Page 2583 - Politics
IORA member states establish Mandela internship programme
The Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), including India, has established an internship programme in honour of former South African president Nelson Mandela, who is widely recognised as the initiator of IORA. The IORA Nelson Mandela 'Be the Legacy' internship programme was announced at the close of the 18th IORA meeting in Durban on Friday. The programme is aimed at empowering young people under the age of 30 years from IORA member states with work experience in their chosen fields of study. The IORA was established through the vision of Mandela, when 14 member states launched the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC) in March 1997. Currently, the IORA has 21 member states -- Australia, Bangladesh, Comoros, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman, Seychelles, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. The programme will be launched on July 18, 2019, the day Mandela .
'Sanctions are coming': Trump takes aim at Iran
Ahead of the economic sanctions on Iran set to be imposed on November 5, United States President Donald Trump on Friday tweeted a "Game of Thrones"- image of himself with the words "sanctions are coming".Earlier, the White House confirmed the re-imposition of toughest sanctions on Iran, which were lifted by former president Barack Obama under the 2015 nuclear deal. Washington declared the sanctions on Tehran's shipping, financial and energy sectors. The sanctions are targetting the crude oil exports of the country.The Iran nuclear deal was signed between six countries in 2015 - Iran, US, Britain, Germany, Russia, France and China for lifting economic sanctions on Tehran in exchange for limitations to the country's nuclear programme. Trump, however, walked out of the deal and reinstated sanctions citing Iran's support to ill-governance and Middle-East uprisings in May.The Trump administration will also penalise countries for importing oil and foreign companies that do business with ...
Netanyahu condemns Khashoggi murder but backs stability in Saudi
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday condemned the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, in his first comments on the affair, but stressed the need for stability in Saudi Arabia. "What happened in the Istanbul consulate was horrendous and it should be duly dealt with," Netanyahu told reporters during a visit to Bulgaria. "Yet the same time I say it, it is very important for the stability of the world, for the region and for the world, that Saudi Arabia remain stable. "I think that a way must be found to achieve both goals." Khashoggi, a critic of the Saudi regime, was murdered inside the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul last month, and Turkish officials are still searching for his remains. After at first denying the murder, Saudi officials eventually admitted he had been killed in the consulate, blaming a "rogue operation" and arresting 18 people. Riyadh's international standing has been damaged by the affair and the Turkish authorities have made it clear they ...
AP interview: Sri Lanka's ousted PM accuses rival of bribery
Ousted Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe says there is credible evidence that his replacement is attempting to buy support in parliament ahead of an expected vote of confidence when it reconvenes. Wickremesinghe told The Associated Press on Friday that members of the newly formed government under Marinda Rajapaksa have offered lawmakers positions and money in exchange for their support. Rajapaksa, a former strongman, was sworn in as prime minister a week ago after the president dismissed Wickremesinghe and suspended parliament, creating a constitutional crisis. Since then, Wickremesinghe has not left the prime minister's official residence, insisting he is still the legitimate prime minister and controls a majority in parliament. Rajapaksa was Sri Lanka's president from 2005 to 2015. He is credited with ending a 25-year civil war.
Trump predicts U.S. will reach a trade deal with China
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that a lot of progress had been made with China on trade, and he predicted the world's two largest economies would reach a very good deal.
'Shameful day for Pakistan', says Bakhtawar Bhutto
Few hours after the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) and the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government reached an agreement on placing Asiya Bibi's name on the Exit Control List (ECL), Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari, the sister of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto slammed the cricketer-turned politician's 'Naya Pakistan' vision, terming it a "shameful day" for the country.Taking to her Twitter handle, Bakhtawar wrote, "Remember how police acted 2 (sic) students protesting increase of fees? Shameful day 4 (sic) Pakistan. Despite having all opposition united Naya Pakistan takes a (completely unsurprising) u (sic) turn & signs appeasement. Damage is not just economical but shows true writ of state."Earlier on Friday, Pakistan's Religious Affairs Minister Noorul Haq Qadri and Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat signed an agreement on behalf of the PTI government with senior TLP leader Muhammad Afzal Qadri and central chief Nazim Muhammad Waheed Noor.The ...
