Massive rains in India have led to the deaths of at least 26, as landslides and floods have wreaked havoc on roads and buildings in the northern state of Uttarakhand. According to officials, the monsoon rains have arrived more than a month earlier than normal and are significantly more ferocious; Dehradun received a record-breaking 22 centimeters of rain yesterday. It has been raining non-stop since Saturday morning. Earlier today, Piyush Rautela, the director of Uttarakhand state’s disaster management center, said “more than 50 persons are missing, due to flooding, landslides and building collapses caused by heavy rain.” Helicopters were scrambled to evacuate more than 10,000 religious pilgrims that had been stranded along a mountain pass, after landslides has destroyed roads leading to the remote Hindu religious site. While the rains have proven fatal to some, to others they will be a much needed respite to a drought that has plagued India’s agricultural regions. The southern state of Maharashtra, India’s biggest sugar-producer, saw little rain at all last year. The resulting desiccation has made for the worst drought in almost 50 years.

Violent Weekend in Iraq

An acute spate of co-ordinated attacks claimed 51 lives across Iraq yesterday. Eleven perished in the deadliest attack, as a bomber blew himself up last night inside a cafe in southeastern Baghdad in the Shiite neighborhood of al-Ameen. Nearly 2,000 people have died since April, with 180 of them dying this month alone; violence of this intensity has not been seen since the height of the U.S. war in Iraq. Saif Hameed, a witness to yesterday’s cafe bombing said, “It seems the terrorists are targeting any place they can, no matter what it is.” While no one has claimed responsibility for these attacks, the strikes come only a day after Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of al-Qaeda’s Iraqi arm, known as the Islamic State of Iraq, rejected an order from the al-Qaeda core leadership, to cease its attempt to control Jabhat al-Nusra in Syria. Shop-owner Hameed is unimpressed with the ISI’s tactics. “The main things for them are to kill as many Iraqis as they can and keep the people living in fear.”

Turkish Armed Forces Invoked to Quell Protests

Turkey’s deputy prime minister, Bülent Arınç, said today that the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) would be called into action if the police failed to quell protests that have rocked the country over the past two weeks. As nearly 800,000 members of labor federations have gone on strike, Arınç took to television, saying, “What is required of us is to stop if there is a protest against the law. Here is the police, if not enough gendarme, if not TSK.” Last night, despite pledges to clear the area, police fired tear gas at protestors throughout Taksim Square and Gezi Park. In fact, parts of Istanbul that had been largely removed from the violent protests, like the Galata bridge and the upmarket Nisantasi neighborhood, also saw anti-government demonstrations. This weekend, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held rallies in Ankara and Istanbul, attracting many hundreds of thousands of supporters. To the cheers of many, Erdoğan dismissed the demonstrations as “nothing more than the minority’s attempt to dominate the majority … We could not have allowed this and we will not allow it.”

U.S. Supreme Court Strikes Down Arizona Voting Law

The U.S. Supreme Court rejected an Arizona law that required proof of citizenship before people could register to vote. In a 7-2 vote, the court, the SCOTUS ruled the voter registration provision of the 2004 state law was trumped by a federal law, the 1993 National Voter Registration Act which requires states to “accept and use” a federal registration form. Conservative Justice Antonin Scalia, who sided with the majority, suggested that there were limitations on today’s ruling. The Justice suggested Arizona could still ask the U.S. Election Assistance Commission to include a citizenship provision on the federal form in the future. The commission has already given Louisiana permission to require additional materials as proof of identification if an applicant does not have a driver’s license, identification card, or Social Security number. Scalia suggested, “That alternative means of enforcing its constitutional power to determine voting qualifications remains open to Arizona here.”

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Dashing hopes that it would boost India’s agricultural sector and slowing economy, the monsoon dumped a record 220 millimeters (8.7 inches) of rain over a 24 hour period, washing away roads and cars and causing flooding, landslides and building collapses. Army and paramilitary troops were leading efforts to rescue people from their rooftops as officials prepared to evacuate those living in the worst-hit districts. 10,000 pilgrims were being helicoptered off a mountain pass after bridges collapsed under landslides, leaving them trapped. At least 26 people are dead and 50 are missing, with casualties expected to rise; it is supposed to keep raining for at least another three days.

Moderate Wins Iranian Presidential Election

President-elect Hassan Rouhani, whose victory prompted nationwide celebrations, promised that his administration would bring moderation back to the forefront of Iranian politics. Among his administration’s top priorities, he listed Iran’s economy, lifting the sanctions against Iran and enhancing “mutual trust” between Iran and the international community. Although he ruled out any halt to Iran’s nuclear program, he promised to increase the program’s transparency and expressed hope that Iran can reach a new agreement with the West through negotiation. Meanwhile, Iran’s outgoing president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, will be summoned to criminal court shortly after he leaves office over unspecified charges lodged by parliament and the parliamentary speaker, Ali Larijani.

