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The strongly worded reaction from the Foreign Ministry insisted the vote was peaceful and successful. The U.S. State Department said that Thursday's vote was held under undue restrictions on freedoms of expression, association and peaceful assembly. In Thursday's vote, no political party gained a simple majority and independent candidates backed by imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan took a lead in the vote count. Candidates backed by Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party won 100 out of the 266 seats up for grabs in the National Assembly. Also Saturday, the leader of a political party was wounded and two police officers killed in a clash in the country's northwest.

Persons: Imran Khan, Khan's, Nawaz Sharif, Khan, Mohsin Dawar, Zahid Khan Organizations: —, Foreign Ministry, U.S . State Department, European Union, National Assembly, Pakistan Muslim League Locations: ISLAMABAD, — Pakistan, Pakistan, North Waziristan

If no party wins a majority of 169 seats, the one with the biggest share can form a coalition government. The vote was overshadowed by violence, an unprecedented national shutdown of all mobile phone services and allegations of vote rigging. Pakistan’s national human rights body said there was no excuse for the hold-up and expressed concern about the lack of transparency. DEALS, DEALS, DEALSNo party won a majority of National Assembly seats. She accompanied her father at rallies, giving fiery and uncompromising speeches, and escorted him on polling day when he went to cast his vote.

Persons: hadn't, Imran Khan's, Salman Akram Raja, hasn’t, Nawaz Sharif, kingmaker, Asif Ali Zardari, Bilawal Bhutto, Zardari, Bhutto, Nawaz Sharif’s, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, Benazir Bhutto, Benazir’s, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Maryam Nawaz, Bilawal, Maryam, Shehbaz, Hamza Organizations: —, National Assembly, U.S, Union, Court, Fair, PTI, Pakistan People’s Party, Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League Locations: LAHORE, Pakistan, — Pakistan, Lahore, Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan, Punjab province

☆ Shocking Opposition Victory Throws Pakistan Into Chaos
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-10 | by ( Christina Goldbaum | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The party of the imprisoned former prime minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, won the most seats in parliamentary elections this week, delivering a strong rebuke to the country’s powerful generals and throwing the political system into chaos. Never before in the country’s history has a politician seen such success in an election without the backing of the generals — much less after facing their iron fist. In voting on Thursday, candidates from Mr. Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, or P.T.I., appeared to win about 97 seats in the National Assembly, the lower house of Parliament, the country’s election commission reported on Saturday. The military’s preferred party, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, or P.M.L.N., led by a three-time former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, won at least 73 seats, the commission said. Only seven seats were left unaccounted for — not enough to change the outcome as reported by the commission.

Persons: Imran Khan, Khan’s, —, Nawaz Sharif Organizations: National Assembly, Pakistan Muslim League, Nawaz Locations: Pakistan

☆ Independents Win 47 of 106 Seats Counted in Pakistan Poll, Most Backed by Imran Khan - Geo News
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Independent candidates contesting Pakistan's national election, most of whom are backed by former Prime Minister Imran Khan, won in 47 of 106 parliamentary seats as counting progressed on Friday, according to projections by broadcaster Geo News. Results have been declared by the Election Commission of Pakistan in a total of 57 seats so far, according to the panel's website. Elections were held to 264 of the 265 seats in the national assembly and a political party needs 133 seats for a simple majority. Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz)(PML-N), which has won at least 17 seats so far, may form a coalition government with independent candidates, Sharif's aide Ishaq Dar suggested on Friday, Geo reported. "I am confident that we will form a government," Dar said, adding that his party would concede if any other party emerged a clear winner.

