Seoul, June 8 (IANS) The rival parties in South Korea each submitted a request Monday for a parliamentary investigation into an unprecedented shortage of ballots in last week’s local elections, both calling for a thorough probe into what caused the incident but differing over its scope. The ruling Democratic Party (DP) and the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) separately filed their requests at the National Assembly’s bills division but said they will hold follow-up discussions to narrow …
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Seoul, June 7 (IANS) South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Sunday expressed deep regret over ballot shortages that disrupted last week’s local elections and ordered the launch of a thorough joint investigation by prosecutors and police into the matter. “The people’s right to vote is a constitutional right that must not be restricted or infringed upon for any reason, and this is a serious issue that undermines the foundation of popular sovereignty,” Lee wrote in a message on X, formerly Twitter…
Seoul, June 7 (IANS) President Lee Jae Myung has nominated Han Seong-sook, the incumbent minister of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as the next prime minister, a senior presidential official said on Sunday. If confirmed by the National Assembly, Han would become the Lee government’s first female prime minister and South Korea’s second female prime minister since Han Myeong-sook, who served in the post from 2006 to 2007.Current Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, who served as the Lee admini…
Seoul, June 4 (IANS) South Korea’s ruling Democratic Party (DP) clinched a resounding victory in the local elections and parliamentary by-elections, winning the key mayoralty in the traditional conservative stronghold of Busan, while the main opposition party retained the Seoul mayoral seat. The DP won 12 out of the 16 key mayoral and gubernatorial seats up for grabs, including in Busan, where Jeon Jae-soo was elected mayor, while the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) took four seats, inc…
Seoul, May 30 (IANS) Voters across the country headed to the polls Saturday on the second and last day of early voting for next week’s nationwide local elections, which will decide the next mayors and governors of major local governments, including Seoul and Busan.More than 6.86 million people, or 15.38 per cent, out of 44.6 million registered voters cast their ballots as of 11 a.m. after early voting began at 6 a.m. the previous day, according to the NEC.The voter turnout was higher than the 13…
Budapest, May 27 (IANS) Hungary’s National Assembly on Wednesday voted under a special procedure on a bill to revoke the country’s decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC). The bill was approved with 133 votes in favour, 37 against and five abstentions. The decision will take effect on the day following the promulgation of the law.The Hungarian government said in an official gazette on May 22 that it would revoke the decision to withdraw from the ICC, as well as terminate…
Islamabad, May 24 (IANS) Pakistan’s Karachi is facing a chronic water shortage, creating a situation where access to this basic necessity is increasingly determined by either personal connections or financial capacity. Those with means often turn to the so-called tanker ‘mafia’, paying inflated rates for additional supply, while others struggle to secure the limited government-supplied water tankers available each day, a report said on Saturday.”In areas still privileged to receive piped water, …
Islamabad, May 20 (IANS) Over 164,000 Pakistani nationals have been deported from various Gulf nations in the past five years, local media reported while citing official data presented in the country’s National Assembly. In the data presented in the house, Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior has revealed that Saudi Arabia topped the list with 108,029 deportations, followed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with 40,497, Oman with 9,814, Qatar with 2,971 and Bahrain with 2,779 cases, Pakistan’s leadin…
New Delhi, May 18 (IANS) Pakistan Railways is facing pending employee-related liabilities worth Rs 21.36 billion (Pakistani rupee), with dues of retired and serving staff remaining unpaid despite claims of improved financial performance, a report has said.According to official documents cited by SAMAA TV, a dispute has emerged between the Ministry of Railways and the Ministry of Finance over the release of funds required to clear the outstanding payments.The neighbouring country’s Railways Min…
Islamabad, May 17 (IANS) Dozens of lawmakers in Pakistan are sitting in the National and provincial assemblies while the validity of their elections is still in question, as the election tribunal was not able to provide a resolution to petitions on time, according to a report in the Pakistani media.The election tribunals were established to give an impartial resolution of electoral disputes in a timely manner.”The Elections Act clearly requires tribunals to decide petitions within 180 days. Yet,…