World News at a Glance

Trump to Impose New Sanctions on Russia Over Support for Syria

The Trump administration plans to impose new sanctions against Russia on Monday to punish it for enabling the Syrian government’s use of chemical weapons, the latest in a series of actions by both sides underscoring the deterioration in relations. The sanctions, coming shortly after U.S.-led airstrikes against facilities linked to Syria’s chemical weapons, are meant to signal that the United States holds responsible not just the government of President Bashar Assad but also his patrons in Russia and Iran. The new U.S. sanctions were announced Sunday by Nikki R. Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

Furor Erupts in China as Sina Weibo Bans Gay Content

Tens of thousands of Chinese residents took to social media over the weekend to protest efforts to censor gay-themed content. The uproar was in response to a vow Friday by Sina Weibo, one of China’s most popular social media sites, to delete posts relating to gay culture. Sina Weibo said it was trying to limit the spread of sexually suggestive and violent content, to promote a “clear and harmonious” environment. But many users were incensed, saying it was another sign of discrimination against LGBT people in China, more than two decades after the country decriminalized homosexuality.

Chinese Envoy Is Embraced by a Warmer North Korea

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un offered a personal welcome Saturday to Song Tao, a senior envoy from Beijing, feting him and a visiting Chinese art troupe with a gala dinner, the North’s state-run news media reported Sunday. Kim and Song exchanged “deep thoughts” on international issues of concern to both countries and vowed to improve relations during the meeting Saturday. The report did not say if they discussed the North Korean dictator’s upcoming summits with President Donald Trump and President Moon Jae-in of South Korea to defuse a standoff over the North’s development of nuclear bombs and ballistic missiles.

Acquittal in Irish Rugby Rape Case Deepens Debate on Sexual Consent

The nine-week rape trial of Paddy Jackson, 26, and Stuart Olding, 25, two rising stars of Irish professional rugby, transfixed, and at times horrified, public opinion on both sides of Ireland’s border. Their acquittal was expected to calm emotions and allow divisions to heal. Instead, the furor continues over what some describe as a toxic male culture in elite sport, and acrimonious debates still rage over differing views on sexual consent. On Saturday, the players’ rugby contracts were canceled. Supporters are adamant that since the two men were cleared in the case, they should be allowed to play.

Belgium May Have New Appeal for Millennials: Join the Army and Sleep at Home

Military training is more than just a course in fitness and weapons skills. It plays a crucial psychological role, breaking down recruits' sense of self and molding them, sometimes brutally, into a cohesive unit. It may soon be significantly less brutal in Belgium, where the army is considering plans to let recruits sleep at home on weekdays during training. Government officials say the change is needed to make a graying army more attractive to millennials. A former Dutch paratrooper condemned the plans. "You do not go to a war zone with men who miss their mama,” he told The Guardian.

Attacks in Afghanistan Leave Dozens Dead and 2 Schools Burned

Four attacks across Afghanistan on Saturday night and Sunday killed at least 26 government security officers, while two schools were set ablaze, Afghan officials said the four attacks struck government outposts in northern and eastern Afghanistan; at least three appeared coordinated. Officials said at least 10 were also wounded. There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but government officials blamed Taliban insurgents. In separate assaults, a girls’ high school in Logar province was burned Wednesday and masked attackers struck a school in Momandara, in Nangarhar province, on Saturday night. No one was reported hurt in those two attacks.