Politics

Bloomberg Iran for the first time acknowledged that its security forces shot and killed protesters last month during one of the most violent crackdowns on dissent since the 1979 Islamic revolution. State television on Tuesday reported that “rioters” had been shot dead in several areas as they joined anti-government protests, including in Tehran, the capital, and Mahshahr in the country’s ...

Bloomberg North Korea said it was preparing a choice of “Christmas” gifts for President Donald Trump, in the country’s latest effort to pressure the US to offer more concessions in nuclear talks before the new year. Top North Korean diplomat Ri Thae Song said in a statement Tuesday that the onus was on the US side to determine how the ...

Bloomberg The US is “likely” to bring additional charges in a case against Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, associates of Rudy Giuliani who are accused of skirting campaign contribution limits as part of a plot to oust the American ambassador to Ukraine, a prosecutor said. The comment was made at an hour-long court hearing in Manhattan. Responding to a question ...

Bloomberg Backing for the nationalist Sweden Democrats surged in yet another poll, confirming that the party is now a contender to become the largest political force in the country. Some 22.6% of Swedes would vote for the Sweden Democrats if an election was held today, according to the bi-annual poll by the country’s statistics agency. That’s up from 17.1% in ...

Bloomberg It’s been about two years since Kim Jong-un launched a missile capable of hitting the entire US, declared his nuclear weapons programme “complete” and halted all ICBM tests. In that time, the North Korean leader has also become an even bigger threat to America. Kim’s testing freeze ushered in unprecedented diplomacy with US President Donald Trump, leading to historic ...

Bloomberg A trial court sentenced seven people to death for their roles in Bangladesh’s worst terrorist attack, which killed 20 diners, most of them foreigners, in a cafe in 2016. Judge Mojibur Rahman pronounced the verdict in a packed Dhaka courtroom on Wednesday, Dhaka Metropolitan Chief Public Prosecutor Abdullah Abu said at a briefing. The decision brings to a close ...

Bloomberg Kenya should re-introduce the position of prime minister and name the runner up in presidential contests the leader of the opposition, a panel recommended in a bid to end violent disputes that have marred past ballots. The proposed establishment of the posts are part of a raft of suggestions by the so-called Building Bridges Initiative, which was established by ...

Bloomberg German chancellor Angela Merkel made a spirited defense of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), saying Europe is currently too weak to defend itself without the support of the US-led military alliance. Merkel’s comments in a speech to the Bundestag were clearly directed at French President Emmanuel Macron, who has cast doubt on NATO’s future by suggesting the 29-nation ...

Bloomberg Jeremy Corbyn accused Boris Johnson’s government of secretly negotiating with the US over the National Health Service (NHS) as he sought to shift the focus from a spat over antisemitism that has embroiled his campaign. “This election is now a fight for the survival of our National Health Service,” Corbyn said as he unveiled previously redacted documents about the ...

Bloomberg A Japanese man in his 50s was taken into custody in China in July on suspicion of violating its laws, with the case potentially being a source of friction as prime minister Shinzo Abe seeks to host president Xi Jinping for a state visit next spring. Japanese chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga said the man was taken into custody ...