Page 2284 - Politics
Armenians set to cast ballots in snap parliamentary vote
Armenians are set to vote in a snap parliamentary election this Sunday that is expected to cement the rule of the new prime minister who spearheaded the massive protests earlier this year that forced the resignation of his predecessor. The charismatic 43-year-old Nikol Pashinian, who took office in May, pushed for the elections in a bid to win control of a parliament that was dominated by his political foes. Pashinian, a former journalist turned politician, has tapped into public anger over widespread poverty, high unemployment and rampant corruption in the landlocked former Soviet nation of 3 million that borders Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Iran. His fiery rhetoric and easy style have helped cement his popularity. Opinion polls have indicated that Pashinian's My Step alliance is set to sweep the vote, while the Republican Party that controlled the old parliament is trailing far behind. The protests in Armenia erupted in April when Serzh Sargsyan, who had served as president for a
Former Armenian president is arrested for deadly crackdown
An Armenian court on Friday put the nation's former president in custody on charges linked to a deadly police crackdown on a 2008 protest over alleged voting fraud. Robert Kocharian, 64, spent two weeks in jail last summer on charges of violating the constitutional order by sending police to break up the protest in the Armenian capital of Yerevan. He was freed on appeal, but on Friday a higher court ordered that he should stay behind bars. Kocharian's lawyer said he walked to jail without waiting for police to escort him there. Kocharian rejects the charges, calling them a political vendetta by incumbent Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian, who helped stage the 2008 protest. The demonstration protested the results of an election two weeks earlier for Kocharian's replacement. Eight demonstrators and two police died in the clash. "The main organiser of the events ... tries to clean himself of blood," Kocharian said of Pashinian in a statement Friday. In the 2008 election, Kocharian, who was .
Former Colombian president Belisario Betancur dies at 95
Former Colombian president Belisario Betancur, who steered his country through one of its most turbulent periods in the 1980s, died Friday aged 95, doctors announced. President Ivan Duque led tributes for the former conservative leader, who was president of the South American country from 1982 to 1986. "I deeply regret the death of a great friend, a great Colombian, former president Belisario Betancur," Duque wrote in a message on Twitter. "His legacy in politics, in our history, in our culture, is an example for all future generations." Betancur was being treated in a Bogota clinic for a kidney condition. The Santa Fe Foundation clinic said in a statement that the ex-president passed away at 2:32 pm (2032 GMT). Marta Lucia Ramirez, the country's vice president, had prematurely announced Betancur's death in a tweet the day before. She corrected the mistake within minutes, but not before it was picked up by national media, leading to a flood of reactions from public figures. The ...
John Kelly may step down as White House chief of staff
John Kelly is likely to step down as the White House chief of staff in the coming days, according to sources.Amid buzz over the fractious relationship between Kelly and United States President Donald Trump, the two have stopped speaking to each other in recent days, CNN reported.Trump is actively discussing a plan for Kelly's replacement, although an insider said that nothing is clear as of now and nothing would be final until the US President announces a replacement.Nick Ayers, who is US Vice President Mike Pence's chief of staff, is seen as a leading contender and is likely to succeed Kelly.Ever since Kelly took over the post from his previous role as US Homeland Security secretary in July last year, he has reportedly had a "tense relationship" with Trump. There have been previous instances where it was reported that Kelly was stepping down from his role.Both Trump and Kelly have reportedly been at loggerheads over various issues. In the last few months, Kelly's role began to ...
Trump likely to name Gen Mark Milley as chairman - Joint Chiefs of Staff
United States President Donald Trump is expected to name General Mark Milley as the new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in succession to General Joseph Dunford.Quoting sources, Fox News reported that the announcement would be made on Saturday at the Army-Navy game."I have another one for tomorrow that I'm going to be announcing at the Army-Navy game. I can give you a little hint: It will have to do with the Joint Chiefs of Staff and succession," Trump told reporters on Friday while responding on a question regarding the appointment of the new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.In 2015, Milley took over as the chief of staff of the US Army after serving as the commander of Army Forces at Fort Bragg in North Carolina state. He also assumed command and leadership positions, including in Iraq and Afghanistan.Generally, the successor of the post would not be selected until next year, given that Dunford is slated to retire on October 1, 2019. Sources told Fox News that Dunford has
Western donors pledge over 2bn euros anti-terror aid for Africa's Sahel
Western donors said Thursday they have pledged 2.4 billion euros (USD 2.7 billion) in funding aimed at preventing terrorism and lawlessness along the southern rim of the Sahara. The updated pledge total was announced in a final statement from a donors conference held in the Mauritanian capital Nouakchott. "These pledges from our partners broadly cover the overall needs" of around 40 development projects to fight jihadism in the region, Niger President Mahamadou Issoufou told reporters earlier. The five Sahel states -- Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali and Niger -- have been struggling against extremism and lawlessness in the Sahel since a jihadist revolt that began with a Tuareg separatist uprising in northern Mali in 2012. The Sahel Alliance -- which was launched last year and includes the European Union, the World Bank, the African Development Bank, the UN Development Programme, Germany, France and six other European countries -- contributed 1.3 billion euros, it said in a ...
