The EconomistSeptember 14th 2019 The world this week 92 Crusade” was unsuitable for
children. The president of
Brazil’s supreme court ruled
the book-grabbing unlawful.
Migrants not welcome
Violent protests in South
Africaagainst immigrants
from other African countries
entered their second week.
About 12 people have been
killed in the riots. Other Afri-
can nations have responded
with outrage. A Nigerian air-
line began evacuating terrified
Nigerians who want to leave
South Africa.Robert Mugabe, who ruled
Zimbabwe for almost four
decades after its independence
until he was overthrown in a
coup in 2017, died aged 95.
Much-praised by leftists when
he took over, he swiftly started
locking up and murdering his
opponents. His policies caused
economic collapse, hyperinfla-
tion and a mass exodus of
hungry Zimbabweans.Almost 300,000 people have
fled their homes in Burkina
Fasobecause of attacks by
jihadist groups. The country,
which was moving towards
democracy, has been destabil-
ised by jihadist insurgencies in
neighbouring Mali and Niger.Israel’sprime minister, Binya-
min Netanyahu, promised to
annex the Jordan Valley and
northern Dead Sea (about a
third of the occupied West
Bank) if he wins a general
election on September 17th.
Sceptics called it a political
stunt to woo hawkish voters.An Iranian tankerseized by
British marines in July deliv-
ered its cargo of oil to Syria.
The ship was released after Iran
promised that it was not bound
for Syria. Britain said the move
represented an “unacceptable
violation of international
norms” and summoned Iran’s
ambassador in London. It was
also revealed that Iran had
detained three westerners.The autumn of our discontent
In Britainopposition mps
demanded to return to work
after Scotland’s highest court
ruled that Parliament’s proro-
gation by the British govern-
ment was unlawful. The uk
Supreme Court will decide the
matter. Before Parliament’s
suspension mps again voted
down the Brexit plans of Boris
Johnson, the prime minister,
handing him six defeats. John
Bercow said he would resign as
Speaker. Though a hero to
Remainers, he has been
criticised by Leavers for help-
ing mps thwart the govern-
ment’s Brexit plans.Ursula von der Leyen, the next
president of the European
Commission, unveiled her
proposed team of commission-
ers. Three new “executive
vice-presidents” will help her.
Margrethe Vestager is the most
interesting of these, with the
key job of making Europe “fit
for the digital age” on top of herpowerful existing role over-
seeing competition policy.Russiaand Ukraineswapped
prisoners who had been held
over the conflict in east
Ukraine. Dozens were freed in
what is seen as a modest step
towards easing tensions.Vladimir Putin’s ruling United
Russia party suffered a sting-
ing rebuke at the hands of
voters in Moscow, losing 15 of
the 40 seats on the city council
it had controlled. This was
despite the fact that many
opposition candidates had
been barred from contending. 1