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Thailand’s embattled prime minister was suspended from duty Tuesday and could face dismissal pending an ethics probe over a leaked phone call she had with Cambodia’s powerful former leader, CNN reported.

Paetongtarn Shinawatra, 38, has only held the premiership for 10 months after replacing her predecessor, who was removed from office. Her suspension brings fresh uncertainty to the Southeast Asian kingdom, which has been roiled by years of political turbulence and leadership shake-ups.

Thailand’s Constitutional Court accepted a petition brought by a group of 36 senators who accused Paetongtarn of violating the constitution for breaching ethical standards in the leaked call, which was confirmed as authentic by both sides.

Nepali Congress (NC) leader Shekhar Koirala has expressed serious concern over changes in  the Civil Service Bill in an unauthorised way, calling it an insult to the dignity of Parliament when the Bill had already been unanimously endorsed by the House of Representatives.

Taking to social media, Koirala stated, "This is not a normal incident; it is disrespect for the sovereign Parliament." He demanded immediate action against those responsible for the alteration and urged that such change be reverted. 

The leader further stressed that the Bill should not proceed without the inclusion of a mandatory cooling-off period, underscoring the need to respect parliamentary procedures.

Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba has called on the international community to support sustainable agricultural systems for Nepal and countries with similar topographies, as well as climate finance for the Himalayan region.

Addressing the 44th General Assembly of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) held in Rome on Monday, she urged for ensuring grant-based international climate finance for Nepal, particularly for the mountainous regions, which are suffering from the impacts of climate change.

"The mountainous region of Nepal and countries like Nepal are the most vulnerable due to the climate crisis. However, these areas have been neglected in climate finance and adaptation efforts. It is essential that all those concerned over this issue pay attention to it," Minister Rana said.

Stating that the agricultural sector is the backbone of the economy, she mentioned that agriculture contributes 23 percent to Nepal's gross domestic product and that nearly two-thirds of the population depends on agriculture.

She also made it clear that the role of agriculture is crucial in food security, nutrition, poverty alleviation, and rural development.

Minister Rana stated that the goal of creating a hunger-free world by 2030 is still unfulfilled and it is being challenged by pandemics, climate crises, economic instability, and geopolitical tensions.

She stated that sustainable and resilient mountain agriculture promotion is essential not only for our livelihoods but also important for the planet's biodiversity, food security, and the ecological balance of the Earth.

"We are seeking collaboration to expand farmers' access to early warning systems. In the context of increasing climate risks, we expect stronger collaboration with FAO for the promotion of sustainable mountain agriculture. Additionally, Nepal has expressed the expectation of sharing experiences and knowledge about successful practices to increase the participation and leadership of women and youth farmers," reiterated Minister Rana, expressing Nepal's desire to expand successful and innovative agriculture practices as the 'four better' approach.

The former vice president of Ecuador who was detained last year during a highly criticized police raid on Mexico’s embassy in the South American country was sentenced Monday to 13 years in prison, Associated Press reported.

Jorge Glas had been accused of misusing public funds intended for the reconstruction of two provinces affected by an earthquake in 2016. The quake devastated communities and killed hundreds of people.

Glas became vice president in 2013, during the presidency of Rafael Correa, and was removed from that position in January 2018, when he was charged in a corruption case tied to the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht, according to Associated Press.

Judge Mercedes Caicedo said the funds for reconstruction efforts following the earthquake were allocated to “useless, unusable and unnecessary buildings” disregarding the law, and above all, “with complete disrespect for the victims.”