World briefing
North America
A 19-year-old man has been charged with murder and three counts of attempted murder in the attack on a Southern California synagogue. San Diego County prosecutors also charged John Earnest with an earlier arson attack on a mosque. The murder and attempted murder charges carry special-circumstance allegations of a hate crime. The mosque fire occurred on or about March 23 in Escondido.
As part of their efforts to contain a significant measles outbreak, officials in New York closed more schools, issued more fines and lobbied the legislature to eliminate religious exemptions for required measles jabs. Federal officials have reported 704 cases so far in the US since January 1, the most since 1994, which saw 963 cases during the whole year. New York and suburban Rockland County account for the majority of the cases, almost all among members of Orthodox Jewish communities.
The man accused of killing five people at the Capital Gazette newspaper in Annapolis, Maryland, changed his plea to not guilty by reason of insanity. Lawyers for Jarrod Ramos, 39, said that Ramos was not criminally responsible “because of a mental disorder.” A filing said he lacked the “capacity to appreciate the criminality of his conduct.” Five people were fatally shot in June 2018 in the newsroom. Ramos was indicted on 23 charges. A November trial has been scheduled.
Latin America
Venezuela’s Government last night said it was putting down a small coup attempt by military “traitors” working with right-wing opponents. The comments came after opposition leader Juan Guaido called for a military uprising in a video that showed him surrounded by heavily armed soldiers and accompanied by detained activist Leopoldo Lopez at a Caracas air base.
Asia/Oceania
Pakistan has suspended a polio vaccination campaign after a health worker and two police officers were shot dead amid a social media health scare that has caused near hysteria in north eastern Pakistan. More than 25,000 children were taken to hospital after false reports the vaccine was causing vomiting and fainting. A mob burned down a health centre. The Pentagon has sent two US Navy warships through the Taiwan Strait in a move that risks adding to tensions between China and the international community over disputed access to the strategic waterway.
Europe
Spain was on course for a left-wing coalition government after the general election led to an implosion in the traditional conservative party amid the rise of the country’s first right-wing populist movement. The Socialist Party (PSOE) of Pedro Sa´ nchez, the Prime Minister, began considering its options to secure a majority after winning Spain’s third election in four years with 123 out of 350 seats, with populist-left Podemos the likeliest option for a coalition partner. Analysts said a new Spanish government was now unlikely to emerge until June. It remained unclear if Sa´ nchez would seek to form a full coalition or try to run as a minority administration.
Africa
More rain is forecast for northern Mozambique, where the death toll from Cyclone Kenneth jumped to 38, as flooding and pounding rains hampered efforts to deliver aid to badly hit communities. More flooding is expected in Pemba and the surrounding areas. It is the second powerful cyclone to hit the southern African nation in just six weeks. It was the first time in recorded history that two cyclones had targeted Mozambique in a single season.
It’s a bit odd
Fishermen in northern Norway have found a beluga “spy whale” in a camera harness which scientists believe escaped from the Russian Navy. Three brothers were fishing off the island of Ingøya, not far from Norway’s Arctic border with Russia, last week when a small white whale came up to their boat, apparently seeking help to remove the harness it was wearing. A fisheries service employee in a wetsuit was finally able to remove the harness in the water. The beluga then swam away. Photographs showed that “Equipment St Petersburg” was written on the buckle of the harness, which had an attachment to hold a GoPro camera.