The World Briefly

November 29, 2023

A Toll of Preservation

Italy

Venice will impose an entrance fee on daytime visitors from next spring, a controversial first-of-its-kind effort to tackle overcrowding and make tourism more sustainable in the picturesque Italian city, Euronews reported. Non-Venetians will have to pay $5.50 to receive a QR code granting access to the...

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The World Briefly

November 28, 2023

Same Patterns, Different Names

Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone reduced its 24-hour curfew to a night-time lockdown Monday, a day after gunmen attacked a number of military barracks and prisons, prompting concerns of a potential coup in the West African nation, the BBC reported. On Sunday, unknown gunmen tried to break into the...

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The World Briefly

November 28, 2023

A Risky Opportunity

United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is planning to use its position as the country of the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) to negotiate oil and gas deals, according to a series of leaked documents that have cast a pall on the international talks...

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The World Briefly

November 28, 2023

Not Making History

New Zealand

New Zealand’s new government will scrap world-leading legislation to ban smoking for future generations in order to fund tax cuts, a reversal that prompted criticism from health officials and concerns about the well-being of the country’s Indigenous Māori, the Guardian reported Monday. Last year, then-Prime Minister...

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The World Briefly

November 27, 2023

Boiling Over

Ireland

Riots broke out in the Irish capital following a stabbing attack allegedly perpetrated by an individual of immigrant background, an incident that prompted concerns about anti-immigrant and far-right elements in the country, the Washington Post reported. Protests broke out in Dublin last Thursday after a man...

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The World Briefly

November 27, 2023

Lack of Progress

Nepal

Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Nepal’s capital this week to demand the restoration of the monarchy that was abolished 15 years ago, the Associated Press reported. Supporters of former King Gyanendra waved national flags and chanted slogans demanding the abolition of...

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The World Briefly

November 27, 2023

A Hard Pill

Madagascar

Malagasy President Andry Rajoelina won Madagascar’s presidential election this month, a vote that was marked by low turnout, boycotting, and street protests from the opposition, Al Jazeera reported. The country’s election body (CENI) announced Saturday that Rajoelina had secured a third term in office after winning...

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The World Briefly

November 24, 2023

Breaking the Dam

Netherlands

The far-right Party for Freedom (PVV) made a historic win at the Dutch general election on Wednesday, sending shockwaves throughout the European Union and paving the way for complicated coalition talks, the Associated Press reported. The party, led by populist veteran politician Geert Wilders, doubled its...

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The World Briefly

November 24, 2023

Concerning Pattern

India

US authorities prevented the attempted assassination of a Sikh activist on American soil by alleged Indian government agents, according to a recent report that has prompted questions about India’s involvement in plots targeting Sikh separatists and advocates living abroad, the Wall Street Journal reported. The Financial...

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The World Briefly

November 24, 2023

Who Decides?

Brazil

Brazil’s upper house of parliament passed a draft constitutional amendment this week to limit the ability of Supreme Court judges to rule on issues individually, a move supporters say is aimed at curbing the judicial overreach of the country’s top court, Reuters reported. The bill, still...

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The World Briefly

November 23, 2023

Third Time’s a Charm

North Korea

North Korea launched its first spy satellite this week, prompting neighboring South Korea to suspend parts of a 2018 military pact aimed at reducing tensions between the two countries, NBC News reported. On Tuesday, Pyongyang launched the Malligyong-1 satellite on a Chollima-1 rocket from its west...

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The World Briefly

November 23, 2023

Mixed Performance

Democratic Republic of the Congo

The United Nations Stabilization Mission in Congo (MONUSCO) finalized an agreement to withdraw its 15,000 peacekeepers from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), amid ongoing violence in the country’s east and criticism of the mission’s effectiveness, Africanews reported. On Tuesday, DRC Foreign Minister Christophe Lutundula...

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The World Briefly

November 23, 2023

Making a Stink

France

French cheesemakers are expressing anger over a proposed European Union recycling rule that may see the traditional round wooden boxes used for Camembert cheese replaced with plastic ones, Sky News reported. The European Parliament is set to vote on the regulation, requiring all food packaging to...

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The World Briefly

November 22, 2023

A Little Respite

GazaIsrael

Israel and Hamas agreed Wednesday to free 50 Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip in exchange for a four-day pause in fighting, a deal that once implemented will be the biggest diplomatic breakthrough since the war began on Oct. 7, Axios reported. Both sides confirmed...

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The World Briefly

November 22, 2023

(Not) Aiding and Abetting

Canada

A diplomatic row between Canada and China over the detention of two Canadian citizens resurfaced this week after one of the individuals claimed he was arrested for unintentionally passing on intelligence to Ottawa and its allies, the Guardian reported. This week, Canadian media reported that Michael...

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The World Briefly

November 22, 2023

Desperate Measures

Colombia

Colombia began sterilizing its hippopotamuses this month, the animals descended from the specimens brought into the country by drug lord Pablo Escobar, the Associated Press reported. The government announced a plan to sterilize 40 hippos a year, starting last week with two males and one female,...

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The World Briefly

November 21, 2023

Hold Tight

Argentina

Libertarian Javier Milei won Argentina’s presidential runoff Sunday by a landslide, a victory that could cause a major shake-up in the South American country’s economy amid soaring inflation and rising poverty, CBS News reported. With nearly all the votes counted, Milei secured almost 56 percent of...

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The World Briefly

November 21, 2023

A Tragic Tally

Italy

Italians expressed outrage at the death of a young woman allegedly murdered by her former partner, a killing that prompted calls to address the issue of gender and domestic violence in the European country, Euronews reported. On Saturday, authorities found the body of Giulia Cecchettin, a...

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The World Briefly

November 21, 2023

Reshuffling the Cards

Maldives

Maldives’ new president officially requested Saturday that India withdraw its troops from the country, a move seen as an effort to bring the archipelago closer to China, the Associated Press reported. President Mohamed Muizzu made the announcement shortly after he was sworn in. His statement also...

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The World Briefly

November 20, 2023

Winds of Change

Liberia

Liberian opposition leader Joseph Boakai won the country’s presidential runoff Saturday, following a tightly-contested election amid economic woes and fears of post-election violence, Agence France-Presse reported. With nearly all votes counted, results showed Boakai gained nearly 51 percent of the vote, while his opponent, incumbent George...

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