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How Prestige Consulting is Modernizing Global Real Estate ServicesSince 2014, Prestige Consulting has been reshaping the international real estate market with award-winning strategies that unlock global opportunities. This boutique consultancy provides top-tier skillfulness in lifestyle, property, and business consultancy services. Operating across Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates. It redefines global real estate investment with fresh methods.Real Estate Ventures for the Discerning InvestorPrestige Consulting curates exceptional real estate ventures for discerning clients. "Our diverse portfolio showcases distinctive quality and expert selection," says Rachel Rey, founder of Prestige Consulting. "We cater to everyone, from luxury residences to prime investments, whether they're seeking investment opportunities or personal and family properties."It goes beyond typical brokerage services. The firm delivers customized solutions for valuable investments, passive income opportunities, global real estate portfolios. These strategies aim to provide solid long-term returns. This satisfies clients and earns them industry recognition, solidifying Prestige Consulting’s status as a leader in international real estate consulting."Our clients gain more than a service – they unlock a realm of value," Rey explains. "We turn aspirations into achievements, offering meticulous guidance and tailored solutions that lead to measurable success." This dedication to value creation drives every aspect of its operations, certifying that each client's unique goals and aspirations shape every investment decision.Expert Guidance from Switzerland to the UAEPrestige Consulting provides comprehensive proficiency in international real estate services. Its competence covers Swiss residential property consultancy, educational services, and business consulting. These services span across Switzerland and the UAE.This all-encompassing system offers clients consistent support throughout their investment journey, establishing depth and continuity at each stage.“We deliver tangible outcomes by securing prime real estate ventures and identifying strategic opportunities tailored for success,” says Rey. Its results-driven process combines wise investment structuring with a trusted network of partners. All aspects of its work focus on delivering excellence and client satisfaction.With a team of seasoned experts, Prestige Consulting guides clients through global real estate challenges. These professionals stay current with market trends, regulations, and emerging opportunities, offering clients the most relevant and timely insights on real estate services. This gives clients a competitive edge, empowering them to make confident, informed investment decisions.Prestige Consulting excels at helping investors build and manage global property portfolios. Its knowledge of Swiss and UAE markets allows clients to strategically balance risk and returns, diversifying portfolios across different economic regions.“We help our clients explore investment options crafted for their success,” Rey explains. “We offer an unmatched partnership dedicated to achieving client goals, whether focused on capital gains or securing solid long-term returns.”Prestige Consulting recognizes that property investments often blend financial goals with personal aspirations. It handles each project with dedication and attention to detail. This applies whether finding a luxurious second home for a family or securing prime property for an investor. This comprehensive perspective assures every investment aligns with financial objectives and personal dreams.Embracing Winter's Charm in Global Real EstatePrestige Consulting’s portfolio reflects the shifting appeal of cold-weather properties, with a sharp focus on the unique draw of winter retreats. The firm has observed a surge in interest in ski-centric investments and winter escapes among international clients.“Winter properties, especially in prime locations like the Swiss Alps, offer a compelling blend of lifestyle and investment opportunities,” says Rey. “High demand exists for luxury chalets and ski-in/ski-out apartments that serve as personal havens and profitable long term investments due to the stability Switzerland offers.”Prestige Consulting provides a wide array of options for winter enthusiasts and astute investors.Its proficiency in winter real estate includes guiding clients on essential factors like snow reliability, resort infrastructure, and year-round appeal.“We help clients make decisions that balance their winter lifestyle aspirations with sound investment principles,” Rey explains. “This might involve choosing a property in a dual-season resort or investing in areas with rising winter sports popularity.”Prestige Consulting’s dedication to sustainable, responsible investing shines through as it spotlights properties incorporating eco-friendly technologies and respect for delicate mountain ecosystems.Insightful Real Estate GuidanceEducation stands as a core pillar of Prestige Consulting’s service philosophy. It emphasizes that informed investors make vital decisions, providing clients with in-depth market insights and investment education. This focus on empowering clients fosters better decision-making and builds a foundation of trust and transparency."We go beyond simply finding properties for our clients; we help them understand market dynamics, potential risks, and growth opportunities," Rey points out. "This knowledge enables them to make confident decisions and fully own their investment strategies."The firm offers regular market updates, and one-on-one consultations. These keep clients well-informed about developments in the global real estate services market.Through this dedication to client education, Prestige Consulting transforms clients from passive investors into active partners in their investment journey. This empowerment leads to more fulfilling investment experiences and often results in better long-term outcomes, underscoring Prestige Consulting’s dedication to exceeding expectations in every facet of its service.The Gateway to Global Real Estate SuccessPrestige Consulting continues its growth while remaining dedicated to its core mission of unlocking global opportunities for clients. The firm actively explores new markets, forges strategic partnerships, and refines its services to stay ahead in the evolving world of international real estate. This forward-thinking work positions clients to access emerging trends and new investment opportunities.“We aim to become the premier consultancy for international real estate investments,” says Rey. “We’re transforming the industry by delivering a comprehensive service beyond property transactions. Prestige Consulting creates value, opens doors to global opportunities, and empowers clients to invest confidently.” This vision shapes every aspect of the firm’s operations, from client interactions to strategic market planning.The firm is redefining real estate services worldwide with fresh ideas, a global perspective, and dedication to client success. It offers a unique blend of aptitude, personalized service, and measurable results in a highly competitive environment, raising client expectations for real estate consultancy. It stands ready to guide investors through the dynamic field of global real estate, providing a service and a gateway to a world of possibilities.

