National Assembly

As Fidel Castro would have turned 100, Cuba marked his centennial with events including the International Book Fair and art exhibitions. This commemoration occurs while the nation faces an economic crisis fueled by a crippling U.S. energy blockade and sanctions imposed by the Trump administration. The effects of these measures include prolonged power outages, shortages of fuel and medicine, and declining industrial activity.

The death toll from earthquakes in Venezuela has exceeded 6,000, with 6,125 confirmed deaths reported by National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez. The government's response to the disaster is under scrutiny.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and his cabinet officially resigned on Aug. 2 as a constitutional requirement triggered by the newly elected National Assembly. His Civil Contract party won a parliamentary majority in the June 7 elections, and he is expected to be re-nominated by the president. The elections endorsed his strategy to reduce Armenia’s reliance on Russia and deepen ties with the EU.

Venezuelans are observing a new round of U.S.-backed talks between the government and opposition with cautious optimism. The negotiations, following the January capture of Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces, aim to strengthen democracy and restore rights after decades of socialist rule. Previous talks failed, and the U.S. has emphasized facilitating rather than dictating the process.

Venezuelans are observing U.S.-backed negotiations between the government and opposition with cautious optimism, following the January capture of then-President Nicolás Maduro. The talks aim to strengthen democracy and restore rights after nearly three decades of socialist rule, with U.S. officials facilitating the process without dictating outcomes. Previous dialogue attempts have failed, but the current political context and U.S. involvement have raised hopes for progress.

Nicaragua's National Assembly is considering a constitutional reform to extend the presidential term from six to seven years on a renewable basis and impose restrictions on government opponents. The bill is expected to be voted on in early September.

The National Assembly is advancing constitutional reforms to establish state police, while former military chiefs and stakeholders call for stronger security institutions, better intelligence, and increased funding to address insecurity.

Former military chiefs and stakeholders are advocating for urgent security reforms, including strengthening internal security institutions and increasing funding to address insecurity. They support the National Assembly's constitutional reforms to establish state police.

The Kenyan National Assembly is resuming its sittings after a short recess. The House Business Committee is expected to meet and prepare a legislative agenda for Members of Parliament.

Nicaragua's National Assembly is advancing reforms that restrict exiled opponents, including a constitutional change ending dual citizenship in January 2026. The reform causes Nicaraguans to lose their nationality upon acquiring another, with Central Americans being the only exemption.

Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye established a new political party called Kiiraay, intensifying his separation from former Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko. The split follows disagreements over managing Senegal’s debt crisis, which has pushed the country’s debt above 130% of GDP and disrupted IMF programs.

The House passed a state police bill with 311 lawmakers voting, including 276 present in person and 35 voting virtually. The vote occurred amid protests from the minority caucus.

The Senate panel questioned the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on issues including inflation, bank recapitalisation, and foreign reserves. The CBN Act requires the CBN governor to brief the National Assembly twice annually on the bank's operations.

Two firefighters died in a building fire near Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport in southwest France, causing flight delays. The Interior Minister announced the deaths, noting the fire occurred in Mérignac, a suburb of Bordeaux.

A Senate panel screened the AMCON chair and requested the corporation to prepare a report on its achievements and outstanding responsibilities since its establishment. The report is to be presented to the National Assembly as part of the wind-down process scheduled for 2030.

The Federal Government (FG) and the National Assembly (NASS) support complementary regulatory roles in Nigeria's multi-tier electricity market. Questions about regulatory boundaries, market oversight, technical standards, and commercial arrangements have emerged as federal and state institutions assume their responsibilities.

French lawmakers reached a compromise to introduce a social media ban for children under 15, aiming for implementation by September. The bill, amended after EU law concerns, also prohibits mobile phone use in high schools and is supported by President Emmanuel Macron.

French lawmakers are working to pass a bill banning social media for children under 15 before the September school year, facing challenges with EU law compatibility and disagreements over the scope of banned platforms. The bill, supported by President Macron, excludes educational and scientific platforms but faces EU Commission concerns about overlapping with existing regulations.

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has threatened to sue the National Assembly (NASS) over a proposed amendment to the Nigeria Data Protection Act, alleging it could enable the government to shut down social media platforms. The amendment seeks to empower the National Digital Properties Corporation (NDPC) to regulate social media.

