Politics

Bloomberg Pressure is mounting on Germany’s Social Democrats to join Chancellor Angela Merkel in a revived alliance and end the impasse threatening political stability in Europe’s largest economy. While Merkel has publicly stated she’s open to another election, her backers are betting that the SPD will abandon its aversion to a rerun of the “grand coalition,” according to people familiar …

Bloomberg US President Donald Trump’s designation of North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism is a severe provocation that reminds the country it should keep hold of its “precious nuclear sword,” the nation’s foreign ministry said through its official Korean Central News Agency. In the Korean language statement on Wednesday, Pyongyang said it opposed any form of support for …

Bloomberg At least 50 people were killed in a suicide blast in a northeastern Nigerian town, the deadliest mosque bombing in three years by suspected Boko Haram militants. The teenage male assailant entered a mosque in the town of Mubi strapped with improvised explosives and detonated them as people gathered at dawn for prayers, Adam-awa state police spokesman Othman Abubakar …

Bloomberg The Congress of South African Trade Unions is seeking to alter the balance of power in its alliance with the ruling African National Congress and wants the party to change its constitution to limit the president’s power to reshuffle the nation’s cabinet. “The ANC constitution must be amended to tell the president of the ANC what he can do,” …

Bloomberg Zimbabwe is turning its weary eyes to Emmerson Mnangagwa, the man known as the crocodile who was Robert Mugabe’s right-hand man for much of his 37-year rule. The former spy chief, who’s due to be inaugurated as interim president, has signalled he’d move to woo investors from Asia and the west to help rebuild a shattered economy. But he …

Bloomberg Prime Minister Theresa May is ready to put more money on the table to settle the Brexit divorce bill — but the Brits are plugging away at get-ting the European side to give her something in return. “We’re headed in the right direction and what matters now is that the UK and EU take a step forward together,” James …

Bloomberg Russian President Vladimir Putin held a surprise meeting with his Syrian counterpart, Bashar al-Assad, kicking off a diplomatic drive this week to outline the terms of an end to the Middle Eastern country’s bloody civil war. Putin said he’ll speak by phone with US President Donald Trump later. Putin has taken a dominant role in efforts to resolve the …

Bloomberg US President Donald Trump said he is designating North Korea a state sponsor of terrorism, subjecting the regime to additional sanctions and reinforcing its status as an international pariah. Speaking at the start of a cabinet meeting at the White House, Trump said the Treasury Department will announce additional measures, describing the move against Kim Jong Un’s regime as …

Bloomberg It was five minutes before midnight in Berlin. After another long day of political negotiations, Christian Lindner’s hands were shaking. He had a dramatic decision to announce. But people involved in Germany’s coalition talks said they had sensed what was happening hours before the Free Democrats chairman pulled the rug from underneath a tricky deal to construct a government …

Bloomberg The new leader of Zimbabwe’s ruling party asked Robert Mugabe to resign as president of the southern African nation. “The destiny of our country is in the hands of our people and his excellency must heed the call of the people to resign,” Emmerson Mnangagwa, who left the country after Mugabe fired him as deputy president earlier this month, …