Page 2590 - Politics
US considering exempting countries from Iran oil sanctions: State Dept
The United States has said that while their goal remains to completely put an end to Iran's oil exports, it is considering exemption of certain nations, that purchase oil from Iran, from their proposed sanctions."The United States is in the midst of an internal process to consider significant reduction exceptions for individual countries. We are working with countries on a case-by-case basis," State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert told ANI."Our goal remains to get to zero oil purchases from Iran as quickly as possible," she added.Nauert had earlier said that the import of Iranian oil and the signing of the recent S-400 Triumpf air defence missile deal are not helpful for the ties between India and the United States.Meanwhile, Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan had stated that despite the possibility of US sanctions, Indian companies have made nominations to purchase oil from Iran."Two days ago, two of our companies made nominations to purchase ...
Chhattisgarh: Congress workers create ruckus over ticket distribution
With assembly elections in the state inching closer, the political battle has intensified, not only among political rivals but within the parties as well.On Thursday, Congress party workers created ruckus at the district party office in Bilaspur and protested against an alleged anomaly in ticket distribution for the upcoming assembly polls. In a similar incident, the party office in Raipur witnessed the wrath of aggrieved workers, who vented out their anger against ticket allocation for one seat.At the Bilaspur party office, Congress workers raised slogans against one of the party candidate who was given a ticket for one of the constituencies of the district. Slogans were also raised against senior party leader and Chhattisgarh Congress in-charge PL Punia.Some protestors also broke chairs and ransacked the office of the Congress district president, while a large group staged a sit-in outside the district party office.Following the ruckus, district Congress President Vijay Kesharwani ..
Denied ticket by Congress, Ajit Jogi's wife writes to Sonia Gandhi
Renu Jogi, wife of former chief minister Ajit Jogi, on Thursday penned a letter to United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi after the Congress party denied her ticket to seek re-election from Kota seat in Chhattisgarh in the upcoming state elections.Renu is a sitting Member of the Legislative Assembly from the Kota constituency. The Congress party has instead opted to field Vibhor Singh from the seat this time.Unhappy with the decision, Renu Jogi, in the letter to Sonia Gandhi, stated that she has been facing criticism from various political leaders in and outside Congress ever since her husband Ajit Jogi left the party and formed Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (JCC) in 2016."I feel sad to inform you that there is no conscience in the Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Party to examine the self-esteem and sacrifice of a loyal and senior woman worker. Perhaps you are constrained, so you delayed in making the right decision," Renu Jogi wrote in the letter.Giving not many ...
TMC to hold protest rallies across Bengal against Assam
The Trinamool Congress will organize protest rallies across West Bengal Friday to protest the "brutal killings" of five people in Assam. Five people were shot dead and two others were injured by gunmen at Kheronibari in Assam's Tinsukia district Thursday. "In protest against the brutal killings in Assam @AITCofficial will organise protest rallies tomorrow ( Fri Nov 2) in different parts of north and south Bengal including Siliguri and Kolkata," West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee said in a tweet Thursday night. TMC youth Congress president and MP Abhishek Banerjee will lead one of the protests from Jadavpur 8B bus stand to Hazra crossing in south Kolkata. NBanerjee, in a Twitter post Thursday, wondered if the attack was related to developments around the National Register of Citizens (NRC). "Is this the outcome of recent NRC development," she had questioned. "Terrible news coming out of Assam. We strongly condemn the brutal attack in Tinsukia... We
TN govt fixes time slot for bursting crackers on Diwali
The Tamil Nadu government Friday said people would be allowed to burst firecrackers between 6 am and 7 am and 7 pm and 8 pm on Diwali, in line with the Supreme Court directive. A government release also urged people of the state to burst crackers with low decibel and pollution levels. "Based on the Supreme Court verdict, the Tamil Nadu government permits bursting of crackers between 6 am and 7 am and 7 pm and 8 pm," the release said. Further, it asked the people to avoid bursting firecrackers near hospitals and places of worship. The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board would study the air quality seven days before and after the festival in all the corporation limits. On October 30, the state government had said it would consult stakeholders regarding the Supreme Court's decision of allowing the state to pick a two-hour slot for bursting firecrackers on Diwali. The apex court had modified its earlier order of fixing an 8-10 pm slot for bursting crackers on Diwali, saying the time would .
