Page 210 - Politics
Iran releases Lebanese businessman convicted of spying
Iran on Tuesday released a Lebanese businessman named Nizar Zakka who was imprisoned on charges of spying for the United States for nearly four years.Zakka, who is a permanent US resident, arrived in Lebanon's capital Beirut after the Lebanese government had made a request for his release.Upon his arrival, Zakka met President Michel Aoun and security chief Abbas Ibrahim at Baabda Palace, the official residence of the Lebanon President, Al Jazeera reported.Zakka, who is an information technology expert, had disappeared while he was attending a conference in Tehran in 2015. Subsequently, he was arrested and sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment on charges of espionage.The businessman thanked the Lebanese government and his family for securing his release."The campaign for my release started in Lebanon, developed in Lebanon, and ended in Lebanon," he said, adding that he would not divulge into details regarding his "kidnapping, detention, and false accusations".According to Zakka's ...
US slaps sanctions on Syrian businessman for 'supporting' Assad
The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions on a Syrian businessman named Samer Foz and over a dozen entities and individuals for allegedly supporting President Bashar al-Assad regime."These designations serve to cut off critical supplies and financiers for the regime's luxury reconstruction and investment efforts. This action reinforces the United States' commitment to imposing a financial toll on those supporting Assad's authoritarian rule, including Syrian oligarch Samer Foz," Treasury Department said in a statement."Samer Foz, his relatives, and his business empire have leveraged the atrocities of the Syrian conflict into a profit-generating enterprise. This Syrian oligarch is directly supporting the murderous Assad regime and building luxury developments on land stolen from those fleeing his brutality," said Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Sigal Mandelker.Foz has been allegedly profiting heavily from reconstruction efforts in Syria by building luxury ...
Pompeo to embark on 4-nation visit from June 24-30
US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo will embark on a four-nation visit to India, Sri Lanka, Japan and South Korea beginning from June 24 to 30 in an effort to strengthen partnerships with the said countries and to advance the goal of a free and open Indo-Pacific region, the State Department said on Tuesday.Pompeo's first port of call will be India, which will be his first visit after Prime Minister Narendra Modi was sworn-in for a second term."In New Delhi, Secretary Pompeo will meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar to discuss our ambitious agenda for the US-India strategic partnership," State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said in a statement."Prime Minister Modi's recent election victory provides an excellent opportunity for him to implement his vision for a strong and prosperous India that plays a leading role on the global stage," she added.Pompeo will then travel to Colombo, where he will express US' solidarity with the ...
Trump, Biden furiously trade barbs while overlapping in Iowa
US President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden spent Tuesday trading insults sometimes in real-time as they stumped across Iowa in split screen moments that could preview a ferocious fight ahead if the two men face off for the presidency next year. Biden is atop the massive Democratic presidential field only because of his frequent attacks on Trump, the president said. He also more explicitly linked Biden to his 2016 foe, Hillary Clinton. "People don't respect him," Trump said after touring a renewable energy facility in Council Bluffs. "Even the people that he's running against, they're saying 'Where is he? What happened'?" With a dose of exaggeration, he added: "He makes his stance in Iowa once every two weeks and then he mentions my name 74 times in one speech. I don't know. That reminds me of crooked Hillary. She did the same thing." At almost the same moment in Mount Pleasant, Biden noted that his criticisms of Trump from earlier in the day were playing on TV screens when Air
Trump receives 'beautiful', 'warm' letter from Kim
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that he received a "very beautiful" and "very warm" letter from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un amid the stalled denuclearisation negotiations between the two countries.Calling the letter "very nice", Trump again highlighted his personal relationship with Kim and exuded confidence that an agreement could be eventually reached between the two sides."We have a very good relationship together," The Hill quoted Trump as saying while speaking to reporters at the White House.The US President said that a third meeting with Kim could take place and said that Kim had "kept his word" and "that's very important to me."Trump is set to attend the G-20 summit in Japan later this month and is scheduled to meet South Korean President Moon Jae-in.Talks between the two countries hit a roadblock after the second summit in Vietnam ended abruptly with no joint statement being released. The two sides reportedly failed to resolve their differences on sanction ...
