Venezuelan opposition rallies for Maria Corina Machado's return and elections
Hundreds of supporters of Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado have rallied in Caracas and several state capitals to demand her safe return and the holding of presidential elections. The demonstrations took place on Sunday, with activists riding motorcycles through the capital's main avenues and waving Venezuelan flags. Similar gatherings were reported in Valencia, Maracaibo and Merida.Participants wore sky blue shirts, the colour associated with Machado's Vente Venezuela party. One activist in Caracas, Flavio Valentini, told the crowd that the movement was not about parties or politics, but about the people. Another party figure, Anthony Romero, said the transition process... [Continue Reading]
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Trump-Xi Taiwan arms row deepens after ambassador says China was asked about buying US weapons
US President Donald Trump reportedly asked Chinese President Xi Jinping whether China would be interested in buying American weapons during their meeting in Washington last week, according to remarks attributed to US ambassador to China David Perdue. The claim adds a new layer to an already sensitive dispute over Taiwan, where Washington has been weighing a delayed arms package worth $14bn. It also comes as Beijing continues to oppose US arms sales to the island.Perdue said Trump raised the idea while discussing US weapons sales more broadly, telling Fox News that the president asked Xi whether China would like to... [Continue Reading]
Vučić resigns as Serbia prepares for snap election amid protests
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has resigned to seek the post of prime minister in a snap parliamentary election set for 25 October. The move comes as student-led protests continue over corruption allegations and the collapse of a railway station canopy in Novi Sad that killed 16 people. Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabić, a close ally, will serve as acting president until a presidential election is held.Vučić said one of his final acts in office was to pardon 49 people, including 23 convicted in connection with the protests. He is running on the Serbian Progressive Party ticket and is barred from seeking... [Continue Reading]
Day News Recap: Deadly violence and regional tensions dominate as floods hit US and Thailand
South Africa was hit by a wave of violence, with police saying at least 27 people were killed in separate mass shootings in Cape Town and Johannesburg, in one of the country’s deadliest recent outbreaks of gun crime. 🔗In the Middle East, Iran is looking to the Caspian Sea as a possible alternative route for oil exports and imports while the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed, underlining the pressure on its southern shipping lanes. 🔗 Yemen also saw fresh bloodshed, with an airstrike killing at least seven people and wounding dozens near the Mawiya junction as fighting intensified around... [Continue Reading]
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New revelations over October 7 warnings intensify pressure on Netanyahu
Fresh revelations about warnings allegedly received before Hamas's 7 October attack have intensified political pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Reports published over the weekend said additional foreign and intelligence alerts reached him before the assault, adding to an already volatile debate over responsibility for the security failures that preceded the war. The disclosures have landed during Israel's election campaign and shortly after Netanyahu used a speech at the United Nations to defend his record.According to the reports, the New York Times confirmed an earlier account that United Arab Emirates President Mohammed bin Zayed secretly warned Netanyahu about the... [Continue Reading]
US-led Board of Peace excludes UNRWA from Gaza reconstruction role amid stalled ceasefire terms
The US-led Board of Peace has said the UN agency for Palestinian refugees will have no role in Gaza, sharpening a dispute over who will help manage aid and reconstruction in the territory. The board said it would work only with partners it considers reliable and able to meet the needs of Gaza's population. The decision comes as the board advances a multibillion-dollar reconstruction blueprint and key ceasefire terms remain unresolved.The plan was unveiled on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly and includes 66 projects, with $2.4bn proposed for work intended to begin Gaza's recovery. According to the... [Continue Reading]
Breakfast News Recap: Middle East tensions ripple through markets and diplomacy as floods and strikes hit several regions
Iran says it will wait for an official US response after President Donald Trump rejected its proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commerce, a sign the standoff over regional shipping and security remains unresolved. đź”— Saudi Arabia warned that escalating threats across the Middle East are affecting international peace, energy security and global stability, underlining how quickly the crisis is spreading beyond the immediate conflict zone. đź”—In Iraq, officials are in direct talks with Washington after four airports suspended flights to and from Iran, deepening a regional aviation dispute triggered by new restrictions. đź”— In Ireland, a report... [Continue Reading]
Venezuela frees 39 political prisoners after second round of post-Maduro talks
