Mozambique’s top court has confirmed the ruling party’s victory in October’s presidential elections, potentially triggering more protests after more than two months of unrest over allegations that the results were rigged. Daniel Chapo, of the ruling Frelimo party, won the 9 October presidential election with 65.2% of the vote, Lúcia Ribeiro, the chair of Mozambique’s constitutional council, told a press conference on Monday. The figure was lower than that previously announced by the election commission, which said Chapo had won 70.7%, but still more than the 50% needed to win. Meanwhile, the second-place opposition candidate, Venâncio Mondlane, who has captured the imagination of young urban voters, got 24.2%, up from 20.3%, but nowhere near the majority he has claimed. The report of the council, whose members are mostly appointed by Frelimo politicians, said there had been “discrepancies” at the district level during the vote counting, without specifying what caused them. It also said that the Podemos party, which supports Mondlane, had submitted “inflated” figures in their challenge to the results. Mozambique has been roiled by weeks of protests , with security forces killing at least 130 people, according to Human Rights Watch. International election observers have said there was evidence of ballot rigging, but some cautioned that Mondlane may still not have won a free and fair election. The protests have repeatedly brought Mozambique’s economy to a standstill. Its north has also been battered by Cyclone Chido , which made landfall in the south-east African country on 15 December, killing 120 people and destroying an estimated 110,000 homes. Before the ruling on Monday afternoon, Mondlane told his supporters to stay at home until Friday, as part of the anti-election protests, whose latest stage he has called “Turbo V8”. He also said they should not commit any violence. However, in a separate video on Facebook, he said: “If we get the electoral truth [from Ribero], we will have peace. If we get electoral lies, we will push the country over a precipice into chaos, into disorder.” After the ruling, Mozambican TV stations broadcast footage of tyres being burned in streets that were otherwise empty apart from armed state security officers. Sign up to The Long Wave Nesrine Malik and Jason Okundaye deliver your weekly dose of Black life and culture from around the world after newsletter promotion Chapo, who is due to take office on 15 January, told a crowd of cheering Frelimo supporters that he would lead an electoral reform process. “Dialogue is the only way to build social harmony,” he said, without elaborating. While it was expected that the constitutional council would validate Chapo’s victory with some changes, Mondlane inciting protests rather than bargaining with Frelimo was uncharted territory for Mozambique, said Alex Vines, head of the African programme at the thinktank Chatham House. “Historically it’s been a weak state with a stronger party,” said Vines, who was part of a Commonwealth election observer team that monitored the vote. “Now you’re finding both a weak state and a weakening party, being challenged by a new politics ... led by a charismatic populist leader who has tapped into the anger of disenfranchised, frustrated youth.”
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Even before the French and German governments collapsed, Europe’s economy had enough difficulties. Tepid growth and lagging competitiveness versus the U.S. and China. An auto industry that's struggling. Where to find billions for defense against Russia? And now Donald Trump threatening tariffs. Solutions will be harder to find while the two countries that make up almost half of the eurozone economy remain stuck in political paralysis well into 2025. Where once there was the so-called French-German axis to push Europe ahead, now there’s a vacuum. French Prime Minister Michel Barnier resigned Thursday after losing a vote of confidence, and while President Emmanuel Macron will appoint a successor, the new head of government will lack a majority. Elections are not constitutionally permitted until at least June. Germany's coalition led by Social Democratic Chancellor Olaf Scholz with the Greens and pro-business Free Democrats fractured in November, triggering an early election on Feb. 23. Talks to form a new government could last into April. At least Germany's likely new chancellor, conservative opposition leader Friedrich Merz, appears open to loosening constitutional restrictions on borrowing to enable pro-growth spending and investment, said Mujtaba Rahman, managing director Europe at Eurasia Group. France, however, could be facing “complete paralysis on the economic question," Rahman said. “It's highly unlikely