Monday, July 31, 2017

#VENEZUELA: Maduro Dictatorship Hold Election For New Assembly Widely Condemned As A "Sham"

[world politics news]


There was a light turnout for the selection of a 545-members of the National Constituent Assembly, whose candidates were hand-picked by the Socialist regime of Nicolas Maduro. The Assembly will replace the current opposition-controlled parliament, and it is feared it will quickly write a new constitution giving Maduro's party absolute power. These elections take place after more than three months of protests that have left more than 120 deaths all over the country. The US and some South American nations have condemned the one-sided election as a "sham."

[FULL STORY HERE]

Sunday, July 30, 2017

#PAKISTAN: Ousted PM Sharif Names Brother As Successor, Must Win By-Election First

[world politics news]


Ousted Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has named his younger brother Shahbaz to replace him as the country’s leader, after having been removed from office by the Supreme Court for lying on a wealth declaration. Shahbaz Sharif, currently the chief minister of Punjab province, which is Pakistan’s most populous region and the Sharif’s political heartland, will have to resign from that post and run for a by-election to join parliament before he is elected as prime minister.

[FULL STORY HERE]

Saturday, July 29, 2017

#PAKISTAN: PM Sharif Removed From Office By Supreme Court

[world politics news]


Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has stepped down after the Supreme Court disqualified him from office as leader of the country's government. Friday's landmark ruling comes after months of hearings in a case instigated by the "Panama Papers" leaks, related to alleged corruption during his previous two terms in office.

[FULL STORY HERE]

Friday, July 28, 2017

#INDIA: Parliamentary Panel Says Gov't Transgender Bill Doesn't Go Far Enough To Protect Rights

[world politics news]


A parliamentary panel has criticized the government’s draft transgender bill for not addressing important civil rights issues such as marriage and divorce among members of the community. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Justice And Empowerment in its report tabled in the Lok Sabha said transgenders "remain at risk of criminalization under Section 377 of the IPC."The report comes at a time when the BJP-led NDA government is under pressure to decriminalize homosexuality.
[FULL STORY HERE]

Thursday, July 27, 2017

#AUSTRALIA: Oppo. Ldr. Bill Shorten Wants To Lengthen Gov't Term To Four Years

[world politics news]


Australians could be asked to give a Federal government four years in charge of the nation’s finances, with Opposition Leader Bill Shorten saying an end to revolving-door politics would boost confidence across the country. Shorten said he was looking for bipartisan support that both sides of politics would take to the next Federal election, promising a referendum on ditching three-year terms. And there is support within the Government after a prominent backbencher earlier this year introduced a Bill in Parliament to move to four years.

[FULL STORY HERE]

Wednesday, July 26, 2017

#UK: Labour Party Leader Corbyn Says His Party "Never" Pledged To Wipe Out Student Debt

[world politics news]


The UK's Labour party has been accused of “shamelessly abandoning” their election promises to young people after Jeremy Corbyn denied ever saying the party would "completely abolish" student debts if they came to power. The promise (or implied promise) brought millions of votes from students during the recent election, which nearly brought Labour to power.

[FULL STORY HERE]

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

#POLAND: Pres. Duda Vetoes 2 Controversial Legal Reforms After Mass Protests

[world politics news]


Poland's President Andrzej Duda has unexpectedly vetoed two out of three contentious bills that are widely seen as assaults on the independence of the judicial system and are part of a planned legal overhaul by the ruling party that has sparked days of nationwide protests.

[FULL STORY HERE]

Monday, July 24, 2017

#CANADA: Alberta's Wildrose & Progressive Conservative Parties Agree To Merge

[world politics news]


Alberta's political landscape profoundly shifted Saturday as its two main conservative parties — enemies for a decade - overwhelmingly agreed to end their feud and work as one to defeat Premier Rachel Notley’s NDP. In separate votes, members of the Wildrose party and the Progressive Conservatives voted in a landslide to merge into the new United Conservative Party. The move was a personal victory for former cabinet minister Jason Kenney, who spearheaded the Unite movement and campaigned vigorously for it.