Indian police on Friday fired tear gas at protesting farmers attempting to march to the capital New Delhi to push for their longstanding demand of guaranteed minimum prices for their crops.Farmers this week revived their dormant “March to Delhi” campaign seeking to channel the spirit of a dramatic protest in 2021, when they stormed the capital on tractors.To stop the farmers at Shambhu, about 200km north of the capital, police set up heavy barricades of concrete blocks and lines of razor wire in advance of the march.Authorities also suspended mobile internet services along the route of the procession to prevent communication among the protesters.Waving blue and yellow flags, the farmers broke through part of the blockade before they were halted by police.“In February, we held four rounds of talks with the government but since then there have been no further discussions on our demands,” farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher told reporters.“We want the government to let us exercise our democratic right to protest.”In addition to price guarantees for their harvest, farmers are demanding a grab-bag of other concessions, including loan waivers and increased compensation for land acquired by the government several years ago.Farmers in India have political influence due to their sheer numbers, and the renewed protests come as the national parliament is in session.Two-thirds of India’s 1.4bn people draw their livelihood from agriculture, accounting for nearly a fifth of the country’s GDP, according to government figures.Protests in November 2020 against agricultural reform bills lasted for more than a year, a major challenge to efforts by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government to reform the sector.A year later, their campaign prompted Modi to repeal three contentious laws that farmers claimed would let private companies control the country’s agriculture sector.

Donor countries have pledged a record $100 billion three-year replenishment of the World Banks fund for the poorest nations, providing a vital lifeline for their struggles against crushing debts, climate disasters, inflation and conflict.The World Bank made the announcement early on Friday in Seoul at a pledging conference for the International Development Association, which provides grants and very low interest loans to some 78 low-income countries.The total exceeds the previous $93 billion IDA replenishment announced in December 2021. Countries will contribute about $24 billion directly to IDA, but the fund will issue bonds and employ other financial leverage to stretch that to the targeted $100 billion in grants and loans through mid 2028."This funding will be deployed to support the 78 countries that need it most," World Bank President Ajay Banga said in a statement, referring to the developing countries that are eligible for IDA support.It would, he added, help provide "resources to invest in health, education, infrastructure, and climate resilience," as well as helping to stabilize economies and create jobs.IDA replenishment is a crucial part of the Bank's operations, and happens once every three years, with much of the funding coming from the United States, Japan and several European countries including the United Kingdom, Germany and France.This year, the United States announced ahead of time that it would commit a record $4 billion in new funding to the IDA, while other countries - including Norway and Spain - also significantly stepped up their financial support.

Leaders of the ruling and opposition parties in South Korea called for the swift suspension of President Yoon Suk-yeols powers after his shock decision to impose martial law this week.Han Dong-hoon, the leader of the People Power Party (PPP), South Koreas governing party, urged on Friday the suspension of Yoon's powers, revealing that Yoon ordered the arrests of prominent politicians during his aborted martial law declaration.He said that "newly emerging facts" had tipped the scales against the president."I learned last night the president ordered the defense counter-intelligence commander to arrest major political leaders, characterizing them as anti-state forces, and mobilized intelligence institutions in the process," Han said."Given the newly revealed facts, I believe it is necessary to promptly suspend President Yoon Suk Yeol from his duties to protect the Republic of Korea and its people," Han told an emergency meeting of the party's leadership at the National Assembly.Meanwhile, the main opposition leader said Friday that President Yoon Suk Yeol's duties should be promptly suspended as he abused his power by declaring martial law this week.Lee Jae-myung, the chief of the Democratic Party (DP), ratcheted up pressure against Yoon on the eve of a parliamentary vote on an impeachment motion against the president over his martial law declaration Tuesday night.South Korea was placed under martial law for about six hours on Tuesday night after Yoon announced the move in a surprise televised address to the nation in which he cited threats from "anti-state forces" and North Korean sympathizers.The National Assembly quickly mobilized to overturn Yoons order in a 190-0 vote.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Wednesday urged European countries to increase their defense spending ahead of a new era of US President-elect Donald Trump.Rutte told reporters following a NATO foreign ministers meeting in Brussels that the current benchmark spending would not be enough to keep the same deterrence within five years.NATO leaders approved a decade ago a move to commit two percent of GDP to military budgets. Yet, a third of the organization's member states are still unable to meet the targets.Trump slammed during his first term US allies who failed to meet NATO's defense budget targets, and threatened not to defend delinquent countries. (

