World News at a Glance

Scandal Around Billionaire Prime Minister Leaves Czechs in Limbo

Andrej Babis, prime minister of the Czech Republic and its second-richest person, has long been compared to President Donald Trump for his populist politics, bombastic style and exuberant wealth. He has also been besieged by opponents he accuses of being part of an organized cabal out to bring him down. On Friday, those tensions hit another high point when lawmakers held a vote of no confidence seeking to end Babis’ government, the second time they have done so since he came to power more than a year ago. Though Babis survived the challenge, the conflict has paralyzed the politics of this small country.

Chinese Presence in Pakistan Is Targeted in Strike on Consulate in Karachi

In the most significant strike against Chinese interests in Pakistan in years, three militants assaulted the Chinese Consulate in the southern port city of Karachi on Friday morning, killing two police officers and two civilians at a checkpoint before being gunned down by security forces. The attack was a rare moment of upheaval for a tightening economic and strategic partnership between Pakistan and China. A Twitter account associated with the Baluchistan Liberation Army said that three of its members had “embraced martyrdom” in an attack. And a spokesman for the group was quoted by Reuters as accusing China of “exploiting our resources.”

The Woman Putting Australia Into Space

Australia is late to the space party. The leader of its new space agency, Megan Clark, said so herself. So, last year, Clark led an expert review board to determine Australia’s space capabilities, and what they found surprised them. The size of the existing industry was much larger than previous estimates. And never before had Clark seen stakeholders so united in a cause. The Australian Space Agency got its start a few months later — with Clark named as its first chief executive. She now oversees a plan to triple the value of the Australian space industry to between $7 billion and $9 billion a year by 2030.

Bombing Inside Afghan Army Base Leaves Dozens Dead or Wounded

A bombing deep inside an army base in Afghanistan during Friday prayers at a mosque killed at least 27 soldiers and wounded dozens. The attack was inside the headquarters of the Afghan army’s 1st Brigade, 203rd Corps, in the southeastern province of Khost, said Capt. Abdullah Sargand. A senior official said at least 27 soldiers had been killed and an officer inside the base said more than 20 died. But other officials gave varying accounts of the casualty toll. Gul Mohammad-din Mohammadi, the deputy head of Khost’s public health department, said 79 wounded soldiers had been taken to hospitals. There was no claim of responsibility for the attack.

May Takes Her Case for Brexit to the People

With British lawmakers having given her Brexit plan a scathing review, Prime Minister Theresa May on Friday began a last-ditch appeal to a constituency she hoped might save it: voters so fed up with negotiations that they would back whatever is on the table. Not that May wants to give them an actual vote on the matter, a prospect that could kill her plans to extract Britain from the European Union altogether. But the prime minister is trying to apply pressure to reluctant lawmakers by building public approval for the deal.

Toronto All-Boys School Rocked by Reports of Hazing Assaults

St. Michael’s College School had long been known in Toronto as a beacon of tradition, Catholic faith and elite hockey — until last week. One hazing video emerged online. Then another — this one capturing a young student being pinned down by schoolmates in a locker room and sexually assaulted with a broom handle. The Toronto police arrested six students, ages 14 and 15, this week and charged them with offenses related to sexual assault. Since the arrests, the police have received two more videos, bringing the total count of episodes to six. And they expect more.

Houthi Rebels Ready to Negotiate Control of Key Yemen Port, U.N. Envoy Says

The Houthi rebels who control the key Yemeni port of Hodeida have agreed to enter talks about handing some control to the United Nations, its envoy to Yemen said Friday. The initiative added to momentum for peace talks expected to start in the coming weeks, when the Saudi-led coalition and its Houthi foes are to meet in Sweden as a humanitarian crisis threatens to tip millions of Yemenis into starvation. The U.N. sees a deal on Hodeida as an important first step toward ending the war. But any arrangement to turn the port over to international supervision would need approval from the United Arab Emirates.