Jair Bolsonaro Charged with Trying to Overthrow Brazilian Government and Assassinate Opponents
Jair Bolsonaro, the former president of Brazil, was charged by the Attorney General of Brazil with trying to overthrow the Brazilian government and assassinate political opponents. The charges came two years after his supporters stormed the seats of Government in Brasília in an attempt to overthrow all three pillars of the government in the wake of his election loss to current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, known as Lula. The charges brought against Bolsonaro include allegations of a plan to poison his rival and successor, Lula. The trial will likely be held before the Supreme Court of Brazil and comes two years after Bolsonaro was barred from running for office by the Supreme Court.
Trump Blames Ukraine for War with Russia; Calls Zelenskyy a Dictator
U.S. President Donald Trump called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a dictator who is governing without elections, which have not been held due to the ongoing Russia–Ukraine war. His comments came after American officials met with Russia on Tuesday to begin opening talks to wind down the war. He further accused Ukraine of being the party that started the conflict. Zelenskyy replied that Trump was existing in a “web of disinformation.” The heated exchanges between the two leaders come in the backdrop of the new administration pushing to find an end to the Russia–Ukraine war.
Conservative Party Leads Polls Ahead of German Election
German voters will head to polling stations on Sunday to elect a new parliament and government for the next four years. The major candidates in the election are the current chancellor Olaf Scholz of the center-left Social Democrats, Friedrich Merz of the center-right Christian Democratic Union Party, Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck of the Green Party, and Alice Weidel of the far-right Alternative for Germany or AfD. Current polling puts CDU in the lead with 30 percent, with the AfD coming in second with 20 percent. All of the mainstream parties have declared that they will not work with the AfD to form a new government. The AfD has been backed by U.S. Vice President JD Vance and billionaire Elon Musk. They have received the increased support of young people who dislike immigration to Germany and have promised to take a tougher stance on the issue; they have called for the mass deportation of migrants to their home countries.
Pope Francis Hospitalized with Pneumonia
The Vatican announced on Tuesday that Pope Francis had been diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia, which means that he has pneumonia in both his lungs. The disease affects the small airways in the lungs. The diagnosis, combined with his advanced age of 88, has raised concerns for his life, as pneumonia can be deadly for the elderly. The Vatican said that his condition was fair and stable and that he was able to eat breakfast, read newspapers, and work a bit from the hospital. When he was a young man, the Pope Francis had part of his lung removed due to an infection. The Vatican has canceled several events due to his condition. The hospitalization has set off a storm of rumors that the pope has died, though none are substantiated.
Experts Warn that Cutting USAID Risks Mpox Emergency
Experts have warned that the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle US Agency for International Development will risk a larger outbreak of mpox. USAID currently funds many global health initiatives that would risk a global emergency due to the disease. Last August, the World Health Organization — which the US is withdrawing from — declared mpox a global health emergency of international concern. USAID and the Center for Disease Control contributed $55 million to the global efforts to combat the disease last year; part of the money hadn’t yet been distributed and has been frozen due to the ongoing block of humanitarian aid by the administration. The emergency declaration was made due to an increase in cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which then spread to other countries.
