Australia says it was 'upfront' with France over submarine deal as crisis continues
The Hindu
Paris has called the cancellation a stab in the back,with Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian saying relations with the United States and Australia were in a "crisis"
Australia was "upfront, open and honest" with France about its concerns over a deal for French , its Defence minister said on September 19, as a new deal with the United States and Britain continued to fuel a multinational diplomatic crisis.
Australia ditched the 2016 deal with France's Naval Group to build a fleet of conventional submarines, announcing on September 16 a plan to build at least eight nuclear-powered ones with U.S.and British technology in a .
The move infuriated France, a NATO ally of the United States and Britain, prompting it to from Washington and Canberra, and riled China,the major rising power in the Indo-Pacific region.
More than 2.6 lakh village and ward volunteers in Andhra Pradesh, once celebrated as the government’s grassroots champions for their crucial role in implementing welfare schemes, are now in a dilemma after learning that their tenure has not been renewed after August 2023 even though they have been paid honoraria till June 2024. Disowned by both YSRCP, which was in power when they were appointed, and the current ruling TDP, which made a poll promise to double their pay, these former volunteers are ruing the day they signed up for the role which they don’t know if even still exists