#HONGKONG: "Patriotic" Courses To Be Given In Vacant School

[world politics news]

A pro-Beijing group in Hong Kong will convert a vacant school into a national education center to showcase teaching models based on patriotism and train students in flag-raising etiquette.

Wong Kam-leung, chairman of the 37,000-strong Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers, said on Tuesday the group was given the school premises in Sha Tin by the city's Education Bureau to set up the support center.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UKRAINE: Polish, Lithuanian Leaders Visit Ukraine As Russia Threatens Invasion

[world politics news]

 

In a show of support for Ukraine, which fears an immanent Russian invasion, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda and Polish President Andrzej Duda traveled to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Monday.

The three leaders "called upon the international community to step up sanctions on the Russian Federation over its ongoing aggression against Ukraine." In a clear reference to Ukraine's desire for more weapons, Zelensky requested "powerful preventative actions" from the West.

The three leaders signed a declaration supporting the territorial integrity of Ukraine.

[FULL STORY HERE and HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CHINA: New Laws Restrict Religions To Five Approved Groups

[world politics news]

 

Human rights watchdogs are worried that the Chinese communist regime is ramping up its crackdown on Christians throughout the communist country. 

The new laws, titled the Measures on the Management of Religious Clergy, 

The laws are an attempt to tighten control of China’s five sanctioned religious groups which include the Buddhist Association of China, the Chinese Taoist Association, the Islamic Association of China, the Protestant Three-Self Patriotic Movement and the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association.

All other religious activity outside of those bodies will now be banned and is punishable by the state.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CANADA: New Brunswick Gov't Reverses Itself, Won't Allow Vax Passports In Grocery Stores

[world politics news]

After sustained public pressure, the New Brunswick government has announced it is no longer allowing grocery stores to bar unvaccinated Canadians.

The announcement came in a government news release on interim COVID measures directed at slowing the Omicron variant.  

“An option allowing stores that sell groceries to ask patrons 12 and over for proof of vaccination, instead of implementing distancing requirements, is being removed from the province’s mandatory order.”

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#LITHUANIA: China Blocking Goods With Lithuanian Parts Over Taiwan Embassy

[world politics news]

The European Union says China is blocking imports from European Union countries when they contain components from Lithuania.

A European official says there have been many cases where imports from Lithuania and the EU are blocked in Chinese ports.

"Apparently, Chinese customs refuse to clear goods from other EU countries if they contain parts from Lithuania," said 

EU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis.

The dispute is occurring because Lithuania opened an consulate in the capital, Vilnius, for the island of Taiwan in July. China claims the island as part of the mainland Communist Chinese Nation. 

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#HONGKONG: Statue Commemorating 1989 Tiananmin Massacre Removed

[world politics news]

Workers at the University of Hong Kong removed a Tiananmen Massacre monument late on Wednesday night, months after the university said the statue must go.

Views of the area were obscured with curtains and plastic barriers at around 11 pm. 

Alvin Lum of CitizenNews reported that the university’s ruling body had agreed to that the statue would be demolished amid political pressure from Beijing’s local offices.

Jens Galschiøt’s Pillar of Shame monument has stood on campus for over two decades, though – in October – university authorities demanded its removal amid a crackdown on those commemorating the 1989 massacre of students by Mainland Chinese military.

The artist said he was saddened by the statues removal, and demanded compensation because he claims he still owns the statue.

The removal is seen by many as yet another example of the mainland Chinese Communist party's stranglehold on Hong Kong, which was promised an independent government until 2045 when it became free of British colonial control in 1997.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#JAPAN: Gov't Urges Businesses Not To Discriminate Against Unvaccinated

[world politics news]

Japan is bucking the trend of vilifying vaccine refusers and instead urging its citizens not to intimidate anyone into getting the jab.

The move flies in the face of efforts by the Biden administration, the Trudeau government, and Australia’s regime to vilify and criminalize vaccine-hesitant individuals. Japanese government officials have advised citizens to “not discriminate against those who have not been vaccinated.”

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ALBANIA: Three Balkan Nations Sign Trade Deal

[world politics news]

Five new agreements were signed on Tuesday after a meeting in the Albanian capital Tirana between the leaders of Serbia, Albania and North Macedonia as part of the Open Balkan initiative, which aims to replicate the Schengen Zone’s free flow of people, capital and goods, initially between the three countries but potentially across the entire region.

The agreements between the three countries covered labour market access, the interconnection of electronic identification schemes, and cooperation on veterinary medicine and food safety.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#LIBYA: Parliamentary Committee Delays Elections Until Jan. 24

[world politics news]

Libya’s electoral board has suggested that this week’s presidential election should be postponed by a month to January 24.

