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☆ China skeptic Lai Ching-te wins Taiwan's presidential election
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-13 | by ( Clement Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Taiwan's President-elect Lai Ching-te (left) gestures beside his running mate Hsiao Bi-khim during a rally outside the headquarters of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in Taipei on January 13, 2024, after winning the presidential election. The outcome of the presidential election on Saturday riled Beijing, which has repeatedly labeled Lai as a "stubborn worker for Taiwan independence" and a dangerous separatist. Annabelle Chih | Getty Images News | Getty ImagesDPP's Lai — Taiwan's current vice-president — won more than 40% of the popular vote in Taiwan's eighth presidential election. DPP is the first party to win the presidential office three times in row since direct presidential elections were introduced in 1996. This year, 71.9% of all eligible voters cast their ballots for the presidential election, according to preliminary data from Taiwan's Central Election Commission.

Persons: Lai Ching, Hsiao Bi, Yasuyoshi Chiba, Lai, Tsai Ing, Tsai, Annabelle Chih, DPP's Lai, Taiwan's, —, Beijing's, Hou, Ko Wen, Chen Binhua, Chen, Xi Jinping, Antony Blinken, Ko, Wei, Ting Yen Organizations: Democratic Progressive Party, AFP, Getty, TAIPEI, Saturday, Beijing, Chinese Communist Party, DPP, KMT, Chinese Communist Party officials, Democratic Progressive, Kuomintang, Taiwan People's Party, Taiwan's, Taiwan Affairs Office, State Council, CNBC, Franklin, Marshall College, Taiwan's DPP Locations: Taipei, Taiwan, China, U.S, Taiwan Strait, Beijing, Taiwan —, Republic of China, Xinhua, United States

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Ruling-party candidate Lai Ching-te emerged victorious in Taiwan’s presidential election on Saturday, a result that will determine the trajectory of the self-ruled democracy’s contentious relations with China over the next four years. Beijing strongly opposes Lai, the current vice president who abandoned his medical career to pursue politics from the grassroots to the presidency. It's the first time a single party has led Taiwan for three consecutive four-year presidential terms since the first open presidential election in 1996. Its candidate, Hou Yu-ih, also had promised to restart talks with China while bolstering national defense. Evelyn Ni traveled from China especially to get a taste of Taiwan’s election.

Persons: Lai Ching, Lai, Tsai Ing, Hou Yu, Hou, “, I’m, David Chiau, Ko Wen, Ko, Chen Binhua, Beijing wouldn't, ” Chen, Antony Blinken, ” Blinken, Evelyn Ni, Tony Chen, ”, Xi Jinping, Stacy Chen, Gabrielle Reid, Sung Organizations: Democratic, Nationalist, KMT, ih, Taiwan People’s Party, DPP, Cabinet's Taiwan Affairs Office, Biden, Associated Press Locations: TAIPEI, Taiwan, China, Beijing, Japanese, United States, Taipei, Russia, Ukraine, South China

☆ Vote counting begins in closely watched Taiwan election
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-10 | by ( Clement Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

With China intensifying its rhetoric on its claim over Taiwan, global observers are billing this Taiwan election as highly pivotal for security in the Asia-Pacific at a time of testy U.S.-China relations. If Lai and Hsiao win the Jan. 13 vote for the Taiwan presidential office, it would mark the first time any political party has stayed in office for more than two consecutive terms since Taiwan introduced direct presidential elections in 1996. Campaign posters for various legislative member candidates in Taipei, Taiwan, on Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2023. China's Taiwan affairs office has characterized the self-ruled island's election as a choice between "peace and war, prosperity and decline." "China has always meddled whenever there is an election in Taiwan, but this time, it's the most serious."

