Latest news with #GeneralCouncil
Hans India
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
DMK to unveil 2026 Assembly election work plan at general council meet on June 1
Chennai: The ruling DMK is gearing up for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections with a target of winning 200 out of 234 seats. As part of its early groundwork, the party will unveil a comprehensive election work plan during its General Council meeting scheduled to be held in Madurai on June 1. While an official announcement is still awaited, sources confirm that the DMK leadership has already appointed eight senior leaders as regional in-charges to oversee election-related activities across various parts of the state. These leaders have been entrusted with multiple responsibilities, including coordinating preparatory work, assessing grassroots dynamics, and resolving internal disputes among local functionaries. The state has been divided into eight regions, each managed by a high-ranking party leader with considerable influence. A. Raja, former Union Minister and Deputy General Secretary, will handle the Chennai region. The southern districts have been divided between Deputy General Secretary and MP Kanimozhi and Minister Thangam Thennarasu, each taking charge of separate zones. Minister R. Sakkarapani has been assigned to the region covering Madurai, Dindigul, and Theni. Former Minister V. Senthil Balaji is in charge of the Coimbatore region. The delta and central districts fall under the purview of the Principal Secretary and Minister, K.N. Nehru. Ministers E.V. Velu and M.R.K. Panneerselvam will oversee the northern districts. Sources indicate that the exact delineation of regions and their constituent districts will be finalised and announced officially at the General Council meeting in Madurai. In the meantime, the regional in-charges have already begun groundwork in their respective areas. They are conducting consultations with local leaders, including district secretaries, MLAs, and ministers, and are actively addressing issues such as factionalism and disputes among party cadres. The party has formed a five-member high-level committee, including Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, to oversee the resolution of more serious or unresolved internal issues. Regional in-charges and district-level functionaries held multiple rounds of meetings with this committee at the DMK headquarters in Chennai on Tuesday, with discussions reportedly focused on districts under the supervision of Thangam Thennarasu and K.N. Nehru. These consultative meetings are expected to continue in the days ahead. According to party insiders, these sessions are serving two critical purposes: first, to resolve intra-party conflicts well before the election process intensifies, and second, to ensure early and efficient implementation of the party's poll strategy. With less than a year to go before the 2026 elections, the DMK is leaving no stone unturned to ensure a smooth and coordinated campaign across the state, aiming for a resounding mandate for Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and a second consecutive term in power.
13-05-2025
- Business
Japan LDP OKs Pension Reform Legislation
News from Japan Politics May 13, 2025 23:50 (JST) Tokyo, May 13 (Jiji Press)--Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Tuesday approved draft legislation for pension system reform at a meeting of the party's decision-making General Council. The government aims to adopt the legislation at a cabinet meeting Friday and submit it to the current session of the Diet, the country's parliament. Before the General Council meeting, executives of the LDP and its junior coalition partner, Komeito, held talks, agreeing to work for the enactment of the legislation during the Diet session ending in June. The government originally expected to introduce the legislation in March. But the move has been delayed because the LDP was reluctant to hold Diet debates on pensions, a hot topic, ahead of this summer's election for the House of Councillors, the upper chamber. At the General Council meeting, former digital minister Taro Kono expressed opposition to the legislation as he seeks "radical reform." But he did not oppose its submission to the Diet. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
US 'in arrears' at the WTO
The United States has not paid its 2024 dues to the World Trade Organization and is therefore now deemed to be in "arrears", the WTO's spokesman said Friday. "The chair of the committee on budget, finance, and administration informed members during the General Council meeting in February that the United States is currently in 'Category 1' arrears," Ismaila Dieng told AFP. The United States did not pay its contribution for 2024, he said. Washington has also not yet paid its dues for 2025, though contributions from the WTO's 166 members often do not come in until mid-year. Last year, the United States was due to pay around 23.2 million Swiss francs ($26.3 million) -- amounting to roughly 11 percent of the WTO's budget. Category 1 arrears -- the least serious of three levels -- consist of those that have not paid their contributions for at least one year, but for less than two years. The nine members currently in Category 1 arrears are