Page 2363 - Politics

German Vice-Chancellor suggests France give up UNSC permanent seat to EU

Adding a controversial new element to the stalled UN Security Council (UNSC) reform process, German Vice-Chancellor Olaf Scholz has proposed that France should give up its permanent seat to the European Union (EU).

Won't lose my job, but facing threat of transfer: J-K Governor

Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satyapal Malik, who dissolved the state assembly last week, has said that he would not lose the gubernatorial job, but he is also facing the "threat of transfer."Speaking at a function here on Tuesday, Malik said, "Transfer is not in one's hands. I will not lose my job but the threat of transfer remains."At a function in Gwalior on November 24, Malik had said that if "he had looked to Delhi, he would have had to install a government led by Sajjad Lone and would have become a dishonest man forever." His remarks had drawn flak from various political parties.The Governor had dissolved the Assembly late on November 21 night, hours after arch-rivals the National Conference (NC) and the People's Democratic Party (PDP) joined hands with the Congress Party and staked their claim to form the government in the state. The three-way alliance claimed to have the numbers to form the government.Hours later, the Governor dissolved the Assembly. PDP president and former ...

Rajasthan BSP candidate Lakshman Singh dies of heart attack

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Lakshman Singh passed away on Thursday morning, just a week ahead of the assembly elections in Rajasthan.Singh, who was slated to contest polls from Ramgarh seat of Alwar district, suffered a heart attack earlier in the day.The District Election Officer has sought a report on this regard. The report has to be sent to the Election Commission (EC).In the wake of Singh's demise, elections in the Ramgarh assembly has been postponed.The 200-member Rajasthan Assembly is scheduled to go to polls on December 7 and counting of votes will take place on December 11.

Pak Cabinet to mull over provisional status to Gilgit-Baltistan today

Pakistan's cabinet is all set to meet today to discuss the provisional status of Gilgit-Baltistan, a day after Prime Minister Imran Khan gave his nod to change the region's status to that of an interim province in principle.Gilgit-Baltistan, a part of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, has witnessed regular protests by activists over alleged human rights violations in the region. It is a part of what India refers to as Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) as Pakistan broke up its part of the annexed area into two parts - 'Azad' Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.Giving provincial status to Gilgit-Baltistan will be taken as the annexation of what Pakistan calls 'Azad' Kashmir - The decision will be in direct conflict with Pakistan's earlier stance on the region, which they have termed as "free".Earlier this month, a high-level reforms committee was established by Khan to look into the constitutional, administrative and governance reforms for Gilgit-Baltistan, as per directives issued by ...

Voting for 5th phase of J&K panchayat polls underway

The polling for the 5th phase of panchayat elections began in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday. The polling, which commenced at 8 am, will conclude at 2 pm. As of now, no violence has been reported from any part of the state where the voting is taking place.The voting is taking place in a total of 37 blocks including 19 in seven districts of Jammu division and 18 blocks of Kashmir Valley.According to the State Election Commission, after withdrawal and scrutiny, 4,763 candidates are in the fray for 309 sarpanch and 1,534 panch seats in the fifth phase, while 118 sarpanches and 1,046 panches have been elected unopposed.For hassle-free voting, the poll body has set up as many as 2,512 polling stations across the region including 1,743 in Jammu division and 769 in Kashmir Valley. Moreover, 848 polling booths have been categorized as hypersensitive.Security has been beefed up across the state so that the elections are conducted in a peaceful manner. Majority of the candidates have been ...

Pak cleverly changed complete demography of PoK, Gilgit-Baltistan: General Rawat

Army Chief General Bipin Rawat has said that Pakistan has very cleverly changed the complete demography of so-called Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Gilgit -Baltistan while adding that the identity of Kashmiris on the other side of the border has systematically been eroded.Delivering the Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Lecture here on Wednesday, the Army chief said, "Every time something happens on our side (J-K), we must always address it to say that it is also going to have a radical effect on another side (PoK). The issue is, on the other side, the complete demography has changed.""Pakistan has very cleverly changed the complete demography of so-called Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan. So, one is not very sure as to who is an actual Kashmiri, whom we are addressing these issues to," he said.General Rawat further said, "People from Gilgit-Baltistan are also now being taken over gradually. So, to say that there is an identity between our side of Kashmiri and the other ...

Voting underway for 5th phase of J&K panchayat polls

Voting was underway on Thursday for the fifth phase of panchayat polls across Jammu and Kashmir amid tight security.

Trump strategy a 'game changer' for peace process in Afghanistan: Ashraf Ghani

The new strategy of United States in Afghanistan, announced by President Donald Trump last summer, has been a game changer for the advancement of the country's peace process, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said here on Wednesday.Sputnik quoted Ghani saying in a statement during the Geneva Ministerial Conference on Afghanistan, "We would like to specifically recognize the commitment and blood and treasure that the United States has shown since 2001 as our key ally. The South Asia strategy of President Trump has been a game changer allowing us to focus in earnest on self-reliance, reforms and peace because it is a condition-based strategy."The two-day Ministerial Conference on Afghanistan began in the Swiss city of Geneva on Tuesday. On Wednesday, the key consultations as part of the event are being held.Last August, Trump unveiled his new strategy for Afghanistan and South Asia. Among the changes provided in the document were the increase of the number of the US troops on the ground and

J-K: 2 terrorists killed in Pulwama encounter

At least two terrorists were killed in an encounter in the Khrew area of Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on Thursday.After receiving credible information, the Jammu and Kashmir Police and security forces gunned down the terrorists in a joint search operation in Khrew.Arms and ammunition have been recovered from the slain terrorists. The police stated that no collateral damage took place during the encounter.The identities of the two terrorists are yet to be ascertained.