they're going to get a political equilibrium that has a mandate to implement a credible fiscal course correction." "And that's obviously a problem for Europe because it means the great potential of the European economy is not what it otherwise should be, because you don't have France and Germany firing on all cylinders," he said. Then there's Europe's lagging business environment, dissected by former European Central Bank head Mario Draghi in a report that contains recommendations such as common borrowing to support public investment; EU-wide industrial policy; and integrating financial markets to help startups raise capital. Yet “nothing can move in Europe without Franco-German alignment,” Rahman said. Meanwhile, Europe's auto industry has sought a review of tough EU emissions standards in 2025 instead of 2026, saying slackening demand for electric cars means they won't be able to avoid heavy fines and that the money would be better used to develop new electric vehicles. Anne-Laure Delatte, a French economist and head of research at the National Center for Scientific Research, said financial markets remain cautious but are not overly alarmed by France’s political instability. But economic weakness in France and Germany could have broader implications for the European Union. “This could either weaken Europe’s position globally or shift power and influence to other European countries like the Netherlands or Spain, which are performing well at the moment,” she said. France is expected to see growth of 1.1% this year and 0.8% next year, while Germany’s economy is expected to shrink 0.1% this year, the second consecutive year of contraction, and rebound modestly with 0.7% next year. Germany faces headwinds from a shortage of skilled labor, excessive bureaucracy and higher energy prices, and efforts to address those issues have been stalled by squabbling in Scholz’s coalition. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, head of the EU’s executive arm, is equipped with serious powers, especially on trade, a key EU authority delegated to Brussels by member countries. But there’s only so much von der Leyen can do without political backing from the two biggest member countries, whose national budgets are bigger than the EU's. The most urgent matter may be how to respond to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who takes office Jan. 20. European officials are trying to defuse a potential trade conflict involving new U.S. tariffs or import taxes on European goods that would seriously ding the continent’s export-focused economy. Europe could decide not to retaliate to any U.S. tariffs, thus avoiding a mutually destructive tit-for-tat cycle. The bloc could also commit to buying U.S. liquefied natural gas to mollify Trump, or spend billions more on defense for Ukraine to answer his complaint that European countries don't meet NATO commitments on defense spending. Europe is seeing only modest growth as consumers pummeled by inflation remain cautious about spending. The economy is expected to expand 0.8% this year and 1.3% next year for the 20 EU member countries that use the euro currency, according to the European Commission. While the direct impact on growth is small, the political logjam means Europe is missing an important opportunity to engage Trump, said Holger Schmieding, chief economist at Berenberg Bank. "It would be ideal if Europe — at the moment when Trump is not yet in office — would prepare a big offer for Trump, such as: We spend significantly more on defense, if on trade and on Ukraine you don’t disappoint us. This is unfortunately not happening.” “The risk is that Trump on trade might be tougher on us than otherwise because Germany and France are missing in action," he said. Von der Leyen can offer to get countries to purchase more U.S. natural gas and remind Trump that the EU could retaliate, but “the offer that Europe can make to Trump is small, rather than a big offer where there would be German and French money behind it.” The EU commission estimates that as much as 500 billion euros ($528 billion) will be needed over the next decade to help meet the bloc’s security needs. Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius has indicated common defense bonds could raise that enormous sum. But moving ahead without Germany, the bloc's biggest member, is hard to imagine. The big issues such as defense and competitiveness “require the fiscal and parliamentary resources of the biggest member states and the question is whether Germany and France are in a position to enable that at the European level," said Rahman. “I think the answer is probably yes, but I feel a bit less certain than I would have had Germany and France not had this very difficult political time.”