Venezuela's official death toll from the twin earthquakes that struck on June 24 increased to 5,208, according to National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez's latest figures released on Sunday.

The official death toll from twin earthquakes in Venezuela increased to 5,119, as reported by National Assembly head Jorge Rodríguez. The update reflects the latest count of fatalities attributed to the seismic events.

The Senate rejected a motion to review the contract award process in the National Assembly. Lawmakers argued that Senate leadership must first address the issues and establish a clear position before public debate.

Ex-Speaker Etteh, Abbas’ wife, and others are urging lawmakers to pass the Constitution Alteration Bill, which aims to create additional seats for women in the National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly as a temporary affirmative action measure.

French lawmakers legalized assisted dying for terminally ill patients over 18 with serious, incurable illnesses causing unbearable suffering, joining countries like Spain, Belgium, and the Netherlands. The bill faced political divisions, with support from the left and center and opposition from the right and far right, and will undergo constitutional review before enactment.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio stated the National Assembly will continue collaborating with President Bola Tinubu to advance Nigeria's national interest, emphasizing no constitutional obligation to create unnecessary conflict with the executive.

The death toll from twin earthquakes in northern Venezuela on June 24 rose to 4,490, with 16,740 injured and 6,462 rescued alive. The government is defending its decision to withhold the number of missing people.

Philip Agbese, the Reps Deputy Spokesperson, states that ministers, heads of ministries, departments and agencies, and the Accountant-General are responsible for budget execution and public spending. The National Assembly is not calling Tinubu to account over poor budget implementation.

The death toll from two earthquakes in Venezuela on June 24 has risen to 4,333, with 16,740 injured, according to National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez. He announced housing distribution for affected individuals will begin next week.

Senegal’s Constitutional Council rejected a constitutional amendment that would have expanded parliamentary powers and reduced presidential authority. The rejected reform, proposed by Ousmane Sonko’s party, faced political tensions between President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Sonko, who now leads the National Assembly.

The National Assembly has challenged a High Court ruling that declared President William Ruto's Cabinet unconstitutional for not complying with the Constitution's two-thirds gender principle. The ruling highlighted a failure to meet gender representation requirements in the Cabinet appointments.

Cuba's government announced business reforms allowing foreign investment in private firms, part of a 176-reform package approved in June by the National Assembly to liberalize and decentralize the economy.

The National Assembly appropriated ₦1.3bn for a fake agency, according to a Senate spokesperson who stated the budget line was not created by the Assembly and emphasized it is not their duty to conduct security checks on appointments to MDAs.

Protesters stormed the National Assembly, demanding the suspension of Abayomi Fasina's ambassadorial screening due to a pending court case over alleged sexual harassment involving Folasade Adebayo, a former colleague at FUOYE.

South Korea enforced a law allowing steep punitive damages against media and social media influencers for spreading false information. Journalists' groups warn the law could suppress public discourse and enable censorship due to vague definitions and lack of safeguards.

Marine Le Pen's conviction will influence the representation of the National Rally in the 2027 presidential election. French MPs from different political factions shared their reactions to the decision at the National Assembly.

South Korea enforced a law allowing punitive damages against news outlets and social media influencers for spreading false information, prompting concerns from journalists and civil liberties groups about self-censorship and restricted critical reporting. The law permits fines of up to 1 billion won for repeat violations and mandates content removal by large social media platforms upon reporting false information.

France has reduced its 2026 GDP forecast due to a budget delay and the Iran conflict. The National Assembly and Place de la Concorde are mentioned in the context of the report.

South Korea enforced a law allowing steep punitive damages against news outlets and social media influencers for spreading false information. Journalists' groups warned the law could chill public discourse and invite censorship due to vague definitions and lack of safeguards.

South Korea began enforcing a law allowing steep punitive damages against news outlets and social media influencers for spreading false information, as journalist groups warned it could suppress free discourse and invite censorship. The law permits courts to award damages up to five times proven losses and fines for repeated dissemination of false content, sparking concerns about its vague language and potential impact on critical reporting.

South Korea enforced a new law allowing punitive damages against news outlets and social media influencers for spreading false information, prompting concerns from journalist groups about censorship and chilling public discourse. The law permits fines of up to 1 billion won for repeated distribution of false content and requires social media platforms to remove reported false information.