Angola, Chile, Eswatini, Grenada, Haiti, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Uganda and the United States. WTO members in this category are not permitted to chair the Geneva-based global trade body's various bodies. They are also not permitted to receive WTO documentation and are subject to reports at meetings of the organisation's General Council, its highest-level decision-making body in Geneva. "Generally, arrears can impact the operational capacity of the WTO secretariat," said Dieng. "But the secretariat continues to manage its resources prudently and has plans in place to enable it to operate within the financial limitations imposed by any arrears." - Tariffs and Trump's order - On February 4, Trump signed an executive order sparking a 180-day review all international organisations which the US is involved in or funds, to determine whether they are contrary to US interests or could be reformed. A source close to the discussions at the WTO told AFP: "At the March 4 meeting, the US delegate indicated that the suspension of US contributions to the budgets of international organisations also affected the WTO." The findings of the reviews will be presented to Trump along with recommendations as to whether Washington should withdraw from such bodies. On March 7, back from meeting US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Washington, WTO chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said "the indications I got is that they remain part of WTO". Since returning to office, Trump has launched a widening trade war against the United States' main partners by threatening to ratch up tariffs. Canada has launched two separate complaints at the WTO over Trump's tariff manoeuvres. However, continuing a practice initiated under president Barack Obama, Washington keeps paralysing the WTO's final mechanism for resolving trade disputes by blocking the appointment of judges to its Appellate Body. The United States put the block on for the 85th time on Monday. apo/rjm/gv
Express Tribune
01-03-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi will receive another important position, but which one?
Mohsin Naqvi addresses the media during his visit to the Mega Passport Center on Peco Road in Lahore. Photo: Screengrab Listen to article Mohsin Naqvi, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), is set to take on a new leadership role following the ICC Champions Trophy. According to reports, Naqvi will assume the presidency of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) after the Champions Trophy final, Express News reported. Currently, the position is held temporarily by Shami Silva, the president of the Sri Lanka Cricket Board. However, after the upcoming General Council meeting, the presidency will officially be handed over to Naqvi. In addition to the leadership change, the General Council meeting will also discuss the venues for the upcoming Asia Cup, which will be held in India later this year. It is expected that Pakistan's matches will be scheduled in Dubai or Sri Lanka, pending further discussions. There have also been reports that the 2023 Asia Cup and the ICC Champions Trophy, both of which saw India's absence due to political tensions, may continue under a hybrid model. However, India will retain the hosting rights for these events. The decision by the ACC to make these arrangements aims to avoid further controversy between Pakistan and India in the lead-up to the Champions Trophy. Last year, Mohsin Naqvi, was elected unanimously and unopposed as the Pakistan Cricket Board's Chairman for a three-year term.
Saudi Gazette
19-02-2025
- Business
- Saudi Gazette
Saudi Arabia's Al-Moqbel appointed WTO General Council president for 2025–2026
Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — The General Council of the World Trade Organization (WTO) has unanimously appointed Permanent Representative of Saudi Arabia to the WTO Saqer Al-Moqbel as its president for the 2025–2026 term. This marks a historic milestone, as Al-Moqbel becomes the first Arab and Middle Eastern delegate to assume this prestigious position. The WTO General Council, which convenes throughout the year, oversees the organization's operations between ministerial conferences, held biennially. As the highest decision-making body at the level of heads of missions, the council plays a crucial role in shaping global trade policies. During Saudi Arabia's presidency, the General Council is set to address several key issues, including preparations for the 14th Ministerial Conference, scheduled to be held in Cameroon in March 2026. The agenda will also focus on essential WTO reforms, particularly the dispute settlement mechanism; advancing negotiations on the second phase of the Fisheries Subsidy Agreement; and addressing agriculture, food security, and development concerns. Other priorities include integrating multilateral agreements, such as the Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement and the E-Commerce Agreement, into the WTO framework. Commenting on the appointment, President Al-Moqbel emphasized that Saudi Arabia's leadership in the WTO General Council reflects its growing role in the international economic landscape, leveraging its global economic influence to strengthen multilateral trade cooperation.
