Page 2670 - Politics
J&K withdraws order to purchase religious books for educational institutions
The Jammu and Kashmir government on Tuesday withdrew an order asking educational institutions to purchase copies of the Bhagavad Gita and Ramayana for their libraries.
After killing, Saudi Arabia's formidable PR machine shows cracks
When the United States was attacked on September 11, 2001 by 19 hijackers -- 15 of them from Saudi Arabia -- the kingdom switched into lobbying overdrive, determined to preserve a critical relationship. After devoting well over USD 100 million to influencing Washington, the oil-rich state is facing a PR crisis it didn't see coming -- US lawmakers who once eagerly hobnobbed with Saudi princes, and institutions that were once only too happy to accept Riyadh's money, are looking to distance themselves. The killing of exiled Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi -- a regular presence on the Washington think tank circuit who died after entering the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul -- has led to outrage at a level unseen in years against the kingdom. Lawmakers have proposed once-unthinkable actions such as suspending arms sales to Saudi Arabia, the largest buyer of US weapons, and expelling the kingdom's ambassador, although major repercussions look unlikely for now as President Donald Trump has .
Blast inside army camp in Poonch, no casualties
A blast took place inside an Army camp in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district on Tuesday, officials said. There were no casualties. The explosion occurred inside the 93rd brigade headquarters at Moti Mahal in the border district around 10.45 am. It has nothing to do with cross-border shelling (from Pakistan), said Jammu-based Army spokesperson Lt Col Devender Anand. The blast occurred in an unmanned shelter inside the camp and the matter is under investigation, he said.
Talks on China-led regional trade deal "80-85 percent" complete - Indonesia
JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesian's trade minister said on Tuesday negotiations on a China-led regional trade deal were "80-85 percent" complete and a deal could be signed in early 2019.
Explosion in Poonch army camp in J&K
An explosion occurred inside an army camp on Tuesday in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district though there has been no casualty, a Defence Ministry spokesman said.
Rajnath arrives in Srinagar on day-long visit
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh arrived here on Tuesday to review the overall security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, specifically in the Valley and along the India-Pakistan border, an official said.
Amid trade war with US, China drops ban on Indian rapeseed oil meal
Amid the bleeding trade war with the US, China has removed an over five-year-long ban on the import of Indian rapeseed oil meal.
Trump says US needs to build border wall fast
US President Donald Trump said that the country needs to build a wall fast to protect its borders from Central American migrants.
Khashoggi's death was 'a plot gone awry': Trump
US President Donald Trump has said he believes the death of Saudi dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi was the result of a "plot gone awry," and that he opposes ending the USD 110 billion mega arms deal with Riyadh over the issue. Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post, was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2. The Saudi government initially said he left the consulate through the back door. Following a global outrage, the Saudi government on Friday in a statement acknowledged that Khashoggi was killed in a fistfight inside the consulate and noted that an interrogation went wrong. Turkish officials have said they have evidence Khashoggi was tortured, dismembered and murdered inside the consulate. US President Donald Trump has said he was "not satisfied" with the response of Riyadh over Khashoggi's death. The president also said a group of US officials are in Saudi Arabia and another group of investigators in Turkey are trying to gather information on this .
Restrictions to prevent Lal Chowk march in Srinagar
Authorities here in Jammu and Kashmir imposed restrictions in and around the city centre Lal Chowk on Tuesday to prevent a separatist march and sit-in.
US-led coalition struck Syrian IS 'command centres' inside mosques
The US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State (IS) terror group in Syria conducted two strikes against two "command centres" that were operating inside mosques in Abu Kamal district in less than a week, it said in a statement.
Indo-Pak DGMO-level talks: Army to protest against jawans' killing, infiltration
The India Army and Pakistan Army will hold Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) level talks over the phone today, sources said.The Indian Army will raise issues of infiltration bids, actions of Border Action Team (BAT) and use of Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) territory for propagating terrorist activities.Earlier, the Pakistan Army was informed through established communication channels to take over the bodies of the hostile Pakistani nationals. A stern warning has been given to the Pakistan Army to restrain the terrorists operating from its soil.On October 21, five to six Pakistani armed intruders crossed the LoC and fired on Indian Army patrol in the Sunderbani sector of Jammu region. Three Indian Army soldiers were killed and one suffered injuries in the unprovoked cross-border action by Pakistan. Two intruders were also killed by the Indian armed forces. The intruders were wearing combat uniform, however, their identity could not be ascertained.Since the .
US Treasury Secretary meets Saudi Crown Prince
US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin met Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman Al Saud here amid an international outcry over dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi's death.
US will build up n-arsenal: Trump
US President Donald Trump has warned of bolstering the American nuclear arsenal to put pressure on Russia and China.
