Britons back vote on Brexit

The proportion of voters who favour a referendum on the final terms of any Brexit deal has overtaken those who do not for the first time, while Prime Minister Theresa May's approval ratings have plunged, according to opinion polls. With just over eight months left until Britain is due to leave the European Union, there is little clarity about how trade will flow as May, who is grappling with a rebellion in her party, struggles to strike a deal with the bloc. May has stepped up planning for a so called "no-deal" Brexit that would see the world's fifth largest economy crash out of the EU on March 29, 2019, a step that could spook financial markets and dislocate trade flows across Europe and beyond. When voters were asked in a YouGov poll whether there should be a referendum on the final terms of any Brexit deal, 42 per cent said there should be a fresh vote while 40 per cent said there should not. The rest did not know.

Zimbabwe votes in first post-Mugabe election

Zimbabweans yesterday voted in the first election since former president Robert Mugabe was ousted in a de facto coup, with allegations of voter suppression raising fears of a disputed result. Nelson Chamisa, the main challenger to President Emmerson Mnangagwa, a long-time Mugabe ally, gave no evidence for his claim that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) was impeding voting in urban areas where he enjoys strong support. "The people's will being negated and undetermined due to these deliberate and unnecessary delays," Chamisa tweeted. A credible election is essential if Zimbabwe is to exit painful sanctions and secure the donor funding needed to stem chronic cash shortages. Mugabe, 94, one of the last "Big Men" of African politics, made no comment to reporters as he cast his ballot around lunchtime accompanied by his wife, Grace. A huge crowd gathered outside, some cheering, many booing.

Erdogan warns US over threat of sanctions

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned the US in comments published on July 29 that sanctions would not force Ankara to "step back" after Donald Trump threatened to punish Turkey if a US pastor was not freed. "You cannot make Turkey take a step back with sanctions," Erdogan said in his first comments since relations soured after Trump threatened the measures on Thursday if Pastor Andrew Brunson was not released. "The US should not forget that it could lose a strong and sincere partner like Turkey if it does not change its attitude," he was quoted as saying by Hurriyet daily. Relations between the Nato allies have worsened over the jailing of Brunson, who ran a Protestant church in the Aegean city of Izmir. Trump on Thursday hit back at the move, calling for his immediate release and warning that the US would impose "large sanctions on Turkey for their long time detainment" of Brunson.

Reports suggest Imran Khan to take oath on August 11

Imran Khan on July 30 said that he will take oath as Pakistan's Prime Minister on August 11, according to a media report. The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), led by 65-year-old Khan, has emerged as the single largest party in the National Assembly (NA) after the July 25 elections, but it is still short of numbers to form the government on its own. "I have also decided about chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa which I will announce in the next 48 hours. Whatever I have decided in this regard is in the best interest of people," he said while addressing PTI members of provincial assembly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. According to the results, the PTI has bagged 116 general seats - 22 short of simple majority - whereas the PML-N and PPP have won 64 and 43 seats, respectively.