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Newly named Prime Minister Francois Bayrou put together the government that includes members of the outgoing conservative-dominated team and some new figures from centrist or left-leaning backgrounds. Coming up with a 2025 budget will be the most urgent order of business. The new government enters office after months of political deadlock and pressure from financial markets to reduce France’s colossal debt. Mr Macron has vowed to remain in office until his term ends in 2027, but has struggled to govern since snap elections in the summer left no single party with a majority in the National Assembly. Since his appointment 10 days ago, Mr Bayrou has held talks with political leaders from various parties in search of the right balance for the new government. Some critics were angry at Mr Bayrou for consulting with Marine Le Pen’s far-right party, and some argue the government looks too much like the old one to win the trust of politicians. Former prime minister Michel Barnier resigned this month following a no-confidence vote prompted by budget disputes in the National Assembly, leaving France without a functioning government. Ms Le Pen played a key role in Mr Barnier’s downfall by joining her National Rally party’s forces with the left to pass the no-confidence motion. Mr Bayrou will need support from moderate legislators on the right and left to keep his government alive. Banker Eric Lombard will be finance minister, a crucial post when France is working to fulfil its promises to European Union partners to reduce its deficit, estimated to reach 6% of its gross domestic product this year. Mr Lombard briefly worked as an adviser to a socialist finance minister in the 1990s. Mr Bayrou has said he supports tax hikes championed by his predecessor, but it is not clear how the new government can find the right calculation for a budget that satisfies a majority of politicians angry over spending cuts. Bruno Retailleau stays on as interior minister, with responsibility for France’s security and migration policy. Sebastien Lecornu, who has been at the forefront of France’s military support for Ukraine, remains defence minister, while foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot, who has travelled extensively in the Middle East in recent weeks, also retains his post. Among the new faces are two former prime ministers. Manuel Valls will be minister for overseas affairs, and Elisabeth Borne takes the education ministry.The White House on Dec 2 defended President Joe Biden’s decision to pardon his son, Hunter, and said the president believed his political opponents would have kept persecuting his son going forward. “They would continue to go after his son,” White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Air Force One during a trip to Angola. Jean-Pierre said this was not the first time a president had pardoned a family member. READ MORE HERE France’s Michel Barnier faced an abrupt end to his premiership on Dec 2 after key opposition parties said they would back a no-confidence motion against his government after only three months in power. Certain that the National Assembly would deny him a majority backing the government’s social security financing plan for next year, Barnier forced through the bill without a vote, using executive powers under article 49.3 of the French constitution. The conservative premier, who formed a minority government in September after an inconclusive general election, has lived under the constant threat of a no-confidence vote that could force him to quit. READ MORE HERE Hamas said on Dec 2 that 33 hostages in Gaza had been killed during the almost 14-month-old war between the Palestinian militant group and Israel in the enclave, without giving their nationalities. Hamas added that other hostages had gone missing. “With the continuation of your crazy war,” it said in a statement addressed to Israel, “you could lose your hostages forever. Do what you have to do before it is too late.” READ MORE HERE Tens of thousands of Volkswagen workers went on strike on Dec 2 in an escalating industrial dispute, with unions warning that the crisis-hit German auto giant is intent on making mass layoffs and closing factories. Waving signs reading “You want war, we are ready!” and the red flags of the powerful IG Metall Union, employees at plants across the country walked out over management plans to make huge cuts. VW has been hit hard by high manufacturing costs at home, a stuttering shift to electric vehicles and tough competition in key market China. READ MORE HERE Homes, businesses and roads in the Greek tourist island of Rhodes were covered in mud and debris on Dec 2 after Storm Bora battered the country over the weekend. In the resort of Faliraki the flooding caused by torrential rains destroyed a bridge, caused chasms to open up in the ground and damaged homes and shops on the coast, Reuters drone footage showed. In the village of Tsairi, a bridge also collapsed, cutting off residents from the main roads. READ MORE HERE1 2 From creating an app that drafts contract farming to using sensors for soil health and using AI to suggest the right amount of fertiliser to use, over 200 agricultural innovators from across the country participated in the finals of the Smart India Hackathon at IIT Hyderabad on Thursday. Reports Ashresh Marupaka WINNERS The winners are Void Seekers of Noida Institute of Engineering and Technology, Greater Noida, Yeshwantrao Chavan College of