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September
Japan to allocate $140 mln more to help fisheries after China's import ban
Written by Nur Yasmin
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Monday the government would allocate an additional 20.7 billion yen ($141.41 million) to support the fisheries industry after China's total import ban of Japanese aquatic products.
The ban followed the start of Japan's release of treated radioactive water from the destroyed Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant last month.
The government had previously set up two funds worth 80 billion yen to help develop new markets and keep excess fish frozen until they can be sold when demand recovers, among other measures.
With the additional funding, from budget reserves, support would total 100.7 billion yen, Kishida said. (Reuters)
September
Vanuatu parliament elects Sato Kilman as Prime Minister
Written by Nur Yasmin
Vanuatu's parliament elected Sato Kilman as the Pacific Island nation's new prime minister on Monday.
Kilman was elected 27 votes to 23 in a secret ballot on Monday after a court upheld the results of a no-confidence motion in Ishmael Kalsakau. (Reuters)
September
Ukraine War, Absence of Putin and Xi Set To Dent G20 summit
Written by Nur Yasmin
Deeper and more entrenched divisions over Russia's war in Ukraine risk derailing progress on issues such as food security, debt distress and global cooperation on climate change when the world's most powerful nations meet this weekend in New Delhi.
The hardened stance on the war has prevented agreement on even a single communique at the 20 or so ministerial meetings of the G20 during India's presidency this year, leaving it to the leaders to find a way around, if possible.
But China will be represented by Premier Li Qiang, not President Xi Jinping, while Russia has confirmed President Vladimir Putin's absence, suggesting that neither nation is likely to join any consensus.
That means the two-day summit from September 9 will be dominated by the West and its allies. The G20 leaders who will attend include U.S. President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Saudi Arabia's Mohammed Bin Salman and Japan's Fumio Kishida.
A failed summit would expose the limits of cooperation between Western and non-Western powers, and prompt countries to double down on the groups they are more comfortable with, analysts said.
To tackle global threats "breaking off into Western and non-Western blocs isn't what you want," said Michael Kugelman, the director of the South Asia Institute at the Wilson Center in Washington.
Failing to forge a consensus will also hurt the diplomatic credentials of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is using the presidency to bolster New Delhi's position as economic powerhouse and a leader of the global south.
"If the leaders' summit is a flop, New Delhi and especially Modi will have suffered a major diplomatic, and political, setback," Kugelman said.
India, which has not condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine, will have to either convince the bloc to agree to a joint statement - the so-called Leaders Declaration - or allow its presidency to be the first to end without such a communique since 2008.
"The positions have hardened since the Bali Summit," a senior Indian government official told Reuters, referring to the 2022 summit held in Indonesia. "Russia and China have toughened their position since then, a consensus would be very hard."
LAST MINUTE
In Bali, Indonesian President Joko Widodo clinched a last minute joint statement from the bloc. India is hoping that the leaders can again work something out at the last minute, another government official said.
The Bali Leaders' Declaration said "most members strongly condemned the war in Ukraine and stressed it is causing immense human suffering and exacerbating existing fragilities in the global economy."
It also said that "there were other views and different assessments of the situation and sanctions."
Another Indian official said that in Bali, "Russia and China were more flexible." But as the war completes 18 months, countries "are not agreeing even to the language used in the Bali Declaration".
Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who will come in place of Putin, have already drawn battlelines.
Trudeau, while confirming that he will travel to India for the meeting in a call with Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskiy, said that he was disappointed that the Ukrainian president was not invited.
"As you know, we will be speaking up strongly for you, and we will continue to make sure that the world is standing with Ukraine," Trudeau said in the call with Zelenskiy.
Lavrov said last week Russia will block the final declaration of the G20 summit unless it reflects Moscow's position on Kyiv and other crises. Diplomats said any acceptance of Moscow's stance was highly improbable, and the summit would most likely end up issuing a non-binding or partial communique.
CHINA PUSHING BRICS?
Last month, the BRICS group of nations, where China is the heavyweight, added half a dozen more countries to the bloc in a push to reshuffle a world order it sees as outdated.
"Xi’s absence may be Beijing’s attempt to put a nail in the G20’s coffin, only weeks after expanding the BRICS organization which is more aligned with China’s world view," said David Boling, director at consulting firm Eurasia Group.
India is a member of BRICS, along with Russia, China, Brazil and South Africa, and had some concerns about the bloc's expansion earlier. But at the summit in Johannesburg last month, it joined a consensus on the criteria for new entrants.
In its G20 presidency, India has sought to relegate the differences over Ukraine to the background and pushed for resolution on climate change, debt for vulnerable countries, rules around cryptocurrencies and multilateral bank reforms.
New Delhi has also attempted to break an impasse over a deal that allowed the safe export of Ukrainian grain via the Black Sea, but Russia is unlikely to budge from its opposition to the plan, Indian officials said.
Over the year, there has been little progress on debt restructuring talks and a minimum global corporate tax, but India has been able to gain support from the U.S. and the IMF for over-arching global regulations on cryptocurrencies.
