Page 2534 - Politics
Sri Lankan President sets Jan 5 for parliamentary polls
Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has signed a special gazette notification dissolving parliament and declaring January 5, 2019, as the date for a snap parliamentary election.
US denies pursuing containment policy with China
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said that Washington was not trying to contain China, but rather to persuade Beijing to adjust its approach in matters related to military expansion and respect for human rights.
'India inching closer towards becoming $5 trillion economy by 2025'
Vice President Venkaiah Naidu opined that India, with a current growth rate of 8.2 per cent, is inching closer towards becoming a USD 5 trillion economy by the year 2025."The economy of the world slowed down. Even our neighbours slowed down, but India is moving forward fast and is close to becoming a 5 trillion economy by 2025," he said while addressing the Indian diaspora here.Furthermore, Naidu, who is on a three-day visit to France, lauded the contribution of the Indian diaspora in various fields like science and technology, agriculture, art, culture, governance, and politics."Interacting with Indian Diaspora is like conversing within a growing but close-knit family, their strong contributions and successes are as much a matter of pride for France, the country of their settlement," he said while acknowledging the relations France shared with Indian luminaries like Madame Bhikaji Cama and JRD Tata.The Vice President also invited the Indian Diaspora to actively participate in the ...
Xi-Trump meeting at G20 significant: Official
US President Donald Trump's scheduled meeting with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping during the G20 summit in Argentina in November-end is of great significance, a top Beijing official said.
MP polls: 2,800 nominations filed for 230 seats
A total of 2,800 nominations have been filed for the 230 seats of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly.While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded its candidates from all the assembly seats, Congress announced its candidates only from 229 seats and left a seat for Sharad Yadav's Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD) for the upcoming assembly elections in the state.The filing of nominations for the Madhya Pradesh assembly elections ended yesterday. A total of 162 nominations were filed from Rewa assembly constituency, while 156 from Satna.This time, the BJP has fielded Usha Thakur from Mhow assembly constituency. Earlier, party leader Kailash Vijayvargiya used to contest from this seat. Opposing Thakur's nomination from the seat, five BJP leaders from the area have filed independent nomination from the seat.Meanwhile, Congress leaders Nasir Islam and Sajid Ali have also filed nomination as independent candidates.Madhya Pradesh is slated to go on polls on November 28, while counting of votes will ..
Trump terms Macron's proposal for EU Army ' very insulting'
United States President Donald Trump on Friday termed his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron's proposal to build a European Union Army as "very insulting".French President Macros suggested the idea to protect the European countries from the United States, Russia, and China, Sputnik reported."President Macron of France has just suggested that Europe build its own military in order to protect itself from the US, China and Russia. Very insulting, but perhaps Europe should first pay its fair share of NATO, which the US subsidizes greatly!" Trump wrote on Twitter just minutes after reaching Paris.As per reports, the French President Macron has been advocating for mobilizing a European military force since his election last year, but emphasised on the same again while touring World War I memorials on Tuesday.On Thursday, French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly said that the potential EU joint military force could be used for tackling the consequences of natural disasters, for providing .
'Make in Odisha Conclave' only political stunt: BJP
Ahead of the Make in Odisha Conclave 2018, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has slammed the Odisha government on various development issues including Power Sector, National Highway and Road and Railways.The BJP termed 'Make in Odisha Conclave' as "Make in BJD, Break in Odisha" while also alleging that the state government has till date done nothing in terms of development.BJP General Secretary, Prithviraj Harichandan claimed that 'Make in Odisha Conclave' is only political stunt ahead of the elections."Naveen Patnaik had organised Make in Odisha Conclave twice, but nothing had happened. During the last conclave, they gave a commitment that the state will get investment worth Rs 1.5 lakh crore, but nothing on the ground and now they are organizing another," Harichandan said."Despite being rich in natural resources like coal, mineral and also in manpower, Odisha has failed in industrialisation just because of the inefficiency of the BJD government," he added.The Make in Odisha Conclave .
US to stop refueling planes in Yemen war: report
The United States will stop refuelling aircraft from the Saudi-led coalition that is bombing Yemen, the Washington Post reported Saturday. The move comes amid an ongoing international outcry over Saudi actions in Yemen, particularly after a string of high-profile coalition strikes that have killed scores of civilians, many of them children. The Pentagon would not confirm the Post's story. "We continue to have discussions with the Saudis. We have nothing to report at this time," Pentagon spokeswoman Commander Rebecca Rebarich said. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis in August warned that US support for the coalition was "not unconditional," noting it must do "everything humanly possible to avoid any innocent loss of life." Currently, the Pentagon provides refueling capabilities for about 20 percent of coalition planes flying sorties over Yemen. Mattis last month made a surprise call for a ceasefire in Yemen and urged warring parties to enter negotiations within the next 30 days. The United ..
Sri Lanka to hold general elections on Jan 5
Amid the ongoing political crisis in the country, Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena dissolved the Parliament with effect from Friday midnight and announced that the general elections in the country would be held on January 5, 2019.As per the Colombo Page, the nominations will be filed from November 19, 2018 to November 26, 2018. The new Parliament will hold the first meeting on January 17, 2019.Sirisena dissolved the Parliament on Friday night after days of political unrest in the Asian island nation.The United National Party of Sri Lanka "vehemently rejected" the move and tweeted, "We vehemently reject the President's dissolution of Parliament. He has robbed the people of their rights and the Democracy that we have enjoyed."Sirisena's Sri Lanka Freedom Party had earlier admitted to not having the votes to confirm Mahinda Rajapaksa as the new Prime Minister of the country in place of Ranil Wickremesinghe.While addressing a media earlier on Friday, Ministry of External Affairs ..
