Twixt the Bear and the Dragon

This is The World Today [View in browser](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlsj8_P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvcXl6Z3ZtdDJ4bS8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPWZ4cmFwZ2JwM29XA3NwY0IKY8hAus9jReEi5FIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) DailyChatter is an exclusive benefit for subscribers of The Charlotte Observer Good morning. Today is Tuesday, January 24, 2023, and this is The World Today. [Forward this edition](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlsj8_P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvNDl2NG9ua2d1OS8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPWZ4cmFwZ2JwM28mbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKY8hAus9jReEi5FIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) ~/AASU4wA~/RgRlsj8_P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvMm9yaHQweTAwdi8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPWZ4cmFwZ2JwM28mbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKY8hAus9jReEi5FIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa Need to Know Twixt the Bear and the Dragon [Mongolia](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlsj8_P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvendlenRhaTJmMS8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPWZ4cmFwZ2JwM28mbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKY8hAus9jReEi5FIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) In Mongolia, Dulamsuren Demberel worries about her family’s budget. The price of coal has increased by 40 percent in recent months as post-pandemic inflation and the Russian invasion of Ukraine have roiled energy markets. Nomadic herders like her live in tents that use coal stoves for warmth when winter temperatures in the landlocked Central Asian country’s vast plains can dip to minus 24 degrees Fahrenheit, [Al Jazeera](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlsj8_P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvY2Q1bTN3cjA4cS8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPWZ4cmFwZ2JwM29XA3NwY0IKY8hAus9jReEi5FIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) reported. As a result, it’s easy to imagine why frustration among herders like Demberel and other Mongolians – one-third of whom live in poverty – boiled over after hearing how corrupt Mongolian officials allegedly stole almost 400,000 tons of coal that they then sold in China for [$120 million](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlsj8_P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvcW1wcmZwem41bS8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPWZ4cmFwZ2JwM29XA3NwY0IKY8hAus9jReEi5FIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa). The scandal involves three state-owned coal companies that are now under investigation, [added](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlsj8_P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvbDVydmJqNGZmbS8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPWZ4cmFwZ2JwM29XA3NwY0IKY8hAus9jReEi5FIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) the Associated Press. Last month, protesters stormed government buildings in the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar, Reuters [wrote](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlsj8_P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvYXJhb2V1emFhdi8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPWZ4cmFwZ2JwM29XA3NwY0IKY8hAus9jReEi5FIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa), giving vent to their frustration over the twin banes of unsustainable price increases and greedy political cronies profiting off their hardships. The protests evinced problems in Mongolia but also showed how its voters actively participate in their democracy, [argued](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlsj8_P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvaGxyaXZta2thOC8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPWZ4cmFwZ2JwM29XA3NwY0IKY8hAus9jReEi5FIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) Modern Diplomacy. “A lot of government members are richer and live (more) luxurious lives than the citizens, and how could they just be so calm when the citizens are buying bread by (the) slice, not by the loaf?” said one protester. “That’s the reason why I’m protesting today, for the good of the people.” ~/AASU4wA~/RgRlsj8_P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvN2cwNXJrNHY4eC8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPWZ4cmFwZ2JwM29XA3NwY0IKY8hAus9jReEi5FIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa It’s no surprise that energy is stoking civil unrest in Mongolia. A former Soviet satellite that, like much of Eastern Europe, was communist until the early 1990s, the country still imports all of its gas from its neighbor, Russia. Mongolian officials are now seeking to reduce that dependence, [noted](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlsj8_P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvb3FwM2sxaDBqbS8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPWZ4cmFwZ2JwM29XA3NwY0IKY8hAus9jReEi5FIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) Sky News, but progress has been slow because it has few other options. Mongolia also produces oil. But because it has no refineries, it must export its black gold to its other gigantic neighbor, China. The country similarly depends on coal exports to China, [wrote](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlsj8_P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvdWN6MTQweTRvcS8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPWZ4cmFwZ2JwM29XA3NwY0IKY8hAus9jReEi5FIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) the Global Times, a Chinese Communist Party-owned newspaper. That relationship goes back centuries. Chinese emperors ruled the country for 300 years until Mongolia gained independence in the early 1920s. Pursuing a self-described “third-neighbor” foreign policy, Mongolian leaders recently sealed a deal with India to finance a proposed oil refinery, for example, [added](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlsj8_P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvMTNid3d1NTQzcy8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPWZ4cmFwZ2JwM29XA3NwY0IKY8hAus9jReEi5FIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) the