
Cameroon's Biya, 92, announces bid for eighth presidential term
"I am a candidate in the presidential election of October 12, 2025. Rest assured that my determination to serve you matches the urgency of the challenges we face," the post on the official account said.
Biya, the world's oldest serving head of state, came to power more than four decades ago in 1982, when his predecessor Ahmadou Ahidjo resigned.
His health is the subject of frequent speculation, most recently last year when he disappeared from public view for 42 days.
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BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Japan heads to polls in key test for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba
Japanese voters headed to the polls on Sunday in a tightly contested election amid public frustration over rising prices and the imminent threat of US tariffs. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its junior coalition partner Komeito need to secure a combined 50 seats to retain an overall majority in the upper house but the latest polling shows they might fall short. This election comes at a difficult time for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and his ruling coalition as US President Donald Trump ramps up pressure on Tokyo during tense tariff massive auto industry, which accounts for eight percent of the country's jobs, is reeling from painful levies already in place. Weak export data last week stoked fears that the world's fourth-largest economy could tip into a technical Ishiba securing an early meeting with Trump in February, and sending his trade envoy to Washington seven times, no agreement has been reached. For voters, tackling rising prices is a also a central cost of rice, a staple food for Japanese households, has nearly doubled since last year. For the past few months, the government has had to tap into its emergency stockpiles to tackle the shortage. Since last year's lower house election, which saw the coalition fall short of a majority, the LDP has not been able to regain the trust of voters who are disgruntled with stagnant wages and relentless inflation. Meanwhile, the populist Sanseito party, which has been using social media to attract younger voters, has seen a surge in popularity. Polls show its "Japanese First" slogan has struck a chord with some conservatives, although its hardline stance on foreigners has drawn party wants "stricter rules and limits" on immigration, opposes "globalism" and "radical" gender policies, and wants a re-think on decarbonisation and Ishiba's ruling coalition fails to secure 50 seats, it will have lost majority in both chambers of parliament, which could threaten his leadership and lead to political instability. Ishiba's centre-right party has governed Japan almost continuously since 1955, albeit with frequent changes of last time the LDP and Komeito failed to win a majority in the upper house was in 2010, having already fallen below the threshold in was followed by a rare change of government in 2009, when the now-defunct Democratic Party of Japan governed for a rocky three years.


Reuters
2 hours ago
- Reuters
Iran could hold nuclear talks with European powers next week, Tasnim says
DUBAI, July 20 (Reuters) - Iran, Britain, France and Germany have agreed to hold talks on Tehran's nuclear programme, Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Sunday, following warnings by the three European countries that failure to resume negotiations would lead to international sanctions being reimposed on Iran. "The principle of talks has been agreed upon, but consultations are continuing on the time and place of the talks. The country in which the talks could be held next week has not been finalised," Tasnim reported quoting a source informed with the matter.


BBC News
3 hours ago
- BBC News
Sadiq Khan says his mission to Africa will boost London business
Three countries and five cities in six days. London's mayor has certainly put a few miles on the clock in the past week in Sadiq Khan is the first mayor of the capital to go on a trade mission there - taking in Nigeria, Ghana and South him were about 30 businesses and representatives from London and Partners - the capital's so called growth agency that aims to attract investment previous mayors Ken Livingstone and Boris Johnson, who went on similar trade missions, he has faced criticism from opponents for spending time out of London when there's plenty to do like previous mayors, Sir Sadiq has defended the trip as a way of promoting the capital to emerging what has he been up to on the whistle-stop tour? The trip started in Nigeria's biggest city, Lagos - and provided a chance to catch up with a number of firms from the city's growing tech sector. The message from Sir Sadiq was a clear one: partner up with London's tech firms - come and do business with perhaps of the drive during Covid when we were constantly told - "London is open".It was a message he repeated as he moved on to Accra in Ghana. Talking to students there he chose to fire a barbed message to his Labour colleagues in government - criticising proposals that could see universities having to pay a levy on international students' Sadiq talked of "the immense value international students bring to London and the UK" - and warned that "closing our country to global talent would be a pointless act of immense economic self-harm". The mayor followed that up with the promise of the first business summit between Africa and London - to be held in the capital next Dickie, the CEO of BusinessLDN, welcomed this pledge and backed the mayor's trip to Africa, saying: "London is a melting pot of communities, workers and businesses from across the globe."The mayor is absolutely right to bang the drum for closer ties with key high-growth markets. Boosting trade and investment links with the likes of Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa will benefit Londoners."As the tour started, the Conservative MP and shadow chancellor Mel Stride had suggested that the mayor should be back in London with "his hand on the tiller", addressing issues like shoplifting that affect small businesses. While BBC London is not on the current mayor's tour of Africa, I have been on similar ventures with Sir Sadiq and his predecessors Boris Johnson and Ken is interesting is the way they are generally greeted - the fact that being mayor of London is seen as a prestigious role - that London is regarded as a genuinely global can often be at odds with how they are viewed by the people in their own city. There have, of course, been mishaps along the way. Livingstone's trip to Venezuela to meet president Hugo Chavez only made it as far as Cuba. And when he was mayor Johnson had to cancel a planned visit to the West Bank after fears of that, the visits will continue whoever is mayor - as will the rows over whether such trade missions bring real value to London.