Persons: Hou Yu, Hei Leung, Ko Wen, policymaking, Tsai Ing, Ko, Cynthia Wu, Jing Bo, jiun, Sam Yeh, Jing, Tsai, Lai Ching, Hsiao, United States —, Lai, Timothy S, Rich, Jaw Shaw, kong, Hou, Kevin Luo, Xi Jinping, Joe Biden, Xi, Biden, Nancy Pelosi, Rong Xu, Democratic Progressive Party Lai Ching, Yasuyoshi Chiba, DPP's Lai, Weeks Organizations: ih, Anadolu, Getty, Democratic Progressive Party, Kuomintang, Taiwan People's Party, China, Local, KMT, Taiwan Studies, University of Oxford, AFP, Taiwan, Rich Western Kentucky University, Taiwan's National Police Agency, New, DPP, University of Minnesota, Western Kentucky University, U.S, China -, APEC, CNBC, Former U.S, Bloomberg, Taiwan's DPP, Beijing, Cross Straits Service Locations: Taichung, Taiwan, Taipei, Asia, Pacific, U.S, China, Hsinchu, United States, Overconfidence, New Taipei City, China - U.S, Beijing, Taiwan Strait, Kaohsiung

In the months leading up to a pivotal presidential election for Taiwan, candidates have focused on who can best handle the island democracy’s volatile relationship with China, with its worries about the risks of war. But at a recent forum in Taipei, younger voters instead peppered two of the candidates with questions about everyday issues like rent, telecom scams and the voting age. It was a telling distillation of the race, the outcome of which will have far-reaching implications for Taiwan. The island is a potential flashpoint between the United States and China, which claims Taiwan as its territory and has signaled that it could escalate military threats if the Democratic Progressive Party wins. A considerable number expressed disillusionment with Taiwan’s two dominant parties, the governing Democratic Progressive Party and the opposition Nationalist Party.

Organizations: Democratic Progressive Party, Nationalist Party Locations: Taiwan, China, Taipei, United States

"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

☆ India's ruling BJP, opposition Congress in tight race to win state elections-exit polls
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Three of the five states in contention have witnessed a tough battle between Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress party. BJP has been in power in one of the states, Congress in two, and regional parties in the remaining two. At least nine exit polls predicted Congress party's victory in mineral-rich Chattisgarh and Telangana state. A regional party was set to win again in the northeastern state of Mizoram, according to two exit polls. Politicians and analysts also note that state elections do not always influence the outcome of the general elections or indicate national voter mood.

Persons: Stringer, Narendra Modi's, Rupam, Gareth Jones Organizations: REUTERS, Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, India Today, Thomson Locations: Rajasthan, Ajmer, India, DELHI, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram

☆ Bangladesh opposition vows to continue protests despite 'autocratic' crackdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Supporters of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) join in a rally at Naya Paltan area in Dhaka, Bangladesh, October 28, 2023. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsDHAKA, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Bangladesh’s main opposition party said on Wednesday it would continue its anti-government protests despite what a rights group called an "autocratic crackdown" ahead of a general election in January. At least four people, including a policeman, have been killed and hundreds injured in violent protests across the country in the past few weeks, police said. In order to end this misrule and lawlessness, the ongoing movement must be accelerated and the victory of the people must be ensured,” senior BNP official Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said. “Diplomatic partners should make clear that the government’s autocratic crackdown will jeopardise future economic cooperation,” the rights group said in a statement quoting Bleckner.

Persons: Mohammad Ponir Hossain, Sheikh Hasina, ” Abdul Moyeen Khan, ”, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Hasina, “, League’s, Julia Bleckner, Khaleda Zia, Ruma Paul, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Bangladesh Nationalist Party, BNP, REUTERS, Rights DHAKA, Reuters, Police, Rights Watch, Human Rights Watch, “, Thomson Locations: Naya Paltan, Dhaka, Bangladesh, Asia

☆ China’s Best Hope for the Taiwan Presidential Election Just Fell Apart
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Joyu Wang | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

A supporter of the opposition Nationalist Party waves a Taiwanese flag outside the Central Election Commission. Photo: Annabelle Chih/Getty ImagesTAIPEI—A last-minute effort by Taiwan’s opposition parties to combine forces in a coming presidential election has crumbled in spectacular fashion, increasing the likelihood that the island democracy will continue as a central flashpoint in ties between the U.S. and China. Taiwan’s main opposition Nationalist Party, also known as the Kuomintang, struck a surprise deal last week with the Taiwan People’s Party to unite in a coalition ticket favoring friendlier ties with China that political analysts said had a real shot of coming out on top in the island’s presidential contest in January.

