Ernest Bai Koroma to return after treason case dropped
Former Sierra Leone president Ernest Bai Koroma will return to the country this weekend after treason charges against him over a failed 2023 coup were dropped,…
Politics & Governance — September 2026
Bangladesh opposition marches over energy shortages
Thousands of opposition supporters began a long march across Bangladesh on Saturday to protest shortages of cooking gas, electricity and fertiliser, increasing pressure on Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s government. Crowds gathered at a public square in Dhaka…
Environmental groups face US Republican Congress probe
Republicans in Congress announced on September 4 that they were investigating nonprofit environmental groups over litigation against policies they describe as…
Saudi Arabia $5bn bomb sale gets US State Dept approval
The US State Department announced on September 4 that it had approved a proposed $5 billion sale of bombs, guidance kits and other equipment to Saudi Arabia, but the deal still needs approval from US lawmakers. The department said the proposed sale would impr…
Trump to use Qatari Air Force One before security fix
US President Donald Trump said on September 4 that he will use the Qatar-gifted Air Force One for a trip to Ireland next week before extra security upgrades ar…
Tourist rentals face EU plan for city curbs
The European Union is preparing rules to help cities curb short-term tourist rentals such as Airbnb in areas under housing stress, according to plans seen by AFP. The European Commission is expected to unveil a legal proposal next week setting out when author…
Maria Bartiromo fired by Fox; Trump defends her
President Donald Trump defended TV presenter Maria Bartiromo on Friday after she was sacked by Fox News. “Maria is a total professional, and a true warrior. Her fans, of which there are many, will not be happy,” Trump posted. The New York Times said Bartiromo…
King Oyo's body returns to Uganda for burial
The body of Ugandan King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV arrived back in Uganda on Friday after his death in the United States at age 34. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni received the casket during a formal military parade at the airport in Entebbe, where…
Czech foreign minister prank raises security concerns
Czech Foreign Minister Petr Macinka faced criticism Friday after activists said they staged a prank interview in a room containing model guns, replica bombs and people hidden behind a curtain. The group Detektivni Parta, or Detective Group, said the interview…
AfD's Simson moped rallies dismay Jewish family
German AfD politicians' use of vintage Simson mopeds in election campaigning has angered descendants of the Jewish family whose name is on the East German vehi…
Reform UK officials quit as Farage denies donation claims
Two senior Reform UK officials have resigned after allegations that party figures conspired to secure a foreign donation, while Nigel Farage denied wrongdoing as the claims overshadowed the party's annual conference in Birmingham. Reform UK said policy head J…
Adam Telle named acting US Army secretary by Trump
US President Donald Trump said Thursday that Adam Telle will become acting secretary of the US Army, replacing Dan Driscoll as the service's top civilian offic…
Trump arch excavation to start in Washington, US says
The US Interior Department is preparing to begin excavation within two weeks for President Donald Trump's planned 250-foot triumphal arch in Washington, Interi…
Tetris says White House game lacked its permission
Tetris said Friday it did not give the White House permission to use the game's imagery in an online arcade game released by US President Donald Trump's admini…
Chile protesters clash over Kast security plan
Hundreds of protesters in Chile clashed with police in Santiago on Thursday during a demonstration against President Jose Antonio Kast's security policies. Police fired tear gas and used water cannon to disperse the protesters as they moved through the centra…
Leon Black skips Epstein deposition, sues Congress
Billionaire US investor Leon Black failed to appear for a congressional deposition Thursday over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein and filed a federal lawsuit challe…
Nigerian opposition lobbyist gets White House role, firm says
A Washington lobbying firm working for Nigerian opposition leader Atiku Abubakar said Karl Von Batten, one of its top employees, has been appointed to an unspe…
Spain urges king to visit Ceuta and Melilla
Spain's government has urged King Felipe VI to visit Ceuta and Melilla in the coming weeks, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Thursday, in rare public comments on royal matters. The two Spanish territories in North Africa are diplomatically sensitive because…
Indonesia protests hit by coordinated disinformation
Disinformation about recent anti-government protests in Indonesia has spread across social media in what researchers described as a coordinated effort to distort the movement and discourage participation. AFP fact-checkers have debunked dozens of posts about…
South Korea plans Sejong presidential office by 2029
South Korea said on September 3 that it plans to build a second presidential office and legislative complex in Sejong as part of a wider effort to move state b…
Venezuela oil deal needs democracy, Machado says
Venezuelan opposition figure Maria Corina Machado said Venezuela needs a democratic transition after the interim government struck a major oil agreement with t…
Niger junta supporters rally after failed mutiny
Several thousand people demonstrated in Niger's capital Niamey on Wednesday in support of junta chief General Abdourahamane Tiani after a failed army mutiny at the weekend, Nigerien journalists reported. The rally brought junta supporters and ministers to Pla…
George Clooney says US run by least qualified people
George Clooney said Wednesday that the United States would get through what he called an “unfortunate” period under the Trump administration, describing the go…
Norway royal mourning cancels events until Oct 9
Norway's King Haakon VIII has declared court mourning until October 9 after the death of his father, King Harald V, leading to the cancellation of most royal a…
Hung Cao nominated as US Navy secretary
US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he would nominate acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao to become the Navy's permanent top civilian leader. Trump wrote o…
Jacob Zuma-Gupta meeting: South Africa clears envoy
South Africa's foreign ministry said its high commissioner to India, Anil Sooklal, had been cleared of wrongdoing over his presence during a June meeting invol…
Giorgia Meloni hails record as Italy PM before 2027 vote
Giorgia Meloni hailed her government's stability at a rally in Bari on Friday after becoming Italy's longest-serving postwar prime minister, using the mileston…
Algeria replaces finance and agriculture ministers
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune carried out a partial cabinet reshuffle on Tuesday, replacing the finance and agriculture ministers and several other officials. Central bank governor Mohammed Lamine Lebbou was named finance minister, replacing Abdelka…
Andy Burnham pledges public control over energy, water
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham told parliament on September 1 that his government would seek stronger public control over essential services, especially energy and water. Burnham, addressing MPs for the first time since taking power in July, said more detail…
Keir Starmer to quit UK parliament
Former British prime minister Keir Starmer announced Tuesday that he will quit the UK parliament to focus on international affairs. Starmer said on social media that it was the “right time” to resign as MP for Holborn and St Pancras in London after 11 years,…
ILO chief race gets Peru ex-minister as challenger
Former Peruvian foreign minister Javier Gonzalez-Olaechea entered the race to lead the International Labour Organization before nominations closed, leaving the current ILO chief facing two challengers. The final candidate list showed Tuesday that Gonzalez-Ola…
South Korea policy chief resigns after AI chip ETF row
Kim Yong-beom, the top policy adviser to South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, has resigned after criticism over speculative investment products linked to South Korea's leading AI chip suppliers. A presidential spokesperson said Kim submitted his resignation…