[FULL STORY HERE]

Friday, July 21, 2017

#CANADA: Trudeau Faces Questions Over Gov. General Pick's Assault Charge

[world politics news]


Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Governor General Designate Julie Payette will inspire Canadians, but he is being forced to defend his pick following revelations she faced an assault charge. Trudeau's office knew that Payette had been charged with second-degree assault prior to appointing her. Payette's Nov. 24, 2011 assault charge was dropped two weeks later and Payette ultimately had it expunged, or wiped clear, from her record.

[FULL STORY HERE]

Thursday, July 20, 2017

#INDIA: New President Is Member of India's Lowest Caste, Political Unknown

[world politics news]


Ram Nath Kovind, a member of India's lowest caste, has been elected India’s new President, defeating the Opposition’s pick, Meira Kumar. In an electoral college of 4,986 voters with a vote value of 10,098,903, Kovind got 2,930 votes carrying a value of 7,000,244, while the former Lok Sabha Speaker secured 1,844 votes. Kovind got 65.65% of the total vote, while Meira Kumar got 34.35%.

[FULL STORY HERE]

Wednesday, July 19, 2017

#FRANCE: Head Of French Military Resigns Over PM Macron's Proposed Budget Cuts

[world politics news]


The head of the French armed forces has quit after a clash with President Emmanuel Macron over budget cuts. Gen Pierre de Villiers said in a statement he could no longer "guarantee the durability of the army model" that he considered necessary to ensure France's protection. France's government last week revealed major cuts to bring its budget deficit below the level of an EU cap.

[FULL STORY HERE]

Monday, July 17, 2017

#INDIA: Parliament Chooses President Today; Both Candidates From Among Lowest Caste

[world politics news]


Politicians from both houses of India's parliament have cast their ballots to elect the country's next president, with two candidates from the lowest rank of the Hindu caste system - Dalits - vying for the largely ceremonial post. The candidate from the ruling BJP, Ram Nath Kovind, a 71-year-old lawyer turned politician who was until recently governor of the eastern state of Bihar, is predicted to win. Kovind is also backed by several regional parties. His main rival is Meira Kumar, 72, who was India's first female speaker of the parliament and a former federal minister. She is backed by the main opposition Congress party.

[FULL STORY HERE]

Sunday, July 16, 2017

#POLAND: Bill Seeks To Reform "Corrupt" Judiciary That Serves "Only The Elites"

[world politics news]


Poland's parliament has approved a bill to give MPs and the justice minister the power to appoint judges without consulting judicial circles. Opposition parties and human rights groups say this would erode the independence of the judiciary. The governing Law and Justice party says the reforms are needed because the judiciary is corrupt and serves only the elite.

[FULL STORY HERE]


Saturday, July 15, 2017

#UGANDA: MPs Vow To Sink "Land Grabbing" Constitutional Amendment Bill

[world politics news]


 A section of Members of Parliament are vowing to rally their colleagues in Uganda’s Parliament to shoot down a proposed land acquisition amendment to the Constitution that they fear, if enacted into law, instead of helping government acquire land for development, will lead to more land grabbing and evictions in the country.

[FULL STORY HERE]

Friday, July 14, 2017

#MALTA: Parliament Votes To Allow Same-Sex Marriage

[world politics news]


Malta's parliament has voted to allow same-sex couples to marry, three years after passing a law permitting civil partnerships in the overwhelmingly Catholic island nation. Lawmakers gave near-unanimous approval to the bill, which represents a major step for LGBT rights on the island.

[FULL STORY HERE]

Thursday, July 13, 2017

#BRAZIL: Former Pres. Lula Sentenced To 10 Years In Prison For Corruption

[world politics news]


Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was found guilty of corruption and money laundering Wednesday and sentenced to almost 10 years in prison, the highest-profile conviction yet in the sprawling graft investigation that has jailed dozens of Brazil’s elite.