Persons: Annabelle Chih Organizations: Nationalist Party, TAIPEI, U.S, Kuomintang, Taiwan People’s Party Locations: China

His party more than doubled in size in parliament to tower over mainstream parties that long specialized in marginalizing him. Suddenly on Thursday, there was hope in the air again for nationalist conservative populists, especially with an European Parliament election coming up in June. Earlier, Slovakia had already turned populist with Robert Fico’s Smer party winning a general election and setting up a coalition government with an ultranationalist party. Wilders calls for a “Nexit” referendum — a Dutch version of Brexit which saw the United Kingdom leave the EU. By nature, Dutch politics rely on coalitions between several parties and no other suitable party has followed Wilders on that.

Persons: Geert Wilders, firebrand Wilders, “, Alice Weidel, Wilders, Robert Fico’s Smer, Viktor Orbán, behemoth, Le Pen, ”, Hendrik Vos, Vos, Matteo Salvini Organizations: Party for Freedom, Law, European Union, EU, France, Inter, Ghent University, League Locations: BRUSSELS, Europe, Poland, Netherlands, Germany, Ukraine, Slovakia, Hungarian, France, United Kingdom, Italian, Italy

☆ Slovak parliament confirms government promising to halt Ukraine military aid
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Slovakia's newly appointed Prime Minister Robert Fico attends the new cabinet's inauguration, at the Presidential Palace in Bratislava, Slovakia, October 25, 2023. REUTERS/Radovan Stoklasa/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 21 (Reuters) - Slovakia's parliament confirmed Prime Minister Robert Fico's government on Tuesday, backing a policy agenda that promises to halt state military aid to Ukraine, slowly reduce budget deficits and impose a new bank tax. Fico's governing coalition combines his leftist, socially conservative SMER-SSD party with a smaller leftist party and a small nationalist party. The coalition adopted its policy programme last week, and parliament supported it in a vote of confidence on Tuesday. The programme promises a special tax on banking profits and measures to cut interest rates on mortgages.

Persons: Slovakia's, Robert Fico, Radovan Stoklasa, Robert Fico's, Fico, Zuzana Caputova, Jason Hovet, Jan Lopatka, Timothy Organizations: REUTERS, European Union, Timothy Heritage, Thomson Locations: Bratislava, Slovakia, Ukraine

☆ Taiwan Opposition Parties Unite Against Presidential Candidate China Sees as Threat
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Joyu Wang | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

A deal between two Taiwan opposition parties is expected to bolster their chances against Vice President Lai Ching-te, a leading candidate of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party. Photo: sam yeh/Agence France-Presse/Getty ImagesTAIPEI—Taiwan’s two largest opposition parties reached a deal to collaborate in a pivotal election scheduled for early January that has major ramifications for Taiwan’s future and U.S.-China relations. Taiwan’s main opposition Nationalist Party, which favors closer relations with Beijing, said it would work with a third party founded by a former Taipei mayor to run jointly for the 2024 elections. The long-anticipated deal is expected to bolster the opposition’s chances against Vice President Lai Ching-te, a leading candidate of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, which has forged tighter ties with the U.S., and is currently leading in the polls.

Persons: Lai Ching Organizations: Democratic Progressive Party, Agence France, Getty, TAIPEI —, Nationalist Party, U.S Locations: Taiwan, China, Beijing, Taipei

For the seventh time, Taiwan will be represented by Morris Chang, the 92-year-old founder of the world-leading Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. Chang is known as the godfather of the industry that has put Taiwan in the top ranks of high-tech manufacturing and personal electronic devices. Taiwan has participated in APEC since 1991 under the name Chinese Taipei. It began taking part just two years after the group's inception and the same year that China and the semi-autonomous Chinese city of Hong Kong joined. These acts of political intimidation have the potential to wear down the operational resiliency of the island's military equipment and personnel.