No drinking water, no vote: Villagers caution in poll-bound MP
As the Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh are inching closer, residents in Damoh's Jabera are staging protests over the lack of clean drinking water in the village.Protesting villagers have warned the local administration of boycotting polls over the unavailability of clean drinking water.Urging the government to address the issue at the earliest, one of the villagers told ANI, "We are facing the problem of inadequate clean drinking water since 30-40 years. We have approached the district administration several times demanding a pond from where we (villagers) can fetch clean water for domestic use, but our demands have gone in vain. We won't vote if safe drinking is not provided to us. We have pledged to boycott the elections this time."Meanwhile, a girl, who was seen carrying a water container on her head and walking down a pothole-ridden road in the scorching heat, revealed that as the villagers have no proper water facility, they are compelled to travel at least two to five ...
Bangladesh PM holds dialogue with major opposition alliance
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina held a dialogue with leaders of a newly-formed opposition alliance over the general elections slated for December, authorities said on Friday.
US isolated as UNGA votes overwhelmingly against Cuba embargo
US President Donald Trump's administration's isolation at the UN because of its strident policies has been highlighted again with a near-unanimous vote by the General Assembly against Washington's economic embargo on Cuba.
Egypt rounds up 19 rights activists: Amnesty
Egyptian authorities have arrested at least 19 lawyers and rights activists, Amnesty International said, condemning what it called an "appalling setback". The rights group called the arrests on Thursday "an alarming escalation of a crackdown on human rights workers" in Egypt. "Today's chilling wave of arrests... is yet another appalling setback for human rights in Egypt," said Najia Bounaim, Amnesty's North Africa campaigns head. "Anyone who dares to speak out about human rights violations in Egypt today is in danger." Eleven people close to Egypt's banned Muslim Brotherhood, including human rights activists, were arrested on Thursday, their lawyer said. Lawyer Abdel Moneim Abdel Maqsud earlier told AFP that 11 activists close to the Muslim Brotherhood were arrested and expected to appear before a judge. The Brotherhood was outlawed and branded a terrorist organisation in December 2013, months after the military ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi following mass protests against ..
Taking cue from Trump, Brazil's Bolsonaro to move Israel embassy
Brazil's far-right President-elect Jair Bolsonaro has confirmed the country will move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, making the Latin American country the largest after the United States to make the controversial switch. The move from Tel Aviv, which will defy Palestinians and most of the world, is the latest controversial announcement by the former army captain, who has wasted no time implementing his hardline conservative agenda since his election win Sunday. "As previously stated during our campaign, we intend to transfer the Brazilian Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Israel is a sovereign state and we shall duly respect that," Bolsonaro tweeted Thursday. He also made waves on the domestic front, naming the judge who has upended Brazilian politics with a massive corruption investigation, Sergio Moro, to be his justice minister. Moro is a hero to many Brazilians for his unrelenting "Car Wash" investigation, which uncovered the large-scale looting of state oil company ...
State Dept spokesperson under consideration for UN envoy job: Trump
Former Fox News anchor and State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert is under serious consideration to replace Indian-American Nikki Haley as the United States ambassador to the United Nations, President Donald Trump has said. "She (Nauert) is under serious consideration. She's excellent and she's been with us for a long time. She's been a supporter for a long time, and she's really excellent," Trump told reporters at the White House on Thursday. "We'll probably make a decision next week. We have lot of people that want the job and they're a lot of really great people. But we'll be talking about that next week," Trump said. A former news presenter, Nauert, 48, currently is the acting under secretary of state for public diplomacy and public affairs and the State Department spokesperson. Last month, Haley had announced to leave the cabinet-ranking position at the end of the year. Haley is the first-ever Indian-American to have a cabinet-ranking position in any presidential ...
