Kremlin says it has no hope for better UK ties under Burnham
The Kremlin said it had no hope that relations with the United Kingdom would improve under Britain's new prime minister, Andy Burnham, who took office a day ea…
Politics & Governance
Published stories in Politics & Governance.
Petition supports Turkish governor dismissed after cycling tights row
A Turkish governor removed from office after controversy over images of him cycling in sports tights has received support from thousands of people calling for…
Colombia Congress rejects president-elect's Senate candidate
Colombia's new Congress dealt an early setback to hard-right president-elect Abelardo de la Espriella on Monday by voting against his candidate for president o…
Australian lawmaker shouts at dog during live TV interview
Australian politician Barnaby Joyce attracted attention after shouting at a dog during a live television interview on Monday night. Joyce, a former deputy pri…
UK government says it will remove VAT from household electricity bills in October
Britain's new Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced on Tuesday that the government will remove value added tax from UK domestic electricity bills from October.…
India's Cockroach movement vows to keep protesting over education minister
India's "Cockroach" party movement said Tuesday that it would continue pressing for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, a day after at le…
French lawmakers expected to approve under-15 social media ban
French lawmakers were expected on 21 July to approve a bill banning children under 15 from using social media, a step that would put France among the leading E…
Solomon Islands says it will sign US Coast Guard patrol deal
The Solomon Islands will sign an agreement allowing the US Coast Guard to patrol its waters with local police aboard, Prime Minister Matthew Wale said during a…
Wes Streeting appointed UK defence secretary
Britain's new Prime Minister Andy Burnham named former health minister Wes Streeting as defence secretary late Monday, the government said, as ministerial appo…
Ed Miliband named UK foreign secretary after long political comeback
Ed Miliband, a former leader of Britain's centre-left Labour Party, was appointed foreign secretary on Monday, marking a high point in his return to senior politics after resigning as Labour leader following the party's 2015 general election defeat. Miliband…
Shabana Mahmood reappointed as UK interior minister
20 July 2026: The UK government said Shabana Mahmood had been reappointed as interior minister.
John Healey returns to UK government in Treasury role
British political veteran John Healey has returned to government to run the finance ministry, weeks after resigning as defence secretary over a defence funding dispute. Healey, 66, is a long-serving member of the ruling centre-left Labour Party and has been a…
UK government plans electricity VAT cut as first cost-of-living move
Britain's new Prime Minister Andy Burnham began his cost-of-living programme on Tuesday by planning to remove value added tax from household electricity bills.…
Ugandan bishop who supported LGBTQ rights dies at 94
Bishop Christopher Senyonjo, a rare public supporter of LGBTQ rights in Uganda, has died at the age of 94. Rights groups in Uganda paid tribute to him on Monday after his death on Sunday. Senyonjo was one of the few public figures in Uganda to speak in suppor…
Finland withdraws provisional funding support for contested Helsinki venue
Finland's Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said on Monday that the government had withdrawn its provisional 35-million-euro support for Garden Helsinki, a planned 19,000-seat sports and culture venue in the Finnish capital. Orpo spoke after meeting parties in the…
Zelensky welcomes Burnham pledge of continued UK support
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky congratulated Andy Burnham on becoming Britain's new prime minister on Monday and said he was encouraged by Burnham's pledge of continued support. Zelensky said in a post on X that he appreciated that support for Ukraine…
US report accuses Cuba of spy and influence campaign
A US State Department report released Monday accused Cuban spies of reaching senior levels of government in Washington and supporting what it called left-wing terrorism in the United States. The report, titled "Cuba: The Capital of 21st Century Communism," wa…
Larry the cat marks another Downing Street leadership change
Larry the cat, officially the Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office, was set to share 10 Downing Street with a seventh prime minister as Andy Burnham prepared to replace Keir Starmer. Larry's X account, @Number10cat, posted: “Politicians come and go; cats are pe…
Starmer says Britain is stronger and fairer as he leaves office
Keir Starmer left Downing Street on Monday, saying Britain was stronger and fairer as he stepped down as prime minister to make way for Andy Burnham. In a farewell speech outside No. 10 in central London, Starmer told reporters that he was confident Britain w…
Trump says US will help new British prime minister after call
US President Donald Trump said Monday that he had a “very good” conversation with Britain's new Prime Minister Andy Burnham and said the United States would su…
Judit Polgar declines proposal to become Hungary's president