Persons: Imran Khan, Nawaz Sharif's, Nawaz, Sharif's, Ishaq Dar, Geo, Dar, Asif Shahzad, Sakshi Dayal, YP Rajesh Organizations: Pakistan's, Geo, Former, Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League, YP Locations: ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan

☆ Former Pakistani PM says his party emerged as largest from election but fell short of majority
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Sophia Saifi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Islamabad CNN —Former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif claimed Friday that his party had emerged as the largest in the country’s election even as independents affiliated with jailed leader Imran Khan took the lead and protests broke out over delays to the count. If Sharif’s party forms the new government he would become prime minister for a historic fourth term. Analysts have described the vote as the least credible in the country’s post-independence history, accusing authorities of “pre-poll rigging” amid a wide crackdown on Khan’s party. His longtime foe, 74-year-old Sharif, a scion of the elite Sharif political dynasty, is seeking to make what would be a remarkable political comeback following years of self-exile overseas after he was sentenced to prison on corruption charges. Also standing is Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the 35-year-old son of slain former leader Benazir Bhutto, hoping to reestablish his Pakistan People’s Party as a major political force.

Persons: Nawaz Sharif, Imran Khan, Khan, Sharif, Shabaz Sharif, ” Sharif, Khan’s, “, ”, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Benazir Bhutto Organizations: Islamabad CNN — Former Pakistani, National Assembly, Human Rights, ”, PTI, Pakistan People’s Party Locations: Islamabad, country’s, Pakistan, Shangla, Pakistan’s, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union lawmakers called on Thursday for an independent investigation into allegations of vote-rigging in Serbia and demanded that EU funds be cut off if the authorities in Belgrade fail to cooperate with the inquiry or are found to be implicated in election irregularities. The governing Serbian Progressive party of populist Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić won the Dec. 17 parliamentary and municipal elections, securing 129 seats in the 250-seat assembly. The opposition Serbia Against Violence coalition finished a distant second with 65 seats. The resolution has angered Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabić. Vučić’s ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin and his failure to enforce EU sanctions on Moscow have dismayed many.

Persons: Aleksandar Vučić, watchdogs, “, ”, Ana Brnabić, ” Brnabić, Vladimir Putin, ___ Dusan Stojanovic Organizations: —, Union, Serbian Progressive, Serbian, Violence, Organization for Security, Cooperation, Parliamentary, of Europe, Serbia’s National Assembly Locations: BRUSSELS, Serbia, Belgrade, Europe, Strasbourg, France, Moscow

☆ Ecuador Top Court Recognizes Right to Euthanasia
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

By Alexandra ValenciaQUITO (Reuters) - Ecuador's Constitutional Court on Wednesday approved a request from a terminally ill patient to decriminalize euthanasia and ordered the National Assembly to approve a law regulating the procedure within a year. Paola Roldan, who was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in 2020, petitioned Ecuador's top court in August last year to recognize her right to euthanasia, given her deterioration and pain caused by the illness. The resolution is immediately applicable and Roldan can choose to be euthanized whenever she decides, her lawyers told journalists. Ecuador is the latest country in the region to authorize euthanasia, following Cuba - which gave it the green light in December - and neighboring Colombia, which allows euthanasia in certain instances. "This has been a very special moment for me," Roldan told journalists, adding she will now take time to assimilate what this means alongside her lawyers.

Persons: Alexandra Valencia, Paola Roldan, Ecuador's, Roldan, Oliver Griffin, Sandra Maler Organizations: Alexandra Valencia QUITO, National Assembly, Ministry of Health Locations: Ecuador, Cuba, Colombia

☆ Analysis: Maduro’s immigration card could influence America’s election, not just Venezuela’s
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Rafael Romo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Let’s get united,” Maduro said. Banning Machado from running for president amounts to a repudiation of the agreement, both the opposition and the United States have claimed. “In response to anti-democratic actions by Maduro representatives, the United States has revoked sanctions relief for Venezuela’s gold sector. Venezuela has recently been cooperating with the United States to reduce illegal immigration by allowing removal flights. It’s also immigration and oil during an election year in the United States.

