Page 2556 - Politics
UK will not agree Brexit deal at any cost: May
The British government raced Tuesday to build on a chance of a Brexit compromise on Northern Ireland, but Prime Minister Theresa May promised her fractious party she would not strike a deal with the EU "at any cost". Negotiations have stepped up with Brussels as London seeks a divorce agreement within weeks, to allow time for it to be passed by parliament before Brexit day on March 29, 2019. The Irish government opened the door on Monday to a possible concession on the final sticking point -- how to avoid border checks between British Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. But British eurosceptics fear May is planning to give too much ground, and her Northern Irish allies warned that unless the EU moved further, Britain could leave with no deal at all. At a weekly cabinet meeting, May told ministers she expected an agreement and wanted it as soon as possible -- but it would "not be done at any cost", according to her spokesman. "We will need to be satisfied in the negotiations .
US mid-term polls: Americans vote in key election for Trump
Americans are voting in nationwide elections that are being seen as a referendum on Donald Trump's presidency.
US mail bomb suspect appears in New York court
Cesar Sayoc, the Florida man accused of sending pipe bombs to critics of US President Donald Trump, appeared in a New York court Tuesday and was ordered held without bail. Sayoc, 56, appeared before a Manhattan federal court for just a few minutes. He did not fight detention and was remanded, an official at the US Attorney's office said. He will need to be indicted before November 12. He was arrested on October 26 and charged with mailing explosive devices to former president Barack Obama, former vice president Joe Biden, 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, actor Robert De Niro and others. Several of the devices were intercepted in New York. Sayoc, a registered Republican with a criminal history and reported past as a stripper, initially appeared in court in Miami, before being sent to New York, where charges were first filed in the mail bombing spree. The attempted bombings heightened political tensions and put the United States on edge ahead of Tuesday's midterm ...
HP govt supplies basic goods to snowbound Lahaul & Spiti
The Himachal Pradesh government Tuesday said essential items have been supplied to the tribal district of Lahaul and Spiti which remains snowbound and disconnected from rest of the country. A spokesperson of the state government said here that adequate quota of ration, LPG, petrol, kerosene oil, timber and other essential items has been provided to the people of the district till June 2019 so that they do not face any scarcity during the winters. The Food and Civil Supplies department has already supplied the essential items as per the requirement of the people of Lahaul and Spiti, including Kaza, and more stock will be sent as long as the roads are open, he said. The spokesperson said keeping in view heavy loss to crops and fruits due to untimely snowfall and incessant rains in the month of September this year, the government has decided to provide ration at BPL rates to all the people of the district for a period of six months. The state government is also bearing the total ...
Indian Americans hope to celebrate Diwali with largest number of poll wins
Indian Americans, constituting just one per cent of the US population and considered to be one of the richest ethnic communities after Jews, hope to celebrate Diwali this year with a record number of wins from city councils, state legislatures to the Congress, as millions of Americans went out to vote on Tuesday in the midterm polls. A record number of 11 Indian Americans are on ballot for the US House of Representatives. Of these nine are from the opposition Democratic party and two are Republicans. The four incumbents Ami Bera and Ro Khanna from California, Pramila Jayapal from Washington State and Raja Krishnamoorthi from Illinois are expected to be re-elected. All are from the Democratic party. In fact they have been so confident that they went out of their constituencies and campaigned for other candidates in various parts of the country as well. Among these included, campaigning for the first time - Indian American House candidate - Aftab Pureval from Ohio, Sri Preston ...
High voter enthusiasm for US midterm polls
It was early Tuesday morning. Lisa, a real estate agent was standing in a small but rising queue outside public library in a Maryland suburb of Washington DC. After a 20-minute wait, she exercised her right to vote in the US mid-term elections. Normally, Lisa in her early 50 does not care to vote in a mid-term election. But not this time, she said after voting. "It's important to vote. It's important," she said as she pointed out towards the great enthusiasm outside this polling booth in Bethesda, Maryland. In previous mid-terms, not many Americans voted, and the polling percentage was quite low, as compared to the presidential elections every four years. People can just walk inside a polling booth and come out of it just a few minutes after completing the entire process. But not this time, reports coming out from across the country said. "Last two years have shown that every vote matters," Lisa said. "I had not seen this kind of enthusiasm," she told PTI. In Washington DC, in some ...
US urges Europe not to weaken on Russia sanctions
Europe must not weaken its sanctions against Russia, a senior US official said Tuesday, warning that Moscow posed a "clear and present danger" to the West that was "getting worse and not better". Washington is pressing EU countries to maintain tough sanctions imposed on Russia over the annexation of Crimea and the Ukraine crisis, as Italy's pro-Kremlin government pushes the bloc to relax the pressure on Moscow. On a trip to Moscow last month, Italy's far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini denounced the "madness" of western sanctions against Russia and launched a fierce attack on EU policy. David Tessler, deputy director of policy planning staff for the US Secretary of State, told reporters in Brussels that fresh sanctions against Moscow were under consideration over the nerve agent attack on former Russian agent Sergei Skripal in Britain. Tessler said the success of sanctions against Russia depended on close coordination with Europe and he has been shuttling around European ...
