Subject: Morning Brief, Presented by Russia Direct: Military Assumes Control in Burkina Faso
From: "Foreign Policy" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 31 Oct 2014 09:23:53 -0400 (EDT)

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TOP NEWS

Military Assumes Control in Burkina Faso

Military Assumes Control in Burkina Faso

 <p>  <b>Top News: </b>The <a href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71y4sk.1aqc/VFOK8sPoQHbc4zQrA4151 style="font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414" target="blank">military  has taken control</a> in Burkina Faso, amid reports that President Blaise Compaor&eacute; has now formally resigned.  </p><br><p>  Protests broke out on Thursday in the capital of Ouagadougou after Compaor&eacute;, <a href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71y4sk.1aqc/VFOK8sPoQHbc4zQsA386b style="font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414" target="blank">in  power for 27 years</a>, offered a plan at the national assembly that would have  allowed him to run for a fifth five-year term in 2015. But a vote on that plan  never came, as demonstrators flooded the parliament, set the main chamber  ablaze, and vandalized the headquarters of the national television station,  forcing Compaor&eacute; to declare a state of emergency on Thursday.   </p><br><p>  Soon after, army commander General Honore Traore  dissolved parliament, <a href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71y4sk.1aqc/VFOK8sPoQHbc4zQtA34d7 style="font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414" target="blank">announced  a plan for a transitional government</a>, and called for elections within a  year. Compaor&eacute;  seems willing to compromise. In a statement broadcast on television, he said he  is "available to open talks on a transitional period at the end of which [he]  will hand over power," in addition to scuttling his plans to change the  election laws.   </p><br><p>  But his announcement failed to quell the violence. On Friday, smoke billowed  over government buildings and the homes of officials. At least one person died  in demonstrations on Thursday. Meanwhile, opposition  politician Zephirin Diabre said dozens of protesters had been killed by  government security forces across the country. Reports have surfaced of government forces using  live rounds and tear gas on protestors at parliament. Burkina Faso has also  closed its borders and its international airport.   </p><br><p>  The opposition is against any change by force. Compaor&eacute;'s opponents  gathered in Ouagadougou's Place de la  Nation and at the military headquarters, shouting: "Fulfill your  responsibilities or we will do so ourselves." Diabre also posted to Twitter on Friday that "We totally oppose a coup  d'&eacute;tat."    </p><br><p>  This is <a href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71y4sk.1aqc/VFOK8sPoQHbc4zQuAc218 style="font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414" target="blank">the  sixth uprising</a> against Compaor&eacute; since 1999 and the first since the failed mutiny by  soldiers in 2011. Burkina  Faso is considered a vital ally of the United States in security operations  against Islamist groups in the Sahel region of Africa. Ouagadougou also plays a key role in the security operation of France,  which once ruled Burkina Faso as a colony.  </p><br><p>  <b>Al Aqsa  mosque: </b>Israel will permit <a href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71y4sk.1aqc/VFOK8sPoQHbc4zQvA1211 style="font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414" target="blank">Muslims  over the age of 50</a> to pray at the Al Aqsa mosque, following an earlier move  to shut access to the holy site in an effort to quell violence in East  Jerusalem.  </p><br> 

<strong>** Sponsored Message</strong>: Russia Direct is pleased to launch its third Student Essay Competition for young experts in foreign affairs. We would like to hear your ideas for people-to-people exchange programs that feature the U.S. and Russia. The winner will become a guest contributor to Russia Direct for a period of three months. <a style='font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414' href='http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71y4sk.1aqc/VE_tVcPogYz5EfhxA461c>Read how to enter here.</a>  
  Africa  

<ul><p> &bull;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the head of the   53-nation African Union, acknowledged at a meeting with the U.N.   secretary-general and World Bank president in Ethiopia on Friday that African   nations have <a href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71y4sk.1aqc/VFOK8sPoQHbc4zQwAa7ad style="font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414" target="blank">relied   too heavily on the international community</a> to help contain Ebola. </p><br>   <p> &bull;&nbsp;&nbsp;A ship from   Britain carrying food, medical equipment, and trucks to help contain the Ebola   outbreak <a href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71y4sk.1aqc/VFOK8sPoQHbc4zQxAbc71 style="font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414" target="blank">arrived in Sierra Leone</a>   on Thursday.</p><br>   <p> &bull;&nbsp;&nbsp;As the   outbreak continues, Liberian Presidnet Ellen John <a href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71y4sk.1aqc/VFOK8sPoQHbc4zQyAa429 style="font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414" target="blank">Sirleaf   continues to face mounting pressures</a> as cabinet ministers and foreign   investors alike flee.</p><br>  </ul>     
  Americas  

