Politics

Bloomberg Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte reiterated that he would not provoke China into a war following reports that the Chinese military landed long-range bombers on an airport in the South China Sea. “You know they have the planes, not stationed in Spratly but near the provinces facing — Chinese provinces facing the Spratly and the China Sea. And with their ...

Bloomberg Malaysian PM Mahathir Mohamad’s government is considering investigating former leader Najib Razak for abuse of power, as it intensifies efforts to seek evidence of wrongdoing at scandal-plagued state fund 1MDB just days after taking office. Najib has been summoned to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s office to aid in a 1MDB-related probe, Bernama news agency cited an unidentified MACC official ...

Bloomberg Venezuela held an election on Sunday that will be ignored by much of the country, but could set its path for decades to come. President Nicolas Maduro, fighting to keep control of a restive state, called a vote months earlier than it’s traditionally held. In doing so, he defied the international community and risks further punishment for a nation ...

Bloomberg Spanish PM Mariano Rajoy faces a resurgent confrontation with Catalonia over the regional government’s choice of leaders, threatening passage of his 2018 budget. Rajoy’s government left open the option of vetoing a slate of senior officials proposed by regional chief Joaquim Torra on Saturday, saying it’s a provocation that he nominated people who are in prison or wanted by ...

Bloomberg Ghana’s former President John Dramani Mahama said he won’t “disappoint” his supporters who are calling on him to stand as a presidential candidate in the 2020 elections. “To you the teeming supporters and sympathisers calling and requesting me to declare my intentions for the future, I wish to assure you today, that as a servant leader, I have listened ...

Bloomberg As Donald Trump shakes up the global order, German Chancellor Angela Merkel is being pushed closer toward a more predictable partner in Moscow. When President Vladimir Putin hosted Merkel in the Black Sea resort of Sochi on Friday, both leaders did their best to keep tensions in the background compared with a year ago, when they clashed over Ukraine ...

Bloomberg The Democratic National Committee is seeking a court order that would essentially force President Donald Trump’s administration to aid the group’s lawsuit accusing Russia of interfering in the 2016 election. Enlisting Secretary of State Mike Pompeo through a provision of the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act “is the only means available to the plaintiff” to formally serve Russia with the ...

Bloomberg Prime Minister Theresa May is preparing the ground to keep the UK inside the European Union’s core trade rules for years after Brexit, a move that risks a rebellion from euroskeptics who could force her out. May’s inner Cabinet has agreed a plan to keep the UK aligned with the EU’s tariff rules for longer as a last resort ...

Bloomberg The three-day-old government of ruling Bharatiya Janata Party failed to prove its majority in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, dealing a blow to PM Narendra Modi’s plan to expand his party’s influence outside its strongholds ahead of a federal poll in 2019. The development sets the stage for the formation of a new coalition government of regional Janata ...

Bloomberg All of Italy gets to have its say on the populist coalition’s policy program this weekend, when the League, one of two parties involved, opens up ad-hoc polling stations in towns and cities across the country. Matteo Salvini, the party’s 45-year-old leader, is offering Italians a chance to vote on the deal on Saturday and on Sunday, though his ...