Thai PM survives no-confidence vote in parliament
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra successfully navigated a no-confidence vote in parliament following an intense two-day debate in the first test of her premiership, emerging unscathed from a two-day opposition onslaught to reaffirm the stability of her coalition, Reuters reported.
Thailand's youngest premier received the support of 319 out of 488 lawmakers present, despite a barrage of criticism during a censure debate accusing her of being unqualified, lacking economic knowledge, evading taxes, serving her wealthy family, and taking orders from her billionaire father and political heavyweight Thaksin Shinawatra.
Opposition parties to hits streets, obstruct House against govt decision to dismiss Kulman Ghising
Opposition parties have decided to protest from the streets and Parliament against the government decision to remove Nepal Electricity Authority Managing Director Kulman Ghising from his post.
A meeting of the opposition parties held on Wednesday morning made the decision to this effect.
Saying that the government sacked Ghising from the top post of the NEA, just months before the completion of his second term, by breaching the law, the meeting decided to protest against the decision.
After the meeting, Rastriya Swatantra Party leader Santosh Pariyar said that they would not allow the House to proceed with its business until the Prime Minister answered the reasons for Ghising’s removal.
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“The government removed Ghising from the post of Managing Director of power utility by imposing the power of a two-thirds majority. We will strongly oppose this in the Parliament. We will also take to the streets,” he said, adding, “The government has taken every decision against the rule of law. We request the government to correct itself.”
In the meeting, CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal said that he had a discussion about the issues of transitional justice with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba a few days ago but not about Kulman Ghising.
Nepal’s Ambassador to Sri Lanka Nepali presents letter of credence
Nepal's Ambassador to Sri Lanka Purna Bahadur Nepali has presented his letter of credence to Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Monday.
Ambassador Nepali presented the letter of credence at a special ceremony held at the Office of the President, according to the Embassy of Nepal in Colombo today.
On the occasion, Ambassador Nepali, on behalf of President Ram Chandra Paudel, wished the Sri Lankan President for his personal happiness, good health as well as continued peace and progress of the people of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.
Welcoming Ambassador Nepal, President Dissanayake wished President Paudel for the latter's personal happiness, good health as well as peace and prosperity of the Nepali people.
Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister, Secretary at the Office of the President, spouse of the ambassador, senior officials of the Office of the President and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were present on the occasion.
Trump and intelligence chiefs play down Signal group chat leak
US President Donald Trump and his intelligence chiefs have played down a security breach that saw a journalist invited into a Signal group chat where he reported seeing national security officials plan airstrikes in Yemen, BBC reported.
US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe denied at a Senate hearing that any classified information was shared in the message chain.
But Democrats on the panel rebuked the cabinet members as "incompetent" with national security.
Over at the White House, Trump was joined by National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, who was at the centre of the leak. The president stood by him and insisted the incident did not affect the military operation, according to BBC.