Kazakhstan’s parliament approved a bill on Wednesday requiring owners of foreign social media and messaging apps to set up offices in the country or risk being blocked as part of a campaign against cyberbullying. The draft law, which had passed its first reading in the lower house of parliament, focuses on protecting children’s rights but… Read More Kazakhstan parliament approves bill on foreign social media restrictions
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel attended a lavish military parade at Mexico’s 200th anniversary of independence on Thursday, ahead of a summit that will convene recently elected members of a “pink tide” of leftist Latin American leaders. The presidents of Argentina, Bolivia, Peru and elsewhere will meet on Saturday at the summit of the Community of… Read More Cuban leader Miguel Diaz-Canel visits Mexico ahead of Latin American summit
El Salvador’s vice president has delivered the final proposal for constitutional changes to President Nayib Bukele, including the extension of presidential terms and a new electoral tribunal body, the government said on Thursday. The president’s legal adviser, Javier Argueta, said in an interview with a local television station that Bukele will review and study the… Read More El Salvador drafts proposal for controversial constitutional changes
West African leaders gathered in Accra on Thursday to determine how the region’s main political and economic bloc can steer Guinea back towards constitutional rule following a coup that ousted President Alpha Conde last week. The 15-nation Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) condemned the putsch and has suspended Guinea from the bloc’s decision-making… Read More West African leaders meet for discussions on Guinea coup
Taiwan proposed on Thursday extra defence spending of T$240 billion (an equivalent of $8.69 billion) over the next five years, including on new missiles, as it warned of an urgent need to upgrade weapons in the face of a “severe threat” from giant neighbour China. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has made modernising the armed forces… Read More Taiwan plans about $9billion defense spending over next five years
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday he would have to spend “a few days” in self-isolation after dozens of people in his entourage fell ill with COVID-19, the TASS news agency reported. Putin was speaking through a video link at a summit of a Russia-led security bloc which was held in Tajikistan. He had… Read More Russian President Vladimir Putin to spend few days in self-isolation following possible contact with coronavirus-infected persons
China launched an emergency response on Thursday after a 6.0-magnitude earthquake jolted the southwestern province of Sichuan killing at least three people, state media reported. Sichuan’s earthquake relief headquarters activated a level-II response, the Xinhua news agency reported, the second-highest in China’s four-tier emergency response system. Luzhou City launched a level-I emergency response. The China… Read More At least three dead as magnitude-6.0 earthquake hits southwest China
The United States, Britain and Australia said on Wednesday they would establish a security partnership for the Indo-Pacific that will involve helping Canberra acquire nuclear-powered submarines, as Chinese influence over the region grows. Under the partnership, announced by President Joe Biden, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, the United States… Read More Australia to acquire nuclear submarines in security deal with U.S., Britain
