Thousands of opposition supporters marched through the streets of Minsk on 66th birthday of Preseident Alexander Lukashenko. Calling for an end to Lukashenko's rule amid a heavy security presence and despite dozens of arrests.

Belarus: Protesters calls for Lukashenko to step down grow on his 66th B'day

As the Belarus elections remain shrouded in further conspiracies with tensions continuing to rise between the West and Russia. Watch report.

Belarus political unrest: The arrest of Mercenaries linked to Russian Wagner group

French President Emmanuel Macron has warned that Lebanon is on the risk of civil war if not helped in the crisis. Macron has asked global community to help Lebanon. French Prez has pushed to establish a news government in the country.

Emmanuel Macron says Lebanon on the risk of Civil War if not helped in crisis

Thousands marched on the streets of Mali's capital to celebrate the overthrow of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, as the West African nation's political opposition backed the military’s junta plan to eventually hand over power to a civilian transitional government.

Thousands of Malians celebrated the coup in Bamako

Madhya Pradesh Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia on Tuesday tendered his resignation letter to Congress President Sonia Gandhi after meeting PM Narendra Modi.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/power-struggle-within-congress-led-to-jyotiraditya-scindias-exit-285428">Power struggle within Congress led to Jyotiraditya Scindia’s exit</a>

Earlier today, Scindia met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit shah which is a clear indication that talks to join the Bhartiya Janata Party are underway.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/jyotiraditya-scindia-is-heartily-welcome-in-bjp-narottam-mishra-285373">Jyotiraditya Scindia is heartily welcome in BJP: Narottam Mishra</a>

Madhya Pradesh plunged into a political crisis after 17 MLAs of the ruling Congress party reportedly went missing and were moved to Bangalore. The 17 legislators are believed to owe allegiance to Jyotiraditya Scindia, a rival of the Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/scindia-supporting-mlas-go-incommunicado-as-factional-fighting-intensifies-in-congress-in-mp-285345">Scindia, supporting MLAs go 'incommunicado' as factional fighting intensifies in Congress in MP</a>

Scindia has been miffed with the Congress party since the top leadership failed to accommodate Jyotiraditya Scindia either as chief minister or a member of Rajya Sabha.&nbsp;

<img alt="Scindia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="27072e3f-b592-4cdc-b801-eac3a0464525" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Scindia_0.JPG" />

Scindia was elected to Congress in 2001 and subsequently won all elections till he lost his seat in 2019.&nbsp;

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/is-congress-trying-to-keep-jyotiraditya-scindia-away-from-mp-196541">Is Congress trying to keep Jyotiraditya Scindia away from MP?</a>

Jyotiraditya Scindia is a scion of the royal family of Gwalior and is the son of late Madhav Rao Scindia who left Jan Sangh in the 1970s and joined Congress party in 1977 and retained his seat despite a massive anti-Congress wave in 1977.&nbsp;

Sonia Gandhi is the interim president of Congress since last year. Congress has not been able to appoint a full working president after Rahul Gandhi quit after Lok Sabha debacle.

Madhya Pradesh Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia on Tuesday tendered his resignation letter to Congress President Sonia Gandhi after meeting PM Narendra Modi.

Madhya Pradesh Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia on Tuesday tendered his resignation letter to Congress President Sonia Gandhi after meeting PM Narendra Modi. Also read: Power struggle within Congress led to Jyotiraditya Scindia’s exit Earlier today, Scindia met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit shah which is a clear indication that talks to join the Bhartiya Janata Party are underway. Also read: Jyotiraditya Scindia is heartily welcome in BJP: Narottam Mishra Madhya Pradesh plunged into a political crisis after 17 MLAs of the ruling Congress party reportedly went missing and were moved to Bangalore. The 17 legislators are believed to owe allegiance to Jyotiraditya Scindia, a rival of the Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath. Also read: Scindia, supporting MLAs go 'incommunicado' as factional fighting intensifies in Congress in MP Scindia has been miffed with the Congress party since the top leadership failed to accommodate Jyotiraditya Scindia either as chief minister or a member of Rajya Sabha. Scindia was elected to Congress in 2001 and subsequently won all elections till he lost his seat in 2019. Also read: Is Congress trying to keep Jyotiraditya Scindia away from MP? Jyotiraditya Scindia is a scion of the royal family of Gwalior and is the son of late Madhav Rao Scindia who left Jan Sangh in the 1970s and joined Congress party in 1977 and retained his seat despite a massive anti-Congress wave in 1977. Sonia Gandhi is the interim president of Congress since last year. Congress has not been able to appoint a full working president after Rahul Gandhi quit after Lok Sabha debacle.

Political crisis in Madhya Pradesh: 'Looking for a fresh start', says Jyotiraditya Scindia as he quits Congress

Algeria's powerful army chief Lieutenant General Ahmed Gaed Salah, who was instrumental in bringing down long-time president <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ex-premier-elected-algerian-president-thousands-prepare-to-march-268146">Abdelaziz Bouteflika</a>, has died of a heart attack, state media reported on Monday.

The 79-year-old's death comes at a time of mass protests across Africa's largest country, with many <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/algerian-spring-will-it-change-the-arab-course-203473">Algerians</a> demanding that the ruling elite relinquish power and the influential military step back from politics.

Gaed Salah's departure may not signify major changes to Algeria's economic and political policies, however, with the country's senior generals united over the handling of the protests.

"The army hierarchy is unified and it will move on after Gaed Salah as it did before him. Algeria's army is a single block, not under the influence of one general but with consensus as its engine," said a retired general who asked not to be named.

President Abdelmadjid Tebboune announced a three-day mourning period and said the head of land forces, General Said Chengriha, would take over as acting chief of staff of the military.

Gaed Salah's death comes less than a week after Tebboune was inaugurated following an election that the army had pushed for as the only way to resolve the crisis over the mass protests. Demonstrators opposed the vote and official figures showed only 40 per cent of the electorate cast ballots.

The authorities have so far rejected any systematic attempt to crush the protests with violence, allowing them to continue each week but stepping up the police presence in recent months and detaining many demonstrators.

"He kept his promise to save the blood of Algerians during a tough period," Islam Benatia, a prominent figure in the protest movement, said on Facebook.

The army's central role in Algerian politics was underlined last week when Tebboune's first act after being sworn in was to embrace Gaed Salah and present him with an order of merit.

Weeks after mass protests erupted early this year, Gaed Salah's televised speech urging president Bouteflika to quit swiftly led to the veteran leader's resignation.

The army then backed a series of arrests of Bouteflika allies and senior businessmen in an anti-corruption campaign that was widely seen as a purge of the military's rivals within the ruling system.

But it was not enough to appease the protesters, many of whom had begun calling for Gaed Salah's resignation. One constant chant throughout the protests has been for "A civilian state, not a military state".

The army has been central to Algerian politics since it won independence from France in 1962 following a guerrilla war against the colonial power. Most of the country's leaders since that period, including Gaed Salah and the new acting army chief Chengriha, have been veterans of that struggle.

Gaed Salah received military training in the Soviet Union and became head of<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/algeria-prosecutor-seeks-heavy-sentences-against-ex-politicians-charged-with-corruption-267017"> Algeria</a>'s land forces in 1994, early in the civil war between the state and Islamist insurgents that killed 200,000 people.

Bouteflika appointed him army chief a decade later. In the past 15 years, he consolidated the military's power in the ruling elite, helping Bouteflika face down the once-dominant intelligence service.

As Bouteflika and his allies were ousted this year, the army's central role became more pronounced and Gaed Salah emerged as the most powerful figure in the country.

He pushed hard for this month's election to replace Bouteflika, a vote that the protesters rejected as a charade designed to keep the ruling elite in place, but was seen by the army as necessary to restore constitutional rule.

"Thank God we have a president now. Imagine what would have happened if there was no president," said another retired general.

Gaed Salah's funeral will take place on Tuesday, a day on which students have been staging weekly protests for much of the year.

Algeria's powerful army chief Lieutenant General Ahmed Gaed Salah, who was instrumental in bringing down long-time president Abdelaziz Bouteflika, has died of a heart attack, state media reported on Monday.

Algeria's powerful army chief Lieutenant General Ahmed Gaed Salah, who was instrumental in bringing down long-time president Abdelaziz Bouteflika, has died of a heart attack, state media reported on Monday. The 79-year-old's death comes at a time of mass protests across Africa's largest country, with many Algerians demanding that the ruling elite relinquish power and the influential military step back from politics. Gaed Salah's departure may not signify major changes to Algeria's economic and political policies, however, with the country's senior generals united over the handling of the protests. "The army hierarchy is unified and it will move on after Gaed Salah as it did before him. Algeria's army is a single block, not under the influence of one general but with consensus as its engine," said a retired general who asked not to be named. President Abdelmadjid Tebboune announced a three-day mourning period and said the head of land forces, General Said Chengriha, would take over as acting chief of staff of the military. Gaed Salah's death comes less than a week after Tebboune was inaugurated following an election that the army had pushed for as the only way to resolve the crisis over the mass protests. Demonstrators opposed the vote and official figures showed only 40 per cent of the electorate cast ballots. The authorities have so far rejected any systematic attempt to crush the protests with violence, allowing them to continue each week but stepping up the police presence in recent months and detaining many demonstrators. "He kept his promise to save the blood of Algerians during a tough period," Islam Benatia, a prominent figure in the protest movement, said on Facebook. The army's central role in Algerian politics was underlined last week when Tebboune's first act after being sworn in was to embrace Gaed Salah and present him with an order of merit. Weeks after mass protests erupted early this year, Gaed Salah's televised speech urging president Bouteflika to quit swiftly led to the veteran leader's resignation. The army then backed a series of arrests of Bouteflika allies and senior businessmen in an anti-corruption campaign that was widely seen as a purge of the military's rivals within the ruling system. But it was not enough to appease the protesters, many of whom had begun calling for Gaed Salah's resignation. One constant chant throughout the protests has been for "A civilian state, not a military state". The army has been central to Algerian politics since it won independence from France in 1962 following a guerrilla war against the colonial power. Most of the country's leaders since that period, including Gaed Salah and the new acting army chief Chengriha, have been veterans of that struggle. Gaed Salah received military training in the Soviet Union and became head of Algeria's land forces in 1994, early in the civil war between the state and Islamist insurgents that killed 200,000 people. Bouteflika appointed him army chief a decade later. In the past 15 years, he consolidated the military's power in the ruling elite, helping Bouteflika face down the once-dominant intelligence service. As Bouteflika and his allies were ousted this year, the army's central role became more pronounced and Gaed Salah emerged as the most powerful figure in the country. He pushed hard for this month's election to replace Bouteflika, a vote that the protesters rejected as a charade designed to keep the ruling elite in place, but was seen by the army as necessary to restore constitutional rule. "Thank God we have a president now. Imagine what would have happened if there was no president," said another retired general. Gaed Salah's funeral will take place on Tuesday, a day on which students have been staging weekly protests for much of the year.

