ARE DILMA’S DAYS NUMBERED?
Photo: Agencia Estado/Xinhua/ZUMA
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff will face what promises to be a dramatic impeachment after a committee in Brazil’s lower house voted in favor of removing her from office last night. Folha de S.Paulo reports that the committee panel vote came after an investigation into accusations that Rousseff had manipulated government finances to conceal a growing national deficit. Police are preparing for both major pro and anti-government protests in the coming days, with voting set to begin Friday, and a final decision expected Sunday. Impeachment requires a two-thirds lower house majority before moving on to the Senate.
PANAMA PAPERS EXPOSE CIA
In the latest from the Panama Papers probe into offshore financial accounts, German daily Süddeutsche Zeitung reports that intelligence agencies from around the world, including the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), have long used the Mossack Fonseca law firm, which is at the center of the leaked documents, to hide various financial activities. More from AFP.
NEW BRUSSELS ATTACK ARRESTS
Two more men have been charged in connection with last month’s deadly terror attacks in Brussels, Belgian authorities announced this morning. Brussels-based daily Le Soir reports that the two men — identified only as Smail F. and Ibrahim F. — are suspected of involvement in the rental of a hideout in Brussels’ Etterbeek neighborhood, and face multiple charges, including terrorist activity and murder.
CHINA HITS BACK AGAINST G7 MEMBERS
Beijing slammed G7 member states today for “taking sides” in the East and South China Seas territorial disputes, stating that the member should “stop making irresponsible remarks and all irresponsible actions, and truly play a constructive role for regional peace and stability,” Chinese state news agency Xinhua reports. The criticism came after the G7 foreign ministers issued a statement yesterday during their meeting in Hiroshima that appeared to be directed towards China, expressing their “strong opposition to any intimidating, coercive or provocative unilateral actions that could alter the status quo and increase tensions.”
ON THIS DAY
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He became the first man in space, 55 years ago today … Find out who, in today’s 57-second shot of history.
TALIBAN ANNOUNCES SPRING OFFENSIVE
The Taliban issued a statement today announcing the start of their warm-weather fighting season, Voice of America reports. This year’s campaign — dubbed “Operation Omari,” in honor of deceased Taliban founder Mullah Omar — promises both suicide attacks and assassinations. The Taliban vowed to try not to kill civilians or destroy civilian infrastructure.
120 MILLION EUROS
A painting believed to be the work of Italian Renaissance master Caravaggio was found in a French attic. If genuine, it could be worth up to 120 million euros, Le Monde reports.
WORLDCRUNCH-TO-GO
Writing for Polish daily Gazeta Wyborcza, Katarzyna Wężyk notes that despite Hillary Clinton’s fitness for the job, many see her presidential ambitions through a bigoted lens. She’s not just a woman, but one who doesn’t know her place: “If a woman wants to be successful in politics, she needs to prove that she is tougher than her male competitors, that she will not let others push her around and that she will not serve sandwiches. But if she is tough and hard-boiled, she stops being womanlike; she becomes a Tartar, a butch or an ordinary bitch. A man who defends his opinions is assertive; a woman — aggressive. And indeed nobody likes an aggressive woman. On the other hand, nobody wants weak leaders. So either way is no good.”
Read the full article, Deconstructing The Sexist American Animus Toward Hillary Clinton.
RESEARCHERS ANNOUNCE THAT ZIKA IS WORSE THAN THEY THOUGHT
Health officials stated in a White House briefing yesterday that the more doctors learn about the Zika virus, the more frightening it looks, NBC News reports. Just hours before the statement was made, scientists released two more studies: one showing the virus seems to home in on developing brain cells and kill them, and one showing it may cause rare nerve damage that resembles multiple sclerosis.
MY GRAND-PERE’S WORLD
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FACEBOOK’S ANNUAL F8 CONFERENCE
Facebook’s annual F8 conference kicks off at today at the Fort Mason Center in San Francisco, Tech Times reports. Insiders expect to see new products and features linked to artificial intelligence and virtual reality. Outsiders predict artificial reality and virtual intelligence. What you say Zuck?