Will spend Diwali with troops: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday said he would celebrate Diwali Wednesday with Army jawans and share pictures of his experience. Responding to Diwali greetings from Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Modi said, "Every year, I visit our border areas and surprise our troops. This year too, will spend Diwali with our brave troops. Spending time with them is special." He said he would share the photos of the same Wednesdayevening. Modi also thanked Bibi, as Netanyahu is called, for the Diwali wishes. Sources in the government had Monday said the prime minister would offer prayers at the Kedarnath shrine Wednesday. "On behalf of the people of Israel, I would like to wish my dear friend @narendramodi and the people of India a joyous Diwali. May this luminous festival of lights bring you happiness and prosperity. Reply to this tweet with the name of the city where you're celebrating!," the Israel premier had tweeted. After becoming the prime minister in 2014, Modi had spent Diwali
Israeli minister in Oman to push for rail link with Gulf
An Israeli minister has travelled to Oman to propose plans for a railway linking the Gulf to the Mediterranean via the Jewish state at a world transport conference on Wednesday, his office said. Transport and Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz, who reportedly arrived in Muscat on Sunday, is to make the pitch at the annual meeting of the International Road Transport Union. The "Tracks for Regional Peace" initiative calls for a rail link connecting Saudi Arabia with the Mediterranean Sea, according to local media. The proposal is part of a push by Israel to capitalise on regional developments, particularly anti-Iran sentiments, and to overcome decades of Arab hostility. The line would extend from Haifa, Israel's largest port, passing through Jordan before connecting with existing railways in the Gulf. Last month, Katz said he had presented the plan to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose government had expressed interest in participating in the project. His trip to Oman comes less ...
Rafale deal: Congress protests outside Reliance office in Mumbai
The Congress party, under the leadership of Sanjay Nirupam, protested against the controversial Rafale deal outside the Reliance office here on the eve of Diwali on Tuesday."We are protesting against the corruption that happened in the Rafale deal. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has still not revealed the price of the Rafale jet. Another reason why we are protesting today is that the French company has given Rs 284 crore to Reliance today as part of this corrupt deal," Nirupam told media here.The protesters even had a little scuffle with the local police during the protest."The BJP is more concerned about changing names, not doing work. The BJP has failed in fulfilling the promises made by Prime Minister Modi in 2014," Congress leader Charan Singh Sapra told ANI.In 2012, during the UPA tenure, India had planned to buy 18 off-the-shelf jets from France, with 108 others to be assembled in the country by HAL.The BJP-led government scrapped the UPA's plan in 2015 and announced that it would
Thakur for creation of 'Himachal battalion' in Army
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur Tuesday suggested that a separate 'Himachal battalion' be created in the Army, keeping in view the services rendered by the state youths in the defence forces. The suggestion was made during the chief minister's meeting with Chief of Staff Headquarter Western Command, Chandi Mandir, Chandigarh Lt General P K Bali, an official spokesperson said. Lt General P K Bali had called on Thakur at the latter's official residence here. The chief minister said the state was proud to have maximum number of soldiers in the Indian Army. He said the state also has over one lakh ex-service men and the government has launched several schemes for their welfare. Thakur said the state government will take up the matter of establishing a Territorial Army of Himachali youths. "The defence forces have provided support and cooperation to the state government at the time of natural calamity, particularly in rescuing the stranded people in Lahaul valley and youths .
Kosovo hikes taxes on Serbian goods
Kosovo raised taxes on Serbian goods by 10 percent on Tuesday, saying the move was in retaliation for Belgrade's efforts to thwart recognition of its former southern province. Kosovo's government said the tax would apply to all products coming from Serbia excluding international brands. The measure is "a response to Serbia's savage campaign" against the international recognition of Kosovo, said Prime Minister Enver Hoxhaj. Tensions between Serbia and Kosovo, which declared independence a decade ago following a brutal separatist war, have simmered in recent months as both are under pressure to normalise relations if they are to make progress towards joining the European Union. Serbia, with backing from Russia and China, refuses to accept Kosovo's independence and still considers the ethnic Albanian-majority territory a renegade southern province despite its being recognised by around 115 UN members. Serbia regularly says it has convinced various foreign nations to revoke their ...
Russia, Spain slam US 'ultimatums' on Iran
The foreign ministers of Spain and Russia on Tuesday hit out at US sanctions policy against Iran and ultimatums they say are being imposed by Donald Trump's administration. President Trump in May abandoned a 2015 multi-nation deal with Iran aimed at reining in its nuclear programme. The deal had been unanimously endorsed by a United Nations Security Council resolution, making it legally binding. On Monday, Washington reimposed its last tranche of sanctions -- punitive measures targeting the Iranian oil and financial sectors. The Trump administration nevertheless gave eight countries temporary waivers, allowing them to continue to buy oil from Iran -- China, India, Turkey, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Italy and Greece. But in general the US sanctions stipulate that to maintain access to the US market, countries and foreign companies must stop trading with Iran. "Sanctions are absolutely illegitimate, they are are being imposed in flagrant violation of the UN Security Council's ...
