James Marape returned as prime minister in Papua New Guinea after fraught election.

James Marape has been returned as Papua New Guinea’s prime minister for its 11th parliament after a fraught and violent election period that has run for roughly six weeks.

Marape – who became prime minister in 2019 after toppling his predecessor and former party leader, Peter O’Neill – was invited to form government by the governor general, after his Pangu Pati secured 36 seats and was able to strike deals with coalition partners to bring its numbers to more than 80.

O’Neill had hoped to reclaim the top job, but was left disappointed after only 14 members were declared for his rival People’s National Congress (PNC) party.

Source: www.theguardian.com

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Jagdeep Dhankhar sworn in as 14th Vice-President of India.

Former West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar was on Thursday 11th sworn in as the 14th Vice-President of India.

President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath to Dhankhar (71) in a brief ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Mr. Dhankhar took the oath in Hindi in the name of God.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mr. Dhankhar's predecessor M. Venkaiah Naidu were among the dignitaries present at the ceremony.

Source: www.thehindu.com

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North Korea's Kim Jong Un declares victory against Covid.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared victory in the battle against the novel coronavirus, ordering a lifting of maximum anti-epidemic measures imposed in May, state media said recently.

North Korea has not revealed how many confirmed infections of the virus it has found, but since July 29 it has reported no new suspected cases with what international aid organizations say are limited testing capabilities.

Source: https://edition.cnn.com

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Justice UU. Lalit is set to become 49th Chief Justice of India.

Chief Justice of India NV Ramana has recommended the name of the most senior judge of the Supreme Court after him, Justice Uday Umesh Lalit, to be the next chief justice of India. CJI Ramana retires on August 26.

Earlier this week, Union law minister Kiren Rijiju had written to the CJI, requesting him to recommend the name of his successor.

Justice Lalit is set to be the second CJI to be elevated to the top court from the bar after Justice SM Sikri, who served as the 13th CJI from January 1971 till April 1973. Justice Lalit will serve as the CJI for 74 days and retire on November 8, 2022.

Source: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com

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Albanian parliament elects Bajram Begaj as the new president.

Bajram Begaj was elected recently as the new leader of Albania in a plenary session in the Assembly.

Begaj was elected in the fourth round by a 78 - 4 vote, with 1 abstention, in the 140-seat Assembly.

The main opposition Democratic Party did not participate.

Begaj was the candidate of the Socialist Party (PS), which is in power under Prime Minister Edi Rama.

He was the only candidate nominated for the five-year term.

Born in Rrogozhina on March 20, 1967, Begaj graduated from the Medical Faculty of the University of Tirana.

He served in senior positions in the Albanian Armed Forces and was last appointed Chief of the Albanian General Staff in July 2020.

Begaj is married and has two children.

Source: www.aa.com.tr

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Kuwait appoints new prime minister.

Sheikh Mohammed Sabah Al Salem Al Sabah has been appointed the new Prime Minister of Kuwait, three months after the ex-Kuwaiti government resigned.

According to Al Qabas newspaper, an Emiri decree was issued today, appointing Sheikh Mohammed Sabah Al Salem as the new Prime Minister.

Sheikh Mohammed has also been asked to nominate members of the new government.

Sheikh Mohammed was born in 1955 and is the fourth son of the 12th Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al Salem Al Sabah, who ruled Kuwait from 1965 until 1977.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Claremont College in California, and a PhD in Economics and Middle Eastern Studies from Harvard University.

Al Sabah served as deputy prime minister and the minister of foreign affairs of Kuwait. In 1993, he was appointed ambassador of Kuwait to the US. He remained in this position until 14 February 2001 when he was appointed state minister for foreign affairs. He was the minister of Finance from January 2003 to July 2003. On 11 February 2006, Mohammad was appointed deputy prime minister while retaining the position of minister of foreign affairs.

He resigned from office on October 18, 2011 in protest against alleged corruption in Kuwait’s government. After leaving office, Al Sabah began to work as a visiting fellow at Oxford University.

Source: https://gulfnews.com

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Thailand PM Prayuth survives fourth confidence vote.

Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has survived a no-confidence vote in parliament, in his last major test ahead of a general election that is due in less than a year.

After four days of grilling, which was broadcast live on television, the 68-year-old former army chief secured enough votes on Saturday to guarantee his place as prime minister until his term ends in March.

Former army chief survives four days of questioning to guarantee his place as prime minister until his term ends in March.

Source: www.aljazeera.com

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Dinesh Gunawardena sworn in as new Prime Minister.

Member of Parliament Dinesh Gunawardena has taken oaths as the new Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.

He took oaths before President Ranil Wickremesinghe on July 22.

Gunawardena embarked on active politics in late 1970s and entered the parliament in 1983 representing the Maharagama electoral district.

He has held cabinet ministerial portfolios under various governments.

Gunawardena has also served as the chairperson of three Parliament Select Committees to identify electoral reforms and as the Leader of the House and the Chief Government Whip in the Sri Lankan parliament.

