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Coalitions falls in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

By Fatih Hafiz Mehmet

ANKARA (AA) – The coalition government in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) collapsed after the People's Party (HP) announced its withdrawal on Wednesday.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Kudret Ozersay, who is HP leader as well, announced his party's decision to withdraw from the coalition on Wednesday, according to Turkish Agency Cyprus (TAK).

At a news conference, Ozersay said the party members will decide on whether they will continue as an opposition party or make negotiations to form a government.

He said the reason behind their withdrawal was the property rentals of the ministry of finance and "confidence crisis".

Ozersay added he does not exclude the possibility of snap elections.

Earlier Wednesday, Minister of Finance Serdar Denktas had resigned from his post.

Prime Minister Tufan Erhurman also announced that he will submit government's resignation on Thursday.

In 1974, following a coup aiming at Cyprus’ annexation by Greece, Ankara had to intervene as a guarantor power. In 1983, the TRNC was founded.

The decades since have seen several attempts to resolve the dispute, all ending in failure. The latest one, held with the participation of the guarantor countries — Turkey, Greece, and the U.K. — ended in 2017 in Switzerland.

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Pakistan’s finance minister announces to step down

                                          By Aamir Latif</p>    <p>KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) - Pakistan’s Finance Minister Asad Umar Thursday said he was going to resign, amid growing criticism on his economic policies.</p>    <p>Umar, who has long been under severe criticism from opposition parties for his “poor” economic policies that have resulted in a record inflation and price-hike in recent months, announced the much-expected decision in a Twitter post.</p>    <p>“As part of cabinet reshuffle, PM [prime minister] desired that I take the energy ministry portfolio instead of finance. However, I have obtained his consent not to take any cabinet position. I strongly believe that Imran Khan is the best hope for Pakistan and Insha Allah will make a naya [new] Pakistan”, Umar said.</p>    <p>His announcement came at a time when cash-strapped Pakistan is looking for an IMF bailout package to prop up the country’s ailing economy, mainly the foreign reserves.</p>    <p>However, it is not clear whether Umar has officially submitted a resignation, and whether it has been accepted.</p>    <p>Shaukat Tareen, a former finance minister, is expected to be appointed as advisor to prime minister on finance, a portfolio equivalent to finance minister, a government source told Anadolu Agency on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.</p>    <p>Pakistan has recently obtained aid and loan packages to the tune of $14 billion from its longtime allies -- Saudi Arabia, UAE and China -- to solidify its decreasing foreign reserves.
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Sudan's intelligence chief resigns

KHARTOUM, Sudan (AA) – Days after the president's ouster, Sudan’s security and intelligence chief Salah Gosh has resigned, the country’s ruling military council said on Saturday.

The resignation was approved by Lt. Gen. Abdel Fattah Burhan, head of the military council, the body said in a statement.

The resignation came one day after Defense Minister Ahmed Awad Ibn Auf — who announced the president's ouster — quit as head of the military council and appointed Burhan in his place.

On Thursday, Sudan's military deposed President Omar al-Bashir, who has ruled Sudan since 1989, following months of popular protests against his rule.

The military also established a military council to run the country for a transitional period of two years.

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UPDATE – Sudan’s Bashir steps down as president: Military

UPDATES WITH REMARKS FROM SOURCE

By Muhammed Amin and Omer Erdem

KHARTOUM, Sudan (AA) – Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir has stepped down, military sources claimed on Thursday in the wake of continued calls for his resignation.

A transitional government has been formed by the army in order to rule the country in the upcoming period, a military source said, refusing to give further details.

“I can confirm that Bashir has stepped down after pressure piled up on him by the army and the protestors,” said the source, who asked not to be named, due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Sudanese state TV and radio announced early morning that the army would "make an important statement", but nothing has been aired so far.

Hundreds of thousands of people have been taking to the streets of the capital Khartoum to celebrate ousting of 30-year rule of Bashir.

Bashir is now under house arrest and his bodyguards have been detained, local media reported.

