NEWS OF THE DAY
From Around the World
1 Brazil politics: A poll shows strong support for the impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff. The respected Datafolha agency reported 68 percent of people surveyed want to see lawmakers vote to impeach Rousseff, an increase of eight percentage points since February. The results published in Sunday’s Folha de S. Paulo newspaper come on the heels of a topsyturvy week in Brazilian politics that saw a Supreme Court judge suspend former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s nomination to a Cabinet post amid corruption investigations, as well as large- scale pro- and antigovernment demonstrations.
2 Facebook diplomacy: Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg held a rare meeting with China’s propaganda chief, at a time when Chinese authorities are tightening control over their cyberspace. Liu Yunshan told Zuckerberg in their meeting Saturday that he hopes Facebook can share its experience with Chinese companies to help “Internet development better benefit the people of all countries,” China’s official Xinhua News Agency reported. Zuckerberg was in Beijing to attend an economic forum. Facebook and other Western social media are banned in China. Zuckerberg has long been courting China’s leaders in a so far futile attempt to access the country with the world’s largest number of Internet users — 668 million as of last year.
3 Somalia violence: The Kenyan military said Sunday that its troops killed 34 fighters from the extremist al- Shabab group in clashes in Somalia. Military spokesman David Obonyo said 21 militants were killed in fighting in the southern city of Afmadow on Saturday. He said two Kenyan soldiers were killed by a roadside bomb in the incident. Obonyo said the Kenyan soldiers killed another 13 militants Sunday near Ras Kamboni in southern Somalia. Kenya is among five countries contributing troops to an African Union force that is bolstering Somalia’s government against al- Shabab’s insurgency.
4 Helicopter crash: An Indonesian military helicopter crashed Sunday during a mission to capture the country’s most wanted militant, killing at least 12 people. The military chief overseeing South Sulawesi and Central Sulawesi provinces, Maj. Gen. Agus Surya Bakti, said the helicopter was carrying 13 soldiers and crew when it went down in Poso district, about 35 minutes after taking off in Central Sulawesi. Authorities are investigating what caused the crash. Security forces have intensified their operations against Indonesia’s most wanted militant, Abu Wardah Santoso, who has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group.
5 Cuba rentals: Airbnb is allowing travelers from around the world to book stays in private homes in Cuba after the San Francisco company received a special authorization from the Obama administration, Airbnb announced Sunday. Airbnb was the first major American company to enter Cuba after Presidents Obama and Raul Castro declared detente on Dec. 17, 2014. Cuba has become its fastest- growing market, with about 4,000 homes added over the last year. Airbnb had only been allowed to let U. S. travelers use its services in Cuba under a relatively limited Obama administration exception to the half- century- old U. S. trade embargo on the island. The expansion of the license gives Airbnb the ability to become a one- stop shop for travelers seeking lodging in private homes, which have seen a flood of demand from travelers seeking an alternative to state- run hotels.