Vietnam’s rubber stamp National Assembly voted in a new president on Thursday, who immediately pledged to crack down on corruption following the resignation of his predecessor in an anti-graft campaign. The appointment of Vo Van Thuong comes during a period of political upheaval in Vietnam, where the all-powerful Communist Party’s anti-graft purge and factional fighting have seen several ministers fired. Members of the National Assembly elected 52-year-old Thuong — the sole candidate — for a […]
Tag: politics
‘The conflict goes on’: South Sudan’s never-ending war
by Nick Perry Agence France-Presse NAIROBI, Kenya (AFP) — “South Sudan remains significantly peaceful”, declared the opening line of a government-issued fact sheet for visitors and press as they awaited the historic arrival of Pope Francis in the country this month. But on his first day in Juba, as the pontiff waved to the faithful, mass graves were being dug just 100 kilometers (62 miles) away for 27 civilians killed in a hail of automatic […]
Florida takes over Disney district to punish ‘woke’ politics
by Gerard MARTINEZ Agence France-Presse MIAMI, United States (AFP) — Florida’s governor seized control of Walt Disney World’s self-governing district on Monday, hailing the end of the “corporate kingdom” as he effectively punished the entertainment giant over its “woke” opposition to his political agenda. The bill allows Republican Ron DeSantis to appoint his own board to oversee the services provided in the theme park by Disney, which attracted the governor’s ire last year after it […]
Bank of Japan’s next chief says monetary easing ‘appropriate’
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — The Bank of Japan’s long-standing monetary easing policies are “appropriate”, its next governor Kazuo Ueda told parliament on Friday, suggesting no sudden changes to the bank’s stance when he takes the helm in April. Under current boss Karuhiko Kuroda, the bank has unleashed a raft of extraordinary ultra-loose policies — from a negative interest rate to spending vast sums on government bonds — in a bid to boost the sluggish economy. […]
Warhol in the desert: flamboyant art icon pops up in Saudi
by Robbie COREY-BOULET Agence France-Presse AL-ULA, Saudi Arabia (AFP) — Andy Warhol’s iconic portraits of stars such as Marlon Brando and Dolly Parton are on display in the Saudi desert, at a show intended to reframe the kingdom’s forbidding reputation. The first exhibition in Saudi Arabia for the Pop Art giant is a tribute to the late artist’s obsession with celebrity, and his seeming ability to predict the rise of contemporary influencer culture. At […]
Thai election to be held in May: PM
Bangkok, Thailand | AFP | Tuesday 2/21/2023 Thailand will hold a general election in May, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha said Tuesday, with unofficial campaigning already under way. The embattled premier, who came to power as army chief in a 2014 coup before taking over as PM after a controversial 2019 election, told reporters he would dissolve parliament in March. Under Thai constitutional rules, this would mean an election some time in May, with May 7 […]
Taiwan to bolster military ties with United States: President Tsai
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AFP) — Taiwan will boost military exchanges with the United States to curb “authoritarian expansionism”, President Tsai Ing-wen said Tuesday after meeting with visiting US lawmakers. The five-day US Congressional visit comes after a top US defense official reportedly made a rare and highly secretive stopover to the self-ruled island as Washington-Beijing tensions flared over alleged Chinese spy balloons. “Taiwan and the United States continue to bolster military exchanges,” Tsai said after convening […]
URGENT: N. Korea says turning Pacific into ‘firing range’ depends on US actions
Seoul, South Korea | AFP | North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s powerful sister on Monday warned of “corresponding counteraction” to US-South Korean joint military drills, state media said, after Pyongyang carried out two banned missile launches in two days. “The frequency of using the Pacific as our firing range depends upon the US forces’ action character,” Kim Yo Jong said in statement carried by the official KCNA. This is a developing story… © Agence […]
Questions mount for Scotland’s SNP as Sturgeon quits
Edinburgh, United Kingdom | AFP | Calls mounted within the Scottish National Party (SNP) on Thursday to postpone a special conference aimed at reviving its push for independence, after the surprise resignation of leader Nicola Sturgeon. After more than eight eventful years as Scotland’s first minister and SNP leader, Sturgeon said on Wednesday she lacked the “energy” to carry on and would step down. The party’s executive was to meet late on Thursday to set the […]
Nikki Haley announces 2024 US presidential bid
Charleston, United States | AFP | Tuesday 2/14/2023 Former US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley announced Tuesday she is running for president in 2024, challenging fellow Republican candidate Donald Trump by proposing a “new generation” of leadership in Washington. “I’m Nikki Haley and I’m running for president,” the 51-year-old former governor of South Carolina and the child of Indian immigrants said in a video statement. “It’s time for a new generation of leadership […]
Speculation grows as US shoots down new mystery object
Washington, United States | AFP | by Paul HANDLEY / Brian KNOWLTON A US warplane shot down a new flying object near the Canadian border on Sunday, the latest of three mysterious devices spotted since military radar settings were cranked up in the wake of the downing of a suspected Chinese spy balloon. Jittery Americans have been watching the skies as the mysterious incursions unfolded against a backdrop of acute tensions with China — although only the first […]
‘Unidentified object’ shot down over Canada: Trudeau
Ottawa, Canada | AFP | Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Saturday an “unidentified object” was shot down over northwestern Canada, one day after US officials said they had shot down a similar object over Alaska. “Canadian and US aircraft were scrambled, and a US F-22 successfully fired at the object,” Trudeau tweeted. I ordered the take down of an unidentified object that violated Canadian airspace. @NORADCommand shot down the object over the Yukon. Canadian and […]