Persons: Morris Chang, Chang, —, Finance Chuang Tsui, yun, Janet Yellen, BIDEN, Xi Jinping, John Kirby, Joe Biden, Hong Kong, William Lai, Terry Gou Organizations: —, Economic Cooperation, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, APEC, Finance, U.S, Treasury, BE, Liberation Army, Democratic Progressive Party . U.S . National Security, Nationalist Party, Kuomintang, KMT Locations: TAIPEI, Taiwan, — Taiwan, Asia, San Francisco, China, Taipei, Hong Kong, Beijing, TAIWAN, U.S, Japan, South Korea, Philippines, Pacific, Hong, British, Taiwanese

☆ Spain's Sanchez to seek new term as PM in lower house on Nov. 16
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Susana Vera/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsMADRID, Nov 13 (Reuters) - Spain's acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will seek to clinch a new term in a parliamentary vote on Thursday, the lower house speaker Francina Armengol said on Monday. The vote will follow a parliamentary debate scheduled to start at noon local time (1100 GMT) on Wednesday, she told reporters. Sanchez looks assured of winning a new term with an absolute majority of the 350-member assembly. After an inconclusive election on July 23, Sanchez's Socialist Party spent weeks negotiating with smaller parties, most of which had supported him in 2020 for his previous term. Reporting by Inti Landauro; Editing by David Latona and Andrew CawthorneOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Pedro Sanchez, Andoni Ortuzar, Susana Vera, Francina Armengol, Sanchez, UPN's, Inti Landauro, David Latona, Andrew Cawthorne Organizations: Basque Nationalist Party, REUTERS, Rights, Junts, ERC, Sanchez's Socialist Party, Bildu, Canary Coalition, Thomson Locations: Madrid, Spain, Rights MADRID, Catalan, Basque, Navarre

☆ Tens of thousands protest across Spain at proposed Catalan amnesty
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MADRID, Nov 12 (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of people protested across Spain on Sunday against acting prime minister Pedro Sanchez's plans to grant amnesty to Catalan separatists in exchange for support for another term in office. The government secured a deal with Catalan separatist party Junts on Thursday which includes passing a contentious law granting amnesty to those convicted over Catalonia's attempt to secede from Spain in 2017. "He (Sanchez) has betrayed coexistence, democracy...he can't keep governing," said banker Tomas Perez, 38, holding a sign reading "Sanchez traitor". After an inconclusive July 23 election, the Socialists spent weeks negotiating with smaller parties including far-left platform Sumar and Catalan, Galician and Basque nationalist parties. Reporting by Miguel Gutierrez and Guillermo Martinez; Writing by Jessica Jones; Editing by Kirsten DonovanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Pedro Sanchez's, Junts, Alberto Nunez Feijoo, Puerta, amnesties, Catalonia's, Sanchez, Tomas Perez, Inmaculada Herranz Castro, Miguel Gutierrez, Guillermo Martinez, Jessica Jones, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: People's Party, Authorities, Popular Party, Spain's, Socialists, Basque Nationalist Party, Thomson Locations: MADRID, Spain, Sol, Madrid, Spanish, EU, Barcelona, Granada, Seville, Malaga, Palma, Valencia, Galician, Basque

This year's event was attended by some 40,000 and passed off peacefully, the Warsaw mayor, Rafal Trzaskowski, said. It came as nationalist forces have seen their worldview rejected by voters. Political Cartoons View All 1240 ImagesThe far-right Confederation party, which is ideologically linked to the Independence March, won just 18 seats in the 460-seat Sejm, the Polish parliament. Meanwhile, Law and Justice, the ruling right-wing nationalist party whose leaders joined the march in the past, won the most votes but fell short of a parliamentary majority. Among those taking part this year was Paul Golding, the leader of Britain First, a small far-right party in the U.K.Football supporters were prominent among the marchers, some holding banners with far-right slogans.