A G20 committee under former Indian bureaucrat N.K. Singh and economist Larry Summers, a former U.S. treasury secretary, has also proposed increasing lending by multilateral banks to developing countries. The proposal has not been agreed on yet.
Climate change goals had also divided developed and developing countries in July meetings of the group and officials said the positions are not likely to change at the summit. (Reuters)
September
China's Premier Li Qiang will attend ASEAN summit, foreign ministry says
Written by Nur Yasmin
China's Premier Li Qiang will attend a summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) being held Sept. 5-8, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Friday.
While at the summit, Li will attend several meetings, including the East Asia Summit and a key meeting that includes Japan and South Korea. (Reuters)
September
Kazakhstan to hold referendum on nuclear plant construction - president
Written by Nur Yasmin
Kazakhstan will hold a referendum to decide whether to build its first nuclear power plant, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said on Friday, adding that the date would be decided later.
The Central Asian nation's government has long discussed the idea, citing the need for new power generation capacity, and even identified a planned location for the facility in the southeastern Almaty region and mentioned Russia's Rosatom as a potential partner.
But some activists oppose the project because of safety concerns and Kazakhstan's history as home to the Soviet-operated Semei nuclear weapons testing ground.
"On the one hand, Kazakhstan, as the world's biggest uranium producer, should have its own nuclear power capacity," Tokayev said. "On the other hand, many citizens and some experts have concerns about the safety of nuclear power plants." (Reuters)
September
Candidate close to establishment wins Singapore presidential race
Written by Nur Yasmin
A former member of Singapore's ruling party on Saturday scored a landslide victory to become the city-state's president, in an election seen as a barometer of public sentiment amid economic challenges and high-profile scandals.
Former deputy prime minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, 66, won 70.4% of votes, the elections department said, to become Singapore's head of state. The country is a parliamentary democracy and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is the head of government.
Analysts said the landslide victory for the candidate seen as closest to the establishment is a sign that Singaporeans generally still trust the ruling People's Action Party (PAP).
"It shows that the PAP is still a trusted brand, as long as the candidate that is put forth is credible. Tharman is as credible as it gets," said political scientist Walid Jumblatt Abdullah of Nanyang Technological University.
Tharman has been a popular politician, having scored several victories in parliamentary elections, including the biggest margin of votes in the general election in 2020 as a PAP member.
He resigned from the party earlier this year and emphasised his independence during his campaign for the presidency.
Usually a beacon of stable and corruption-free politics, Singapore has been rocked by a series of high-profile scandals in recent months, raising frustration among voters already wearied by exorbitant living costs.
A rare graft investigation involving a cabinet minister, the resignations of two ruling party lawmakers including the house speaker, and public outcry over ministers renting plush state-owned properties have made headlines in the tiny city-state of 5.6 million.
The role of the president is largely ceremonial in Singapore, though the office is expected to ensure checks and balances on the government.
The president holds the key to the country's large but undisclosed reserves, with veto powers over any budget or specific transaction that is likely to draw on those reserves, thought they must consult the Council of Presidential Advisers.
The president can also veto the appointment or removal of key public officials, and direct the anti-graft bureau to investigate cases even when the prime minister disagrees.
This is Singapore's third presidential election since a 1991 act gave the public the right to choose and Tharman will be the country's ninth president overall.
PM Lee said in a statement he had called to congratulate Tharman.
"I...assure(d) him of my government's full cooperation. Mr Tharman has also declared his intention to work closely with the government," he said. (Reuters)
September
Thai king commutes former PM Thaksin's prison sentence to one year
Written by Nur Yasmin
Thailand's king has commuted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's eight-year prison sentence to one year, the royal gazette said on Friday, a day after the billionaire submitted a request for pardon.
The country's most famous politician returned to Thailand last week in a dramatic homecoming after 15 years abroad in self-exile to avoid jail time after he was ousted by the military in 2006.
He arrived on a private jet and was transferred to prison to serve an eight-year sentence on charges of abuse of power and conflicts of interest from during his time in power. On the first night, he was moved to a police hospital over chest pains and high blood pressure.
On Thursday he submitted a request for a royal pardon.
Thaksin "was a prime minister, has done good for the country and people and is loyal to the monarchy," the royal gazette said on Friday.
"He respected the process, admitted his guilt, repented, accepted court verdicts. Right now he is old, has illness that needs care from medical professionals," it read.
Despite being away for 15 years, Thaksin remains an influential figure in Thai policies with parties loyal to him winning every election since 2001 until this year.
His return overshadowed a vote in parliament that installed political ally Srettha Thavisin of the Shinawatra-backed Pheu Thai party, as prime minister.
Srettha, a real estate tycoon, received support from pro-military and conservative parties connected to the same generals who ousted Thaksin's governments in 2006 and 2014.
Thaksin's return and time in hospital have fuelled speculation that he has struck a deal with those very rivals among the country's powerful generals and conservative old money elites - something he and the Pheu Thai party deny.