Chattisgarh: Bijapur Collector bars govt staff from wearing 'T-shirts, jeans and bright-coloured clothes'
Collector of Bijapur district KD Kunjam has issued an order barring government employees from wearing "T-shirts, jeans and bright-coloured clothes" to office.In an order dated June 11, the Collector said that the officials and employees were to attend office in formals or prescribed uniforms.The order reads, "As per rules, government employees should wear decent clothes to the office.""It is being noticed that officials and employees of the district administration have been wearing T-shirts, jeans and clothes with bright colours in place of formals to office. As per rules, government personnel should wear clothes which are simple in appearance," the order said.The order further said that it has also been noticed that some "Class IV employees were not wearing designated uniforms while at work despite claiming uniform and washing allowance".Imposing dress codes on staffs, the Collector added that action will be taken against those who will try to disobey the orders.A few days back, ...
Pak PM to form high-powered commisssion to probe corruption
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan late on Tuesday announced that he will form a high-powered commission to investigate graft in the last one decade, at a time when the country is grappling to overcome a severe financial crisis.In his address to the nation in the second consecutive day, Khan said that the enquiry will probe how Pakistan's debt had increased from Rs 6,000 to Rs 24,000 accumulated in the country in the last 10 years."I am coming after everyone who plundered public wealth," The Express Tribune quoted the cricketer-turned-politician as saying while making a veiled attack at the PML-N and PPP parties.This is Khan's first address after his government had presented their maiden federal budget for the fiscal year 2019-20 at the National Assembly on Tuesday.The commission would have officials from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and Securities and Exchange Commission of ...
Dineshwar Sharma meets J-K Governor to discuss internal security situation, Amarnath Yatra arrangements
Dineshwar Sharma, Union Special Representative for Dialogue in Jammu and Kashmir, met Governor Satya Pal Malik at Raj Bhavan in Srinagar on Tuesday to discuss range of issues including the internal security situation and arrangements made for smooth conduct of Amarnath Yatra.Sharma apprised Governor about his gathered opinion regarding the political and developmental aspirations of people across the state.Other issues that were discussed during the meeting were related to recent initiatives taken by the Administration for ensuring equitable development of the state and bringing accountability and transparency in the administrative setup and initiatives required for protecting and promoting the educational and career interests of youth.From past few days, there has been a spike in terror activities in the Valley.The 46-day-long Amarnath Yatra will begin on July 1, the day of Masik Shivratri, and would conclude on August 15, the day of Shravan Purnima.
Trump receives 'very warm' letter from Kim Jong-un
US President Donald Trump said that he had received a "beautiful" letter from North Korea's top leader Kim Jong Un.
Police, protesters face off ahead of Hong Kong law debate
Government officials in Hong Kong are bracing for a showdown as protesters and police continue to face off into the early morning hours outside the semiautonomous Chinese territory's legislature ahead of Wednesday's debate over changes allowing extradition to the Chinese mainland. Opponents of legislation that would allow criminal suspects to be extradited to mainland China started gathering outside the Legislative Council Tuesday night with further demonstrations and labor strikes expected. Several hundred mostly young people, some singing Christian hymns, have surrounded the building that houses the legislature. The demonstrators hope to block or delay passage of the amendments to two extradition laws which they say endanger the territory's judicial independence and Western-style freedoms. The government plans to present the amendments to the legislature on Wednesday, despite a weekend protest by hundreds of thousands of people that was the territory's largest political ...
France's Macron backs Merkel for EU post - if she wants it
French President Emmanuel Macron says he would support German Chancellor Angela Merkel if she wanted to be the head of the European Union's executive body. The French leader said Tuesday the EU "needs someone strong" at the helm of the European Commission but that he wouldn't try to influence Merkel, citing their friendship. Macron told Swiss public broadcaster RTS: "If she were to want it, I would support her." Merkel said last month she doesn't want the EU job, or any political post. She has supported Manfred Weber, a German member of the European Parliament, to be the next European Commission president. Current President Jean-Claude Juncker's five-year tenure ends Oct. 31. Merkel announced in October she would not seek re-election after her fourth term as Germany's leader ends in 2021.