U.S. senators ask White House to probe ZTE work in Venezuela

CARACAS (Reuters) - Two U.S. senators on Wednesday asked the Trump administration to investigate whether Chinese telecommunications company ZTE Corp <000063.SZ> violated U.S. sanctions by helping Venezuela set up a database that monitors the behaviour of its citizens.

Senate votes to advance resolution to halt US support for Yemen operation

The US Senate on Wednesday voted to advance a resolution that could halt support for the Saudi-led military operation in Yemen.

No direct evidence linking Saudi Crown Prince to Khashoggi killing: Pompeo

United States Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo on Wednesday said that there was no report on the direct involvement of Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the killing of former Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi on October 2 inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul."There is no direct reporting connecting the crown prince to the order to murder Jamal Khashoggi," Al Jazeera quoted Pompeo as saying.The statement came after Pompeo and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told the Senate that weakening of ties between the United States and Saudi Arabia over the killing would adversely affect the national security of America."Security interests cannot be dismissed as [the US] seeks accountability ... for Khashoggi's murder," Al Jazeera quoted James Mattis as saying."I must note we are seldom free to work with unblemished partners," Mattis added.In a blog post, Pompeo wrote, "The October murder of Saudi national Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey has heightened the Capitol Hill ...

Ukraine president asks NATO to send ships to Sea of Azov

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko asked NATO members including Germany Thursday to send naval vessels to the Sea of Azov to back his country in the standoff with Russia. "Germany is one of our closest allies, and we hope that states within NATO are now ready to relocate naval ships to the Sea of Azov in order to assist Ukraine and provide security," he told Germany's Bild daily. President Vladimir Putin insisted Wednesday that Russian forces were right to seize three Ukrainian ships last weekend. But Poroshenko charged that Putin "wants nothing less than to occupy the sea. The only language he understands is the unity of the Western world. "We cannot accept this aggressive policy of Russia. First it was Crimea, then eastern Ukraine, now he wants the Sea of Azov. "Germany, too, has to ask itself: What will Putin do next if we do not stop him?" he added on the day Ukraine's Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman was to visit Berlin. Russia fired on and then seized three Ukrainian ships on

U.S., UK reach new post-Brexit deal on air services

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and United Kingdom on Wednesday reached a deal on a new open skies aviation agreement to govern air travel after Britain exits the European Union, the UK government said.

Bill to protect Mueller blocked in Senate as Trump escalates attacks against Russia probe

The US Senate on Wednesday blocked an expedited vote on legislation intended to protect Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who's leading the Russia investigation, from being fired.

CBI former Joint Director to launch own political party

Former Joint Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and IPS officer V.V Lakshmi Narayana has announced to soon launch his own political party."It has been decided in our volunteers' meeting held on November 26 that my political entry should be done through my own political party, as per their suggestions. The name of the new party, its modalities, date and place of the launch of the party, and other details will soon be announced," read a statement from Narayana.Narayana had called a meeting of his followers on Monday. He even invited leaders of Lok Satta, Telangana Praja Party, and Aam Aadmi Party. All of them announced their support to the former IPS officer. Lok Satta founder Jaya Prakash Narayana had even offered to take the reins of his party. Following which, Lakshmi Narayana said that he would consider the offer.Narayana is famous in Telugu states as he was the Joint Director of CBI, who investigated and filed charge sheets against YSR Congress Party supremo YS .

India reaffirms support to rebuild, reconstruct Afghanistan

Minister of State for External Affairs, Gen V K Singh on Wednesday asserted India's firm commitment to the rebuilding and reconstruction of Afghanistan and voiced support for an inclusive political settlement in the country while addressing the Ministerial Conference in GenevaSingh reiterated India's support to the efforts of the Government of Afghanistan in the peace and reconciliation process and the need for firm action by the international community against those who breed, support, sustain and sponsor terror and violence.Recalling India's age-old historical, cultural, civilizational and economic ties with Afghanistan, Singh also enunciated India's perspective on the development cooperation assistance to the country keeping its people as the priority.Singh, accompanied by a delegation of ministerial officials further reiterated India's development assistance commitment of over USD three billion to Afghanistan in consonance with Afghanistan's priorities under its National Peace and

Anti-G20 protesters in Argentina fear 'provocations'

Organisers of a march planned to coincide with the November 30 start of the G20 summit in the Argentine capital on Wednesday called for the protest to proceed peacefully and "without provocations".

'Presidential elections in Ukraine to be held as scheduled'

The Ukrainian parliament on Wednesday adopted a decree which said the next presidential elections will be held as per schedule on March 31, 2019.

China signs pact with India to inspect fish meal, fish oil imports

MUMBAI (Reuters) - India and China on Wednesday signed an agreement allowing Beijing to inspect imports of Indian fish meal and fish oil, as the two nations work out a broader trade deal following a thaw in relations this year.