Standoff at Somalia’s Parliament Blocks Move to Oust Opposition Leader

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Standoff at Somalia’s Parliament Blocks Move to Oust Opposition Leader
NAIROBI, Kenya — A police contingent loyal to a top opposition leader in Somalia took over Parliament for several hours on Wednesday, pushing a growing political rift to the brink of armed confrontation.
Parliamentary police officers loyal to Mohamed Osman Jawari, the Parliament speaker, disrupted a no-confidence vote against him early Wednesday. The police lined up to block the speaker’s podium, and lawmakers who support Mr. Jawari accused other legislators of taking money to vote against the speaker, chanting, “Down with bribetakers!”
Supporters of the no-confidence motion said the police had refused to let them inside the building.
In response, state security forces loyal to President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, who is known as Farmajo, deployed outside the Parliament building, raising fear that tensions between the two men could erupt into an armed confrontation.
Mr. Jawari has been at odds with Somalia’s presid..

With Brazil Ex-President’s Fate in Balance, Army Chief Weighs In

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With Brazil Ex-President’s Fate in Balance, Army Chief Weighs In Photo Former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil during a campaign rally in in March. He has a significant lead in polls ahead of a presidential election scheduled for October. Credit Eraldo Peres/Associated Press BOA VISTA, Brazil — On the eve of a fateful court ruling that could determine whether a former president of Brazil continues a comeback bid or goes to prison, the army chief made a rare incursion into politics Tuesday night, saying that the armed forces “repudiated impunity.”
The former president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, is considered the front-runner in Brazil’s presidential election later this year, despite his conviction on corruption charges. The country’s highest court is expected to decide on Wednesday whether a lower court can send him to prison while he appeals the conviction, which would end his campaign.
In two posts on Twitter on Tuesday night, Gen. Eduardo Villas Bôas declared that the a..