Persons: Voters don’t, Nicolás Maduro, Joe Biden, Biden, Hugo Chávez, Maduro, ” , Let’s, ” Maduro, María Corina Machado, Machado, Maria Corina Machado, Gaby Oraa, ”, ” Machado, Leopoldo López, Maduro’s, Brian Winter, there’s, “, ” Winter, John Moore, Banning Machado, Matthew Miller, Delcy Rodríguez, “ Maduro, It’s Organizations: CNN, Venezuelan, Voters, Socialist United Party of Venezuela, American, US, Venezuela’s, Justice, National Assembly, Bloomberg, Getty, Americas Quarterly, Immigrants, Border Patrol, Biden, US State Department, Twitter, State Department Locations: Venezuela, United States, Caracas, Madrid, Spain, Rio Grande, Eagle Pass , Texas, Barbados, Maduro, Mexico

FORMER PRIME MINISTER NAWAZ SHARIF, PAKISTAN MUSLIM LEAGUEBusiness mogul, multi-millionaire and three-time premier, Nawaz Sharif hails from one of the top two families that have dominated Pakistani politics for decades. He also has a personal stake in keeping imprisoned Imran Khan out of the picture. FORMER PRIME MINISTER IMRAN KHAN, PAKISTAN TEHREEK-E-INSAF PARTYA former cricket star turned Islamist politician, Imran Khan triumphed on an anti-corruption, anti-establishment platform in the 2018 election to form a coalition government. FORMER PRIME MINISTER SHEHBAZ SHARIF, PAKISTAN MUSLIM LEAGUEShehbaz Sharif, 72, the younger brother of Nawaz Sharif, succeeded Imran Khan as prime minister in April 2022. He won his first parliamentary seat in 2018 and became foreign minister after Imran Khan was ousted as prime minister.

Persons: it's, NAWAZ SHARIF, Nawaz Sharif, Sharif, Imran Khan, Khan, ASIM MUNIR, Asim Munir, Munir, IMRAN KHAN, Osama bin Laden, ” —, SHEHBAZ SHARIF, BILAWAL BHUTTO, ZARDARI, Pakistan’s, Bilawal Bhutto, Zardari, Benazir Bhutto, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Bhutto, Asif Ali Zardari Organizations: —, National Assembly, PAKISTAN MUSLIM LEAGUE Business, Pakistan Muslim League, Supreme, Sharif, GEN, ARMY CHIEF, LEAGUE, International Monetary Fund Locations: ISLAMABAD, — Pakistan, PAKISTAN, United Kingdom, Pakistan, Iran, Tehran, Islamabad, United States, U.S, Washington, LEAGUE Shehbaz Sharif, Punjab, London, Sindh

☆ Senegal’s President Calls Off a National Election. His Critics Call It a Coup.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( Ruth Maclean | Mady Camara | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Senegal’s president has canceled the election for his replacement three weeks before voting was set to take place, saying that a dispute between the legislative and judicial arms of government over accusations of corruption needed to be resolved first. Speaking on Saturday afternoon from the presidential palace in Dakar, Senegal’s capital, his words live-streamed on his social media platforms, President Macky Sall said that the dispute between the West African country’s national assembly and its constitutional court had reached a crisis point, and that he was repealing the decree convening the electoral body, effectively postponing elections. But his opponents said he was essentially carrying out a coup d’état, and accused him of treason. “For the first time in its history, Senegal has just suffered a coup d’état,” Ousmane Diallo, a researcher with Amnesty International, posted on X. After the country’s constitutional council published lists of approved candidates for the election, some of them were found to have been approved despite holding dual nationality, something presidential candidates are not allowed in Senegal.

Persons: Macky Sall, “, ” Ousmane Diallo Organizations: West African, Amnesty International Locations: Dakar, Senegal’s, Senegal

☆ Opinion: French women got a wakeup call on abortion rights from their US sisters
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Opinion Jill Filipovic | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —It’s a strange moment to be an American feminist who cares deeply about women’s rights beyond her own country’s borders. The news that the French National Assembly has passed a bill that would enshrine abortion rights in the country’s constitution evokes mixed emotions. But French feminists know better: They see rising right-wing movements around the world and understand how quickly circumstances can change. Hopefully, French women, and so many others whose countries are actually progressing on women’s rights instead of backsliding, see an easy victory. I’m glad French and other feminists are working overtime so that they don’t end up like American women.