South Korean lawmakers kickstarted a push to impeach President Yoon Suk-yeol in the early hours of today, accusing him of declaring martial law to stop criminal investigations into himself and his family. Yoon’s declaration of South Korea’s first martial law in more than four decades was swiftly overturned by lawmakers in a night of drama, but has plunged the country into political turmoil and alarmed its close allies. The future of Yoon, a conservative politician and former star public prosecutor who was elected president in 2022, now looks highly uncertain. After jumping fences and tussling with security forces to get into parliament and vote down the martial law overnight, opposition lawmakers filed a motion to impeach Yoon. The motion says Yoon “gravely and extensively violated the constitution and the law” and accuses him of imposing martial law “with the unconstitutional and illegal intent to evade imminent investigations...into alleged illegal acts involving himself and his family”. In an early morning session, lawmakers presented the impeachment motion to parliament. “This is an unforgivable crime — one that cannot, should not, and will not be pardoned,” MP Kim Seung-won said. Under South Korean law, the motion must be voted on between 24 and 72 hours after it is presented to a parliamentary session, according to Yonhap news agency. Yoon’s prospects look bleak — the opposition holds a large majority in the 300-member legislature and needs only a handful of defections from the president’s party to secure the two-thirds majority needed to pass the motion. The main opposition Democratic Party has also filed a complaint of “insurrection” against the president, some of his ministers and top military and police officials — which can carry a penalty of life imprisonment or even death. In a show of public anger with Yoon, thousands of protesters converged around his office in central Seoul late yesterday after staging a rally in Gwanghwamun Square, demanding his resignation. Seoul’s stock exchange closed down more than one percent yesterday as markets were roiled by the turmoil. Even the leader of Yoon’s own ruling party described the martial law attempt as “tragic” while calling for those involved to be held accountable. But party lawmakers then decided to oppose the motion to impeach Yoon, Yonhap reported early today. In his late-night television announcement imposing martial law on Tuesday, Yoon cited the threat of North Korea and “anti-state forces”. More than 280 troops, some flown in by helicopters, arrived at parliament to lock down the site. But 190 lawmakers defied rifle-carrying soldiers to force their way into the building to vote against the move. The constitution says martial law must be lifted when a parliamentary majority demands it, leaving Yoon with little choice but to retract his decision and call off the military in another televised address six hours later. Senior aides to Yoon offered to resign en masse yesterday, as did the defence minister, who said he took “full responsibility for the confusion and concern” around the martial law declaration. By evening, Yoon had yet to publicly reappear. The repeal of martial law prompted jubilation among flag-waving protesters outside parliament who had braved freezing temperatures to keep vigil through the night in defiance of Yoon’s order. Demonstrator Lim Myeong-pan, 55, said Yoon must now go. “Yoon’s act of imposing it in the first place without legitimate cause is a serious crime in itself,” Lim told AFP. “He has paved his own path to impeachment with this.” As night fell in Seoul, protesters gathered again, ramping up their calls for Yoon to go. “I was so incensed I couldn’t sleep a wink last night, I came out to make sure we push out Yoon once and for all,” 50-year-old Kim Min-ho told AFP. Yoon said martial law was needed to “safeguard a liberal South Korea from the threats posed by North Korea’s communist forces and to eliminate anti-state elements plundering people’s freedom and happiness”. Yoon did not elaborate on the North’s threats, but the South remains technically at war with nuclear-armed Pyongyang. The president labelled the Democratic Party “anti-state forces intent on overthrowing the regime”. In recent weeks, Yoon and his People Power Party have been bitterly at odds with the opposition over next year’s budget. His approval rating dropped to 19% in the latest Gallup poll last week, with voters angry at the state of the economy as well as controversies involving his wife, Kim Keon-hee. Yoon’s action took allies by surprise, with the United States, which has nearly 30,000 troops in the country, saying it had no prior notice and voicing relief at his reversal. “The ROK is demonstrating democratic resilience,” US National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett wrote on X, expressing confidence that the situation would be resolved “peacefully, democratically and constitutionally”.

South Korean stocks declined during trading on Wednesday, following the political uncertainty caused by President Yoon Suk-Yeol's declaration of martial law in the country.The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) opened lower on Wednesday due to the political uncertainty over the fallout from the declaration of martial law and its rejection, Yonhap news agency reported.The KOSPI lost 41.58 points, or 1.66 percent, from the previous day to 2,458.52. The KOSDAQ index of technology companies declined by 13.21 points, or 1.91 percent, to 677.59.President Yoon had declared martial law on Tuesday evening, but it was lifted hours later on Wednesday after the National Assembly voted to reject it.

