Somalia
New president seeks unity
A former prime minister who holds dual Somali-U.S. citizenship was elected Somalia’s president on Wednesday, declaring a new “era of unity” as he took on the daunting task of bringing the long-chaotic country its first fully functioning central government in a quarter-century. Fears of attacks by the Islamic extremist al-Shabab dogged the historic vote, which was limited to lawmakers instead of the population at large, with members of parliament casting ballots at a heavily guarded former air force base in the capital, Mogadishu, while a lockdown closed the international airport.
BRITAIN
Bill allowing Brexit passes
Britain’s House of Commons gave its final approval Wednesday to a bill authorizing the government to start exit talks with the European Union, despite fears by opposition lawmakers that the U.K. is setting out on the rocky path to Brexit with a sketchy roadmap. As the votes were being tallied, a few pro-EU legislators whistled Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy,” the bloc’s anthem. But the decisive 494-122 result was another big step on Britain’s road to the EU exit door. The bill now goes to the House of Lords, which has the power to delay — but not to derail — the legislation; it should become law within weeks.
SYRIA
Airstrikes kill nine civilians
A series of airstrikes on an opposition-held district in Homs, presumably carried out by Russia or Syria, killed at least nine civilians on Wednesday, local activists said. Pro-government forces shelled the al-Waer neighborhood with tank and artillery fire in conjunction with the airstrikes, the Local Coordination Committees, an activist network, reported. Government forces have kept the opposition-held neighborhood under siege since 2013, according to the Washington-based Siege Watch.
BRAZil
Governor wants more troops
A Brazilian governor said Wednesday that he needs more soldiers to help cope with a police crisis that has led to a wave of violence and at least 80 deaths. Cesar Colnago, acting governor of Espirito Santo, told reporters he would ask the federal government for more troops, saying the 1,000 soldiers already sent were not enough. The killings in the state capital of Vitoria and other cities erupted as friends and family of military police officers blocked their barracks over the weekend to demand higher pay for the officers, preventing patrols from cruising the streets.
Compiled from wire reports