國際時事政治選舉集中理性討論區（三）

Andrea Nahles to become first female head of Germany's SPD

http://www.dw.com/en/andrea-nahles-to-become-first-female-head-of-germanys-spd/a-43464984

"We are the power of the future and of progress," Andrea Nahles told the German press ageny DPA on Friday. In two days' time, she is set to become the first female leader in the 155-year history of the country's Social Democratic Party (SPD).

Nahles has been tasked with steering the party back to its left-wing progressive roots after four years as the junior partner in a coalition government with Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) led to historically low numbers in last September's general election.

Nahles' rousing speech at a party convention in January is credited with convincing party members to approve a renewed coalition with Merkel.

But not everyone in Germany is sure the 47-year-old former leader of Jusos, the youth wing of the SPD, is up to the task of making the SPD relevant again. According to the latest Deutschlandtrend poll, 47 percent of Germans are skeptical that Nahles is up to the task and only 33 percent believed she could do it. However, SPD supporters were a little bit more optimistic for her chances for success at around 50 percent.

The Guardian今個星期中又出咗個專題: The Daphne Project，係延續馬耳他記者Daphne Caruana Galizia有關調查Panama Papers中各種貪贓枉法的行為，當中亦涉及馬耳他不同政治人物，而係2016年Daphne Caruana Galizia因一個係佢架車的炸彈爆炸而死，佢的老公認為係買兇殺人，而主謀依然逍遙法外，而且受到保護。

因此十五個國家十八個傳媒機構開始咗The Daphne Project。大家有興趣可以去睇吓

https://www.theguardian.com/world/series/the-daphne-project

老公的專訪: Mastermind behind Maltese journalist's murder is being protected, says husband
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/17/malta-protecting-mastermind-journalist-daphne-caruana-galizia-says-husband

Memos document Comey's interactions with Trump

http://thehill.com/policy/national-security/384076-memos-document-comeys-interactions-with-trump

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has handed over to Congress memos written by former FBI Director James Comey documenting his encounters with President Trump that provide a meticulously detailed, first-hand account of some of the most controversial moments in the Trump presidency.

The memos, obtained by The Hill, document seven conversations Comey had with Trump between January 2017 and April 2017. Four are classified and have been partly redacted, while the remainder are unclassified.

While the major narratives documented in the memos were already publicly known, they provide a few tantalizing new particulars about Trump’s encounters with the president — and have already hardened partisan battle lines on Capitol Hill.

https://goo.gl/CukP7i

美國司法部應國會要求交出redacted版嘅Comey筆記, 轉個頭就有人射畀AP news公佈, 內容幾豐富(我認為最爆係Trump叫Comey拉記者坐監去搵leaker ), 有興趣嘅巴打可以一讀

有心水清嘅人發現8/2 Comey記低Trump話普京曾經同佢講"we have some of the most beautiful hookers in the world." 但Trump 7/2 tweet " I don't know Putin, have no deals in Russia,..."

如果大家覺得15頁太長, 想要精華, 不妨一讀Business Insider嘅雞精版本:

https://goo.gl/qQXaZo

North Korea halts nuclear and missile tests ahead of planned Trump summit

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/20/north-korea-suspends-nuclear-missile-tests?

North Korea has said it will end its tests of nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles, and shut down its nuclear test site, in a dramatic development ahead of a much-anticipated meeting between its leader, Kim Jong-un, and Donald Trump.

The suspensions went into immediate effect on Saturday, according to state-run KCNA news agency.

The news comes less than a week before Kim meets the South Korean president, Moon Jae-in, for a summit in the demilitarized zone that divides the peninsula.

“As the weaponisation of nuclear weapons has been verified, it is not necessary for us to conduct any more nuclear tests or test launches of mid- and long-range missiles or ICBMs,” Kim told the meeting.

“The northern nuclear test site has completed its mission,” he added at the meeting, according to KCNA.

Prince Charles to succeed Queen as head of the Commonwealth

http://p.dw.com/p/2wQHT

The Commonwealth's heads of government confirmed on Friday that Prince Charles would be the next head of the association of former British colonies once he succeeds his mother Queen Elizabeth II on the throne.

The 53 Commonwealth leaders released a statement announcing Charles' future appointment following a private two-day retreat at the royal residences in Windsor.