Senior aides of South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol, including his chief of staff, offered to resign en masse Wednesday, the presidential office said, after the National Assembly blocked Yoon's surprise declaration of martial law.They include Chung Jin-suk, the presidential chief of staff; National Security Adviser Shin Won-sik; and Sung Tae-yoon, chief of staff for policy, as well as seven other senior aides, Yonhap News Agency reported.The resignation offer came after Yoon declared martial law Tuesday night, accusing the opposition of "anti-state forces" that paralyze the operation of the nation with impeachment motions and a downsized budget bill.Yoon lifted the martial law following a unanimous vote by the National Assembly early Wednesday to demand the president repeal it.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed the latest developments in Syria in a phone call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.During the call, Erdogan affirmed Turkiye's support for the unity of Syrian territory and its efforts to reach a just and lasting solution in Syria.He explained that the most important issue in the context of the recent developments in Syria is the need to protect civilians.The two presidents also discussed strengthening bilateral relations, in addition to international and regional issues.

The India-Oman Strategic Consultation Team held Tuesday its 13th meeting.The Indian side was represented by Arun Kumar Chatterjee, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Consular Affairs, while the Omani side was represented by Sheikh Khalifa bin Ali bin Issa Al Harthy, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs.Discussions during the meeting dealt with means to enhance bilateral cooperation in various economic fields, trade and investment exchanges, cultural and educational cooperation.On the sidelines of the meeting, Sheikh Khalifa bin Ali Al Harthy met with Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Indian Minister of External Affairs, where the two sides exchanged views on prospects for future cooperation and regional and international developments.

South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol said today he would lift martial law, just hours after imposing it in a bid to quell what he called “anti-state forces”.Yoon backed down after lawmakers voted to oppose the unexpected declaration, which caught even South Korea’s closest allies around the world off guard.Earlier the National Assembly was sealed and troops entered the building for a short time, while hundreds of protesters gathered outside chanting: “arrest Yoon Suk Yeol” and faced off with security forces.“Just a moment ago, there was a demand from the National Assembly to lift the state of emergency, and we have withdrawn the military that was deployed for martial law operations,” Yoon said in a televised address around 4:30am (1930 GMT yesterday).“We will accept the National Assembly’s request and lift the martial law through the Cabinet meeting.”The U-turn prompted jubilation among protesters outside parliament who had braved freezing temperatures to keep vigil through the night in defiance of Yoon’s martial law order.Some 190 lawmakers had managed to get in to the assembly in the early hours of Wednesday, where they unanimously voted in favour of a motion to block the martial law declaration and call for its lifting.Under the constitution, martial law must be lifted when a majority in parliament demands it.Yoon had given a range of reasons to justify martial law — South Korea’s first in more than 40 years.“To safeguard a liberal South Korea from the threats posed by North Korea’s communist forces and to eliminate anti-state elements plundering people’s freedom and happiness, I hereby declare emergency martial law,” Yoon said in a live televised address to the nation around 10:30pm.Yoon did not give details of the North’s threats, but the South remains technically at war with nuclear-armed Pyongyang.“Our National Assembly has become a haven for criminals, a den of legislative dictatorship that seeks to paralyse the judicial and administrative systems and overturn our liberal democratic order,” Yoon said.Army chief General Park An-su took charge as martial law commander under the earlier order and immediately issued a decree banning “all political activities”.Democratic South Korea is a major ally for the United States in Asia, and the US State Department said it had “grave concern” about the situation. “We are watching the recent developments in the ROK with grave concern,” Campbell said after martial law was imposed, referring to South Korea by its official name, the Republic of Korea.“We have every hope and expectation that any political disputes will be resolved peacefully and in accordance with the rule of law,” he said.China, a key ally of North Korea, urged its nationals in the South to stay calm and exercise caution, while Britain said it was “closely monitoring developments”.The decree by martial law commander Park also banned “actions that deny or seek to overthrow the liberal democratic system, including the spread of fake news, public opinion manipulation, and false propaganda”.The president labelled the opposition, which holds a majority in the 300-member parliament, as “anti-state forces intent on overthrowing the regime”.Yoon described the imposition of martial law as “inevitable to guarantee the continuity of a liberal South Korea,” adding that it would not impact the country’s foreign policy. “I will restore the country to normalcy by getting rid of anti-state forces as soon as possible,” he said, without elaborating further.He described the current situation as South Korea “on the verge of collapse, with the National Assembly acting as a monster intent on bringing down liberal democracy”.Vladimir Tikhonov, professor of Korea studies at the University of Oslo, said Yoon’s move to impose martial law was “an attempt to wind the history back”.“I don’t think South Korea’s civil society can recognise Yoon as a legitimate president any longer,” he told AFP.Yoon’s People Power Party and the main opposition Democratic Party are bitterly at odds over next year’s budget.Opposition MPs last week approved a significantly downsized budget plan through a parliamentary committee.The opposition has slashed approximately 4.1tn won ($2.8bn) from Yoon’s proposed 677tn won budget plan, cutting the government’s reserve fund and activity budgets for Yoon’s office, the prosecution, police and the state audit agency.The imposition of emergency martial law came after Yoon’s approval rating dropped to 19 percent in the latest Gallup poll last week, with many expressing dissatisfaction over his handling of the economy and controversies involving his wife, Kim Keon Hee.