Venezuela has released 39 political dissidents following a second round of negotiations between the interim government and the opposition. The releases took place between Friday and Saturday and were reported from several prisons across the country. The development comes amid a broader post-Maduro transition and continued pressure over remaining detentions.Human rights group Justicia, Encuentro y Perdon said the freed detainees included eight women accused of "narco-terrorism" in 2021 and six people accused of working with the United States in a 2020 attempt to overthrow former President Nicolas Maduro. The group said it would remain vigilant and continue to demand full... [Continue Reading]
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India election commission legitimacy under scrutiny amid internal divisions
India's election commission is facing fresh scrutiny after reporting said internal disagreements emerged over changes to the voter database. The allegations have intensified a wider political dispute over whether the country's electoral system remains impartial and credible. The issue is now being discussed not only as an administrative matter, but as a test of confidence in one of India's most important democratic institutions.According to the reporting, the chief election commissioner repeatedly overruled concerns raised by the two other commissioners about the integrity of ongoing voter-roll changes. The claims were published after an investigation based on internal documents and interviews, and... [Continue Reading]
Italy bans burqas in schools and sets 30% cap on non-Italian speakers
Italy's cabinet has adopted a decree-law that bans burqas and niqabs in schools and introduces a 30% cap on non-Italian speakers in classrooms from next year. The measure takes immediate effect under Italy's decree-law system, but it still needs parliamentary ratification within 60 days. It comes as migration and integration remain central political issues ahead of the 2027 general election.Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced the move after outlining the proposed changes at a gathering of the youth wing of her nationalist conservative Brothers of Italy party. Under the new rules, breaches can be fined up to 1,000 euros. President Sergio... [Continue Reading]
Ethiopia conflict escalates as Tigrayan forces say they are in full-blown war
Tigrayan forces say they are in a "full-blown war" with Ethiopia's army as fighting spreads across three regions in the north of the country. The latest clashes involve Tigray, Amhara and Afar, according to the supplied material, marking the most serious escalation since the 2022 peace deal. The Tigray People's Liberation Front has also joined with former rivals to form a new opposition alliance, raising the stakes of the confrontation.The fighters say their aim is to overthrow the government in Addis Ababa, while both the federal authorities and the TPLF accuse each other of breaching the terms of the 2022... [Continue Reading]
Pakistan blocks roads and deploys barriers ahead of PTI march for Imran Khan
Pakistan has closed major highways into Islamabad and erected container barriers ahead of a planned protest by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party demanding the release of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan. The measures were in place on Thursday as authorities prepared for a march scheduled for Sunday, September 27. Police and local reports said the operation was aimed at limiting access to the capital before the demonstration.According to a police notification, the motorway linking Islamabad with Peshawar was closed to all traffic until further notice. Other routes shut included the highway toward Dera Ismail Khan, the Hazara motorway and the... [Continue Reading]
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Venezuela interim president promises elections in UN address
Venezuela's interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, has told the United Nations General Assembly that the country will hold elections as part of a transition to what she described as full democracy. She did not give a date for the vote. In her speech, she said the government had begun talks with opposition groups and was preparing national institutions for the electoral process.Rodriguez said the transition would be an orderly, institutional and verifiable process. She said all political forces would be allowed to take part, and added that the aim was to build a country that is freer, more prosperous and more... [Continue Reading]
South Sudan dissolves transitional government as election security tightens in Juba
South Sudan's President Salva Kiir has dissolved the transitional government, parliament and national and state administrations as the country moves closer to its first national election since independence. The decision was taken under an amended law signed on Monday, and it comes three months before the vote scheduled for 22 December. Heavy security was reported in the capital, Juba, ahead of the announcement, with soldiers blocking access to government ministries and patrolling parts of the city.Under the new arrangement, Kiir removed the country's five vice-presidents and reappointed some ministers and governors in caretaker roles. A senior government official said staff... [Continue Reading]
UK reviews Chagos Islands handover deal after Trump criticism
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said Britain will go back to the drawing board on its agreement to return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius after renewed criticism from US President Donald Trump. Streeting said the government would not, at this stage, make the annual payments tied to the leaseback arrangement for the Diego Garcia military base. The comments came after Trump called the deal "terrible" during his first meeting with Prime Minister Andy Burnham on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.Streeting said Trump's objections were not new, but that the president's latest remarks made clear his... [Continue Reading]
