Page 2418 - Politics
U.S. asks allies to avoid Huawei's equipment: WSJ
(Reuters) - The U.S. government is trying to persuade wireless and internet providers in allied countries to avoid telecommunications equipment from China's Huawei Technologies, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.
Singapore to fire starting gun on sensitive political transition
Singapore's ruling party will Friday set in motion a carefully orchestrated political succession that will see the powerful founding family hand over the premiership, a key moment in the city-state's short history. Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat will be unveiled as the second in command of the People's Action Party (PAP), which has ruled Singapore since it gained self-rule from Britain in 1959, putting him on course to become premier, pro-government media reported. The 57-year-old is expected to take over in the coming years from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, the son of late founding premier Lee Kuan Yew, who oversaw the country's rapid economic development during three-decades of sometimes authoritarian rule. The power transfer is in line with the current premier's plan to hand power to a broadly younger generation of leaders. Heng would be the country's fourth prime minister and the second from outside the Lee family. But it is a sensitive moment for the financial hub of 5.6 ...
Anantnag encounter: 6 terrorists gunned down
At least six terrorists have been killed in an ongoing encounter between terrorists and security forces in Sekipora area of Bijbhera in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district on Friday.Indian Army's 3 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and Jammu and Kashmir Police are jointly conducting the ongoing operation, which started in the wee hours.Security forces have recovered arms and ammunition from the encounter site. More details are currently awaited.The Valley has been witnessing a spurt in terror activities for the past few months. On Tuesday, One Army jawan was killed in action and four terrorists were killed in an encounter at Nadigam village in Shopian district.
FIFA's Infantino gets election backing from 11-voter Oceania
The 11-member Oceania Football Confederation says it is backing FIFA President Gianni Infantino for re-election. The Oceania group says its executive committee comprising 11 member federation presidents in New Zealand and the Pacific islands voted unanimously to support the FIFA leader. Infantino is seeking a full four-year term from 211 FIFA member countries at a June 5 vote in Paris. He was elected in February 2016 to complete the mandate of Sepp Blatter, who was banned by FIFA's ethics committee. Infantino has no clear challenger yet before a Feb. 5 deadline for potential candidates.
Trump to conduct interviews for administration positions
US President Donald Trump will be spending some of his Thanksgiving weekend at his Mar-a-Lago Florida resort interviewing potential candidates for positions in his administration, the media reported.
China's cabinet says to push for more reforms in free trade zones
BEIJING (Reuters) - China's cabinet on Friday unveiled a variety of measures to deepen reforms in free trade zones (FTZs) and qualified individuals in them will be allowed to invest in overseas securities under relevant rules.
German car bosses willing to attend White House meeting: sources
BERLIN (Reuters) - The heads of Volkswagen, BMW and Daimler are ready to attend a meeting at the White House with the Trump administration, but have not yet received a formal invitation, industry sources said on Thursday.
China says U.S.-China trade talks should be equal, mutually beneficial
BEIJING (Reuters) - Trade talks between the United States and China should be equal and mutually beneficial, Chinese Vice Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen said on Friday, adding that he hoped the two countries can find ways to manage their differences through dialogue.
President Kovind, Punjab CM to lay foundation stone for Kartarpur Corridor
President Ram Nath Kovind and Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh will lay the foundation stone for the Kartarpur Corridor at Dera Baba Nanak, Gurdaspur on November 26.The decision to build the corridor from Dera Baba Nanak to the International Border was taken today by the Union Cabinet.The Chief Minister said that the development of the corridor will facilitate lakhs of pilgrims from India to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur on the banks of river Ravi, in Pakistan, where Guru Nanak Dev spent 18 years. He also welcomed the decision of the Pakistan government to allow the pilgrims to visit Kartarpur on the occasion of the 550th Parkash Purab of Guru Nanak Devi and said this gesture could go a long way in improving relations between the two countries.Following the union government's decision to build the Kartarpur corridor, Pakistan's foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi tweeted, "Prime Minister Imran Khan will break ground at Kartarpura facilities on 28 ...
EU, Britain agree draft deal on future relations
BRUSSELS/LONDON (Reuters) - Britain and the European Union have agreed a draft text setting out a close post-Brexit relationship, though wrangling with Spain over control of Gibraltar must still be settled before EU leaders meet on Sunday in order to rubber-stamp the pact.
Helping asylum seekers a 'humanitarian imperative': Italian minister
Helping African and Middle Eastern asylum seekers who cross the Mediterranean in search of safety is a "humanitarian imperative", Italian Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi has said.
Rajasthan: BJP expels 11 rebel leaders
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday expelled 11 rebel leaders from the primary membership of the party for six years.The action has been taken against these leaders for contesting against the official party candidates in the upcoming Rajasthan assembly elections.Two leaders each have been expelled from Churu, Jaipur and Pali districts of the state. Whereas one leader each from Sri Ganganagar, Alwar, Bikaner, Banswara and Dungarpur has been expelled for fighting against party's official candidate.After the announcement of the candidate list, many BJP leaders have shifted camps.On November 18, Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) sitting MLA from Ramgarh constituency Gyandev Ahuja had resigned from the party and later announced to contest as an independent candidate after the party declined to give him ticket.Last Wednesday, former BJP legislator Habibur Rahaman Ashrafi Lamba joined the Congress party. Rahman had tendered his resignation on November 12 to state BJP chief Madan Lal ..