Bangladesh yesterday summoned New Delhi’s ambassador after an attack on one of its consulates in India, the latest flare-up in strained ties between the neighbours.Relations have been frayed by the student-led uprising in August that toppled Bangladesh’s autocratic former leader Sheikh Hasina, who is now residing in India.New Delhi has repeatedly demanded protection of Bangladesh’s Hindu minority community, which saw reprisal attacks in the chaotic aftermath of Hasina’s ouster because of their perceived support for her government.Hindu activists on Monday attempted to storm a Bangladeshi consulate during a protest in Agartala, a small Indian city not far from the two countries’ shared border.India has condemned the breach and local police have arrested seven people.After meeting Bangladesh foreign ministry officials, Indian High Commissioner (ambassador) Pranay Verma said his country was committed to engaging with the interim government, which took office after Hasina’s ouster to implement democratic reforms.“This is a wide-ranging relationship, a multifaceted relationship,” Verma told reporters.“We remain interested in working with the government of Bangladesh to fulfil our shared aspirations for security and development.”Public sentiment in the Muslim-majority nation of 170mn continues to be stacked against India, which was Hasina’s main international patron during her iron-fisted, 15-year rule. Nahid Islam, a 26-year-old sociology graduate who played a key part in the protests against Hasina’s regime and is now part of the interim cabinet, in a post on X accused “India’s ruling elite” of “fostering hatred against Bangladesh”.“By continuing to provide refuge and support to Sheikh Hasina, a fugitive responsible for genocide and child killings, the Indian government risks undermining shared democratic values,” he said.“India must not forget that its stability and integrity are closely interlinked with the stability and integrity of Bangladesh.”Students of Dhaka University — the epicentre of the revolution that led to Hasina’s ouster — on Monday evening staged rallies protesting at the attack on the Bangladeshi consulate.A small crowd unsuccessfully tried to besiege the Indian High Commission in Dhaka later that night.At the Dhaka University protests, students said the attack on the consulate in India amounted to undermining Bangladesh’s “sovereignty” and “independence”.“We can clearly see that a hardline Hindu group from India, with Delhi’s provocation, is trying to hurt the sovereignty of Bangladesh,” said 30-year-old Nayeem Ahmad.The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) — Hasina’s main opposition during her rule — also held a protest outside its headquarters in the capital.“The Indians have feigned sorrow but they failed to ensure security to our mission,” senior BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said.Hasina meanwhile took the opportunity this week to excoriate the interim government that replaced her, headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, whom she accused of “mass murder”.Speaking at a virtual rally alongside US-based leaders and activists of her Awami League party, the ousted premier said minority communities in the country had come under attack after her departure.“Hindus, Buddhists, and Christians are being targeted,” she said. “Churches and several temples have been attacked.”Bangladesh is currently seeking Hasina’s extradition to face trial for a deadly crackdown on the protest movement that ultimately toppled her.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Health announced on Tuesday that 2,167 medical facilities have been destroyed or damaged since the beginning of the war.Hospitals in the regions of Kharkiv, Donetsk, Mykolaiv, Kyiv, Chernihiv, Dnipro, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia suffered the greatest losses, the ministry said in a statement reported by the Ukrainian National News Agency (Ukinform).According to the Ukrainian General Staff and the Ministry of Health, 235 ambulances have been damaged, 264 have been destroyed, and 125 have been seized, since the beginning of the war.The statement added that 565 and 370 medical facilities have been completely restored across Ukraine.

The United States has announced an additional military aid package to Kyiv worth $725 million, including large quantities of artillery shells and missiles, in light of the ongoing military operation against Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022.US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said in a statement that President Joe Biden directed the Department of Defense (Pentagon) to provide Kyiv with the equipment that it needs to defend its territory, independence, and freedom with urgency.Sullivan affirmed the Biden administration's intention to also provide Ukraine with hundreds of thousands of artillery shells, thousands of additional missiles, and other critical capabilities before the end of his term.The US is considered the main military supporter of Ukraine. (QNA)

Philippine civil society and religious leaders asked Congress on Monday to impeach Vice-President Sara Duterte over a list of complaints that include graft, incompetence and amassing ill-gotten wealth while in office.The daughter of firebrand former president Rodrigo Duterte has been embroiled in a row with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and is the subject of an enquiry into her spending by the House of Representatives. She denies wrongdoing.Monday’s complainants included civil society and religious leaders, as well as former government officials critical of her father.They include priest Flaviano Villanueva, who runs a support group for families of victims of the drug war, former congressman Gary Alejano who represents military veterans and their families, and singer-activist Leah Navarro.The complaint includes 24 violation based on major grounds composed of culpable violation of the constitution, graft and corruption, bribery, betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes.“The vice president has reduced public office to a platform for violent rhetoric, personal enrichment, elitist entitlement and a shield for impunity,” Teresita Quintos Deles, one of the complainants, said in a statement.A representative of the Akbayan opposition party endorsed the complaint in the Philippine House of Representatives.Duterte’s office said requests for comment had been relayed to the vice-president.The impeachment bid is the latest twist in a high-profile row among three of the Philippines’ highest office-holders, after the collapse of a powerful alliance between their families led to Marcos’ landslide win in the 2022 election.“This impeachment is not just a legal battle but a moral fight to restore dignity and decency to public service,” said Leila de Lima, a spokesperson for the complainants and a staunch critic of an anti-narcotics campaign run by Duterte’s father.