Algeria's powerful army chief dies at pivotal point in political crisis

Was Lithium The Reason For The Resignation Of Bolivia's President Evo Morales

Gravitas: Bolivia: When Chemistry Sparked a Political Crisis

Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi called for calm as more than 190 people were wounded in the capital on Friday, but protesters scorned his promises of political reform.

Iraq Anti-Government Protest: Military deployed to quell protests

Britain should delay <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/not-a-hypothesis-im-willing-to-contemplate-johnson-on-resignation-over-brexit-248022">Brexit beyond October 31</a> rather than leave the European Union without a deal, which would be particularly harmful to large carmakers, the head of the sector's industry body told Reuters on Friday.

As Britain spins towards an election, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/british-opposition-parties-discuss-pm-johnsons-brexit-election-gamble-247990">Brexit remains up in the air </a>more than three years after Britons voted to leave the world's biggest trading bloc in a 2016 referendum leading to the country's biggest political crisis in decades.

The autos sector, the country's biggest exporter of goods, has been one of the most vocal opponents of a no-deal Brexit, warning that production would be hit with tariffs, border delays and new bureaucracy, ruining the viability of many plants.

"Leaving without a deal would be the worst outcome," the Chief Executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers of Traders (SMMT) Mike Hawes told Reuters. "If it takes an extra couple of months to get that deal, I think the industry would put up with that," he said.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government has been urging companies to ramp up their efforts to prepare for a no-deal Brexit but not everyone can repeat plans in place for the original March exit date.

Ministers have said they could help sectors hit by a disorderly exit and Brexiteers have long argued that Europe's biggest economy, Germany, which exports hundreds of thousands of cars to Britain each year, would protect that trade.

Whilst some preparations, such as new IT systems, can be carried over, others, including building additional component stocks have to be redone, and some plans, such as temporarily shutting plants to cope with no-deal, cannot be repeated by all.

BMW, which moved its annual summertime shutdown at its Mini and Rolls-Royce factories to April to mitigate the effects of a disorderly exit, has said it cannot do the same again this time.

"Some may have a degree of flexibility, others won't," said Hawes.

A series of new models, the key to firms already hit by a collapse in diesel demand, the dented Chinese market and electrification, are due to roll off British production lines over the next few months.

Nissan, which operates Britain's largest car factory, will be producing the new Juke from October, BMW's electric Mini is due in the autumn and Aston Martin's first sport-utility vehicle will be built at a new plant in Wales.

The uncertainty over Brexit leaves the future of Peugeot's British car plant, which builds the Vauxhall/Opel Astra, in question as the firm has committed to keeping the site open "conditional on the final terms of the UK's exit from the European Union."

Meanwhile, Britain's biggest carmaker Jaguar Land Rover, whose parent company posted record losses earlier this year, has said its Brexit planning costs were more than 100 million pounds ($123 million) between April and June.

All the main car companies in Britain are foreign-owned but the case for investing in the country as a gateway into Europe is at risk, Ian Henry, Professor in Automotive Business Strategy at Birmingham City University's Centre for Brexit Studies told Reuters.

"When you're talking about adding billions of pounds to the cost structure of an industry which either makes very low margins or no money at all, that can only undermine the viability of producing vehicles in this country," he said.

Britain should delay Brexit beyond October 31 rather than leave the European Union without a deal, which would be particularly harmful to large carmakers, the head of the sector's industry body told Reuters on Friday.

Britain should delay Brexit beyond October 31 rather than leave the European Union without a deal, which would be particularly harmful to large carmakers, the head of the sector's industry body told Reuters on Friday. As Britain spins towards an election, Brexit remains up in the air more than three years after Britons voted to leave the world's biggest trading bloc in a 2016 referendum leading to the country's biggest political crisis in decades. The autos sector, the country's biggest exporter of goods, has been one of the most vocal opponents of a no-deal Brexit, warning that production would be hit with tariffs, border delays and new bureaucracy, ruining the viability of many plants. "Leaving without a deal would be the worst outcome," the Chief Executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers of Traders (SMMT) Mike Hawes told Reuters. "If it takes an extra couple of months to get that deal, I think the industry would put up with that," he said. Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government has been urging companies to ramp up their efforts to prepare for a no-deal Brexit but not everyone can repeat plans in place for the original March exit date. Ministers have said they could help sectors hit by a disorderly exit and Brexiteers have long argued that Europe's biggest economy, Germany, which exports hundreds of thousands of cars to Britain each year, would protect that trade. Whilst some preparations, such as new IT systems, can be carried over, others, including building additional component stocks have to be redone, and some plans, such as temporarily shutting plants to cope with no-deal, cannot be repeated by all. BMW, which moved its annual summertime shutdown at its Mini and Rolls-Royce factories to April to mitigate the effects of a disorderly exit, has said it cannot do the same again this time. "Some may have a degree of flexibility, others won't," said Hawes. A series of new models, the key to firms already hit by a collapse in diesel demand, the dented Chinese market and electrification, are due to roll off British production lines over the next few months. Nissan, which operates Britain's largest car factory, will be producing the new Juke from October, BMW's electric Mini is due in the autumn and Aston Martin's first sport-utility vehicle will be built at a new plant in Wales. The uncertainty over Brexit leaves the future of Peugeot's British car plant, which builds the Vauxhall/Opel Astra, in question as the firm has committed to keeping the site open "conditional on the final terms of the UK's exit from the European Union." Meanwhile, Britain's biggest carmaker Jaguar Land Rover, whose parent company posted record losses earlier this year, has said its Brexit planning costs were more than 100 million pounds ($123 million) between April and June. All the main car companies in Britain are foreign-owned but the case for investing in the country as a gateway into Europe is at risk, Ian Henry, Professor in Automotive Business Strategy at Birmingham City University's Centre for Brexit Studies told Reuters. "When you're talking about adding billions of pounds to the cost structure of an industry which either makes very low margins or no money at all, that can only undermine the viability of producing vehicles in this country," he said.

Leaving without a deal would be the worst outcome: UK carmakers on no-deal Brexit

Sudan's military council spokesman said on Friday that nine soldiers from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the country's most powerful paramilitary group, have been dismissed and detained in connection with the<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/four-school-children-shot-dead-at-sudan-protest-opposition-campaigners-239439"> killing of protestors</a> this week.

Lieutenant General Shams El-Din Kabbashi added that the governor of North Kordofan state and its security council would also be held accountable for the killing of six people, including four schoolchildren, in the state capital El-Obeid on Monday.

Formerly known as the Janjaweed, the RSF fighters armed with assault rifles, machine guns mounted on trucks and rocket-propelled grenades are widely feared. They were hardened by the war in Darfur against rebels who rose up against the government.

Opposition groups have accused the RSF, led by the deputy head of Sudan's Transitional Military Council, of killing scores of protesters demanding a return to civilian rule since President Omar al-Bashir was ousted in April.

The RSF's commander, General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, has previously denied these claims and blamed "infiltrators" instead.

The main opposition coalition, the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC), welcomed the action against the RSF members, saying it would prevent further violence.

Hundreds of thousands of Sudanese took to the streets on Thursday in response to the killings in El-Obeid, and opposition medics said four more protesters were killed and many injured by gunfire in Omdurman. Kabbashi said authorities were pursuing those suspected of involvement in the deaths in Omdurman.

His remarks came at a press conference after a night of negotiations with opposition groups over a constitutional declaration, a document that would pave the way for a transitional government.

The two sides had signed a political deal in July setting a three-year transition period and a joint sovereign council. Talks over the constitutional declaration were called into question by the violence this week before being reconvened.

"The agreement is really now just around the corner," Satea al-Hajj of the FFC said on Thursday as talks got underway.

African Union mediator for Sudan Mohamed Hassan Lebatt told the Friday news conference that talks were set to continue in the evening.

Sudan's military council spokesman said on Friday that nine soldiers from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the country's most powerful paramilitary group, have been dismissed and detained in connection with the killing of protestors this week.

Sudan's military council spokesman said on Friday that nine soldiers from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the country's most powerful paramilitary group, have been dismissed and detained in connection with the killing of protestors this week. Lieutenant General Shams El-Din Kabbashi added that the governor of North Kordofan state and its security council would also be held accountable for the killing of six people, including four schoolchildren, in the state capital El-Obeid on Monday. Formerly known as the Janjaweed, the RSF fighters armed with assault rifles, machine guns mounted on trucks and rocket-propelled grenades are widely feared. They were hardened by the war in Darfur against rebels who rose up against the government. Opposition groups have accused the RSF, led by the deputy head of Sudan's Transitional Military Council, of killing scores of protesters demanding a return to civilian rule since President Omar al-Bashir was ousted in April. The RSF's commander, General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, has previously denied these claims and blamed "infiltrators" instead. The main opposition coalition, the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC), welcomed the action against the RSF members, saying it would prevent further violence. Hundreds of thousands of Sudanese took to the streets on Thursday in response to the killings in El-Obeid, and opposition medics said four more protesters were killed and many injured by gunfire in Omdurman. Kabbashi said authorities were pursuing those suspected of involvement in the deaths in Omdurman. His remarks came at a press conference after a night of negotiations with opposition groups over a constitutional declaration, a document that would pave the way for a transitional government. The two sides had signed a political deal in July setting a three-year transition period and a joint sovereign council. Talks over the constitutional declaration were called into question by the violence this week before being reconvened. "The agreement is really now just around the corner," Satea al-Hajj of the FFC said on Thursday as talks got underway. African Union mediator for Sudan Mohamed Hassan Lebatt told the Friday news conference that talks were set to continue in the evening.

Sudan detains nine soldiers after protesters killed

Hong Kong police on Monday defended their actions and the lack of arrests after opposition lawmakers said police had failed to protect a train full of anti-government protesters from a triad gangster attack on Sunday. The attack came in a night of violence that opened new fronts in Hong Kong's widening political crisis over an extradition bill to send people to China for trial. Some politicians and activists have long linked Hong Kong's shadowy network of triad criminal gangs to political intimidation and violence in recent years.

Violent clashes erupt between residents, suspected triads in Hong Kong

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath will be in Bengaluru on Sunday as his <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/karnataka-crisis-ready-for-both-trust-vote-or-no-confidence-motion-hd-kumaraswamy-tells-speaker-235296">party battles a political crisis</a> to save the coalition government in Karnataka.

His visit assumes significance in the context of efforts mounted by Congress to woo back the rebels to its fold ahead of a possible trial of strength in the Assembly.

Congress leader D K Shivakumar visited the residence of party`s dissident MLA M T B Nagaraj early on Saturday morning to convince him to take back his resignation. Hoskote MLA Nagaraj and Chikballapur Congress MLA Dr K Sudhakar resigned from the Assembly on July 10.