Persons: Rafal Trzaskowski, Donald Tusk, ”, Tusk, Andrzej Duda, ” Duda, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Paul Golding Organizations: European Union, Confederation, Justice, “, Britain, Football Locations: WARSAW, Poland, Warsaw, Prussia, Austria, Russia, Ukraine, Russian, Hungary, Italy

☆ Protesters oppose Spain's acting PM Sanchez
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-11 | by ( Reuters Editorial | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

PoliticsProtesters oppose Spain's acting PM SanchezPostedFlares burned during a protest in Madrid on Friday (November 10) as Spain's acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez moved closer to clinching another term in office after securing the backing of Basque nationalist party PNV, a day after securing the backing of Catalan separatist party Junts.

Persons: Sanchez, Pedro Sanchez, Junts Locations: Madrid, Basque

Just holding the deal together through a full four-year parliamentary term will be a tough challenge, many predict. "The next legislative term will be very tough for the PSOE, it is likely it won't finish the whole term," said Catalan political analyst Joan Esculies. Spaniards have also been called to show their ire in town square demonstrations across the country on Sunday. For Andoni Ortuzar, the Basque Nationalist Party leader who also struck a deal with the Socialists on Friday, whether the government could hold would be a test of Spain's plurality. "We are different - we consider ourselves a different nation - and the question is whether we can live together comfortably," he said.

Persons: Sanchez, Pedro Sanchez, Francisco Franco, Junts, Carles Puigdemont, Joan Esculies, Alberto Nunez Feijoo, Andoni Ortuzar, Susana Vera, Emiliano Garcia, Puigdemont, Lluis Orriols, Ortuzar, Belen Carreno, Joan Faus, Emma Pinedo, Aislinn Laing, Alex Richardson Organizations: Deal, Spain's Socialists, Socialist, PSOE, People's Party, Socialists, Basque Nationalist Party, REUTERS, Catalan Socialist, Carlos III University, Thomson Locations: MADRID, BARCELONA, Catalan, Belgium, Catalonia, Spain, Madrid, Castilla, La Mancha, Spanish, Catalunya

☆ Spanish Socialists and Catalan Junts reach deal for government support, amnesty
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

A law granting amnesty to those prosecuted over Catalonia's attempt to secede from Spain was included in the deal, political leaders said and the deal text showed. The agreement included Junts lending its votes in parliament to support legislation for a full four-year term, he said. But Junts, which seeks another independence referendum, said supporting each law would depend on progress in talks involving Catalonia's political conflict. As a deal between Junts and the Socialists edged nearer in the past week, the mood in the country has become increasingly febrile, with protesters clashing with police outside the Socialists' headquarters in Madrid. An amnesty could exculpate as many as 1,400 activists and politicians involved in the attempt to separate Catalonia from Spain.

Persons: Junts, Feijoo, Puigdemont, Pedro Sanchez, Santos Cerdan, Alberto Nunez Feijoo, Sanchez, Carles Puigdemont, Jaume Clotet, Belen Carreno, Joan Faus, Graham Keeley, Aislinn Laing, Charlie Devereux, Alison Williams, Toby Chopra, Bernadette Baum, Sharon Singleton, Alex Richardson Organizations: Companies Spain's Socialists, Conservative, Socialist Party, PSOE, Socialist, Socialists, Police, People's Party, Spanish Socialist Workers ' Party, Basque Nationalist Party, Thomson Locations: Catalan, Madrid, MADRID, Spain, Brussels, Junts, Catalonia, Belgium, Waterloo

Ajay Bisaria, India's ambassador to Canada from 2020 to 2022, said the relationship is in a "de-escalation phase" following "quiet diplomacy". "This is not a thaw," an Indian foreign ministry official told Reuters. 'MODEST DE-ESCALATION'Officials in India and Canada spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to speak on the subject. The Indian foreign ministry did not respond to a request for comment. Canada's foreign ministry pointed to comments made by Foreign Minister Melanie Jolie on Oct. 30.

