Page 259 - Politics
Taiwan confirms request for US tanks, air defence systems
Taiwan has confirmed it has asked to purchase more than 100 US tanks, along with air defence and anti-tank missile systems in a major potential arms sale that could worsen frictions between Washington and Beijing. The Defence Ministry says it has submitted a letter of request for 108 cutting-edge M1A2 Abrams tanks, 1,240 TOW anti-armor missiles, 409 Javelin anti-tank missiles and 250 Stinger man-portable air defense systems. It says Thursday the request is proceeding "as normal." The US is the main supplier of defensive weapons to Taiwan, which China considers its own territory. The M1 Abrams would mark a significant upgrade from the aging tanks Taiwan's army now uses. Reports have also said Taiwan is seeking 66 additional F-16 fighter jets.
Bipartisan bill introduced to ban Chinese, foreign firms flaunting US laws on stock exchanges
A bipartisan legislation was introduced in the Congress which will increase oversight of Chinese and other foreign firms listed on US exchanges and allow delisting those companies who do not comply with the regulations. A bipartisan group of four powerful Senators introduced the legislation in the Senate on Wednesday while another group of three US Representatives tabled the companion bill in the US House of Representatives. The legislation--Ensuring Quality Information and Transparency for Abroad-Based Listings on our Exchanges (EQUITABLE) Act--will force the Chinese government, which currently blocks US regulators from viewing the full audit reports of publicly traded companies headquartered in Hong Kong and mainland China, to change behaviour, the lawmakers said in a joint statement. It will better inform investors about their exposure to financial risks, delist non-compliant issuers of securities, and ban Chinese and other foreign firms that flaunt investor protection and ...
People demand resignation of Czech Prime Minister
Tens of thousands of people filled Prague's Wenceslas Square on Tuesday to demand the resignation of Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis, who is accused of fraud in connection with subsidies paid by the European Union to the conglomerate he founded.
Pakistani military lashes BBC for false reporting
The Pakistani military lashed out at British media BBC for a report on human rights abuse in the country's northwest tribal area, calling it a pack of lies, local reports said Wednesday.
US condemns attacks on Sudan protesters, seeks resumed talks
Washington on Wednesday called on Sudan's military rulers to "desist from violence" and urged talks with protesters to resume, after doctors said 108 people had been killed in a crackdown. "The United States condemns the recent attacks on protesters in Sudan," State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement. It called on the ruling military council and Rapid Support Forces paramilitaries to desist from violence and "a civilian-led transition that leads to timely elections and free expression of the will of the Sudanese people," Ortagus said. "Senior Department officials are engaging now with officials in the region and we welcome the recent statements from the AU, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia calling for restraint from violence and resumption of dialogue," she added. Riyadh, a major backer of the military rulers, had earlier sought a resumption of "dialogue between the various parties of Sudan." The Central Committee for Sudanese Doctors close to the protest movement said ..
Kazakhs set to elect new leader, little hope for opposition
Kazakhs go to the polls on Sunday to elect their first new leader in 30 years, although ex-president Nursultan Nazarbayev's influence will likely continue as his handpicked successor heads for all but certain victory. Career diplomat and interim President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, 66, is running for the country's ruling party with enthusiastic backing from Nazarbayev, who stepped down from the presidency in March. That announcement by the strongman shocked Kazakhs who had lived under his rule since Soviet times, but he is still expected to call the shots in the oil-rich Central Asian state of 18 million people. Tokayev's six rivals, including one low-key opposition figure, are little-known in Muslim-majority Kazakhstan. Tokayev, in contrast, has been endorsed by pop stars and film actors, and appears to have the weight of the state machine behind him. Nazarbayev's decades in power saw an oil-fuelled economic boom that drowned out complaints about human rights abuses and a lack of media ..
Centre reconstitutes eight cabinet committees
Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government has reconstituted eight key cabinet committees, including appointments committee, the cabinet committee on economic affairs, and security, among others.The eight committees which have been reconstituted include - Cabinet Committee on Accommodation, Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs, Cabinet Committee on Security, Cabinet Committee on Investment and Growth and Cabinet Committee on Employment and Skill Development.In the newly-constituted eight cabinet committees, Modi is part of six committees, barring Cabinet Committee on Accommodation and Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, while Home Minister Amit Shah is part of all cabinet committees.The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet includes Modi and Shah, while Cabinet Committee on Accommodation has Shah, Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and Railway Minister Piyush ...