Hungarian chess figure Judit Polgar said on Monday that she would not accept Prime Minister Peter Magyar's proposal to become Hungary's president. Magyar, described in the report as a pro-European conservative, had put forward Polgar as a non-political figure…
Ortega says Nicaragua will not hold elections that let opponents take power
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega said on Sunday that opponents should not expect elections that could allow them to take office, as he spoke at an event in Managua marking the 47th anniversary of the Sandinista revolution. Ortega, 80, has been in power sinc…
Trump says new Qatari-gifted Air Force One will be sent for upgrades
US President Donald Trump said Sunday that his new Qatari-gifted Air Force One jet would be sent away for about a month to be “maxed out,” after reports raised security concerns about the aircraft following a trip to Turkey. Trump took his first flight on the…
US Vice President JD Vance announces birth of fourth child
US Vice President JD Vance announced Sunday that his wife had given birth to their fourth child, a son. Vance, 41, said in a post on X that Usha Vance and the baby were happy and healthy, and that their other children were overjoyed to meet their little broth…
Iraqi prime minister plans Iran visit after US trip
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi is due to visit Iran at the end of this week after returning from a one-week visit to the United States, Iraqi state media reported Sunday. Iraq's national news agency INA quoted the foreign ministry as saying Zaidi is expect…
Wife says Indian hunger striker is being held illegally in hospital
The wife of Indian hunger strike activist Sonam Wangchuk accused the government of using medical care as a cover for illegal detention after police took him to…
Burnham expected to keep much of UK foreign policy steady
Andy Burnham is expected to broadly maintain Keir Starmer's position on major UK foreign policy issues if he becomes the UK's next prime minister, including close ties with Kyiv and efforts to improve relations with the European Union after Brexit. The sharpe…
Rubio urges Cuba to release more than 700 political prisoners
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged Cuba on Saturday to immediately release more than 700 people he described as unjustly detained political prisoners. Rubio made the call as Cuban dissident artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcantara arrived in Miami after five y…
Kenya presidency website restricted after reported cyberattack
Kenya temporarily restricted access to the presidency's website on Saturday after local media reported a cyberattack that included a ransom demand. The reports said hackers changed the site's homepage with messages critical of President William Ruto. They als…
Hungary’s president says he will sign amendment ending his term
Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok said on Saturday, July 18, that he will sign a newly passed constitutional amendment that would end his term as head of state. Sulyok, described as an ally of nationalist former leader Viktor Orban, criticised the amendment in…
Brazil court blocks Milei visit to Bolsonaro under wider visit ban
Brazil's top court denied a request by Argentine President Javier Milei to visit former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, who is under house arrest. Milei is expected to attend the Liberal Party convention in Sao Paulo on July 25. Bolsonaro's son Flavio, a…
Greek minister says police will solve 2010 Athens bank arson case
Greece's police minister, Michalis Chrysochoidis, said authorities will solve a 2010 bank arson case in Athens that killed three people, including a pregnant woman, during an anti-austerity protest. Chrysochoidis told Ta Nea daily that the case was watertight…
Jens Spahn quits CDU leadership role over US surrogacy controversy
Jens Spahn, a prominent figure in German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's centre-right CDU, resigned as chairman of the party's faction in parliament on Saturday amid controversy over his use of a surrogate mother in the United States, despite Germany's ban on the…
Jens Spahn resigns CDU parliamentary leadership post over surrogacy controversy
Jens Spahn, chairman of the CDU faction in Germany's parliament, resigned his leadership post Saturday, party sources said, amid controversy over his use of a surrogate mother in the United States despite Germany's ban on the practice. Spahn wrote in a letter…
Mexico's Sheinbaum says she will attend World Cup final after Trump invitation
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Friday that she will travel to the United States to attend the World Cup final this weekend just outside New York after an invitation from US President Donald Trump. Sheinbaum announced the trip after not attending mat…
Trump questions England tactics after World Cup semi-final defeat
US President Donald Trump on Friday questioned England's tactics in their World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina. Speaking at a reception in New York alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino, Trump referred to England captain Harry Kane, saying he had play…
Brazil human rights council urges UN and FIFA action on World Cup racism
