Brazil's Congress Stormed, Honeybee Vaccine, and the Year's Best Movie Posters

Brazil's Congress Stormed

Thousands of supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro breached security and stormed the country's National Congress yesterday, protesting Bolsonaro's loss in October and calling for new elections. Demonstrators also reportedly broke into the nearby Supreme Court and presidential palace. Congress was not in session and lawmakers were not present at the time, and there were no immediate reports of injuries. 

Bolsonaro lost a highly contentious race to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva by a 1.8-point margin in an October runoff, Brazil's tightest presidential election since returning to democracy in 1985. In the intervening weeks, his supporters blocked roads in protest, alleging election fraud while calling for military intervention to prevent da Silva from assuming office. It was unclear why the protests reached a tipping point yesterday, with da Silva having been inaugurated into office Jan. 1. 

Da Silva was in São Paulo at the time. Bolsonaro, who has not explicitly conceded the election but did not impede the presidential transition, is believed to have traveled to Florida in December and has not commented on the events as of early this morning. 

Police cleared the plaza of rioters by the early evening, arresting at least 170 people. See video from the scene here.

First-Ever Honeybee Vaccine

US officials have granted conditional approval to a vaccine meant to protect honeybees against a fatal bacteria known to jump easily between hives, wiping out entire colonies as it spreads. It is the first time a vaccine for insects has been approved in the US. 

Honeybees are one of the most important pollinating insects, playing a critical role in natural ecosystems and supporting at least $15B in US agricultural production each year. Populations have seen steep declines in recent years, with highly infectious pathogens among a number of causes. The new vaccine targets the bacteria responsible for American foulbrood, a disease that attacks larvae and can lead to colony death within weeks of infection—the typical defense against transmission is to burn diseased colonies. 

Instead of treating individual bees, the vaccine is delivered to the queen in a sugar mixture, which prompts an immune response in her offspring. Researchers hope to extend the approach to other insect-related diseases. 

Executions in Iran

Iran announced Saturday it had executed national karate champion Mohammad Karami, 22, and volunteer children's coach Seyed Hosseini, 39, as the regime continued to crack down on nationwide protests. The pair was hanged for allegedly killing militia member Seyed Ruhollah Ajamian in November during a protest. The unrest stems from the September death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in the custody of Iran's so-called morality police (see background). 

The executions of protesters were met with broad condemnation from democratic countries and organizations. Human rights observers believe at least 41 others have received the death sentence in trials with little due process. Reports say at least 517 demonstrators have been killed and over 19,000 arrested—including 62 journalists—in what some analysts describe as Iran's most significant challenge to its rule since the 1979 revolution.

The latest executions increase the number of protesters killed by Iran since December to four. Read about them and other protesters on death row here. 

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