Democratic party sues Russia, WikiLeaks and Trump campaign over election disruption

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/apr/20/trump-russia-wikileaks-sued-democrats-lawsuit

The Democratic National Committee has filed a lawsuit against the Russian government, the Trump campaign and WikiLeaks, alleging a widespread conspiracy to help swing the 2016 US presidential election.

The multimillion-dollar lawsuit was filed on Friday in federal court in the southern district of New York. The complaint asserts that senior officials within Donald Trump’s campaign conspired with the Russian government in an attempt to damage the Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton, and seeks damages for the hacking of DNC’s servers.

Iran vows 'expected and unexpected' moves if U.S. exits deal

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-nuclear-usa/iran-vows-expected-and-unexpected-moves-if-u-s-exits-deal-idUSKBN1HS05G

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday Iran’s atomic agency was ready with “expected and unexpected” reactions if the United States pulls out of a multinational nuclear deal, as U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to do.

“Our Atomic Energy Organization is fully prepared ... for actions that they expect and actions they do not expect,” Rouhani said without elaborating in a speech carried by state television, referring to a possible decision by Trump to leave the accord next month.

U.S. disarmament ambassador Robert Wood said on Thursday Washington had been having “intense” discussions with European allies ahead of the May 12 deadline, when U.S. sanctions against Iran will resume unless Trump issues new waivers to suspend them.

Iran has said it will stick to the accord as long as the other parties respect it, but will “shred” the deal if Washington pulls out.

How Would the U.S. Defend Against a North Korean Nuclear Attack?

https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2017-us-defense-against-north-korean-nuclear-attack/?

上年Bloomberg出咗呢個infographics，好鬼正

Do You Know Where America Stands On Guns?

https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/guns-parkland-polling-quiz/

FiveThirtyEight綜合咗四個Parkland Shooting後的Poll去展示美國人對槍管的睇法，有興趣的巴打可以參考吓

Armenia: Tens of thousands call for PM Serzh Sargsyan to step down after 'power grab'

http://www.dw.com/en/armenia-tens-of-thousands-call-for-pm-serzh-sargsyan-to-step-down-after-power-grab/a-43479239

Tens of thousands of opposition supporters have taken to the streets of the Armenian capital Yerevan, calling for former President Serzh Sargsyan to step down as prime minister and demanding fresh parliamentary elections.

Armenia has been rocked by protests over the past week after Sargsyan signaled his intention to become premier despite serving two terms as president. On Tuesday, Armenia's parliament swore him in as prime minister under a new parliamentary system, making him the country's most powerful official.

Sargysan served briefly as prime minister in 2007, was elected president in 2008, and this week became prime minister. In 2015, a referendum transfered power from the presidency to the prime ministership.

Some protesters clashed with police while trying to block streets and stage sit-ins. At least 230 people were arrested, according to police figures.

EU and Mexico agree new free trade pact

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-eu-mexico-trade/eu-and-mexico-agree-new-free-trade-pact-idUSKBN1HS0PF

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union and Mexico reached an agreement on Saturday on a new free trade deal, a coup for both parties in the face of increased protectionism from the United States under President Donald Trump.

Since its plans for a trade alliance with the United States were frozen after Trump’s election victory, the EU has focused instead on trying to champion open markets and seal accords with other like-minded countries.

The agreement in principle with Mexico follows a deal struck last year with Japan and comes ahead of talks next week with the Mercosur bloc of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.

For Mexico, a deal with the EU is part of a strategy to reduce its reliance on the United States, the destination of 80 percent of its exports. That has become more urgent, given Trump’s push to rewrite the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Armenia's protest leader to meet PM Serzh Sargsyan to talk 'transfer of power'

http://www.dw.com/en/armenias-protest-leader-to-meet-pm-serzh-sargsyan-to-talk-transfer-of-power/a-43485466

Armenian opposition lawmaker and protest leader Nikol Pashinian said he would meet on Sunday with Serzh Sargsyan, the president-turned-prime minister at the heart of mass protests in the former Soviet country.

"I will meet Serzh Sargsyan to discuss the conditions of his resignation and of a peaceful transfer of power," said Pashinian in a video published to his Facebook page. The meeting is expected to take place at the Marriott hotel in the Armenian capital Yerevan.

Armenia has been rocked by nine days of mass protests against Sargsyan, a two-time president, for what protesters are calling a "power grab" following a 2015 referendum that transferred power from the presidency to the premier.