Brazil's Bolsonaro praises constitution amid rights concerns
President-elect Jair Bolsonaro is insisting on his respect for Brazil's constitution implicitly responding to fears his administration might roll back civil rights. Bolsonaro attended a ceremony Tuesday to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Brazil's constitution and said the document is "the true north" of democracy. It was his first trip to the capital since he won the election last month. He was severely wounded in a knife attack during a campaign event in September and has largely kept to his home in Rio de Janeiro in recent weeks. Boslonaro has repeatedly disparaged women, black people and gays and some fear those remarks will affect policy when he takes office January 1.
Ready to rename Ahmedabad as Karnavati: Gujarat govt
Hours after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced the renaming of Faizabad district as Ayodhya, the Gujarat government Tuesday said it was keen on rechristening Ahmedabad as Karnavati, if there were no legal hurdles. Speaking to reporters in Gandhinagar, deputy chief minister Nitin Patel said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government was willing to change Ahmedabad's name if it gets past the legal hurdles and receives required support. "People are still having a feeling that Ahmedabad should be renamed as Karnavati. If we get required support to overcome the legal hurdles, we are always ready to change the name of the city," Patel told reporters when asked if the state government had a plan to rename India's only city having the 'World Heritage' tag. Historically, the area around Ahmedabad has been inhabited since the 11th century, when it was known as Ashaval. Chaulukya ruler Karna of Anhilwara (modern Patan) had waged a successful war against the Bhil king of ...
Soldier injured in sniper fire along LoC in J&K
An Army jawan was injured on Tuesday in sniper fire from Pakistan's side of the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district, officials said. The soldier was hit by a bullet fired from across the border at Kalal in Noushera sector and was immediately evacuated to hospital, they said. The incident took place hours after armies of the neighbouring countries exchanged sweets and greetings on the eve of Diwali along the LoC in the nearby Poonch district. "On the occasion of Diwali, as a confidence building measure, sweets were exchanged between Indian Army and Pakistan Army at Poonch and Mendhar on November 6,"Jammu-based White knight Corps said in a tweet. Both armies exchanged pleasantries along with the sweets, it said.
Threats' to Dutch envoy in Pakistan over Wilders tweets
The Netherlands said Tuesday that its ambassador to Pakistan has faced "threats", reportedly from Islamists angry over anti-Islam tweets by the far-right politician Geert Wilders. Wilders in August called off a planned Prophet cartoon competition that stirred anger in Pakistan, but the MP has since posted several such images on Twitter. "We are dealing with threats to the ambassador's address," a Dutch foreign ministry spokesman told AFP. "We take the security of the embassy very seriously, and that is also the subject of consultations between the Netherlands and Pakistan. For security reasons, I cannot make any further comment." Pakistan's interior ministry last month wrote a secret memo on plans to "target" the Dutch ambassador by the hardline Islamist Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan party (TLP), media from both countries reported. The TLP, founded in 2015, led protests in August calling for Pakistan to sever diplomatic relations with The Netherlands over the Wilders cartoon contest. "It .
Renaming Faizabad a 'Tughlaqi' decision by UP govt: AAP
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday termed the Uttar Pradesh government's decision to rename Faizabad district as Ayodhya as "Tughlaqi" (autocratic) and said it should have taken people's opinion. The rechristening of Faizabad was announced by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath earlier on Tuesday. The decision comes close on the heels of the state's BJP-led government renaming Allahabad as Prayagraj. Taking a dig at Aditynath, senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh said the chief minister should first change his name to Ajay Singh Bisht if he is so "fond" of changing names. "The opinion of the locals residents of a place should be taken before changing its name. India is a democratic country. It's a 'Tughlaqi' decision," he said. Singh said despite the efforts of a nawab to rename Uttar Pradesh's Rampur district as Mustafabad, the local people, most of whom are Muslims, stuck to the old name. Earlier this year, the Uttar Pradesh government had also renamed the Mughalsarai railway ..
Maha to seek Rs 7000 cr drought assistance from Centre
The Maharashtra government will seek Central assistance of Rs 7000 crore for drought mitigation, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said Tuesday. He also said that since the government declared drought in October itself, the Central funds are expected to be received by January next year. Speaking to reporters in Osmanabad, over 400 kms from here, Fadnavis said a proposal has already been prepared which will be sent to the Union government Wednesday. The state government had on October 31 declared drought in 151 talukas in 26 out of 36 districts. Of the 26 districts, eight districts each fall in the Vidarbha and the Marathwada regions, five districts in North Maharashtra, four districts in western Maharashtra and one district, Palghar, in the coastal Konkan region. The chief minister said the government has mentioned in its proposal that the Central funds would be used towards paying the crop loans of farmers, arranging fodder for animals and for drinking water purposes. "We
Iran says it is selling the oil it needs to, despite U.S. pressure
GENEVA/LONDON (Reuters) - Iran said on Tuesday it had so far been able to sell as much oil as it needs despite U.S. pressure, but it urged European countries opposed to U.S. sanctions to do more to shield Iran, as Russia and Turkey also voiced their objections.