He was born in 1949 to leftist politician Philip Gunawardena who was fondly known as ‘the Lion of Boralugoda’ and Kusumasiri Gunawardena.

He has been leading the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna since 1973, following the demise of his father, the founder of the party.

Gunawardena, who is a schoolmate of President Wickremesinghe, was educated at Royal College in Colombo.

Upon completing his school education, Gunawardena joined the Netherlands School of Business, where he graduated with a diploma in business administration and management. He later enrolled at the University of Oregon to study international business.

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Nepal’s Parliament passes first Citizenship Amendment Bill.

Nepal’s Parliament on Wednesday 13 passed the country’s first Citizenship Amendment Bill, which was under discussion for more than two years as political parties failed to forge a consensus on it.

The bill has been under discussion in the House of Representatives since 2020, but it failed to be endorsed due to differences among the political parties over certain provisions, namely the seven-year waiting period for obtaining naturalised citizenship for foreign women married to Nepali men.

In the meeting of the lower house of Parliament or the House of Representatives on Wednesday, Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand presented Nepal’s first Citizenship Amendment Bill 2022 before the lawmakers, and said that the bill has been tabled in parliament to amend the Nepal Citizenship Act 2006 and make provisions for providing citizenship as directed by the Constitution.

Source: www.thehindu.com

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Saudi Arabia opens airspace to Israeli flights.

Saudi Arabia on Friday 15 opened its airspace to all civilian carriers, including all flights to and from Israel, in a step toward normalizing relations between the two nations as US President Joe Biden tours the Middle East.

In a statement shared hours before he was due to fly directly from Israel to Saudi Arabia, Biden hailed the kingdom's decision, saying that it could "help build momentum toward Israel's further integration into the region."

The Biden administration has for months sought to formalize security and economic deals between Saudi Arabia and Israel, in a bid to set the stage for a normalization deal between the two countries.

Source: https://edition.cnn.com

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"Russia Responsible" For Ongoing Crisis In Sri Lanka.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky blamed Russia for causing unrest in Sri Lanka as well as around the world due to the blocking of food products during the invasion of Ukraine.

One of the major tactics Russia has used in their invasion of Ukraine is the creation of an “economic shock,” Zelenskyy said, adding that several countries experiencing food and fuel shortages due to the disruption in the supply chain have benefitted Russia’s agenda.

Highlighting the crisis in Sri Lanka during a recent address at the Asian Leadership Conference in Seoul, he further said “The shocking food and fuel price hikes led to a social explosion. No one knows now how it will end.”

War in Ukraine has left an estimated 1.6 billion people in 94 countries exposed to at least one dimension of finance, food, or energy crisis, with around 1.2 billion living in “perfect-storm” countries severely vulnerable.

Source: www.ndtv.com

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Japan honours Shinzo Abe with highest decoration.

The Japanese government on Monday 11 honoured former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was gunned down Friday in the city of Nara, with the Collar of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum, the nation’s highest decoration.

A wake was held later Monday for Abe, the nation’s longest serving prime minister, at Zojoji Temple in Tokyo, with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and other lawmakers attending. US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who is on a visit to Japan, also attended the ceremony, a Treasury official said.

Abe is the fourth former prime minister to receive the decoration under the postwar Constitution, after Shigeru Yoshida, Eisaku Sato and Yasuhiro Nakasone. He has additionally been honored with the Junior First Rank of Court, the Cabinet Office said.

Abe was in office when the emperor ascended to the throne in 2019 following the abdication of his father, Emperor Emeritus Akihito.

The Collar of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum is made from pure gold and is worn by the emperor, and has been awarded to several visiting foreign heads of state in the past.

Source: https://iranpress.com

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Ruling party in Japan records significant victory.

In a parliamentary election in Japan, the ruling party and its coalition partner achieved a significant victory. In the 248-seat chamber, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its minor coalition partner Komeito increased their combined share to 146, well exceeding the majority in the elections for half of the upper house seats. Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio expressed his gratitude for the decision. He pledged to handle the nation’s most pressing problems, such as the pandemic, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and the rising cost of life.

The Japanese Prime Minister declared that in addition to a constitutional reform, he will continue to advocate for strengthening Japan’s national security. Additionally, he promised to boost the Japanese economy. Only two days had passed since the shooting death of former prime minister Shinzo Abe at a campaign rally before the election.

Source: www.wionews.com

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Finland and Sweden complete NATO accession talks.

The 30 NATO allies signed off on the accession protocols for Sweden and Finland on Tuesday, sending the membership bids of the two nations to the alliance capitals for legislative approvals.

The move further increases Russia’s strategic isolation in the wake of its invasion of neighboring Ukraine in February and military struggles there since.

Both countries formally confirmed their willingness and ability to meet the political, legal and military obligations and commitments of NATO membership.

