Saturday, January 28, 2023

Welcome to a bumper edition of the Weekend Briefing, with news from the week and recent developments in Tennessee, Ukraine and more.

Protesters marched in New York and other U.S. cities following the release of the video. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly

Video shows police officers kicking, beating Tyre Nichols

Friday: Nichols repeatedly cried, "Mom! Mom!" as the five Memphis police officers charged with the Black motorist's murder pummeled him with kicks, punches and baton blows.
Background: Here is a timeline of events in Nichols' beating and death, and a look at Memphis' controversial SCORPION police unit.

Ukraine fighting heats up

The latest: Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the situation at the front remained acute, and that Russian forces were destroying towns and villages around Ukrainian positions. Read our continuing updates.
Earlier this week: Ukraine booted more than a dozen government officials because of scandals and graft allegations, underlining Zelenskiy's need to show allies that he is serious about tackling corruption and misrule. This is important as he lobbies for more weaponry, notably tanks and fighter jets.

Who among us doesn't have a few classified documents at home?

A growing list: First Donald Trump, then Joe Biden, now Mike Pence. In fact, CNN reported that the National Archives asked all former presidents and vice presidents to have a look around the house.
Weekend in New England: The Donald faces "Trump fatigue" in New Hampshire, complicating his 2024 White House bid. Biden meanwhile kept his talking points focused on the debt ceiling.

Why Biden pushes an assault-weapons ban despite the odds

Tenacity: The script is heartfelt and familiar, but Biden keeps at it, hoping to build popular support that will pressure Republicans to change their minds on an assault-weapons ban.
Aftermath: As people mourn the dead in Half Moon Bay and Monterey Park in California, a Secret Service report finds that half the mass attacks in the United States between 2016 and 2020 were sparked by personal, domestic or workplace disputes, and that the attackers were overwhelmingly men.

Power surge crashes Pakistan grid, rupee plummets

Current: Pakistan suffered its second near-complete grid failure in three months, plunging 220 million people into darkness.
Currency: The rupee tanked after the removal of an exchange-rate cap, a key condition the IMF required as part of economic reforms.

Before I forget...
There was a ton of news this week, so I made categories. It's not comprehensive, but I hope you find these stories as interesting as I did.

Africa: Janet Yellen visits Africa, prompting skeptics to ask 'Is the U.S. here to stay?' There is more on our Africa page. A cholera outbreak in Malawi has killed more than 1,000 people.

Asia-Pacific: China says COVID deaths and severe cases fall over 70% since their peak, holiday trips rise; Australia limits alcohol sales in Alice Springs amid a crime wave; India really doesn't want people to watch the BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Europe: A comedian in Russia writes a satirical song about the war. Guess what happens next; Germany's top Nazi hunter races to secure further convictions over the Holocaust.

Middle East: Several people were killed and injured in a synagogue shooting attack on the outskirts of Jerusalem, leading to a security buildup in the occupied West Bank.

North America: The United States has a shortage of native seeds to restore natural habitats damaged by wildfire and other weather events made worse by climate.

Business: U.S. airlines forecast a strong 2023 travel season, credit-card companies say it's peaking; Prosecutors want tougher bail conditions on Sam Bankman-Fried to prevent him from witness tampering or evidence destruction in the FTX case; Intel takes massive bath; the U.S. sues Google; and if the name Adani means nothing to you, read this story and our follow-ups.

Animals: Italy mourns the death of greedy mountain bear Juan Carrito; a Finnish zoo is returning its giant pandas to China; Mexico tries to preserve its axolotl salamanders and tiny porpoises.

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