Global Beat is your weekly stop for news from around the world. Join us every Friday morning for important stories you should know about.

This week, the Brazilian senate votes to officially remove Dilma Rousseff as president; China prepares to host the G20 Summit in Hangzhou; Spain’s prime minister loses a vote of confidence; and more.
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Americas

Brazil’s senate voted this week to officially remove Dilma Rousseff as president over charges that she manipulated the federal budget. Rousseff was the nation’s first female president. Her vice president Michel Temer was sworn in as her replacement despite his own unpopularity amid a floundering economy and widespread government corruption. Rousseff and her supporters called the impeachment a coup. On Wednesday her supporters violently protested her removal by setting fires, damaging property, and clashing with police in the country’s largest city, São Paulo.

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• U.S. commercial flights land in Cuba for first time in half a century – Patrick Oppmann and Rene Marsh, CNN

Central & South Asia

Pakistan re-opened a border crossing known as Bab-e-Dosti (Friendship Gate) with Afghanistan on Thursday that was closed for two weeks after Afghan protesters burned the Pakistani flag. Following negotiations between border officials, the two sides agreed to hold monthly flag meetings to address issues of mutual interest for ensuring a “peaceful environment.” Meanwhile, Pakistan announced that 1.5 million registered Afghan refugees must leave the country by December 31 as part of new measures to combat terrorism.

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• Uzbek President Islam Karimov has died at age 78 after suffering a stroke, according to three diplomatic sources – Olzhas Auyezov, Reuters

China & East Asia

China is preparing to host the G20 Summit in Hangzhou on September 4-5 for the first time in the eight-year history of the meetings. The garden lake city is currently undergoing a multi-billion dollar makeover in anticipation of the summit, which will include President Obama, UK Prime Minister Theresa May, and many other world leaders. The meeting comes at a time when globalization is experiencing a worldwide backlash, much of it blamed on China itself.

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• North Korea executed two top officials with anti-aircraft gun – Allen Cone, UPI

Europe & Russia

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy lost a vote of confidence in parliament this week, which means the country has not had a full-fledged government for nine months. Spain may now have a third general election in one year, on the inconvenient date of December 25. The political gridlock is starting to negatively impact the economy.

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• Russia is massing thousands of troops on Ukraine’s border. Here’s why we shouldn’t panic – Mark Galeotti, Vox

Middle East & North Africa

UN Humanitarian Coordinator Jamie McGoldrick said Tuesday that a minimum of 10,000 people have been killed or wounded in Yemen. The day before, ISIL claimed responsibility for a suicide car bombing that killed at least 54 pro-government recruits in Yemen. Both ISIL and al Qaeda have exploited the conflict between Saudi Arabia and Shiite Houthi rebels.

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• Massive migrant rescue off Libyan coast ‘awe-inspiring’ – Salem Solomon, Voice of America

Southeast Asia & Oceania

A meeting between Cambodian and Vietnamese officials about a growing dispute over borders issues ended in deadlock this week. Cambodian officials say Vietnamese development and construction projects are encroaching on their territory. The demarcation of the border has been a major issue in the region over the past 18 months. Last year Cambodia’s political opposition party CNRP led a campaign accusing the government of ceding large stretches of land to Vietnam. Prime Minister Hun Sen threatened to arrest anyone who claims that the government used Vietnamese-drawn maps to demarcate the border.

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• East Timor-Australia maritime border dispute set to be negotiated at The Hague – Steve Cannane, ABC Australia

Sub-Saharan Africa

Gabon’s President Ali Bongo Ondimba was re-elected on Wednesday, but the result is being disputed by his opponents. His main rival, Jean Ping, a former chairman of the African Union, called the results fraudulent and demanded a recount. On Thursday, three people were killed and 1,100 were arrested in post-election riots in the capital.

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• The designer loo revolutionizing Madagascar’s toilet crisis – Hannah McNeish, The Guardian

Stay informed. We’ll see you here again next week.