<ul><p> &bull;&nbsp;&nbsp;Brazil is   facing a <a href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71y4sk.1aqc/VFOK8sPoQHbc4zQzAd97d style="font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414" target="blank">larger-than-expected   budget deficit</a> in the wake of the closest presidential election in the   history of its democracy. </p><br>   <p> &bull;&nbsp;&nbsp;In the wake   of the Antares rocket explosion on Tuesday, NASA engineers announced on   Thursday that they will include <a href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71y4sk.1aqc/VFOK8sPoQHbc4zQ0A9376 style="font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414" target="blank">escape   systems</a> in the next generation of U.S. space crafts. </p><br>   <p> &bull;&nbsp;&nbsp;Apple CEO   Tim Cook publicly <a href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71y4sk.1aqc/VFIxUsPogYz5FPzGA45f0 style="font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414" target="blank">confirmed   that he is gay</a> in an essay in Businessweek.</p><br>  </ul>     
  Asia  

<ul><p> &bull;&nbsp;&nbsp;Australian   Foreign Minister Julie Bishop <a href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71y4sk.1aqc/VFOK8sPoQHbc4zQ1Ae221 style="font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414" target="blank">brought   an end to sanctions</a> against Fiji on Friday, in a bid to normalize bilateral   relations that have been strained since the small island nation's military coup   in 2006. </p><br>   <p> &bull;&nbsp;&nbsp;Two   children of a Malaysian passenger on Malaysian Airlines flight 370, which   disappeared en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing in March, <a href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71y4sk.1aqc/VFOK8sPoQHbc4zQ2A74d1 style="font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414" target="blank">have filed a lawsuit</a> for   negligence against the airline and the government. </p><br>   <p> &bull;&nbsp;&nbsp;Reuters   reports that some <a href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71y4sk.1aqc/VFOK8sPoQHbc4zQ3A52ef style="font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414" target="blank">$30   billion of long-delayed government funds</a> for reconstruction following the   tsunami in Japan three and a half years ago has yet to be delivered to affected   citizens and municipalities.</p><br>  </ul>     
  Europe  

<ul><p> &bull;&nbsp;&nbsp;Moscow   announced on Friday that it may <a href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71y4sk.1aqc/VFOK8sPoQHbc4zQ4Abd53 style="font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414" target="blank">resume   gas flows to Ukraine</a> next week if Kiev agrees to pay some $2.2 billion in   debts and pre-payments in November. </p><br>   <p> &bull;&nbsp;&nbsp;Hungarian   Prime Minister Viktor Orban <a href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71y4sk.1aqc/VFOK8sPoQHbc4zQ5Aa69f style="font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414" target="blank">reversed   plans</a> on Friday to institute an Internet data tax after thousands of   protestors took to the streets in opposition. </p><br>   <p> &bull;&nbsp;&nbsp;Britain will   finally <a href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71y4sk.1aqc/VFOK8sPoQHbc4zQ6A14ec style="font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414" target="blank">retire some &pound;218m of World War   I</a> debt   by refinancing bonds issued in 1917, meaning it will decrease the size of the   debt by re-borrowing the money at present-day interest rates.</p><br>  </ul>     
  Middle East  

<ul><p> &bull;&nbsp;&nbsp;Iran's top human rights envoy <a href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71y4sk.1aqc/VFOK8sPoQHbc4zQ7Aede7 style="font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414" target="blank">defended   his country from criticism</a> from the West in Geneva on Friday, following his country's execution of a woman who murdered a   man that tried to rape her. </p><br>   <p> &bull;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ten Kurdish   peshmerga military planners from Iraq arrived in Kobani on Thursday, making   them the <a href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71y4sk.1aqc/VFOK8sPoQHbc4zQ8Abc68 style="font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414" target="blank">first   western-backed foreign fighters</a> to enter the ground war in Syria.</p><br>   <p> &bull;&nbsp;&nbsp;The family of Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian, held without explanation or   charges by Iran since July, called on Tehran on Thursday to <a href="http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71y4sk.1aqc/VFOK8sPoQHbc4zQ9A6310 style="font-weight:bold;color:#ea1414" target="blank">release   him</a> via a statement posted online. </p><br>  </ul>     
- By Siddhartha Mahanta 

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