South Africa election: Will there be a new president or government?

South Africans vote in national and provincial elections on May 29 with opinion polls suggesting the governing African National Congress will lose its majority for the first time in the democratic era, while remaining the largest party. Under South Africa’s constitution, voters elect 400 members of the National Assembly, who then elect the president by […]

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US, European powers divided over confronting Iran at IAEA

The US and its three top European allies are divided over whether to confront Iran at the U.N. nuclear watchdog by seeking a resolution against it and thereby risk further escalation, with the Europeans in favour, diplomats say. It is 18 months since the International Atomic Energy Agency’s 35-nation Board of Governors last passed a […]

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Protests as Taiwan parliament pushes contentious reforms

Lawmakers in Taiwan jostled, unfurled banners and shouted at each other on Tuesday in a dispute about efforts to widen parliament oversight pushed by the opposition, despite the anger of the ruling party, which says there has been no consultation. The squabble comes as Lai Ching-te took office on Monday as the new president, facing […]

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Solomon Islands tells Australia it will review security

 Australia’s Defence Minister Richard Marles said on Tuesday Solomon Islands’ newly elected Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele had told him the Pacific Island nation is undertaking a security review that will determine the future of policing cooperation. A security pact struck with China in 2022 by the previous pro-Beijing leader Manasseh Sogavare, who encouraged Chinese infrastructure […]

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Vietnam lawmakers clear way for top policeman to take presidency

Vietnam’s National Assembly said on Tuesday it will vote to dismiss To Lam from the post of Minister of Public Security, paving the way for him to be elected state president this week as part of a shakeup in the country’s leadership. To Lam, 66, has been nominated by a top committee of the ruling […]

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France begins landmark trial against top Syrian officials over killing of father and son

The first trial in France of officials of the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad is to begin on Tuesday, with three top security officers to be tried in absentia for complicity in crimes against humanity and war crimes. The Paris Criminal Court will try the three officials for their role in the deaths of two […]

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India top court grants temporary bail to opposition leader Kejriwal to campaign in elections

India’s top court gave temporary bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a graft case on Friday, allowing him to campaign in the ongoing general elections, boosting the opposition alliance of which he is a key leader. The court said the temporary bail would last until June 1, the last day of the seven-phase […]

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UN agency closes East Jerusalem compound after arson

The main United Nations aid agency for Palestinians closed its headquarters in East Jerusalem after local Israeli residents set fire to areas at the edge of the sprawling compound, the agency said. Philippe Lazzarini, the head of UNWRA, said in a post on the social media platform X that he had decided to close the […]

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Polish PM reshuffles cabinet ahead of European elections

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced a cabinet reshuffle on Friday, with the coordinator of special services Tomasz Siemoniak taking on the additional post of interior minister. The reshuffle was forced as four ministers in the pro-European coalition government led by Tusk’s Civic Coalition (KO) are stepping down to run in European Parliament elections in […]

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Russian missile strike sets houses ablaze in Ukraine’s Kharkiv, officials say

A Russian missile attack on Ukraine’s northeastern city of Kharkiv injured two people and set three houses on fire in the early hours of Friday, local officials said. Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city, which lies just 30 km from the Russian border, is particularly exposed to aerial attacks and has been badly damaged as Moscow […]

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