• Talk and talk until we die

    As tensions continue to rise in the South China Sea, I had the chance to watch an enlightening interview sent to me by my good friend Professor Rommel Banlaoi, president of Philippine Society for International Security Studies in a show called Dialogue on CGTN.

  • Coalition talks again bogged down in social media disputes

    Talks on forming a new right-wing coalition government in the Netherlands continue to be dogged by social media posts, particularly by far-right leader Geert Wilders. On Thursday Wilders refused to withdraw a post he had placed about the VVD’s junior immigration minister Eric van der Burg, describing him instead as someone “who has turned the Netherlands into one big refugee centre” and a “scary little man”. Earlier Van der Burg had said during a parliamentary debate that the decision not

  • Talks to begin on expanding AUKUS defence pact

    The United States, Britain and Australia will begin talks on bringing new members into their AUKUS security pact as Washington pushes for Japan to be involved as a deterrent against China, the Financial Times has reported. Citing people familiar with the situation, the newspaper said AUKUS defence ministers will announce on Monday that they will […]

  • Coalition talks are at a "sticky" phase, with one month to go

    Talks on forming a new right-wing coalition government in the Netherlands are at a “sticky stage” but the negotiations have not yet broken down, sources have told the Volkskrant. And even if the four parties do reach a deal, the new cabinet will be a “marriage of convenience, at best,” NSC leader Pieter Omtzigt told reporters after Wednesday’s talks. Geert Wilders, leader of the far-right PVV, is also expressing caution, telling reporters that being asked if he is of a

  • India Prepares to Begin World’s Largest Democratic Election

    Voting begins in India for the Lok Sabha, the lower house of Parliament, in the world's largest democratic election.

  • Solomon Islands: The Pacific election being closely watched by China and the West

    The impoverished Solomon Islands is holding its first election since the country's pivot to Beijing.

  • Wilders leaves coalition talks early, divisions loom on asylum

    Far-right leader Geert Wilders left the ongoing negotiations on forming a new coalition government early on Monday, following “tough talks” about finances and measures to reduce the number of asylum seekers coming to the Netherlands. The talks were due to continue until 7 pm but Wilders left at around 3.30 pm. Political sources have told Dutch media he considers the proposed measures to limit refugee numbers did not go far enough. The talks leaders said Wilders did not leave in

  • South Korea elections 2024: Voting begins for new parliament

    The elections are widely seen as a midterm referendum on President Yoon Suk Yeol’s administration.

  • Basque election: leftwing coalition partly descended from Eta leads in polls

    Surveys suggest EH Bildu’s focus on health, housing and employment is attracting younger votersA leftwing coalition of Basque separatists, partly descended from the political wing of the defunct terrorist group Eta, could become the largest party in the Basque Country’s parliament after an election in the northern Spanish region on Sunday.Latest polls suggest that EH Bildu, which is led by a convicted Eta member who later played a key role in persuading the group to end its armed campaign for an...

  • Lok Sabha elections: First phase of polling begins for 102 constituencies

    At 9 am, Uttar Pradesh registered a turnout of 12.66% while Maharashtra recorded 7.28% voting.

  • Voting begins in India’s election with Modi widely expected to win third term

    First phase in world’s largest democratic exercise begins, with 969 million people eligible to vote over six-week periodVoting has begun in India’s mammoth general election, as Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata party hopes to increase its parliamentary majority amid allegations that the country’s democracy has been undermined since it came to power 10 years ago.India’s elections are the largest democratic exercise in the world, with more than 969 million voters, amounting to more than 10% of the...

  • ICJ begins hearings on Nicaragua’s claim Germany aiding Israel’s ‘genocide’

    Shafaqna English- The International Court of Justice (ICJ) begins two days of hearings for Nicaragua’s case accusing Germany of facilitating genocide in the Gaza Strip. The first day’s hearing opens at 10am local time (08:00 GMT) in The Hague, Netherlands. Nicaragua argues that, by providing political, financial and military support