Zimbabwe MPs pass bill to extend presidential terms and end direct elections
Zimbabwe's lower house of parliament has passed a constitutional bill that would extend presidential terms from five years to seven and end direct presidential elections. If enacted, the changes would allow President Emmerson Mnangagwa to remain in power until 2030. The legislation now moves to the senate, where it is also expected to pass before being signed into law.Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda announced that 216 lawmakers backed the bill, comfortably above the 187 votes needed for a two-thirds majority to amend the constitution. Forty-two MPs voted against it. The draft law also changes the way presidents are chosen, with... [Continue Reading]
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Japan defence minister says stronger military posture is critical to prevent war
Japan must strengthen its defence capabilities, Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi has said, arguing that a more robust military posture is needed to help prevent conflict in the region. In an interview in Tokyo, he said Japan should reinforce its alliance with the United States and expand cooperation with like-minded countries as part of what he described as building "multi-layered deterrence". Koizumi linked that approach to recent changes in Japan's defence policy, including the relaxation of decades-old arms export rules.He said that for the first time in about 50 years, Tokyo can now sell or transfer defence equipment and lethal weapons... [Continue Reading]
Bolivia signs $20m deal with US to fight drug trafficking
Bolivia says it has signed a new co-operation deal with the United States to combat drug trafficking, in a move officials describe as part of a thaw in relations between the two countries. The foreign ministry said the agreement will see Washington provide up to $20m to train and equip Bolivian forces. It was signed in La Paz and is aimed at strengthening institutions involved in public security, criminal investigations and the fight against organised crime.The ministry said the deal comes less than two weeks after President Rodrigo Paz named Ernesto Justiniano, previously described as the country's "drug czar", as... [Continue Reading]
Brazil supreme court panel convicts Eduardo Bolsonaro over alleged US lobbying in father's coup case
A panel of Brazil's supreme court has voted to convict Eduardo Bolsonaro of seeking US intervention in the legal case against his father, former president Jair Bolsonaro. The ruling centres on allegations that the younger Bolsonaro tried to encourage sanctions against judges and tariffs on Brazilian goods while the coup-plot trial was under way. The panel's four justices all backed the conviction on Tuesday, and they were expected to discuss the sentence later in the day.Prosecutors had accused Eduardo Bolsonaro, a former lawmaker, of courting US authorities to help his father's case. According to the charge, he sought pressure on... [Continue Reading]
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The Unspoken Stats: Who is Raping Europe?
Answering this question requires a direct look at the empirical data so, below is the comprehensive, data-verified draft for my article, formatted to analyse the relationship between immigration demographics and police-recorded sexual offense figures across Europe. Data vs. Perception: An Asymmetric Analysis of Migration and Sexual Offence Statistics in Europe While my primary field of research is rooted in macro-geopolitics, the responsibilities of independent journalism often demand transitioning from international balance-of-power metrics to domestic social realities. A recent high-profile criminal incident in England involving the gang rape of a 17-year-old girl by four Afghani nationals where one of them is... [Continue Reading]
Hungary passes term-limit reform to block Orban comeback
Hungarian members of parliament have approved a constitutional amendment limiting prime ministerial terms to eight years, in a move that effectively blocks Viktor Orban from a potential return to power. The vote took place in Budapest on Monday and passed overwhelmingly, despite opposition from Orban's Fidesz party. It is one of the first major reforms introduced by Prime Minister Peter Magyar since his Tisza party won April's parliamentary elections.Lawmakers voted 150 in favour, 50 against and six abstained. The reform uses Tisza's constitutional majority in parliament and is described as a major campaign promise of Magyar's party. Magyar has said... [Continue Reading]
Trump threatens 100% tariff on French wine as G7 summit opens in Évian-les-Bains
US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose a 100% tariff on French wines and champagnes unless France scraps its digital services tax on American technology companies. The warning comes as he arrives in Évian-les-Bains for the G7 summit, where he is expected to meet French President Emmanuel Macron. The row adds a fresh trade dispute to an already crowded summit agenda.Trump said he had delivered the warning directly to Macron and told him that Washington would have "no choice" but to act if Paris kept the 3% tax. He said the tariff would apply to "all champagnes and all... [Continue Reading]
Hungary's Fidesz re-elects Viktor Orban as party leader after April election defeat
Hungary's Fidesz party has re-elected Viktor Orban as its leader for another year, despite the party's defeat in April's parliamentary election. Orban ran unopposed at the party congress and won a near-unanimous vote, with 729 of 737 delegates backing him. The result keeps the former prime minister at the head of the governing party as it tries to regroup after losing power to the centre-right Tisza party.Orban told delegates he took full responsibility for Fidesz's election defeat and said he did not intend to step aside. He also said the party needed to change if it was to function as... [Continue Reading]
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Clashes at Kinshasa rally over proposed DRC term-limit change
Police in the Democratic Republic of Congo dispersed rival political groups with tear gas after clashes broke out at an opposition rally outside parliament in Kinshasa. The demonstration was held against a proposed law that could allow President Felix Tshisekedi to remain in power beyond his current two-term limit. The rally was organised by the opposition coalition C64 and was broken up after fighting involving pro-government activists.Among those injured was opposition leader Martin Fayulu, who was seen with blood around his eyes and shirt as supporters helped him. Prince Epenge, another opposition figure, was also reported to have been slightly... [Continue Reading]



