NEWS OF THE DAY
From Around the World
_1 Victory Day: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday told the annual Victory Day parade on Red Square that the horrors of World War II demonstrate the necessity of countries working together to prevent war. Russia celebrates the 1945 defeat of Nazi Germany every May 9 to honor the 8 million Red Army soldiers who fought and died for their country. The Soviet Union is estimated to have lost 26 million people in the war, including the 8 million soldiers. The nation’s immense suffering contributes to Victory Day’s status as Russia’s most important secular holiday.
_2 Arming Kurdish fighters: The Trump administration said Tuesday that it will arm Syria’s Kurdish fighters “as necessary” to recapture the key Islamic State stronghold of Raqqa, despite intense opposition from NATO ally Turkey, which sees the Kurds as terrorists. The decision is meant to accelerate the Raqqa operation but undermines the Turkish government’s view that the Syrian Kurdish group known as the YPG is an extension of a Kurdish terrorist organization that operates in Turkey. Washington says Raqqa is a haven for Islamic State operatives to plan attacks on the West.
_3 South Africa riot: Violent protests erupted in South Africa’s biggest city for a second day, with police firing rubber bullets at demonstrators who blocked roads and burned tires. The riot Tuesday in the Ennerdale neighborhood in Johannesburg followed similar unrest a day earlier in the nearby Eldorado Park area. In both cases, protesters have been demanding housing and other government services. South African media say police arrested dozens of people in Eldorado Park after shops were looted. Such street violence over alleged negligence by municipalities is common in some poor areas of South Africa.
_4 U.S. suspends aid: The U.S. Embassy in Kenya says it has suspended approximately $21 million in assistance to Kenya’s Ministry of Health because of concerns about corruption. A statement from the embassy said Tuesday that the step was taken due to reports of corruption and weak accounting procedures at the ministry. Late last year Kenya’s security agencies started an investigation in the ministry over the alleged diversion of more than $50 million. Kenya is ranked 145 out of 176 countries in Transparency International’s index of the world’s most corrupt countries.
_5 Fireworks accident: An errant firecracker landed on a cache of fireworks and touched off a powerful explosion at a home in central Mexico, killing at least 12 people and injuring 30 more, authorities said Tuesday. The Puebla state government reported that five children were among those killed in Monday night’s blast in the town of San Isidro. Fireworks are a mainstay of holiday celebrations in Mexico, and accidental blasts are relatively common occurrences, often with fatal consequences.
_6 Battery recycling: Norway’s second-largest supermarket chain says it has launched reverse vending machines that give customers discount coupons for new batteries when they deposit old ones for recycling. Coop Norway spokesman Harald Kristiansen said Tuesday that the company believes the Swedish-made machines are the world’s first for batteries. Similar machines exist for glass and plastic bottles. Battery recycling is mandatory in Norway. Kristiansen says about 2,000 tons of batteries are used in the country each year, most collected as special waste.