'Not nearly enough' progress made in immigration talks with Mexico, says Trump
Representatives of the United States and Mexico on Wednesday failed to reach an agreement on the immigration issue during high-stakes negotiations held at the White House, days before Washington would start imposing five per cent tariffs on all goods coming in from Mexico.Shortly after the meeting, US President Donald Trump took to Twitter to inform that "not nearly enough" progress has been made in the negotiations while reiterating that in case no agreement is reached between the two sides, the tariffs would begin on Monday "as per schedule.""Immigration discussions at the White House with representatives of Mexico have ended for the day. Progress is being made, but not nearly enough! Border arrests for May are at 133,000 because of Mexico & the Democrats in Congress refusing to budge on immigration reform," Trump tweeted."Further talks with Mexico will resume tomorrow with the understanding that, if no agreement is reached, Tariffs at the 5% level will begin on Monday, with ..
Trump hopeful of deal with N Korea, hints at third summit with Kim
Downplaying North Korea's warning that the United States must change the course of its negotiations before its patience runs out, US President Donald Trump on Wednesday was of the view that Pyongyang desires to make a deal with Washington."I think they would like to make a deal and we would like to make a deal," Trump told reporters here, adding that he looks forward to meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong-un "at the appropriate time," CNN reports.On Tuesday, a spokesperson for North Korea's foreign ministry had in a statement urged the US to "drop its current way of calculation" to keep alive the agreement they reached during their first summit in June last year."Whether the June 12 DPRK-U.S. Joint Statement will remain effective or turn out to be a mere blank sheet of paper will now be determined by how the U.S. would respond to our fair and reasonable stand," Yonhap news agency quoted the spokesperson, as saying."The U.S. should duly look back on the past one year and cogitate ...
Libya: 125 Europe-bound migrants rescued off western coast
At least 125 Europe-bound migrants were rescued in two separate sea operations conducted in Mediterranean waters by the Libyan coast guard on Wednesday off the country's western coast.Ayob Qassem, a spokesperson for the Libyan Navy, said in a statement that 80 migrants were rescued in the first operation that took place 103 kilometres off the coast of Zawiyah, while 45 migrants were rescued from a broken rubber boat found 65 kilometres off the Tripoli coast, reports Xinhua.In recent years, thousands of migrants have lost their lives after undertaking dangerous sea travel on overcrowded rubber boats in a bid to escape the turmoil in their own country.According to a recent report by the United Nations, more than 90,000 people have been displaced in Libya since April 2018 as a result of the armed conflict between Khalifa Haftar's army and UN-backed government forces in capital Tripoli.The country has been largely divided into two factions ever since the death of its dictator Muammar ...
Haryana govt withdraws EPBG quota for accommodating EWS reservations
Haryana government on Wednesday issued orders for withdrawing Economically Backward Persons in General Caste Category (EBPG) reservation stating that it is no more required as the central government's Economically Weaker Sections reservation comes into effect."Since Economically Weaker Sections reservation has come into effect, there is no requirement to continue with reservation of Economically Backward Persons in General Caste Category (EBPG) and such reservation is hereby withdrawn," read a notice issued by Haryana Chief Secretary Depinder Singh Dhesi.The Parliament had passed the Constitution (124th Amendment) Bill, 2019, approving a 10 per cent reservation for economically backward sections in the general category in government jobs and academic institutions in January.
26 IPS officers transferred in Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh government on Wednesday issued orders for the transfer of 26 Indian Police Services (IPS) officers.According to recent orders, P. Venkatarami Reddy, Principal PTC, Anantapuramu has been transferred and posted as Deputy Inspector General, Kurnool Range in place of D. Nagendra Kumar.Kumar, on the other hand, is now posted as Joint Commissioner of Police, Vijayawada.A.S. Khan, DIG, Coastal Security has been transferred and posted as DIG, Eluru Range in place of Dr. C.M. Trivikrama Varma, who will now serve as DIG, SCRB, CID in the existing vacancy.DIG (L & O and Co-ordination) G. Srinivas has been transferred and posted as Principal PTC, Anantapuramu, while R.N. Ammi Reddy, Superintendent of Police, CID, has been posted as Superintendent of Police, Srikakulam.B. Raja Kumari, DCP (Crimes), Vijayawada City has been named Superintendent of Police, Vizianagaram in place of A.R. Damodar (SP (NC)).Adnan Nayeem Asmi has been posted as Superintendent of Police, East Godavari ..
Denmark's Liberal PM Rasmussen concedes election defeat
Denmark's Liberal Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen conceded defeat in the country's general election on Wednesday, after preliminary results showed the left-wing opposition bloc had won. "We had a really good election, but there will be a change of government," Lokke told supporters at an election night rally, after his Liberal party, which has been in power for 14 of the past 18 years, came in second behind the Social Democrats. "I will go to the queen tomorrow to tender my government's resignation," he said. With all votes counted, results showed the left-wing bloc, led by the Social Democrats, won 91 seats in parliament, while the right-wing led by Rasmussen took 75 seats following a collapse for the anti-immigrant Danish People's Party. The far-right party, which provided informal support to Rasmussen's minority government to pass legislation, saw its support more than halved to 8.7 per cent.