US President Joe Biden said on Monday he had pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, a reversal after pledging to stay out of legal proceedings against the younger Biden who pleaded guilty to tax violations and was convicted on firearms-related charges.“Today, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter. From the day I took office, I said I would not interfere with the Justice Department’s decision-making, and I kept my word even as I have watched my son being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted,” the president said in a statement.The White House had said repeatedly that Biden would not pardon or commute sentences for Hunter, a recovering drug addict who became a target of Republicans, including President-elect Donald Trump.“No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter’s cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son,” Biden said in a statement released shortly before leaving for a trip to Africa.The grant of clemency said Biden had granted “a full and unconditional” pardon to Hunter Biden for any offences in a window from January 1, 2014, to December 1, 2024.Hunter Biden faced sentencing for the false statements and gun convictions this month. In September he pleaded guilty to federal charges of failing to pay $1.4mn in taxes while spending lavishly on drugs, sex workers and luxury items. He was scheduled for sentencing in that case on December 16.“I have admitted and taken responsibility for my mistakes during the darkest days of my addiction – mistakes that have been exploited to publicly humiliate and shame me and my family for political sport,” Hunter Biden said in a statement on Sunday, adding he had remained sober for more than five years.“In the throes of addiction, I squandered many opportunities and advantages ... I will never take the clemency I have been given today for granted and will devote the life I have rebuilt to helping those who are still sick and suffering.”Republicans criticised the president’s move.“Does the Pardon given by Joe to Hunter include the J-6 Hostages, who have now been imprisoned for years? Such an abuse and miscarriage of Justice!” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social site, referring to those convicted for storming the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, after Trump claimed falsely that he had won the 2020 election.“Joe Biden has lied from start to finish about his family’s corrupt influence peddling activities,” said Representative James Comer, chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability.The president, whose son Beau died of brain cancer in 2015, said his opponents had sought to break Hunter with selective prosecution.He said people were almost never brought to trial for felony charges for how they filled out a gun form, and said others who were late in paying taxes because of addiction but paid them back with interest and penalties, as his son had, typically received non-criminal resolutions to their cases.“It is clear that Hunter was treated differently. The charges in his cases came about only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election,” Biden said. “In trying to break Hunter, they’ve tried to break me – and there’s no reason to believe it will stop here. Enough is enough.”In August 2023, lawyers for Hunter Biden said prosecutors had reneged on a plea deal that would have resolved the tax and firearms charges. The president said in his statement on Sunday that the plea deal “would have been a fair, reasonable resolution of Hunter’s cases.”Biden said he had made his decision to pardon over the weekend. The president, his wife, Jill Biden, and their family including Hunter, spent the Thanksgiving holiday in Nantucket, Massachusetts, and returned to Washington on Saturday night.“Here’s the truth: I believe in the justice system, but as I have wrestled with this, I also believe raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice – and once I made this decision this weekend, there was no sense in delaying it further,” Biden said.“I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision.”

France’s Michel Barnier faced an abrupt end to his premiership on Monday 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.The government could be toppled as early as tomorrow, when a vote is expected.“I honestly believe that the French people will not forgive us if we prefer partisan interests to the best interest of the nation,” Barnier told the lawmakers.“This is a moment of truth in which everybody must take their responsibilities. I am taking mine,” he added.Far-left opposition party LFI said immediately it would bring a no-confidence motion which the far-right National Rally (RN) — the largest single party in France’s parliament — said it would vote in favour of, after accusing Barnier of failing to negotiate on some of the bill’s provisions.“We will vote no confidence,” the RN said on X.Key to any such vote is Marine Le Pen, the parliamentary leader of the RN that has opposed several parts of the government’s 2025 budget plan, including the social security financing bill submitted to the National Assembly on Monday.In a last-ditch concession to the RN, the prime minister’s office said it was scrapping plans for a less generous prescription drug reimbursement policy from next year.It was uncertain to the last moment whether the nod to Le Pen’s concerns would be enough to save the day for Barnier, who has little hope of finding any left-wing support.But in the end the “miracle” — which RN party leader Jordan Bardella said was needed to avoid the no-confidence motion — failed to materialise.LFI deputy Mathilde Panot said Barnier had sought to avoid the no-confidence vote by making “dishonourable” concessions to the RN.“On Wednesday he will get both, dishonour and the no-confidence vote,” she said, adding that the move would allow France to emerge from “a political impasse” and “political chaos”.If the government falls, it would be the first successful no-confidence vote since a defeat for Georges Pompidou’s government in 1962, when Charles de Gaulle was president. The life span of Barnier’s government would also be the shortest of any administration of France’s Fifth Republic since 1958.Le Pen had already reacted icily Sunday after Budget Minister Laurent Saint-Martin said the government did not plan any further changes to the social security budget plan.“We have taken note,” she told AFP, calling the stance “extremely closed-minded and partisan behaviour”.The RN is the largest single party in the 577-seat National Assembly, with more than 140 deputies.On Thursday, Barnier scrapped a previously planned increase on an electricity tax, in a concession to critics.Saint-Martin has highlighted that the budget proposals have already been discussed by a parliamentary commission ahead of Monday’s debate and changed following talks between National Assembly deputies and upper house senators.“To reject this text is to reject a democratic agreement,” he said.The Senate, where right-wing parties have a majority, partly approved the 2025 budget Sunday, giving a green light to government revenue projections, in a vote boycotted by the left.The Socialist party, part of the left-wing opposition, told Barnier it would vote against him if he used article 49.3 to push through a budget.Saint-Martin warned that the fall of the government would raise the risk premium on French government debt that has reached rare heights because of the country’s shaky financial situation.

