Page 1728 - Politics
Don't heed 'mad' Trump, Maduro tells Italy, Europe
Rome, Feb 5 (IANS/AKI) Venezuelan President Nicolas Madurohas urged Italy and other European countries not to be led on by "the mad acts" of US president Donald Trump and to adopt a neutral stance over the standoff.
Karnataka set for stormy budget session in Bengaluru
Foiling an alleged opposition BJP's bid to topple it recently, the ruling JD-S-Congress government in Karnataka is bracing up for a 10-day stormy budget session of the state legislature here from Wednesday.
Lima Group calls for Venezuela regime change without force
The Lima Group of Latin American countries and Canada has called for a peaceful change in government in Venezuela, without military intervention. They also urged Venezuela's military to support opposition leader Juan Guaido as interim president and "not to impede the entry and transit of humanitarian assistance to Venezuelans." Eleven of the group's 14 members said in a joint statement after meeting in Ottawa - which saw protesters briefly disrupt a closing press conference - that they "reiterate their support for a process of peaceful transition through political and diplomatic means without the use of force." At the same time, the group welcomed into the Lima Group Guaido's "legitimate government of Venezuela" and vowed to "recognize and work with" his representatives in their respective countries. At a closing press conference, host Chrystia Freeland, Canada's foreign minister, said 34 countries have so far recognised Guaido as Venezuela's interim leader until new elections are ...
Senate rebukes Trump over Syria, Afghanistan pullouts
The US Senate has approved by a large majority an amendment critical of President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw troops from Syria and Afghanistan, in a sign of the deep discontent caused by the policies within his own Republican ranks. The resolution was sponsored by the Republican leader of the Senate Mitch McConnell, who said last week the measure "would acknowledge the plain fact that Al-Qaeda, ISIS and their affiliates in Syria and Afghanistan continue to pose a serious threat to our nation." It passed by a majority of 70 to 26 - opposed by only three of the 53 Senate Republicans. The amendment will eventually be incorporated into a broader security law on the Middle East. According to the text, the "precipitous withdrawal of United States forces" from either country "could put at risk hard-won gains and United States national security." In December, Trump tweeted plans to remove America's 2,000 troops out of Syria, arguing that the Islamic State group had been defeated, ...
US special envoy for N. Korea going to Pyongyang: official
The US special envoy for North Korea will head to Pyongyang on Wednesday for talks ahead of a much-anticipated second summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un, the State Department has said. In addition to preparations for the summit, Stephen Biegun's meetings with North Korean official Kim Hyok Chol will "advance further progress on the commitments the president and Chairman Kim made in Singapore: complete denuclearization, transforming US-DPRK relations and building a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula," a statement read on Monday. In an interview with CBS on Sunday, Trump said the date and venue of his upcoming second summit with the North Korean leader had been agreed -- and would likely be announced before or during his State of the Union address on Tuesday. Vietnam is seen as the most likely venue for the meeting, which is expected to take place late this month, and follows their landmark first summit in Singapore last June. That meeting - the first-ever between the ...
Nobel winner Murad, Guaido envoy invited to Trump's State of Union
Nobel Peace Prize winner Nadia Murad and Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido's envoy to Washington are among the top guests invited to attend US President Donald Trump's State of the Union address, lawmakers have announced. In keeping with tradition, the 535 members of the US Congress may invite someone to accompany them to the annual speech, to be held Tuesday, where the president is expected to tout his accomplishments and outlines his vision for the future. It's an occasion for the Democrats, Republicans and independents of the 100-member Senate and 435-member House of Representatives to bring guests who symbolize policy goals and bring attention to the causes they hold dear. Murad, an Iraqi Yazidi woman who escaped the clutches of the Islamic State group to become a leading campaigner against sexual violence in war, and Carlos Vecchio, whom the US has recognised as Venezuela's top diplomat in Washington, are among the high-profile guests this year. Murad was invited by Jeff ..
Andhra Pradesh: TDP protests against Amit Shah's rally
Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders and workers of Srikakulam district in Palasa on Monday protested against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah's tour to the state.They held a protest at NTR statue and raised slogans against Shah asking him to go back. The TDP workers also tried to set ablaze the effigy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi but the police prevented them.The TDP workers shouted slogans demanding implementation of special category status for Andhra Pradesh.Palasa MLA GSS Sivaji along with district TDP president G Sirisha led the protests. The leaders were detained for some time in Kasibugga Police Station.On Monday, BJP president Amit Shah termed the TDP supremo and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu as a "U-turn Chief Minister" and declared he will not be allowed to enter the NDA alliance again.In his rally here, Shah took a jibe at the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister for switching parties when either the BJP or the Congress came to power at the ...
