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Foreign Policy Morning Brief Thursday, May 1, 2014 Follow FP: Facebook <http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71k3ol.u1d/UlWkWsJSV5sGO2smCe272> Twitter <http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71k3ol.u1d/UlWkWsJSV5sGO2snCf245> RSS <http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71k3ol.u1d/UlWkWsJSV5sGO2soC476d>

Ukraine Detains Russian Military Attaché

Top news: Ukrainian authorities on Thursday detained <http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71k3ol.u1d/U2JPJeYQ4-0sPhXNC4afb> Russia's military attaché to Kiev on suspicion of spying, as the eastern portion of the country continued to slip farther from the central government's control. "The military-naval attaché of the embassy of the Russian Federation in Ukraine is declared persona non grata in connection with his actions, which are not in accordance with his diplomatic status," Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Speaking by phone to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly demanded <http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71k3ol.u1d/U2JPJeYQ4-0sPhXOC2fdc> that Kiev withdraw its military from eastern Ukraine, one day after interim Ukrainian leader Oleksandr Turchynov conceded <http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71k3ol.u1d/U2JPJeYQ4-0sPhXPC8238> that he was powerless to defend the territory.

"It is hard to accept but it's the truth. The majority of law enforcers in the east are incapable of performing their duties," said Turchynov.

Iraq: Millions of Iraqis turned out to vote <http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71k3ol.u1d/U2JPJeYQ4-0sPhXQC7938> on Wednesday in the country's first nationwide election since American troops departed in 2011. Despite threats of violence from al Qaeda-linked groups, the vote was relatively peaceful, with no major attacks reported in Baghdad and only a smattering of violence throughout the rest of the country. Results of the parliamentary contest are not expected for several weeks, although Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who is seeking a third term, said Wednesday that his victory was "certain."

Middle East

Thousands of May Day protesters clashed <http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71k3ol.u1d/U2JCx-YQ4-0sPhWeC9461> with Turkish police on Thursday in Istanbul, as authorities warned that "illegal terror organizations and their extensions" would stir up unrest.

Forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad bombed <http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71k3ol.u1d/U2JPJeYQ4-0sPhXRC87bc> a school in Aleppo on Wednesday, killing at least 20 people.

In its annual terrorism report, the State Department said <http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71k3ol.u1d/U2JPJeYQ4-0sPhXSCef5a> that "core" al Qaeda had been weakened but that its regional affiliates have grown increasingly potent in the last year.

Africa

EU peacekeepers mounted <http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71k3ol.u1d/U2JPJeYQ4-0sPhXTCaf71> their first major operation in the Central African Republic on Wednesday, taking control of the airport in Bangui amid escalating violence.

Nigerians protested <http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71k3ol.u1d/U2JPJeYQ4-0sPhXUC607c> for a second consecutive day on Wednesday, demanding that their government do more to rescue as many as 273 school girls abducted by Boko Haram militants.

Burkina Faso's High Court declined <http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71k3ol.u1d/U2JPJeYQ4-0sPhXVC1f94> to rule on a request to exhume the body of ex-President Thomas Sankara for DNA testing, citing lack of jurisdiction.

Asia

The Malaysian government is expected to release <http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71k3ol.u1d/U2JPJeYQ4-0sPhXWCeafb> an official report on Thursday on the disappearance of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370.

China announced <http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71k3ol.u1d/U2JPJeYQ4-0sPhXXC6f98> Wednesday that it will hold joint naval drills with Russia off the coast of Shanghai in late May.

Chinese President Xi Jinping called <http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71k3ol.u1d/U2JPJeYQ4-0sPhXYC6754> for "decisive action" against terrorism on Wednesday, after a blast killed three people and wounded 79 at a train station in Xinjiang province.

Americas

In an effort to boost her reelection prospects, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff on Wednesday announced <http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71k3ol.u1d/U2JPJeYQ4-0sPhXZCf26f> tax cuts and a 10 percent increase in social security payments.

Guatemalan Attorney General Claudia Paz y Paz on Wednesday lost <http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71k3ol.u1d/U2JPJeYQ4-0sPhXaCda38> her bid for reappointment, failing to appear among the six names short-listed for the post.

Mexico's government on Wednesday outlined <http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71k3ol.u1d/U2JPJeYQ4-0sPhXbC705f> a series of proposed rules for opening its energy sector to private investors.

Europe

Dutch police boarded <http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71k3ol.u1d/U2JPJeYQ4-0sPhXcC49f0> a Greenpeace ship on Thursday in effort to prevent it from blocking an oil delivery from Russia's new Arctic drilling platform.

In a speech in Frankfurt on Wednesday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel ruled out <http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71k3ol.u1d/U2JPJeYQ4-0sPhXdCc3ff> the possibility of military intervention in Ukraine.

Police in Northern Ireland on Wednesday arrested <http://link.foreignpolicy.com/5253172ac16bcfa46f6bd4c71k3ol.u1d/U2JPJeYQ4-0sPhXeCa1eb> Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams in connection with the 1972 murder of Jean McConville.

-ByTy McCormick

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