This week included three international elections. Were you tracking those votes and other global headlines?
1. Who won Panama’s presidential election on Sunday?
Mulino replaced former President Ricardo Martinelli on the ballot after Martinelli was barred from running over a money-laundering conviction, FP’s Alexandra Sharp reports in World Brief.
2. Israel ordered the local offices of which foreign news network to close on Sunday night?
Attempts to shape public opinion by restricting information flows are a favorite tactic of today’s autocrats, Jan-Werner Müller writes.
3. Which country in Africa’s Sahel region held a presidential election on Monday?
Though advertised as a democratic election, analysts say genuine opponents to military leader Gen. Mahamat Idriss Déby were barred from running, FP’s Nosmot Gbadamosi writes in Africa Brief.
4. On Monday, Russia announced plans to conduct military exercises near its border with Ukraine to prepare for the potential use of what weapon?
Moscow’s call to run nuclear weapons drills appears to be more about deterring Western involvement in Ukraine than making battlefield gains, FP’s Amy Mackinnon writes.
5. On Tuesday, TikTok sued the U.S. government over a bill that would ban the social media platform in the country unless what action is taken?
The lawsuit claims that the First Amendment is being violated by restricting its users’ right to free speech, FP’s James Palmer writes in China Brief.
6. In further election news, which European country held parliamentary and presidential elections on Wednesday?
The right-wing nationalist opposition made significant gains, capitalizing on frustrations with the ruling Social Democrats, Bojan Stojkovski writes.
7. Iran on Thursday said it would only pursue building a nuclear weapon if what occurred?
Fear of nuclear escalation is one reason why the Biden administration has advised Israel and Ukraine to exercise restraint in their wars against Hamas and Russia, respectively. But that strategy could backfire, Jakub Grygiel argues.
8. Trade unions held a nationwide strike in which Latin American country on Thursday?
Argentine President Javier Milei entered office last December promising massive economic reform. Many of his austerity policies have left people struggling financially and, in some cases, hungry, Lautaro Grinspan wrote in March.
9. Which musical artist concluded their latest world tour with a free concert on Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach?
The show attracted an estimated 1.6 million people, the New York Times reports.
10. The North Yorkshire Council in England announced this week that it is banning what from street signs?
The council said including punctuation on street signs could create issues in geographical databases, the BBC reports.
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