Takaichi's ruling party on course for victory in Japan election
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is on course for victory in snap elections, with the ruling bloc expected to secure a two-thirds majority in the Lower House.
The LDP (Liberal Democratic Party) is projected to win around 300 of the 465 seats, its best result since 2017, regaining support lost due to the price crisis and corruption scandals.
Her victory could bring tensions with China and worries in financial markets, due to tough stances towards Beijing and Japan's high debt.
Iranian Nobel Prize winner Narges Mohammadi sentenced to another seven years in prison
Iranian Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi has been sentenced to more than seven more years in prison after going on a hunger strike, according to her supporters.
She had previously been sentenced to about 14 years in prison on other charges.
Her supporters have expressed concern about her health, as she suffered several strokes while in prison, before undergoing emergency surgery in 2022.
A landslide victory for center-left candidate António José Seguro in the second round of Portugal's presidential election.
Center-left candidate António José Seguro won the second round of Portugal's presidential election, securing a five-year term and defeating far-right rival André Ventura.
Despite bad weather and some voters being delayed due to flooding, many citizens went to the polls, and António José Seguro secured around 64% of the vote, while André Ventura secured 36%.
Despite his defeat on Sunday, André Ventura can boast of this growing support, which shows the growing influence of the far right in Portugal and much of Europe.
Jimmy Lai, a prominent pro-democracy figure in Hong Kong, is sentenced to 20 years in prison for violating national security.
Prominent pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai has been sentenced to 20 years in prison in Hong Kong for national security offences, a sentence his daughter said could mean he will die a martyr behind bars.
Jimmy Lai was found guilty in December of charges of inciting rebellion and collaborating with foreign forces, but he had denied all charges, while the maximum sentence for them was life imprisonment.
The decision represents the culmination of a years-long process that critics see as indicative of Hong Kong's transformation from a largely free city to a place where political dissent is strictly suppressed and controlled by the Chinese Communist Party authorities.
