#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

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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.

#CANADA: O'Leary Cites Trudeau's Diverse Cabinet's Lack Of "Competence"

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Conservative leadership hopeful Kevin O’Leary says the prime minister has ended up with a mediocre cabinet because he was more concerned about diversity than competence.

The Shark Tank star, who sought the Conservative Party leader spot in 2017, said he believes diversity and gender parity is important in government, but if elected, he would balance that diversity with competence.

“He has built up a caucus and a cabinet full of incompetent and mediocre leaders because he only listened to the siren call of diversity without even looking at competence.”

In his first cabinet of 30 ministers, Trudeau said he appointed an equal number of men and women “because it’s 2015.”

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#RUSSIA: "Immunity Passport" With QR Codes Required To Visit Public Places From Dec. 1

[world politics news]

 
QR codes on telephones acts as a vaccine passport for Russian citizens who want to visit public places, starting December 1.

On November 12, the government submitted to the State Duma two bills, which introduce QR codes for visiting public places, as well as for travel by rail and air. 

The first document spells out that citizens will be able to visit places of public events, cultural institutions , catering and retail facilities with the presentation of either a QR code on vaccination, or a document confirming that a person has had the coronavirus, or a medical withdrawal from vaccination. 

According to the second initiative, QR codes were introduced on railway and air transport for intercity and international transportation. and access to the Internet for access to sites included in the list of domestic socially significant sites are provided to the subscriber free of charge.

It's been suggested in the Russian Parliament that the QR codes be called an "immunity passport."

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#CANADA: Researcher Loses Govt Job After False Indigenous Heritage Claims

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A Canadian medical researcher who rose to become the nation’s top voice on indigenous health has been ousted from her government job and her university professorship — after suspicious colleagues investigated her increasingly fanciful claims of Native American heritage and learned she was a fraud.

Carrie Bourassa, a public health expert who served as scientific director of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research’s Institute of Indigenous Peoples’ Health, was suspended on Nov. 1, five days after the state-owned Canadian Broadcasting Corporation published a lengthy expose on her background.

Some are comparing her to US senator Elizabeth Warren, who claimed native American heritage based on "family stories."

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#GERMANY: Incoming Chancellor Supports Mandatory Vaccinations

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Germany's incoming Chancellor Olaf Scholz favors mandatory coronavirus vaccination for all Germans as early as February.

Such a measure would have to be approved by the German Bundestag.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#FRANCE: Anti-Immigramt Pundit Joins Presidential Race

[world politics news]

French anti-immigrant media pundit Eric Zemmour has announced that he will run for president in next year’s election, adding his controversial and fiercely anti-immigration voice to the field of challengers seeking to unseat President Emmanuel Macron.

Seen by critics as an unapologetic racist but admired by supporters as a champion of traditional French values, Zemmour surged in polls in recent months, though his early momentum is starting to slow  recent polling.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#AUSTRALIA: PM Morrison: No Christmas Lockdown Due To Omicron Variant

[world politics news]

 

Australia will stay open over Christmas and lockdowns will not be employed against the new Omicron strain of COVID-19, Prime Minister Scott Morrison told the press on Tuesday.

Speaking just before a National Cabinet meeting, Mr Morrison said he would urge state and territory leaders to keep borders open despite the emergence of the new variant.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#GERMANY: Lockdown For Unvaxxed Announced

[world politics news]

Germany has decided to tighten restrictions for those unvaccinated against COVID-19, ordering a lockdown for all unvaccinated people.

 

Those without the jab won't be able to access non-essential shops, restaurants, places of culture or leisure, outgoing chancellor Angela Merkel announced on Thursday.

The new steps were taken after a meeting between Merkel, her successor Olaf Scholz and the leaders of the country's 16 regions.

They also confirmed that a draft law on mandatory vaccination, which Scholz supports, would be submitted to parliament for entry into force in February or March.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#UGANDA: China To Take Entebbe Airport After Debt Default

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China will take control of Uganda’s Entebbe International Airport after the African nation defaulted on debt repayments.

China has rejected Uganda's request to re-negotiate toxic clauses in the $200m loan signed six years ago for the Airport's expansion.

The Airport is the only International Airport in the country. 

According to reports in African media, the airport and other Ugandan assets were attached and agreed to be taken over by Chinese lenders when the debt was arbitrated.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#SOUTHAFRICA: Pres. Ramaphosa Condemns US Travel Restrictions

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South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has denounced travel bans on Southern African nations linked to the new COVID-19 variant and has called for an end to the “discriminatory” and “unscientific” restrictions.

South African scientists revealed on Nov. 25 that they had detected a new, potentially more infectious variant now known as “Omicron.” 

They tracked the first case to neighboring Botswana and now suspect that Omicron is driving a new wave of infections in South Africa’s Gauteng province, which includes the country’s most populous city, Johannesburg.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#AUSTRALIA: Gov't To Hold Online Platforms Responsible For Defamation

[world politics news]

Australia will introduce legislation to make social media giants provide details of users who post defamatory comments, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said.

The government has been looking at holding platforms, such as Twitter and Facebook, responsible for defamatory material published on their sites and in September the country’s highest court ruled that publishers can be held liable for public comments on online forums.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#HONGKONG: City Could Ban Unvaxxed From Public Places

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Hong Kong is considering banning unvaccinated residents from entering certain businesses in a bid to prevent the transmission of a new, more contagious coronavirus variant already found in the city, the minister in charge of the Covid-19 jab drive said.

The stricter rules revealed by Civil Service Secretary Patrick Nip Tak-kuen followed the World Health Organization’s (WHO) decision to name the new variant detected in South Africa “Omicron,” after the Greek letter. It also said the variant was one “of concern” for the greater risks it could pose than the Delta variety.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#CHINA: Beijing Angry It's Not Invited To "Democracy Summit," But Taiwan Was

[world politics news]

The US reportedly intentionally kept Communist China and Russia off the list of invitees for the Biden administration-sponsored "Summit for Democracy" set to be held next month in virtual format. 

The first ever US-sponsored event of its kind has a goal of restoring democracy and promoting human rights across the globe, based on Biden's foreign policy agenda, and the US has invited at total of 110 countries to participate. 

China issued a scathing statement, after it's been revealed the White House has invited Taiwan instead of China to the world gathering which runs from Dec. 9 through Dec. 10.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#COLOMBIA: Florida Gov.DeSantis Condemns Biden's Dropping FARC Terror Group From US Terror List

[world politics news]

 

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis blasted President Biden over his administration’s decision to remove the Colombian rebel group FARC from its list of foreign terrorist organizations. 

"Joe Biden's decision to legitimize the Marxist terror group FARC paves the way for Castrochavismo in Colombia and is a slap in the face to Colombian-Americans," the Florida Republican tweeted Wednesday.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#SLOVAKIA: Two-Week National Lockdown Ordered As Cases Spike

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Slovakia began a two-week lockdown on Thursday as new COVID-19 cases have spiraled out of control, Economy Minister Richard Sulík said Wednesday.

The central European nation followed neighboring Austria, which locked down all unvaccinated people earlier this week.

Speaking after a cabinet meeting, Sulík said all restaurants and shops will be closed for 14 days, except for essential stores, such as groceries and pharmacies.

“We all wish and hope that the situation will improve by then,” he said. “We will evaluate the situation again in 10 days.”

Photo: A protest against COVID-19 measures in Košice, Slovakia, on September 1, 2021

[FULL STORY HERE]

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