AAP should take responsibility for rising pollution in Delhi: Gambhir
Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir, who had attacked the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government over the rising pollution levels in the national capital ,has clarified that he did the same as a responsible citizen and not because he is pro Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) or the Congress.The 37-year-old further stated that the party in power should take up the responsibility of depleting air quality in the national capital.Speaking to ANI, Gambhir said, "Seeing the depleting air quality of Delhi, it is mine and everybody's responsibility to take a stand and talk about it. I am not pro BJP or Congress, but the party which is in power should take the responsibility. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is in power so they should take responsibility for the air pollution."Asking the Delhi government to stop blaming stubble burning and crackers for the rising pollution levels, Gambhir said that the air quality remains bad throughout the year in the state."AAP should stop blaming the Municipal Corporation of Delhi
US alarmed over detention camps in China's Xinjiang
The United States has said it was alarming that China has kept as many as one million Muslim minorities in re-education camps in Xinjiang province and urged immediate release of those detained. "The United States is alarmed that the Chinese government has detained as many as one million Uighurs, Kazakhs and other members of minority Muslim groups in re-education camps in Xinjiang," State Department Deputy Spokesperson Robert Palladino told reporters. Palladino described China's claim that the camps were "humane vocational training sites" as preposterous. "The United States will continue to demand transparency and access for diplomats and journalists to Xinjiang, and we urge China to immediately release all those arbitrarily detained in these camps," Paladino added.
PM Modi to launch support programme for MSME sector today
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Friday launch the Centre's Support and Outreach Initiative for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) at the Vigyan Bhawan here.Besides the national capital, similar launch programmes will be held at as many as 100 locations across the country, where Union Ministers and Ministers from the respective state governments will be present.All these locations will also connect with New Delhi for the main event, which will include a special address by the Prime Minister. He is expected to touch upon several matters of vital interest to the MSME sector.The Union Government has accorded high priority to the MSME sector in recent years. This outreach and support programme, which will run for the next 100 days, covering the entire country, is expected to provide even greater synergy to the efforts being made for this sector.The progress of this programme, to be implemented in mission mode, will be monitored on a continuous basis by senior officials of the
Bolsonaro plans to relocate Brazilian embassy in Israel to Jerusalem
Brazil's President-elect Jair Bolsonaro has declared his intentions to move the country's embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem once he assumes office."Israel is a sovereign state. If you decide on your capital city, we will act in accordance. When I was asked during the campaign if I'll do it when I was president, I said yes," Bolsonaro told Israel Hayom in his first interview since his election victory, Washington Post reported.The move will follow the lead of the US President Donald Trump-led administration, which acknowledged Jerusalem as the Israeli capital last year and, in May, shifted their embassy from Tel Aviv. Since the move, officials from Palestine have withheld engagements with their US counterparts.Jerusalem is a disputed city as Palestinians regard East Jerusalem, which was occupied by Israel in the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, as the capital of the future independent state they demand.Guatemala and Paraguay are the only two countries to have implemented the move ...
Trump says Nauert 'under very serious consideration' for UN envoy
US President Donald Trump has said that Heather Nauert, spokeswoman for the State Department, is "under very serious consideration" for the post of the country's ambassador to the UN.
Trump orders sanctions to target Venezuela's gold exports
US President Donald Trump slapped new sanctions targeting Venezuela's gold exports on Thursday, as his National Security Adviser John Bolton unveiled a hard-line policy toward Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua.
BJP leader, his brother killed by terrorists in J-K
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Jammu and Kashmir secretary Anil Parihar and his brother were shot by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district on Thursday. The two later died at a hospital.The incident took place at around 8 pm today."Soon after the incident, they were immediately taken to a hospital where they succumbed to injuries," BJP State President Ravinder Raina said.Look at the prevailing situation, curfew has been imposed in Kishtwar. Police is now investigating the matter.
Brazil will move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem: Bolsonaro
Brazil will move its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, far-right President-elect Jair Bolsonaro has said, making the Latin American giant the largest country after the United States to make the controversial switch. "As previously stated during our campaign, we intend to transfer the Brazilian Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Israel is a sovereign state and we shall duly respect that," Bolsonaro tweeted Thursday, a move that will defy Palestinians and most of the world. In interviews, Bolsonaro said Israel should have the right to decide where its capital is located, just as Brazil moved its capital from Rio de Janeiro to Brasilia in 1960. Israel considers the entire city its capital, while the Palestinians see east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state, with international consensus being that the status of the whole city must be negotiated between the two sides. Israel occupied east Jerusalem in the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed it in a move never ...
Trump speaks by phone with China's Xi on trade
US President Donald Trump on Thursday held a "very good conversation" with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, a talk by phone with a "heavy emphasis" on trade during which they discussed the possibility of a bilateral meeting during the G20 summit in Argentina in late November.