Trump to reveal pick for next chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff
US President Donald Trump is set to reveal his pick to become the next head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and apparently plans to make the announcement at Saturday's annual Army-Navy football game. Trump announced a new attorney general and a new UN ambassador on Friday and told reporters "I have another one for tomorrow that I'm going to be announcing at the Army-Navy game" in Philadelphia. "I can give you a little hint: It will have to do with the Joint Chiefs of Staff and succession," he said. General Joseph Dunford is the current chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staffs, made up of the heads of the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy and National Guard. Dunford is scheduled to retire in October of next year after completing his second two-year term as chairman of the Joint Chiefs. According to Fox News, Trump plans to name army chief of staff General Mark Milley to replace Dunford as chairman. Milley, 60, has served in Iraq and Afghanistan and is a graduate of Princeton ...
Ex-FBI director Comey grilled again in US Congress
Former FBI director James Comey, sacked by President Donald Trump in 2017, testified Friday before US lawmakers for the first time in over a year, but this time out of the camera glare. The hours-long Capitol Hill grilling comes amid turbulence at the White House, and mounting intrigue over Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and possible contacts between Trump's presidential campaign and Moscow. Comey smiled as he walked past reporters towards a closed-door House meeting, telling them "maybe later" he would answer questions. Trump's bete noire had pleaded for a public hearing after he was subpoenaed by members of the outgoing Congress in November, but House Republicans including some of Trump's allies insisted on a private session before the judiciary and oversight committees. Comey was questioned as part of a Republican-led House inquiry into possible Russian interference in the US election, and email use by Democrat Hillary .
Nigeria's president blocks electoral reform bill
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday refused to sign off on plans to overhaul the country's electoral laws, judging that new rules would cause "disruption and confusion" so close to an election. Africa's most populous nation goes to the polls to elect a new president and parliament on February 16. Governorship and state house of assembly elections will be held two weeks later. Buhari, who is seeking re-election, said he was "concerned that passing a new electoral bill this far into the electoral process... could create some uncertainty about the applicable legislation". Parliament has passed the Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2018 and has been awaiting presidential assent in the hope it would be introduced before polling day. But Buhari said: "Any real or apparent change to the rules this close to the election may provide an opportunity for disruption and confusion in respect of which law governs the electoral process." Amendments should come into effect after the 2019 general ...
Trump to nominate William Barr as new attorney general
US President Donald Trump has said he will nominate William Barr to be the new attorney general, a post the jurist previously held between 1991 and 1993.
Russian Security Council Secy meets PM Modi
The Secretary of the Russian Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Friday.The meeting comes shortly after Prime Minister Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin met at the Russia-India-China (RIC) informal summit and a meeting of the BRICS nations on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Argentina.Russia and India have a longstanding relationship, with the Ministry of External Affairs mentioning that the development of India-Russia relations has been a key pillar of India's foreign policy.Trade between both the nations amounted to USD 7.71 billion in 2016, with Indian exports amounting to USD 2.39 billion and imports from Russia amounting to USD 5.32 billion.
Rajasthan polls: Gelhot says party is priority, not CM post
Anticipating the victory of Congress in the Rajasthan assembly elections after receiving favourable decisions in the exit polls, senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on Friday said that he would love to work at whatever position the "high command" in the party will decide for him, adding that he is not keeping the Chief Minister post as his priority.Gehlot, who has been the Chief Minister of Rajasthan two times earlier, is reportedly the frontrunner for the Congress party's chief ministerial candidate alongside Sachin Pilot.Responding to the same, Gehlot told ANI: "My wishes do not make a difference here. In my life, there is no priority with respect to any post now. Now people need Congress. How will we make Congress a strong party? We currently have 21 seats in Rajasthan assembly and 44 seats in Lok Sabha. Our responsibility right now should be that rather than running behind or demanding a particular post, we should work on whatever position the party will decide for us so that the .
PM Modi like Tughlaq, Yogi like Aurangzeb
Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala on Friday launched a fresh attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, comparing their style of governance to that of Delhi Sultanate ruler Muhammad bin Tughlaq and Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, and accusing them of implementing Taliban-like practices."Modi ji conducts himself like Mohammad bin Tughlaq and Adityanath ji like Aurangzeb. So will there be a rule of law in this country or blatant hooliganism? A Uttar Pradesh police officer is shot in the head, for which, BJP people are being blamed, but not a single finger is being raised at him (Adityanath). Will there be this Taliban like situation in the country, or democracy?" the Congress spokesperson lashed out.Addressing a press conference here, Surjewala expressed confidence in the Congress' victory in the assembly elections in the five states, results of which will be declared on December 11. While saying that the people of Telangana and Rajasthan, ..
