Page 1717 - Politics
Iran hits back at EU over accusations of hostile activities
Iran on Tuesday slammed the European Union for accusing Tehran of orchestrating hostile activities including alleged assassination plots in several EU states.Sputnik International quoted the Iranian Foreign Ministry as saying, "The unsubstantiated accusations, such as with regard to assassination attempts and attempted terrorist attacks in Europe, have been groundless and surprising from the very beginning. We are disappointed with such accusations and concerns of the Europeans, while in Europe itself terrorist and criminal groups are being active."Iran further stated it hopes that Brussels would approach the issue of terrorism more realistically.Responding to EU's growing concerns, Tehran clarified that its desire to increase the accuracy and range of its missiles is exclusively defensive.The European Union on Monday had sanctioned two persons and one entity in relation to Iran's "hostile activities" in some European countries.The Council of the European Union also called on Iran to .
Venezuelan Parliament approves law governing political transition
Venezuela's National Assembly (AN) -- or Parliament -- with its overwhelming opposition majority, on Tuesday approved a law that will govern an eventual political transition in the country and will enter into force once elected President Nicolas Maduro, whom the AN does not recognize, leaves power.
For Fed chairs, White House summons are typical, though not always welcome
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The timing was awkward, at best.
Dhaka, Bangkok direct flights from Guwahati by March 2019: Sonowal
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday said that subsidised direct flights from Guwahati to Dhaka and Bangkok would be starting from the last part of March 2019 under UDAN (International) Scheme.
US warns European allies not to use Chinese gear for 5G networks
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The United States sees the European Union as its top priority in a global effort to convince allies not to buy Huawei equipment for next-generation mobile networks, a U.S. State Department Official said on Tuesday.
Pope tamps down Maduro's hopes for Vatican intervention
Pope Francis has acknowledged receiving a request from embattled Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro to help relaunch talks to end the country's political crisis but ruled out any involvement unless opposition leader Juan Guaido requests it. Francis on Tuesday acknowledged that he hadn't read Maduro's letter, which he said arrived at the Vatican via diplomatic pouch. He added, "We'll see what can be done." But speaking to reporters en route home from the United Arab Emirates, he recalled that a previous Vatican diplomatic effort to facilitate talks between Maduro and the opposition "went up in smoke." And he insisted on the basic diplomatic requirement that two sides to any conflict must jointly request external facilitation or mediation of negotiations. "I'll have a look at the letter, I'll see what can be done. But the preliminary conditions are that both sides ask for it," he told reporters, without citing Guaido by name. However, Venezuela's opposition, led by Guaido, has made it
Salvini calls Maduro criminal, urges early elections in Venezuela
Rome, Feb 6 (IANS/AKI) Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is breaking the law, Italy's far-right interior minister and deputy premier Matteo Salvini said on Tuesday, calling for "free, democratic polls as soon as possible".
US wants Pakistan to cease behaviour undermining regional stability in S Asia: Pentagon
Militants operating out of Pakistan and Afghanistan continue to threaten Afghan stability as well as stoke tensions between Pakistan and India, and the US looks to Islamabad to cease behaviour undermining regional stability, a top Pentagon Commander said on Tuesday. During a Congressional hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Commander of the US Central Command General Joseph Votel told the lawmakers that Pakistan has taken positive steps to assist Special US Representative of Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad in facilitating talks with the Taliban. But Pakistan "has avoided taking any concrete or irreversible steps such as arresting or expelling Taliban leaders who do not cooperate with reconciliation efforts," he said. "Militants operating out of Pakistan and Afghanistan continue to threaten Afghan stability as well as stoke tensions between Pakistan and India. We look to regional actors such as Pakistan to cease behaviour undermining regional stability and play constructive ...
Netanyahu to meet Putin to discuss Iran, Syria
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday said that he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow later in February for more talks on Syria and Iran's presence in the country.
Senator Kamala Harris to deliver prebuttal of State of the Union address
Indian-American Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris on Tuesday said she will deliver a prebuttal of State of the Union address by President Donald Trump ahead of his joint address to the US Congress. "I'm delivering remarks tonight on Facebook Live ahead of the President's State of the Union Address. It's critical we speak truth to the American people during this inflection moment in our country's history," Harris said on her twitter account that has 640,000 followers. The prebuttal would be delivered on Facebook Live at about 7.45 p.m, EST or (6.15 a.m. Wednesday IST). Trump would be delivering his State of the Union Address at the US Capitol at about 9 p.m. local time (7.30 a.m. Wednesday IST). Trump will focus on key issues like immigration, national security and trade and call for unity in a hugely divided Congress in his annual State of the Union address as he begins the second half of his first term in the White House. The annual State of the Union address is the ...
Kamala Harris, Tulsi Gabbard to campaign in early-voting states in Feb
Kamala Harris, the first Indian-origin Senator and Tulsi Gabbard, the first Hindu lawmaker in the US Congress, the two 2020 Democratic presidential candidates, on Tuesday announced tour of four States which will hold the Democratic primaries early next year. Harris, 54, would travel to South Carolina, New Hampshire, Iowa and Nevada later this month, her campaign said. Daughter of an Indian-American from Tamil Nadu, Harris had formally launched her campaign late last month from her hometown of Oakland which was attended by an impressive 20,000 people. In less than an hour of her formal launch, she raised more than USD1.5 million. Tulsi Gabbard, 37, the Democratic colleague of Harris in the House of Representatives, who formally launched her campaign over the weekend would be in Iowa and Chicago this month, according to an announcement by her campaign. "In Chicago, Tulsi will be visiting faith and advocacy leaders from a spectrum of denominations and cultural backgrounds. In Iowa, Tulsi
UK prime minister vows no return to hard border with Ireland
British Prime Minister Theresa May told business leaders in Northern Ireland Tuesday that she is seeking changes to the Brexit withdrawal agreement but not the total removal of the backstop plan that is the most contentious part of the deal. May said during a visit to Belfast that the British government retains its commitment to preventing the construction of a physical border between Ireland and Northern Ireland when Britain leaves the European Union. The prime minister said she was in Belfast "to affirm my commitment to delivering a Brexit that ensures no return to a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland which is unshakable." She also emphasized the government's commitment to the Good Friday agreement, largely credited with ending decades of violence known as "the Troubles" when it was signed in 1998. Britain is scheduled to leave the EU on March 29, but no withdrawal agreement has been approved because Britain's Parliament has voted down May's plan, in part because of ..
