insert_link World Senegalese urged to turn out to oppose presidential election delay By Alice CHANCELLOR and Soule DIA Dakar, Feb 9, 2024 (AFP) - Senegalese were urged on Friday to turn out and show their opposition to a last-minute delay of presidential polls, in a test of the balance of power between President Macky Sall and opponents. On Monday parliament backed Sall's sudden decision to postpone the February 25 election by 10 months, sparking a fierce opposition backlash and international concern. […] todayFebruary 9, 2024 8
insert_link Opinion Pieces Even with a 30% quota in place, Indonesian women face an uphill battle running for office By Sally White, Australian National University In the 2019 general election, Indonesians voted more women into the national parliament than ever before. After the first election of the post-authoritarian period in 1999, women’s representation was a paltry 8.8%, so the rise to 20.9% in 2019 seemed worth celebrating. Indeed, women activists had worked long and hard to reach this point. Disappointed with the results of the first […] todayFebruary 9, 2024 11
insert_link Opinion Pieces The zero draft to create a pact for the future has landed. The hard part begins. By Florence Syevuo and Dan Perell The zero draft of the Pact for the Future — the agreement to seal September’s much-anticipated Summit of the Future — was introduced recently by the co-facilitators, Namibia and Germany, to fellow members at the United Nations. The draft is the fruition of careful consideration, balancing an array of diverse aspirations from all 193 member states. It is built on the proposals made in Secretary-General António Guterres’s Our Common Agenda and related […] todayFebruary 9, 2024 10
insert_link World American Palestinian man stabbed as US hate crimes soar The stabbing of a Palestinian American man in the US state of Texas was a hate crime, according to police. A 36-year-old man, Bert James Baker was arrested following an alleged attack on a Muslim victim over the weekend. It comes amid a surge in hate crimes targeting Arabs, Muslims and Jews, linked to the war in Gaza. Sally Patterson reports. todayFebruary 9, 2024 10
insert_link World UK’s opposition Labour Party’s defending a move to drop a flasgship green investment plan The UK's opposition Labour Party's defending a move to drop a flasgship green investment plan. It had previously said it would invest 28 billion pounds a year on environmental projects if it wins the next election. Now Labour leader Keir Starmer says that wouldn't be affordable because of damage the Conservative government have caused to the economy. The Conservatives say it's another example of Starmer 'flip-flopping'. Co-executive director of the […] todayFebruary 9, 2024 3
insert_link World U.S. highest court to decide if Trump should be on ballot US President Joe Biden has responded angrily to questions raised about his memory in the investigation into his handling of classified documents. Biden's age remains a concern for voters ahead of November's election. Ira Spitzer reports. todayFebruary 9, 2024 8
insert_link World Antonio Guterres calls for speedy UN reforms The UN Secretary General says reforming the United Nations has become a top priority. Speaking at the United Nations on Thursday, Antonio Guterres said the world needs institutions that are aligned with the times. He has also called for concrete steps to be taken towards a two-State solution in the Middle East, based on UN resolutions, international law and previous agreements. Jody Jacobs reports from New York. todayFebruary 9, 2024 22
insert_link World In bombshell report, US Special Prosecutor says Biden’s memory “significantly limited”… US President Joe Biden will not face criminal charges over his mishandling of classified documents dating back to his time as Barack Obama's Vice President.But a Department of Justice Special Prosecutor has revealed that the President is suffering from "significant limitations" with regard to his memory. Our Washington Correspondent Simon Marks reports. todayFebruary 9, 2024 10
insert_link World US Senate to vote on foreign aid bill amid gridlock Lawmakers in the United States Senate are planning to vote on a funding bill that would send billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine and Israel. The bill would provide military, security and humanitarian assistance for the war-torn nations, but it doesn't include US border security measures that were part of a wider package struck down earlier in the week. Benji Hyer reports. todayFebruary 9, 2024 6
