SYRIA
Military recaptures Palmyra
Syria’s military announced on Thursday it has fully recaptured the historic town of Palmyra from the Islamic State group as the militants’ defenses crumbled and IS fighters fled in the face of artillery fire and intense Russia-backed airstrikes. The development marks the third time that the town — famed for its priceless Roman ruins and archaeological treasures IS had sought to destroy — has changed hands in one year. For the Syrian government, the news was a welcome development against the backdrop of peace talks underway with the opposition in Switzerland.
SWEDEN
Women included in draft
Sweden’s left-leaning government instituted a military draft for both men and women Thursday because of what its defense minister called a deteriorating security environment in Europe and around Sweden. Sweden abolished compulsory military service for men in 2010 because there were enough volunteers to meet its military needs. It has never had a military draft for women. The government said “the all-volunteer recruitment hasn’t provided the Armed Forces with enough trained personnel. The re-activating of conscription is needed for military readiness.”
Malaysia
Opposed to nerve agent
Malaysia ramped up the pressure on Pyongyang on Friday, issuing a statement condemning the use of a banned toxic chemical weapon in the killing of the half brother of North Korea’s leader. Malaysia has not directly accused North Korea of being behind the Feb. 13 killing of Kim Jong Nam, but the statement from the Foreign Ministry comes hours after a North Korean envoy rejected a Malaysian autopsy finding that VX nerve agent killed Kim, saying the man probably died of a heart attack because of his health conditions. The statement from Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry said it was “greatly concerned” with the use of the toxic chemical.
BRAZIL
Mayor skips famed Carnival
Rio de Janeiro Mayor Marcelo Crivella, a retired Pentecostal bishop, did the unthinkable over the last week: He snubbed the city’s legendary Carnival. Crivella’s unheard-of decision to stand up organizers at the Rio Carnival’s opening ceremony Friday night, then skip the city’s most important event entirely over the next several days, became one of the most talked about aspects of this year’s bash.
Compiled from wire reports