UK: Pakistani diplomat asks PoK representatives to leave venue of conference on Kashmir
Citing security risks, a Pakistani diplomat here asked the representatives from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) to leave the venue of a conference on Kashmir which was being held in a Committee Room of House of Commons in London on Monday.The conference was attended by Foreign Minister of Pakistan Shah Mahmood Qureshi and several pro-Pakistan leaders to propagate the Pakistani agenda on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.Apart from a few other Parliamentarians, in the Conference, there were some Azad Kashmiri and Pakistani Parliamentarians. The audience was overwhelmingly consisted of British Pakistanis and British Azad Kashmiris, who needed no lecture on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.A delegation of Kashmiri nationalists from the platform of Jammu Kashmir National Independence Alliance also went to attend the Conference. Mahmood Kashmiri, Chairman of JKNIA and other office bearers, former Councillor Ghulam Hussain, Dr Misfar Hassan and Sardar Amjad Yousaf are peaceful people and went ...
Indian-Americans lead campaign against nomination of Neomi Rao
Two leading Indian-American women have led the Democratic party's move to oppose the nomination of fellow community legal luminary Neomi Rao for the prestigious and powerful US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. US President Donald Trump had announced Rao's nomination in November while celebrating Diwali at the White House. Trump had nominated her in place of Justice Brett Kavanaugh who in October was sworn in as the Supreme Court judge. If confirmed by the United States Senate, Rao, 45, would be the second Indian-American after Sree Srinivasan in this powerful court, which is considered a step below the US Supreme court. However, unlike the nomination process of Srinivasan, wherein the entire Indian American community was united and campaigned aggressively for his confirmation, Indian-Americans are a bitterly divided lot this time. Senate Judiciary Committee "should reject" Rao, Indian-American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal said on Monday. Now considered as among .
U.S. trade agency says WTO rule change efforts to rein in China will fail
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Negotiating new World Trade Organization rules to try to rein in China's "mercantilist" trade practices would be largely a futile exercise, the Trump administration's trade office said on Monday, vowing to pursue its unilateral approach to protect U.S. workers, farmers and businesses.
Trump to name acting Interior secretary to lead department
President Donald Trump says he's nominating a Washington veteran with lobbying ties to US energy companies to lead the Interior Department. David Bernhardt, currently Interior's acting head, would replace Ryan Zinke if the Senate approves his nomination. Zinke resigned in December amid ethics investigations. Trump tweeted Monday that Bernhardt "has done a fantastic job from the day he arrived." The Colorado native first served in the department under President George W Bush. He had been a deputy under Zinke. Bernhardt also worked as a lobbyist and lawyer for several oil and gas companies and other interests that sometimes have regulatory matters before the department. Republicans say Bernhardt's revolving-door experience makes him an informed regulator in matters before the agency. Democrats and environmental groups say he's vulnerable to conflicts of interest.
Virginia politics roiled by racism, sexual misconduct charges
Virginia politics went into further turmoil as the lieutenant governor of the eastern US state, where the governor is under intense pressure to resign, was accused of sexual misconduct. Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax, who would take over if Governor Ralph Northam steps down, strongly denied the allegation made by a woman about a sexual encounter they had in a hotel room 15 years ago. Fairfax, 39, a Democrat who won election along with Northam in November, said it had been a "100 per cent consensual encounter". "There was no inappropriate contact whatsoever," Fairfax told reporters. "Years later, now we have a totally fabricated story out of the blue that's meant to attack me because of where I am in politics," he said on Monday. "This has been weaponised and used as a smear." The allegations against Fairfax came as Northam, 59, is facing calls to step down from both Republicans and Democrats alike. Northam has been fighting for his political survival since a 1984 yearbook surfaced
US welcomes recognition of Guaido as Venezuela's Interim President by several European countries
A press statement from the US State Department welcomed the decision to recognise Juan Guaido as Venezuela's Interim President by several European countries."We welcome the decision today by Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Finland, France, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom to recognize Juan Guaido as the Interim President of Venezuela," US Secretary of State Michael R Pompeo said in the press statement."We are also heartened by the European Parliament's January 31 resolution recognizing Juan Guaido as Interim President. They join the United States and more than 23 other countries in recognizing Juan Guaido as Interim President, in accordance with Venezuela's constitution," he added.Encouraging all the other countries, including other EU member states to support the Venezuelan people by recognising Interim President Guaido, Pompeo urged the countries to support the National Assembly's efforts to ..
