Al Jazeera News Updates Former French president begins jail sentence, US and Australia sign rare earths deal
Oct 21, 2025
Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy begins a five-year prison term for campaign financing crimes. Japan sees a historic shift as Sanae Takaichi becomes its first female prime minister. Meanwhile, a landmark deal between the US and Australia aims to secure critical mineral supplies amid growing competition with China. Donald Trump comments on this geopolitical landscape, highlighting tariffs and rare earths leverage. In Bolivia, the new president-elect pledges to restore ties with the US, signaling a conservative direction for the country's foreign policy.
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Former French President Jailed
- Nicolas Sarkozy began serving a five-year jail term after being convicted of criminal conspiracy linked to 2007 Libya funding.
- His lawyer has filed a request for freedom, indicating ongoing legal contestation of the sentence.
Japan Names First Female PM
- Japan appointed its first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, after a last-minute coalition deal pushed her into power.
- Observers view her leadership as a rightward shift amid worries about inflation, slow growth, and immigration.
US-Australia Rare Earths Deal
- The US and Australia signed a deal to boost rare earth and critical mineral supplies as China tightens its market control.
- The agreement aims to support up to $8.5 billion in projects to reduce reliance on China's dominant extraction and refining capacities.