MQM founder Altaf Hussain arrested in London
Exiled Pakistani politician and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) founder Altaf Hussain was arrested by the Scotland Yard in a dawn raid at his residence here on Tuesday, according to Pakistani media.Fifteen officers, who took part in the early morning raid, took Hussain to a south London police station where he is under police custody.Hussain's arrest was confirmed by MQM sources, Geo News reported.The 65-year-old leader has been arrested in connection with a 2016 hate speech, where he had allegedly urged his supporters to take the law into their own hands.Without naming Hussain, Metropolitan Police said in a statement that "the man who is aged in his 60s, was arrested at an address in north west London.""He was arrested on suspicion of intentionally encouraging or assisting offences contrary to Section 44 of the Serious Crime Act 2007. He was detained under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE and taken to a south London police station, where he currently remains in police ...
Delhi Cong directs to name 3 probables for Assembly Polls, 1 woman compulsory
New Delhi [India], Jun 12 (ANI): Delhi unit of Congress, which has started prepping up for the February 2020 Assembly polls, has directed its district and block presidents to form a panel of three candidates from every assembly seat which must consist of one woman.Delhi unit chief Sheila Dikshit has asked all district and block presidents to submit names of three probables, including a woman, from their respective areas by June 22. This means that out of all names that will come forward, 33 per cent will be women.The decision was taken during a meeting of leaders, chaired by Dikshit on Tuesday to chalk out the strategy for the forthcoming Assembly polls.This call can be seen as a step by the Congress party to lure women to vote banks for the assembly polls.This came after recently Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal tried this trick by announcing ride public rides for women across the metropolitan city."Though we want women's participation to increase while .
Nripendra Misra, P.K. Mishra granted extensions, promoted to Cabinet rank
A week after National Security Advisor Ajit Doval was given an extension in service with an upgraded level of Cabinet rank, Principal Secretary Nripendra Misra and Additional Principal Secretary P.K. Mishra were on Tuesday accorded an upgrade in their level to the Cabinet Minister rank along with extension in their service co-terminus with the tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
No information on Deputy Speaker post for YSRCP: GVL
Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson G.V.L. Narasimha Rao on Tuesday called on Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy but made it clear that he has no information if the post of Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha was offered to YSR Congress Party.
Sudan protesters to end strike, resume talks with generals: mediator
Protest leaders have agreed to end their civil disobedience campaign launched after a crackdown on demonstrators and resume talks with Sudan's ruling generals, an Ethiopian mediator said Tuesday. "The Alliance for Freedom and Change agreed to end the civil disobedience (campaign) from today," Mahmoud Drir, who has been mediating since a visit by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed last week, told reporters. "Both sides have also agreed to resume talks soon" on a handover of power to a civilian administration, he said. The protest movement itself said in a statement that it was calling on people "to resume work from Wednesday".
Mamata Banerjee provoking violence in West Bengal: Babul Supriyo
Union Minister and BJP leader Babul Supriyo on Tuesday hit out at West Bengal government led by Mamta Banerjee accusing her of provoking violence in the state and employing her party workers and police for the same. He also said that it was a shocking revelation that Rohingyas were involved in the murder of BJP workers of Sandeshkali."Chief Minister herself is provoking violence in the state and employing party workers and police for it. Also, it is a shocking revelation that the accused has links with Rohingyas. This government has no moral right to be in power," he said while talking to ANI here.Asserting that the Mamata-led government won't last till 2021, the Union Minister said, "The head of Bengali community is down with shame not only in India but across the world just because of the present scenario in West Bengal."Earlier in the day, it was reported that BJP leader Mukul Roy on Tuesday wrote a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah requesting him to take immediate and ...
Take strict action against 'syndicate raj': CM to DGP
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal Tuesday directed state Director General of Police Kuladhar Saikia to take strict action against alleged 'syndicate raj'. The state government has adopted an uncompromising stand against corruption and as such prevalence of syndicate or any similar manifestations cannot be tolerated, the chief minister said in a statement here. In the wake of reported news items about syndicate raj, the DGP has been asked to act sternly if at all it is going on in the state, he said. The present state government's policy of zero tolerance against corruption had led to the uprooting of the syndicate raj allegedly prevalent during the previous government, he claimed.
Nripendra Misra, P.K. Mishra granted extension with cabinet minister ranks
Senior IAS officers Nripendra Misra and P.K. Mishra have been given extension as Principal Secretary and Additional Principal Secretary, respectively, to Prime Minister Narendra Modi with effect from May 31. The two have also been assigned Cabinet minister ranks.
Mamata asks industrialists to act as state ambassadors
Alleging that a section of people has been trying to defame West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday urged industrialists to act as brand ambassadors of the state to inform the people of other states about development that has been taking place.