Persons: Jill Filipovic, CNN —, ”, Mélanie Vogel, “, Wade, haven’t, Donald Trump, they’re, America –, Biden, codifying Roe, –, gunning, it’s, hadn’t Organizations: Twitter, CNN, French National Assembly, ” Conservatives, Court, Roe, Republican, Biden, Voters Locations: New York, American, France, French, America

☆ French Lawmakers Vote to Enshrine Abortion Rights in Constitution
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Aurelien Breeden | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

French lawmakers on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a bill to enshrine abortion rights in France’s Constitution, the first step in a complex legislative process that began in direct response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Prime Minister Gabriel Attal called the vote a “great victory.”Unlike in the United States, most of France’s political parties broadly support the right to abortion, which was legalized in 1975, and there is no immediate or serious threat to its legality. Putting that right into the Constitution would not change the availability of abortion in France, where both residents and foreigners can terminate pregnancies. But the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health overturning the constitutional right to an abortion set off alarm bells in Europe and galvanized efforts in France to protect the right as inalienable. Activists have also made the case that abortion rights are increasingly under threat in European countries like Poland and Italy, making it all the more urgent to enshrine it in France in case future governments try to roll it back.

Persons: Roe, Wade, Emmanuel Macron, Gabriel Attal Organizations: U.S, National Assembly, Jackson Locations: France’s Constitution, U.S ., United States, France, Dobbs v, Europe, Poland, Italy

☆ Ecuador to Begin Cutting Fuel Subsidies in Q2
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

Noboa wants the measures to help finance his military offensive against criminal gangs, which he has designated as terrorist groups. "We agree with targeting subsidies," Noboa said in an interview with Ecuavisa, a local television channel. Subsidies will be removed gradually from gasoline, he said, adding that domestic gas and diesel will not be affected by the change. Last year Ecuador expected to allocate more than $2.6 billion of its budget to fuel subsidies. The government is looking for foreign investment to build a diesel refining system in Ecuador and improve the electrical grid to make eliminating the subsidies sustainable, Noboa said.

Persons: Alexandra Valencia, Daniel Noboa, Noboa, Ecuavisa, Oliver Griffin, Barbara Lewis Organizations: Alexandra Valencia QUITO, National Assembly, ITT Locations: Ecuador

PARIS (AP) — France’s National Assembly takes up a bill Tuesday meant to enshrine a woman’s right to an abortion in the French Constitution, the first key step in a legislative process that also requires a vote in the Senate. The measure has been promised by President Emmanuel Macron following a rollback of abortion rights in the United States. Macron's government is aiming for the second method, though the measure's level of support in the Senate is less certain than in the National Assembly. None of France’s major political parties represented in parliament is questioning the right to abortion, and a majority of deputies in the National Assembly, the lower house of parliament, are expected to vote in favor of the proposal. Political Cartoons View All 253 ImagesAbortion in France was decriminalized under a 1975 law, but there is nothing in the constitution that would guarantee abortion rights.

Persons: —, Emmanuel Macron Organizations: PARIS, Assembly, Senate, National, National Assembly, Down Locations: French, United States, France, Europe, Poland

☆ France on-track to constitutionalize abortion rights
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Claudia Colliva | Maya Szaniecki | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Paris CNN —The French National Assembly has passed a historic bill that moves the country one step closer to enshrining the right to abortion in its constitution. Some right-wing lawmakers have expressed similar viewpoints, maintaining that abortion rights in France are in no imminent danger. A national move with a universal messageFrance’s decision to constitutionalize abortion was spurred in large part by a global context riddled with roll-backs on reproductive rights. At the same time, the overturning of Roe v. Wade in the US left many French women wondering if they would be next. Now, they hope France’s own move to enshrine abortion rights could serve as inspiration abroad.

Persons: constitutionalization, Roe, Wade, …, Éric Dupont, Moretti, Guillaume Gauffier Valent, Aurore Bergé, ” Bergé, Gérard Lacher, Bergé, “, “ It’s, ” Gauffier Valent, France’s, Barbara Pravi, they’re, ”, Sarah Durocher, ” Pravi Organizations: Paris CNN, French National Assembly, United States, US, ”, Twitter, National Assembly, French Senate, CNN Locations: France, Europe, Hungary, Poland, French, United States