The 13-month-old Congress-JD(S) government slumped into crisis following the resignation of 10 MLAs from the membership of the state Assembly last week.&nbsp;

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath will be in Bengaluru on Sunday as his party battles a political crisis to save the coalition government in Karnataka. His visit assumes significance in the context of efforts mounted by Congress to woo back the rebels to its fold ahead of a possible trial of strength in the Assembly.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath will be in Bengaluru on Sunday as his party battles a political crisis to save the coalition government in Karnataka. His visit assumes significance in the context of efforts mounted by Congress to woo back the rebels to its fold ahead of a possible trial of strength in the Assembly. Congress leader D K Shivakumar visited the residence of party`s dissident MLA M T B Nagaraj early on Saturday morning to convince him to take back his resignation. Hoskote MLA Nagaraj and Chikballapur Congress MLA Dr K Sudhakar resigned from the Assembly on July 10. The 13-month-old Congress-JD(S) government slumped into crisis following the resignation of 10 MLAs from the membership of the state Assembly last week.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath to visit Karnataka amid political crisis

Mass Protests Rock The Sudan's Capital Khartoum As Political Crisis Intensifies

Gravitas: Protests resume in the Sudan after few days of calm

Backlash After Sri Lanka Easter Massacre: Muslim Ministers In Sri Lankan Government Quit.

Gravitas: Political Crisis In Sri Lanka: All Muslim Ministers Resign

Large crowds gathered in support of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido outside a Caracas air force base on Tuesday. Watch this video to know more.

WION Gravitas: Venezuela's political crisis deepens

Algerian People Protest Against The Interim President Abdelkader Bensalah

Gravitas: Massive Protests in Algeria as Political Crisis Intensifies

Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido on Monday called for a new mass demonstration as a devastating blackout that has left millions without power entered its fifth day and the US said it is <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-says-to-withdraw-all-remaining-diplomatic-personnel-from-venezuela-202779">withdrawing its remaining diplomatic personnel</a> from Caracas.

President Nicolas Maduro meanwhile called for grassroots groups to hit back against what he called attacks encouraged by the US against the country's electrical grid.

"The time has come for active resistance," he said in a speech.

Guaido, in a speech to the National Assembly which he leads, said "tomorrow at three o'clock in the afternoon, all of Venezuela will be on the streets" to protest against Maduro.

Parliament accepted the 35-year-old's request to declare a "<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/venezuela-congress-declares-state-of-alarm-over-blackout-202729">state of alarm</a>" to pave the way for the delivery of international aid, 250 tons of which has been stuck for a month at Venezuela's borders with Colombia and Brazil.

Guaido and the opposition-controlled legislature have no means to enforce it, though, as Maduro controls the military and security services, which are currently preventing aid from entering the country.

Guaido, recognized as Venezuela's interim president by more than 50 countries, called on the military and security services to "refrain from preventing or hindering" Tuesday's protests.

Describing the situation as a "catastrophe," he said the blackout -- the worst in the Latin American country's history -- had claimed dozens of lives since it began on Thursday.

Power was restored to some areas of the country over the weekend but -- with residents and businesses fearing that refrigerated food would spoil -- service was patchy and power often lasted just a few hours before dropping out again.

As the situation worsened, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced Washington is withdrawing all its remaining personnel from the US embassy in Caracas. All non-emergency staff were ordered to leave on January 24.

"This decision reflects the deteriorating situation in #Venezuela as well as the conclusion that the presence of US diplomatic staff at the embassy has become a constraint on US policy," Pompeo wrote on Twitter.

'Tragedy'

Even the National Assembly's emergency session fell victim to the blackout, as the electricity supply failed an hour into the meeting.

"We cannot turn away from this tragedy our country is going through," said Guaido, who declared himself acting president in January, triggering a power struggle with Maduro in the oil-rich South American country of 30 million.

Businesses and schools remain shuttered on Maduro's orders, as they have been since the blackout began. In any event, the lack of public transport made travel difficult, even in Caracas.

Maduro extended the closure for another 24 hours on Monday due to the blackout, the second time he has done so.

In his speech Monday night Maduro asked for resistance from groups known as "colectivos" -- grassroots social work groups that the opposition argues have also been armed by the government and act as militia.

Critics say such groups were behind the death of seven people on February 23 when the opposition tried in vain to bring US-supplied food and medicine across the borders with Colombia and Brazil.&nbsp;

A ball of flame flared across the darkened sky over southeastern Caracas in the early hours of the morning when the Humboldt power station erupted in a massive explosion, increasing the chaos in an area where looting was reported on Sunday.

"I felt like I was in a horror movie," said Carolina Molina, who witnessed the blast from her window.&nbsp;

State-owned electricity company Corpoelec declined to comment on the explosion.

The fire that followed the blast was still smoldering by mid-morning. A metal beam holding one of the huge transformers had melted and a wall had been blackened, AFP reporters said.

'Hollywoodesque'

The power crisis may spell trouble for Maduro's support from the military, the Eurasia Group consultancy said.

"The government's inability to resolve the crisis and the resulting impact on oil exports, along with challenging social dynamics, may start to shift the military's calculations about the sustainability of Maduro's regime," it said.

Maduro has ordered that hospitals -- where patients were languishing without proper treatment, and where at least 15 people reportedly died due to a lack of kidney dialysis treatment -- should be given top priority.

He has blamed the blackout on US "sabotage" in the form of an electromagnetic attack on the country's main hydroelectric complex in Guri, which supplies 80 per cent of Venezuela's electricity.

Guaido dismissed that explanation as "Hollywoodesque." Critics blamed the government for failing to maintain the power grid, as did the Lima Group, a primarily Latin American bloc.

For ordinary Venezuelans, the blackout has piled misery upon an already agonizing day-to-day struggle to survive in a country in economic freefall.

Venezuela has been in recession for more than four years, has struggled with hyperinflation the International Monetary Fund says will hit a staggering 10 million per cent this year, and seen a mass exodus of an estimated 2.7 million migrants since 2015.

"Every day is worse," said Edward Cazano, a 20-year-old who lives with his mother and three brothers in a poor Caracas neighborhood called Pinto Salinas.&nbsp;

"We have the worst services in the world: no light, no water, sometimes no gas."

Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido on Monday called for a new mass demonstration as a devastating blackout that has left millions without power entered its fifth day and the US said it is withdrawing its remaining diplomatic personnel from Caracas.

Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido on Monday called for a new mass demonstration as a devastating blackout that has left millions without power entered its fifth day and the US said it is withdrawing its remaining diplomatic personnel from Caracas. President Nicolas Maduro meanwhile called for grassroots groups to hit back against what he called attacks encouraged by the US against the country's electrical grid. "The time has come for active resistance," he said in a speech. Guaido, in a speech to the National Assembly which he leads, said "tomorrow at three o'clock in the afternoon, all of Venezuela will be on the streets" to protest against Maduro. Parliament accepted the 35-year-old's request to declare a "state of alarm" to pave the way for the delivery of international aid, 250 tons of which has been stuck for a month at Venezuela's borders with Colombia and Brazil. Guaido and the opposition-controlled legislature have no means to enforce it, though, as Maduro controls the military and security services, which are currently preventing aid from entering the country. Guaido, recognized as Venezuela's interim president by more than 50 countries, called on the military and security services to "refrain from preventing or hindering" Tuesday's protests. Describing the situation as a "catastrophe," he said the blackout -- the worst in the Latin American country's history -- had claimed dozens of lives since it began on Thursday. Power was restored to some areas of the country over the weekend but -- with residents and businesses fearing that refrigerated food would spoil -- service was patchy and power often lasted just a few hours before dropping out again. As the situation worsened, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced Washington is withdrawing all its remaining personnel from the US embassy in Caracas. All non-emergency staff were ordered to leave on January 24. "This decision reflects the deteriorating situation in #Venezuela as well as the conclusion that the presence of US diplomatic staff at the embassy has become a constraint on US policy," Pompeo wrote on Twitter. 'Tragedy' Even the National Assembly's emergency session fell victim to the blackout, as the electricity supply failed an hour into the meeting. "We cannot turn away from this tragedy our country is going through," said Guaido, who declared himself acting president in January, triggering a power struggle with Maduro in the oil-rich South American country of 30 million. Businesses and schools remain shuttered on Maduro's orders, as they have been since the blackout began. In any event, the lack of public transport made travel difficult, even in Caracas. Maduro extended the closure for another 24 hours on Monday due to the blackout, the second time he has done so. In his speech Monday night Maduro asked for resistance from groups known as "colectivos" -- grassroots social work groups that the opposition argues have also been armed by the government and act as militia. Critics say such groups were behind the death of seven people on February 23 when the opposition tried in vain to bring US-supplied food and medicine across the borders with Colombia and Brazil. A ball of flame flared across the darkened sky over southeastern Caracas in the early hours of the morning when the Humboldt power station erupted in a massive explosion, increasing the chaos in an area where looting was reported on Sunday. "I felt like I was in a horror movie," said Carolina Molina, who witnessed the blast from her window. State-owned electricity company Corpoelec declined to comment on the explosion. The fire that followed the blast was still smoldering by mid-morning. A metal beam holding one of the huge transformers had melted and a wall had been blackened, AFP reporters said. 'Hollywoodesque' The power crisis may spell trouble for Maduro's support from the military, the Eurasia Group consultancy said. "The government's inability to resolve the crisis and the resulting impact on oil exports, along with challenging social dynamics, may start to shift the military's calculations about the sustainability of Maduro's regime," it said. Maduro has ordered that hospitals -- where patients were languishing without proper treatment, and where at least 15 people reportedly died due to a lack of kidney dialysis treatment -- should be given top priority. He has blamed the blackout on US "sabotage" in the form of an electromagnetic attack on the country's main hydroelectric complex in Guri, which supplies 80 per cent of Venezuela's electricity. Guaido dismissed that explanation as "Hollywoodesque." Critics blamed the government for failing to maintain the power grid, as did the Lima Group, a primarily Latin American bloc. For ordinary Venezuelans, the blackout has piled misery upon an already agonizing day-to-day struggle to survive in a country in economic freefall. Venezuela has been in recession for more than four years, has struggled with hyperinflation the International Monetary Fund says will hit a staggering 10 million per cent this year, and seen a mass exodus of an estimated 2.7 million migrants since 2015. "Every day is worse," said Edward Cazano, a 20-year-old who lives with his mother and three brothers in a poor Caracas neighborhood called Pinto Salinas. "We have the worst services in the world: no light, no water, sometimes no gas."

Venezuela's Guaido calls for new rally as lawmakers declare 'alarm'

The US has said it is looking forward to continue to engage with the reinstated Sri Lankan <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/ranil-wickremesinghe-sri-lankas-reformist-premiere-184790">Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe</a>, now that the nearly two-month-long political crisis in the South Asian country has been resolved peacefully and democratically.

Sri Lankan <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/rajapaksa-bribed-parliamentarians-to-prove-majority-president-sirisena-182684">President Maithripala Sirisena</a> had controversially sacked Wickremesinghe as prime minister on October 26 and appointed Sinhala strongman <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/former-pm-mahinda-rajapaksa-becomes-sri-lankas-main-opposition-leader-185083">Mahinda Rajapaksa</a> in his place. The shock move had plunged Sri Lanka into an unprecedented constitutional crisis.

