Page 2562 - Politics
Myanmar's ruling party wins 7 of 13 by-election seats
Myanmar's ruling party led by Aung San Suu Kyi won just over half the seats in by-elections to fill 13 of the 1,171 seats in national, regional and state parliaments, according to complete preliminary results. Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy took seven of the 13 seats made vacant by death or resignation. Initial results for 12 races showed it had won six seats, and the delayed result for the 13th race, for a lower house constitutency in western Chin State, gave it its seventh victory. The results for Saturday's polls showed the NLD generally retaining support in the country's heartland, but yielding seats to parties representing ethnic minorities in the areas where they live, mostly in border regions. The NLD won a landslide victory in the 2015 general election, when there was wide-ranging popular support to end decades of military rule. But minority groups have been disappointed that the government of NLD leader Suu Kyi has failed to meet their demands for greater autonomy ...
China says ready for U.S. talks, sees no winners in trade war
SINGAPORE (Reuters) - China is ready to hold discussions and work with the United States to resolve trade disputes because the world's two largest economies stand to lose from confrontation, Vice President Wang Qishan said on Tuesday.
Pompeo to meet top N.Korean official in New York
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will travel to New York on Thursday to meet a top North Korean official, the State Department has announced.
Democrats maintain advantage on eve of midterms: Poll
One day before the crucial US midterms elections, Democrats continued to hold a double-digit lead over Republicans in a generic congressional ballot among likely voters, according to a new CNN Poll.
K'taka bypolls: High stakes for Cong-JD(S) alliance as counting of votes begins
The ruling Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) alliance, which has seen rough patches time and again, is all set to undergo its first litmus test as counting of votes cast during the recently-held bypolls has begun.Results for bypolls held in Shimoga, Bellary and Mandya Lok Sabha seats, and Ramanagara and Jamakhandi legislative assembly seats will be declared later today.Elections in the three Lok Sabha and two Assembly constituencies were held on November 3.At the end of the stipulated voting period, Bellary parliamentary constituency had recorded the highest voter turnout (63.85 per cent) among the three Lok Sabha constituencies while Mandya saw the least (53.93 per cent). Among the assembly constituencies, Jamakhandi recorded 81.58 per cent while Ramanagara saw 73. 71 per cent voter turnout.While JD(S) candidates contested from Mandya and Shimoga Lok Sabha seats and the Ramanagara assembly constituency, the Congress fielded candidates in the Bellary Lok Sabha seat and Jamakhandi ...
Vote count begins in 5 Karnataka bypolls
Counting of votes began on Tuesday in five bye-elections held on November 3 to fill the vacancies caused in three Lok Sabha and two assembly segments in Karnataka, a poll official said.
Counting begins for Lok Sabha, Assembly bypolls in Karnataka
Counting of votes for the bypolls to three Lok Sabha and two Assembly constituencies in Karnataka began on Tuesday. Bypolls for the three Lok Sabha constituencies - Shivamogga, Ballari and Mandya; and two Assembly constituencies - Ramanagara and Jamkhandi, which were held on Saturday, are seen as a prestigious popularity test for the ruling Congress-JDS coalition. An estimated 67 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the bypolls. Counting of votes began at 8 am and a total of 1,248 counting staff have been deployed for it. Elaborate security arrangements have been made to ensure to that no untoward incident takes place during the counting of votes, police officials said. A total of 31 candidates were in the fray from the five constituencies, though the contest is mainly between the Congress-JDS combine and the BJP. The bypoll results will determine the fate of Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy's wife Anita Kumaraswamy, state BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa's son B Y Raghavendra and former ...
Top Indian, US diplomats celebrate Diwali at State Department
Top Indian and American diplomats celebrated Diwali, the festival of lights, here on Monday, reflecting the "great strength" of partnership between the two largest democracies of the world. Indian Ambassador to the US Navtej Sarna and Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan were chief guests at the Diwali celebrations held at Foggy Bottom headquarters of the State Department. Sullivan said the celebration of Diwali at the State Department reflects the great strength of partnership with India and shared values of tolerance, diversity, freedom and justice. Around 200 guests, including officials of the State Department and the Indian Embassy, attended the celebrations. This was for the first time that the State Department organised its Diwali celebrations in collaboration with the Indian Embassy. Celebration of Diwali at the State Department symbolises the growing people to people connect between India and the US, Sarna said. He highlighted the rising profile and growing recognition of ..