[FULL STORY HERE]


Sunday, July 09, 2017

#VENEZUELA: Opposition Leader Released From Prison

[world politics news]


Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez was on Saturday released from military prison and transferred to house arrest, an order the Supreme Court said was for health reasons.

[FULL STORY HERE]

Saturday, July 08, 2017

#FRANCE: Failed Socialist Pres. Cand. Founds New Political Party "First of July Movement"

[world politics news]


France's failed Socialist presidential candidate Benoit Hamon on Saturday announced his departure from the crisis-hit party to establish a new "First of July movement" aimed at rebuilding the ailing left. "Today I have decided to quit the Socialist Party. I am leaving the party but I am not giving up on the socialist ideal," said the 50-year-old as he launched his new movement before a 11,000-strong crowd in Paris.

[FULL STORY HERE]

Friday, July 07, 2017

#GERMANY: Bavarian Gov't Urged To Challenge Same-Sex Recognition Law In Court

[world politics news]


A conservative parliament leader is encouraging the state of Bavaria to file a legal challenge to same-sex marriage, passed just days ago by national lawmakers. Bundestag Vice President Johannes Singhammer of Angela Merkel’s Bavarian sister party the CSU told Die Welt on Monday that his state’s government should bring the matter of same-sex marriage to the Constitutional Court.

[FULL STORY HERE]

Thursday, July 06, 2017

#ISRAEL: Labor Party Leader Comes In Third Place In Primary Behind Former Leader & Political Newcomer

[world politics news]


Labor leader and Opposition Leader Isaac Herzog was dealt a crushing blow in his party's primaries on Tuesday, ending up in third place after rivals MK Amir Peretz and newcomer Avi Gabai. Peretz and Gabai will face off in a second primary round next Monday to decide who will be Labor's next leader. The ballot brought a relatively high voter turnout, with 30,998 of Labor's 52,505 members (59%) exercising their right to vote.

Pictured: Amir Peretz (R) and Avi Gabay.

[FULL STORY HERE]

Tuesday, July 04, 2017

#FRANCE: National Front Leader Le Pen Under Investigation Over EU Staff Funding

[world politics news]


National Front Leader Marine Le Pen has been placed under formal investigation over the European parliament funding scandal. The charges relate to claims her party misused European Parliament funds to pay for staff in France, with parliamentary officials claiming up to five million euros (£4.4 million) could have been wrongly used to pay staff working on party-specific issues.

 [FULL STORY HERE]

Monday, July 03, 2017

#UK: Founder Of Anti-Muslim Group Launches UKIP Leadership Bid

[world politics news]


The founder of the anti-Muslim Sharia Watch group is launching a bid to be the next UKIP leader on Saturday. Anne Marie Waters was blocked from standing for UKIP at the election, with then party Leader Paul Nuttall saying her views made him "uncomfortable." She campaigns against Sharia law in the UK and has called Islam "evil."

[FULL STORY HERE]

Sunday, July 02, 2017

#UGANDA: Parliament Speaker Urges Debate On Controversial Marriage/Divorce Bill

[world politics news]


Rebecca Kadaga, the Speaker of Uganda's parliament, has resurrected the debate on a controversial Marriage and Divorce Bill. Kadaga told legislators that it is time to take a stand on whether pass, or drop the bill. The bill was first introduced in the seventh parliament (Uganda is in the second session of it's 10th) but has faced resistance from religious institutions opposed to the provisions banning polygamy. Some of the contentious clauses in the bill is on a wife sharing of the property in case of divorce.

[FULL STORY HERE]

Saturday, July 01, 2017

#GERMANY: Parliament Votes To Legalize Gay Marriage; Merkel Votes No, But Some Conservatives Support

[world politics news]


The German parliament, or Bundestag, has passed a bill legalizing same-sex marriages in a snap vote that made it onto the agenda before the summer break after a surprise shift by Chancellor Angela Merkel. The bill passed by 393 to 226, with four abstentions. Merkel herself voted against the bill, although her comments helped bring it about. However, more than 70 members of Merkel's conservative bloc must have voted in favor of the bill for it to pass.

[FULL STORY HERE]