Sirisena had to reinstate Wickremesinghe on Sunday after the Supreme Court ruled that his action violated the constitution and the legislature voted confidence in Wickremesinghe.

"We are pleased to have seen the democratic, constitutional processes play out through the courts in Sri Lanka, ultimately addressing the political crisis in keeping with democratic and constitutional norms," Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia David Ranz told a group of Indian reporters on Wednesday.

"We look forward to continuing to engage with Prime Minister Wickremesinghe and his cabinet as well as President Sirisena to advance cooperation on bilateral and regional issues of common interest," said Ranz, who just returned from a trip to Sri Lanka.

The US, he said, anticipates the Sri Lankan government will focus on taking steps to bolster the economy and restore the country's international standing.

"During my visit, I conveyed that, as a friend and partner of Sri Lanka for 70 years, the United States wished to see the political crisis resolved in a manner befitting Sri Lanka's democratic traditions and in keeping with its status as South Asia's oldest democracy," he said.

The US has said it is looking forward to continue to engage with the reinstated Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, now that the nearly two-month-long political crisis in the South Asian country has been resolved peacefully and democratically.

The US has said it is looking forward to continue to engage with the reinstated Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, now that the nearly two-month-long political crisis in the South Asian country has been resolved peacefully and democratically. Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena had controversially sacked Wickremesinghe as prime minister on October 26 and appointed Sinhala strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa in his place. The shock move had plunged Sri Lanka into an unprecedented constitutional crisis. Sirisena had to reinstate Wickremesinghe on Sunday after the Supreme Court ruled that his action violated the constitution and the legislature voted confidence in Wickremesinghe. "We are pleased to have seen the democratic, constitutional processes play out through the courts in Sri Lanka, ultimately addressing the political crisis in keeping with democratic and constitutional norms," Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia David Ranz told a group of Indian reporters on Wednesday. "We look forward to continuing to engage with Prime Minister Wickremesinghe and his cabinet as well as President Sirisena to advance cooperation on bilateral and regional issues of common interest," said Ranz, who just returned from a trip to Sri Lanka. The US, he said, anticipates the Sri Lankan government will focus on taking steps to bolster the economy and restore the country's international standing. "During my visit, I conveyed that, as a friend and partner of Sri Lanka for 70 years, the United States wished to see the political crisis resolved in a manner befitting Sri Lanka's democratic traditions and in keeping with its status as South Asia's oldest democracy," he said.

Looking forward to continuing to engage with PM Wickremesinghe: US

Sri Lanka's travel industry is starting to suffer the fallout of a political crisis in the middle of its peak tourist season, as uncertainty prompts cancellations by both business and leisure visitors.

Tourism makes up about 5 per cent of the Indian Ocean island's $87-billion economy, but the president's sacking of the prime minister late in October triggered a crisis that credit rating agencies say has already hit economic prospects.

"We have cancellations in the region of about 20 per cent," said Chandra Mohotti, a manager at the luxury Galle Face Hotel in the capital, Colombo, which has about 200 rooms.

"Normally our hotel would be full. We are offering discounts because of the fear that allocations will not be utilised."

Peak season for holidaymakers from Europe, a major source of tourists, along with India and China, typically runs from December to March.

But numerous flight bookings have been cancelled, especially from Europe, a source at national carrier SriLankan Airlines told Reuters.

"The crisis started just when tourists take a decision where to go," said the source, who declined to be named. "(It) has discouraged many of them."

Mahinda Rajapaksa, who replaced Ranil Wickremesinghe as prime minister, lacks a parliamentary majority and has been prevented by a court from holding office, delaying the 2019 budget and leading to violent scenes in parliament.

It may be a while before the cancellations show up in arrivals figures, however. Tourist numbers were up 16.8 per cent in November on the year, official data showed on Thursday, with visitors from Europe up 37 per cent, although numbers from China, Japan, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia all fell.

Last year, more than 2.1 million people visited Sri Lanka, tourism authorities say.

Business travel has also been hit by the crisis, with firms moving meetings to elsewhere in Southeast Asia. &nbsp;

"There have been some cancellations and some have shifted to Singapore and Indonesia," said Sanath Ukwatte, president of the Hotels Association of Sri Lanka, adding that conference and exhibition bookings were the worst hit.

Harith Perera, president of the Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators, said he had also seen cancellations in the corporate sector.

"At the moment bookings have slowed down and that is a concern," he said. "If the current crisis drags on, then the impact will be significant. Cancellations are not only from European tourists but from everywhere."

Sri Lanka's travel industry is starting to suffer the fallout of a political crisis in the middle of its peak tourist season, as uncertainty prompts cancellations by both business and leisure visitors.

Sri Lanka's travel industry is starting to suffer the fallout of a political crisis in the middle of its peak tourist season, as uncertainty prompts cancellations by both business and leisure visitors. Tourism makes up about 5 per cent of the Indian Ocean island's $87-billion economy, but the president's sacking of the prime minister late in October triggered a crisis that credit rating agencies say has already hit economic prospects. "We have cancellations in the region of about 20 per cent," said Chandra Mohotti, a manager at the luxury Galle Face Hotel in the capital, Colombo, which has about 200 rooms. "Normally our hotel would be full. We are offering discounts because of the fear that allocations will not be utilised." Peak season for holidaymakers from Europe, a major source of tourists, along with India and China, typically runs from December to March. But numerous flight bookings have been cancelled, especially from Europe, a source at national carrier SriLankan Airlines told Reuters. "The crisis started just when tourists take a decision where to go," said the source, who declined to be named. "(It) has discouraged many of them." Mahinda Rajapaksa, who replaced Ranil Wickremesinghe as prime minister, lacks a parliamentary majority and has been prevented by a court from holding office, delaying the 2019 budget and leading to violent scenes in parliament. It may be a while before the cancellations show up in arrivals figures, however. Tourist numbers were up 16.8 per cent in November on the year, official data showed on Thursday, with visitors from Europe up 37 per cent, although numbers from China, Japan, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia all fell. Last year, more than 2.1 million people visited Sri Lanka, tourism authorities say. Business travel has also been hit by the crisis, with firms moving meetings to elsewhere in Southeast Asia. "There have been some cancellations and some have shifted to Singapore and Indonesia," said Sanath Ukwatte, president of the Hotels Association of Sri Lanka, adding that conference and exhibition bookings were the worst hit. Harith Perera, president of the Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators, said he had also seen cancellations in the corporate sector. "At the moment bookings have slowed down and that is a concern," he said. "If the current crisis drags on, then the impact will be significant. Cancellations are not only from European tourists but from everywhere."

Sri Lanka's political crisis spurs tourists to cancel in peak season

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena said that the current political crisis in the country will not drag on beyond a week even as a war of words between him and <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sri-lankas-ousted-pm-likens-president-to-hitler-181568">ousted prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe</a> intensified.

His statement came days after a lower court temporarily barred Sirisena-appointed prime minister <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sri-lanka-crisis-rajapaksa-files-appeal-in-supreme-court-against-interim-courts-order-181435">Mahinda Rajapaksa</a> from performing his duties.

Sri Lanka is going through a major political crisis since October 26 when President Sirisena, in a controversial move, removed Wickremesinghe and installed ex-strongman Rajapaksa in his place.

The president later dissolved Parliament and called for a snap election on January 5. However, the Supreme Court overturned Sirisena's decision to dissolve Parliament and halted the preparations for snap polls.

In a statement, Sirisena said that he has always taken decisions in the best interest of the country and the people.

"The current political crisis will not drag on beyond seven days," he said on Twitter.

In his strongest yet statement against the president, United National Party (UNP) leader Wickremesinghe on Tuesday said the United National Front (UNF) was prepared to face elections and they are "not afraid of elections."

"Don't be like Hitler and some of the other dictators who used the referendum," Wickremesinghe was quoted as saying by Sri Lanka Mirror.

Sirisena, speaking at the SLFP special convention at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium on Tuesday, said that he had been left with no option but to sack Wickremesinghe as he was destroying the noble principles of good governance.

"He destroyed me as well to some extent," the President said, adding that the former prime minister attempted to grab powers which were decentralised under the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.

President Maithripala Sirisena added that Wickremesinghe is a stubborn, headstrong person who was following far right wing neo-liberal policies.

On Tuesday, Rajapaksa filed an appeal before the Supreme Court against a court order that barred him from acting as Prime Minister.

The Court of Appeal in an interim order Monday temporary halted Rajapaksa and his Cabinet from functioning in their positions in response to a case filed by 122 legislators against his disputed government. The court set the hearing of the case for December 12 and 13.

As many as 122 parliamentarians of Wickremesinghe's UNP, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and Tamil National Alliance last month filed a petition in the Court of Appeal challenging Rajapaksa's authority as the prime minister.

The interim ruling was a major blow to both President Sirisena and Rajapaksa.

Ousted prime minister Wickremesinghe and Rajapaksa both claim to be the prime ministers. Wickremesinghe says his dismissal is invalid because he still holds a majority in the 225-member Parliament.

Prior to the crisis, Wickramasinghe's UNP had the backing of 106 parliamentarians while Rajapaksa and Sirisena combine had 95 seats. 
Rajapaksa has, so far, failed to prove his majority in Parliament.

Wickremesinghe, with the support from the main Tamil party, claims to have the support of more than 113 legislators, required for a simple majority.

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has 16 seats in the house and JVP has six legislators.

The UNF has moved three no trust motions against Rajapaksa, who has refused to step down.

The Sri Lankan president has said that due to sharp personal differences with Wickremesinghe, he would not reappoint him as the Prime Minister.

However, Wickremesinghe's UNP claims that Sirisena will be left with no choice as he would be the man who will command the confidence in the House.&nbsp;

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena said that the current political crisis in the country will not drag on beyond a week even as a war of words between him and ousted prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe intensified.