UAE to present findings of tanker attacks' probe to UN
The United Arab Emirates, along with Saudi Arabia and Norway, will on Thursday present to the UN Security Council the findings of their probe of the May 12 attacks on oil tankers off the Emirati coast, diplomats said. The United States has accused Iran of being behind the attacks, which came at a time of escalating tensions between Tehran and Washington. National Security Advisor John Bolton said Iranian mines were likely used in the "sabotage." During an informal meeting at the UAE mission to the United Nations, Security Council ambassadors will be briefed on the evidence uncovered during the investigation, diplomats said. Iran has flatly rejected accusations that it was behind the sabotage of the four tankers -- two Saudi-flagged, a Norwegian-flagged and an Emirati-flagged. Saudi Arabia maintains that the attacks affect the safety of international navigation and the security of world oil supplies. The attacks took place within UAE territorial waters, east of the port of Fujairah, an
Netanyahu appoints Israel's first openly gay minister
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday tapped Amir Ohana as acting justice minister, the first openly gay minister in the country's history. The appointment of Ohana, from Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party, comes as Jerusalem prepares for its annual Gay Pride celebrations on Thursday. "Amir Ohana is a jurist who knows the legal system well," the premier's office said in a statement. He takes up the position from Netanyahu's right-wing rival Ayelet Shaked, fired by the premier on Sunday along with education minister Naftali Bennett after the prime minister failed to form a government following April elections. Netanyahu opted for parliament to dissolve itself and approve new elections, preventing Israeli President Reuven Rivlin from selecting someone else to form a government. Shaked and Bennett had left the Likud years earlier, but their New Right party failed to win enough votes in April's poll to clear the threshold to join Israel's parliament. Israeli ministers ...
UN relocates staff from Sudan
The United Nations is moving some of its staff from Sudan, a spokeswoman said Wednesday, as the death toll from a crackdown on protesters soared to more than 100. "We are temporarily relocating non-programme-critical UN staff, while all UN operations continue in Sudan," said UN spokesperson Eri Kaneko. No details were provided on the number of staffers leaving Khartoum, where there is a large UN presence of 27 entities, mostly UN aid agencies. The United Nations also runs a peacekeeping mission in Darfur with the African Union, where about 7,200 troops and police are deployed. Sudan has been engulfed in turmoil since security forces on Monday violently broke up a weeks-long sit-in by protesters demanding an end to military rule. The Central Committee for Sudanese Doctors close to the protest movement said on Wednesday that at least 101 people had been killed in the crackdown. Forty bodies have been recovered from the Nile river, they said. A military council has ruled the country ...
MNF will never support BJP, says Mizoram Chief Minister
Despite ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) in Mizoram is a member of the BJP led North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), the regional party would not support the saffron party in any case at the centre and in the state.
Three injured in alleged army firing in J&K's Pulwama
Three civilians were injured on Wednesday in alleged firing by the army in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district.
Trump says Ireland's Brexit 'wall' issue will work out
US President Donald Trump told Ireland's prime minister that the Brexit issue over "your wall, your border" with the UK would work out well, during talks on Wednesday. Speaking with Leo Varadkar in Shannon, southwest Ireland, Trump -- who flew there after a state visit to Britain -- raised the subject of the UK's European Union exit. "I think it will all work out very well, and also for you with your wall, your border. I mean, we have a border situation in the United States, and you have one over here," he said. The border between Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK, and the Republic of Ireland is unmarked allowing free movement of goods and people as both states are EU members. Varadkar responded: "I think one thing we want to avoid, of course, is a wall or border between us." Trump then replied: "I think you do. The way it works now is good, you want to try and to keep it that way. "That's a big point of contention with respect to Brexit. I'm sure it's going to work out very ..
Peru president wins confidence motion over reforms
Peru's President Martin Vizcarra scored an important victory for his government's tough anti-corruption policies Wednesday by winning a vote of confidence in the opposition-controlled Congress. Vizcarra, who succeeded disgraced ex-president Pedro Pablo Kuczynski a year ago, won by 77 votes to 44, Congress speaker Daniel Salaverry announced. Vizcarra had urged lawmakers to back his anti-graft proposals. Kuczynski stepped down last year following allegations of bribe-taking as part of the continent-wide Odebrecht corruption scandal that has embroiled three other Peruvian former presidents.