UK under pressure to act on Jimmy Lai case after 20-year Hong Kong sentence
The UK has pledged to step up engagement with Beijing after Hong Kong media tycoon and British citizen Jimmy Lai was sentenced to 20 years in prison, ...
Czechs will head to the polls in a parliamentary election that could reshape the country’s political future. The vote will show whether Czechia remains closely tied to the European Union and NATO or leans toward Moscow.
Polling stations across Prague and the country will open at 2pm local time as citizens choose all 200 members of the lower house. Voting runs through to Saturday, with parties needing at least 5% of the vote to enter parliament under the proportional system.
The frontrunner is 71-year-old billionaire and former prime minister Andrej Babiš. His populist ANO party runs on tax cuts, higher wages, and ending support for Ukraine’s membership bid. However, despite leading in polls, ANO is unlikely to win a majority, making coalition talks crucial.
Prime Minister Petr Fiala’s pro-Western Spolu coalition pushes for continued alignment with the EU and NATO. On the fringes, far-right SPD seeks an EU exit referendum, while far-left Stačilo opposes NATO and rejects military aid to Kyiv. Smaller parties including the Pirates, STAN, and Motorists for Themselves could influence coalition outcomes.
Polls put ANO at roughly 30–32%, Spolu at about 20%. The election outcome will shape the next government, with preliminary counts expected Saturday afternoon and near-complete results later on 4 October.
U.S. President Donald Trump has criticised American freestyle skier Hunter Hess after the athlete said he felt conflicted about representing the United States at the Winter Olympics in Italy, sparking a public clash that highlights growing political tensions surrounding the Games.
Iran would retaliate by striking U.S. military bases across the Middle East if it comes under attack by American forces, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday (7 January), stressing that such action should not be seen as targeting the countries hosting those bases.
U.S. skiing great Lindsey Vonn underwent surgery in an Italian hospital on Sunday after her attempt to win Olympic downhill gold ended in a violent crash just seconds into the race at the Milano Cortina Winter Games.
A Japanese city near Mount Fuji has cancelled its annual cherry blossom festival, saying growing numbers of badly behaved tourists are disrupting daily life for residents.
Several avalanches struck northern Italy on Saturday, killing at least three people, as rescue officials warned the death toll could rise with unstable conditions persisting across the Alps.
Japan’s snap election has delivered a landslide victory for Sanae Takaichi, giving her a strong mandate to advance fiscal expansion and defence reforms. But, analysts warn that inflation risks and funding challenges could complicate her agenda.
Australia’s move to ban social media access for children under 16 has intensified a global debate, as governments across Europe and beyond weigh tougher rules amid growing concerns over mental health, safety and screen addiction.
The UK has pledged to step up engagement with Beijing after Hong Kong media tycoon and British citizen Jimmy Lai was sentenced to 20 years in prison, with the case resurfacing as a key issue following Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s recent trip to Beijing.
Venezuelan authorities said they were seeking court approval to put prominent opposition politician Juan Pablo Guanipa under house arrest on Sunday, shortly after he was seized by armed men in Caracas in what his son called a kidnapping.
Hong Kong’s most prominent media tycoon Jimmy Lai was sentenced on Monday (9 February) to a total of 20 years in prison on national security charges. The verdict covers two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and one count related to publishing seditious materials.
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