Global Courant
Putin addressed the uprising
President Vladimir Putin addressed the uprising of the Wagner mercenary group led by Yevgeny Prigozhin in a short televised address yesterday. In his first public comments since Saturday, Putin attempted to project unity and stability as questions swirled around the strength of his grip on power.
Putin appeared visibly angry as he denounced the uprising as “blackmail” and claimed that “the whole Russian society united and everyone gathered”. He did not mention Prigozhin by name.
“They wanted Russians to fight each other,” he said. “They rubbed their hands, dreaming of revenge for their failures at the front and during the so-called counter-offensive.”
Earlier in the day, Prigozhin also spoke publicly for the first time since Saturday. He said he was not out to oust Putin and denied any intention to seize power. He said he was only protesting the new law which he said would have effectively halted Wagner’s operations in Ukraine.
A crackdown on the Pakistani military
The Pakistani military has sacked three senior army commanders and disciplined 15 top officers for their conduct during recent protests in support of Imran Khan, the former prime minister. Analysts said it was the strongest action the military has taken against its military in decades.
The crackdown sent a message that support for Khan in the ranks would not be tolerated. The sentences also underlined that the military would use an increasingly stronger hand to crush support for Khan, who was ousted from power last year but made a comeback in the following months.
Details: Violent demonstrations erupted last month after Khan was briefly arrested on corruption charges, charges he denied. A military spokesman said those members of the military who had been punished had failed to secure military installations against protester attacks.
Arrests: At least 5,000 Khan supporters have been arrested since the protests. A military spokesman said at least 102 will be tried in military courts, drawing widespread criticism from human rights groups.
Relations between the US and China are complicating lending
Middle and low-income countries are grappling with unsustainable debt after years of low interest rates that encouraged borrowing. The rivalry between China and the US is now hampering their ability to get help in time.
For decades, the IMF has regularly made austerity a precondition for financial aid. But in recent years, China has become a major lender to developing countries around the world, and its loans come with fewer demands.
Now the IMF and the US, the most influential participant, have been hesitant to provide any relief to countries under debt stress until Chinese financial institutions participate. Otherwise, they say, Chinese lenders will piggyback on debt forgiveness by others. But as Beijing becomes increasingly assertive, it has refused to bow to the West.
As a result, countries like Ghana, Ethiopia and Pakistan – each with escalating debts, much of it owed to Chinese government borrowers – are caught in the crossfire.
Case in point: Suriname was offered low-interest loans from the IMF, but the agency was adamant that Chinese creditors restructure $545 million in debt — loans that Suriname had used to build roads and homes. The deadlock delayed aid as inflation soared and children went hungry.
THE LAST NEWS
Around the world
In the Philippines, an annual rodeo in the island province of Masbate is both a competition and a celebration of the country’s unique cowboy culture, with roots in the Spanish and American colonial eras.
“Where there’s cattle, there’s rodeo,” said a rancher who runs the festival’s rodeo events. “It’s not necessarily American.”
In Barbie’s dream house
In 1962, American women were denied mortgage applications because of their gender or marital status. But that year Barbie bought her first house. It had a record player and a television, but no kitchen. She was there to have fun, not to be a housewife.
In the years since, Barbie’s Dreamhouse has been a mirror for social, political and economic change in the US. It responded to the sexual revolution, to the environmental movement, and even to remote working pandemic.
During that time, Barbie’s home has provided little girls with a subliminal, perhaps even subversive, blueprint for economic liberation. In particular, the Dreamhouse was all hers – Ken was not on the deed.
This shish kebab is marinated in spiced yogurt.
What to read
The novel “Banyan Moon” follows a family from 1960s Vietnam to present-day Florida.
What to listen to
Here are nine new songs from our playlist.
Now time to play
Play the Mini Crossword and a clue: Bit of fire (five letters).
Here are the Wordle and the Spelling Bee. You can find all our puzzles here.