Engineering, Nagpur, Techno Main Salt Lake, Kolkata and AGRITECH TITAN- Welingkar Institute of Management, Mumbai. The teams received 1 lakh cash prize. Participants have to solve four problems on development of mobile app for direct market access for farmers, an AI-driven crop disease prediction and management system, a sustainable fertiliser usage optimiser for higher yield, and an assured contract farming system for stable market access. INNOVATIONS App for AI-driven crop disease detection Innovators: E&Co from VIT Chennai Problem: Delay in identifying crop disease can lead to losses for farmers Solution: App can detect & determine nature of diseases in real time using images. Integrated with climate data, it can plan crop cycles App for direct market access Innovators: FarmConnect from Mukesh Patel School of Technology Management and Engineering, Shirpur, Maharashtra Problem: Middlemen exploit farmers by charging commissions for sale of produce to wholesalers & retailers Solution: App allows farmers to list their produce for direct bidding without middlemen. Farmers can set starting bid for wholesale quantities and sell retail quantities at fixed prices. App facilitates transportation of goods by connecting with logistics partners, providing order tracking & dispute resolution App for fertiliser administration Innovators: Go Pandas 24/7 from Acropolis Institute of Technology and Research, Indore Problem: Unscientific and inappropriate use of fertilisers damaging soil & reducing farm output Solution: App uses real-time soil data to determine amount & type of fertiliser to use. Farmers can get tailored solutions using NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) sensors or have their soil tested in a lab, after which app uses machine learning to determine right fertiliser App for seamless contract farming Innovators: Binary Brains_5 from GSFC University, Vadodara Problem: Legal hassles & lengthy procedures discourage farmers and customers from entering into agricultural agreements Solution: App helps draft & notarise contracts between farmers & customers. Based on crop type, quantity & delivery time, app drafts contracts & gets them e-signed by both parties. By integrating GST & scrapping the net for trending crops, farmers & consumers can enter into two types of contracts: sponsored (raw material provided by the contractor) or private (farmer also takes care of production for contractor). The app can track latest prices at APMC markets, and help resolve disputes through chatbot Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . 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Camposol Holding PLC Announces Management Updates: Ricardo Naranjo appointed Chief Executive Officer.SALEM TOWNSHIP — Superintendent Laura Columbia and Maine School Administrative District 58 Director Susan Pratt presented the board Thursday with highlights of the Maine School Management Association conference, including a new program that will be required in 2028. At the meeting at Mt. Abram High School, Pratt said that as of July 1, 2028, Child Development Services will no longer provide special education services for 3- to 5-year-olds, so the responsibility falls on the school system. Child Development Services provides early intervention for birth through 2 years old and free appropriate public education for ages 3 to 5 under the supervision of the Maine Department of Education, according to its website, maine.gov/doe/learning/cds. The system ensures the provision of special education rules, federal and state regulations statewide, through a network of regional sites. Pratt said a plan needs to be submitted for the new program by Oct. 1, 2028. It can not be a strictly special education class; it must include a certified special education teacher. She recommended forming a new committee to plan for the change. “I think it’s a great thing for the kids, I think it’ll be challenging for school systems,” Pratt said. A similar program is in place, but includes only 4- and 5-year-olds and is run by Child Development Services. She said that in her opinion, “CDS hasn’t done right by kids.” While transportation is not required, the school system has been providing it. The concern is that it will become more difficult to transport some 3-year-olds who still need to use car seats. However, officials don’t want to take transportation away, she said. Addressing a question about whether the program will still exist by 2028 with uncertainties around the changing political climate, Pratt said, “This isn’t going away.” She urged the board to understand why a committee is needed: the program will require new teachers, new equipment and a new space. In other news, Columbia agreed with Pratt that the district website needed updates. She said there were a lot of challenges, including links and documents that are no longer accessible because they belonged to former staff. “Maybe it’s time to trash it and start from scratch,” Pratt said. “There are staff listed that haven’t worked here for two years.” Columbia agreed, but argued that there were challenges that were not easy to overcome. One is money to hire someone to build a website because using a do-it-yourself host would not be secure enough. MSAD 58 serves Avon, Kingfield, Phillips and Strong. We invite you to add your comments. We encourage a thoughtful exchange of ideas and information on this website. By joining the conversation, you are agreeing to our commenting policy and terms of use . More information is found on our FAQs . You can modify your screen name here . Comments are managed by our staff during regular business hours Monday through Friday as well as limited hours on Saturday and Sunday. Comments held for moderation outside of those hours may take longer to approve. Please sign into your Sun Journal account to participate in conversations below. If you do not have an account, you can register or subscribe . Questions? Please see our FAQs . Your commenting screen name has been updated. Send questions/comments to the editors. « Previous Next »
