Friday News Roundup - International

A Chinese woman was arrested at Mar-a-Lago in Florida this week for carrying a “malware-laced” device into President Donald Trump’s frequent vacation spot.

The arrest caused further scrutiny into security efforts at what some call “the Winter White House.” In 2017, Mar-a-Lago visitors were able to snap pictures of “Mr. Trump and the Japanese prime minister discussing a North Korean missile launch,” according to The New York Times.

About six months after the death of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, The Washington Post reported that the kingdom of Saudi Arabia has given his children houses and monthly payments.

More from The Post:

The previously undisclosed payments are part of an effort by Saudi Arabia to reach a long-term arrangement with Khashoggi family members, aimed in part at ensuring that they continue to show restraint in their public statements about the killing of their father by Saudi operatives in Istanbul six months ago, the officials said.

The Post also reported that his children have the potential to receive larger payouts once the trial is completed.

Algerian president Abdelaziz Bouteflika resigned this week after months of protests by Algerian civilians and activists. The 82-year-old was rarely seen in public, though in February announced that he planned to run for a fifth term as president. After his resignation, opposition leaders are now demanding for Bouteflika’s inner circle to leave government as well.

A new report absolved Ethiopian Air pilots of responsibility in a recent deadly crash involving the Boeing 737 Max planes. The report says the pilots followed protocol and its release follows several weeks of concern about how these planes are regulated and tested for safety.

Of course, we also will check in on the ongoing fracas over Brexit. This digital producer’s mother asked her yesterday what was going on. It’s hard to parse whether the U.K. will leave the European Union without a deal or not.

This week, Prime Minister Theresa May worked with opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn to try to work out a deal that will pass in Parliament.

Will May be able to get an additional extension? Or will the Parliament agree on a deal?

And President Trump continues to threaten to close the U.S.-Mexico border. The economic cost would be steep.

He backed away from the threat, telling reporters on Thursday that he plans to give Mexico one year before taking action. He said “if the drugs don't stop or largely stop, we're going to put tariffs on Mexico and products, particularly cars. . . . And if that doesn't stop the drugs, we close the border,” according to The Washington Post.

If it happens though, hipsters, better stock up on your favorite items.

AVOCADO CRISIS: Mexico border shutdown may cause U.S. to RUN OUT of avocados in 3 WEEKS https://t.co/hnGnLaB06O

Text by Gabrielle Healy

GUESTS

Ron Nixon, International investigations editor, Associated Press; author of “Selling Apartheid: South Africa’s Global Propaganda War”; @nixonron

Emily Tamkin, Freelance foreign affairs reporter; @emilyctamkin

Simon Marks, President and chief correspondent, Feature Story News, serving audiences in the U.K., South Africa, New Zealand, Asia and elsewhere; @SimonMarksFSN

For more, visit https://the1a.org.

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