Lebanon's new govt not controlled by Hezbollah: Chief
The chief of Lebanon's Hezbollah has said that the new government is not controlled by Hezbollah but the party's representation in the cabinet will be stronger than ever before, local TV Channel Al-Manar reported.
19 EU states recognise Guaido as interim Venezuelan leader
Spain and 18 other countries belonging to the European Union (EU) has signed a joint declaration of support and recognition for the US-backed opposition leader as the interim Venezuelan president after an ultimatum they had signed calling on the embattled incumbent to call early elections expired.
EU nations endorse Venezuela opposition leader over Maduro
More than a dozen European Union countries have endorsed Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as the country's interim president, piling the pressure on embattled President Nicolas Maduro to resign and clear the way for a new presidential election. Maduro, for his part, stood defiant, rejecting a US offer of humanitarian aid that has shifted attention to Venezuela's western border with Colombia, where opponents were gearing up to try to bring emergency food and medicine into the country. "We are not beggars," Maduro said in a speech to troops broadcast on Venezuelan state TV. Spain, Germany, France and Britain delivered diplomatic blows to Maduro's rule by publicly supporting Guaido after a Sunday deadline for Maduro to call a presidential election passed without action. Sweden, Denmark, Austria, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, the Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Poland and Portugal also lined up behind Guaido, who last month declared himself interim president ...
US urges others to follow European recognition of Venezuela's Guaido
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday welcomed major European powers' recognition of opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela's interim president and urged others to follow suit. "We encourage all countries, including other EU member states, to support the Venezuelan people by recognizing Interim President Guaido and supporting the National Assembly's efforts to return constitutional democracy to Venezuela," Pompeo said in a statement. Pompeo also renewed the US call on Venezuela's military to part ways with Maduro, a socialist firebrand who presides over a crumbling economy. "We repeat our call to the Venezuelan military and security forces to support their country's constitution and protect all Venezuelan citizens, including Interim President Guaido and his family, as well as US and other foreign citizens in Venezuela," Pompeo said. Major European powers including Britain, France, Germany and Spain on Monday recognized Guaido as leader until new elections are held after ...
EU backs Iran trading system but warns on Syria, missiles
The EU warned Tehran over its ballistic missile programme and interference in the Syria conflict Monday, while welcoming a new mechanism to trade with Iran while bypassing US sanctions. In a long-awaited statement on Iran that has been the subject of more than a week of wrangling in Brussels, the EU restated its commitment to saving the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and took aim at Washington for abandoning the pact and reimposing sanctions. The bloc hailed the creation last week by France, Britain and Germany of a system to allow firms to trade with Iran without falling foul of US sanctions as vital to supporting legitimate business and said the "resolve to complete this work is unwavering". But with numerous European powers growing increasingly concerned about Tehran's missile programme, meddling in several Middle East conflicts and recent attempted attacks on opposition figures living in the EU, the bloc urged Iran to mend its ways. The statement criticised Iran's "provision of ...
US asks nations to repatriate jihadists as it leaves Syria
The United States urged other countries Monday to bring home hundreds of Islamic State sympathizers captured in Syria, a delicate issue for allies such as France as Washington withdraws troops. After allies grappled for weeks on what to do with the extremists left in Syria, the United States came down clearly on the side of repatriation. The United States said that the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) -- which played a major role in crushing the Islamic State group and has warned that it may not be able to guard its jails once US troops leave -- had been holding the jihadists "securely and humanely". "The United States calls upon other nations to repatriate and prosecute their citizens detained by the SDF and commends the continued efforts of the SDF to return these foreign terrorist fighters to their countries of origin," State Department spokesman Robert Palladino said in a statement. President Donald Trump on December 19 stunned Western allies by announcing that the ...
Tax reprieve for Dutch citizens in UK if no-deal Brexit
Tens-of-thousands of Dutch citizens living in Britain will have until the end of the year to get their taxes in order in case of a no-deal Brexit, the Dutch government said Monday. Britain is set to become a "third country" if it quits the European Union without a deal on March 29, leaving between 100,000 to 150,000 Dutch citizens living there "with a different tax regime," it said in a statement. Therefore the Dutch government is introducing a transitional scheme for Dutch citizens and businesses, meaning "taxes will be the same as if Britain had not yet left the EU" until the end of the year. "For many Dutch citizens and companies a no-deal Brexit will bring lots of uncertainty," Dutch Deputy Finance Minister Menno Snel said. "Therefore I want to give people this transitional period to be able to prepare themselves," Snel added. Citizens living in Britain but paying taxes in the Netherlands will lose, for instance, the right to tax credits and the right to certain deductible items .