Thai King approves Srettha Thavisin as new PM

BANGKOK:Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn has given his approval for Srettha Thavisin to assume the office of the country’s prime minister, a spokesperson for the House Speaker said Wednesday.

“The President of the National Assembly has sent a letter to inform the King about the outcome of the prime ministerial election, and the King has already granted approval for the 30th prime minister,” Kampee Ditthakorn told a press conference.The Secretariat of the House of Representatives is scheduled to deliver the royal endorsement to the Pheu Thai Party headquarters at 6 pm local time, Xinhua news agency quoted the spokesperson as saying.

Srettha was elected Thailand’s new prime minister after winning a joint vote of the bicameral parliament on Tuesday.The 60-year-old former property tycoon entered the political arena shortly before the May general election and emerged as a prime ministerial candidate of the Pheu Thai Party. IANS

Renewed fighting in Sudan chokes aid delivery: UN

United Nations, Aug 23: UN humanitarians have called for an end to renewed clashes in the Sudan conflict to allow for aid delivery to civilians, including in South Darfur and South Kordofan.

“We are deeply concerned about the impact of renewed fighting in several parts of the country,” said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Tuesday.

OCHA added that the International Organisation for Migration reported at least 60 people killed and 250 injured in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur state. As many as 50,000 people fled their homes, and hostilities blocked relief trucks from delivering aid.Fighting erupted about a week ago between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in the western part of Sudan, Xinhua news agency reported. According to the Nyala Emergency Room Initiative humanitarian group, the city is experiencing “catastrophic humanitarian conditions beyond all expectations”.

OCHA said that in the capital of South Kordofan state, Kadugli, humanitarian partners reported food stocks were almost completely depleted and that fighting drove nearly 6,700 people from their homes to other neighbourhoods. “We call on the parties to the conflict in Sudan to cease hostilities and allow for the delivery of life-saving assistance to civilians in need,” the office added.

OCHA said only a little more than a quarter of this year’s $2.6 billion Humanitarian Response Plan for Sudan has been received. IANS

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