Radical Islamist hardliners end protests as Pak govt agrees to put Asia on exit control list
A Pakistani radical Islamist political party, which was leading a nationwide protest against the acquittal of a Christian woman convicted for blasphemy, late Friday night called off its agitation following an agreement with the government that assured initiation of a legal process to place the woman on the exit control list that will prevent her from flying abroad, officials said. The government will also not oppose a review petition filed against the Supreme Court's judgement in the Asia Bibi blasphemy case, they said. The Tehreek-i-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) has in turn apologised if it "hurt the sentiments or inconvenienced anyone without reason". Informing reporters that an agreement has been reached between the government and the TLP, Federal Religious Minister Noorul Haq Qadri said it was a good news for the people who have been suffering from the last three days due to the protests. Bibi, a 47-year-old mother of four, was convicted in 2010 after being accused of insulting Islam in a
EU, Germany, UK and France say they want to protect European firms doing legitimate business with Iran
PARIS (Reuters) - The European Union, France, Germany and Britain said in a joint statement on Friday that they regret Washington's decision to reimpose sanctions on Iran.
Kashmir can't survive if given independence: Omar Abdullah
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah on Friday said he "truly believes" that the future of Jammu and Kashmir lied with the Union of India and that the state could not survive on its own if given Azadi (independence).
Congress farmers' wing wants special Lok Sabha session
The Congress' farmer wing on Friday urged the BJP government to call a special session of Lok Sabha to discuss problems being faced by farmers in the country, a statement said.
TMC delegation to visit Assam's Tinsukia district
A Trinamool Congress (TMC) delegation will visit the families of the people who were killed in Assam's Tinsukia district by suspected militants, the party said Friday. "In the next couple of days, a delegation of Trinamool MPs/MLA will visit the families of those brutally killed in Tinsukia. Humbly, our party will stand by the grieving families and assist them at this difficult time," the party said in a statement here. Unidentified gunmen in battle fatigue shot dead five individuals, including three members of a family, near Kheronibari village in Tinsukia district of Assam on Thursday night. On Friday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed anguish over the killing and said an "environment of violence" was prevailing in the country. Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee sought a court-monitored inquiry and called for the resignation of Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal over the incident.
Chautala expells grandsons from his party
After fratricidal battle within the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and the Chautala family, party's national president and Haryana's former Chief Minister Chaudhary Om Prakash Chautala on Friday expelled his grandsons - Dushyant Chautala and his brother Digvijay Chautala - from the primary membership of the party with immediate effect.Dushyant Chautala, Member of Parliament from Hisar, has also been removed from the post of leader of the INLD Parliamentary Board.Both, Dushyant Chautala and Digvijay were accused of indiscipline, hooliganism and spreading disaffection within the party against the party leadership during the birthday celebrations of former deputy prime minister Chaudhary Devi Lal in Gohana on October 7.OP Chautala conveyed to the party office that he did not need any outside evidence since he was a witness to the indiscipline and unruly scenes that also continuously interrupted his speech on that day (Oct 7) but still he had referred the matter to the Disciplinary Action
Chinese have very sustained, persistent campaign to change policies affecting them: US
The Trump administration on Friday accused China of trying to influence Americans ahead of the November 6 midterm polls. "The Chinese have a very sustained, persistent campaign through foreign influence techniques to change the way in which Americans think about China and particularly to change our policies with respect to China," US Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen told a Washington audience. "We see that in a lot of ways. We see that through news, but we also see that through the purchase of businesses. We see that through the co-opting of officials throughout the world. We've seen them very active in investment schemes in different parts of the world where then that country's beholden for decades of debt," she said at the Council on Foreign Relations, a top American think-tank. So there's a "very prolonged" attempt by China in this regard, she said. "What I would say the difference between the Chinese and the Russians, the Russians are much more brazen. They're much .
