Your Tuesday Briefing: China Walks Back Ambassador’s Comments
Also, Beijing is trying to control chatbots and Thailand prepares for tense elections.
Politics and Government
China’s Ambassador Lu Shaye Comments on Ex-Soviet States Drawing Ire
Remarks by China’s ambassador to France questioning the sovereignty of ex-Soviet states threatened to upset China’s efforts to balance courting Europe with supporting Russia.
Thaksin Shinawatra’s Daughter Enters Thailand Election
An ousted populist’s daughter seeks office, fueling concerns that the return of a divisive political dynasty may revive instability, too.
Elisabeth Kopp, Swiss Politician Who Made History, Dies at 86
In 1984 she became the first woman elected to the country’s governing council, but a scandal prevented her from being the first woman to serve as president.
Canada Lands Volkswagen Battery Plant With Billions in Subsidies
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the assistance was needed to offset incentives offered by the United States.
Books You Can Read to Understand What’s Going on in Sudan
For a deeper understanding of what’s going on, here’s what to read.
Dominic Raab, U.K. Deputy Prime Minister, Resigns Amid Bullying Scandal
The hard-line Brexiteer, one of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s most loyal political allies, was found by an independent inquiry to have mistreated subordinates.
U.S. Defense Secretary Urges Swift NATO Membership for Sweden
Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III, visiting Sweden, said he hoped that objections to adding the country to the alliance would be ironed out by midsummer, when member states meet in Lithuania.
How to Understand the Fighting in Sudan
Looking at the history of coups — both the successes and the failures — can help put it the week’s chaotic events into clearer perspective.