Brazil's top human rights body urged the United Nations and FIFA on Friday to act against racism linked to the 2026 World Cup, citing racist slurs and hate speech aimed at players including French footballer Kylian Mbappe. Brazil's National Human Rights Counc…
Cuban dissident artist Otero Alcantara reaches US after prison term
Cuban dissident artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcantara flew to exile in the United States on Saturday after serving a five-year sentence in Cuba. He landed in Miami after a short flight from Havana, according to a video shared by his friend, activist Anamely Ramo…
Nigel Farage to face 33 opponents in Clacton by-election
Nigel Farage will face 33 other candidates in a snap by-election in Clacton, eastern England, after nominations closed for the August 13 vote. Tendring District Council, which will run the contest, said Farage and 33 opponents will be on the ballot. The counc…
Lawyers say Chad opposition figures held in poor prison conditions
French lawyers for eight jailed Chadian opposition figures said Friday that the men are being held in deplorable prison conditions and that their health is rapidly worsening. The eight men, who are critics of President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, were sentenced…
Manganese and military base to lead France-Gabon talks
Manganese processing and the future of a French military camp in Gabon will be the main issues when Gabon's President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema visits France, officials from both countries said on Friday. Oligui Nguema is due to travel from Monday for a th…
Slovak defence ministry headquarters renovation draws criticism over cost
Slovakia's defence minister, Robert Kalinak, is facing criticism after unveiling a renovated 27-storey headquarters for his ministry in Bratislava. The renovation of the former communist-era barracks cost 53 million euros, or $61 million. The tower is popular…
Switzerland joins NATO ammunition procurement partnership
Switzerland has joined a NATO-linked partnership for joint ammunition procurement, saying the move could reduce costs and shorten delivery times. The Swiss Federal Office for Defence Procurement, Armasuisse, said on Friday that Switzerland was now taking part…
House Democratic split over Israel aid widens before US midterms
More than 100 Democrats in the US House of Representatives voted this week to cut military aid to Israel, showing a widening split inside the party before November's midterm elections. The measure was introduced by conservative Kentucky congressman Thomas Mas…
Ukrainian outlets publish banned corruption investigation into official's brother
Eight Ukrainian news outlets defied a court ban on Friday and published a corruption investigation into the brother of a senior law enforcement official. The investigation by Slidstvo.Info and the Anti-Corruption Action Center, known as AntAC, claimed to have…
France and Germany seek closer defence cooperation after fighter jet project collapse
France and Germany sought to show unity on defence after the collapse of a joint fighter jet project, with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz saying German troops would join a French military nuclear exercise this year. Merz spoke alongside French President Emm…
Merz says Germany will work with whoever France elects in 2027
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Friday that he would extend a hand to whoever becomes France's next president in 2027. Merz spoke alongside French President Emmanuel Macron after a joint French-German government meeting near Cologne. The source said…
Germany to join French military nuclear exercise, Merz says
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Germany will take part in a French nuclear exercise later this year, after representatives from the German and French governments met near Cologne. Speaking at a press conference alongside French President Emmanuel Macron…
Jens Spahn resigns CDU leadership post after surrogacy controversy
Jens Spahn, a senior figure in German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's centre-right CDU, resigned his leadership post after criticism over his use of a surrogate mo…
Weekly offbeat roundup covers football diplomacy, AI companions and election jokes
On 17 July 2026, a weekly offbeat news roundup highlighted several unusual stories from different countries. Ahead of an England-Argentina World Cup semi-final in Buenos Aires, the British embassy posted a mock internal memo on Instagram telling staff how to…
Burnham promises hope as Labour leader before becoming UK prime minister
Andy Burnham vowed on Friday to restore hope to people in Britain as he formally became leader of the ruling Labour Party and prepared to become the next UK pr…
Moldovan man held in Germany over alleged drone spying at Munich defence site
German prosecutors said a 37-year-old Moldovan man has been arrested on suspicion of espionage after allegedly flying a drone over a defence contractor's facility in Munich. The Munich public prosecutor's office said Friday that the man allegedly flew the dro…
Russian court fines Boris Nadezhdin after medical episode in court
A Russian court fined anti-war politician Boris Nadezhdin 1,000 rubles, about $13, for displaying "extremist symbols" after a hearing in which paramedics carried out a cardiogram on him in court because of very high blood pressure. Nadezhdin, 63, is one of th…