Republicans pit one group against another: Obama
Campaigning for Democratic party candidates, former US president Barack Obama has accused the ruling Republicans of pitting people against one another and not addressing the challenges being faced by the country. Two years after leaving the White House, Obama remains the biggest crowd puller for the Democratic party, which is expected to gain in this mid-term polls on November 6. Republicans in power want you to feel cynical. They want you not to vote. Instead of addressing the challenges that exist, they exploit some of the history that we have in this country, of racial and ethnic and religious divisions, Obama said at a well-attended Democratic campaign rally in Nevada. The former president alleged that the Republicans try to get people angry. They appeal to tribe, and they appeal to fear, and they try to pit one group against another. They tell us that order and security is going to be restored as long as we don't let 'those people' take over, the people who don't look like us or .
'Deeply regrettable': India slams Pak PM Imran Khan's remarks on Kashmir
Terming as "deeply regrettable" Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's remarks on Kashmir, India today said that instead of making comments on internal affairs of another country, Islamabad should take "credible action" to dismantle terror infrastructure operating from its soil. Pakistan's "deceitful stand" on dialogue, while supporting terror and violence, "stands exposed" to the whole world, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar told reporters while replying to queries on Khan's remarks. Referring to incidents of violence in Kashmir, Khan, in a tweet, said that time has come for India to realise that it must move to resolve the Kashmir dispute through dialogue in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people. "Strongly condemn the new cycle of killings of innocent Kashmiris....by Indian security forces," he tweeted. Responding to Khan's remarks, the MEA Spokesperson said the Pakistan leadership should look inwards and ..
US warships sail through Taiwan Strait
Two US warships sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Monday, a military spokesman said, in a move bound to aggravate China amid heightened tensions with Beijing. The USS Curtis Wilbur and USS Antietam conducted a routine transit to demonstrate US commitment "to a free and open Indo-Pacific," Colonel Rob Manning told reporters at a press briefing. It was the second time in the space of three months that American warships have conducted so-called "freedom of navigation" exercises in the 180 kilometer wide stretch of water. Multiple Chinese warships shadowed the two US vessels during the transit, following at a safe distance, defense officials told CNN. China still sees Taiwan as part of its territory to be reunified, despite the two sides being ruled separately since the end of a civil war on the mainland in 1949. Beijing recently conducted a series of military maneuvers, including a live fire exercise in the Taiwan Strait in April, declaring its willingness to confront Taiwan's ...
Journalist Khashoggi's death was 'a plot gone awry': Trump
US President Donald Trump has said the death of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi was the result of "a plot gone awry". He also said Monday that the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has told him that neither he nor the king were involved in this. He (Crown Prince) says he is not involved nor is the king, Trump told USA Today, a popular American daily, in an interview. If their involvement was proven, I would be very upset about it. We'll have to see, the president said. Trump, who has said he wants to get to the bottom of the case told the daily that he still believed it was a plot gone awry. He reiterated that he would oppose efforts to cease arms sales to the kingdom in response. "In characterising the Khashoggi incident as a 'plot gone awry', Trump indicated that he thought the journalist was not deliberately lured into the consulate to be murdered, the daily reported after the interview. Over the past few days, Trump has spoken with the Saudi prince and Turkish President
Not satisfied with the Saudis on Khashoggi investigation: Trump
US President Donald Trump has said he was "not satisfied" with the response of Riyadh over the death of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi in a Saudi consulate in Turkey. The president also said a group of US officials are in Saudi Arabia and another group of investigators in Turkey trying to gather information on this issue. "I am not satisfied with what I've heard," Trump told reporters at the White House before leaving for an election rally in Texas Monday. "We will know very soon. We have tremendously talented people very well. They're coming back tonight or tomorrow and I will know very soon," he said responding to a question. Khashoggi, a writer for The Washington Post, was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2, where he had gone to collect some papers related to his marriage. For the first two weeks, the Government of Saudi Arabia had said Khashoggi left the consulate through the back door. Following a global outrage, a few days ago, the Saudi government .
Pence congratulates Ghani on successful Afghan parliamentary polls
US Vice President Mike Pence has congratulated Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on the successful parliamentary elections in his country where a large number of people came out to vote despite threat by the Taliban, the White House said. "He congratulated the Afghan people on the steady advance of democracy following the parliamentary elections this past weekend, the White House said Monday in a readout of the call. Pence commended the Afghan election officials and military for leading and managing the electoral process, and the US and international forces for their support to the Afghan government, it said. Despite efforts by the Taliban to intimidate the Afghan people, millions of people stepped forward to make their voice heard by voting, the White House said.