Belarusians call Lukashenko bluff, go on strike

Workers and students again took to the streets in Belarus on Monday in a nationwide strike. [Forward to a friend]( | [Subscribe]( | [View in your browser]( [Top of The World]( --------------------------------------------------------------- In the news today Lukashenko refuses demand to resign, Belarusians strike [People with old Belarusian national flags march during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus, Oct. 25, 2020.] Credit: AP Workers and students again [took to the streets in Belarus on Monday]( in a nationwide strike demanding the resignation of President Alexander Lukashenko. In August, he claimed victory in a widely disputed reelection that has fueled weeks of mass protests. Police used force — [often violent]( — to arrest hundreds of people as the Belarusian opposition sought to ramp up pressure on Lukashenko, who defied an ultimatum on Sunday to surrender his power. Exiled opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya is calling on Belarusians to block roads and shut down workplaces and withdraw all money from their bank accounts. “The regime has once again showed the Belarusians that violence is the only thing it is capable of,” Tikhanovskaya [said in a statement]( from neighboring Lithuania. If sustained, the strikes could add to the tensions in Belarus and test whether the opposition has enough support to bring industry across the country of 9.5 million people to a halt. From The World: [Belarus opposition leader: ‘We are fighting for the future of our children’]( What The World is following France and Turkey spent the weekend trading trading barbs, resulting in the French Foreign Ministry [recalling its ambassador to Turkey on Sunday](. That was followed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan calling for a boycott on French goods on Monday. The spat started following the brutal beheading of a teacher and what Erdoğan characterized as Macron's “anti-Islam” response. Erdoğan said French President Emmanuel Macron needed “some sort of mental treatment.” [France condemned the remarks](, calling them “unacceptable.” And, voters in Chile [gave a resounding endorsement on Sunday]( to a plan to tear up the country's Pinochet-era constitution in favor of a new charter drafted by citizens. With more than three quarters of votes counted as of Sunday night, more than 78% of voters had [opted for a new charter](. Chileans poured into the country's main squares in celebration as fireworks bursted overhead and people sang in unison. [The World needs you]( Be one of 1,000 donors to give $100 or pledge $8.33/month to receive an invite to a virtual party with Marco Werman and The World team! [Donate today]( to support our free and trustworthy journalism. [Alt Text]( --------------------------------------------------------------- From The World [Nigerians in the diaspora join #EndSARS protests]( [People hold banners as they demonstrate on the street to protest against police brutality in Lagos, Nigeria, Oct. 19, 2020.]( Credit: Sunday Alamba/AP The #EndSARS protests against police brutality that have erupted in Nigeria have spilled beyond the country's borders. In the US, Nigerians have become one of [the most educated]( immigrant groups in the country. They’ve also made a name for themselves as prolific musicians and artists across the world. The vocal response to the violent crackdown on #EndSars protesters from Nigerians in the diaspora, including celebrities like Burna Boy, have demonstrated how no matter how far they go, [Nigerians’ roots remain as strong as ever](. [Explainer: How Biden and Trump would remake the Iran nuclear deal]( [Head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization Ali-Akbar Salehi and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi attend a press conference in Tehran, Iran, Aug. 25, 2020.]( Credit: WANA via Reuters With incumbent US President Donald Trump having withdrawn from the landmark Iran nuclear agreement, his Democratic challenger, former Vice President Joe Biden, [would more likely seek]( to get the JCPOA — along with European allies — back on track. --------------------------------------------------------------- The World's smart speaker show The Number in the News: 7 [Tampa Bay Rays' Randy Arozarena celebrates a home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 4 of the baseball World Series Oct. 24, 2020, in Arlington, Texas.] Credit: Tony Gutierrez/AP At the age of 19, Randy Arozarena left his home country of Cuba and defected to Mexico, traveling by boat to build a better future. That’s where a baseball scout saw his potential. [He eventually made his way to the MLB]( (🎧) for the Tampa Bay Rays. And he’s scored his 7th home run, a record number for rookies in the postseason. The Number in the News is The World’s daily smart speaker show, where you’ll learn one number you won’t forget and why it's in the news today. [Click here]( to add The Number in the News to your Amazon or Google flash briefing and hear a new episode seven days a week. --------------------------------------------------------------- Bright spot Chalk one up for conservationists. Fourteen endangered Loa water frogs were rescued and airlifted to Chile's Santiago zoo in 2019. Now, [these rare frogs have produced 200 offspring](. [A screen grab of a BBC News tweet]( Credit: Twitter screen grab AP and Reuters contributed to this newsletter. --------------------------------------------------------------- In case you missed it on The World - [Halloween threatens traditional holidays in Catalonia]( - [When is a burger not a burger?]( - [Palestinian refugee becomes Spanish citizen after discovering her Jewish roots]( - [Foreign powers try to end violence in Nagorno-Karabakh through diplomacy]( - [The Economist: Persecution of the Uighur people]( - [How to vote absentee from outer space]( - [2020 Election: The World’s foreign correspondents discuss the view from abroad]( Don't forget to subscribe to The World's Latest Edition podcast using your favorite podcast player: [RadioPublic](, [Apple Podcasts](, [Stitcher](, [Soundcloud](, [RSS]( [The World logo]( [The World on Facebook]( [The World's Twitter account]( [Donate]( | [Forward to a friend]( | [Subscribe]( | [Edit your subscription]( | [Unsubscribe]( | [View in your browser]( Top of the World is written weekday mornings by the team at [The World](. 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