He remains hospitalised, with authorities citing the need for specialists and advanced medical equipment for his treatment.
"It is his majesty's grace that showed Thaksin mercy," the former leader's lawyer Winyat Chatmontri told Reuters, referring to King Maha Vajiralongkorn.
"Thais should accept and not criticise this outcome because it could be considered a violation of royal power," he said.
Thailand's strict royal insult law shields the monarchy from criticism, carrying a prison sentence of up to 15 years. (Reuters)
September
Pakistan inflation stays high at 27.4% as IMF reforms kick in
Written by Nur Yasmin
Pakistan's inflation rate stayed above target at 27.4% in August, data showed on Friday, as reforms set out as conditions for an IMF loan complicate the task of keeping price pressures and declines in its rupee currency in check.
The South Asian nation is embarking on a tricky path to economic recovery under a caretaker government after a $3 billion loan programme, approved by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in July, averted a sovereign debt default.
Reforms linked to the bailout, including an easing of import restrictions and a demand that subsidies be removed, have already fuelled annual inflation, which rose to a record 38.0% in May. Interest rates have also risen, and the rupee hit all-time lows. Last month the currency fell 6.2%.
The August data from Pakistan's statistics bureau showed a slight easing from July's 28.3% inflation rate, but food inflation remained elevated at 38.5%.
Authorities also raised petrol and diesel prices to record highs on Friday.
The worsening economic conditions, along with rising political tensions in the run-up to a national election scheduled for November, have triggered sporadic protests.
Jamaat-e-Islami, an Islamist opposition party, has called for a countrywide strike on Saturday in response to higher power tariffs.
Ordinary Pakistanis say they are struggling to make ends meet.
Bank employee Waseem Ahmed, speaking at a petrol station in Islamabad, said the middle classes were being crushed.
"More than 60 to 70 percent of my salary is spent on bills and petrol. Where will we get basic staples from? This is why people are contemplating suicide," he told Reuters.
Mohammed Sohail, CEO of Topline Securities, a Karachi-based brokerage firm, said August's inflation reading was in line with expectations.
But the falling rupee and rising energy prices meant that "we may not see a big decline in inflation year on year as was expected earlier," he added.
He was referring to government projections that inflation will fall to 22% by the end of the fiscal year that runs to June 31.
Pakistan's central bank said in its last monetary policy statement in July - when it held benchmark interest rates likewise at 22% - that it expected inflation to remain on a downward path over the following 12 months. (Reuters)
August
Russia says it will deepen ties with North Korea, doesn't confirm Putin-Kim letter exchange
Written by Nur Yasmin
Russia said on Thursday it intended to develop ties with North Korea, while not confirming a statement by the White House that Russian President Vladimir Putin had exchanged letters with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
The White House said on Wednesday it was concerned that arms negotiations between Russia and North Korea were advancing actively, and said Putin and Kim had written to each other pledging to increase their cooperation.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not answer directly when asked by reporters if the letter exchange had taken place.
"Moscow and Pyongyang maintain good, mutually respectful relations. We intend to develop them further. Contacts are being made at various levels," he said, calling North Korea "a very important neighbour".
Washington has warned before that North Korea could provide more weapons to Russia for use against Ukraine. Earlier this month the United States imposed sanctions on three entities it accused of being tied to arms deals between North Korea and Russia. (Reuters)
August
Thailand's billionaire ex-PM Thaksin submits royal pardon request
Written by Nur Yasmin
Thailand's former premier Thaksin Shinawatra has submitted a request for a royal pardon, outgoing Justice Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said on Thursday, his latest move in a long-running power struggle with the country's establishment.
Thaksin, Thailand's most famous politician, made a dramatic homecoming last week after 15 years abroad where he lived in self-exile to avoid prison.
Thaksin arrived on a private jet and greeted supporters before being moved to a prison to serve an eight-year sentence for abuse of power and conflicts of interest from his time in power.
Hours later, Srettha Thavisin of the Shinawatra-backed Pheu Thai party won a parliamentary vote to become prime minister with the support of pro-military lawmakers.
Thaksin, a former telecoms tycoon still wields influence in Thai politics with parties loyal to him winning every election in the past two decades until this year.
This month's events have fuelled speculation that Thaksin has struck a deal with his bitter rivals in the conservative establishment and royalist military, which ousted his parties in coups in 2006 and 2014, at the time accusing him and his parties of corruption and disloyalty to the powerful monarchy.
Thaksin denied those allegations and has rejected talk of a deal with the generals.
On his first night in jail, Thaksin was transferred to a police hospital, on account of chest pains and high blood pressure.
A representative of the 74-year-old Thaksin declined to comment when asked by Reuters about his pardon request.
A request for royal pardon must be submitted through the corrections department to the justice minister.
"The request will then be presented to (incumbent) Prime Minister Prayuth Cha-ocha who needs to sign it before presenting it to the king," Wissanu told Reuters.
If a royal pardon is not granted, Thaksin will have to wait two years to submit another request. (Reuters)