Meanwhile, Sudanese military intelligence rounded up more than 100 executives of the ruling National Congress Party.

Among those arrested were former Defense Minister Abdel Rahim Mohammed Hussein, former Vice President Ali Osman Taha, and ruling party head Ahmed Haroun.

Sudanese troops have also been deployed around the state TV building, and some soldiers reportedly entered the building in Omdurman, the country’s second largest city.

Reports also said that flights at Sudan's Khartoum International Airport have been suspended while only landings on the airport are being allowed.

Hundreds of Sudanese protesters on Wednesday staged a sit-in outside army headquarters in the capital for the fifth day in a row amid continued calls for President Omar al-Bashir to step down.

Since Saturday, at least 22 people have been killed in clashes between demonstrators and security forces, which have repeatedly tried to disperse the sit-in by force, according to the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors.

The police, for their part, said that only a single protester was killed.

Sudan has been shaken by protests since last December, with demonstrators demanding the departure of al-Bashir, who has ruled Sudan since 1989.

*Writing by Nilay Kar Onum

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Sudan’s Bashir steps down as president: Military

             By Muhammed Amin and Omer Erdem</p>    <p>KHARTOUM, Sudan (AA) - Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir has stepped down, military sources claimed on Thursday, in wake of continued calls for his resignation. </p>    <p>Bashir is now under house arrest and his bodyguards have been detained, local media reported. </p>    <p>Meanwhile, Sudanese military intelligence rounded up more than 100 executives of the ruling National Congress Party. </p>    <p>Among those arrested were former Defense Minister Abdel Rahim Mohammed Hussein, former Vice President Ali Osman Taha and ruling party head Ahmed Haroun.</p>    <p>Sudanese troops have also been deployed around the state TV building, and some soldiers reportedly entered the building in Omdurman, the country’s second largest city.</p>    <p>Reports also said that flights at Sudan's Khartoum International Airport have been suspended while only landings on airport are being allowed.</p>    <p>Earlier, Sudan's state TV announced that army would make an important announcement soon.</p>    <p>Hundreds of Sudanese protesters on Wednesday staged a sit-in outside army headquarters in the capital for the fifth day in a row amid continued calls for President Omar al-Bashir to step down.</p>    <p>Since Saturday, at least 22 people have been killed in clashes between demonstrators and security forces, which have repeatedly tried to disperse the sit-in by force, according to the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors.</p>    <p>The police, for their part, said that only a single protester was killed.</p>    <p>Sudan has been shaken by protests since last December, with demonstrators demanding the departure of al-Bashir, who has ruled Sudan since 1989.

*Writing by Nilay Kar Onum

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UK: Amid Brexit row, 2nd minister quits in 1 day

                              <p>By Ahmet Gurhan Kartal</p>  <p>LONDON (AA) – Britain’s Brexit minister has resigned from the government, bringing the number of resignations on Wednesday to two after fallout over Prime Minister Theresa May’s decision to request another extension from the EU for next steps in Brexit.</p>  <p>“After much contemplation, I have decided to leave Theresa May's Government,” Chris Heaton-Harris said in his resignation letter, defending a no-deal Brexit.</p>  <p>He said that he thought the U.K. should have left the EU on March 29, as planned, and so that he cannot support any further extension.</p>  <p>Earlier on Wednesday, Minister of Wales Nigel Adams resigned from the government after failing to agree with May’s latest Brexit strategy.</p>  <p>“We must deliver the Brexit people voted for,” Adams said, criticizing May’s decision to start talks with main opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn to find a way forward in the Brexit impasse.</p>  <p>“And we must prevent the calamity of a Corbyn government,” he said in his resignation letter, criticizing May’s decision to hold talks with Corbyn.</p>  <p>Late Tuesday, May said after a seven-hour long cabinet meeting that she will start talks with Corbyn to seek a way forward to break the Brexit deadlock.</p>  <p>With the first extended Brexit deadline looming on April 12, May also said that the U.K. needs an additional short extension from the EU.</p>  <p>“So today I am taking action to break the logjam: I am offering to sit down with the Leader of the Opposition and to try to agree a plan -- that we would both stick to -- to ensure that we leave the European Union and that we do so with a deal.” </p>  <p>May said “we need to focus on… our future relationship with the EU.</p>  <p>“The ideal outcome of this process would be to agree an approach on a Future Relationship that delivers on the result of the Referendum, that both the Leader of the opposition and I could put to the House for approval, and which I could then take to next week’s European Council,” set for April 10.</p>  <p>May added that if “a single unified approach” cannot be reached, “then we would instead agree a number of options for the future relationship that we could put to the House in a series of votes to determine which course to pursue.”</p>
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UK minister resigns amid Brexit row with government

