World News: 24 June 2023

Russian Roulette! Putin under pressure as ally turns rebel
Yevgeny Prigozhin calls it his "March of Justice". Vladimir Putin says it is a "criminal escapade" and an "armed mutiny". One senior Russian commander has called it "a coup". Whatever you call it, the Wagner chief has gone for broke to try to topple Russia's military leadership.

Read more...


Beijing swelters in extreme heat for third straight day
Beijing and parts of northern China are experiencing record temperatures. For the first time Beijing recorded temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) for a third consecutive day.

Read more...


Sri Lanka set to start tea-for-oil barter with Iran
In December 2021, the head of Iran’s Trade Promotion Organization, Alireza Peyman-Pak, signed an agreement with Sri Lankan Minister of Plantation, Ramesh Pathirana, according to which Colombo would barter tea in monthly instalments of $5 million to settle a $251 million debt to Iran because it cannot transfer money to Iran due to the US sanctions on Iranian banking.

Read more...



Chile to share migrants' criminal records with US after burglaries
U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy last week threatened to block funding for the program as some lawmakers accused Chileans who arrived on the program of exploiting the waiver to commit burglaries in California.

Read more...


Zambia in $6 billion debt deal after China breakthrough
In 2020, Zambia became the first African nation to default on its debt payments during the Covid pandemic. It was burdened by loans and high interest rates that severely restricted the government's ability to invest in critical social programmes and infrastructure development, both crucial for economic growth.

Read more...


Australia to spend $234 million on empty refugee hub
Australia will continue funding its controversial offshore detention processing centre on the Pacific island of Nauru even as the facility’s remaining refugees leave, in an effort to dissuade people-smugglers from sending boats to the country.

Read more...



Comments