Venkaiah Naidu returns from Africa, describes visit 'extremely productive'
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu returned from his six-day three-nation tour of Africa on Tuesday and described it as an "extremely productive" visit. The special Air India aircraft carrying Naidu landed in Delhi at 6.45 am. "I had an extremely productive visit to Botswana, Zimbabwe and Malawi. I am totally satisfied that we could successfully engage ourselves with these countries," the vice president told reporters on board before landing. Naidu said during this high-level visit, India got support of these countries on several international fora. India gives high priority to its relations with Africa, Naidu said.
Netanyahu hails Trump for re-imposing 'most severe' sanctions on Iran
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has praised US President Donald Trump's decision to re-impose "most severe" sanctions on Iran.
Kim Jong-un likely to visit Russia this month
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is likely to pay a visit to Russia this month, South Korea's top diplomat said on Monday.Woo Yoon-keun, the South Korean ambassador to Russia, said that although North Korea and Russia may not have reached an agreement on Kim's visit, the trip could happen by this month " in consideration of several circumstances", Yonhap News Agency reported."Russia has asked for Kim's visit within this year and expects it to happen. But North Korea seems to be weighing the time and place while looking into the agenda and possible agreement with Russia," Woo said.In May, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had delivered a letter from President Vladimir Putin to Kim in Pyongyang inviting the latter to attend the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok or pay a separate visit to Russia.Recently, officials from both the countries made trips to North Korea and Russia, leading to speculations that Kim is planning to embark on a visit to Russia in November or December and ..
US goes to midterm elections today
Thousands of people in the United States will exercise their franchise in the midterm elections on Tuesday, which is seen as a litmus test for Donald Trump's near two-year-old presidency so far.Voting will be held in all 435 seats of the House of Representatives, 35 Senate seats and 39 governorships. The midterm polls are held every four years. They are generally held in the halfway stage of the US President's four-year term, Al Jazeera reported.Polling will open in Vermont at 5 am (local time). Several other states on the East Coast will begin voting between 6 am (local time) and 7 am (local time). Polling places will remain open for 12 hours.In the House of Representatives, members serve two-year terms. The Senate has 100 seats and each member serves a six-year term. However, only 35 seats are up for grabs. The midterm polls are considered as a referendum on Trump's divisive policies that has taken the world by storm.Trump's Republican Party currently holds 235 seats in the House of
2nd US-China Diplomatic and Security Dialogue on Nov 9
The US Department of State and the US Department of Defense on Monday announced that the second US-China Diplomatic and Security Dialogue (D&SD) will be held in Washington DC on November 9.US Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo and Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis will host Chinese Politburo Member and Director of the Office of Foreign Affairs of the Communist Party of China, Yang Jiechi and Minister of National Defense General Wei Fenghe for the dialogue, along with members of the US delegation and Chinese counterparts, an official statement read.US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping had launched this framework for negotiation in Mar-a-Lago in 2017 to expand areas of cooperation while narrowing differences on key diplomatic and security issues.The dialogue comes as both China and the US are locked in an increasingly bitter trade dispute in the past few months, with both the nations slapping tariffs on each other's imports, leading to the straining .
Temporary exemptions to some countries to keep oil prices down: Trump on Iran sanctions
Defending his decision to give temporary exemptions to eight countries, including India and China, from the ban on Iranian oil imports, US President Donald Trump has said it was done so to keep global oil prices down. The US on Monday imposed "the toughest ever" sanctions on a defiant Iran aimed at altering the Iranian regime's "behaviour". The sanctions cover Iran's banking and energy sectors and reinstate penalties for countries and companies in Europe, Asia and elsewhere that do not halt Iranian oil imports. However, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that eight countries -- India, China, Italy, Greece, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Turkey -- were temporarily allowed to continue buying Iranian oil as they showed "significant reduction" in oil purchase from the Persian Gulf country. "We have the toughest sanctions ever imposed. But on oil, we want to go a little bit slow because I don't want to drive the oil prices in the world up," Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews ...
Jagan Mohan Reddy Praja Sankalpa Yatra completes one year
Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy's Praja Sankalpa Yatra is touching another milestone on Tuesday by completing one year.Reddy started walking from Idupulapaya in Kadapa district on November 6, 2017. Prajasankalpa Yatra is yet to culminate at Icchapuram, where his father, the late YS Rajasekhara Reddy had completed his 1,475 kilometres long Padayatra in 2003.Opposition leader Reddy had taken this massive Padayatra to inform people about the party agenda, understanding public concerns and voicing their suffering effectively. The walkathon taken by YSRCP chief has received a massive response from the public in the state.During the yatra, Reddy met with the public, especially the elderly, women, unemployed youth, the disabled and people from all sections of society.Over the last 294 days, Reddy covered on foot a distance of 3,211 kilometres and touched 122 of the 175 Assembly constituencies. He has completed his mega walkathon in 11 districts, ..