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena said that the current political crisis in the country will not drag on beyond a week even as a war of words between him and ousted prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe intensified. His statement came days after a lower court temporarily barred Sirisena-appointed prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa from performing his duties. Sri Lanka is going through a major political crisis since October 26 when President Sirisena, in a controversial move, removed Wickremesinghe and installed ex-strongman Rajapaksa in his place. The president later dissolved Parliament and called for a snap election on January 5. However, the Supreme Court overturned Sirisena's decision to dissolve Parliament and halted the preparations for snap polls. In a statement, Sirisena said that he has always taken decisions in the best interest of the country and the people. "The current political crisis will not drag on beyond seven days," he said on Twitter. In his strongest yet statement against the president, United National Party (UNP) leader Wickremesinghe on Tuesday said the United National Front (UNF) was prepared to face elections and they are "not afraid of elections." "Don't be like Hitler and some of the other dictators who used the referendum," Wickremesinghe was quoted as saying by Sri Lanka Mirror. Sirisena, speaking at the SLFP special convention at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium on Tuesday, said that he had been left with no option but to sack Wickremesinghe as he was destroying the noble principles of good governance. "He destroyed me as well to some extent," the President said, adding that the former prime minister attempted to grab powers which were decentralised under the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. President Maithripala Sirisena added that Wickremesinghe is a stubborn, headstrong person who was following far right wing neo-liberal policies. On Tuesday, Rajapaksa filed an appeal before the Supreme Court against a court order that barred him from acting as Prime Minister. The Court of Appeal in an interim order Monday temporary halted Rajapaksa and his Cabinet from functioning in their positions in response to a case filed by 122 legislators against his disputed government. The court set the hearing of the case for December 12 and 13. As many as 122 parliamentarians of Wickremesinghe's UNP, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and Tamil National Alliance last month filed a petition in the Court of Appeal challenging Rajapaksa's authority as the prime minister. The interim ruling was a major blow to both President Sirisena and Rajapaksa. Ousted prime minister Wickremesinghe and Rajapaksa both claim to be the prime ministers. Wickremesinghe says his dismissal is invalid because he still holds a majority in the 225-member Parliament. Prior to the crisis, Wickramasinghe's UNP had the backing of 106 parliamentarians while Rajapaksa and Sirisena combine had 95 seats. Rajapaksa has, so far, failed to prove his majority in Parliament. Wickremesinghe, with the support from the main Tamil party, claims to have the support of more than 113 legislators, required for a simple majority. The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has 16 seats in the house and JVP has six legislators. The UNF has moved three no trust motions against Rajapaksa, who has refused to step down. The Sri Lankan president has said that due to sharp personal differences with Wickremesinghe, he would not reappoint him as the Prime Minister. However, Wickremesinghe's UNP claims that Sirisena will be left with no choice as he would be the man who will command the confidence in the House.

Sri Lanka political crisis to end in seven days: President Maithripala Sirisena

R Sampanthan, MP, Sri Lanka on Lanka political crisis

Sri Lanka Parliament votes against Mahinda Rajapaksa govt

WION CHAT: In conversation with Ashwin Hemmathagama on Sri Lanka political crisis

Attempts to win over MP defectors intensified in Sri Lanka's constitutional crisis Saturday amid growing pressure to let the suspended parliament hold a vote on the two rivals who each claim to be prime minister.

Ousted premier Ranil Wickremesinghe has refused to accept his surprise sacking by President Maithripala Sirisena, who named former strongman president Mahinda Rajapakse in his place.

Rajapakse has eaten into Wickremesinghe's majority amid warnings from pro-democracy and anti-corruption groups about the tactics being used.

A member of Wickremesinghe's United National Party, S.B. Nawinna, defected on Friday night and was rewarded with the cultural affairs portfolio in Rajapakse's government.

A deputy from a Tamil party supporting Wickremesinghe also switched sides and was made a deputy minister.

"We are expecting a few more defections on Saturday," a source close to President Sirisena said.

Wickremesinghe has remained in the official prime minister's residence since his sacking on October 26.

He claims to have majority support in the 225-member parliament but is still seeking to woo MPs from the Sirisena-Rajapakse camp, his aides said.

According to latest counts, Wickremesinghe has 103 MPs while Rajapakse and Sirisena together have 100. Most of the 22 remaining MPs are expected to back Wickremesinghe, observers said.

Huge amounts are reportedly being offered to defectors.

A UNP stalwart, Range Bandara, said this week he was offered US $2.8 million to cross over and support Rajapakse.

A pro-democracy movement urged MPs not to sell their votes and undermine the will of the people.

"We appeal to you not to allow parliament to be put up for sale. You have a responsibility to prevent Sri Lanka from being plunged further into a moral and ethical political abyss," the Movement for Democracy said.

The Transparency International anti-graft watchdog highlighted the country's Bribery Act which made accepting and offering inducements a jailable offence.

The president suspended parliament for 20 days in a move to forestall a parliamentary vote that would have gone against his choice for prime minister.

But parliament speaker Karu Jayasuriya has called a meeting for next Wednesday. The president has ordered parliament closed until November 16.

"We believe that the proroguing of parliament is to gain time to buy over sufficient cross overs," the Movement for Democracy said.

It expressed alarm at ministerial positions being given for&nbsp;changing political loyalties. "We demand a stop to this culture of buying and selling votes," the group said.

The minority Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) party, which has seven lawmakers, said its members had also rejected offers to join the Sirisena-Rajapakse camp.

SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem said the political horse-trading made an early parliament meeting even more important.

Meanwhile, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres joined&nbsp;international calls for Sirisena to end the suspension of parliament.

The UN chief told Sirisena he was following the crisis in Sri Lanka "with concern," and "urged the president to revert to parliamentary procedures and allow the parliament to vote as soon as possible," a UN statement said.

Attempts to win over MP defectors intensified in Sri Lanka's constitutional crisis Saturday amid growing pressure to let the suspended parliament hold a vote on the two rivals who each claim to be prime minister.

Attempts to win over MP defectors intensified in Sri Lanka's constitutional crisis Saturday amid growing pressure to let the suspended parliament hold a vote on the two rivals who each claim to be prime minister. Ousted premier Ranil Wickremesinghe has refused to accept his surprise sacking by President Maithripala Sirisena, who named former strongman president Mahinda Rajapakse in his place. Rajapakse has eaten into Wickremesinghe's majority amid warnings from pro-democracy and anti-corruption groups about the tactics being used. A member of Wickremesinghe's United National Party, S.B. Nawinna, defected on Friday night and was rewarded with the cultural affairs portfolio in Rajapakse's government. A deputy from a Tamil party supporting Wickremesinghe also switched sides and was made a deputy minister. "We are expecting a few more defections on Saturday," a source close to President Sirisena said. Wickremesinghe has remained in the official prime minister's residence since his sacking on October 26. He claims to have majority support in the 225-member parliament but is still seeking to woo MPs from the Sirisena-Rajapakse camp, his aides said. According to latest counts, Wickremesinghe has 103 MPs while Rajapakse and Sirisena together have 100. Most of the 22 remaining MPs are expected to back Wickremesinghe, observers said. Huge amounts are reportedly being offered to defectors. A UNP stalwart, Range Bandara, said this week he was offered US $2.8 million to cross over and support Rajapakse. A pro-democracy movement urged MPs not to sell their votes and undermine the will of the people. "We appeal to you not to allow parliament to be put up for sale. You have a responsibility to prevent Sri Lanka from being plunged further into a moral and ethical political abyss," the Movement for Democracy said. The Transparency International anti-graft watchdog highlighted the country's Bribery Act which made accepting and offering inducements a jailable offence. The president suspended parliament for 20 days in a move to forestall a parliamentary vote that would have gone against his choice for prime minister. But parliament speaker Karu Jayasuriya has called a meeting for next Wednesday. The president has ordered parliament closed until November 16. "We believe that the proroguing of parliament is to gain time to buy over sufficient cross overs," the Movement for Democracy said. It expressed alarm at ministerial positions being given for changing political loyalties. "We demand a stop to this culture of buying and selling votes," the group said. The minority Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) party, which has seven lawmakers, said its members had also rejected offers to join the Sirisena-Rajapakse camp. SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem said the political horse-trading made an early parliament meeting even more important. Meanwhile, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres joined international calls for Sirisena to end the suspension of parliament. The UN chief told Sirisena he was following the crisis in Sri Lanka "with concern," and "urged the president to revert to parliamentary procedures and allow the parliament to vote as soon as possible," a UN statement said.

Sri Lanka rivals target defectors to end political crisis

The Prime Minister of Madagascar, Olivier Mahafaly Solonandrasana has announced his resignation following the outcry over controversial electoral reforms.&nbsp;

"I will tender my resignation to the president today. As a statesman, I cannot be an obstacle to the life of the nation," Olivier Mahafaly Solonandrasana told a press briefing.

From past several weeks, Madagascar is rocked by violent protests. Protestors were seeking to oppose new laws that opposition has accused of aimed to bar their candidates from participating in elections this year.

In April one had died and 17 were injured in a clash that broke out between Madagascar security forces and activists.

The clashes erupted after police had fired tear gas in an attempt to control the demonstration.&nbsp;

The opposition claims that three new laws, adopted in April, favour the ruling party and put in place obstacles to the disadvantage of opponents. &nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

&nbsp;

'I will tender my resignation to the president today. As a statesman, I cannot be an obstacle to the life of the nation,' Olivier Mahafaly Solonandrasana told a press briefing

The Prime Minister of Madagascar, Olivier Mahafaly Solonandrasana has announced his resignation following the outcry over controversial electoral reforms. "I will tender my resignation to the president today. As a statesman, I cannot be an obstacle to the life of the nation," Olivier Mahafaly Solonandrasana told a press briefing. From past several weeks, Madagascar is rocked by violent protests. Protestors were seeking to oppose new laws that opposition has accused of aimed to bar their candidates from participating in elections this year. In April one had died and 17 were injured in a clash that broke out between Madagascar security forces and activists. The clashes erupted after police had fired tear gas in an attempt to control the demonstration. The opposition claims that three new laws, adopted in April, favour the ruling party and put in place obstacles to the disadvantage of opponents.

Madagascar prime minister announces resignation

Italy's central bank chief warned on Tuesday that the state was "only ever a few short steps" from losing investors' trust as markets dumped stocks and bonds, fearing repeat elections will become a de facto referendum on the country's euro membership.

Prime minister-designate Carlo Cottarelli is set to unveil his cabinet on Tuesday - he will meet President Sergio Mattarella at 1430 GMT - as tensions between the head of state and the two political parties he sidelined flared.

Cottarelli, a former International Monetary Fund official who Mattarella chose on Monday to head a stop-gap government leading to early elections, was due to meet the head of state in the afternoon.

The anti-establishment 5-Star Movement and the far-right League, the biggest winners from inconclusive elections in March, abandoned plans to form a coalition government at the weekend after Mattarella vetoed their choice for economy minister, an 81-year-old who has argued for Italy to leave the euro.

Investors believe that Cottarelli, 64, will fail to muster support to pass a budget, leading to repeat elections in the autumn when the two eurosceptic parties could return with even stronger representation in parliament.

A new poll by the SWG organisation showed support for the League had jumped to 27.5 percent, up about 10 points from the March 4 elections. While the 5-Star would fall about three points to 29.5 percent, the two combined would have a 57 percent majority in parliament if they decide to join forces again.

Such worries sent Italian stocks to their lowest level since July 2017, dragged down by a selloff in the shares of banks - many of which have invested heavily in the Italian government debt that is now falling sharply in value.

This selloff pushed up yields on the debt. Those on two-year bonds, the most sensitive to political upsets, were set for their biggest one-day jump in 26 years.

The continuing uncertainty in the euro zone's third biggest economy also helped the euro tumble to fresh multi-month lows. Investors had already worried about the proposed coalition's ambitious spending programme for a country which already has the third highest public debt in the world - plans that were likely to bring it into conflict with the European Union.

Bank of Italy chief Ignazio Visco said any move to weaken the country's public finances could undermine confidence and years of valuable reforms.

Italy's high debt as a proportion of its annual economic output could expose it to dangerous crises of confidence, he told the central bank's annual meeting.