             By Ahmet Gurhan Kartal</p>    <p>LONDON (AA) - British Minister of Wales Nigel Adams resigned from the government and Conservative Party whip after failing to agree the latest Brexit strategy of Prime Minister Theresa May.</p>    <p>“We must deliver the Brexit people voted for,” Adams criticized May’s decision to start talks with the main opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn to find a way forward in the Brexit impasse.</p>    <p>“And we must prevent the calamity of a Corbyn government,” he said in his resignation letter.</p>    <p>Adams added: “I fear that we are now at risk of simultaneously failing in both.”</p>    <p>He said that “…legitimising and turning to Jeremy Corbyn to assist you at this crucial stage, rather than being bold, is a grave error.”</p>    <p>Defending a U.K. departure from the EU with a no-deal, Adams said: “No deal is better than a bad deal.”</p>    <p>“It now seems that you and your cabinet have decided that a deal -- cooked up with a Marxist who has never once in his political life put British interests first -- is better than no deal,” he said.</p>    <p>On Tuesday, May said after a 7-hour long cabinet meeting that she will start talks with Corbyn to look for a way forward to break the Brexit deadlock.</p>    <p>With the U.K.’s first extended Brexit deadline on April 12, British Prime Minister Theresa May also said that it needs an additional short extension from the EU. </p>    <p>“So today I am taking action to break the logjam: I am offering to sit down with the Leader of the Opposition and to try to agree a plan -- that we would both stick to -- to ensure that we leave the European Union and that we do so with a deal,” she said, referring to the Labour leader.</p>    <p>May said “we need to focus on… our future relationship with the EU.</p>    <p>“The ideal outcome of this process would be to agree an approach on a Future Relationship that delivers on the result of the Referendum, that both the Leader of the opposition and I could put to the House for approval, and which I could then take to next week’s European Council,” set for April 10.</p>    <p>The prime minister added that if “a single unified approach” cannot be reached, “then we would instead agree a number of options for the future relationship that we could put to the House in a series of votes to determine which course to pursue.”</p>    <p>May and Corbyn are expected to initiate talks on Brexit on Wednesday.
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Algeria's Bouteflika vows to step down before April 28

                            <p>By Abdel-Razek Abdallah</p>    <p>ALGIERS (AA) – Embattled Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika on Monday vowed to resign before his term officially expires later this month.</p>    <p>According to a statement released by his office and carried by state media, Bouteflika also pledged to make &quot;significant decisions&quot; with a view to ensuring that state institutions would continue to function during an upcoming “transitional phase”.</p>    <p>“The president will resign sometime before the end of his term, which is set to expire on April 28,” the statement read.</p>    <p>In February, Algeria’s ruling National Liberation Front nominated the 82-year-old Bouteflika, who has ruled Algeria since 1999, to run for a fifth presidential term. </p>    <p>But on March 11, following weeks of protests against his planned bid for a fifth term, Bouteflika abruptly postponed the polls -- originally slated for April 18 -- and formally withdrew his candidacy. </p>    <p>Nevertheless, Algerians have continued to stage demonstrations against the aging leader, who they accuse of unconstitutionally extending his fourth term in office.</p>