prime minister by Iran-backed parties.
More from WPR: A New Pick for Iraqi Prime Minister Could Spark Conflict
The Barbados Rebellion: An Island Nation’s Fight for Climate Justice
By Yan Zhuang | ProPublica, The New York Times (free)
Across the Caribbean, soaring national debt is a hidden but decisive aspect of the climate crisis, hobbling countries’ ability to protect themselves from disaster. One island’s leader is fighting to find a way out.
African Nations Talk Climate Change Ahead of Major UN Meeting
By Wanjohi Kabukuru | Associated Press (free)
frican nations opened climate talks in the Mozambican capital Maputo on Wednesday to identify their priorities and come up with a common position ahead of the United Nations climate summit in Egypt in November, known as COP27.
Viktor Orban Faces Outrage After Saying Europeans Shouldn’t Become ‘Mixed Race’
By Rick Noack | The Washington Post
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is facing backlash after a speech arguing that Europeans should not “become peoples of mixed race,” although the far-right leader is still slated to speak at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Dallas next week.
More from WPR: Like It or Not, Orban and the EU Are Stuck With Each Other
Morocco Builds ‘Ecosystem of Repression’ to Quash Dissent, Report Says
By Claire Parker | The Washington Post
A Human Rights Watch report argues that in addition to the speech-related charges that the Moroccan government has long used to stifle critics, authorities increasingly accuse journalists and dissidents of more serious crimes, such as sexual assault, and sentence them to prison in unfair trials.
Bangladesh Seeks I.M.F. Loan as Inflation Rocks South Asia
By Saif Hasnat & Emily Schmall | The New York Times
Just a week after introducing scheduled power outages in response to the soaring cost of fuel in Bangladesh, the government said it was seeking help from the International Monetary Fund, joining two other nations in South Asia to do so in recent months.
Nigerian Opposition Senators Urge Buhari’s Impeachment Over Security Problems
By Camillus Eboh | Reuters
Nigerian opposition Senators pushed for President Muhammadu Buhari to face impeachment, 10-months before the end of his second term in office, over the country’s spreading security problems, the Senate minority leader said on Wednesday.
More from WPR: Nigeria’s Presidential Candidates Are a Blast From the Past