Parliament on Tuesday swore in Sargsyan as prime minister under a new parliamentary system, effectively making him Armenia's most powerful official. But the move triggered social unrest, prompting tens of thousands of Armenians to take to the streets and call for his ouster.

Tens of thousands protest in Hungary against Viktor Orban

http://www.dw.com/en/tens-of-thousands-protest-in-hungary-against-viktor-orban/a-43484835

Protesters took to the streets of the Hungarian capital on Saturday in the second mass anti-government demonstration since Prime Minister Viktor Orban won a landslide election victory on April 8.

Many of the demonstrators chanted "democracy" and waved Hungarian and European Union flags as they marched through the city to a rally.

The protesters accuse Orban and his right-wing nationalist Fidesz party, which won two-thirds of parliamentary seats at the polls, of taking control of state media and using them to gain an election advantage.

Their criticisms have been echoed by observers from the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), who said the election campaign was marked by media bias.

Europe not choosing sides in U.S.-China trade dispute

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-imf-g20-europe-trade/europe-not-choosing-sides-in-u-s-china-trade-dispute-idUSKBN1HS0LJ

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Europe will not choose sides in the trade dispute between the United States and China, a top European official said on Saturday, adding that the European Union’s temporary exemptions from U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs should become permanent.

Moscovici said China needed to implement reforms and show openness in trade and solve the question of over-capacity in steel production, but he added that it should be done through the World Trade Organisation rather than a trade war.

Europe would not side with either the U.S. or China, he said. “This is not the way things need to be addressed.”

“Choosing one side would mean that we enter into the climate of confrontation and this is not the way things need to be handled. Certainly there are imbalances and they need to be addressed, certainly there are problems and they need to be resolved, but not through confrontation,” he said.

希望佢口一套，做另一套啦
中國響中東歐影響力越來越大
歐盟好快俾威權小國聯盟控制住

仲係買兩邊

Carwyn Jones has announced he will stand down as Wales' first minister in the autumn.
The AM for Bridgend made the announcement at the Welsh Labour party conference in Llandudno, which he said would be his last as leader.
Referring to the death of Carl Sargeant Mr Jones, 51, said he had been through the "darkest of times".
Mr Sargeant was found dead in November, days after Mr Jones sacked him from his cabinet job.
The communities secretary was dismissed after allegations emerged about his personal conduct, prompting a Welsh Labour investigation.
UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn paid tribute to the first minister's "tireless commitment to making Wales a more equal country".
Mr Jones, who has been first minister and Welsh Labour leader since 2009, said his exit would give his family, his party and the country a "fresh start".
The man widely considered to be a potential front-runner contender in the leadership race, Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford, says he is giving the matter "serious consideration".

Carwyn Jones said his wife Lisa and his family had taken him through the darkest of times

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-43851468

Rubbish EU

呢個星期Macron 同 Merkel 會訪問美國，到時睇吓有咩Deal

Italian government: Mission still (almost) impossible

[url]https://www.politico.eu/article/italian-government-mission-still-almost-impossible/
[/url]
ROME — Italian election talks collapsed Friday — to the surprise of absolutely no one.

If anything, the parties involved are further apart and more entrenched in their positions than when they started.

President Sergio Mattarella had earlier this week enlisted the speaker of the Senate to break Italy’s political deadlock. Yet after two rounds of inconclusive talks with the rival parties who won March’s election, Senate leader Maria Elisabetta Casellati had to tell Mattarella that her mission hadn’t been accomplished, prompting him to announce a “pause for reflection” over the weekend.

The two rivals — the anti-establishment 5Star Movement which emerged as the largest single party in the election, and the center-right alliance now dominated by the far-right League — stuck to their positions during the talks, derailing any possible government deal. Both did well in the election but fell short of an absolute majority.

Armenia unrest: Police detain protest leader Nikol Pashinyan

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-43854352

Police in Armenia have detained an opposition MP who has been leading anti-government protests.

Nikol Pashinyan was picked up after Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan cut short a televised meeting between the two.

During their three-minute confrontation Mr Pashinyan insisted that the PM should resign. Mr Sargsyan said it was "blackmail" and walked out.

The opposition argues that a recent constitutional change is an effort by Mr Sargsyan to retain power.

The move - approved by parliament on Tuesday - strengthens the role of prime minister, which Mr Sargsyan only took on last week. He stepped down as president after reaching his two-term limit.