The statement by the High National Electoral Commission (HNEC) on Wednesday came after a parliamentary committee tasked with overseeing the electoral process said it was “impossible” to hold the first round of presidential polls on Friday, as originally scheduled.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CROATIA: Party Leader Faces Expulsion After "Flat-Earther" Insult Against The Unvaccinated

[world politics news]

The founder and president of the right leaning Croatian Sovereigntest Party, Hrvoje Zekanović, is facing expulsion from fellow members after ridiculing those who refuse to be vaccinated against coronavirus as anti-vaxxers and "flat earthers," in both speeches on the floor of Parliament and in media appearances.

The comments came after Zekanović, a member of Parliament since 2018, himself was vaccinated. He told media that he felt compelled to speak out after hearing so many of his colleagues speaking in parliament against vaccination.

MP Marijan Pavliček, who serves in Parliament with Zekanović, said his comments were unacceptable.

"We knew for months that he had a different opinion, we knew that he was vaccinated and it is up to each individual to decide for himself. We couldn’t forgive him for calling everyone who didn’t get vaccinated anti-vaxxers, responsible for people ending up on a respirator. 

"He exaggerated on one show, where he spun a globe and called people flat earthers. On a personal level, he insulted colleagues. This decision has nothing to do with his position on vaccination. He is neither the first nor the last to be vaccinated in the party. But ridiculing all colleagues is unacceptable."

[FULL STORY HERE]

 

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CHILE: Leftist With History Of Anti-Israel Rhetoric Elected President

[world politics news]

 

Leftist Gabriel Boric won Chile's presidential runoff election on Sunday, defeating far-right rival Jose Antonio Kast, who conceded defeat.

35-year-old Boric's victory represents a major revival for Chile's progressive left that has been on the rise since widespread protests roiled the Andean country two years ago.

However, the election results are viewed negatively by Chile's Jewish community due to Boric's outspoken anti-Zionist stance and rhetoric.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UK: Embattled PM Johnson Avoids Imposing Tighter Restrictions Over Christmas

[world politics news]

 

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has defied pressure to tighten coronavirus rules over Christmas to curb surging Omicron cases, but pledged to keep the situation “under constant review”.

The embattled leader, who is reeling from weeks of crises over various scandals and is facing mounting disquiet within his ruling Conservative Party, said on Monday that “the possibility of taking further action” remained.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#EU: Euro Parliament Aims To Better Regulate Big Tech With New Legislation

[world politics news]

European Parliament lawmakers have voted overwhelmingly in favour of the Digital Markets Act, the proposed law that seeks to impose stricter rules around tech competition in Europe.

This act, along with the Digital Services Act, aims to rein in the monopoly large multinationals hold in Europe’s digital space.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#HONGKONG: Residents Vote, But Only for Gov't-Approved Candidates

[world politics news]

Hong Kong voted Sunday in the first election since mainland communist China  amended the city-state's laws to reduce the number of directly elected lawmakers and vet candidates to ensure that only those loyal to China can run.

The semi-autonomous territory was rocked by pro-democracy protests in 2014 and 2019, but they were crushed by security forces, followed by the imposition of a sweeping national security law that silenced most of the city's opposition activists and led others to flee abroad.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#GHANA: Government Budget Voted Down Over Electronic Tax Proposal

[world politics news]

Ghana’s minority lawmakers rejected next year’s budget proposal over a new levy on electronic money transfers after majority members walked out in protest.

The country’s hung parliament had been deliberating the spending plan proposed by Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, which introduces a 1.75% levy on digital transactions, including mobile-money payments, which has become an indispensable part of how people pay for goods and services using their phones.

“The e-levy is the cornerstone of this budget,” Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu said before the walkout. “Where are we going to get the money to do the roads?”

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#INDIA: PM Modi Scraps Controversial Farming Legislation After Year-Long Protests

[world politics news]

India’s Parliament has voted to scrap agricultural reform laws that sparked a year of huge protests by farmers, after a surprise U-turn by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Tens of thousands of farmers have been camped out on the outskirts of the capital New Delhi for more than a year – one of the biggest challenges to Modi’s Hindu nationalist government since he came to power in 2014.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#BOSNIA: Serb Parliament Pursues Path Towards Secession

[world politics news]

The Bosnian Serb parliament in Bonia-Herzegovina has adopted a set of steps that would strengthen a secessionist bid to withdraw from state-level institutions despite warnings from the West.

Lawmakers on December 10 voted 49-3 on starting a procedure for Bosnia-Herzegovina's Serb-dominated entity to withdraw from the Bosnian Army, security services, tax system, and judiciary.

They also voted on a declaration that calls for the drafting of a new constitution for the entity, Republika Srpska, and states that "all laws imposed" by the international high representative for Bosnia are "unconstitutional."