India's atomic triad to bolster security, strategic interests: Shah
Few hours after the INS Arihant successfully completed its first deterrence patrol, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah on Monday said that India's atomic triad would be effective in strengthening the security and strategic interests of the country."The achievement of INS Arihant and India's atomic triad will be effective in strengthening the country's security and strategic interests. It also shows the historic commitment of establishing peace in the world of India," Shah said.While hailing the successful first patrol operation of the nuclear-capable submarine, Shah added that the Indian Navy has enhanced the pride of the nation. He further congratulated the scientists, technical experts and soldiers who were associated with the campaign.Lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi for strengthening the country's economic and strategic position at the international level, the BJP president said, "The Prime Minister's commitment to national security and issues related to ...
US State Dept, Indian Embassy hold Diwali celebrations
For the first time ever, the United States Department of State organised Diwali celebrations at the State Department in collaboration with the Embassy of India, Washington DC on Monday.Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan and Ambassador of India to the US Navtej Sarna were the chief guests. Over 200 guests including officials of the US State Department and the Embassy of India attended the celebrations.Ambassador Sarna and Sullivan jointly lighted the ceremonial lamp and addressed the gathering.The Deputy Secretary of State conveyed his greetings to all Indians on the occasion of Diwali and thanked the Embassy of India and the South Asian American Employee Association (SAAEA) for organising the event.Sullivan mentioned that the uniting theme in the celebration of Diwali is the thread of triumph - good over evil, light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance.He added that the message of Diwali is one of hope and that the celebration at the State Department reflected the great .
Diwali 2018: India, China conduct Ceremonial Border Personnel Meeting
A Ceremonial Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) on the occasion of Diwali was conducted at Indian BPM huts at Chushul-Moldo and TWD (Ten Wen Den)-DBO (Daulat Beg Oldie) in Eastern Ladakh on Monday.The Indian delegations were led by Brig VK Purohit and Col SS Lamba and the Chinese delegations by Senior Colonel Yin Hong Chen and Colonel Song Zhang Li respectively.The Ceremonial Border Personnel Meeting was marked by the lighting of the traditional lamp by both the delegation leaders followed by their ceremonial address. Both sides highlighted the peace, tranquillity, and understanding prevailing on the Line of Actual Control (LAC). A cultural programme showcasing the vibrant Indian culture was held with traditional grandeur on this festive occasion.Both the delegations interacted in a free, congenial and cordial environment. The delegation parted amidst feelings of friendship and commitment towards enhancing the existing cordial relations.
Odisha govt forms inter-ministerial panel to address farmers' issues
The Odisha government on Monday formed an inter-ministerial committee to resolve the issues raised by the agitating farmers in the ongoing protest in the state.A large number of farmers from across the state under the banner of Naba Nirman Krushak Sangathan (NNKS) marched to Bhubaneswar to stage a demonstration demanding "Price, Prestige, and Pension".The three-member committee, headed by Finance Minister Shashi Bhusan Behera, will prepare terms of reference to discuss the demands of the agitating farmers."Odisha Government is committed to the cause of the farmers' welfare, our government has consistently been proactive for the cause and welfare of the farmers and development of agriculture in the state," the Finance Minister said."We urge the farmers to come forward for the discussion with the government, we are ready to discuss the issues of farmers" Behera added.Meanwhile, farmers advancing towards the state capital on NH 16 from Cuttack and other sides of the city were stopped and
Gaddam Dharmendra appointed India's envoy to Iran
Senior diplomat Gaddam Dharmendra was on Monday appointed India's next ambassador to Iran, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.Dharmendra, a 1990-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, is presently the Additional Secretary in the MEA. He is expected to take up the assignment shortly.The senior diplomat will replace Saurabh Kumar, who was appointed India's ambassador to Myanmar last month.Dharmendra's appointment as the new envoy to Iran comes as the United States imposed the "toughest-ever" sanctions on Tehran's banking, energy and shipping industries, in a move aimed at altering the "behaviour" of the country's regime.Earlier, US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo had stated that the sanctions against Iran were an "unprecedented campaign of economic pressure" with the objective to "starve" the Iranian regime of revenue it uses to fund violent actions throughout the Middle East and around the world.He had warned Iran to "either do a 180-degree turn from its outlaw course ..