Persons: Narendra Modi, Justin Trudeau, Evan Vucci, Michael Kugelman, Ajay Bisaria, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, India's, Ottawa’s, Melanie Jolie, Jolie, Modi, Kugelman, Michael Bociurkiw, Krishn Kaushik, Steve Scherer, YP Rajesh, William Mallard Organizations: Indian, Canada, Bharat, DELHI, Mutual, South Asia Institute, Wilson Center, Reuters, Canadian, Foreign, Atlantic Council, YP, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, Canada, OTTAWA, Punjab, Delhi, Ottawa, Washington, China, Vancouver, Hardeep, Vienna

☆ Israel's defence and finance ministers clash over Palestinian tax payout
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

JERUSALEM, Nov 1 (Reuters) - Israel's defence and finance ministers clashed on Wednesday over whether some West Bank tax revenues should be transferred to the Palestinian Authority, underlining the tensions straining the government as Israeli forces push on with the war in Gaza. Defence Minister Yoav Gallant called for tax revenues collected by Israel on behalf of the Palestinians in parts of the West Bank under direct Israeli control, to be disbursed without delay. "I think it is only appropriate to uphold the decision of the cabinet as decided several days ago," he said. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, whose hardline religious nationalist party has strong support among Jewish settlers in the West Bank responded that Gallant was making a "serious mistake" in demanding the release of the funds. "I do not intend to let the State of Israel finance our enemies in Judea and Samaria who support the terrorism of Hamas and finance the 7/10 terrorists who murdered and massacred us," he said in a statement.

Persons: Yoav Gallant, Gallant, Bezalel Smotrich, Smotrich, Benjamin Netanyahu, James Mackenzie, Steve Scheer, Sandra Maler Organizations: West Bank, Palestinian, Gaza ., Hamas, Palestinian Authority, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Judea, Samaria

REUTERS/Mohammad... Acquire Licensing Rights Read moreDHAKA, Nov 1 (Reuters) - Bangladesh's main opposition party will boycott the next general election if Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina does not make way for a neutral government to conduct the poll, two party leaders said, amid a crackdown on opposition politicians and deadly protests. "The intensified crackdown on opposition party leaders and protesters over the weekend signals an attempt at a complete clamp-down on dissent," said Yasasmin Kaviratne, Amnesty's regional campaigner for South Asia. Hasina's main rival and two-time premier, BNP leader Khaleda Zia, is effectively under house arrest for what her party calls trumped-up corruption charges. Shakil Ahmed, an assistant professor at Jahangirnagar University in Dhaka, said street violence had become "regular in Bangladesh during the transfer of power". Reporting by Krishna N. Das in New Delhi and Ruma Paul in Dhaka; Editing by Raju GopalakrishnanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Sheikh Hasina, Hasina, Abdul Moyeen Khan, Zahir Uddin Swapon, Yasasmin Kaviratne, Khaleda Zia, BNP's, Tarique Rahman, Shakil Ahmed, Krishna N, Ruma Paul, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Bangladesh Nationalist Party, BNP, REUTERS, Reuters, Amnesty, Police, Jahangirnagar University, Das, Thomson Locations: Dhaka, Bangladesh, Mohammad, DHAKA, United States, Canada, India, South Asia, New Delhi

☆ Indian deputy IT minister investigated over social media post after attack on Jehovah's Witnesses
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Jose Devasia | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

People stand outside the Zamra International Convention and Exhibition Centre where multiple blasts occurred during a religious gathering of Jehovah's Witnesses, a Christian group, in Kochi, India, October 29, 2023. REUTERS/Sivaram V/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsTHIRUVANANTHAPURAM, India Oct 31 (Reuters) - Police in Kerala opened an investigation against India's deputy minister of Information Technology on Tuesday for allegedly stirring religious hatred on social media after bomb blasts at a Jehovah's Witnesses convention in the southern state. More than 2,000 people were attending the convention in the state, where the Jehovah's Witnesses have a strong presence. Police arrested a man after he posted a video claiming responsibility for the attack, accusing the religious group of being anti-national. Chandrashekhar's aide told Reuters the criminal case filed by the Kerala police would be addressed by the minister's lawyer.