Supreme Court Blocks Arizona’s Proof of Citizenship Law

In Monday’s 7-2 majority opinion, Justice Antonin Scalia wrote that the state law was preempted by the federal law that requires states to “accept and use” a federal registration form. The federal form asks “are you a citizen of the United States?” and the prospective voter must  swear under penalty of perjury that they are a citizen.  Under Arizona’s law, the federal form alone was not enough to vote – proof of citizenship was also required in the form of a birth certificate, driver’s license, passport or naturalization papers. Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito wrote separate dissenting opinions. This ruling will affect Georgia, Alabama and Kansas – which have similar laws – and prevent any other states from following suit.

Turkey Prepared to Use Armed Forces against Protesters

In a dramatic rhetorical escalation, the government has said it is willing to use the army to quash the protests. This comes on the heels of increasingly violent clashes over the weekend that caused five major unions to call for a one-day strike on Monday in solidarity with the protesters. The protesters included engineers, lawyers, doctors and journalists, many of whom have been targeted by the police over the course of the riots. After being chased from Taksim Square by riot police, the union workers and protesters spread into residential neighborhoods throughout Istanbul and Turkey’s capital, Ankara. Although the protesters grow in popularity, they have yet to seriously threaten Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s domestic position. Countries in the European Union, which Turkey is trying to join, have been overwhelmingly critical, with Chancellor Angela Merkel saying she was “appalled, like many others.”

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Iranian President-elect Hassan Rouhani used his first news conference to thank Iranians voters for “choosing moderation” and electing a candidate that sought “constructive interaction with the world”. On Iran’s controversial nuclear programme, Rouhani said it was “completely transparent” and that his government would be “ready to show greater transparency and make clear for the whole world that the steps of the Islamic Republic of Iran are completely within international frameworks”. He added that the sanctions imposed on Iran by the UN in an attempt to make the country cease its uranium enrichment work were “unfair, the Iranian people are suffering and our activities are legal. These sanctions are illegal and only benefit Israel”. Reacting to his election, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the international community should not “delude” itself. “The international community must not become caught up in wishes and be tempted to relax the pressure on Iran to stop its nuclear program”, he told his cabinet.

Turkey and Russia Demand Explanations on British G20 Spying

Turkey and Russia have demanded explanations from the British government after the Guardian published documents showing that British agencies had spied on politicians and senior officials during the G20 summit in London in 2009. The Turkish government summoned the British ambassador in Ankara to explain why the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), an UK intelligence agency, had intercepted the phonecalls and monitored the computer of Turkish Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşe and his delegation, adding that spying on another NATO ally was “scandalous”. Meanwhile, Russian officials said that the spying on top secret communications of then president Dmitry Medvedev by the revelations that both the US National Security Agency (NSA) and the GCHQ at the same summit would harm Russian relations with the West. “This isn’t just an act of inhospitality, but a fact that can seriously complicate international relations”, said Russian senator Igor Morozov. Medvedev’s spokeswoman, Natalya Timakova, declined to comment on the revelations.

Unions Join Turkish Protests, Government Threatens to Send In Army

Two major Turkish trade unions, the Confederation of Public Workers’ Unions (KESK) and Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions (DISK), urged members to go on strike on Monday in response to the police crackdown on the protesters fighting against the redevelopment of Gezi Park in Istanbul. Interior Minister Muammer Güler had called on the “public workers and labourers to not participate in unlawful demonstrations, otherwise they will bear the legal consequences”, warning that “our police will be on duty as usual”. The Turkish Deputy Prime Minister, Bülent Arınç, went further, saying that the army could be called in if the protesters did not heed the calls for calm. “Our police, our security forces are doing their jobs. If it’s not enough then the gendarmes will do their jobs. If that’s not enough, we could even use elements of the Turkish Armed Forces”, he said during an interview on television.

UK and Ecuador Agree to Talks on Assange Status

The UK and Ecuador have failed to agree on a solution to the diplomatic impasse over the case of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange nearly a year after he sought refuge and asked for asylum at the Ecuadorean embassy in London. William Hague, the UK Foreign Secretary, and Ricardo Patiño, his Ecuadorean counterpart, agree to establish a working group to try to solve the standoff. Ecuador has granted the Wikileaks founder asylum, but the UK refuses to grant him a safe passage to an exit point, such as an airport, therefore impeding travel to the South American nation. The meeting lasted approximately 45 minutes, according to a statement released by the Foreign Office. After the meeting, Patiño told reporters that “the Ecuadorean government maintains that the reasons for which Ecuador granted asylum are still relevant and therefore there is going to be no change in his circumstances”. Assange sought refuge in the embassy to avoid extradition to Sweden on allegations of assault and rape, which he strenuously denies.

