Washington, Aug 31,2020: US President Donald Trump has hailed Shinzo Abe as the “greatest” prime minister in Japan’s history during a telephonic conversation between the two leaders.
Abe, 65, on Friday announced that he intends to step down because of poor health, his long-running battle with ulcerative colitis, ending a tenure as Japan’s longest-serving prime minister.
President Trump on Sunday night telephoned Abe during which the two leaders spoke at length and reflected on the last four years.
“The two leaders remarked that their relationship is extraordinary; the President called Prime Minister Abe the greatest prime minister in Japan’s history, the White House said in a readout of the call.
This was the first phone call between the two leaders after Abe’s announcement to resign.
“The President said that Prime Minister Abe has done a fantastic job and that the relationship between the United States and Japan is better today than it has ever been,” the White House said.
“Although Prime Minister Abe will be leaving his position soon, the President noted that he will undoubtedly keep playing a big role in the future of Japan,” it said, adding that the leaders said they look forward to continuing their wonderful friendship for years to come.
Abe, whose term ends in September 2021, is expected to stay on until a new party leader is elected and formally approved by Parliament.
New Delhi , August 30,Aug2020: Acting swiftly after the Galwan valley clash on June 15 in Eastern Ladakh, the Indian Navy sailed out its frontline warship for deployment in the South China Sea much to the displeasure of the Chinese who raised objections over the move during the talks between the two sides.
The Chinese have been objecting to the presence of Indian Navy ships in the region where it has significantly expanded its presence since 2009 through artificial islands and military presence.
“Soon after the Galwan clash broke out in which 20 of our soldiers were killed, the Indian Navy deployed one of its frontline warship to the South China Sea where the People’s Liberation Army’s Navy objects to the presence of any other force claiming the majority of the waters as part of its territory,” government sources told ANI.
The immediate deployment of the Indian Navy warship in the South China Sea had a desired effect on the Chinese Navy and security establishment as they complained to the Indian side about the Indian warship’s presence there during the diplomatic level talks with the Indian side, the sources said.
During the deployment in the South China Sea where the American Navy had also deployed its destroyers and frigates, the Indian warship was continuously maintaining contact with their American counterparts over secure communication systems, the sources informed.
New Delhi: Aug28,2020:Disagreeing with its 2004 Constitution Bench verdict, the Supreme Court Thursday referred the issue of giving preferential treatment to certain sub-castes within the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), to a larger bench.
In doing so, a bench comprising Justices Arun Mishra, Indira Banerjee, Vineet Saran, M.R. Shah and Aniruddha Bose asserted that “there are unequals within the list of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and socially and educationally backward classes”.
“In case benefit which is meant for the emancipation of all the castes, included in the list of Scheduled Castes, is permitted to be usurped by few castes those who are adequately represented, have advanced and belonged to the creamy layer, then it would tantamount to creating inequality whereas in case of hunger every person is required to be fed and provided bread,” the bench observed.
“The entire basket of fruits cannot be given to mighty at the cost of others under the guise of forming a homogeneous class,” it added.
The court said reservations can be made for the sub-castes within the SCs. This is the opposite of what another five-judge bench had held in EV Chinnaiah v State of Andhra Pradesh in 2004.
The court requested Chief Justice of India S.A. Bobde to place the matter before a bench comprising seven judges or more to decide the issue. This larger bench will look into several issues, including the state government’s powers to provide for such a sub-classification and the concept of creamy layer.