Special Category Status is our right: Odisha CM slams BJP
"Special Status is our right and we will continue our fight for this," said Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday as he reiterated his demand for the Special Category Status for the state.While addressing Biju Janata Dal's (BJD) Jan Sampark Yatra in Bhubaneswar, the Odisha Chief Minister recalled its previous alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and said that the two parties had earlier fought the elections together for the Special Category Status.Expressing his disappointment over the BJP for not fulfilling the promises they made in their manifesto, Patnaik also accused the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)-led government of not paying heed to the state's demand."During the 2014 general elections, BJP assured that if they come to power, they will accord Special Category Status to Odisha. However, after the break-up of the alliance with the BJP in the state, the present NDA government has turned a deaf ear to the demand. It was promised in BJP's manifesto in 2014,"
Iranian oil: 40 years of revolution, war, sanctions and bans
LONDON (Reuters) - Nearly 40 years after the 1979 Islamic revolution saw the exit of Western oil companies from Iran, the Iranian oil sector faces yet another costly disruption after a series of interruptions from war, sanctions and diplomatic isolation.
TRS will play important role in govt formation after LS
Telangana Rashtra Samithi leader and minister in the caretaker government K T Rama Rao Friday expressed confidence that his party would play an important role in government formation after the Lok Sabha elections next year. "Jayashankar (late ideologue of Telangana) said take not by begging but by dictating. I am confident that, whoever is there at the Centre in 2019, the prime minister would not be there without a role for TRS, your blessings, the support of Telangana people," he said, addressing a meeting at Sircilla near Karimnagar. Rama Rao, son of TRS president and caretaker chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, said a person supported by TRS would become the prime minister. He also said the TRS would take measures for the welfare of weavers in the state.
EC removes Mizoram officer for meddling with poll process
The Election Commission (EC) on Friday directed the Mizoram government to remove a principal secretary-level officer on charges of interfering with the poll process. Election to the 40-member Assembly will be held on November 28 and the EC issued the notification for it earlier in the day. The results will be out on December 11. "... the Election Commission is satisfied that the continuance of Mr. Lalnunmawia Chuaungo as Principal Secretary (Home), in State Government of Mizoram will have adverse impact on conduct of smooth, free and fair election process in Mizoram," the EC order said. The EC also directed that Chuaungo shall be relieved of his present responsibilities with immediate effect and his services placed at the disposal of Ministry of Home Affairs. He would not be assigned any work relating to Mizoram, or deputed to Mizoram till the process of elections is over, the EC's order No. 23/MIZ/2018 said. The order came after reports appeared in a section of the media that state ..
Washington re-imposes toughest sanctions on Iran
The White House on Friday confirmed re-imposition of toughest sanctions on Iran, which were lifted under the 2015 nuclear deal.The United States declared the sanctions on Iran's shipping, financial and energy sectors. The sanctions were slapped on Iran targeting the crude oil export of the country.President Donald Trump's administration will also penalise countries for importing oil and foreign companies that do business with certain Iranian entities."President Donald J. Trump is re-imposing the toughest sanctions ever on Iran, targeting many of the corrupt regime's critical sectors," stated a readout issued by the White House.Terming the 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal as the "disastrous", the Trump administration warned about "severe consequences" for those who attempt to violate or circumvent the imposed sanctions.The Trump administration further asserted that the sanctions would target transactions with the Central Bank of Iran and designated Iranian financial institutions."Reimposing ...
Rahul Gandhi is 'confused man' on Rafale
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Friday took a swipe at Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's comments about the Rafale deal, saying he is 'a confused man' as he has been saying different things about it over time. She was responding to questions from reporters here on Gandhi's comments over the issue, that the Rafale deal was between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and businessman Anil Ambani. "You don't get confused...Rahul Gandhi is a confused man. He talks about different rates over the deal at different times. Besides, he has been saying at different places that we (government) had helped many persons...sometimes he says it is Adani and sometimes Ambani," she said. The Congress has accused the government of forcing Dassault Aviation to make Reliance Defence its offset partner for the Rs 58,000 crore deal to purchase 36 Rafale jets. The Congress has alleged that the government was helping the Anil Ambani group get a contract worth Rs 30,000 crore from the deal. However, the .
EC denies quoting 10 lakh deleted voters in Delhi, Kejriwal 'shocked'
The Election Commission on Friday called Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's claim about CEC confirming deletion of 10 lakh voters "factually incorrect" and said that the poll panel chief never commented on the number of voters removed from the electoral rolls.