A sweeping 77% of voters in San Marino's elections on Sunday voted to approve a referendum to legalize abortion in the country, AP reports.
Why it matters: This makes San Marino — a tiny, landlocked country folded into central Italy — the latest majority Catholic nation to legalize the procedure. San Marino was one of the last countries in Europe to have a total abortion ban, per the Guardian.
The big picture: Under the Sept. 12 agreement, Iran must allow the agency to access its monitoring equipment and replace its memory cards. Iran allowed agency inspectors to do their work everywhere except one location.
BP, the second-largest fuel retailer in the U.K., said Sunday that nearly a third of its gas stations have run out of main grades, citing panic buying as a cause for the shortage.
Why it matters: The fuel panic comes amid an international gas price surge, which has forced several energy companies out of business. The country is also experiencing a shortage of truck drivers, per Reuters.
No official representing Myanmar will address the United Nations General Assembly on Monday, a reversal of what was previously scheduled, Reuters reports.
Why it matters: The last-minute compromise comes amid competing claims for the country's U.N. seat after a military coup last February ousted Myanmar's democratically elected government from power.
The decision comes after the U.S., China and Russia reached an agreement in which Myanmar’s U.N. ambassador, Kyaw Moe Tun, could stay in his position for the time being so long as he did not address the gathering, per Reuters.
The big picture: Kyaw Moe Tun, an appointee of the toppled government, was scheduled to speak before the assembly Monday, but no longer appears on the lineup, per the New York Times.
"I withdrew from the speaker list, and will not speak at this general debate," Kyaw Moe Tun told Reuters.
Of note: Afghanistan is also now subject to competing claims to its U.N. seat.
Earlier this week, the Taliban nominated a new envoy, Mohammad Suhail Shaheen, and asked to address the assembly in place of the current accredited ambassador Ghulam Isaczai, an appointee of the previous government.
When a UN seat is disputed, the General Assembly's nine-member Credentials Committee is tasked with making a decision, but the group has not been able to meet and discuss the issue in time, per the Times.
"For now, the Afghanistan representative inscribed on the list for Monday is Mr. Ghulam M. Isaczai," Dujarric told Reuters.
This epic week for President Biden on Capitol Hill is even bigger than his domestic agenda.
Why it matters: Biden has anchored his entire strategy for foreign affairs on the notion that "America is back." What that means in practice is that Biden needs to prove democracy works to rally America’s liberal allies against rising authoritarians.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told "Face the Nation" on Sunday that Turkey may still purchase a second Russian S-400 air defense system despite U.S. warnings of the potential consequences.
Why it matters: The U.S. imposed sanctions on Turkey in December 2020 for its purchase of its first Russian missile system. The U.S. has repeatedly warned that the acquirement of a second system would trigger fresh sanctions, per Reuters.
A referendum to allow same-sex marriage won sweeping approval from Swiss voters in Sunday's election, AP reports.
Why it matters: Although Switzerland has allowed same-sex civil partnerships since 2007, the passage of the “Marriage for All” measure will allow these couples to enjoy the same rights as heterosexual couples.
Taliban authorities killed four suspected kidnappers and put their bodies on public display to deter others in the city of Herat, western Afghanistan, per multiple reports.
Why it matters: Dozens of far-right groupsuse their Facebook, YouTube and Instagram platforms to spread their ideology, draw in recruits and generate millions in sales through events and merchandise.
Two Canadians imprisoned by the Chinese government for over 1,000 days have been released and are expected to arrive in Canada on Saturday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Friday.
Why it matters: Their release comes hours after Huawei Technologies CFO Meng Wanzhou reached a deal with the U.S. Department of Justice that resolves the criminal charges against her and could pave the way for her to return to China.