Diplomat. Mongolian officials can’t do much more, it seems, given their historic and geographic position. Demberel will have to wait longer for relief. ~/AASU4wA~/RgRlsj8_P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvNjkxdWdzNngwNy8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPWZ4cmFwZ2JwM28mbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKY8hAus9jReEi5FIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa [Advertisement](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlsj8_P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvdGxuZ3dzOWNnZC8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPWZ4cmFwZ2JwM29XA3NwY0IKY8hAus9jReEi5FIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) The World, Briefly Spring Cleaning [Brazil](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlsj8_P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvNG8zeXI5Y244bC8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPWZ4cmFwZ2JwM28mbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKY8hAus9jReEi5FIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva sacked the head of Brazil’s military Saturday over his alleged involvement in the Jan. 8 riots, when supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro stormed the country’s main government buildings in the capital, the Washington Post [reported](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlsj8_P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvOGp2bTY4bHM2NC8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPWZ4cmFwZ2JwM29XA3NwY0IKY8hAus9jReEi5FIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa). The removal of General Júlio Cesar de Arruda comes as Brazil’s judicial authorities continue to investigate the alleged dereliction of duty and possible collusion with rioters by the military and security forces. Arruda had initially refused an order by senior government officials to detain rioters and Bolsonaro supporters sheltering near army headquarters following the protests. The general later relented. Another reason cited for Arruda’s dismissal was his refusal to fire Colonel Mauro Cid, a former senior Bolsonaro aide and the commander of an army battalion in the city of Goiânia. Tensions between the military and Lula’s administration have increased following Jan. 8, which saw thousands of protesters storming the Three Powers Plaza – it hosts the Presidential Palace, the Supreme Court and Congress – over the results of the Oct. 30 presidential runoff. Leftist Lula won against Bolsonaro, the conservative incumbent, by a thin margin. As a result, many of the former leader’s supporters rejected the results and urged the military to take over. Analysts warned that Arruda’s removal could exacerbate the poor relationship between the leftist president and the security forces: Many Brazilians believe the military and police harbor sympathies for Bolsonaro. At least 40 rank-and-file soldiers of the military who were involved in security at the Presidential Palace on Jan. 8 have already been fired or forced to retire by the administration. Meanwhile, Brazilian authorities have launched a probe over Bolsonaro’s involvement in the riots. Bolsonaro – who is currently residing in Florida – has rejected any links to the rioters and condemned the violence. Even so, the conservative leader never publicly conceded his loss and called the results unfair. He had previously questioned the legitimacy of Brazil’s electoral system amid allegations of fraud. ~/AASU4wA~/RgRlsj8_P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvODI3Y3JkZ294ei8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPWZ4cmFwZ2JwM28mbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKY8hAus9jReEi5FIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa Game, Set, Match [India](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlsj8_P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvOGF1YmU2anc2ai8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPWZ4cmFwZ2JwM28mbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKY8hAus9jReEi5FIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) India’s Supreme Court judges backed the appointment of a gay lawyer to Delhi’s High Court, despite the government’s fierce objections over his candidacy and his activism in LGBTQ causes, Reuters [reported](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlsj8_P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvMnk2MXliY2ZiZS8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPWZ4cmFwZ2JwM29XA3NwY0IKY8hAus9jReEi5FIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa). Saurabh Kirpal had initially been recommended for a judicial appointment in 2017 and the country’s top court approved him in 2021. But last November, the Indian government sent back the proposal, saying it had concerns. The Supreme Court said that the government had issues with Kirpal’s “ardent involvement and passionate attachment to the cause of gay rights,” saying it might influence the would-be judge’s decisions. The government also had objections about Kirpal’s partner, a Swiss national. The top court, however, rejected both objections, countering that the lawyer has “not been surreptitious about his orientation.” It also added that Kirpal’s Swiss partner was not “inimically disposed to our country, since the country of his origin is a friendly nation.” The court urged the government to act immediately on the recommendation. If elected, Kirpal would become India’s first openly gay judge, a significant milestone in India, observers say. In 2018, the Supreme Court scrapped a colonial-era ban on gay sex. Even so, members of the LGBTQ community have long complained about the lack of acceptance and discrimination in Indian society, which is considered socially conservative. Meanwhile, senior government officials have recently said that they want greater influence in appointing justices, a demand that numerous attorneys and judges argue threatens the judiciary’s independence. ~/AASU4wA~/RgRlsj8_P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvbGdvcmh1dXdtZC8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPWZ4cmFwZ2JwM28mbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKY8hAus9jReEi5FIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa [Advertisement](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlsj8_P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvbnY4M244cGFyNy8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPWZ4cmFwZ2JwM29XA3NwY0IKY8hAus9jReEi5FIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) Andean Shakeup [Peru](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlsj8_P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMveGl0dm41NzV2cy8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPWZ4cmFwZ2JwM28mbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKY8hAus9jReEi5FIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) Peruvian protesters and police clashed in the capital, Lima, and other cities over the weekend, the latest bout of unrest since mass demonstrations erupted in the South American nation following the ousting of President Pedro Castillo last month, Axios [reported](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlsj8_P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvd2psMmRkbGpsei8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPWZ4cmFwZ2JwM29XA3NwY0IKY8hAus9jReEi5FIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa). One historic building in Lima caught fire as riot police and protesters skirmished. Authorities have yet to determine the cause of the blaze. Meanwhile, officials ordered the closure of the famous tourist site of Machu Picchu on Saturday in an effort “to protect the safety of tourists and the population in general,” [according](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlsj8_P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvZ2IxZmEyaXVyZS8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPWZ4cmFwZ2JwM29XA3NwY0IKY8hAus9jReEi5FIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) to the Associated Press. Violence has gripped Peru for more than a month as thousands of demonstrators – many of them from the predominately Indigenous south – have been protesting Castillo’s removal. Last month, Peruvian lawmakers removed Castillo after he attempted to dissolve Congress and rule by decree. Authorities later detained him and charged the leftist leader with inciting a rebellion. Following Castillo’s ousting, Dina Boluarte – his vice president – was sworn in as the country’s leader. But protesters have been demanding Boluarte’s resignation and called for new elections. They have also demanded the dissolution of Congress. More than 55 people have been killed in the unrest, prompting louder calls for Boluarte to step down. Observers noted that the protests highlight the country’s vast divide between the urban elite, who largely live in Lima, and Peruvians who live in impoverished rural areas. ~/AASU4wA~/RgRlsj8_P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvb3VmNzRpczh5cC8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPWZ4cmFwZ2JwM28mbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKY8hAus9jReEi5FIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa [Advertisement](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlsj8_P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvbTVlNGFoejltOC8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPWZ4cmFwZ2JwM29XA3NwY0IKY8hAus9jReEi5FIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) Discoveries Young Altruists Past studies have shown that toddlers are very helpful toward struggling people, even strangers, but questions remain about whether this altruism extends to other species. It does, [according](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlsj8_P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvOWpoMGRwMGZjYi8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPWZ4cmFwZ2JwM29XA3NwY0IKY8hAus9jReEi5FIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) to the Guardian. A new research [paper](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlsj8_P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvYWhoYWp0djE0bC8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPWZ4cmFwZ2JwM29XA3NwY0IKY8hAus9jReEi5FIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) showed children as young as two would go out of their way to help dogs get toys or tasty treats, despite lacking any relationship with the animal. In their experiments, a research team recruited 97 toddlers between the ages of 20 and 47 months and watched them interact with three child-friendly dogs. Separating them with a fence, the researchers dropped toys or snacks on the child’s side – just beyond the dog’s reach. Afterward, the toddlers were twice as likely to give the items to the pups when the dogs showed interest, such as whimpering or pawing after the objects. Meanwhile, when the dogs were interested in the objects, the children assisted in half of the situations, but only in a quarter of the cases when the pooches were not. The results showed that toddlers not only understood the canines’ wishes but also helped them despite slim chances of the animals returning the favor, the team noted. Lead author Rachna Reddy explained that the study is significant because it underscores how humans’ friendly behavior toward other species could have helped in animal domestication. “Why we came to domesticate animals is a big mystery, and this is one piece of evidence that might help us to understand that mystery,” she said. ~/AASU4wA~/RgRlsj8_P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvZHdicnU0MWZ5ay8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPWZ4cmFwZ2JwM28mbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKY8hAus9jReEi5FIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa [Advertisement](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlsj8_P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvOGNjbzhwZWZ5aC8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPWZ4cmFwZ2JwM29XA3NwY0IKY8hAus9jReEi5FIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) Thank you for reading or listening to DailyChatter. If you’re not already a subscriber, you can become one by going to [dailychatter.com/subscribe](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlsj8_P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvaGJ1bHl5em5qNC8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPWZ4cmFwZ2JwM28mbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKY8hAus9jReEi5FIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa). 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