GUNFIRE CONTINUES IN SOUTH SUDAN
Heavy gunfire continued last night and this morning in South Sudan’s capital, Juba, one day after President Salva Kiir announced he had defeated an attempted coup by military members loyal to one of his rivals, AFP reports. According to government officials, 26 people have died and another 140 have been injured in the fights since Sunday.
To learn more about the world’s youngest nation, we offer this Le Monde/Worldcrunch piece, South Sudan: A Hidden Tour Of Juba, The Newest World Capital
JAPAN TO BOOST DEFENSE AMID CHINA TENSIONS
The Japanese Cabinet approved a 5% increase to its defense budget over the next five years, amid growing tensions with China, news agency Kyodo reports. The new plan, which includes the purchase of drones, stealth fighters and submarines, will take Japan’s defense spending to $240 billion between 2014 and 2019.
SNOWDEN TO HELP BRAZIL IF GRANTED ASYLUM
Former NSA consultant Edward Snowden wrote an open letter to the Brazilian people in which he offers Brazilian authorities help investigating U.S. spying in return for permanent political asylum,Folha de S. Paulo reports. Snowden, who is still residing in Russia, explains in the letter that he was made stateless by Washington but that he’d “rather be without a state than without a voice.”
HEZBOLLAH TARGETED BY CAR BOMB
Lebanon’s Hezbollah was targeted by a car bomb last night in the eastern town of Sbouba that killed the car’s driver and injured two members of the militant group, The Daily Star reports, citing security sources. Earlier this month, one of the leaders of Hezbollah, Hassan Lakkis, was found dead near his home.
TURKISH POLICE DETAIN SONS OF MINISTERS IN FRAUD PROBE
Thirty-seven people, including the sons of three government ministers, were arrested this morning in Turkey as part of a probe into alleged bribery and fraud, the newspaper Hürriyet reports. The suspects are thought to have offered money in exchange for construction permits in protected areas.
FOTO
Indigenous people in traditional headdress were arrested in Brazil over the weekend as they protested the demolition of the Indian Museum in Rio that was destroyed to make way for improvements ahead of the Brazil World Cup.
RECORD LOW APPROVAL RATING FOR OBAMA
A Washington Post-ABC poll shows that a record high of Americans — 55% — disapprove of President Barack Obama’s job performance. But he’s still much more popular than the country’s federally elected representatives, as 81% of Americans disapprove of the way the U.S. Congress does its job.
BY THE NUMBERS
Pope Francis turns 77 years old today. And we’ve made this photo montage for him.
CRIME INT’L
A Russian governor was assaulted, robbed and shot with an airgun in his French home over the weekend, as thieves stole more than $200,000 worth of jewels.
FRIENDS?
Actor and former drug-addict Matthew Perry, best known for his role as Chandler in Friends, had a heated debate with a British columnist on British television over drug courts and addiction. Watch the video here.