Anna Hazare ends hunger strike, Lokpal search committee meeting next week
Social activist and anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare ended his hunger strike on Tuesday after seven days following assurances from the government on the Lokpal and Lokayukta issues.Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who fed water to Hazare to end his strike, assured the activist that his demand would be met, adding that Lokpal search committee would meet on February 13.Fadnavis reached Hazare's native Ralegan Siddhi village in Ahmednagar district in the afternoon and held prolonged talks with him. The Chief Minister said the government has accepted the activist's demands."A joint drafting committee has been set up, it will prepare a new bill and we will introduce it in the next session. We have given a letter to Anna, and that clearly mentions that on February 13 the search committee will be meeting. Several guidelines are also there of the Supreme Court so accordingly, we have assured Anna on this topic. Anna demanded that a joint drafting committee should be made ...
Polavaram project completely funded by Centre, says Gadkari
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday said that the Polavaram project in Telangana was completely built with funds by the central government."In Congress' tenure, the poor people have become poorer but in the BJP government, we are trying to help them. We have also given permission to TS state government to build Kaleshwaram project. The Polavaram project is also being built with central funds. We have always stood behind the state governments for helping farmers in providing water for cultivation. Telangana and Andhra Pradesh states are getting all the things which it has not got in last fifty years," Gadkari said.Gadkari, who participated in Economically Backward Classes (EBCs) organisations felicitation regarding introducing 10 per cent EBC reservations by Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: "I would like to thank you for facilitating us for introducing 10 per cent reservation to economically backward class. Our aim is to work for the country and its development. It is also our ...
U.S. warns European allies not to use Chinese gear for 5G networks
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The United States sees the European Union as its top priority in a global effort to convince allies not to buy Huawei equipment for next-generation mobile networks, a U.S. State Department Official said on Tuesday.
Mamata ends sit-in, apex court asks Kumar to appear before CBI (round-up)
Close to 45 hours after starting her 'save Constitution' dharna in the heart of the city, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday ended the sit-in to protest CBI's attempt to question Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar in a probe into the ponzi scheme scam.
Washington warns new migrant 'caravan' against crossing border
The United States warned Tuesday it was prepared to prevent a new "caravan" of Central American migrants from entering the country, with US President Donald Trump tweeting that more troops have been sent to the border. The warnings came as Trump was preparing for a State of the Union speech to Congress that was sure to feature his so far unsuccessful battle to win funding for a wall on the US-Mexico border. "Tremendous numbers of people are coming up through Mexico in the hopes of flooding our Southern Border. We have sent additional military. We will build a Human Wall if necessary. If we had a real Wall, this would be a non-event!" Trump said on Twitter. Republicans should be prepared "to do whatever is necessary" for border security, given the opposition of Democrats to the wall, he said. Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen followed with a statement saying that some "2,000 aliens have arrived in northern Mexico as part of a 'caravan' seeking to cross the border into ...
Will decide at appropriate time to snap ties with NDA : Meghalaya CM
Meghalaya Chief Minister and National People's Party (NPP) President Conrad Sangma on Tuesday said his party will decide at an "appropriate time" on snapping ties with the NDA government over the the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.
C'garh cabinet nod to withdraw cases against chit fund agents
The Chhattisgarh cabinet Tuesday gave its approval to withdraw cases against agents of chit fund companies that allegedly duped investors to the tune of several crores during the erstwhile BJP government in the state. The state cabinet, during its meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Tuesday, discussed the issue of withdrawal of cases against agents of chit fund companies and return money to investors, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ravindra Choubey said. He was talking to the media about the cabinet decisions after the meeting. The issue of withdrawing cases was mentioned by the Congress in its poll manifesto. The Congress had said the local youth who worked asagents of thesechitfundcompanies had to face the wrath of police after directors of these fraud companies fled with the people's hard-earned money of the people. "The action is being taken to withdraw the cases lodged against the agents of chit fund companies. So, in the cabinet meeting it was ...
Trump greets people across the globe on lunar year
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday greeted people across the world celebrating the Lunar New Year. "Today, people across the United States and around the world mark the beginning of the Lunar New Year with spectacular fireworks displays, joyful festivals, and family gatherings," Trump said in a statement. This is a sacred time for many people of Asian descent, and it is an opportunity for all Americans to honour the important contributions these communities have made to the story of American greatness, he said. Chinese people all over world bade farewell to the 'Year of the Dog' and welcomed the 'Year of the Pig' on Tuesday, ushering in the Lunar New Year with prayers and family feasts. It is also celebrated as Spring Festival. "As families, friends, and loved ones gather to welcome the Year of the Pig, we join in sharing our best wishes for good health, prosperity, and happiness," Trump said. Chinese lunar calendar years are grouped into a 12-year cycle, with each year assigned an .