Israel's parliament votes to dissolve ahead of October elections
Israel's parliament voted to dissolve itself early Friday, clearing the way for elections on October 27 in which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will seek another term. The vote was supported by 62 of the Knesset's 120 members. It followed a final legislati…
Polish president vetoes bill to create civil partnership rights
Poland's conservative President Karol Nawrocki vetoed a bill on Friday that would have legalised civil partnerships, including for same-sex couples, according to a statement he announced. The bill was proposed by Prime Minister Donald Tusk's centrist governme…
Japan changes imperial succession rules but keeps male-only throne
Japan's parliament changed the imperial succession law on Friday but kept rules that prevent women from becoming emperor, despite polls cited in the report showing broad public support for female succession. The future of the imperial family currently depends…
Japan passes law criminalising public damage to national flag
Japan enacted a law on Friday making it a crime to publicly damage, remove or deface the national flag in a way that causes significant discomfort or revulsion to others. The offence can be punished by up to two years in prison or a fine of up to 200,000 yen,…
Profile details Burnham's rise as he becomes UK prime minister
Andy Burnham, 56, replaced Keir Starmer as UK prime minister on Monday, three days after becoming leader of the ruling Labour Party at his third attempt. Spea…
Japan keeps male-only throne rule in succession law changes
Japan's parliament changed the imperial succession law on Friday but kept the rule that prevents women from becoming emperor, despite polls cited in the report showing broad public support for female succession. The future of the imperial household currently…
Trump says he spoke with Canada PM and raises wildfire damages
US President Donald Trump said he spoke Sunday at the World Cup final with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and raised the issue of wildfire smoke that has…
Macky Sall returns to Senegal for talks with successor on UN bid
Former Senegalese president Macky Sall met President Bassirou Diomaye Faye in Dakar on Friday during his first return to Senegal since leaving office in April 2024. Sall, who led Senegal from 2012 to 2024, is campaigning to become the next United Nations secr…
Zelensky names Yevgeniy Khmara as acting defence minister
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday that he had appointed Yevgeniy Khmara, a career intelligence official, as acting defence minister. Zelensky announced the decision in a Facebook post. He said Khmara had gained extensive and, in many respec…
Chile Senate approves Kast-backed economic reform package
Chile's Senate approved a package of economic reforms backed by right-wing President Jose Antonio Kast, sending the bill to the lower chamber of Congress for further approval. The reforms include several tax cuts, including a gradual reduction in company levi…
Dutch court upholds block on US firm's cloud company purchase
A Dutch court upheld a government decision to block the acquisition of cloud services company Solvinity by US IT infrastructure firm Kyndryl over concerns that sensitive data could be accessed by the US government. The Dutch government announced at the end of…
Peru president-elect Fujimori calls for reconciliation after narrow win
Peru's conservative president-elect Keiko Fujimori called on Wednesday for political reconciliation after receiving her presidential credentials from the electoral body in Lima. Fujimori, 51, won the June 7 presidential runoff by a very narrow margin over lef…
Ukraine parliament approves Sergiy Koretsky as prime minister
Ukraine's parliament has approved the appointment of Naftogaz boss Sergiy Koretsky as the country's new prime minister. The appointment is part of a government reshuffle ordered by President Volodymyr Zelensky. The Ukrainian leader has not fully explained the…
Takaichi cabinet approval falls below 50 percent in Japan poll
Approval for Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's conservative government fell below 50 percent for the first time since she came to power in October, according to a Jiji Press poll published Thursday. The survey put support for Takaichi's cabinet at 49 p…
UK brings British Steel into full public ownership
The British government said on Thursday it had taken British Steel into full public ownership to protect steel production in the UK, after taking control from Chinese firm Jingye. The company's plant in Scunthorpe, northern England, was described as the count…
US backs estimated $1.96 billion arms sale to Saudi Arabia
The US State Department said it had approved an estimated $1.96 billion weapons sale to Saudi Arabia to support the kingdom's air defenses amid escalating conflict in the Middle East. The department said the proposed sale would support US foreign policy and n…
US says it will not block Maria Corina Machado's return to Venezuela
The United States will not block Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado from returning to Venezuela, Deputy Assistant Secretary for South America Luis Mendez told Congress on Wednesday. Mendez said State Department policy was not to obstruct Machad…
