Politics

Bloomberg An investigation by Hong Kong’s police watchdog into the conduct of the city’s officers throughout recent unrest has revealed “many shortcomings,” the Hong Kong Economic Journal reported. The 300-page report from the Independent Police Complaints Council (IPCC) found a failure to separate peaceful demonstrators from violent protesters, the newspaper reported. The probe also determined there was a lack of ...

Bloomberg Irish PM Leo Varadkar set the stage for a general election within weeks, gambling that a strong economy and his success towards shaping a Brexit deal will strengthen his hold on power. Seeking to seize the political moment, Varadkar said he had decided on a date and would reveal it publicly after briefing colleagues. A vote is likely on ...

Bloomberg National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien said the White House has “reached out” to North Korea, seeking the resumption of diplomacy that has been dormant since October, Axios reported, citing an interview with O’Brien. The Trump administration has reached out to North Korea via “various channels,” O’Brien said, adding that there was some optimism that North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un ...

Bloomberg In a democracy, two resounding election defeats in a matter of months might prompt some soul searching in the losing camp. In China, however, a snub at the polls in places it claims is more a minor setback rather than a sign of a flawed strategy. President Xi Jinping’s government showed that yet again in the wake of Taiwanese ...

Bloomberg Libya’s warring factions have embarked on a tenuous ceasefire in a nine-month war that has drawn in Russia and Turkey, following a call by the presidents of both countries to halt the fighting. Forces loyal to eastern military commander Khalifa Haftar, who launched the war in April against the internationally recognised government, and the Tripoli-based government reduced violence as ...

Bloomberg The UK must prepare to fight wars without the help of the US, British defense secretary Robert Ben Wallace said in an interview with the Sunday Times. Wallace said he worries “if the United States withdraws from its leadership around the world,” and such a possibility keeps him “awake at night,” according to the newspaper. He suggested the government ...

Bloomberg US officials reiterated their partnership with Taiwan and Democratic candidate Joe Biden advocated stronger relations with the island after President Tsai Ing-wen swept to victory in an election that pressured voters to pick sides in the battle for influence between America and China. “You are stronger because of your free and open society,” Biden, the former US vice president, ...

Bloomberg Iranian security forces stepped up patrols in Tehran, seeking to quell further anti-government protests after the regime admitted downing a Ukrainian passenger jet, triggering anger on the streets and global outrage. Videos on social media, which couldn’t immediately be verified by Bloomberg, showed motorcycle-mounted security forces in green camouflage and anti-riot body armour stationed on the city’s Valiasr square ...

Bloomberg Thousands of people gathered in a square in Hong Kong’s city centre on Sunday for a peaceful rally under the watchful gaze of riot police who kept their distance from the event while patrolling the area. The authorised meeting was held by Hong Kong Civil Assembly Team, which described it as a “pre-march assembly” for a rally scheduled for ...

Bloomberg Thousands of people joined a rally in Thailand to protest against the military-backed government and call for more political freedom, less than a year after a disputed general election. The demonstrators gathered on Sunday in a Bangkok park for an early-morning protest jog against the administration led by prime minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha. Former army chief Prayuth seized power in ...