Tag: politics

Peru declares state of emergency as ousted leader remains in prison

by Luis Jaime CISNEROS / Patrick FORT Agence France-Presse LIMA, Peru (AFP) — Peru declared a nationwide state of emergency Wednesday over violent protests against the ouster and arrest of ex-president Pedro Castillo that have left seven people dead. Castillo’s supporters have taken to the streets and set up roadblocks countrywide in protests that have also left 200 injured as they demand his release and the holding of early elections. The country plunged into crisis […]

US political world seeks distance from disgraced donor Bankman-Fried

by Aurélia END Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — After years of benefitting from the enormous contributions of FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried — accused of massive financial fraud — America’s political elite are now skittering away, eager to put distance between themselves and the disgraced cryptocurrency darling. The 30-year-old tycoon — currently detained in the Bahamas awaiting US extradition proceedings — had in recent years become one of the largest public donors to the […]

Japan to radically overhaul defence policy on China threats

    Tokyo, Japan (AFP) by Sara HUSSEIN Japan is expected to announce its biggest defence overhaul in decades this week, hiking spending, reshaping its military command and acquiring new missiles to tackle the threat from China. The policies, to be outlined in three defence and security documents as soon as Friday, will reshape the defence landscape in a country whose post-war constitution does not even officially recognise the military. “Fundamentally strengthening our defence capabilities […]

As Peru protests rage, court denies ex-president’s release appeal

by Carlos MANDUJANO / Patrick FORT Agence France-Presse LIMA, Peru (AFP) — A court in Peru rejected on Tuesday an appeal by former president Pedro Castillo to be freed from detention on charges of rebellion and conspiracy, as officials warned protests demanding his release could spiral out of control. Prosecutors late Tuesday filed a request to hold Castillo in pre-trial detention for 18 months, marking the formal start of the investigation against him, a prosecution […]

Pres. Putin will not hold annual year-end press conference: Kremlin

Moscow, Russia (AFP) Russian President Vladimir Putin will not hold his annual end-of-year press conference this year, which has been dominated by Moscow’s Ukraine offensive, the Kremlin said on Monday. “There will not be (a press conference) before the New Year,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. He added that Putin “regularly speaks to the press, including on foreign visits”. Peskov gave no reason for the break with tradition. Putin, who has been in power since […]

Pres. Macron postpones French pension overhaul to January

Paris, France (AFP) French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday that he was pushing back his presentation of a major pensions overhaul denounced by labour unions, citing recent leadership changes at two opposition parties. Both the Greens and the right-wing Republicans have elected new chiefs, and Macron said he would consult with them before unveiling details of the major reform on January 10, instead of Thursday as planned. “This will give a few more weeks for […]

Two killed in Peru as protests spread against new president

by Carlos Mandujano and Luis Jaime Cisneros Agence France-Presse LIMA, Peru (AFP) — Protests against Peru’s new government turned deadly on Sunday, with two people killed as police clashed with angry demonstrators calling for a national strike, fresh elections and the release of detained former president Pedro Castillo. The protests have swelled, notably in the northern and Andean towns, since the South American country’s legislature on Wednesday threw out the leftist Castillo after he tried […]

Bangladesh opposition mounts huge protest, MPs quit

Dhaka, Bangladesh (AFP) by Sam JAHAN / Mohammad MAZED Nearly 100,000 supporters of Bangladesh’s main opposition party descended on Dhaka Saturday to protest against the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and demand new elections. “Sheikh Hasina is a vote thief,” they chanted at the Golapbagh sports ground where the rally was held as the crowd spilled into surrounding streets. All seven opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) MPs announced their resignations from parliament at the […]

Freed arms dealer Bout says West wants to ‘destroy’ Russia

Moscow, Russia (AFP) Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, who was freed in a prisoner swap with US basketball star Brittney Griner, told Kremlin-run media on Friday that Western countries are seeking to “destroy” and “divide” Russia. “The West believes that they did not finish us off in 1990, when the Soviet Union began to disintegrate… They think that they can just destroy us again and divide Russia,” he told state-run channel RT, known previously as […]

Peru’s ousted president put in provisional detention

by Carlos MANDUJANO / Luis Jaime CISNEROS Agence France-Presse LIMA, Peru (AFP) — Peru’s former president Pedro Castillo was placed in provisional detention on Thursday, a day after he was ousted by lawmakers and arrested, accused of attempting a coup. Prosecutors carried out a dawn raid on the presidency and some ministerial offices in search of evidence against Castillo, who is being investigated for “rebellion and conspiracy.” Looking visibly nervous and disheveled, the toppled leftist […]

How not to retire: South Korean ex-president bedevilled by protests

by Kang Jin-kyu Agence France-Presse PYEONGSAN, South Korea (AFP) — After five years running South Korea, former president Moon Jae-in moved to a peaceful village far away from Seoul, in search of a quiet retirement. Then the protests began. Every day since his arrival in May, demonstrators in Pyeongsan village have used megaphones to shower him with vitriol over his efforts at engagement with North Korea, livestreaming their protests to hundreds of viewers. “Moon is […]

Peru president ousted after bid to dissolve Congress

by Carlos MANDUJANO / Luis Jaime CISNEROS Agence France-Presse LIMA, Peru (AFP) — Peru’s leftist leader Pedro Castillo was impeached and replaced as president on Wednesday in a dizzying series of events in the country that has long been prone to political upheaval. Dina Boluarte, a 60-year-old lawyer, was sworn in as Peru’s first female president just hours after Castillo tried to wrest control of the legislature in a move criticized as an attempted coup. […]