By Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News
Jamaica
Opposition Leader Mark Golding has reaffirmed his position as President of the People’s National Party (PNP), declaring that 27 of the 28 victorious candidates in the September 3rd general election have signed a letter supporting his leadership. Golding dismissed calls for his resignation following the PNP’s defeat to the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), which secured a historic third consecutive win with a 35–28 seat majority. Some commentators had argued that Golding should have offered to step aside in keeping with precedent set by past PNP leaders.
Brazil
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was sentenced on Thursday to 27 years and three months in prison after being convicted of plotting a coup to cling to power following his 2022 election loss. The ruling, delivered by five justices of Brazil’s Supreme Court, makes Bolsonaro the first ex-president in the country’s history to be convicted for attacking democracy. Justice Carmen Lucia said the evidence proved Bolsonaro acted with intent to erode democratic institutions, describing the case as “a meeting between Brazil’s past, its present, and its future.” Bolsonaro, 70, remains under house arrest. The verdict has sparked disapproval from allies of former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Russia/Belarus
Russia and Belarus on Friday launched “Zapad 2025”, a large-scale joint military exercise near NATO’s eastern border, amid rising tensions with the Western alliance. The drills are taking place at training grounds in both countries, including sites near Poland. The show of force comes just two days after Poland shot down Russian drones that crossed into its airspace—the first known incident in which a NATO member has directly fired on Russian targets during the ongoing three-and-a-half-year war.
