Our daily trip around the world

🇹🇼 Taiwan’s legislature passed a law seen as pro-China, despite public protests. The controversial law, if approved by the executive branch, would give Taiwan’s opposition-controlled legislature greater power to control the country’s budgets, including defense spending. Thousands of protesters gathered outside parliament yesterday to oppose the new measure, framing it as a plan by Taiwan’s China-friendly opposition party to block military spending as a concession to Beijing.

🇰🇵 A North Korean rocket carrying what would’ve been its second-ever spy satellite exploded after launch. Government officials say the explosion shortly after liftoff on Monday was likely due to a problem with North Korea’s newly developed liquid oxygen-petroleum engine. The mission represents North Korea’s third failed satellite launch in the past year, though officials claim to have successfully placed the country’s first satellite into orbit last November.

🇿🇦 South Africa is holding national elections today. The country’s African National Congress (ANC) party is expected to lose majority control of the government for the first time since Nelson Mandela helped the party rise to power and end apartheid in 1994. This would mean the ANC remains the largest party in South Africa, but must form a coalition government with other parties to re-elect President Cyril Ramaphosa and enact their legislative agenda focused on economic equality. Analysts say the ANC’s popularity has waned in recent years due to corruption scandals, high unemployment, and rising poverty.