Persons: Sivaram, Rajeev Chandrashekhar, Narendra Modi's, Kerala's, Chandrashekhar, Hillary Clinton's, Khaled Mashal, Pinarayi Vijayan, Vijayan, Israel, Rupam Jain, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: Exhibition, REUTERS, Rights, Police, Information Technology, Communist, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Zamra, Kochi, India, Rights THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, Kerala, Gaza

☆ Two killed in anti-government protest in Bangladesh
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) called for the blockade of roads for three days in response to clashes between party supporters and police on Sunday in which one policeman was killed and more than 100 people were injured. The party has been calling on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign to allow elections scheduled for January to be held under a neutral caretaker government. A police official in the central district of Kishoreganj, where the clashes took place, said two protesters were killed and dozens of people, including 15 policemen, were injured. “Clashes erupted when they attacked us," said the police official, who declined to be identified, adding it was not clear how the two were killed. Accusations of vote-rigging and the suppression of the opposition, denied by the government, marred elections in 2014 and 2018.

Persons: Sheikh Hasina, “, General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Hasina, Ruma Paul, Robert Birsel Organizations: Bangladesh Nationalist Party, BNP, United, Thomson Locations: Dhaka, Bangladesh, DHAKA, Kishoreganj, United States

☆ Opposition activists held over policeman's death in Bangladesh protest
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Unidentified miscreants set a public bus on fire during a countrywide strike from dawn to dusk called by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), protesting against the alleged police attacks on their Saturday rally in Dhaka, Bangladesh, October 29, 2023. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain Acquire Licensing RightsDHAKA, Oct 29 (Reuters) - Bangladesh police said on Sunday they arrested two opposition activists over the death of a policeman in violent protests demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The officer was beaten and bludgeoned to death on Saturday by a mob, photos and videos showed, as tens of thousands joined demonstrations in the capital Dhaka, led by the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). A police source said one of the two arrested was a BNP youth leader while the other's affiliation was unconfirmed. The BNP did not comment on the officer's death but called on supporters to block streets for three days from Tuesday in protest at the detentions.

Persons: Mohammad Ponir Hossain, Sheikh Hasina, bludgeoned, Mirza Alamgir, Habibur Rahman, Asaduzzaman Khan, Mizanur Rahman, Critics, Hasina, Ruma Paul, Andrew Cawthorne Organizations: Bangladesh Nationalist Party, BNP, REUTERS, Rights, Sunday, Thomson Locations: Dhaka, Bangladesh, Rights DHAKA

☆ Opposition Activists Held Over Policeman's Death in Bangladesh Protest
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-29 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

DHAKA (Reuters) - Bangladesh police said on Sunday they arrested two opposition activists over the death of a policeman in violent protests demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The officer was beaten and bludgeoned to death on Saturday by a mob, photos and videos showed, as tens of thousands joined demonstrations in the capital Dhaka, led by the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). "We'll ensure toughest punishment for those who were involved in the killing," Dhaka metropolitan police commissioner Habibur Rahman told reporters. A police source said one of the two arrested was a BNP youth leader while the other's affiliation was unconfirmed. The BNP did not comment on the officer's death but called on supporters to block streets for three days from Tuesday in protest at the detentions.

Persons: Sheikh Hasina, bludgeoned, Mirza Alamgir, Habibur Rahman, Asaduzzaman Khan, Mizanur Rahman, Critics, Hasina, Ruma Paul, Andrew Cawthorne Organizations: Sunday, Bangladesh Nationalist Party, BNP Locations: DHAKA, Bangladesh, Dhaka

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