A stampede at a football match dedicated to Guinea’s junta chief killed at least 56 people, the government said on Monday, as the opposition accused the military-led authorities of being “directly responsible” for the tragedy.Fans at Sunday’s game in the second city of N’Zerekore invaded the pitch after one or two players were sent off and a penalty was awarded to the opposing side Labe at the end of the game, witnesses said.The events had initially been reported as clashes between fans.Officials watching the match, including two ministers, were prevented from leaving, prompting stone throwing and the firing of tear gas by security forces, a witness said, speaking on condition of anonymity.“Panic quickly set in, leading to an uncontrollable stampede,” he said.“People were trampled underfoot or injured as they tried to flee,” he added.The match in the southeastern city was the final of a tournament organised in honour of Guinea’s junta leader, General Mamady Doumbouya, who seized power in a 2021 coup and has installed himself as president. The opposition has accused the junta of using sport for political ends.Videos circulating on social media, which AFP was unable to immediately verify, show a huge crowd packed in the dilapidated stadium.“The thousands of people at the stadium were gripped by panic and fear. It was every man for himself,” said a local official, speaking on condition of anonymity.“Protests of dissatisfaction with refereeing decisions led to stone-throwing by supporters, resulting in fatal stampedes,” the government said in a statement which was read out on national television.“Hospital services have put the provisional death toll at 56, with several others injured,” it added, describing the incident as a “tragic event”.Videos posted on social media showed chaotic scenes, with people climbing what appear to be the stadium’s perimeter walls to escape. Others showed numerous bodies lying on the ground. Doctors told AFP on Sunday that dozens had died.Access to verified information in the remote part of the West African country is limited. Local media reported that hospital wards and a morgue were overwhelmed by the injured and dead.“The government is doing everything possible to respond to this tragic event,” Doumbouya said in a statement on social media.“An emergency mission led by the prime minister has been dispatched,” he added.Doumbouya said a commission of enquiry would be set up “to rule on the causes of this tragedy and to determine who is responsible”.The junta chief called for calm in the West African nation, which has a turbulent political history and remains poor despite considerable natural resources.The crackdown on an opposition rally at a stadium in the capital Conakry left at least 156 people dead in 2009, according to a UN-mandated international commission of enquiry.Such football tournaments and other public gatherings have become common in Guinea in recent weeks, in what is widely seen as a campaign to promote Doumbouya’s candidacy in any future presidential election.The military seized power by force in September 2021 by overthrowing civilian President Alpha Conde.Under international pressure, the junta pledged to hand power back to a civilian government by the end of 2024 but has since made clear it will not.Several of Doumbouya’s aides have recently expressed their support for his possible presidential bid.One of the last remaining dissident voices in Guinea, the National Front for the Defence of the Constitution (FNDC), published a statement expressing its “outrage” at the tragedy in N’Zerekore.It said it held the junta chief and his government “directly responsible for this disaster, which cost the lives of innocent citizens, including many children”.“This demonstrates the cynical use of sport by the junta, exploiting these images of mobilisation for political ends,” the statement added.

