Ukraine moves to restore power of anti-graft agencies
Protesters hold placards during a rally ahead of a vote in parliament on Thursday, in which lawmakers will consider restoring the independence of two key anti-corruption agencies, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine, July 30, 2025. REUTERS/Thomas Peter
KYIV - Ukrainian lawmakers on Thursday approved a bill restoring the independence of the country's two main anti-corruption agencies, moving to defuse a political crisis that has shaken faith in President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's wartime leadership.
Thousands of protesters rallied in Kyiv and other cities in recent days in a rare show of discontent after lawmakers led by Zelenskiy's ruling party rushed through amendments last week defanging the respected agencies.
Zelenskiy reversed course after the outcry and under pressure from top European officials, who warned that Ukraine was jeopardising its bid for EU membership by curbing the powers of its anti-graft authorities.
Lawmakers voted 331 to 0 in favour of the new Zelenskiy-submitted bill, which reverses measures that had given his hand-picked general prosecutor the power to transfer cases away from the agencies and reassign prosecutors.
Critics alleged the step had been designed to protect his political allies from prosecution.
Eradicating graft and shoring up the rule of law are key requirements for Kyiv to join the EU, which Ukrainians see as critical to their future as they fend off a Russian invasion.
Demonstrations had continued even after Zelenskiy submitted the new bill, with hundreds rallying near the presidential administration in Kyiv late on Wednesday chanting "Shame!" and "The people are the power!".
Top stories
Swipe. Select. Stay informed.
Singapore No entry: ICA to bar high-risk, undesirable travellers from boarding S'pore-bound ships, flights
Singapore 5 foreign women suspected of trafficking 27kg of cocaine nabbed in Changi Airport
Singapore Over half of job applications by retrenched Jetstar Asia staff led to offers or interviews: CEO
Singapore 17-member committee to drive roll-out of autonomous vehicles in Singapore
Business Singapore gold investment soars 37% to 2.2 tonnes in Q2 while jewellery demand wanes
Singapore Underground pipe leak likely reason for water supply issues during Toa Payoh fire: Town council
Multimedia 60 years, 60 items: A National Day game challenge
Singapore 'Switching careers just as I became a dad was risky, but I had to do it for my family'
Activists also rallied near parliament ahead of Thursday's vote to pressure lawmakers to approve the new measure. They burst into applause after it passed.
Speaking at the rostrum before voting, opposition lawmaker Yaroslav Yurchyshyn thanked Ukrainians for stopping authorities "one step from the abyss" of autocracy.
Some lawmakers appeared in parliament with hand-made placards mimicking those carried by protesters.
The bill now goes to Zelenskiy for signature.
CORRUPTION FIGHTERS
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) have stepped up a closely watched campaign against graft since Russia's February 2022 invasion.
They have brought charges against lawmakers and senior government officials, including a then-deputy prime minister who was accused last month of taking a $345,000 kickback.
Speaking to Reuters last Friday, after Zelenskiy's reversal, NABU chief Semen Kryvonos said he expected continued pressure on his agency from corrupt forces uninterested in cleaning up Ukraine.
He said he and other anti-corruption officials felt a greater sense of responsibility following the protests, but also called on the country's leadership to help their effort.
