Latest news

Political situation in Argentina
Argentine parliament approves reform package

The Argentine parliament has approved President Javier Milei's business-friendly reform package after several months of debate, writes AFP.

Now the president receives support from parliament to, among other things, introduce a 12-month economic state of emergency. He can also privatize dozens of public companies.

Milei's government has used a drastic austerity program with the goal of reaching "zero budget deficit" by the end of 2024 to tackle inflation.

- It is a return to the policies of the 1990s with deregulation, privatization and unconditional opening of the economy, which will hit industry and national small and medium-sized enterprises hard, political scientist and economist Pablo Tigani told AFP.

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Death of Ebrahim Raisi
Iran goes to elections - one month after helicopter crash

Iranians vote in presidential elections on Friday, about a month after the death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash, AFP reports.

In recent years, Iran has been dominated by the conservatives and ultra-conservatives. Until recently, the reformist Masoud Pezeshkian was relatively unknown, but his candidacy has raised cautious hope among the country's reformist fringe, writes AFP.

He is running against the conservatives Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Saeed Jalili and the priest Mostafa Pourmohammadi.

First forecasts are expected on Saturday morning and the official result on Sunday. If no candidate receives 50 percent of the vote, another round will be held on July 5.

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The China-Taiwan relationship
Taiwan's new call to residents: Don't go to China

Taiwan's government has changed its travel information dealing with China, Reuters reports. Residents are now advised against non-essential travel there.

The announcement comes after China threatened the death penalty for some "separatists" who support independence for Taiwan.

The updated travel advisory also applies to Hong Kong and Macau, according to spokesperson Liang Wen-Chieh.

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Growing frustration as Mongolia goes to elections

Mongolians go to the polls on Friday to vote in parliamentary elections. In the young democracy, the ruling Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPP) is expected to win. But frustration is increasing around issues of corruption, cost of living and lack of opportunities for the young, writes AFP.

According to voter Tsagaantsooj Dulamsuren, Friday's election is a chance to "give power to the candidates you really want to support".

- I want the legislators to provide more infrastructure development and more jobs in the manufacturing industry for young people, she tells AFP.
 

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Strong earthquake off Peru - risk of tsunami

An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2 occurred off the coast of central Peru on Friday, reports AFP.

According to the United States Geological Survey, there is a risk of tsunami waves.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center also warned that some waves could reach up to three meters.

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Yesterday

Danish Ministry on fire: "Crazy morning"

During the morning, a fire broke out in the Danish tax department in Copenhagen, Danish media reports. Emergency services and police went to the scene at 11 o'clock.

Pictures from the scene show black smoke rising from the roof of the building. The Department of Taxation and adjacent buildings were evacuated in connection with the rescue operation.

- It has been a crazy morning. We were sitting in a meeting with the government when the alarm went off, and after a short while we could smell smoke, says Tax Minister Jeppe Bruus to Danish TV2.

Shortly before 11:30 a.m., incident leader Tim Ole Simonsen told the channel that the fire was under control.