US-led coalition strikes kill 9 civilians in east Syria: Monitor
Air strikes by a US-led coalition battling the Islamic State group in east Syria killed nine civilians on Friday, a monitor said. The Kurdish-Arab Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), backed by coalition airpower, has been fighting to oust IS from the pocket in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor since September. "Air raids and artillery fire by the international coalition and the SDF are going on against neighbourhoods of the town of Hajin," the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The air strikes "killed nine civilians, including six children, and two IS jihadists", the Britain-based monitor said. The coalition did not immediately comment on the alleged fatalities but has repeatedly said it does its utmost to avoid civilian casualties. The SDF broke into the key IS holdout of Hajin on Thursday after months of fighting that has seen the jihadists launch vicious counter-attacks. "The Syrian Democratic Forces have advanced into more territory once held by ISIS and thwarted their ...
US accuses Russia of lying on Syria attack to undermine truce
The United States accused Russia on Friday of helping fabricate a story about chemical weapons use by Syrian rebels as a pretext to undermine a shaky truce. Russia's defense ministry said rebels fired grenades containing chlorine on November 24 on the regime-held city of Aleppo, with Syrian state media reporting that around 100 Syrians were hospitalized for breathing difficulties. The United States said it had "credible information" that the account was false and that Russian and Syrian forces instead had fired tear gas. "The United States is deeply concerned that pro-regime officials have maintained control of the attack site in its immediate aftermath, allowing them to potentially fabricate samples and contaminate the site before a proper investigation of it by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons," State Department spokesman Robert Palladino said in a statement. "We caution Russia and the regime against tampering with the suspected attack site and urge them to ..
Two booked under Gangsters Act for selling flood-prone land along Hindon river
Two land mafias, who sold flood-prone land along the Hindon river fraudulently showing it as residential space, were Friday booked under the stringent Uttar Pradesh Gangsters Act, the Gautam Buddh Nagar administration said. They have been identified as Devendra Yadav and Satyendra Yadav, who live in Chipiyana Khurd Thori area of Greater Noida, the administration said. "Both of the persons have duped several people of their money by selling them flood-prone land along the Hindon river by fraudulently showing it as residential land. By doing this, they also obstructed the natural flow of the river," the administration said in a statement. District Magistrate Brajesh Narain Singh, based on a report by Senior Superintendent of Police Ajay Pal Sharma, pressed charges under the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, 1986, against the duo, an official statement said. "The district administration is committed to ensuring continuous strict action against people of
J-K panchayat polls Ph-VIII: Voting at 2,633 polling stations on Saturday
Voting for the eight phase of panchayat polls in Jammu and Kashmirwill be held Saturday at 2,633 polling stations -- 550 in the Kashmir division and 2,083 in the Jammu division. The timing for polling is from 8 am to 2 pm. According to the Chief Electoral Officer, J&K, Shaleen Kabra, 361 polling stations have been categorised as 'hypersensitive' in this phase. Of these, 171 are in the Kashmir division and 190 in the Jammu division. He said 6,304 candidates are in the fray for 331 sarpanch and 2007 panch seats in Phase-VIII, while 43 sarpanch and 681 panch have been elected unopposed in this phase. He said in the areas going to polls in Phase-VIII, an electorate of 5,15,121 will be voting for sarpanch constituencies and 4,19,775 for panch constituencies. "Photo Voter Slips have been distributed among the voters to inform them about their polling station," he said. The CEO said at the end of seven phases of the panchayat polls, the state recorded an overall voter turnout of 73.8 per
OPEC, Russia agree to slash oil output despite Trump pressure
VIENNA (Reuters) - OPEC and its Russia-led allies agreed on Friday to slash oil production by more than the market had expected despite pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to reduce the price of crude.
Exit Polls: Congress may win Rajasthan, TRS to retain Telangana (Roundup)
Exit polls on Friday predicted a Congress sweep in Rajasthan and a Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) win in Telangana while giving the Congress an edge over the BJP in a fiercely-contested battle in both Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
Yemen rebels rebuff govt demand for Hodeida withdrawal
Yemen's Huthi rebels will not hand over the key port of Hodeida to the rival government, a rebel representative said Friday, as the two parties met for UN-brokered talks in Sweden. "This is not on the table," Abdulmalik al-Ajri, a member of the rebel delegation told AFP after the Yemeni government said it was seeking a full Huthi withdrawal from the flashpoint port city. The Iran-backed rebels, locked in a war with the President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi and his allies in a military coalition led by Saudi Arabia, control the Red Sea city of Hodeida, a conduit for 90 percent of food imports. The Saudi-led coalition has for months led an offensive to retake Hodeida. The battle has sparked fears for more than 150,000 civilians trapped in the city. Saudi Arabia and its allies accuse the rebels of smuggling arms from Iran through Hodeida as well as the defunct Sanaa international airport, a charge Tehran denies. UN Yemen envoy Martin Griffiths, who has pushed for months for the Yemen talks, .