"This responsibility must be shared with the government, which needs to react and say, 'Okay, there's corruption here - let's destroy it.'" REUTERS
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
2 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Missing Kenya football tickets blamed on govt protest fears
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Kenya President William Ruto's government has been accused of buying up tickets in the stadium to avoid hostile chants from protestors. NAIROBI – As Kenya prepares its biggest-ever football hosting job this weekend, locals are wondering why they can't buy tickets, with some accusing the government of filling the stadium with its supporters to avoid hostile chants. Kenya has seen multiple deadly protests for more than a year over economic stagnation and police brutality, leaving dozens dead or missing. It is hoping for a more positive vibe as it co-hosts the African Nations Championship (CHAN) with Tanzania and Uganda in August. But local fans are puzzled over the difficulty of securing tickets for Kenya's first match, against Democratic Republic of Congo, at Nairobi's 48,000-capacity Kasarani Stadium on Aug 3. Tickets have been sold out since July 28 evening – the result of a 'more than eager' fanbase, according to Nicholas Musonye, head of the local organising committee. Some die-hard supporters find that hard to believe. 'We haven't found any fan who managed to buy a ticket,' said a Kenyan sports journalist, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisals by the government due to the 'political' nature of the issue. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore 60 years of building Singapore World Trump deploys nuclear submarines in row with Russia World 'Optimistic' Bessent says US has makings of a deal with China Asia Not 'the end of the story'; some relief in Asia-Pacific over new Trump tariffs but concerns remain Singapore Man in SAF custody after allegedly vaping on bus while in army uniform Asia 'Like me? Approach me directly, okay?': Inside a matchmaking event for China's wealthy Opinion America is tearing down another great public institution Opinion Quiet zones in public spaces can help people recharge in the city He accuses the government of President William Ruto of buying up tickets in a bid to avoid chants like 'Ruto Must Go' that have become widely used since the protests began. He added that the government was likely handing tickets to people less likely to be critical. PropesaTV, an online media critical of Mr Ruto, told its 150,000 followers on X that the government had 'bought over half of the Kenya v Congo CHAN opening-match tickets in a bid to stop or avoid the chants'. It said tickets were being distributed to 'government supporters' who will be transported to the stadium by bus from Kibera, a huge Nairobi slum that has seen fewer protests against the president than other areas. A resident of the neighbourhood, also asking to remain anonymous, said he saw a 'massive' group of people hired by local officials to 'register' and collect personal data in exchange for tickets to the match. Kariuki Ngunjiri, a national youth leader for the president's party, said he had 'not seen the accusations'. 'Tickets are available online, we are encouraging a lot of people to come in large numbers on Sunday and enjoy the game,' he said, though tickets could not be found then or since by AFP. Kenyan Football Federation president Hussein Mohammed told AFP he was not responsible for ticketing, which falls under Confederation of African Football (CAF). CAF did not respond to a request for comment. Last week, Musonye of the organising committee told the Kenyan parliament that 'the current prevailing situation in the country, concerning the Gen Z protests, has been identified as a potential risk that can affect the safe delivery of the tournament'. AFP
Straits Times
32 minutes ago
- Straits Times
India reels from the shock of Trump's onslaught
NEW DELHI – President Donald Trump's new list of tariffs on half the world's countries sent the United States' trading partners scrambling to understand how their businesses will be affected. India got the bad news a day earlier – its goods face a tariff of 25 per cent or more – but the extra time was hardly enough to adjust to the fresh chaos. Indian negotiators had not expected to conclude a meaningful deal in time to meet Mr Trump's revised deadline of Aug 1. But they did expect to be treated as well as their neighbours, and to keep haggling with US officials until October or November, when Mr Trump was invited to visit India as part of the Quad defense group, which brings together four big democracies – India, the United States, Japan and Australia – with a shared interest in standing up to China. Instead, they were fed a heap of insults and injuries. Along with the 25 per cent rate, one of the highest in Asia and only a point lower than what was threatened on 'Liberation Day' in April, India was informed that its existing trade barriers are 'strenuous and obnoxious'; it will be charged an untold penalty for buying Russian oil; it is a 'dead economy.' It's archrival Pakistan was praised and promised an oil exploration deal. Hurt feelings aside, the results are confusing. Two of the biggest categories of exports to the United States from India are personal electronics, worth about US$14 billion a year, and pharmaceuticals, worth US$10 billion. Mr Rajesh Sharma, executive director of India Cellular