Page 2261 - Politics
Indian central bank head quits after months of government pressure
MUMBAI (Reuters) - The Governor of India's central bank, Urjit Patel, resigned abruptly on Monday after a months-long tussle over policy with the government that has raised concerns about the bank's independence as a national election nears.
Five-time Congress CM Lapang joins NPP in Meghalaya
Five-time former Meghalaya Chief Minister Donwa Dethwelson Lapang, who had quit the Congress, on Monday joined the ruling National People's Party (NPP) after his appointment as Chief Advisor to the nine-month-old Conrad Sangma-led government.
Russia sends 2 nuclear-capable bombers to Venezuela
Two Russian nuclear-capable strategic bombers arrived in Venezuela on Monday, a deployment that comes amid soaring Russia-U.S. tensions. Russia's Defense Ministry said a pair Tu-160 bombers landed at Maiquetia airport outside Caracas on Monday following a 10,000-kilometer (6,200-mile) flight. It didn't say if the bombers were carrying any weapons and didn't say how long they will stay in Venezuela. The ministry said a heavy-lift An-124 Ruslan cargo plane and an Il-62 passenger plane accompanied the bombers to Maiquetia. The Tu-160 is capable of carrying conventional or nuclear-tipped cruise missiles with a range of 5,500 kilometers (3,410 miles). Such bombers took part in Russia's campaign in Syria, where they launched conventionally-armed Kh-101 cruise missiles for the first time in combat. Code-named Blackjack by NATO, the massive warplane is capable of flying at a speed twice exceeding the speed of sound. Russia has upgraded its Tu-160 fleet with new weapons and electronics and ...
Pound sinks below $1.26 after May delays Brexit deal vote
Sterling fell under USD 1.26 on Monday to hit a 20-month low after Prime Minister Theresa May delayed a critical vote on her Brexit deal one day before it was due. Just after 1600 GMT, sterling sank by more than 1.5 percent to strike USD 1.2507 -- which was the lowest level since April 2017. That compared with USD 1.2640 before May made her official announcement in the House of Commons. At the same time, the euro was propelled to 90.87 pence, reaching a peak last seen at the end of August. "During Prime Minister May's speech to the House, sterling fell through USD 1.26 to trade (at) levels not seen in 20 months, bringing the 2017 lows at USD 1.19 into focus," ETX Capital analyst Michael Baker told AFP. He added: "With the UK due to leave the European Union on March 29, the prospect of no deal and further instability is weighing on the pound." May said she had listened to the concerns of critics and in the face of a likely rejection. The premier explained she would seek "assurances" ...
Modi, Shah to address public meeting in Himachal
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah will address a public meeting in Dharamsala town on December 27, the day the state BJP government is completing its one year tenure, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said on Monday.
EU calls Brexit summit Thursday but warns 'no renegotiation'
The president of the European Council on Monday called a meeting of EU leaders to discuss Brexit, but warned they would not renegotiate the withdrawal deal. After British Prime Minister Theresa May postponed a parliamentary vote to approve the deal, EU chief Donald Tusk said the leaders would meet on Thursday. "We will not renegotiate the deal, including the backstop, but we are ready to discuss how to facilitate UK ratification," he wrote. "As time is running out, we will also discuss our preparedness for a no-deal scenario." A spokesman for Tusk said the timing of the meeting, which will come on the first day of a planned European Council summit, was still to be determined. "Based on Prime Minister May's decision to defer the vote, President Tusk has decided to call European Council, Article 50, on Thursday," he said. "There will be no renegotiation of the November 25 agreement but the EU27 stands ready to discuss how to facilitate UK ratification," the spokesman said. "We are in ...
US sanctions three N.Korean officials over human rights
The United States said Monday it was imposing sanctions on three senior North Korean officials over human rights abuses, despite President Donald Trump's efforts to woo the regime into a denuclearization accord. The Treasury Department said it was taking action against "North Korea's reprehensible treatment" of its citizens in accordance with a 2016 US law that requires sanctions over rights abuses.
Why Mallya's extradition order a victory, asks Rahul
Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Monday questioned the BJP-led government for terming the ruling of a British court to extradite fugitive liquor baron Vijay Mallya to India as a "great day" and said there was no major victory as he had "stolen" Rs 9,000 crore.
Sri Lanka's ousted PM sets deadline to end crisis
Sri Lanka's ousted prime minister promised Monday to bring tens of thousands of supporters to the capital next week for a massive demonstration unless President Maithripala Sirisena reinstated him imminently. Ranil Wickremesinghe, whose dismissal in October plunged Sri Lanka into crisis, said he still commanded the support of parliament and Sirisena had until Friday to recognise that. Sri Lanka has been trapped in a bitter power feud since Sirisena replaced Wickremesinghe with Mahinda Rajapakse, a controversial former strongman leader. Parliament has twice voted against Rajapakse but Sirisena has refused to reinstate his former ally Wickremesinghe -- even if he has the numbers on the floor. The country's Supreme Court is ruling this week on whether Sirisena's sacking of parliament in November was unconstitutional. Wickremesinghe -- who is confident of a ruling against Sirisena -- said tens of thousands of the party faithful would rally in Colombo if the president did not heed the ...
May confirms Brexit vote postponed
UK Prime Minister Theresa May has confirmed that Tuesday's crucial House of Commons vote on her Brexit deal will be postponed.