Visco acknowledged the selloff was very serious but questioned its economic basis. "There are no justifications -- except for emotions -- for what we're seeing today on the markets," he said.

The number of investors expecting the euro zone to lose at least one member state in the coming months has increased due to the crisis in Italy, a survey showed on Tuesday.

The Sentix research group said its monthly "euro break-up" index, based on a survey of around 1,000 institutional and retail investors, more than doubled to 13 percent from 6.3 percent in April.

One currency strategist recalled how European Central Bank President Mario Draghi helped to calm the last euro zone debt crisis in 2012.

Something similar might soon also be required, said Saxo Bank's head of foreign exchange strategy John Hardy. "If this continues for another couple of sessions I think you will have to see some official (European) response. A 'whatever it takes' kind of moment," he said.

The ECB's outgoing vice president Vitor Constancio stressed that any help for Italy, should it run into liquidity problems, must meet the bank's mandate and "certain conditions".

"Italy knows the rules. They might want to read them again," Constancio told Spiegel magazine in an interview, according to a pre-release.

The ECB's never-used emergency bond buying scheme -- known as Outright Monetary Transactions or OMT -- is a potential tool to help Italy but comes with a long list of conditions.

While 10-year Italian bond yields have soared to over 3 percent recent days, they are well below the six percent reached when Draghi pledged to do "whatever it takes" to preserve the euro.

Cottarelli, whose simplicity startled reporters on Monday when he arrived at the presidential palace by taxi carrying a backpack and pulling his trolley bag, was preparing a slimed-down cabinet of experts with no direct links to political parties to steer the country to elections.

Both parties planning the failed coalition were infuriated by Mattarella's veto, accusing him of violating democratic principles.

The 5-Star leader, Luigi Di Maio, called on parliament to impeach Mattarella, which would be unprecedented in Italy's post-World War Two history. The party is planning big street protests against the president on Saturday.

5-Star members took to the streets holding anti-Mattarella placards such as "Sovereignty Belongs to the People", while the president's supporters went on Twitter with the hashtag "I stand with Mattarella".

Prime minister-designate Carlo Cottarelli is set to unveil his cabinet on Tuesday - he will meet President Sergio Mattarella at 1430 GMT - as tensions between the head of state and the two political parties he sidelined flared

Italy's central bank chief warned on Tuesday that the state was "only ever a few short steps" from losing investors' trust as markets dumped stocks and bonds, fearing repeat elections will become a de facto referendum on the country's euro membership. Prime minister-designate Carlo Cottarelli is set to unveil his cabinet on Tuesday - he will meet President Sergio Mattarella at 1430 GMT - as tensions between the head of state and the two political parties he sidelined flared. Cottarelli, a former International Monetary Fund official who Mattarella chose on Monday to head a stop-gap government leading to early elections, was due to meet the head of state in the afternoon. The anti-establishment 5-Star Movement and the far-right League, the biggest winners from inconclusive elections in March, abandoned plans to form a coalition government at the weekend after Mattarella vetoed their choice for economy minister, an 81-year-old who has argued for Italy to leave the euro. Investors believe that Cottarelli, 64, will fail to muster support to pass a budget, leading to repeat elections in the autumn when the two eurosceptic parties could return with even stronger representation in parliament. A new poll by the SWG organisation showed support for the League had jumped to 27.5 percent, up about 10 points from the March 4 elections. While the 5-Star would fall about three points to 29.5 percent, the two combined would have a 57 percent majority in parliament if they decide to join forces again. Such worries sent Italian stocks to their lowest level since July 2017, dragged down by a selloff in the shares of banks - many of which have invested heavily in the Italian government debt that is now falling sharply in value. This selloff pushed up yields on the debt. Those on two-year bonds, the most sensitive to political upsets, were set for their biggest one-day jump in 26 years. The continuing uncertainty in the euro zone's third biggest economy also helped the euro tumble to fresh multi-month lows. Investors had already worried about the proposed coalition's ambitious spending programme for a country which already has the third highest public debt in the world - plans that were likely to bring it into conflict with the European Union. Bank of Italy chief Ignazio Visco said any move to weaken the country's public finances could undermine confidence and years of valuable reforms. Italy's high debt as a proportion of its annual economic output could expose it to dangerous crises of confidence, he told the central bank's annual meeting. Visco acknowledged the selloff was very serious but questioned its economic basis. "There are no justifications -- except for emotions -- for what we're seeing today on the markets," he said. The number of investors expecting the euro zone to lose at least one member state in the coming months has increased due to the crisis in Italy, a survey showed on Tuesday. The Sentix research group said its monthly "euro break-up" index, based on a survey of around 1,000 institutional and retail investors, more than doubled to 13 percent from 6.3 percent in April. One currency strategist recalled how European Central Bank President Mario Draghi helped to calm the last euro zone debt crisis in 2012. Something similar might soon also be required, said Saxo Bank's head of foreign exchange strategy John Hardy. "If this continues for another couple of sessions I think you will have to see some official (European) response. A 'whatever it takes' kind of moment," he said. The ECB's outgoing vice president Vitor Constancio stressed that any help for Italy, should it run into liquidity problems, must meet the bank's mandate and "certain conditions". "Italy knows the rules. They might want to read them again," Constancio told Spiegel magazine in an interview, according to a pre-release. The ECB's never-used emergency bond buying scheme -- known as Outright Monetary Transactions or OMT -- is a potential tool to help Italy but comes with a long list of conditions. While 10-year Italian bond yields have soared to over 3 percent recent days, they are well below the six percent reached when Draghi pledged to do "whatever it takes" to preserve the euro. Cottarelli, whose simplicity startled reporters on Monday when he arrived at the presidential palace by taxi carrying a backpack and pulling his trolley bag, was preparing a slimed-down cabinet of experts with no direct links to political parties to steer the country to elections. Both parties planning the failed coalition were infuriated by Mattarella's veto, accusing him of violating democratic principles. The 5-Star leader, Luigi Di Maio, called on parliament to impeach Mattarella, which would be unprecedented in Italy's post-World War Two history. The party is planning big street protests against the president on Saturday. 5-Star members took to the streets holding anti-Mattarella placards such as "Sovereignty Belongs to the People", while the president's supporters went on Twitter with the hashtag "I stand with Mattarella".

Italy banker warns on political crisis as investors fear for euro

Italy could be forced to hold new elections after Giuseppe Conte gave up his bid to form a government following the collapse of talks with the president over including a eurosceptic economy minister in his cabinet.

Conte, 53, a lawyer and political novice, picked for prime minister by the anti-establishment Five Star Movement and far-right League seeking to form a coalition, had to present a list of ministers that the head of state would agreed to before his government could seek approval by parliament.

"I have given up my mandate to form the government of change," said Conte to reporters after leaving failed talks with President Sergio Mattarella.

Conte's decision to step aside leaves Italy in a political crisis nearly three months after March's inconclusive general election.

Following Conte's exit, Mattarella has summoned Carlo Cottarelli, an economist formerly with the International Monetary Fund, for talks on Monday, with a temporary technical government on the table as Italy faces the strong possibility of new elections in the autumn.

Cottarelli, 64, was director of the IMF's fiscal affairs department from 2008 to 2013 and became known as "Mr Scissors" for making cuts to public spending in Italy.

However, he will struggle to gain the approval of parliament with Five Star and the League commanding a majority in both houses.

"They've replaced a government with a majority with one that won't obtain one," said Five Star leader Luigi Di Maio to supporters at a rally near Rome.

Savona choice sinks deal

Mattarella confirmed that the nomination by Five Star and the League of Paolo Savona for economy minister saw the end of Conte's brief mandate.

In his latest book, "Like a Nightmare and a Dream", 81-year-old Savona calls the euro a "German cage" and says that Italy needs a plan to leave the single currency "if necessary".

"I accepted every proposed minister apart from the minister of the economy," Mattarella told reporters.

A former judge of Italy's constitutional court, Mattarella has refused to bow to what he saw as "diktats" from the two parties which he considered contrary to the country's interests.

He had watched for weeks as Five Star and the League set about trying to strike an alliance that would give Italy's hung parliament a majority.

The president said that he has done "everything possible" to aid the formation of a government, but that an openly eurosceptic economy minister ran against the parties' joint promise to simply "change Europe for the better from an Italian point of view".

"I asked for the (economy) ministry an authoritative person from the parliamentary majority who is consistent with the government programme... who isn't seen as a supporter of a line that could probably, or even inevitably, provoke Italy's exit from the euro," he added.

Mattarella said Conte refused to support "any other solution" and then, faced with the president's refusal to approve the choice of Savona, gave up his mandate to be prime minister.

Furious reaction

The leaders of Five Star and the League, Luigi Di Maio and Matteo Salvini, were infuriated by Mattarella's refusal to accept Savona, a respected financier and economist.

Salvini, who was Savona's biggest advocate and a fellow eurosceptic, said on Sunday that Italy wasn't a "colony", and that "we won't have Germany tell us what to do".

"Why don't we just say that in this country it's pointless that we vote, as the ratings agencies, financial lobbies decide the governments," a livid Di Maio said in a video on Facebook.

Later on Italian television he called for impeaching Mattarella.

"I hope that we can give the floor to Italians as soon as possible, but first we need to clear things up. First the impeachment of Mattarella... then to the polls," Di Maio said

Italy could be forced to hold new elections after Giuseppe Conte gave up his bid to form a government following the collapse of talks with the president over including a eurosceptic economy minister in his cabinet

Italy could be forced to hold new elections after Giuseppe Conte gave up his bid to form a government following the collapse of talks with the president over including a eurosceptic economy minister in his cabinet. Conte, 53, a lawyer and political novice, picked for prime minister by the anti-establishment Five Star Movement and far-right League seeking to form a coalition, had to present a list of ministers that the head of state would agreed to before his government could seek approval by parliament. "I have given up my mandate to form the government of change," said Conte to reporters after leaving failed talks with President Sergio Mattarella. Conte's decision to step aside leaves Italy in a political crisis nearly three months after March's inconclusive general election. Following Conte's exit, Mattarella has summoned Carlo Cottarelli, an economist formerly with the International Monetary Fund, for talks on Monday, with a temporary technical government on the table as Italy faces the strong possibility of new elections in the autumn. Cottarelli, 64, was director of the IMF's fiscal affairs department from 2008 to 2013 and became known as "Mr Scissors" for making cuts to public spending in Italy. However, he will struggle to gain the approval of parliament with Five Star and the League commanding a majority in both houses. "They've replaced a government with a majority with one that won't obtain one," said Five Star leader Luigi Di Maio to supporters at a rally near Rome. Savona choice sinks deal Mattarella confirmed that the nomination by Five Star and the League of Paolo Savona for economy minister saw the end of Conte's brief mandate. In his latest book, "Like a Nightmare and a Dream", 81-year-old Savona calls the euro a "German cage" and says that Italy needs a plan to leave the single currency "if necessary". "I accepted every proposed minister apart from the minister of the economy," Mattarella told reporters. A former judge of Italy's constitutional court, Mattarella has refused to bow to what he saw as "diktats" from the two parties which he considered contrary to the country's interests. He had watched for weeks as Five Star and the League set about trying to strike an alliance that would give Italy's hung parliament a majority. The president said that he has done "everything possible" to aid the formation of a government, but that an openly eurosceptic economy minister ran against the parties' joint promise to simply "change Europe for the better from an Italian point of view". "I asked for the (economy) ministry an authoritative person from the parliamentary majority who is consistent with the government programme... who isn't seen as a supporter of a line that could probably, or even inevitably, provoke Italy's exit from the euro," he added. Mattarella said Conte refused to support "any other solution" and then, faced with the president's refusal to approve the choice of Savona, gave up his mandate to be prime minister. Furious reaction The leaders of Five Star and the League, Luigi Di Maio and Matteo Salvini, were infuriated by Mattarella's refusal to accept Savona, a respected financier and economist. Salvini, who was Savona's biggest advocate and a fellow eurosceptic, said on Sunday that Italy wasn't a "colony", and that "we won't have Germany tell us what to do". "Why don't we just say that in this country it's pointless that we vote, as the ratings agencies, financial lobbies decide the governments," a livid Di Maio said in a video on Facebook. Later on Italian television he called for impeaching Mattarella. "I hope that we can give the floor to Italians as soon as possible, but first we need to clear things up. First the impeachment of Mattarella... then to the polls," Di Maio said