Trump and Burnham meet at UN as Chagos deal comes under scrutiny
US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Andy Burnham held their first face-to-face meeting at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, according to the supplied report. The encounter has drawn attention because it comes soon after Burnham took office and because the two leaders publicly disagreed over the Chagos Islands deal. Several front pages described the meeting as a significant early test of the new British leader's approach to Washington.The report says Trump told the papers he could "do business" with Burnham, while also criticising the Chagos agreement as "terrible" and "ridiculous". It adds that Burnham reversed... [Continue Reading]
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EU extends Russia sanctions for 36 months as Fridman and Usmanov are delisted
The European Union has agreed to extend its sanctions regime on Russia for 36 months while removing Russian billionaires Mikhail Fridman and Alisher Usmanov from the blacklist. The compromise was reached after days of disagreement among member states and came as a deadline approached for renewing the measures linked to Russia's war in Ukraine. Ireland, which holds the EU's rotating presidency, said the decision would keep the wider sanctions framework in place until 22 September 2029.Diplomats said Latvia dropped its veto after sustained opposition to the exemptions, allowing the deal to go through. The agreement keeps sanctions on about 3,000... [Continue Reading]
Seven armed groups form alliance in Ethiopia, raising fears of renewed civil war
Seven armed groups in Ethiopia have announced an alliance aimed at toppling the government in Addis Ababa, according to the supplied report. The development has raised fresh concern that the country could be moving towards another period of large-scale conflict. The groups, described as former rivals, say they are acting together despite long-standing political and ideological differences.The announcement comes against a backdrop of repeated peace deals and ceasefires that have not ended armed confrontation in the country. The report says armed groups in Ethiopia have continued to fight one another as well as the military over many years. It also... [Continue Reading]
Russian voters abroad back New People over United Russia by wide margin
Russian citizens voting at embassies and consulates abroad have backed the liberal New People party over United Russia by a wide margin in exit polls conducted during the weekend State Duma elections. The overseas results sharply diverge from the official domestic tally reported inside Russia, where United Russia won nearly 58% of the vote. The polling covered stations in multiple countries and suggests a markedly different political picture among voters outside the country.Two independent exit polls produced similar findings. The Vote Abroad project said it surveyed almost 15,700 voters at 27 polling stations across 22 countries and found New People... [Continue Reading]
Trump seeks Belarus potash deal amid Canada trade dispute
US President Donald Trump said Washington is working on a "massive" deal to buy potash from Belarus, signalling a possible shift in supply away from Canada as his administration intensifies a trade dispute with its northern neighbour. He said the price would be "substantially less" than what the United States is currently paying to Canada, describing the move as good news for American farmers and ranchers. The comments were made on his social media account and did not include any deal terms or a timeline.The announcement comes as Washington continues a quiet thaw with Minsk under Trump's second administration. Last... [Continue Reading]
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Former Junglers leader Sanna Manjang appears in military trial in The Gambia
Sanna Manjang has appeared before a military court in Banjul on charges of desertion, in a case linked to The Gambia's efforts to address abuses committed under former president Yahya Jammeh. Manjang, who once led the paramilitary unit known as the Junglers, is accused of leaving the armed forces in 2017 after Jammeh lost power and went into exile. The hearing marks another step in a long-running accountability process that has continued since the end of Jammeh's 20-year rule.The court case centres on an allegation that Manjang was absent for a continuous period of nine years with the intention of... [Continue Reading]
Putin's party wins record supermajority in Russia's parliamentary vote
President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party has won a record supermajority in Russia's parliamentary election, according to near-complete official results released after three days of voting. The result gives the ruling party a strengthened grip on the State Duma and comes as the war with Ukraine continues to shape Russian politics. The vote was the first parliamentary election since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine and the first to include residents of four Ukrainian regions annexed by Moscow later that year.Official figures showed United Russia with more than 58% of the vote, putting it on course to secure more than three... [Continue Reading]
Russia's ruling party wins record Duma majority as war veterans enter parliament
United Russia says 49 veterans of the war against Ukraine have won seats in Russia's new State Duma, as the ruling party secured a record 355 of the 450 seats in the lower house. The figures were released after the first parliamentary election held since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The result leaves the legislature even more closely aligned with the Kremlin than before.The party's general secretary, Vladimir Yakushev, initially said 86 participants in what Moscow calls its "special military operation" would be elected, before later correcting the number to 49. United Russia's tally gives it a larger... [Continue Reading]
