News Watch

More than 100 vehicles were set on fire and many more were damaged in Sweden on the night of Aug. 13 in what police are calling a coordinated act of vandalism.

The activity was centered in the southwestern city of Göteborg (Gothenburg), but some vehicles were also damaged in surrounding communities as well as in Stockholm on the east coast. Witnesses reported that the perpetrators all were young men dressed completely in black. Police believe that the groups used social media to plan...

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An earthquake measuring 6.1 in magnitude occurred in northwestern Iran on Aug. 25, killing two people and injuring more than 300 others. Shaking was felt as far away as Baghdad, Iraq. More than 30 aftershocks, some measuring as high as 3.0 in magnitude, were felt in the days following the quake.

An earthquake measuring 7.3 struck off the east coast of Venezuela on Aug. 22, causing minor damage to coastal cities and knocking out power to some parts of the nearby island of Trinidad. No deaths were reported. Emergency services, including medical care, are limited in Venezuela.

The US Department of State posts up-to-date travel advisories on every country and many territories, ranking each 1 (Exercise normal precautions), 2 (Exercise increased caution), 3 (Reconsider travel) or 4 (Do not travel). Note: A country’s regions are also ranked, and may have different rankings than the country as a whole. Visit travel.state.gov and click on “Travel Advisories” at the top of the page.

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Violent antigovernment protests in Nicaragua, ongoing since April 18, had killed up to 300 people as of press time.

The city of Masaya, south of the capital, has seen the heaviest fighting, between antigovernment groups entrenched in the city and armed forces assisted by pro-government militias.

Protests began when Nicaragua's president suggested introducing pension reforms that would have reduced incomes in the nation. He later backtracked on the reforms, but, by then,...

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Rallies held for local politicians in Pakistan were repeatedly targeted by suicide bombers in July.

On July 10, a bomber killed 22 people at a campaign meeting in the city of Peshawar. The Islamist group the Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.

On July 13, in what was Pakistan's second-deadliest suicide bombing ever, a bomber targeted an election campaign rally in the town of Mastung in southwestern Pakistan, killing 149 people, including the politician for whom...

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On July 20, Zimbabwe held its first elections since former president Robert Mugabe was deposed on Nov. 21, 2017.

On Aug. 1, protesters took to the streets of the capital, Harare, after results showed that the ruling party, led by the former Mugabe confidant and appointed president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, had won a majority of seats in the Parliament. Protesters clashed with police and armed forces, who opened fire on the crowds. One person was confirmed killed and another was injured....

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At least three people were killed as thousands of Haitians took to the streets on July 6 to protest a 40% increase in the prices of cooking fuel and gas, setting up roadblocks and burning cars and tires. Even after the prime minister announced, the next day, that the proposed increase would not go into effect, protests continued into July 8.

In response to the protests, Prime Minister Jack Guy Lafontant resigned from his position on July 17.