Italy plunges into political crisis after government talks collapse

Afghanistan&#39;s &quot;King of the North&quot; handed the reins to his hand-picked successor on Thursday, ending a three-month political crisis that many had feared would turn violent.

Atta Mohammad Noor, who sees himself as a potential presidential contender, agreed to step down from the governorship of Balkh province after his Jamiat-e-Islami party struck a deal with President Ashraf Ghani&#39;s US-backed government.

Ghani sacked Noor on December 18 but the strongman refused to leave the position he had held since 2004, triggering a standoff that threw up a challenge to the president&#39;s authority.

Noor will be replaced by one of his chosen successors, Mohammad Ishaq Rahguzar, who also belongs to the Jamiat party and is a member of the Balkh parliament.

&quot;I say goodbye today but I will still be here and always with my people,&quot; Noor said at a ceremony in the provincial capital Mazar-i-Sharif as he introduced his successor.

&quot;Big political games are ahead, including the elections, and we will be major players.&quot;

The decision to oust Noor backfired badly on Ghani, who was criticised for his poor timing and clumsy handling of the issue.

Instead of weakening a rival ahead of the presidential election in 2019, Ghani thrust the more charismatic Noor onto the national stage where he capitalised on his newfound fame.

The political crisis came at a bad time for the president, with his government facing a deteriorating security situation as the Taliban and the Islamic State group continue to carry out deadly attacks across the country.

Rahguzar served as the first governor of Balkh in the post-Taliban era before he was replaced by Noor.

&quot;They are very close,&quot; an Afghan analyst told AFP on the condition of anonymity.

The two men were part of the US-funded mujahideen who fought to expel the Soviets from Afghanistan in the 1980s.

&quot;He&#39;s acceptable to Atta -- not Ghani&#39;s first choice, but face-saving,&quot; a Western diplomat told AFP.

In his address for Nawrooz, the traditional Persian new year holiday, on Wednesday, Noor welcomed the deal with Ghani.

Another Western official told AFP that Noor&#39;s demands to Ghani, that included selecting people for key posts such as the police chief, had been met but Jamiat was still locked in negotiations over some issues including electoral law reform.

Mohammad Daud, who had been Ghani&#39;s choice to replace Noor and was forced to work in Kabul during the crisis, would likely be appointed governor of &quot;another province&quot;, a senior Afghan official said.

Afghanistan's 'King of the North' handed the reins to his hand-picked successor on Thursday, ending a three-month political crisis that many had feared would turn violent

Afghanistan's "King of the North" handed the reins to his hand-picked successor on Thursday, ending a three-month political crisis that many had feared would turn violent. Atta Mohammad Noor, who sees himself as a potential presidential contender, agreed to step down from the governorship of Balkh province after his Jamiat-e-Islami party struck a deal with President Ashraf Ghani's US-backed government. Ghani sacked Noor on December 18 but the strongman refused to leave the position he had held since 2004, triggering a standoff that threw up a challenge to the president's authority. Noor will be replaced by one of his chosen successors, Mohammad Ishaq Rahguzar, who also belongs to the Jamiat party and is a member of the Balkh parliament. "I say goodbye today but I will still be here and always with my people," Noor said at a ceremony in the provincial capital Mazar-i-Sharif as he introduced his successor. "Big political games are ahead, including the elections, and we will be major players." The decision to oust Noor backfired badly on Ghani, who was criticised for his poor timing and clumsy handling of the issue. Instead of weakening a rival ahead of the presidential election in 2019, Ghani thrust the more charismatic Noor onto the national stage where he capitalised on his newfound fame. The political crisis came at a bad time for the president, with his government facing a deteriorating security situation as the Taliban and the Islamic State group continue to carry out deadly attacks across the country. Rahguzar served as the first governor of Balkh in the post-Taliban era before he was replaced by Noor. "They are very close," an Afghan analyst told AFP on the condition of anonymity. The two men were part of the US-funded mujahideen who fought to expel the Soviets from Afghanistan in the 1980s. "He's acceptable to Atta -- not Ghani's first choice, but face-saving," a Western diplomat told AFP. In his address for Nawrooz, the traditional Persian new year holiday, on Wednesday, Noor welcomed the deal with Ghani. Another Western official told AFP that Noor's demands to Ghani, that included selecting people for key posts such as the police chief, had been met but Jamiat was still locked in negotiations over some issues including electoral law reform. Mohammad Daud, who had been Ghani's choice to replace Noor and was forced to work in Kabul during the crisis, would likely be appointed governor of "another province", a senior Afghan official said.

Afghan strongman makes way for hand-picked successor, ending crisis

Maldives capital Male continues to remain tense, with the opposition and general public unrelentingly asking President Yameen to step down and allow a new leadership to take charge.

The opposition, media and others have confirmed that there is a heavy army and police presence at all key locations, including the Parliament and the Supreme Court, and that judges continue to remain in fear about their safety as long as President Yameen stays in office.

Rumours abound that the army and paramilitary forces could enter the Supreme Court premises during the course of the day and take the judges into their custody on the orders of the president.

In his defense, President Yameen had written letters to Chief Justice asking him to revoke his orders. The government has reportedly received information that the Supreme Court may issue orders to arrest President Yameen soon.

The people of Maldives, including the opposition leadership, are insisting that President Yameen resigns for not following the apex court&#39;s orders. They feel he is corrupt, perpetrating misrule and is guilty of committing human rights abuses. Yameen, however, has denied these charges.

The President denies the allegations.

Eva Abdulla, a Member of Parliament told ANI, &quot;He&#39;d eventually have to capitulate, yes. Or resign&quot;.

When ANI asked Ahmed Mahloof, spokesperson of the Joint Opposition, as to whether President Yameen would abide by the court&#39;s orders, he said, &quot;he won&#39;t&quot;.

Two Members of Parliament Abdullah Sinan and Ahmed Ilham were detained on Sunday, produced before a criminal court on Monday, and thereafter released.

The duo were among the dozen former government lawmakers disqualified by the country&#39;s electoral watchdog over the Supreme Court&#39;s anti-defection ruling.

The reinstatement of the disqualified Members of Parliament, if achieved, would allow the opposition to claim that it is in the majority, and therefore, have the right to form the government post President Yameen&#39;s exit from office.

The opposition, media and others have confirmed that there is a heavy army and police presence at all key locations, including the Parliament and the Supreme Court

Maldives capital Male continues to remain tense, with the opposition and general public unrelentingly asking President Yameen to step down and allow a new leadership to take charge. The opposition, media and others have confirmed that there is a heavy army and police presence at all key locations, including the Parliament and the Supreme Court, and that judges continue to remain in fear about their safety as long as President Yameen stays in office. Rumours abound that the army and paramilitary forces could enter the Supreme Court premises during the course of the day and take the judges into their custody on the orders of the president. In his defense, President Yameen had written letters to Chief Justice asking him to revoke his orders. The government has reportedly received information that the Supreme Court may issue orders to arrest President Yameen soon. The people of Maldives, including the opposition leadership, are insisting that President Yameen resigns for not following the apex court's orders. They feel he is corrupt, perpetrating misrule and is guilty of committing human rights abuses. Yameen, however, has denied these charges. The President denies the allegations. Eva Abdulla, a Member of Parliament told ANI, "He'd eventually have to capitulate, yes. Or resign". When ANI asked Ahmed Mahloof, spokesperson of the Joint Opposition, as to whether President Yameen would abide by the court's orders, he said, "he won't". Two Members of Parliament Abdullah Sinan and Ahmed Ilham were detained on Sunday, produced before a criminal court on Monday, and thereafter released. The duo were among the dozen former government lawmakers disqualified by the country's electoral watchdog over the Supreme Court's anti-defection ruling. The reinstatement of the disqualified Members of Parliament, if achieved, would allow the opposition to claim that it is in the majority, and therefore, have the right to form the government post President Yameen's exit from office.

Political crisis in Maldives continues, demand for President's resignation grows

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, back in Beirut after a mysterious odyssey that saw him announce his resignation in Saudi Arabia, told cheering supporters on Wednesday that he was staying.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>&quot;I`m staying with you... we`re continuing together, to be the first line of defence for Lebanon and its stability,&quot; said Hariri</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=
I`m staying with you... we`re continuing together, to be the first line of defence for Lebanon and its stability, said Hariri" target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

&quot;I&#39;m staying with you... we&#39;re continuing together, to be the first line of defence for Lebanon and its stability,&quot; he told a large crowd gathered in front of his home.

Saad Hariri said he had agreed to suspend his surprise decision to resign, at the request of President Michel Aoun, pending talks on the political situation.

The new decision came hours after the premier landed back in Lebanon for the first time since announcing his resignation in a statement from Saudi Arabia on November 4.

&quot;I discussed my resignation with the president of the republic who asked me to wait before submitting it... and allow for more consultations,&quot; Hariri told reporters after meeting Aoun.&nbsp;&quot;I agreed to this request.&quot;

Lebanon has been gripped by the political crisis precipitated by Hariri&#39;s resignation, including the question of whether the premier was being detained in Saudi Arabia, where he remained for two weeks after stepping down.

Aoun had refused to accept Hariri&#39;s resignation while the premier was still abroad, and even accused Riyadh of having &quot;detained&quot; the prime minister.

Hariri holds dual Saudi-Lebanese citizenship, and denied he was being held against his will by Riyadh, a close political ally, but accepted a French invitation to visit Paris, leaving the kingdom on November 18.

After stops in Egypt and Cyprus on Tuesday, he landed in Beirut close to midnight, and on Wednesday appeared at the country&#39;s Independence Day celebrations marking 74 years since the end of France&#39;s mandate in Lebanon.

