Brazil's former Justice Minister Anderson Torres was arrested in Brasilia on Saturday over allegations he sabotaged security operations ahead of a group breaking into the capital and presidential palace, per Reuters.
The big picture: Torres, the former head of security in the nation's capital, was in charge of ensuring the federal district's safety when supporters of right-wing former President Jair Bolsonarostormed government buildings earlier this week.
TEL AVIV — Tens of thousands in Israel gathered in the pouring rain to protest against the Netanyahu government's plan to weaken the Supreme Court and other democratic institutions.
Why it matters: The plan, announced less than two weeks after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing government took office, has deepened political divisions and stoked fear among some that the heightened tensions could tear Israeli society apart.
The United Kingdom condemned Iran Saturday over the execution of Alireza Akbari, a former Iranian defense ministry official.
Driving the news: "The execution of British-Iranian Alireza Akbari is a barbaric act that deserves condemnation in the strongest possible terms," British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said in a statement. "Through this politically motivated act, the Iranian regime has once again shown its callous disregard for human life."
China officially updated its COVID death toll numbers Saturday, linking nearly 60,000 deaths to COVID-19 since early December, the Associated Press reports, citing the country's top health leaders.
Why it matters: These official numbers — which are likely smaller than the actual tally — doubles China's official COVID death toll since the disease was first discovered there in 2019, per AP.
Brazil's Supreme Court late Friday said it will investigate whether former President Jair Bolsonaro incited last Sunday's attack on Congress and other government buildings in the capital Brasília.
Driving the news: The prosecutor-general's office requested that Bolsonaro, who is currently in the U.S., be included in the investigation, citing a video he shared on Facebook two days after the attack, per AP. The video falsely claimed President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's election win was fraudulent.
The head of the UN nuclear watchdog agency is heading to Ukraine next week to establish a "continuous presence" at all of the country's nuclear power plants, according to a Friday news release.
Driving the news: The International Atomic Energy Agency is ramping up its efforts in the region to "help prevent a nuclear accident" from occurring amid Russia's ongoing invasion.
The Russian Defense Ministry on Friday said its forces had taken control of the eastern Ukrainian salt-mining town of Soledar — a claim Ukraine denied, saying the fighting was ongoing.
Why it matters: Military analysts say that capturing Soledar would not immediately change the course of the war in eastern Ukraine, but would represent a symbolic victory for Russia, which has suffered a series of setbacks over the last few months.
India is set to surpass China as the world's most populous country sometime this year, the UN projects.
Why it matters: The milestone could have major economic and societal implications for both countries — and may eventually influence trade flows and upend the global balance of power.
New announcements on deeper military cooperation between the U.S. and Japan — paired with Tokyo's drive to strengthen its own defense capabilities — confirm that the officially pacifist nation is a growing military power in East Asia. The moves could also give the U.S. new tools to defend against a potential invasion of Taiwan.
Why it matters: Japan was already arguably America's most powerful ally in Asia. Now spurred on by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, unprecedented missile launches from North Korea, and Chinese aggression toward Taiwan, Japan is doubling down on the U.S. alliance and plans to double its own defense spending by 2027.
Tesla has made significant cuts to the prices of new electric vehicle models in the U.S., according to listings on its website.
Driving the news: Elon Musk's firm has cut the price of its bestselling Model Y and Model 3 vehicles, along with its Model X sport utility vehicles and Model S luxury sedans.
The United Arab Emirates announced Thursday that the CEO of one of the world's biggest oil firms will lead the COP28 global climate talks in Dubai later this year.
Why it matters: The appointment of UAE climate envoy Sultan al-Jaber, who leads the state-run Abu Dhabi National Oil, as COP28 president was met with outrage from climate activists — many of whom were already concerned that the UAE, one of the world's largest oil and gas producers, was hosting the summit.
Israeli Supreme Court President Esther Hayut warned on Thursday that the Netanyahu government’s plan to overhaul Israel's judicial system is aimed at “crushing” the independent judiciary and, if implemented, will “deal a fatal blow” to the country's democracy.
Why it matters: Such a strongly-worded speech by Israel's top judge on government plans is unprecedented. It also echoes the worries of many that the heightened tensions over the plan could tear Israeli society apart.
All countries need new social and economic policies to prepare for the reality of an aging world now, the United Nations said in a new report on Thursday.
Why it matters: The world's population is aging but the effects haven't been felt equally — for example, some older people experience financial security while others live in poverty. To reduce the gaping disparities, countries need to invest in people throughout their life, the report said.
