#JAPAN: PM To Admit "Remorse" For WWII In Highly Charged Anniversary Statement

[world politics news]

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will incorporate the word "remorse" over World War II in a statement he will issue in August to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the war's end. The "future oriented" statement will also praise the country's policy of "proactive contributions to peace." The highly anticipated, much debated statement is being submitted to a committee for review.

#RUSSIA: Legislation Would Allow Seizure Of Foreign Assets Within Russia "Without Warning"

[world politics news]

The Russian government has approved a draft bill that would allow it to seize foreign state assets, without warning. The move is seen as a tit-for-tat gesture, following Western court cases involving Russian firms.

#UKRAINE: Unstable Tax Policies, High Taxes, Burden Businesses, Says Dep. Fin. Min. Makeyva

[world politics news]

Nearly 88% of Ukrainian companies say the instability of tax legislation is the most serious problem for business development, and 75% cite a high tax burden. Deputy Minister of Finance Olena Makeyeva says various tax reform measures are being debated by the government, including a moratorium on tax code changes.

#BURUNDI: Pres. Nkurunziza Wins Third Term After Oppo. Parties Boycott Election

[world politics news]

Pres. Pierre Nkurunziza has won a third term, winning 69% of the vote. Opposition parties boycotted the elections, leaving former general Agathon Rwasa, who took 19% of the vote, as Nkurunziza’s only opponent. Rwasa's called for the formation of a national unity government with several opposition parties to prevent a possible coup attempt.

#GERMANY: Anti-Refugee Rage Erupts At Town Hall Meeting; Pro-Refugee Voices Shouted Down

[world politics news]

Freital, the town that became famous last week for irate anti-refugee protesters outside a new home for asylum seekers, saw a fresh confrontation as local people gathered for a town hall meeting. Markus Ulbig, interior minister of Saxony, said that he was disappointed by the people who shouted down pro-refugee voices at the meeting.

#SPAIN: Marriage Age Raised from 14 To 16, Bringing It In Line With EU Standards

[world politics news]

Spain has raised the minimum age for marriage from 14 to 16, having had the lowest marrying age in Europe. Before the age was raised, boys and girls could marry at the age of 14 with the permission of a judge. It is now level with most European countries. The change comes only months after the government raised the age of consent from 13 to 16.

#CANADA: #JustinTrudeau Donates Child Welfare Benefit To Charity

[world politics news]

Liberal Party Leader Justin Trudeau says the Conservative government’s newly enhanced universal child care benefit shouldn't go to wealthy families that don’t need help raising their kids. And to underscore that point, he's going to give his own family’s $3,400 windfall to charity.

#ISRAEL: Knesset Increases Penalties For Rock-Throwing Up To 20 Years

[world politics news]

The Knesset has passed a bill Monday that would send rock throwers to prison for up to 10 years, without having to prove harmful intent in their actions, or a maximum of 20 years if it can be proven the throwers intended to inflict harm.

#FINLAND: New Law Allows Concert-Goers To Get Refunds If The Show "Sucked"

[world politics news]

Concert-goers in Finland will now be able to get at least half of their money back from a concert that is widely agreed to be substandard.The law was sparked by a complaint to the nation's Consumer Disputes Board (CDB) who was so displeased with a performance of Chuck Berry’s that he filed to get his money back.

#NEWZEALAND: Parliament Rushes Through Fix For Speed Limit Law Blunder

[world politics news]

Parliament has rammed through law changes in just hours to validate tens of thousands of potentially illegal speeding tickets. The tickets were issued in up to 25 local governments that may have failed to renew their speed limits from 2004, meaning all tickets issued on roads other than the open road for the last 11 years may have been invalid.

#GREECE: PM #Tsipras Rallies His Reluctant Party Ahead Of #EU Vote On #Bailout Deal

[world politics news]

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is trying to rally his Syriza Party late Tuesday before a Wednesday vote in parliament on the second package of measures demanded by international creditors to open talks on a new bailout deal.

#GERMANY: Ousted Alliance For Germany Leader Founds "Alliance For Progress And Renewal"; Less Focus On Immigration

[world politics news]

Bernd Lucke, the founder of the euroskeptic Alternative for Germany (AfD) party who was ousted in a recent leadership vote, set up a new party, The Alliance for Progress and Renewal, which is, like the AfD, critical of the European Union, but less focused on immigration than AfD.

#IRELAND: Bill Passes Upper House Allowing Debt Collection For Non-Payment Of Water Bills

[world politics news]

Legislation to allow for the court-ordered attachment of earnings or social welfare payments of "won't pay" debtors now goes to the President for signing after the Seanad accepted it yesterday evening by 20 votes to 13. Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald has described the legislation as "balanced,", but Sinn Féin's Trevor Ó Clochartaigh said it was a "wolf in sheep's clothing."

#GERMANY: Chancellor #AngelaMerkel Opposes Gay Marriage, But Supports Civil Unions

[world politics news]

While making it clear that she opposes discrimination against homosexuals, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, in a YouTube interview, said she opposes Gay Marriage, reserving marriage for "a man and a woman." She does support civil partnerships for people of the same sex.

#BURKINAFASO: Ex-President Charged With Treason For Troop Crackdown On Demonstrators

[world politics news]

Former prime minister Luc Adolphe Tiao, who signed an order authorizing the army to crush an October uprising, has been charged with assault and battery, murder and complicity to murder demonstrators. The demonstrations were sparked by his desire to amend the constitution to allow him to run for a third term.

#FRANCE: Gov't Forces Economic Reforms Through Parliament Without A Vote, Again

[world politics news]

Prime Minister Manuel Valls has pushed an economics package through parliament designed to spur growth. The reforms, which include allowing shops in tourist areas to remain open Sundays, was adopted without a vote, using a procedure Valls has used twice before, over objections from hard-line Socialists in Valls' own party.

#TAIWAN: New President Will Be A Woman; Both Parties Select Female Nominees

[world politics news]

Taiwan’s ruling Kuomintang picked its second-highest-ranking lawmaker, Hung Hsiu-chu, to run for president, setting the stage for the island to elect its first female leader in January. Hung, 67, will run against Tsai Ing-wen, 58, chair of the main opposition Democratic Progressive Party, the first time both major parties have nominated women for the top office.

Pictured: Hung Hsiu-chu, Taiwan's deputy parliamentary speaker.

#RUSSIA: Anti-Gay Head Of TV Network Voices Support For Gay Civil Partnerships

[world politics news]

Dmitry Kiselyov, the head of Russia's pro-Putin Rossiya television channel, surprised many last week when he advocated civil partnerships between homosexuals. Saying it was for reasons of "guardianship" he added, "After all, love can work miracles. Who is against that?" Kiselyov has said organs donated by gays should be burned.

#JAPAN: Gov't Scraps Plans For Controversial, $2 Billion Stadium Design For 2020 Olympics

[world politics news]

The Japanese government has scrapped the controversial design for a 2020 Tokyo Olympic stadium. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said his government would "start over from zero." The cost of the project, designed by British architect Zaha Hadid, had doubled, reaching $2 billion. Abe says the new stadium will still be completed in time for the games, but not for the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

#UKRAINE: Parliament Adopts Rules For Oct 25 Elections; Won't Be Held In Russian-Occupied Territories

[world politics news]

Noting that the rules for Ukrainian elections cannot be properly conducted in Crimea or in other Russian-held territories in the east, parliament has pragmatically passed a law stating that local elections on Oct. 25 won't be conducted in those areas. The law also says 30% of candidates must be women.