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UK: PM Johnson Faces Huge Backbench Rebellion, But Masks, Vax Passports Approved By Parliament

[world politics news]

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has suffered his biggest parliamentary revolt since he came to power in 2019, after an unprecedented number of his own MPs snubbed his personal plea and voted against new measures to control the spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

Nevertheless, measures reimposing mandatory mask wearing and introducing vaccine passports for those seeking to attend large-scale public events attracting big crowds were adopted by the British Parliament, since the opposition Labour party sided with Johnson on these matters.

A notable exception was former Labour Party leader Jeremy corbyn, who voted against the new measures. He tweeted Tuesday:

"Tonight I will oppose both compulsory vaccines for NHS staff, and the introduction of vaccine passports.  Both measures are counterproductive and will create division when we need cooperation and unity."

Despite the rising case numbers, hospitalizations and actual deaths have remained low.

Yet almost 100 MPs — just under a third of the ruling Conservative party’s total number of lawmakers — voted against their own government on Tuesday, dealing a heavy blow to the reputation of the Premier and raising the possibility of an outright challenge to his leadership early in the new year.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#HONGKONG: Exiled Democracy Activist Strikes Back At Gov't Official's Criticism

[world politics news]

Self-exiled activist Nathan Law has hit back after the city’s security chief said he was “extremely furious” that the ex-lawmaker accepted an invitation to speak at the upcoming Summit for Democracy in the US.

Law, who left Hong Kong just before the enactment of the Beijing-imposed national security law last June, announced on Monday that he had been invited by US President Joe Biden to speak at the summit, to be held on Friday.

Secretary for Security Chris Tang wrote in a blog post published on Tuesday that Law was attempting to “slander the Central and SAR governments, spreading political lies” by accepting an invitation to speak at the summit, “using ‘democracy’ as a façade.”

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CANADA: Car Dealers Could Be Forced To Sell Quota Of Electric Cars By Next Year

[world politics news]

Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault says he wants a national mandate that would force auto dealers to sell a certain number of electric vehicles to be in place by the end of next year.

Road transportation accounts for one-fifth of Canada’s total greenhouse-gas emissions. As Canada charts a path to net zero by 2050, eliminating carbon dioxide from passenger cars is a big part of the process.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UK: PM Johnson Says "National Conversation" Needed Over Mandatory Vaccinations

[world politics news]

Conservative Party Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said that there needs to be a " national conversation" about Covid vaccines in the UK.

Speaking at a press conference from 10 Downing Street tonight, he admitted that there was no prospect of mandatory vaccinations but said that the government needed to protect the public, particularly those who choose not get vaccinated for any reason.

However, a Covid passport will now be mandatory to access venues where large crowds gather, such as nightclubs.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#NICARAGUA: Ortega Regime Recognizes Communist China, Breaks Taiwan Ties

[world politics news]

Nicaragua's government has switched its diplomatic allegiance to China, leaving Taiwan with just 14 governments around the world that formally recognize it as a country.

The announcement by the Central American country’s foreign ministry also recognized Beijing’s claim over Taiwan as a Chinese province, a dispute that is at the heart of escalating tensions in the region.

Cheng Wen-Tsan, mayor of the Twain city of TaoYuan, tweeted his regret for the action.

"We regret to see that Nicaragua chose to end diplomatic ties with Taiwan. However, the ties between the people of Nicaragua and Taiwan will not be affected. I’d also like to stress to China that coercive diplomacy will only drive the two sides of the Taiwan Strait further apart."

US Sen. Ted Cruz tweeted his reaction to the actions of Nicaragua's left-wing Daniel Ortega government:

"Of course a failing Marxist regime like Nicaragua severed ties with free and democratic Taiwan in favor of better relations with the Chinese Communist Party."

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#SOLOMONISLANDS: PM Survives No Confidence Vote After November Riots

[world politics news]

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has survived a no confidence motion in parliament after accusing “agents of Taiwan” of orchestrating the bid to remove him.

The pro-China leader won the support of 32 legislators, while 15 voted against him.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#SOUTHAFRICA: Gov't Plan To Seize White-Owned Land Fails In Parliament

[world politics news]

The National Assembly couldn't pass the amendment to Section 25 of the Constitution to allow for expropriation without compensation on Tuesday.

The ruling African National Congress Party failed to muster the required two-thirds majority as neither the moderate Democratic Alliance nor the left wing Economic Freedom Fighters Party supported the amendment.

In the end, 204 MPs voted in favour of the bill and 145 against, with no abstentions. A total of 267 votes is required for a two-thirds majority. 

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CHILE: Parliament Approves Same-Sex Marriage Bill

[world politics news]

Chile has approved a landmark law allowing same-sex marriage in the historically Catholic country.

The legislation, overwhelmingly approved by parliament on Tuesday, also enables gay couples to adopt children.

The bill was supported by President Sebastián Piñera, who has to sign it into law. But it has been criticized by members of his conservative coalition.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.