WORLD ROUNDUPOverstating Xi’s Power | Russian Threat to Norway's Energy | Deepening Australia-Japan Defense Pact, and more
··Fears Over Russian Threat to Norway’s Energy Infrastructure
Unidentified drones buzzing in the skies over energy infrastructure facilities
··Rishi Sunak Won’t Commit to Spending 3pc of GDP on Defense
Keeping the country safe more important than an arbitrary figure
··Xi Sizes Third Term and Leads China Towards Totalitarianism
A new era of totalitarianism coming to China
··Brazilian Politician Throws Grenades at Police During Arrest
An ally of President Bolsonaro hurled hand grenades at police officers
··Brazil’s Top Footballers Lean Toward Bolsonaro in Polarized Race
Many current football stars prefer Bolsonaro, while former soccer legends support Lula
··Fumio Kishida and Anthony Albanese Deepen Australia-Japan Defense Pact
Concern has been growing about a more assertive China
··Ukraine’s Top Allies Warn Russia About ‘Dirty Bomb’ Claims
Worries about Russian false-flag ploy
··Guinea Junta Agrees Return to Civilian Rule in Two Years
Growing economic and political sanctions persuade junta to yield
··Russia Deepens Its Influence in West Africa
Russia exploiting the regional vacuum
··Xi Jinping Is Weaker Than You Think
Xi still needs support from the Party elite, and some cracks are showing
Fears Over Russian Threat to Norway’s Energy Infrastructure (AP / VOA News)
Norwegian oil and gas workers normally don’t see anything more threatening than North Sea waves crashing against the steel legs of their offshore platforms. But lately they have noticed a more troubling sight: unidentified drones buzzing in the skies overhead.
With Norway replacing Russia as Europe’s main source of natural gas, military experts suspect the unmanned aircraft are Moscow’s doings. They list espionage, sabotage and intimidation as possible motives for the drone flights.
The Norwegian government has sent warships, coastguard vessels and fighter jets to patrol around the offshore facilities. Norway’s national guard stationed soldiers around onshore refineries that also were buzzed by drones.
Rishi Sunak Won’t Commit to Spending 3pc of GDP on Defense (Daniel Martin, The Telegraph)
Next Prime Minister will instead pledge to spend whatever is necessary to ‘keep the country safe’.
Xi Sizes Third Term and Leads China Towards Totalitarianism (Didi Tang, The Times)
President surrounds himself with loyalist clique who will not dare to challenge him.
Brazilian Politician Throws Grenades at Police During Arrest (Joshua Thurston, The Times)
Roberto Jefferson, a member of parliament and an ally of President Bolsonaro hurled hand grenades and fired shots at police officers who came to his home to execute an arrest warrant. Two officers were wounded. A Supreme Court judge issued the warrant after Jefferson repeatedly called Brazil’s Chief Justice, Carmen Lucia, a “prostitute” and called on Bolsonaro supporters to inflict physical harm on her. Jefferson was put under house arrest in January and allowed to remain there provided he complied with certain conditions. Justice Alexandre de Moraes said in a decision published on Sunday that Jefferson’s recent comments about Lucia, the chief justice, had violated those terms and ordered he be returned to prison. Jefferson insisted that his threats against the Chief Justice were part of his campaign to “resist oppression, resist tyranny” in Brazil.
Brazil’s Top Footballers Lean Toward Bolsonaro in Polarized Race (Reuters / VOA News)
There is growing anecdotal evidence that many of Brazil’s most prominent soccer players now lean to the right – and they support incumbent Jair Bolsonaro in this weekend’s presidential election. Many players favor conservative politicians because of their own life stories, said sports commentator Juca Kfouri, noting that most soccer stars in Brazil come from poor neighborhoods and reach stardom through their own talents. (Cont.)