and Electronics Association, said smartphones were exempted from these tariffs; so did executives at pharmaceutical companies. But on Aug 1, after reading the executive order, the Global Trade Research Initiative in New Delhi concluded the opposite. India's stock markets dipped on the news for two days running. Indian and international banks wrote notices warning that the country's generally hard-charging economic growth is likely to slow measurably as a result of the tariffs. Then there are the unknown tariffs. On July 6, Mr Trump wrote that countries aligned with the Brics group, of which India is a founding member, would incur an additional 10 per cent penalty. Then on July 14, he said that, if Russia didn't make peace with Ukraine within 50 days, he would punish its trading partners with 'secondary tariffs' of 100 per cent. That figure is making Indians worry anew. Mr Trump added 'plus a penalty' to the 25 per cent rate imposed on India, for buying Russian oil and weapons. Ms Shashi Tharoor, a prominent member of the opposition, spoke to an Indian news agency about the possible impact. 'There's even talk of a 100 per cent penalty,' he said, 'which will destroy our trade with America.' There is evidence that Indian buyers of Russian oil were already pulling back before the executive order. 'Indian refiners have reduced Russian crude purchases this week,' said Ms Sumit Ritolia, an analyst at Kpler, which tracks shipping and commodities. They were already 'looking to further diversify, amid rising concerns over potential US sanctions,' having spent years taking advantage of discounted Russian oil to reduce their imports from the Persian Gulf. Reducing the United States' trade deficit is one of the Trump administration's goals, so persuading India to buy more American oil and gas would make sense. Last year, India exported US$45.7 billion more goods to the United States than it imported. It spent about three times as much importing oil. If a third of that were redirected to American sources, their bilateral trade would be evened out. Mr Trump's angry barrage of social media has complicated further negotiations. The breakdown of trust between Mr Narendra Modi, India's prime minister, whom Mr Trump called his 'true friend,' the US president is likely to make it harder to complete any deal, analysts say. Indian news outlets have reported that Mr Trump wanted to iron out some outstanding issues, after four rounds of direct talks between the two sides, in a phone call with Mr Modi. The Indian government was anxious to avoid any of his last-minute surprises. The US commerce secretary accused India of 'slow-rolling' its trade negotiations. Indian officials and analysts say the friction is caused by a fundamental difference of approach. Mr Trump has a penchant for quick, top-down dealmaking. India's bureaucracy moves at a methodical pace, especially when it comes to opening up the agriculture market, which is politically sensitive. India's recently concluded trade deal with Britain took three years of talks, under two British prime ministers. On Aug 1, India's Foreign Ministry released a statement that put on a brave face. 'India and the United States share a Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership,' established in 2013 between President Barack Obama and then-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, 'anchored in shared interests, democratic values and robust people-to-people ties.' The ministry stuck to principles, revealing no plan for breaking through Mr Trump's hard line. 'This partnership has weathered several transitions and challenges,' the statement said. 'We remain focused on the substantive agenda that our two countries have committed to and are confident that the relationship will continue to move forward.' NYTIMES
AsiaOne
an hour ago
- AsiaOne
France starts airdrops of humanitarian aid into Gaza, World News
PARIS - France on Friday (Aug 1) started to air-drop 40 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Gaza as it urged Israel to allow full access to the area which it said was slipping into famine. "Faced with the absolute urgency, we have just conducted a food airdrop operation in Gaza. Thank you to our Jordanian, Emirati, and German partners for their support, and to our military personnel for their commitment," President Emmanuel Macron wrote on social media platform X. "Airdrops are not enough. Israel must open full humanitarian access to address the risk of famine," he added. Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot earlier in the day had told broadcaster franceinfo that France was sending four flights carrying 10 tonnes of humanitarian aid each to Gaza from Jordan. A global hunger monitor said on Tuesday that a famine scenario was unfolding in the Gaza Strip, with malnutrition soaring, children under five dying of hunger-related causes and humanitarian access severely restricted. France participated six times in the European humanitarian airlift set up in mid-October 2023 by the European Union to Jordan and Egypt to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, Macron's office said. The European airlift enabled the organisation of more than 60 flights carrying over 3,350 tons of humanitarian cargo, with most of the donations in-kind transiting through Egypt and Jordan, according to Macron's office. Part of this aid has still not entered Gaza due to a lack of agreement from the Israeli authorities, the president's office said. [[nid:720862]]