EC denies report of Mizoram chief electoral officer's removal
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday denied reports of Mizoram's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) SB Shashank's removal."We will be assessing Deputy Election Commissioner Sudeep Jain's report in the matter who went to the poll-bound state," the Election Commission said.The poll body is likely to meet on Saturday to discuss Jain's report on demands of Shashank's removal.It was earlier reported that the agitating Mizoram NGO Coordinating Committee (MNCC) said that the poll body has assured them to remove Shashank.On November 5, amid protests in Mizoram demanding the removal of Shashank, the ECI had urged the Mizoram government to take all possible measures required to ensure peaceful polls in the state.The ECI, in a letter to the Mizoram government, had also informed that the Principal Secretary (Home) L Chuaungo has been removed from his post after observing the sequence of past two months and his role in great detail.Chuaungo's removal came after Shashank had earlier ...
Trump says Macron's call for European Army 'very insulting'
US President Donald Trump Saturday said the suggestion of his French counterpart Emanuel Macron that Europe should build its own army was "very insulting", asserting that Europe should first pay its "fair share" to NATO. Trump slammed Macron in a tweet, moments after he landed in Paris for a weekend trip to commemorate Armistice Day and attend the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I, which is being attended by several world leaders, including India's Vice President Venkaiah Naidu. "President Macron of France has just suggested that Europe build its own military in order to protect itself from the U.S., China and Russia. Very insulting, but perhaps Europe should first pay its fair share of NATO, which the U.S. subsidizes greatly!" he said in a tweet. Early this week, Macron had pushed for a "true European Army" that would address the threat posed by countries like Russia and China. "We have to protect ourselves with respect to China, Russia and even the United States of ...
US denies pursuing cold war with China
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo here on Friday said that the US is not trying to contain China, but rather to persuade Beijing to adjust its approach in matters related to military expansion and respect for human rights.
US concerned by Sri Lanka snap polls
The United States voiced concern Saturday after Sri Lanka's president ordered snap elections, as lawmakers warned that US aid was in question. President Maithripala Sirisena, who two weeks ago sparked a crisis by sacking the prime minister and installing former authoritarian leader Mahinda Rajapakse in his place, signed a decree for elections to be held January 5, nearly two years ahead of schedule. "The US is deeply concerned by news the Sri Lanka parliament will be dissolved, further deepening the political crisis," the US State Department said in a statement on Twitter. "As a committed partner of Sri Lanka, we believe democratic institutions and processes need to be respected to ensure stability and prosperity," it said. The incoming head of the House Foreign Affairs Committee warned Sirisena he was jeopardizing US assistance including a package under discussion through the Millennium Challenge Cooperation, which supports countries that observe democratic norms. "Unfortunately, we
U.S. judge halts Keystone XL oil pipeline in blow to Trump, Trudeau
WINNIPEG, Manitoba/NEW YORK (Reuters) - A U.S. judge in Montana has blocked construction of the Keystone XL pipeline designed to carry heavy crude oil from Canada to the United States, drawing praise on Friday from environmental groups and a rebuke from President Donald Trump.
Macron's proposal for EU army 'very insulting': Trump
French President Emmanuel Macron's suggestion for a joint European army was "very insulting," Donald Trump said Saturday on arriving in Paris for ceremonies to mark the end of World War 1. "President Macron of France has just suggested that Europe build its own military in order to protect itself from the US, China and Russia," the US president said.
White House adviser Navarro to Wall Street - Stay out of U.S.-China trade talks
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - White House adviser Peter Navarro on Friday lashed out at efforts by current and former Wall Street executives to urge the United States and China to end their trade dispute, calling them "unregistered foreign agents" who were trying to pressure President Donald Trump into a deal.
Turkey: 25 soldiers hurt after artillery 'accident'
At least 25 Turkish soldiers were injured and seven were reported missing Saturday after an artillery shell exploded "accidentally" at a military base in the country's southeast, authorities said. Turkey's defence ministry said the explosion occurred "while firing heavy weapon ammunition" at the base in Sungu Tepe in the Hakkari province near Turkey's borders with Iraq and Iran. Twenty-five soldiers were hospitalised, but officials did not give details on the severity of their injuries. Seven soldiers were missing, the ministry said. The government has launched an investigation. The provincial government of Hakkari said in a statement that "defective" ammunition exploded during artillery fire. It was not clear whether this happened during a combat mission, or an exercise. Turkey's predominantly Kurdish southeast has seen years of violent fighting between the Turkish army and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), classified a "terrorist" group by Ankara and its Western allies. Turkey ...
China warns US to avoid islands it claims in South China Sea
China bluntly told the United States to stop sending ships and military aircraft close to islands claimed by Beijing in the South China Sea, during talks Saturday that set the stage for a meeting between President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping later this month. The US pushed back, insisting it will continue to "fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows." In late September, U.S. and Chinese vessels nearly collided near a disputed reef. Despite the frank airing of differences at the meeting in Washington of the two nations' top diplomats and military chiefs, both sides stressed the need to tamp down tensions, which have flared amid a bitter trade dispute that Trump and Xi are expected to tackle at the Group of 20 summit in Argentina. "The United States is not pursuing a policy of Cold War containment with China," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told reporters following the US-China Diplomatic and Security Dialogue. "Rather we want to ensure that China acts ...
Trump says new US envoy to UN remain undecided
US President Donald Trump here on Friday said that the person to replace Nikki Haley as the new ambassador to the UN is still under consideration.
US-led coalition strikes kill 26 civilians in east Syria: monitor
US-led coalition air strikes killed 26 civilians including 14 children Friday in a holdout of the Islamic State group in eastern Syria, a Britain-based war monitor said. Those killed in the eastern town of Hajin near the Iraqi border were relatives of IS fighters and also included 9 women, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.