Category: Politics

US President Joe Biden has likened a new voting law in the state of Georgia to racist policies of the 20th Century American South, calling it an atrocity. The law adds restrictions to voting that Mr Biden said disproportionately targeted black Americans. In a strongly-worded…

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s party has won the most seats in parliamentary elections, projections show. Victory hands Mr Rutte a mandate to form a new coalition government led by his centre-right liberal VVD party, with a fourth term as prime minister. His last government…

Dozens of Myanmar protesters who were trapped overnight by security forces have now fled the premises. Around 200 people in a district of Yangon had on Monday been blocked from leaving a four-street area in the Sanchaung area of the city on Monday. Of this,…

An official from Aung San Suu Kyi’s party has died in custody in Myanmar after being arrested during raids by security forces in Yangon. On Sunday the body of U Khin Maung Latt was released to his family, who were reportedly told that he had…

The United States has condemned China’s “continuing assault on democratic institutions in Hong Kong”, after Beijing announced plans to change the electoral system there. China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) unveiled the plans on Friday. One proposal would require all candidates standing for Hong Kong’s assembly…

China announced at its biggest political meeting that it will overhaul Hong Kong’s electoral system to ensure “patriots” are in charge, a sign that the government will no longer tolerate dissent in the city. The reform comes after a crackdown and tightened control of Hong…

Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi has been seen by her lawyers for the first time since she was detained during a military coup a month ago. Ms Suu Kyi, who appeared in court via video link, appeared to be in “good health” and asked to…

Donald Trump says he has no plans to launch a new political party, telling a conservative conference in Florida that it would split the Republican vote. In his first speech since Democrat Joe Biden became president, he also hinted that he might run for office…

The arrival of the Myanmar junta-appointed foreign minister, Wunna Maung Lwin, in Bangkok on Wednesday for an unannounced meeting with his Thai and Indonesian counterparts marked the start of a daunting diplomatic undertaking for South East Asia. No details were released of what was discussed….

Social media giant Facebook has banned Myanmar’s military and its affiliates from its platforms. The company said it acted after deciding “the risks of allowing the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] on Facebook and Instagram are too great”. It had already banned the military’s main page for…

The US has agreed to the idea of taking part in talks involving Iran and world powers with a view to reviving a landmark nuclear deal. Iran vowed to limit its nuclear programme in return for the lifting of economic sanctions under the 2015 deal….

A young woman has become the first protester to die in the anti-coup demonstrations in Myanmar after she was shot in the head. Mya Thwe Thwe Khaing, 20, was injured earlier last week when police tried to disperse protesters using water cannon, rubber bullets and…

Protests in support of a jailed Catalan rapper have descended into violence, with police and demonstrators clashing in Spain’s main cities. The protests erupted a day after Pablo Hasél was jailed for tweets insulting police and the Spanish monarchy. Thousands of protesters in Madrid and…

Small groups of protesters have begun to gather in Myanmar, despite the armoured vehicles which have appeared on the streets of several cities. The military’s heightened presence is the latest sign of a potential crackdown on opposition to the coup it carried out on 1…

It all started with damning allegations from book excerpts published in France’s prestigious Le Monde newspaper as the new year began. “I was 14 and I let it go (…). I was 14, I knew and didn’t say anything.” “My stepfather would come into my…