US intelligence nominee questioned over election and journalist subpoenas
US senators questioned Donald Trump's nominee for director of national intelligence on Wednesday about subpoenas he issued to journalists and about the 2020 election during a tense confirmation hearing. Jay Clayton had been due to testify before the Senate In…
Elon Musk says Marine Le Pen is France's last hope after she resumes campaign
Elon Musk expressed support on Wednesday for France's far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen after she decided to run despite a fraud conviction. Musk reposted a picture of Le Pen on his social media platform X and wrote that she was "France's last ho…
London police arrest man over alleged threat as reports name Farage as target
London police said on Wednesday that they had arrested a man in his 20s on suspicion of sending threatening communications, while media reports named Reform UK leader Nigel Farage as the target. The Metropolitan Police said the arrest in London on Tuesday was…
Croatian parliament calls for greater Croat representation in Bosnia
On 15 July 2026, Croatia's parliament passed a symbolic resolution calling for greater Croat representation in Bosnia, adding pressure on the neighbouring country before national elections due later in the year. The resolution targets Bosnia's power-sharing s…
US House Republicans set out $95 billion pre-election spending framework
US House Republicans unveiled a $95 billion spending framework on Wednesday as they try to pass measures on defense, farming aid and voting rules before midterm elections that could cost them control of Congress. The plan would provide $73 billion for the mil…
Macron gives Starmer France's highest honour before UK leadership change
Britain's outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer has received France's highest honour in recognition of his work on European security and Ukraine. President Emmanuel Macron's office said Macron presented Starmer with the Legion d'honneur on Monday in Paris, whe…
EU condemns Serbian minister's comments on Kosovo
The European Union condemned comments by Serbian Public Administration Minister Snezana Paunovic after she said she would have carried out ethnic cleansing in Kosovo if she had been in power during the 1998-1999 war. Paunovic, who was born in Kosovo, made the…
Venezuela interim government and some opposition figures plan democracy talks
Venezuela's interim government will launch formal talks with some opposition members next month, assembly speaker Jorge Rodriguez announced Tuesday, more than six months after the US toppling of longtime leader Nicolas Maduro. Rodriguez said on Telegram that…
Russian anti-war politician says Kremlin wants to crush his campaign
Russian politician Boris Nadezhdin said on 14 July 2026 that the Kremlin wants to crush his campaign for September parliamentary elections after he was detained the day before. Police have summoned Nadezhdin to court on Friday on administrative charges of dis…
Colombia president-elect seeks military-base swearing-in
Colombia's right-wing president-elect Abelardo de la Espriella said on Monday that he wants to be sworn in at a military facility in the south of the country, despite opposition from outgoing President Gustavo Petro. Petro ordered on Sunday that no military e…
EU opens second area of membership talks with Ukraine
The European Union opened a second area of membership negotiations with Ukraine on Tuesday, as Kyiv seeks faster progress in its bid to join the bloc. EU Europe ministers meeting in Brussels with their Ukrainian counterpart opened talks on security, defence a…
Analysts say Turkey's failed 2016 coup reshaped the state
The failed coup of July 15, 2016 and the state response that followed have become a turning point for Turkey, analysts said. The coup attempt lasted less than 24 hours, but its effects are still visible ten years later. On the night of the coup, a rogue milit…
Anti-monarchy activists protest inside Buckingham Palace over Andrew and Epstein
Anti-monarchy activists in Britain staged a protest inside Buckingham Palace to draw attention to what they called unanswered questions about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's friendship with Jeffrey Epstein. Demonstrators from the group Republic unfurled a large…
Russian police arrest Kremlin critic Boris Nadezhdin before September vote
Russian police arrested Boris Nadezhdin, an anti-war Kremlin critic who planned to run in lower-house elections in September. Nadezhdin, 63, became widely known in Russia in 2024 when he gathered support to run against President Vladimir Putin in that year’s…
Sri Lanka Tamil and Muslim parties form alliance seeking more autonomy
Sri Lanka’s Tamil-speaking minority parties launched a united front to seek a new constitution granting greater autonomy, reviving long-standing grievances two decades after the end of the country’s ethnic war. The alliance brings together six parties represe…
Macron calls for more European defence industry projects
French President Emmanuel Macron urged more European defence industry partnerships on Monday after France and Germany abandoned a joint fighter jet programme last month because of disagreements between the companies involved. In a speech to the military, Macr…