Politics

Bloomberg Thailand’s pro-democracy groups will hold a gathering this week to press for the abolition of a law that penalises insulting and criticising the nation’s top royals, after authorities invoked the act against protest leaders who are demanding monarchy reform. The protesters, who have been rallying regularly in capital Bangkok and other cities since mid-July, will hold “an important event” ...

Bloomberg Poland’s prime minister launched a broadside on the European Union’s push to link funding to democratic values, ratcheting up tension over his country’s decision to derail the bloc’s $2.2 trillion spending package with Hungary. EU officials have given the two countries hours to offer a clear signal that they’ll lift their veto as early as Tuesday, according to people ...

Bloomberg Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron have agreed that Brexit negotiations should be kept off the agenda of this week’s summit of European Union leaders, a sign the bloc will resist making any significant last-minute concessions to the UK and will stick with Michel Barnier’s mandate. The decision was taking during a call between Germany’s chancellor, France’s president, and the ...

Bloomberg The US is preparing to sanction at least a dozen more Chinese officials over their role in the recent disqualification of Hong Kong legislators, according to two people familiar with the plans. The latest round of sanctions over Hong Kong was expected to be rolled out on Monday, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the ...

Bloomberg Romania’s ruling party remains confident of leading the next government, despite coming a surprise second in elections that were dominated by the Covid-19 pandemic. With the coronavirus pulling turnout down to the lowest since communism collapsed, it was the opposition Social Democrats who proved most effective at mobilising their supporters, garnering 30% of the votes with almost 100% counted. ...

Bloomberg Poland’s coalition government is showing fissures over its decision to block the European Union’s $2.2 trillion spending plan, with a junior coalition partner repeating a stance that puts him at odds with the shot-calling ruling party. The stakes are high for Poland and fellow eastern EU member Hungary. Their opposition to tying the bloc’s budget and coronavirus rescue plan ...

Bloomberg President Donald Trump blasted Georgia’s elections as corrupt but urged his supporters to vote for two GOP senators facing re-election anyway, keeping up attacks that party leaders worry could backfire and end their control of the Senate. At a rally in Valdosta, Georgia, Trump took aim at GOP Governor Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger after complaining ...

Bloomberg Former Hong Kong pro-democracy lawmaker Ted Hui said he and his family no longer have access to their bank accounts in the city after he fled to self-imposed exile in the UK, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported. Five accounts belonging to Hui, his wife and parents have been inaccessible since Saturday, he said in an interview with ...

Bloomberg Australia lacks an overarching approach to handling a “much more assertive” China, and needs a plan for economic diversification and liaising with Asian allies to handle the emerging superpower, opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong said. “The strategy should be working out how we deal with the effects for Australia and the region of a China which demonstrably is ...

Bloomberg Mexico wants to restrict the activities of foreign agents after the arrest of a former top general in Los Angeles sparked diplomatic tension with the US. The proposed measures may put at risk the Drug Enforcement Agency’s (DEA) operations with Mexican informants. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador sent a bill to senators to tweak the national security law to ...