☆ Russian Parliament to Ask French Counterpart if It Knew of 'French Mercenaries' in Ukraine - Official
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The lower house of the Russian parliament, the State Duma, plans to formally ask France's National Assembly if it is aware that French mercenaries have been fighting on Ukraine's side, Vyacheslav Volodin, the Duma's chairman, said on Friday. France rejected the allegations, saying it was helping Ukraine defend its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity but had no mercenaries in Ukraine "unlike certain others". "In France, the mercenary trade is forbidden by law," Volodin wrote on the Telegram messaging app. The Duma would consider its address to the French parliament at the next meeting of the lower chamber of parliament which is scheduled for Jan. 23, he said. Russia announced on Thursday it had summoned the French ambassador to the Foreign Ministry over the mercenary allegations.

Persons: Vyacheslav Volodin, Volodin, Vladimir Putin, Andrew Osborn Organizations: State Duma, Russian Defence Ministry, Duma, Foreign Ministry, Reuters Locations: MOSCOW, Kharkiv, France, Ukraine, Russia

☆ Vietnam Communist Party Chief Attends Parliament Session After Health Concerns
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-14 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

HANOI (Reuters) - The head of Vietnam's Communist Party, Nguyen Phu Trong, on Monday attended a session of the National Assembly after concerns were raised over the health of the country's most powerful leader. Diplomats had raised concerns over his health and several officials could not confirm the status of his health. Trong has been at the helm of the ruling Communist Party since 2011 and holds the top job in Vietnam's one-party political system. The National Assembly is convening to discuss banking and land reforms. Shortly after the chair's opening speech, Trong was seen walking out of the session with the help of aides, according to a Reuters witness.

Persons: Nguyen Phu Trong, Trong, Joko Widodo, Sonexay Siphandone, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: Vietnam's Communist Party, Monday, National, Diplomats, Communist Party, National Assembly, Reuters Locations: HANOI, Laos, Vietnam's

☆ South Korea to ban production and sale of dog meat for human consumption
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-10 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

After a three-year grace period, the bill would make slaughtering, breeding and sales of dog meat for human consumption illegal from 2027 and punishable by 2-3 years in prison. Dog meat consumption, a centuries-old practice on the Korean Peninsula, is neither explicitly banned nor legalized in South Korea. Recent surveys show more than half of South Koreans want dog meat banned and a majority no longer eat it. But South Korea's dog meat industry has drawn more attention because of the country's reputation as a cultural and economic powerhouse. There is no reliable official data on the exact size of South Korea's dog meat industry.

Persons: —, Yoon Suk Yeol, JungAh Chae, It's, Won, Son, Kim Keon Hee, Song, ryung, Ju, Cheon JinKyung, Kim Myung, Jeong Yoon Hee Organizations: Service, Business, Assembly, Cabinet, National Assembly, Humane, The Associated Press, Farmers, Constitutional, Agriculture, Korea Animal Rights Locations: South Korea, Korea, China, Vietnam, Indonesia, North Korea, Seoul

☆ The new architecture set to shape the world in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-10 | by ( Oscar Holland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Kéré’s Berlin-based firm says the building’s top-heavy appearance was inspired by the palaver tree, which traditionally served as a meeting place. Designed for developer s2e Technologies by US architecture firm Gensler, the four circular residential structures can accommodate a combined 84 households. But it is perhaps Bjarke Ingels, founder of Danish design firm BIG, that has had the greatest impact on the city’s once modest skyline. The first restored sections are set to be ready in time for this summer’s Paris Olympics. Norwegian architecture firm Snøhetta and local practice Blight Rayner — who together beat more than 20 entries in an international competition — say that the design was inspired by the flow of the Brisbane River.

