Japan’s ruling party heads for landslide win in snap election
Japan’s governing Liberal Democrat Party, led by Sanae Takaichi, the Prime Minister, is on course for a landslide victory in a snap general election, according to exit polls.
- Japan’s ruling party heads for landslide win in snap election
- UK prime minister’s chief of staff quits over Mandelson’s Epstein links
- Thailand’s ruling party takes early lead in tightly contested general election
- French murder trial stalls as identical twins’ DNA confounds investigators
- Russia names suspects in shooting of senior military intelligence general
- AFRICA
- Ethiopia demands Eritrea withdraw troops amid rising border tensions
- South Africa’s corruption probe deepens after key figure found dead
- South Africa to withdraw troops from UN peacekeeping mission in Congo
- Uganda, Tanzania reaffirm ties in trade oil pipeline talks
- Morocco evacuates more than 140,000 as floods batter northern regions
- South Africa produces first local foot-and-mouth disease vaccine in 21 years
Public broadcaster NHK projects the ruling coalition will secure a two-thirds majority in the lower house, with the LDP alone set to win an outright majority. The result strengthens Takaichi’s mandate just four months after taking office and marks a sharp turnaround after years of scandals and voter discontent. Her approval ratings have remained above 70 percent, boosting party fortunes.
UK prime minister’s chief of staff quits over Mandelson’s Epstein links
Morgan McSweeney, the British Prime Minister’s chief of staff, has resigned over the appointment of Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to the United States following fresh revelations about Mandelson’s links to Jeffrey Epstein. McSweeney said the decision was wrong and accepted responsibility for advising Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister. The resignation deepens pressure on the prime minister amid growing criticism within Labour over vetting failures and damage to public trust.
Thailand’s ruling party takes early lead in tightly contested general election
Thailand’s ruling Bhumjaithai Party has taken an early lead in general election results, with preliminary counts showing it ahead of rival parties. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s party is outperforming the progressive People’s Party and the populist Pheu Thai Party. No party is expected to win a clear majority, raising the likelihood of coalition negotiations to form the next government.
French murder trial stalls as identical twins’ DNA confounds investigators
A murder trial in France has been complicated by the fact that two identical twin brothers accused of involvement share the same DNA. Prosecutors say forensic evidence cannot conclusively determine which twin fired the weapon used in the killings. Investigators believe the brothers exploited their resemblance by swapping clothes, phones and documents to evade identification.
Russia names suspects in shooting of senior military intelligence general
Russian authorities have named three suspects in the shooting of senior military intelligence officer Lt Gen Vladimir Alexeyev. Investigators allege the main suspect acted on orders from Ukrainian intelligence, a claim Kyiv has denied. Alexeyev, a senior GRU official, survived the attack and is recovering after surgery.
AFRICA
Ethiopia demands Eritrea withdraw troops amid rising border tensions
Ethiopia has accused Eritrea of occupying parts of its territory and supporting armed groups inside the country. Addis Ababa has demanded the immediate withdrawal of Eritrean forces, marking a sharp escalation in tensions between the former allies since the end of the Tigray conflict.
South Africa’s corruption probe deepens after key figure found dead
A man linked to a major police corruption investigation has been found dead at a petrol station near Johannesburg. Authorities are probing the death of Wiandre Pretorius, who had previously claimed he survived an assassination attempt.
South Africa to withdraw troops from UN peacekeeping mission in Congo
South Africa has announced it will withdraw its troops from the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo after 27 years of deployment.
Uganda, Tanzania reaffirm ties in trade oil pipeline talks
Presidents Yoweri Museveni and Samia Suluhu Hassan held bilateral talks in Dar es Salaam focused on trade, infrastructure and regional security. Both leaders confirmed the East African Crude Oil Pipeline project remains on track, with oil exports expected to begin in July.
Morocco evacuates more than 140,000 as floods batter northern regions
Morocco continues to battle severe flooding in the north of the country, with more than 140,000 people evacuated as heavy rains swell rivers and dams. Rescue operations are ongoing, with several areas placed under weather alerts amid fears of further flooding.
South Africa produces first local foot-and-mouth disease vaccine in 21 years
South Africa has produced its first locally made vaccine against foot-and-mouth disease in over two decades. The move is seen as a major step in tackling the country’s worst outbreak of the livestock disease in years, which has hit farmers and export markets hard.
