Politics

Bloomberg US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo cited “fundamental disagreement” with China’s foreign minister during a testy exchange in Beijing that highlighted rising tensions between the world’s two largest economies. Pompeo’s retort came after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi accused the US on Monday of escalating trade disputes, interfering on Taiwan and meddling in the country’s domestic affairs. “These actions ...

Bloomberg A clandestine bribery investigation into Interpol’s first Chinese president has put a new spotlight on the country’s opaque legal system and undercut Beijing’s efforts to build prestige in the global law enforcement community. The Chinese Ministry of Public Security said on Monday that former Interpol President Meng Hongwei was being investigated under suspicion of accepting bribes and violating other ...

Bloomberg The Taliban has called on its supporters to block this month’s parliamentary elections in Afghanistan, describing the October 20 vote as a “malicious American conspiracy.” The militant group vowed to create “severe obstacles” to prevent the elections from going ahead, spokesman Zabihullah Mujahed said in an emailed statement. The poll was a conspiracy to deceive Afghans and achieve “the ...

Bloomberg Jair Bolsonaro, the divisive, far-right former Army captain, stormed to a huge lead in the first round of Brazil’s presidential elections as voters enraged by years of recession, corruption scandals and soaring crime rallied around his strongman message. The result puts the seven-time congressman on track for victory in the decisive, second-round vote on October 28, when he will ...

Bloomberg Nationalists prevailed in elections for Bosnia’s multi-ethnic, power-sharing institutions in victories that are sure to further fuel distrust and tension in a country that’s been divided since a devastating war in the 1990s. The Balkan nation of 3.5 million people has flirted with spiraling back into crisis since agreeing to a US-brokered peace pact in 1995 that left the ...

Bloomberg Emmanuel Macron is readying for Phase Two of his presidency. The 40-year-old French leader is preparing broad changes within his government to jump start his presidency and draw a line under months of scandals and political setbacks. He is readying for “an important rebound,” according to his office. The new cabinet is expected to be announced on Tuesday, Journal ...

Bloomberg Brazilians are putting their young democracy to a political stress test, going to the polls deeply divided after years of corruption and recession have pummeled faith in their institutions. The 147 million voters in Latin America’s largest economy have from 8 am until 5 pm on Sunday to cast ballots for a new president as well as most state ...

Bloomberg A populist surge wasn’t enough to dislodge the pro-Western centrist parties that have ruled Latvia for more than 25 years. While the governing coalition lost ground at elections on Saturday, Prime Minister Maris Kucinskis said newly formed parties with similar ideologies can join to represent a majority in parliament. That would once again lock out the Russia-leaning Harmony, which ...

Bloomberg US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo reported progress on Sunday after meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang amid high expectations that he can resolve details over a second summit with President Donald Trump. Pompeo returned to Seoul and was meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, with a written statement possible, according to the Blue House. ...

Bloomberg Theresa May is taking her message direct to the opposition. Days after she danced on stage and promised better times ahead for her Conservative Party members, the UK prime minister took the rare step of writing in the Observer newspaper to entice wavering Labour supporters over to her camp. John McDonnell, who would lead economic policy if Labour came ...