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Le candidat modéré, Hassan Rohani, est arrivé en tête au premier tour des éléctions présidentielles iraniennes, avec plus de 50% des suffrages exprimés. Le taux de participation atteint 72,7%. La victoire de Rohani contre les candidats « principalistes » – nom donné aux conservateurs – témoigne d’une volonté de changement de la part de la population iranienne. Elle est un démenti de la ligne dure imposée vis-à-vis de l’Ouest par le Guide Suprême, l’ayatollah Ali Khomenei. Mais la question demeure de connaître la marge de manœuvre dont disposera le nouveau Président par rapport à Khomenei et aux gardiens de la Révolution. Lors de sa première conférence de presse, aujourd’hui, il a qualifié d’injustes les sanctions imposées à son pays sur cette question, et indiqué que Téhéran ne suspendrait pas ses activités d’enrichissement d’uranium. Mais Rohani a également plaidé en faveur d’une « interaction constructive avec le reste du monde ». Il s’est dit favorable à « une plus grande transparence » sur le programme nucléaire de son pays, objet de dissension avec les pays occidentaux. L’Iran est également un soutien du Hezbollah, le groupe chiite libanais qui se bat aux côtés du régime de Bachar el-Assad dans la guerre civile syrienne.

Répression en Turquie, grève des syndicats

Le gouvernement turc a fait nettoyer la place Taksim ce week-end. Il s’est déclaré prêt à envoyer l’armée pour mettre fin à près de trois semaines de soulèvements à Istanbul et dans d’autres villes du pays. Cette déclaration, faite par le Vice-Premier Ministre à la télévision, fait pour la première fois miroiter la perspective d’une utilisation des forces armées. Le Premier Ministre, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a réitéré devant ses partisans son interprétation selon laquelle les manifestants sont manipulés par des « terroristes ». Deux syndicats, la Confédération des syndicats des fonctionnaires (K.E.S.K.) et la Confédération des syndicats progressistes (D.I.S.K.), ont appelé à une grève aujourd’hui pour dénoncer les arrestations qui ont eu lieu samedi soir, qui concernent quelque 500 personnes, et où les forces de l’ordre sont accusées par les manifestants d’avoir utilisé, en plus des canons à eau et des gaz lacrymogène, des bombes de gaz.

Ouverture du G8 en Irlande du Nord : Syrie et commerce international

Les dirigeants des huit pays les plus puissants du monde – Etats-Unis, Russie, Royaume-Uni, Canada, Allemagne, France, Italie et Japon – ont entamé leur sommet en Irlande du Nord, à Lough Erne, à l’abri des manifestants. Les dirigeants ont prévu de parler de la situation en Syrie. Le G8 s’ouvre alors que les Etats-Unis ont annoncé leur volonté d’armer l’opposition syrienne à Bachar el-Assad, qui est toujours soutenu par la Russie. Moscou a réaffirmé son désaccord, et son opposition absolue à l’établissement d’une zone d’exclusion aérienne. La situation économique et le commerce mondial seront aussi au programme des discussions des pays du G8 dont les économies représentent au total €53 300mds ($71 100mds). Le Premier Ministre britannique, David Cameron, veut s’attaquer à l’évasion fiscale, qui coûte €2250mds ($3000mds) par an. L’Union Européenne et les Etats-Unis doivent annoncer le lancement de négociations pour un accord sur le libre échange censé apporte €75mds ($100mds) par an à l’économie de chacune des zones. 8000 policiers sont mobilisés pour assurer la sécurité.

Brésil : Fronde anti-gouvernementale sur les réseaux sociaux

Au Brésil, les mobilisations contre le coût de la vie et la politique gouvernementale prennent de l’ampleur. Elles rappellent celles de 1992, où la population demandait le départ de l’ex-président Fernando Collor de Mello, accusé de corruption. Les manifestations qui ont commencé à Sao Paulo, menées par le mouvement Passe Livre, qui défend la gratuité des transports publics, se sont étendues à d’autres villes. Elles ont été réprimées par la police qui a fait usage de matraques, balles en caoutchouc et gaz lacrymogène. Les images de la violence policière ont été relayées sur les réseaux sociaux. Le mouvement rassemble des gens aux revendications diverses : de la gratuité des transports à la dénonciation des abus du gouvernement pendant la Coupe du monde de football.

Vers une nouvelle révolution en Egypte ?