He appeared relaxed, at times smiling and appearing to joke with those alongside him during the military parade to mark the national holiday.

In announcing his resignation, Hariri had said he feared for his life, invoking the 2005 assassination in Beirut of his father, former prime minister Rafik Hariri.

He also harshly criticised Saudi Arabia&#39;s arch-rival Iran, and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah, saying they had taken over Lebanon and destabilised the region.

The resignation of the Sunni leader was seen as raising the temperature in a long-running rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran that has played out across the region.

In Lebanon, the political scene is deeply divided between Hariri&#39;s Saudi-backed bloc, and that led by the powerful Shiite Hezbollah group, which is backed by Iran.

Hariri&#39;s decision to suspend his resignation now opens the way for discussions on a possible resolution to the crisis.

He had already signalled that he could consider rescinding his resignation altogether if Hezbollah pledged to respect Lebanon&#39;s policy of &quot;disassociation&quot; from regional conflicts.

Hariri and his allies say the group, with Iranian support, has violated this policy by fighting in neighbouring Syria in support of President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s government, as well as providing assistance to Huthi rebels battling Saudi Arabia in Yemen.

Hezbollah&#39;s chief Hassan Nasrallah has said the group still considers Hariri the country&#39;s prime minister and suggested it was open to talks, though whether any real compromise could be reached remained unclear.

&quot;When he comes, we will see. We&#39;re open to all dialogue and discussion,&quot; Nasrallah said on Monday.

If no deal is reached and Hariri&#39;s resignation stands, Aoun has two options - rename him premier or choose another prominent Sunni figure to lead a new cabinet. Under Lebanon`s power-sharing arrangement, the country&#39;s top political posts are reserved for different sects, with the presidency set aside for a Maronite Christian, the prime minister&#39;s office for a Sunni Muslim, and the parliament speaker for a Shiite Muslim.

Hariri&#39;s resignation comes less than a year after he took office, as part of a deal with Aoun, whose party belongs to the bloc led by Hezbollah.

The agreement ended a two-and-a-half year stalemate that left the post of president empty and put Hariri back in the office of prime minister for the second time.

His first term as prime minister ended abruptly.

In January 2011, as he was meeting then-US president Barack Obama in Washington, Hezbollah and its allies withdrew their ministers and brought down Hariri`s government.

Hariri&#39;s resignation has been seen as part of a broader pattern of escalating tension between Iran and Saudi Arabia. On the day he resigned, the kingdom said it intercepted a ballistic missile fired at Riyadh airport by Shiite rebels in Yemen.

The announcement also coincided with a purge of more than 200 Saudi princes, ministers, and businessmen.

Saad Hariri said he had agreed to suspend his surprise decision to resign, at the request of President Michel Aoun, pending talks on the political situation

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, back in Beirut after a mysterious odyssey that saw him announce his resignation in Saudi Arabia, told cheering supporters on Wednesday that he was staying. "I`m staying with you... we`re continuing together, to be the first line of defence for Lebanon and its stability," said Hariri × "I'm staying with you... we're continuing together, to be the first line of defence for Lebanon and its stability," he told a large crowd gathered in front of his home. Saad Hariri said he had agreed to suspend his surprise decision to resign, at the request of President Michel Aoun, pending talks on the political situation. The new decision came hours after the premier landed back in Lebanon for the first time since announcing his resignation in a statement from Saudi Arabia on November 4. "I discussed my resignation with the president of the republic who asked me to wait before submitting it... and allow for more consultations," Hariri told reporters after meeting Aoun. "I agreed to this request." Lebanon has been gripped by the political crisis precipitated by Hariri's resignation, including the question of whether the premier was being detained in Saudi Arabia, where he remained for two weeks after stepping down. Aoun had refused to accept Hariri's resignation while the premier was still abroad, and even accused Riyadh of having "detained" the prime minister. Hariri holds dual Saudi-Lebanese citizenship, and denied he was being held against his will by Riyadh, a close political ally, but accepted a French invitation to visit Paris, leaving the kingdom on November 18. After stops in Egypt and Cyprus on Tuesday, he landed in Beirut close to midnight, and on Wednesday appeared at the country's Independence Day celebrations marking 74 years since the end of France's mandate in Lebanon. He appeared relaxed, at times smiling and appearing to joke with those alongside him during the military parade to mark the national holiday. In announcing his resignation, Hariri had said he feared for his life, invoking the 2005 assassination in Beirut of his father, former prime minister Rafik Hariri. He also harshly criticised Saudi Arabia's arch-rival Iran, and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah, saying they had taken over Lebanon and destabilised the region. The resignation of the Sunni leader was seen as raising the temperature in a long-running rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran that has played out across the region. In Lebanon, the political scene is deeply divided between Hariri's Saudi-backed bloc, and that led by the powerful Shiite Hezbollah group, which is backed by Iran. Hariri's decision to suspend his resignation now opens the way for discussions on a possible resolution to the crisis. He had already signalled that he could consider rescinding his resignation altogether if Hezbollah pledged to respect Lebanon's policy of "disassociation" from regional conflicts. Hariri and his allies say the group, with Iranian support, has violated this policy by fighting in neighbouring Syria in support of President Bashar al-Assad's government, as well as providing assistance to Huthi rebels battling Saudi Arabia in Yemen. Hezbollah's chief Hassan Nasrallah has said the group still considers Hariri the country's prime minister and suggested it was open to talks, though whether any real compromise could be reached remained unclear. "When he comes, we will see. We're open to all dialogue and discussion," Nasrallah said on Monday. If no deal is reached and Hariri's resignation stands, Aoun has two options - rename him premier or choose another prominent Sunni figure to lead a new cabinet. Under Lebanon`s power-sharing arrangement, the country's top political posts are reserved for different sects, with the presidency set aside for a Maronite Christian, the prime minister's office for a Sunni Muslim, and the parliament speaker for a Shiite Muslim. Hariri's resignation comes less than a year after he took office, as part of a deal with Aoun, whose party belongs to the bloc led by Hezbollah. The agreement ended a two-and-a-half year stalemate that left the post of president empty and put Hariri back in the office of prime minister for the second time. His first term as prime minister ended abruptly. In January 2011, as he was meeting then-US president Barack Obama in Washington, Hezbollah and its allies withdrew their ministers and brought down Hariri`s government. Hariri's resignation has been seen as part of a broader pattern of escalating tension between Iran and Saudi Arabia. On the day he resigned, the kingdom said it intercepted a ballistic missile fired at Riyadh airport by Shiite rebels in Yemen. The announcement also coincided with a purge of more than 200 Saudi princes, ministers, and businessmen.

Lebanon's PM Hariri says resignation on hold pending talks

The deposed leader of Catalonia Carles Puigdemont said Monday that there could be solutions to Spain&#39;s political crisis other than independence for his region, insisting he was still open to &quot;agreement&quot; with Madrid.&nbsp;

&quot;I&#39;ve always been willing to accept the new reality of a different relationship with Spain,&quot; Puigdemont said in Brussels, where he traveled to after his government declared independence from Spain last month.

&quot;It&#39;s still possible. I&#39;ve been pro-independence all my life, working for 30 years to secure a different way of integrating Catalonia within Spain. I&#39;m still for an agreement,&quot; the former leader told Belgium&#39;s Le Soir newspaper.

Spain was plunged into its worst political crisis in decades when Catalan lawmakers voted to split from Madrid following a banned referendum in the wealthy northeastern region on October 1.&nbsp;

The central government hit back, revoking the region&#39;s autonomous powers, sacking its parliament and Puigdemont&#39;s government, and calling fresh regional elections for December 21.&nbsp;

The crisis has caused deep distress in the European Union as it comes to terms with Britain&#39;s shock decision to leave the bloc.&nbsp;

It has also sent business confidence plunging in Catalonia -- home to 7.5 million people and accounting for a fifth of Spain&#39;s GDP -- with more than 2,400 firms re-registering their headquarters outside the region.&nbsp;

Puigdemont says he wants to run as a candidate in the regional election but his PDeCAT party is lagging far behind another pro-independence group in polling.&nbsp;

The leftist ERC -- whose leader was Puigdemont&#39;s deputy -- said last week it would not allow its candidates to run on the same ticket as PDeCAT.

Several Catalan former lawmakers are in jail accused of violating Spain&#39;s constitution for declaring independence.&nbsp;

Puigdemont, who says he is in Belgium because he cannot get fair treatment from courts back home, has spoken of slowing his independence drive and last week accused Madrid of planning a &quot;wave&quot; of repression against separatists.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&quot;We&#39;ve been forced to adapt our agenda to avoid violence,&quot; he already said at the end of October.&nbsp;

&quot;If the price to pay is slowing the creation of a republic, then we need to consider that as a price worth paying in 21st-century Europe.&quot;

The deposed leader of Catalonia Carles Puigdemont said Monday that there could be solutions to Spain's political crisis other than independence for his region, insisting he was still open to "agreement" with Madrid.?

The deposed leader of Catalonia Carles Puigdemont said Monday that there could be solutions to Spain's political crisis other than independence for his region, insisting he was still open to "agreement" with Madrid. "I've always been willing to accept the new reality of a different relationship with Spain," Puigdemont said in Brussels, where he traveled to after his government declared independence from Spain last month. "It's still possible. I've been pro-independence all my life, working for 30 years to secure a different way of integrating Catalonia within Spain. I'm still for an agreement," the former leader told Belgium's Le Soir newspaper. Spain was plunged into its worst political crisis in decades when Catalan lawmakers voted to split from Madrid following a banned referendum in the wealthy northeastern region on October 1. The central government hit back, revoking the region's autonomous powers, sacking its parliament and Puigdemont's government, and calling fresh regional elections for December 21. The crisis has caused deep distress in the European Union as it comes to terms with Britain's shock decision to leave the bloc. It has also sent business confidence plunging in Catalonia -- home to 7.5 million people and accounting for a fifth of Spain's GDP -- with more than 2,400 firms re-registering their headquarters outside the region. Puigdemont says he wants to run as a candidate in the regional election but his PDeCAT party is lagging far behind another pro-independence group in polling. The leftist ERC -- whose leader was Puigdemont's deputy -- said last week it would not allow its candidates to run on the same ticket as PDeCAT. Several Catalan former lawmakers are in jail accused of violating Spain's constitution for declaring independence. Puigdemont, who says he is in Belgium because he cannot get fair treatment from courts back home, has spoken of slowing his independence drive and last week accused Madrid of planning a "wave" of repression against separatists. "We've been forced to adapt our agenda to avoid violence," he already said at the end of October. "If the price to pay is slowing the creation of a republic, then we need to consider that as a price worth paying in 21st-century Europe."

Catalan ex-leader says independence not only solution to crisis

political-crisis

Political Crisis, News on Political Crisis, stories on Political Crisis, articles on Political Crisis, Political Crisis stories at Wion, Political Crisis news, Political Crisis latest news