Politics

Bloomberg South Korean President-elect Yoon Seok Yeol named a centrist former prime minister to lead his government, as the ex-prosecutor seeks help in navigating the country’s polarised politics. Han Duck-soo, 72, is recognised by all political parties for his experience and expertise, and has held key posts in government, Yoon said in an announcement. Han was prime minister from 2007 ...

Bloomberg Some European Union governments are pushing for the bloc to quickly impose new sanctions in response to multiple reports that Russian troops executed unarmed civilians in Ukrainian towns, according to diplomats familiar with the discussions. The European Commission was already honing measures that would mostly focus on closing loopholes, strengthening existing actions — such as export controls on technology ...

Bloomberg Hong Kong’s election season officially began on Sunday, and despite a near-two month delay in proceedings due to a Covid crisis, it’s still wildly unclear who actually wants the city’s top job. That’s about to change. Contenders now have two weeks to declare their candidacy and secure at least 188 votes from the committee of 1,500 largely pro-Beijing electors ...

Bloomberg Two officials of North Korea’s ruling party, including the sister of leader Kim Jong-un, criticised South Korea’s defense minister for comments about his country’s missile capabilities. The North Korean statements, issued through KCNA, claimed South Korean Defense Minister Suh Wook had spoken of a “preemptive” attack on its neighbour. Suh had talked about the country’s capacity to “accurately and ...

Bloomberg Russia “appreciates” India’s neutral position on the war in Ukraine, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters in New Delhi ahead of meetings with officials including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “The western world wants to reduce any meaningful relationship to the crisis in Ukraine,” Lavrov said on his first visit to New Delhi since Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine. Moscow “appreciates” ...

Bloomberg The US denied claims from Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan that the Biden administration is seeking to oust his government, which seems to have lost its majority in parliament ahead of a no-confidence vote on Sunday. He said it’s evidence of an “international conspiracy” to unseat him, even though he has yet to publicly release the document. In separate ...

  Bloomberg European Union leaders said they told China in a virtual summit that they expect Beijing to help end Russia’s war in Ukraine and at the very least not to interfere with international sanctions imposed on Moscow. “We expect China, if not supporting the sanctions, at least to do everything not to interfere in any kind,” European Commission President ...

  Bloomberg Sri Lanka’s government said the protesters’ violent clashes with police outside President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s home were a threat to the revival of the tourism sector, appealing for calm amid widespread anger over surging costs and power cuts stemming from a foreign exchange crisis. “Today we have a big problem with foreign exchange. One solution is to get more ...

  Bloomberg Kenya’s Supreme Court scuttled President Uhuru Kenyatta’s push to reshape the structure of the government, effectively halting plans to hold a referendum on the proposed changes. The judgment upheld rulings by two lower courts that the president can’t seek constitutional amendments through a popular initiative, meaning Kenyatta acted illegally in spearheading the proposals. “The Constitution of Kenya Amendment ...

Bloomberg A period of tension between Rinat Akhmetov and Volodymyr Zelenskiy appeared to reach a boiling point just weeks ago, after Ukraine’s leader slammed its billionaire oligarchs for fleeing ahead of an imminent Russian invasion. Now, in the midst of war, Ukraine’s richest person says he’s back in the country and that the two are on the same team, setting ...