Sessions

More than 150 lawmakers were absent at the start of official proceedings in the Malawi Parliament, lawmakers and observers reported, raising fresh concerns about attendance at sittings where national laws, budgets and policies are debated and approved. The First Deputy Speaker called the widespread absence "very saddening" and warned that members who continue to miss sittings without permission face sanctions, including the withdrawal of parliamentary allowances. Authorities said the pattern undermines the House’s…

Australian police say two suspects in the Bondi Beach shooting trained with firearms in the countryside before allegedly targeting a Hanukkah event that left 15 people dead, as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pledged tougher laws against hate speech and extremism and New South Wales moved on sweeping gun reforms. Father and son Sajid Akram, 50, and Naveed Akram, 24, are accused of carrying out the nation’s deadliest mass shooting in nearly three decades. Court documents released Monday allege the pair conducted “firearms…

Mogadishu (AX) — In a surprising twist, Abdi Hashi Abdullahi, the arbiter of the Somali Upper House, rescinded his prior decision to oust Deputy Prime Minister Salah Ahmed Jama from the senate. The initial axe was swung over Jama’s head due to his alleged truancy from several parliamentary gatherings. On Monday, a communique from Hashi revealed that Jama's senatorial service would resume unabated, after the two rival parties reached an accord through wide-ranging discussions. Deputy Prime Minister Jama echoed this…