Des millions d’Egyptiens ont signé une pétition demandant le départ du Président, Mohamed Morsi, et appellent à une manifestation le 30 juin, jour anniversaire de l’arrivée au pouvoir du Président. Mais une grande partie de la population égyptienne est prête à défendre son premier président élu, accusant les opposants d’être des partisans de l’ancien régime. Ils prévoient des manifestations de soutien à Morsi à partir de vendredi. « La probabilité de violences lors des manifestations à venir est élevée », juste un général égyptien à la retraite. « Cela pourrait venir de l’un ou l’autre côté. » Les dissensions permanentes entre les islamistes au pouvoir et l’opposition séculière ne semble pas sur le point d’être résolues : la crise économique et un système politique qui manque encore d’assise rendent l’Egypte fragile.

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After coming to the conclusion that forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad have used chemical weapons yesterday, the Obama administration has elected to overtly supply Syrian rebels with small arms and ammunition. The Syrian government says the allegations of chemical weapons use are a pretext to arm insurrectionist groups like, Jabhat al-Nusra, with arms and money. The group, also known as the Nusra Front, is an al-Qaeda affiliate that has emerged as one of the most effective rebel factions in Syria. Officials suggested that current shipments would be mostly light arms, but that future shipments might include anti-tank weapons; they have not yet considered sending controversial anti-aircraft weapons that Free Syrian Army commander, Salim Idriss, has so often requested. These weapons may have come too late for the Syrian rebels; since the beginning of the year, the rebels have lost a series of strong holds, and now rebel held areas in Aleppo and Homs are seeing the worst fighting the war’s seen in months. Almost 100,000 people are known to have perished in the nearly three year old conflict, with millions having been driven from their homes. Free Syrian Army spokesperson Loay Mikdad stressed the urgency of the situation, “we hope they start arming immediately. Any delay costs blood of Syrians. It is not water, it is blood of the Syrians, women and children and its future.”

Bus Fare Demonstrations Continue in Brazil

At least 5,000 people took to the streets of São Paulo yesterday for the fourth day of demonstrations agains a bus fare hike. Bus Fair increased on June 2nd, from 3 reais to 3.20 reais, about a seven percent or ¢10 increase. At least 55 people were injured including two journalist that had been shot in the face. Police arrested more than 200 demonstrators after firing tear gas and rubber coated bullets into the crowd. Rio de Janiero also saw protests last night. More than 2,000 people marched down Rio’s central Rio Branco Avenue to demand lower bus fares, which rose from $1.29 to $1.38. Similar protests in the eastern Brazilian city of Goiana prompted a judge to rule that a fare increase there was abusive, as transportation companies had received significant tax breaks which were not passed on to their riders. The fare in Goiana returned to 2.70 reais on Thursday. But São Paulo’s Mayor Fernando Haddad said that his city’s fares had been raised by an amount below the inflation rate, and would be kept at the new level. He said he didn’t plan to discuss the situation with the protesters. According to the mayor São Paulo “doesn’t accept the violence.” But the Free Pass Movement said the police’s “violent actions” had “transformed the protest into a popular revolt.”

Iranians Vote for New President

Iranians headed to the polls today to elect the successor to outgoing president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The interior ministry extended voting hours by five hours until 23:00 local time (11PDT) citing greater than expected turnout. Ballot connoting began an hour after the polls closed and the results should be announced within 24 hours. Six relatively conservative candidates are contesting the election, but one of them, cleric Hassan Rouhani, has earned the support of some reformist politicians in recent days. As of late, Rouhani has suggested that he would work to free political prisoners, repair relations with western governments, and called for greater reform of the media. These announcements pit him against hardline conservatives and members of the Grand Ayatollah’s inner circle. The Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei has not backed any of the candidates publicly, but has instead called for a massive turnout, saying, “Inshallah (God willing), the Iranian people will create a new political epic.” If no candidate secures 50.1% or more of the vote, a second run off election will be held in a week.

South Korean Spymaster Indicted for Interfering with Presidential Elections

South Korean prosecutors said Won Sei-hoon, true former head of South Korea’s National Intelligence Service [NIS], ordered NIS agents to post comments online slandering opposition candidates and praising conservative presidential hopeful Park Geun-hye. Park went on to win last December’s elections. Won faces charges of breaking the national election law, which bars government officials from using their influence to affect a vote, and of violating a separate law that prohibits government intelligence officials from meddling in domestic politics. If convicted, Won faces up five years in prison. State prosecutors have also indicted the former head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, Kim Yong-pan. He is accused of pressuring police investigators to overlook the allegations against the NIS.

Weekend Read: How James Turrell Knocked the Art World Off Its Feet

James Turrell is one of the most celebrated contemporary artists, noted for his focus on the concepts of light and space. Wil Hylton devels into Turrell’s significant contributions to art, and highlights the hree-museum retrospective taking place this summer, in the New York Times.

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