Persons: David Chipperfield, Francis Kéré, Kéré, China Stefano Boeri, Bosco, Stefano Boeri, Mestres Wåge, Nicolai Tangen, NBBJ, Dror, EPIQ, Ecuador Uribe Schwarzkopf, Bjarke, Moshe Safdie, Jean Nouvel, Ma Yansong, Ingels, France Chatillon Architectes, Notre Dame isn’t, Chatillon, Nikken Sekkei, ”, “, Blight Rayner —, Aunty Lilla Watson Organizations: CNN, superlatives, Malaysia’s, Benin National Assembly, Forest, Kunstsilo, Keppel South, Enclave, s2e Technologies, Bjarke Ingels, BIG, UNESCO, Heritage, Notre Dame, Palais, Beaux -, Chatillon Architects, UAE Kerzner, United, “ Michelin, New York Times, Gang, Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Queensland Performing Arts Locations: India, Benin, Porto, Novo, Burkina Faso, Kéré’s Berlin, Nanjing, China, Milan, Italy, Europe, China’s, Kristiansand, Norway, Norwegian, Keppel, Keppel South Central, Singapore, London, Canada, London , Ontario, Quito, Ecuador, Bjarke Ingels Quito, Parque La Carolina, Paris, France, Dubai, UAE, United Arab Emirates, Hotel, Denver, USA, Denver , Colorado, Urban, Brisbane, Australia, Australian

☆ How plagiarism by Claudine Gay, Harvard's former president, compares to that of Neri Oxman, an academic and Bill Ackman's wife
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-05 | by ( Lloyd Lee | Madeline Berg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

"Part of what makes her human is that she makes mistakes, owns them, and apologizes when appropriate," he wrote in a post on X following Business Insider's report on Oxman's plagiarism. That's a starkly different approach from the one he took toward Gay after she stepped down as president earlier this week. At the time, Ackman said she should be fired from Harvard's faculty entirely because of what he called "serious plagiarism issues." However, the instances of Oxman's and Gay's plagiarism have more similarities than differences, according to experts and an internal analysis. "It indicates a bad process to drafting this stuff, and I would say that's true for both Gay and Oxman," he said.

Persons: Neri Oxman, MIT who's, Bill Ackman, Ackman, Claudine Gay —, —, Gay, Jonathan Bailey, Bailey, Oxman, Steve Weiner, Daniel Wagner, Christopher Rufo, Christopher Brunet, Lawrence Bobo, Franklin D, — Lawrence Bobo, Gilliam, Jr, Bobo, — Claudine Gay, Anne R, Williamson, Peder Anker, Carol Swain, Swain, Claus Mattheck, Mattheck, David Covin, It's, Peder Anker's Organizations: MIT, Harvard, Gay, American Conservative, The New York Times, Miami University, Harvard Crimson, Vanderbilt University, National, of Struggle, O Movimento, Centers of Struggle Locations: Harvard, German, Luta, O, afoxés

☆ South Korea's Yoon set to announce cabinet reshuffle -media
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol gives a speech on the government budget at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, 31 October 2023. JEON HEON-KYUN/Pool via REUTERS/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsSEOUL, Dec 4 (Reuters) - South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is likely to announce a major cabinet reshuffle as early as Monday, with as many as 10 ministers including the finance minister set to be replaced, Yonhap news agency reported. The financial regulator head could also be replaced, the Korea Economic Daily reported on Monday, also citing unidentified sources. Some cabinet members are widely expected to stand down to capitalise on their increased profile to run as political candidates. Yoon does not require parliamentary approval to appoint a finance minister, who also serves as deputy prime minister.

Persons: Yoon Suk, JEON HEON, Yonhap, Park, Choo Kyung, Choi Sang, Yoon, Hyunsu Yim, Cynthia Kim, Ed Davies, Christopher Cushing Organizations: South, National Assembly, Rights, Korea Economic, Foreign, Finance, Democratic Party of Korea, Thomson Locations: Seoul, South Korea, Rights SEOUL, Korea, Busan

PARIS (AP) — The French parliament is considering a ban on single-use, disposable electronic cigarettes that are popular with teenagers for their sweet flavors and are under scrutiny as a new source of trash. Disposable e-cigarettes are small, battery-powered devices that deliver vaporized nicotine with various flavorings. While they do not contain tobacco, many include nicotine, a dangerous chemical known for its addictive properties. The surge in disposable e-cigarettes in the U.S. market, primarily from China, following the Food and Drug Administration’s 2020 ban on flavored reusable e-cigarettes like Juul, exemplifies the broader challenge. The flavor restrictions didn’t apply to disposable products, which proliferated in the wake of the regulation.

