In this occasional series, The Washington Post brings you up to speed on some of the biggest stories of the week.
In this occasional series, The Washington Post brings you up to speed on some of the biggest stories of the week. First up: A daring dash at one of the world’s most closely patrolled borders.
The biggest story: A rare defection from North Korea
A North Korean soldier was fighting for his life this week in a South Korean hospital after a brazen dash for freedom across the Demilitarized Zone. His escape across one of the world’s most closely patrolled borders — the first such military defection in a decade — has riveted the region. Among its dramatic details: the soldier was shot five times by his countrymen as he ran south on Monday, according to Anna Fifield.
The Korean demilitarized zone, explained
The soldier’s escape occurred in one of the few spots where such an attempt is possible: the Joint Security Area in the truce village of Panmunjom, the only part of the heavily fortified DMZ where North Koreans and South Koreans face each other. You can view a graphic of the border here.
Five other important stories
1. Germany’s empty renewable-energy promsie
In the former West German capital of Bonn, the country is hosting a U. N. climate conference this month considered critical to global efforts to fulfill pledges made two years ago in Paris. But Germany is also on course to badly miss its emission-reduction targets for 2020. Leading politicians — Chancellor Angela Merkel included — have staunchly resisted taking steps that activists say could help the country get back on track, including quickly shutting down the dirtiest coal-fired plants and setting a firm deadline for phasing out coal altogether.
Read the full story by Griff Witte and Luisa Beck, or listen to our podcast on the same topic:
2. A radioactive cloud that covered Europe might be from Russia.
