Politics

Published: 27 December 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online On a patch of rough ground near the Irrawaddy River in Mandalay, retired Lieutenant-General Tayza Kyaw, the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) candidate backed by Myanmar's military rulers, attempts to rally support. Speaking to a crowd of 300-400, he promises better times ahead, but the apathetic audience seems unmoved. Many wear the party’s branded hats and wave...

Published: 27 December 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) is set to introduce a new "gap year" scheme designed to give school and college leavers a taste of life in the Army, Royal Navy, and RAF, without the long-term commitment typically required for a military career. This initiative aims to address the armed forces' ongoing recruitment and retention challenges by offering...

Published: 27 December 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to an immediate ceasefire, ending weeks of intense border clashes that resulted in the deaths of at least 41 people and displaced nearly a million. The announcement, made on Saturday by the defense ministers of both nations, marks a significant breakthrough in the ongoing border dispute that has escalated throughout December. The ceasefire,...

Published: 24 December 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. The Libyan army has suffered a severe blow following the sudden death of its chief of staff, Mohammed Ali Ahmed al-Haddad, in a plane crash shortly after departing from Turkey’s capital, Ankara. Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah confirmed on Tuesday evening that al-Haddad had perished in the accident, which also claimed the lives of four other individuals who...

Published: 24 December 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Two Palestine Action-affiliated prisoners have temporarily paused their hunger strike after prolonged protests, citing worsening health conditions, though they insist they will resume their protest in the coming year. Qesser Zuhrah and Amu Gib began eating again after 48 and 49 days respectively, according to a statement released by the Prisoners for Palestine group on Tuesday evening. The...

Published: 24 December 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Gibraltar’s political landscape was carved into sharp relief this week as a long‑awaited public inquiry delivered devastating scrutiny of the Chief Minister’s conduct during a live criminal investigation. In a detailed report published Tuesday, retired high court judge Sir Peter Openshaw Q.C. concluded that Fabian Picardo engaged in a series of interventions that crossed fundamental boundaries between government...

Published: 23 December 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has issued a formal apology for past police discrimination against LGBTQ+ people, acknowledging the profound pain and suffering caused. The apology comes amid ongoing calls for accountability, highlighting the city’s historically fraught relationship between law enforcement and LGBTQ+ communities. Campaigners have noted that Burnham’s stance contrasts sharply with Greater Manchester Police (GMP) Chief...

Published: 23 December 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. The UK government has warned councils that introducing a four-day week may signal failing performance. Local government secretary Steve Reed sent letters to all councils cautioning that staff working part-time hours while receiving full-time pay could indicate a failing authority. Twenty-five councils are currently considering a four-day week, with South Cambridgeshire district council already implementing the schedule, sparking...

Published: 23 December 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Plans by Reform UK to reduce the nation’s overseas aid to £1bn annually have sparked urgent warnings from charities and political commentators. Experts argue such a dramatic reduction would diminish Britain’s influence in global institutions and cripple its capacity to respond to crises worldwide. Currently, the UK contributes around 0.5% of GDP to aid, projected to fall to...

Published: 23 December 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Keir Starmer’s government has been urged to pursue closer trade ties with the European Union, highlighting a growing challenge for British exporters navigating post-Brexit agreements. The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) described a strengthened EU trade deal as a “strategic necessity” to ensure companies can thrive, warning that the existing Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) is increasingly failing...