#UK: Oxfordshire To Ban Outdoor Smoking By 2025

[world politics news]

Oxfordshire is set to ban smoking outdoors as it becomes the first ‘smoke-free’ county in England.

The ban will see smoking outside of bars and restaurants banned by 2025.

Bars, restaurants and workplaces will be targeted under the smoking crackdown.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#NIGERIA: Nation Blocks Twitter After President's Tweet Deleted

[world politics news]

The Nigerian government says it has "indefinitely suspended" Twitter's operations in the country, the Ministry of Information and Culture announced in a statement on Friday.

"The Federal Government has suspended, indefinitely, the operations of the microblogging and social networking service, Twitter, in Nigeria," it read.

The suspension comes two days after Twitter deleted a tweet by President Muhammadu Buhari that was widely perceived as offensive.

An estimated 39 million Nigerians use Twitter.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#SOMALIA: President Seeks Extended Term In Office Sparks Tensions

[world politics news]

Pres. Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed's April attempt to extend his term by two years has ignited political tensions in Somalia.

The government of Somalia and a number of its federal states have been holding critical talks since May 22 to help resolve the country’s political crisis.

The African Union (AU), meanwhile, has been spearheading international efforts in Somalia. This is despite the fact that the Somali government has rejected the AU’s special envoy, former president John Dramani Mahama of Ghana.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#CZECHIA: Pres. Babis Survives Confidence Vote

[world politics news]

 

The Czech government headed by Prime Minister Andrej Babis on Thursday survived a no-confidence vote in the Chamber of Deputies.

A total of 171 deputies cast their votes on Thursday night, including 89 voting in favor of the no-confidence motion, and 82 against. At least 101 votes are needed in the 200-member lower house to pass the motion against the government.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#FRANCE: Unanimous Senate Resolution Calls For Taiwan To Enter Int'l Orgs.: Beijing Denounces

[world politics news]

A vote by the French Senate in favor of a resolution backing Taiwan's participation in the World Health Organization (WHO) and three other major international organizations has triggered an angry response from China.  In response, Beijing is blocking Taiwan's entry, arguing it is not an independent state. 

The resolution, which passed by a vote of 304 to 0, with 19 abstentions, called for Taiwan to be admitted to the WHO, Interpol, and other international organizations.

But the Communist government in Beijing blocked the moves, asserting it's frequent claim that there is only one government of China, and its capital is in Beijing.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#SWITZERLAND: Swiss Break Off Treaty Talks With EU

[world politics news]

After years of talks, Switzerland has scrapped efforts aimed at agreeing an over-arching treaty with the EU.

Switzerland is not in the European Union but has signed up to many of its policies, such as freedom of movement.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#SYRIA: Assad Wins 4th Term In Election West Says Wasn't "Free or Fair"

[world politics news]

 

Bashar al-Assad has been re-elected for a fourth term as president of war-torn Syria with 95.1 percent of the votes cast in government-held areas, official results have shown, after a vote dismissed by the opposition and Western powers as a sham.

Wednesday’s controversial presidential vote was the second since the beginning of Syria’s uprising-turned-war a decade ago, a conflict that has killed hundreds of thousands of people, forced millions to leave the country and wrecked its infrastructure.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#ISRAEL: Opposition Parties In Talks To Unite To Try To Oust Netanyahu

[world politics news]

Yamina Party Leader Naftali Bennett delivered his long-awaited announcement Sunday that he would attempt to create a unity government with Yesh Atid Party Leader Yair Lapid and seek to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom he accused of leading Israel to national suicide for his own personal reasons.  

Yesh Atid and Yamina began negotiations immediately following the announcement Sunday night in an effort to reach an agreement by Wednesday’s deadline.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#CANADA: Party Leader Singh Apologises After Breaking Covid-19 Rules

[world politics news]

 

Jagmeet Singh has issued an apology for breaking COVID-19 protocols, weeks after claiming that anti-maskers are connected to far-right extremism. 

The leader of Canada's federal New Democratic Party apologized during a interview with Global News after the organization obtained an exclusive video of Singh sharing an unmasked hug with his brother's executive assistant.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#IRAN: Seven "Hard-Liners" Approved To Run For President; Six "Moderates" Disqualified

[world politics news]

Iran’s Guardian Council has disqualified all non-hardliner candidates for the upcoming June 18 presidential election, including the country’s vice president and a former parliamentary speaker, shocking the country.

Iran expert Raz Zimmt  of the INSS (Institute for National Security Studies) and Meir Amit Intelligence Center, said this level of disqualifications was an unprecedented “political earthquake” even in comparison to the council’s standard interference with elections.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#SAMOA: First Female Prime Minister Denied Entry To Parliament By Former Prime Minister

[world politics news]

Fiame Naomi Mata'afa arrived at parliament on Monday to be sworn into office as Samoa's first female Prime Minister. She wasn't allowed inside. The former prime minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, and his supporters had locked down the building before Mata'afa's arrival. Malielegaoi has so far ignored a court order to step down from his position.