The 30 ambassadors and permanent representatives formally approved the decisions of last week’s NATO summit when the alliance made the historic decision to invite Russia’s neighbor Finland and Scandinavian partner Sweden to join the military club.

Source: https://time.com

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Italy’s Prime Minister Mario Draghi resigns.

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi handed in his resignation on Thursday 21 to President Sergio Mattarella, who asked him to remain in office in a caretaker capacity, the head of state's office said in a statement.

The statement did not say whether Mattarella would dissolve parliament or call early elections.

Draghi, a former European Central Bank chief, bec
ame prime minister in 2021 as Italy wrestled with the coronavirus pandemic and an ailing economy, had reprimanded his squabbling national unity coalition and urged them back into line before it was too late.

He won a confidence vote in the Senate on Wednesday, but boycotts by three of his coalition allies in the voting virtually doomed any prospects for his unity government’s survival.

He had already tendered his resignation last week after one of his partners, the populist Five Star Movement, failed to back him in a confidence vote on measures tackling the high cost of living.

Source: www.aljazeera.com

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Former Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe passes away after being shot.

Shinzo Abe, Former Japan’s Prime Minister, who was shot at during an election campaign in western Japan’s Nara city, has passed away. The Nara fire department had earlier said that the 67-year-old Abe was in cardiopulmonary arrest before he was taken to the hospital. They said that he had been wounded on the right side of the neck and the left clavicle.

Abe, the country’s longest-serving prime minister until he resigned in 2020, was flown to hospital by helicopter after the attack. It was the first assassination of a sitting or former Japanese premier since the days of prewar militarism in the 1930s.

Police said a 41-year-old man suspected of carrying out the shooting had been arrested. Nippon Hōsō Kyōkai (NHK) Japanese public broadcaster quoted the suspect, identified as Tetsuya Yamagami, as telling police he was dissatisfied with Abe and wanted to kill him.

Source: www.aljazeera.com

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OPEC Secretary General Mohammad Barkindo dies.

Mohammad Barkindo, a Nigerian politician and secretary-general of oil producer group OPEC, died at the age of 63, just days before he was set to finish his term at the organization.

The head of Nigeria’s National Petroleum Corp., Mele Kyari, announced the news in a tweet, which was later confirmed by OPEC.

He was born in April 1959 in northeast Nigeria’s Adamawa state, Barkindo assumed the office of the OPEC Secretary-General in 2016. His tenure was scheduled to expire in July.

The cause of death has not been announced.

About the OPEC:

OPEC is a permanent, intergovernmental organization, created at the Baghdad Conference in 1960, by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela. It aims to manage the supply of oil in an effort to set the price of oil in the world market, in order to avoid fluctuations that might affect the economies of both producing and purchasing countries. It is headquartered in Vienna, Austria. OPEC membership is open to any country that is a substantial exporter of oil and which shares the ideals of the organization.

Source: www.cnbc.com

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UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson resigns.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson resigns after mutiny in his party.

Boris Johnson's turbulent tenure as Britain's Prime Minister came to an end Thursday 07th July after a historic party revolt over a series of ethics scandals forced him to step down.

It took the resignation of nearly 60 members of his government -- almost half the payroll -- for Johnson to finally abandon his attempts to cling on to power. Even then, the Prime Minister insisted that he would continue as caretaker leader while the Conservative Party launches the process of choosing a successor.

Some senior figures in his party say even that will be unsustainable, given the dwindling number of people willing to work for him.

Others are already lining up to replace him. Party officials say they will announce the timetable for a leadership election by Monday.

Speaking in front of the famous 10 Downing Street door, the same place where many of his predecessors delivered their own resignation address, Johnson announced that he would be stepping down.

Source: https://edition.cnn.com

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Libya protesters storm parliament building in Tobruk.

Protesters have stormed Libya's parliament in the eastern city of Tobruk and set fire to part of the building.

There have been rallies in other Libyan cities against continuing power cuts, rising prices and political deadlock.

In the capital, Tripoli, where a rival administration holds sway, protesters called for elections.

Their demand was backed by the head of the interim unity government, Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, who said all the country's institutions needed to be changed.

United Nations Libya envoy Stephanie Williams told the BBC the violence was unacceptable but described it as a "clarion call for the political class" to put their differences aside and hold the elections that the Libyan people want.

Source: www.bbc.com

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Yair Lapid takes over as Israel’s 14th prime minister.

Yair Lapid officially became prime minister on 30 June 2022, taking office as the 14th premier in Israel’s history.

Lapid’s term leading the country could be a fairly short one, as he takes over a caretaker government ahead of national elections on November 1. But the new prime minister appeared determined to make the most of the potentially brief tenure, and bolster his prospects of winning a full term in four months’ time.

On his first day in office Friday, Lapid’s first agenda item was a meeting with Ronen Bar, the head of the Shin Bet security agency, at the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv.

A statement from Lapid’s office said the meeting included a “broad defense and intelligence briefing on what is happening on the different fronts.”

Source: www.timesofisrael.com

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