Persons: Elisabeth Borne, Aurelien Rousseau, Marion Catellin, Alex Turnbull Organizations: PARIS, Health, National Assembly, Alliance Against Tobacco, Associated Press, Food Locations: Ireland, Germany, Zealand, Australia, U.S, China, Paris

☆ Guyana will stay alert after Venezuela vote on territorial dispute -VP
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The U.S. State Department said on Monday it supports a peaceful resolution of the dispute and that the issue could not be solved by a referendum. Venezuelans on Sunday backed the rejection of ICJ jurisdiction over the dispute and the creation of a new state in Esequibo. Analysts have said the vote was an attempt by President Nicolas Maduro to gauge his government's support ahead of a 2024 presidential election. Maduro has assured Caribbean countries that he will not invade the region, Jagdeo said, but Guyana will not let its guard down. "A new era in the fight for our Guayana Esequiba has begun," he added, using the proposed name for the new Venezuelan state.

Persons: Nicolas Maduro, Jorge Rodriguez, Elvis Hidrobo Amoroso, Bharrat Jagdeo, Maduro, Jagdeo, Esequiba, Mayela Armas, Deisy, Julia Symmes Cobb, Richard Chang Organizations: Venezuelan National, Electoral Council, National Electoral Council, Justice's, International Court of Justice, U.S . State Department, Sunday, ICJ, Conference of, Guyanese, Thomson Locations: Venezuelan, CARACAS, Guyana, Esequibo, Venezuela, Dubai, Caracas, Bogota

☆ New party to face old guard in Bhutan's fourth free vote
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Gopal Sharma | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The People's Democratic Party (PDP) received the highest number of votes in the preliminary round of the election held on Thursday, followed by the Bhutan Tendrel Party (BTP), the ECB said. Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa (DNT), the party headed by outgoing Prime Minister Lotay Tshering, finished fourth, the ECB vote counts showed. PDP, headed by former Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, is a liberal group founded in 2007, which had formed the government in Bhutan between 2013 and 2018. They also share similar views on several other issues such as the development of hydroelectric power, agricultural growth, and unemployment. Majority-Buddhist Bhutan, which is roughly the size of Switzerland, has deep economic and trade relations with its southern neighbour, India, which is its biggest donor.

Persons: Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, Jetsun Pema, Britain's King Charles, Henry Nicholls, Nyamrup, Lotay Tshering, Tshering Tobgay, Pema Chewang, Gopal Sharma, Alex Richardson Organizations: Buckingham, REUTERS, Bhutan, Democratic Party, Bhutan Tendrel Party, ECB, Buddhist, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, China, India, Bhutan, Buddhist Bhutan, Switzerland

"Many people have taken sides,” says Sandrine, who didn't feel comfortable providing her last name given the sensitivity of the topic. Immediately following the Oct. 7 attacks, Macron condemned Hamas and supported Israel’s right to defend itself. “The explicit prohibition of Palestinian demonstrations is something very recent and, in my opinion, a massive political mistake,” Lazar says. The RN, which denounces mass immigration to France from largely Muslim countries, also views Israel as a beacon of democracy in the Arab world. "He needs to defend what [Hamas does] without saying he supports them directly" as part of the Palestinian cause, says Lazar.

Persons: ”, Sandrine, Emmanuel Macron, Macron, Marc Lazar, ” Lazar, Mahmoud Abbas, Israel, Marc Hecker, “ That's, Hecker, David, Goliath, Joe Biden, Jean, Marie Le Pen, Marie Le Pen’s, “, Le, Le Pen, ‘, ’ ”, Yves Camus, Luc Mélenchon, –, Lazar, Mélenchon, they’re Organizations: Hamas, Montaigne Institute, Sciences Po, West Bank, Center for Security Studies, French Institute of International Relations, French Institute of Public, Palestinian Authority, U.S, National, La France, National Assembly, National Front, Israel, FN, Marine, Rassemblement, Institute of International Relations, Strategic Studies, European Jewish Congress, ” Locations: Paris, Israel, France, Gaza, Western Europe, Egypt, Jordan, Syria

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