In the meantime, Mata'afa has been sworn into office in the parliament's gardens under a marquee, along with other members of her Faatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (Fast) party.

The country has been in a political deadlock since the April 9 election, when the opposition Fa'atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST party) and the incumbent Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) won 25 seats each.

HRPP has dominated Samoa's politics for nearly 40 years, and its leader, 75-year-old Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, has held office for more than 22 years — making him one of the world's longest-serving leaders.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#SRILANKA: Land Reclaimed From The Sea Will Become A Special Economic Zone

[world politics news]

The Sri Lanka Parliament has passed the Port City Economic Commission Bill, which officially declares hundreds of acres of land reclaimed from the ocean and annexed to the city of Colombo as the country’s first special economic zone for services-oriented industries.

The bill was passed with 149 votes in favor and 58 against.

Under the legislation, a President-appointed commission will be established to govern the SEZ.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#LITHUANIA: Parliament Votes To Not Debate Bill Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage

[world politics news]

Lithuania’s parliament on Tuesday voted narrowly against debating a bill legalizing same-sex civil partnerships, but supporters said they would adjust the proposal and eventually resubmit it to the assembly.

In a razor thin vote, 63 lawmakers voted in favor and 65 against accepting the measure for discussion, with some opponents declaring same-sex partnerships to be a gateway to same-sex marriage, a status they reject.

A representative poll in April commissioned by the president’s office found 70% of adult Lithuanians against same-sex partnerships.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#INDIA: Gov't Protests Use Of "Indian Variant" Language On Social Sites

[world politics news]

India’s government has sent notices to social media platforms ordering them to take down content that refers to an “Indian variant” of the COVID-19 virus. 

The letter from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology sent Friday was not made public, but was viewed by several news outlets.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#PERU: Congress Unanimously Overrides Pension Payout Bill Veto

[world politics news]

Peru’s Congress forced through a pension funds drawdown bill that the government had partially vetoed.

The draft legislation, which lawmakers approved by a vote of 109-0, will result in another outflow of savings from the country’s private pension fund (AFP) system.

Under the rules, members can pull out up to 17,600 soles (US$4,600). Those in favor of the plan argued that people need the funds to help mitigate the economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis. 

The economy ministry said it would propose challenging the law in the constitutional court.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#POLAND: Schools To Teach EU Is An "Unlawful Entity"

[world politics news]

Students in Polish schools will be taught that the European Union is an “unlawful entity," says Eucation Minister Przemysław Czarnek. He also wants history classes to focus more on teaching pride in Poland’s past rather than, as before, “shame” about it.

Czarnek said the changes are part of the government’s new “Polish Deal” program, which was unveiled last Saturday. As well as bolstering social spending and introducing a more progressive tax system, the plan also contains elements intended to strengthen Polish identity, such as more history teaching in schools.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#ROMANIA: Parliament Adopts 5G Use Restrictions

[world politics news]

Romania's Chamber of Deputies has adopted the so-called 5G bill, which stipulates that communications providers will be able to use in 5G networks only technologies, equipment and software from manufacturers previously authorized by the decision of the prime minister, based on the approval of the national defense council CSAT.

The bill was eventually voted on by all parties except AUR, a party suspected by some of acting in favor of Russia. The AUR deputies abstained from voting.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#EU: European Parliament "Freezes" China Investment Deal Over Sanctions

[world politics news]

The European parliament has voted overwhelmingly to “freeze” any consideration of a massive investment deal with China, following recent tit-for-tat sanctions over Beijing’s treatment of its Uyghur population in Xinjiang province.

According to the resolution, the parliament, which must ratify the deal, “demands that China lift the sanctions before parliament can deal with the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI)”.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#ITALY: Brothers Of Italy Party Surges In Poll

[world politics news]

The conservative Brothers of Italy Party, which is in opposition to the government of Italian prime minister Mario Draghi, have surged in support in a poll.

The party, which is the only member of Italy’s centre-right coalition of parties which has not participated in the current “technical government”, is polling at 17%, less than a percentage point behind the left-wing Democrats, which remains the second-largest party in the country.

Despite its name, the Euroskeptic Brothers of Italy Party is led by a woman, Giorgia Meloni, who could become Italy's first woman prime minister.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#UK: Gov't Adopts New Anti-Corruption Sanctions Program

[world politics news]

The government of the UK has  adopted new sanctions program designed to more closely resemble that of the US, rather than the EU, which UK left recently.

The new regulations are designed to target individuals involved in serious corruption and prevent them from entering the UK or using the UK financial system. To date, 22 individuals have been designated. 

The Global Anti-Corruption Sanctions Regulations 2021 enable the UK government to designate persons where there are reasonable grounds to suspect that they are, or have been, involved in "serious corruption", which covers bribery involving foreign public officials and misappropriation of property by foreign public officials.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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