WORLD

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is facing pressure from the Opposition on Wednesday as one of his close allies and embattled ministers resigned from the Cabinet pending an investigation into allegations of bullying against him. Sir Gavin Williamson, who was minister of state without portfolio as of yet was accused of abusive behaviour towards fellow Conservative Party colleagues and civil servants after which he posted his resignation on Twitter. Sunak said he accepted Williamson's resignation "with great sadness" and thanked him for his "personal support and loyalty". "Your commitment to successive Conservative governments and the party over the years has been unwavering," he said. However, the Opposition has branded the episode as a sign of "poor judgement and leadership" by Sunak, and Labour Party Leader Sir Keir Starmer will use the weekly Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) in the House of Commons to pile on further pressure over the issue.

Russia has surpassed Iraq and Saudi Arabia as India’s largest supplier of oil, according to independent research companies, as Asia’s third-largest economy cashes in on steep price discounts caused by sanctions against Moscow.

India has historically bought most of its oil from Iraq and Saudi Arabia, but Russian imports have surged since president Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

Last week, Twitter, at the behest of its new owner Elon Musk and his team, carried out worldwide layoffs. Almost half of Twitter's global workforce has been told to leave. But in India, the number is a staggering 90 per cent. Elon Musk has gutted the Twitter India office and of around 200 employees only 20-24 remain part of the company, notes a news report.

Bloomberg, citing unnamed sources, says that out of 200 employees that Twitter India employed only a couple of dozen now remain. The teams handling communications, marketing and partner relations are almost entirely gone. Even among engineering teams, the layoffs are widespread, with a Bloomberg report saying that almost 70 per cent of India-based engineering staff has been told to leave.

The United Nations Climate Change Conference COP27 opened today with the key aim of ensuring full implementation of the Paris Agreement.

Discussions at COP27 begin near the end of a year that has seen devastating floods and unprecedented heat waves, severe droughts and formidable storms, all unequivocal signs of the unfolding climate emergency. At the same time, millions of people throughout the world are confronting the impacts of simultaneous crises in energy, food, water and cost of living, aggravated by severe geopolitical conflicts and tensions. In this adverse context, some countries have begun to stall or reverse climate policies and doubled down on fossil fuel use.

Asking Canada yet again to put an end to anti-India activities on its soil, the government said Thursday it expects Canada to recognise as terrorists those individuals who have been designated as such under Indian laws.

With the so-called Khalistan referendum in Canada still on, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India will continue to press Canada for action on the issue.

“Our position on the efforts by anti-India elements to hold a so-called Khalistan referendum is well known. It has been conveyed to the Canadian government both in New Delhi and in Canada.”