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Theresa May, in Munich, Calls for Swift Security Pact and Offers Concession

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, New York Times

Theresa May, in Munich, Calls for Swift Security Pact and Offers Concession

On Saturday, Prime Minister Theresa May urged her European partners to agree to a new security treaty. Addressing a security conference in Munich, Germany, she said Britain had an “unconditional” commitment to European security that would not change after the country’s departure from the bloc. May said she wanted the security pact signed fast, even before negotiators agreed on the Brexit deal. She also offered one big concession. When cooperating with European agencies, Britain would “respect” the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice, she said. Hard-line advocates of Brexit have argued that Britain should no longer be beholden to the European court’s rulings.

Fierce but Frail, Malaysia’s Mahathir, 92, Aims to Topple Protégé

Mahathir Mohamad, who led Malaysia for decades with dagger-sharp rhetoric and increasingly autocratic ways, is 92 and in frail health. But he wants his old job back. To do it, Mahathir is allying himself with opposition figures he once repressed in the name of beating his former protégé, Najib Razak, whom he helped make prime minister in 2009. Even though Najib stands accused of taking $731 million in government funds, he has a formidable grip on power, plentiful campaign funding and the advantage of parliamentary district lines skewed in his favor — in part because of the political system Mahathir helped establish.

In Japan, a Liberal Maverick Is Seeking to Lead a Conservative Party

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, 63, has indicated he has no imminent plans to retire. But a new generation of politicians is positioning itself to succeed him. Foreign Minister Taro Kono, 55, is one of the most intriguing, bringing a maverick streak to Japan’s usually stodgy political world. But he will face big challenges. An American-educated political blue blood and a liberal-leaning nonconformist within the conservative governing party, the Liberal Democrat Party, he is trying to position himself as a contender for the top office while still departing from the party’s right wing on issues like nuclear power and immigration.

Brazil Mounts a Campaign Against Fake News

Worried that Brazilians will soon be flooded with fake news before a critical presidential election, the country is setting out to crack down on organized efforts to intentionally mislead voters. The officials leading the effort argue that the right to free speech cannot come at the expense of an illegitimate outcome, in an election that could dramatically alter the course of Brazil, the world’s fourth-largest democracy. Brazil’s Federal Police recently established a task force of law enforcement and intelligence personnel, which is developing strategies to prevent fake news from being produced and to limit its reach once misleading content starts spreading online.

Death Penalty Handed Down in Pakistani Girl’s Rape and Murder

An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan on Saturday sentenced a man to death for the murder and rape of a 7-year-old girl in a case that caused nationwide outrage and put a spotlight on child sexual abuse in the country. Imran Ali, 24, was also sentenced to life imprisonment on a count of sodomy and a large fine was imposed for desecrating the dead body of the girl, Zainab Amin. During the four-day trial, Ali also confessed to raping nine girls, seven of whom, including Zainab, he killed over the past 18 months, according to the prosecutor general of Punjab province.

Fire Breaks Out at Shrine Held Sacred in Tibet

A fire broke out Saturday at one of the most hallowed sites in Tibet, the Jokhang temple in Lhasa, a day after the start of the traditional Tibetan New Year celebrations, official Chinese news media reported. A brief bulletin issued by The Tibet Daily said the fire had broken out in the evening but was “quickly extinguished,” with no deaths or injuries. Photos online showed flames ravaging part of the ancient Buddhist temple. The Daily report gave no details about the extent of the damage to the rambling complex, which many Tibetan Buddhists see as their most sacred site.

Pope Reactivates Abuse Commission Amid Cloud of Criticism Against the Vatican

After his spirited defense of a Chilean bishop accused of covering up sexual abuse prompted the greatest crisis of his pontificate, Pope Francis reactivated an abuse commission Saturday that had lapsed into dormancy. It was the latest in a series of measures by the Vatican to counter criticism that fighting abuse was not a priority for Francis’ papacy. Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston was reappointed as the leader of the group, called the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. A Vatican statement said the panel would include some victims of clerical sexual abuse.

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