Bloomberg Afghanistan’s presidential polls closed on Saturday amid Taliban violence nationwide and complaints of wrongdoings in some polling centres. Millions of Afghans braved the militant threats and cast their vote for a new leader in the fourth democratic election since the Taliban regime was ousted by the US invasion in 2001. “Amid the challenges and threats, the presidential elections of ...

Bloomberg The same prosecutors who put former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva behind bars for corruption and money laundering are now willing to see him placed on house arrest. Prosecutors of the so-called Carwash task force said the former president has shown “good behaviour” and is now entitled to a semi-open regime, which would allow him to leave jail ...

Bloomberg Unilateral actions risk escalating tensions in the South China Sea, Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh said at the UN General Assembly, comments aimed at China that avoided mentioning China directly. “Vietnam has on many occasions voiced its concerns over the recent complicated developments in the South China Sea, including serious incidents that infringed upon Vietnam’s sovereignty,” Pham said. ...