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Ugandan musician-turned-opposition leader Bobi Wine says he worries about his safety every day as he prepares to oppose President Yoweri Museveni his country’s 2021 elections. “I’m very worried about my safety. I think about it every day,” he told TIME at Thursday’s TIME 100 Next event. He added: “A person like me cannot leave their home without being followed around by security.” Wine has spent time in and out of jail after being arrested over the last two years and accused Ugandan security forces of torturing him while detained. Wine, 37, was selected for the TIME 100 Next list, which is dedicated to spotlighting the leaders of tomorrow. The opposition politician has been a vocal critic of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, who has been in power for more than three decades, in part due to questionable election practices and constitutional manipulation. Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, has frequently spoken out about the state’s rampant corruption and

(ROME) — Italy’s government declared a state of emergency Thursday in flood-ravaged Venice, seeking to release funds to repair the historic lagoon city after it was damaged by the highest tide in 50 years. A cabinet meeting approved a special decree that included 20 million euros ($21.7 million) in immediate financial aid aimed at helping the city recover. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte described the flooding as “a blow to the heart of our country,” after spending Wednesday night in Venice, where world-famous monuments, homes and businesses were hit hard by the exceptional flooding. Venice’s mayor said the damage is estimated at “hundreds of millions of euros.” Mayor Luigi Brugnaro blamed climate change for the “dramatic situation” in the historical city and called for the speedy completion of the city’s long-delayed Moses flood defense project. The water levels reached 1.87 meters (over 6 feet, 1 inch) above sea level Tuesday, the second-highest level ever recorded in t

Air pollution levels in India’s capital have soared to hazardous levels this week, leaving a toxic grey haze hanging over the city and causing poor visibility. The pollution has been so pervasive that national monuments were largely obscured by thick smog. Many who venture outside suffer teary eyes and troubling coughs. Delhi was already considered one of the world’s most polluted cities, and it’s only gotten worse this month. Air quality deteriorated so significantly that the local government declared a public health emergency, schools were shut down, and flights were cancelled. By one estimate, breathing Delhi’s air for one day has the health impacts of smoking at least 25 cigarettes. Although Delhi typically experiences marked increases in air pollution around November, this year’s pollution prompted Delhi’s Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal, to call the city a “gas chamber.” Update issued at 1300 hours: Due to low visibility, flight operations at Delhi Airport are

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was “was scared out of his mind,” “a coward,” and he “died like a dog,” President Donald Trump told the country from the White House on Sunday. “He died after running into a dead-end tunnel whimpering and crying and screaming all the way,” Trump said, adding that the Islamic State leader took three children into the tunnel with him, and killed himself and the children by detonating an explosive vest and collapsing the walls around them. The American commandos confirmed his identity and left with some of al-Baghdadi’s body parts, he said, adding: “There wasn’t much left.” Trump spun shocking details and insults to describe al-Baghdadi’s final moments , deploying signature bombastic flourishes and drawing a stark contrast to Barack Obama’s just-the-facts telling of the killing of Osama bin Laden during a nighttime raid into Pakistan in 2011. His remarks, given from a formal and familiar lectern in the White House Diplomatic Room, broke with the traditi

A Chinese orienteering team was disqualified for cheating this week during the 2019 Military World Games, which were hosted by China. Orienteering is an endurance sport in which competitors navigate what is usually unfamiliar terrain using only a map and compass. While racing to the finish line, they must navigate to a series of check-points en route. In the women’s middle distance competition at the Games, Chinese orienteers had come close to sweeping the winners podium, with competitors in first, second, and fourth place. (A male Chinese orienteer placed second in the men’s race.) But an investigation into their conduct was kicked off after complaints from six other countries participating — Russia, Switzerland, France, Belgium, Poland and Austria. After investigating the complaints, a jury decided to disqualify the competitors and void the results of their race from final tallies. In a statement, the International Orienteering Federation (IOF) decried that, “the

Eleven days ago, Kurdish and American troops fought side by side against ISIS, as they have for the last five years in Syria. A week ago, the Kurds watched those same Americans flee the battlefield in a disorderly retreat as the Kurds’ sworn enemy, Turkey, invaded their territory. Today, the Kurds saw Vice President Mike Pence seal their military defeat in the name of a “temporary ceasefire.” Pence and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reached the agreement Thursday in Ankara, carving out a 20-mile wide “safe zone” in Syria set to be “primarily enforced” by Turkish forces, according to a document released by both sides. The U.S. agreed to cancel economic sanctions announced just days earlier. In return, Turkey agreed to suspend its military offensive in northern Syria for five days, nominally to allow Kurdish forces to collect their dead, wounded, and retreat from the area. President Donald Trump hailed the deal as a major achievement. “I didn’t know it would work

WASHINGTON — The House passed three bills Tuesday aimed at showing U.S. support for pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong. The action follows months of protests over the Beijing government’s aggressive attempts to enforce control over the semi-autonomous territory. One of the bills condemns China’s intrusions into Hong Kong’s affairs and supports the right of people to protest. Another requires annual reviews by the U.S. secretary of state of Hong Kong’s special economic and trade status, providing a check on Beijing’s influence over the territory. A third bill would ensure that U.S. weapons are not being used against protesters by police. All three bills were approved on separate voice votes. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the bills important reminders of U.S. support for human rights in the face of significant commercial interests in China. “If America does not speak out for human rights in China because of commercial interests, then we lose all moral authority to

In their effort to discredit President Donald Trump’s perceived enemies, close allies of the President have received key documents and information from a Ukrainian oligarch wanted in the U.S. on corruption charges, according to five people directly involved in this effort and two other people familiar with it. The information came from the legal team of Dmitry Firtash, a wealthy industrialist with assets across Europe, who has spent the last five years in Vienna fighting extradition to the U.S. on bribery and racketeering charges. The U.S. Department of Justice said in 2017 he was among the “upper echelon associates of Russian organized crime”—something Firtash vigorously denies, along with all charges against him. As part of his legal defense, Firtash’s lawyers have gathered documents that make controversial allegations against former special counsel Robert Mueller and former Vice President Joe Biden. Firtash’s lawyers have passed these documents and other information to