The government in Zagreb has put its army on alert as the crisis affecting thousands of refugees and economic migrants appears again to be worsening amid confusion and isolation. Hungary has begun constructing a border fence with Croatia, and the Croatians in turn have closed their crossings with Serbia. Slovenia, meanwhile, is sending people back who have arrived on trains back to Croatia.

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WORLD

The US is preparing to issue new rules to ease restrictions on companies doing business with Cuba. Reuters reports:

The regulations, to be announced as soon as Friday, include allowing U.S. companies to establish subsidiaries with Cuba, possibly via joint ventures with Cuban firms such as the Etecsa telecommunications monopoly, they said. The rules would also allow general licenses for ferries and cruise ships to stop in Cuba rather than requiring them to apply for specific licenses, they [US government sources] said.

Meanwhile, the Pope visits Cuba this weekend, ahead of his trip to the US next week.

There have been protests inside and outside Japan‘s parliament against the government of Shinzo Abe after a controversial defense bill moved forward which would permit the country’s military to fight abroad for the first time since World War Two.

By now, it’s sadly common for a story like this out of the US to make you just stop and shake your head.

But when it unfolds amid the sort of atmosphere that has been stirred up during the current GOP primary contest, there are inevitably even deeper concerns over the nature of political discourse, what it represents and the direction it’s headed.

But perhaps there’s some hope…

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BUSINESS

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Investors are digesting the implications of the Federal Reserve’s decision to keep US interest rates unchanged on Thursday.

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MEDIA

New Musical Express, an icon of Britain’s music scene for more than 60 years, goes free on Friday as part of a strategy to tackle a stagnant circulation.

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SPORTS

FIFA secretary-general Jerome Valcke, President Sepp Blatter’s key right-hand man, was suspended until further notice and faces an investigation following what the organization called a “series of allegations”. Valcke had already said he would leave FIFA when Blatter steps down next February.

Friday sees the opening of the Rugby World Cup, when hosts England take on Fiji at Twickenham.

(The Independent/Tomorrow’s Papers Today)