Brexit: Draft agreement on future relationship right for UK, says May
British Prime Minister Theresa May has hailed the draft agreement on post-Brexit relations as "right for the whole of the UK" and insisted a deal "is within our grasp".
China's pressure on Tsai weighed in local Taiwan elections
China and its growing pressure campaign loom large as Taiwan holds elections for mayors and other local officials Saturday, in what is partly seen as a referendum on the policies of independence-leaning President Tsai Ing-wen. The opposition Nationalists are counting on their pro-business image and a more accommodating line toward Beijing, which detests Tsai for her refusal to endorse its stance that the self-governing island democracy is part of the Chinese nation. Key races include mayorships in the capital Taipei and southern port of Kaohsiung. Since her election in 2016, Tsai has walked a fine line on relations with China, maintaining Taiwan's de facto independent status that the vast majority of Taiwanese support, while avoiding calls for formal separation. But she's also emphasized the importance of Taiwan's sovereignty.
Encounter underway between security forces and terrorists in Anantnag
An encounter broke out between terrorists and security forces in Sekipora area of Bijbhera in South Kashmir's Anantnag district on wee hours of Friday.Indian Army's 3 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and police are jointly conducting the ongoing operation.Two to three terrorists are believed to be holed up in the area.More details of the ongoing encounter are awaited.The Valley has been witnessing a spurt in terror activities for the past few months.On Tuesday, One Indian Army jawan was killed and four terrorists were gunned down in an encounter at Nadigam village of Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district.
Russia slams Washington's plans to quit arms control treaties
The plans of the US establishment to withdraw from existing arms control agreements like the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty) are shortsighted and dangerous, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said.
Khashoggi killing: France bans 18 Saudi nationals
France has imposed a travel ban on 18 Saudi Arabian nationals who were involved in the murder of dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.According to Al Jazeera, the foreign ministry stated that more sanctions could be imposed following the investigation report.French Foreign Ministry on Thursday released a statement which did not name the banned individuals; however, the decision was made in coordination with the other European partners."The murder of Mr. Khashoggi is a crime of extreme gravity, which moreover goes against freedom of the press and the most fundamental right," the statement asserted.The statement further reiterated that the sanctions are "interim measures that may be reviewed or extended depending on the progress of ongoing investigations."Germany and the United States of America (USA) also imposed travel bans on individuals involved in the killing of the journalist.Khashoggi's' killing attracted global criticism and condemnation from Saudi's close allies including
Spain's PM Sanchez repeats Brexit veto threat after May talks
Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez maintained his threat to scupper Britain's draft deal to exit the European Union following a meeting with UK counterpart Theresa May. "After my conversation with Theresa May, our positions remain far away. My government will always defend the interests of Spain. If there are no changes, we will veto Brexit," Sanchez wrote on Twitter Thursday after arriving for a historic state visit to Cuba. Madrid is seeking a guaranteed veto on post-Brexit relations between the EU and Gibraltar, the British enclave on Spain's southern tip. Spain wants to retain what it sees as its right to negotiate the future of Gibraltar with Britain on a bilateral basis, which would give it an effective veto. An original clause in the draft deal stipulated that after the UK left the bloc, any agreement between Britain and the EU could only apply to Gibraltar if it had previously been negotiated on a bilateral basis with Spain. However that clause has since disappeared form the
Indian Mission in Nepal observes Maulana Azad and ITEC Day
The Embassy of India in Kathmandu celebrated Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Day and Maulana Azad Day on Thursday evening.The event was chaired by Nepal's Minister for Education, Science and Technology of Nepal Giriraj Mani Pokharel and Ambassador of India to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri.While addressing the program Chief Guest, Minister Pokharel acknowledged and highlighted the importance of the ITEC program in Nepal."Thousands of Nepali students are benefitting from the scholarship schemes in Medicine, Agriculture Science, Law, Social Sciences and Arts and Humanities. I would like to express our sincere thanks to the Government of India for providing such wonderful support," Minister Pokharel stated.Under the ITEC program, a number of senior officers and officials from various Ministries and Departments of the Government of Nepal have received scholarships and grants in India's premier institutions. As many as 150 ITEC alumni from Nepal attended the celebration.The ...
Ex-FBI director Comey to testify before outgoing Congress
Former FBI director James Comey and former attorney general Loretta Lynch have been subpoenaed to testify before Congress next month before Republicans relinquish control of the House, documents have shown. Comey confirmed on Thursday he had received a subpoena from the House Judiciary Committee but said he would resist if made to answer questions behind closed doors. "I'm still happy to sit in the light and answer all questions," he said on his Twitter account. "But I will resist a 'closed door' thing because I've seen enough of their selective leaking and distortion. Let's have a hearing and invite everyone to see." Lynch, who served under former president Barack Obama, did not immediately comment, but copies of the subpoenas made public Thursday show she was summoned to testify on December 4. Comey was ordered to appear before the committee on December 3. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly accused Comey and Lynch of covering for Hillary Clinton in an investigation into her ...