India signs ascension pact to the 30-member Trans Regional Maritime Network
India Monday signed an ascension pact to the 30-member Trans Regional Maritime Network that will give it an access to the information on ships passing through the Indian Ocean Region. India already has bilateral White Shipping Agreements with 36 countries. "India today signed Ascension Agreement to the Trans Regional Maritime Network (T-RMN). The multilat (sic) construct comprises 30 countries & is steered by Italy. Cmde KM Ramakrishnan signed the agreement at Rome in Italian Naval Hq on behalf of #IndianNavy," the Navy's spokesperson tweeted. The pact will give India the access to information on ships which pass through the Indian Ocean region that will greatly help the security forces in keeping a tab on any suspicious activity, an official said. The IOR is India's backyard and first respondent to any crisis situation.
Air Force Chief on visit to Japan
Air Force chief B S Dhanoa is currently on a trip to Japan during which he will meet the country's defence minister and senior officials of the self-defence forces, the Air Force said Monday. In a statement, it said Dhanoa's "goodwill visit" to Japan from December 10-14 is intended to further strengthen the existing defence cooperation between the Air Forces of the two countries. During his visit, he will call on Minister of Defence Takeshi Iwaya, Chief of Staff General Yoshinari Marumo, Koku- Jieitai (Japan Air Self Defence Force) and Chief of Staff, Joint Staff Admiral Katsutoshi Kawano, . He is also scheduled to visit various operational establishments and interact with senior functionaries of the Koku-Jieitai (Japan Air Self-Defense Force). "The main focus would be to share ideas, enhance bilateral defence cooperation and mutual ties. "This visit of the Indian air chief will provide further impetus towards expanding defence cooperation between the two countries and pave the way ...
If not stopped, BJP will destroy India: Rahul
Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Monday said that one more institution has fallen with the resignation of RBI Governor Urjit Patel and if not stopped, the BJP would "destroy India itself".
Arch rivals AAP, Cong attend joint oppn meet to take on BJP
Delhi's ruling AAP joined bitter rival Congress and other opposition parties for a joint meeting to forge a united anti-BJP front for 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal attended the meeting with his party MP Sanjay Singh. The meeting assumes significance because the Congress has snubbed the AAP in the past. The grand old party has also resisted moves by others, like the TMC, to bring the AAP under the umbrella of a joint opposition. A senior leader who attended the meeting claimed that the Congress dropped a "crucial hint" that it will remain "flexible" to pave way for opposition unity before the parliamentary elections next year. "This could be a sign of thaw in AAP and Congress relations as the two sides are learnt to be angling for some sort of alliance in Delhi, although they have publicly denied it," he said. Any agreement over seat sharing between the AAP and the Congress in Delhi will pose a tough ...
Turnover at Trump's White House 'extraordinarily high' in decades: expert
As US President Donald Trump prepares to bring in new faces to his administration, the turnovers in his senior leadership positions is the highest in decades, according to a White House historian. Trump's White House had the "highest 73 per cent turnover" of top-ranked staff experienced by any recent president, Martha Joynt Kumar, who is director of the White House Transition Project, told PTI. "Among the Assistants to the President group, President Trump's White House had the highest turnover of top-ranked staff experienced by any recent president," she said. An emeritus professor of political science at Towson University, Kumar says that the group of approximately two dozen White House staff titled assistant to the president form a president's core leadership team. Turnover at this level is particularly important for the stability and direction of the presidential decision-making process. Sharing the details of her research of "assistant the President Staff Turnover at the 23-Month .
Urjit Patel's resignation severe blow to economy: Manmohan Singh
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday said that Urjit Patel's resignation as the RBI Governor "is very unfortunate and is a severe blow to the nation's economy" and hoped that "the step isn't sign of government's sign to destroy India's economy."In a written statement released soon after Patel's resignation, Singh, who himself was RBI Governor from 1982 to 85, said, "I have known Dr Patel to be an economist of high repute and also someone who cared deeply about India's financial institutions and economic policy. Dr Patel's sudden resignation, at a time when the Indian economy is faced with many headwinds, is very unfortunate, and is a severe blow to the nation's economy.""I wish Dr Urjit Patel success in his future endeavours. I also sincerely hope that this sudden resignation of the Governor is not a harbinger of the Modi government's attempts to destroy the institutional foundations of India's $3 trillion economy," Singh further stated in the letter.He also used the ...
Brazil court overturns injunction blocking Boeing-Embraer deal
BRASILIA (Reuters) - A Brazilian federal court has overturned a provisional injunction that blocked a proposed tie-up between planemakers Embraer and Boeing, Embraer said on Monday in a securities filing.
Ukraine to terminate Friendship treaty with Russia
Ukraine has decided to terminate the 1997 Russian-Ukrainian Friendship Treaty in the wake of the Kerch Strait incident with President Petro Poroshenko signing law number 206 to terminate the treaty on Monday.The treaty forbids the countries from declaring war on each other and recognises the principle of respect for territorial integrity between the nations, according to Sputnik.The law, which will come into effect on April 1 next year, enjoys the support of Ukraine's parliament which voted against continuing the treaty last week. The country had earlier sent a diplomatic note to Russia in September, outlining their decision of not renewing the treaty which was signed after the disintegration of the USSR in 1991."Ukrainian law No.206 on the termination of the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation, and Partnership Between Ukraine and the Russian Federation has been signed," Poroshenko announced on Monday.The Ukrainian President has previously remarked that the country is under the threat ..
Founding fathers envisaged Ram Rajya, Modi government working for it: Amit Shah
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah on Monday said the founding fathers of the nation had envisaged to establish a "Ram Rajya" and the Narendra Modi government is working to make it possible.
EU court cites union goal to let UK stop Brexit
LUXEMBOURG/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union's top court ruled on Monday that the British government may reverse its decision to leave the bloc without consulting other member states, a decision welcomed by those campaigning to stop Brexit.