The EconomistSeptember 28th 2019 The world this week 92 Big protests in 2011 finally
forced him from office. The
event sparked similar upris-
ings across the Arab world.
Africa’s continental free trade
agreement caused trouble
between Nigeria and Benin
just months after both coun-
tries signed up to it. Nigeria
has partially closed its border
with its small neighbour to
curb the smuggling of rice.An opposition politician in
Rwandawas stabbed to death
in what his party says is the
latest in a series of attacks on
its members.The World Health Organisation
accused health authorities in
Tanzania of withholding
information about suspected
cases of Ebola. The whosaid it
had received unofficial reports
that one person who tested
positive for the virus had died,
but that Tanzanian officials
had insisted that there were no
cases in the country.Best friends foreverNicolás Maduro, Venezuela’s
socialist president, visited
Moscow for talks with
Vladimir Putin. Russiais the
biggest backer of Mr Maduro’s
government, which has crip-
pled the economy. America
called for tougher sanctions on
the Maduro regime and more
help for the people who have
fled the country, expected to
top 5m by the end of the year.In Brazilcharges were laid
against employees of Vale, a
mining company, and staff at a
German safety-inspection firmforthecollapseofa daminthe
stateofMinasGeraisinJanu-
ary,whichkilledatleast 248
people.Policeclaimtheem-
ployeesknewthedamwould
burstbutconcealedthedanger.Migrants get the blame
Violent protests against
perceived government racism
and repression continued in
the Indonesianpart of New
Guinea. Police said that 32
people had been killed across
Papua, as the region is known,
most of them migrants from
other parts of Indonesia. Else-
where in Indonesia, students
protested against the watering
down of anti-corruption laws
and proposed changes that
would outlaw extramarital sex.India’sgovernment said it
would cut corporate tax rates
by ten percentage points in a
bid to boost business confi-
dence and revive the economy.
The country’s main stockmark-
et soared on the news.Kiribati, a thinly populated
archipelago in the Pacific,
became the second country in
a week to switch diplomatic
allegiance from Taiwanto
China. The move leaves Taiwan
with formal diplomatic rela-
tions with just 15 countries.Anti-government protests
continued in several districts
of Hong Kong. Participants
threw petrol bombs and set
fires. Police responded with
tear gas and rubber bullets.
Some of the demonstrators
targeted businesses perceived
as sympathetic to the Chinese
government, covering their
premises with slogans.China’spresident, Xi Jinping,
opened a colossal new airport,
Beijing Daxing International,
about 45km south of the
capital. The project cost 80bn
yuan ($11bn) and took five years
to complete. It has four
runways and is expected to
handle 45m passengers a year
by 2021.