Russia election results show United Russia set to keep control amid wartime pressure
Preliminary results from Russia's parliamentary election suggest that United Russia, the party backed by President Vladimir Putin, will keep its grip on the State Duma. The outcome was described as unsurprising by a BBC Russia editor following the vote from Moscow. The election took place as Russia continued its war against Ukraine and faced economic hardship at home.The supplied report says the anti-war Yabloko party was removed from the ballot before polling day, although some of its candidates remained in a number of constituencies. That left the ruling party facing a field with limited opposition, reinforcing expectations that it would... [Continue Reading]
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Putin wins landslide in Russian parliamentary election amid renewed Nato concerns
Vladimir Putin's United Russia party has won a landslide in Russia's parliamentary election, according to results reported with almost all ballots counted. The outcome has intensified concerns among critics that the vote was tightly controlled and could be used to justify a harder line on Ukraine and Nato. The election result comes as countries bordering war-torn Ukraine remain on alert after repeated incidents near the Nato frontier.United Russia won almost 58% of the vote, a much stronger showing than five years ago, and secured an overwhelming majority in the State Duma. The Communist Party came second with about 14%, while... [Continue Reading]
Russia's United Russia wins record Duma majority in first parliamentary vote since Ukraine war began
Russia's ruling United Russia party has won a record 355 seats in the State Duma, according to preliminary results released after the country's three-day parliamentary election. The result gives President Vladimir Putin's party a supermajority in the 450-seat lower house of parliament. It is the first national parliamentary vote held since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.Ella Pamfilova, who heads the election commission, announced the preliminary tally on Monday after almost all votes had been counted. The election took place over three days, and parties critical of Putin did not take part. The result surpasses the previous record set in 2016 and... [Continue Reading]
Russia parliamentary election results point to United Russia landslide
Preliminary results from Russia's parliamentary election point to a dominant victory for United Russia, the party of President Vladimir Putin. With more than 90% of ballots counted, the ruling party was leading comfortably in the vote for the State Duma, the lower house of parliament. The election ran from Friday to Sunday and took place amid the war in Ukraine, economic hardship and tight limits on opposition campaigning.The Central Election Commission said 90.43% of ballots had been counted, according to figures reported on Monday. It said turnout stood just below 57% as of Sunday night. United Russia was on 57.86%... [Continue Reading]
Seven Ethiopian rebel groups form alliance against government as tensions rise
The announcement of a new anti-government alliance by seven Ethiopian rebel groups has added to concerns about widening instability across several regions of the country. The coalition, called the Alliance for Survival, brings together armed groups active in Amhara, Oromia, Tigray and three other regions. It says its aim is to remove the government in Addis Ababa.The groups accuse Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's administration of presiding over war, genocide, mass destruction and poverty. They say Ethiopia is at risk of disintegration, and their statement presents the alliance as a response to what they describe as worsening national conditions. The coalition... [Continue Reading]
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Is the Italian Prime Minister the Visionary Leader Europe Needs? An Analysis of Executive Decisiveness, National Security, and the Contrast in European Integration Policies
A Continent in Institutional Deadlock While the rest of Europe remains entangled in a web of bureaucratic deadlock and human rights litigation, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has quietly established herself as a leader operating far ahead of her continental peers. For years, European leaders have debated how to handle radicalism and unchecked migration, often waiting for institutional consensus that arrives too late. Meloni, conversely, has demonstrated a willingness to prioritize state security over political correctness, offering a blueprint for a continent facing asymmetric threats. The Contrast in European Legislative Approvals The contrast between Italy’s swift, executive decisiveness and the... [Continue Reading]
There Is Good in Every Bad
Power, Greed, Oil, and the Theater of Modern Geopolitics The Business Model of Power Donald Trump does not govern like a traditional politician. He governs like a negotiator who believes every geopolitical crisis is leverage, every war threat is a bargaining chip, and every market panic is an opportunity. When markets tremble, someone profits. The question is, who? Global markets react instantly to political tension. Gold rises when conflict looms. Oil spikes when instability threatens production. Stock markets collapse on fear, then rebound on reassurance. Volatility is not chaos, it is opportunity. Historically, gold has surged during major geopolitical crises,... [Continue Reading]
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