Reuters World News: SNAP Aid, US Arms Brazil Police, Japan Bear Crisis

Supreme Court and SNAP Aid

• ⚖️ The Supreme Court has temporarily blocked an order that would have required the Trump administration to fully fund SNAP food aid, potentially withholding $4 billion.
• ⚠️ Justice Katanji Brown Jackson issued a stay, allowing a lower court to consider the administration's request for partial funding, while challengers warn of impact on millions.

US Actions in Portland and Brazil

• 🏛️ A federal judge ruled that President Trump unlawfully deployed National Guard troops to Portland to suppress protests, citing no rebellion or emergency.
• 🇧🇷 The US government approved sniper rifle sales to BOPE, a Brazilian police unit involved in a deadly Rio raid, with weapons delivered last year under the Biden administration.
• 💬 Concerns exist about BOPE's human rights record and alleged involvement in extortion rackets, though supporters argue the unit combats heavily armed gangs.

Bolivia's New President and Economic Challenges

• 🇧🇴 Rodrigo Paz takes office as Bolivia's president, ending nearly 20 years of leftist rule with a platform of capitalism.
• 📉 The country faces its worst economic crisis in decades, with nearly 25% annual inflation and shortages of dollars and fuel.
• 🤝 Paz aims to open Bolivia's economy to private investment, improve diplomatic ties with Western countries, and bolster central bank reserves.

Italy's Gambling Market and Japan's Bear Attacks

• 🇮🇹 Italy has become Europe's largest gambling market, with over €57 billion wagered last year, disproportionately affecting poorer regions.
• ⛪ Critics call it a "tax on poverty," with the Catholic Church advocating for tighter regulation, while the government maintains a low-key approach.
• 🇯🇵 Japan has deployed military troops to its northern regions due to a surge in bear attacks, with over 100 incidents and 12 fatalities since April.
• 🐻 Factors contributing to the increase include a rise in bear numbers, climate-driven food source shifts, and rural depopulation, overwhelming aging hunter populations.