Politics

Bloomberg In the runup to the resumption of US sanctions against Iran, the country’s beleaguered president, Hassan Rouhani, got stern directives from a few corners of the Islamic Republic. Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, urged him to deal with corruption. The powerful Revolutionary Guards commander told him to focus on Iran’s slumping currency, the rial, while a sizable chunk of ...

Bloomberg Chile is fast ditching its reputation as South America’s most conservative and Catholic country, with lawmakers now discussing whether to make it the second nation in the region to legalise euthanasia. Less than a year after allowing abortion in some cases, a commission of the Chamber of Deputies approved a bill that would permit euthanasia for the terminally ill ...

Bloomberg The main partner of Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara ruling coalition said it is withdrawing from the group, marking the culmination of growing tensions between political blocs as the country prepares to hold presidential elections in 2020. Former President Henri Konan Bedie’s Democratic Party of the Ivory Coast is opting out of Ouattara’s Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and ...

Bloomberg The US midterm elections are at increasing risk of interference by foreign adversaries led by Russia, and cybersecurity experts warn the Trump administration isn’t adequately defending against the meddling. At stake is control of the US Congress. The risks range from social media campaigns intended to fool American voters to sophisticated computer hacking that could change the tabulation of ...

Bloomberg Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro said 11 “hired assassins” trained in Colombia were offered $50 million to kill him as part of Saturday’s thwarted attack. The suspects were trained in a farm in Chinacota, Colombia, and were planning a July 5 attack that was postponed due to the delayed arrival of the two drones, Maduro said in a televised address ...

Bloomberg Former Zimbabwean Finance Minister Tendai Biti, a leader of the country’s main opposition alliance, was arrested in neighbouring Zambia where he plans to seek asylum, his lawyer said. It’s unclear what Biti has been charged with, Nqobizitha Mlilo said by phone from the Chirundu border post in northern Zimbabwe. Biti fled the country because his life is in danger, ...

Bloomberg Former Malaysian leader Najib Razak pleaded not guilty to charges of money laundering linked to 1MDB as prosecutors alleged more wrongdoing by the ex-premier during his oversight of the state investment fund. Najib was charged with three counts of money laundering breaches related to SRC International Sdn, a former unit of state fund 1MDB. The charges carry a punishment ...

Bloomberg Pakistan will add 60,000 troops to boost its patrols along its disputed border with Afghanistan in an effort to curb the flow of insurgents passing between the two nations, according to military officials familiar with the matter. Forty percent of the troops have already been recruited in the exercise, which is expected to take two years, the officials said, ...

Bloomberg Pressure is building on UK opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn to switch course and back a referendum on whatever Brexit deal the government reaches with the European Union. Labour Party activists are trying to force a debate on the issue at its annual conference in Liverpool next month. If they succeed—and there are still some hurdles—a second plebiscite that could ...

Bloomberg The first round of renewed US sanctions on Iran took effect as President Hassan Rouhani—under increasing economic and political pressure—spurned President Donald Trump’s suggestion for talks with “no preconditions.” Following an executive order signed by Trump, the US imposed new restrictions intended to stop the purchase of dollar banknotes by Iran, prevent the government from trading gold and other ...