California Reaffirms An Open Arms Invitation To Illegal Immigrants
Starmer has some big fights to come - and one is particularly toxicA key figure in a trucker protest that jammed Canada's capital and sparked a global movement against Covid mandates was found guilty Friday for his role in the blockade. The self-styled "Freedom Convoy" of big rig drivers and protesters rolled into Ottawa in early 2022 from across Canada to express anger at government protocols imposed to contain Covid-19. After three weeks of turmoil, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked rarely used emergency powers to dislodge the protesters. Pat King was among hundreds of people arrested, and the first of the protest leaders to be convicted. Two other organizers, Tamara Lich and Chris Barber faced a separate criminal trial but those verdicts are not expected until 2025. King faces up to 10 years in prison after being convicted on five charges, including mischief, counselling others to commit mischief and disobeying a court order. Acquitted of more serious charges, he smiled at a packed courtroom of supporters as the judge read the verdict. "Mr King was not merely engaging in political speech," Justice Charles Hackland said. "Rather, he was inciting the protesters to continue their ongoing blockade of downtown Ottawa." King led hundreds of big rigs and thousands of protestors to Ottawa, bringing the capital to a standstill for more than three weeks. Residents and business owners complained of incessant honking and harassment. As the demonstrators' demands expanded to a broader anti-establishment agenda, solidarity rallies popped up at Canada-US trade corridors and various places abroad. Most of the evidence at trial consisted of videos King posted on social media in which he urged his nearly 300,000 followers to rail against government overreach. "Hold the line," he said in video posts, appearing also to delight in the gridlock and misery of locals: "Pretty hilarious that people haven't been able to sleep for 10 days." Trudeau faced strong criticisms from civil liberties groups and the opposition Conservatives for invoking the Emergencies Act to dislodge the protestors. But a commission of inquiry ruled it had been "appropriate," calling it "a drastic move, but... not a dictatorial one." amc/bs/bfm
Canada 'Freedom Convoy' leader found guilty over trucker protest role
( ), ( ) and ( ) have secured their spots on , while ( ) looks on longingly on the watchlist. But retail giant ( ) is already a full-fledged member on this list of top growth stocks. And Costco is in buy range while holding support above its . Costco Stock Shops For Support Following a on Dec. 18, the Nasdaq has managed to cling to support at its . Costco also pulled back last week, coming off an all-time high. The retail behemoth also fell below its 21-day line but remains in buy range from a 923.83 entry it initially cleared on Nov 8. The 50-day line presents the next test for Costco. Down again Monday at midday, the stock stands just above that benchmark. Costco stock is not alone in trying to navigate this uncertain market heading into the end of the year. Support And Resistance For Costco, Nvidia And More As Costco remains in buy range from its buy point, and also flash signs of both support and resistance. Meta trades above its 50-day line, but remains below its 21-day benchmark. The Instagram and Facebook parent also stands 1% below the 602.95 buy point it first cleared earlier this month. It has not triggered any . Nvidia has encountered increased volatility since June, when it began forming a late-stage base. The artificial intelligence giant cleared a 140.76 entry in October but has shown seesaw action since then. Nvidia remains below its 50-day line since breaching it sharply on Dec. 10. Plus, note how the 21-day line has undercut the longer-term 50-day benchmark, an indication of technical weakness. On the other hand, and Alphabet-owned trade above those key moving averages. With its relative strength line rising sharply in recent months, Tesla looks to shake off the Dec. 18 sell-off and recharge its run. Since breaking past its 182.4 entry in a third-stage cup with handle, Google has held tough. Up again Monday, the search, cloud and AI powerhouse has become slightly extended. Costco And Its 'Secret' To Growth While not a high-flying growth stock in the vein of Nvidia, Meta, Alphabet and others, Costco has proved to be a steady yet great winner in past bull markets. The stock's tremendous run since the market bottom in 2009 provides all the evidence. Recurring revenue from membership fees drives solid and steady growth for Costco. The company marks up prices at one rate across the board, while all of the company's profits come from annual member fees, according to " ." Costco's earnings have more than tripled from $5.33 a share in fiscal 2016 (ended in August) to $16.11 in fiscal 2024. shows six quarter of rising fund ownership for Costco. .