Romania’s ruling leftist Social Democrats (PSD) looked set to win the most votes in a parliamentary election yesterday, defeating a resurgent far-right movement challenging the country’s pro-Western orientation, an exit poll showed.The vote is the second of three consecutive ballots for both a new parliament and a new president, after the first round of the presidential election on November 24 saw an independent far-right candidate, Calin Georgescu, emerge from relative obscurity to become the frontrunner.His unexpected win ushered in support for ultranationalist, hard-right parties, some with overt pro-Russian sympathies, which political analysts said could undermine Romania’s backing for Ukraine.If the exit polls are confirmed by official results, a pro-western coalition led by the PSD would likely have enough seats in parliament to form a government, although the far-right would be a substantial force in the legislature.However, the exit polls do not include the votes of the hundreds of thousands of Romanians working abroad, who are expected to favour far-right groupings and a centrist opposition party led by presidential runner-up Elena Lasconi.In addition, a broad coalition would be difficult to form amid disagreements over the measures needed to rein in the country’s gaping budget deficit, now the highest in the EU at 8% of economic output.“The Social Democrats will take a few days and wait to be courted,” said political commentator Radu Magdin. “A coalition with centrist parties is more likely than with the hot potato extremists. And much depends on who becomes president.”Exit polls showed the PSD winning 26% of votes, ahead of the hard-right Alliance for Uniting Romanians on 19%.Social Democrat Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu had ranked third in the presidential ballot first round after a campaign dominated by voters’ concern over the cost of living and anger at mainstream parties’ infighting and corruption allegations.Who gets to form the government will depend on who wins the presidential election, since the president designates a prime minister, and the timeline for that is unclear.Romania’s top court on Friday postponed a decision on whether to annul the first round of the presidential vote until December 2, after the shock result caused suspicions of interference in the campaign.Romanian authorities say they have found evidence of meddling by hostile actors, and the Constitutional Court is yet to validate the results.The court has ordered a recount of the 9.46mn votes cast in the first round while also considering a request to annul the first-round vote.If a rerun is decided, the first round of voting in the presidential election could take place on December 15 and the runoff could be on December 29.

Thousands took part in a fourth day of stormy nationwide protests against a government decision to shelve EU membership talks, as the prime minister rebuffed calls for new elections.The Black Sea nation has been rocked by turmoil since the governing Georgian Dream party claimed victory in October 26 parliamentary polls that the pro-European opposition said were fraudulent.The opposition is boycotting the new parliament, while pro-EU President Salome Zurabishvili has asked the constitutional court to annul the election result and declared the new legislature and government “illegitimate”.Tens of thousands have taken to the streets for the protests against the election result and now Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze’s announcement Thursday that Georgia would not seek to open accession talks with the European Union until 2028.About 150 demonstrators have been arrested in the new wave of protests.Thousands waving European and Georgian flags gathered outside parliament Sunday evening, with some banging on the metal door blocking its entrance.Some protesters wore diving masks to shield their eyes from tear gas, which law enforcement has used in recent days.Simultaneous protests took place in cities across Georgia.Fuelling popular anger, Kobakhidze ruled out new parliamentary elections, saying that “the formation of the new government based on the October 26 parliamentary elections has been completed.”Critics accuse Georgian Dream, in power for more than a decade, of having steered the country away from the EU in recent years and of moving closer to Russia, an accusation it denies.Earlier this week, the party nominated far-right former football international Mikheil Kavelashvili for the largely ceremonial post of president.But Zurabishvili told AFP in an exclusive interview on Saturday that she would not step down until last month’s contested parliamentary elections are re-run.Brussels has not recognised the outcome of the October elections and demanded an investigation into “serious electoral irregularities”.The European Parliament adopted a resolution rejecting Georgian Dream’s victory, calling for a re-run and for sanctions against top Georgian officials, including Kobakhidze.Zurabishvili said Saturday that she had set up a “national council” of opposition parties and civil society representatives, which would ensure “stability in this country”. Calling herself “the only legitimate institution in the country”, Zurabishvili said that “as long as there are no new elections... my mandate continues”.“Nobody outside Georgia, democratic partners, nobody has recognised (October’s) the elections,” she added.“I will be the representative of this legitimate, stable transition,” she said.Constitutional law experts, including one author of Georgia’s constitution, Vakhtang Khmaladze, told AFP that any decisions made by the new parliament — including the nomination of Kobakhidze as prime minister and the coming presidential election — would be invalid.That is because parliament had approved its own credentials in violation of a legal requirement to await a court ruling on Zurabishvili’s bid to annul the election results, they said.In a heavy handed crackdown, police in some instances have chased protesters through the streets of Tbilisi, beating them and making arrests.Masked officers in riot gear have fired rubber bullets, tear gas and water cannons to disperse protesters hurling fireworks. Flames were seen coming from a window of the parliament building on Saturday.Hundreds of public servants, including from the ministries of foreign affairs, defence and education, as well as a number of judges, issued joint statements protesting Kobakhidze’s decision.More than 200 Georgian diplomats criticised the move as contradicting the constitution and leading the country “into international isolation”.A number of Georgia’s ambassadors resigned, while around 100 schools and universities suspended academic activities in protest.After the October vote, a group of Georgia’s leading election monitors said they had evidence of large-scale electoral fraud.The crackdown on protests has provoked international condemnation.The EU’s new foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas yesterday warned Georgian authorities over violence against demonstrators.US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said: “We condemn excessive force used against Georgians exercising their freedom to protest and have suspended our Strategic Partnership with Georgia.”France, Britain, Ukraine, Poland, Sweden and Lithuania have also voiced concern.