Page 2671 - Politics
Gold nudges up as Asian shares edge lower
BENGALURU (Reuters) - Gold prices inched up early Tuesday as Asian stocks faltered, weighed down by political tensions between Saudi Arabia and Western powers, uncertainties around Brexit and Italy's budgetary woes.
Trump eyeing 10% tax cut for middle class
Ahead of the crucial mid-term polls on November 6, US President Donald Trump has said he will soon come out with another 10 per cent tax cut for the middle class. He said Monday a legislation in this regard is being brought before the Congress ahead of the polls, and after the elections a voting on this would held. We are giving a middle-income tax reduction of about 10 per cent. We're doing it now for middle income people. "This is not for business. This is on top of the tax decrease that we've already given them, he told reporters at the White House before leaving for an election rally in Texas. Last year, Trump had announced massive tax cuts for the middle class and the businesses. We're putting in a resolution (in the Congress) sometime in the next week or week and a half, two weeks, he said. People are tired of high taxes, we gave the tax cuts, we've done so much. They want a strong military, they want protection, they want safety, they want security, we give that. The Democrats .
Booing doesn't help anyone, voting does: Obama
Former President Barack Obama has warned of the "profoundly dangerous" consequences for democracy that a lack of mobilization among the Democratic electorate in the November 6 midterm elections could have.
US nuclear treaty ultimatum about China as much as Russia
By announcing its intent to withdraw from a decades-old nuclear weapons treaty, the United States is targeting Russia, which it says violated the bilateral deal -- but also China, which is developing arms that are banned under it. Beijing is not a signatory to the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), so it's Russia that has been singled out for violating the accord, signed in 1987 by Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev. At issue is Moscow's new 9M729 ground-based missile system, which Washington says has a reach that exceeds 500 kilometers (300 miles) -- a claim the Kremlin denies. "Russia has not unfortunately honored the agreement, so we're going to terminate the agreement and we're going to pull out," US President Donald Trump said Saturday at a campaign rally in Nevada. Trump did not say whether a new treaty could be negotiated, but he has repeatedly in recent days pointed the finger of blame at both Moscow and Beijing, saying the US would develop its own weapons until .
Dialogue with US open if Washington honours nuke deal: Iran
Iran's top diplomat has said that a dialogue with the US remains open if it honours the 2015 Iranian international nuclear deal, IRAN daily reported.
Another separate Trump-Putin meeting possible: Bolton
A new summit between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, like the one in Helsinki in July, is not ruled out, US National Security Adviser John Bolton said.
Russia warns Canada cannabis legalization will lead to increased trafficking
Russia has denounced Canada's cannabis legalization, which took effect last week, calling it "unacceptable" and contrary to international laws, and saying it will lead to increased trafficking abroad. "We are convinced that this legislation goes against international law on drug control," the Russian embassy in Ottawa said Monday in a statement. According to Moscow, Canada is violating major drug control treaties including the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances and the 1988 Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. "By consciously torpedoing the international drug control regime, the Canadian government is creating the world's largest drug market, which, despite all the claims and measures being contemplated to prevent the export of cannabis across national borders, will certainly result in a considerable increase in its trafficking to other states," said the Russians. The embassy said ...
US sees irregularities in Cameroon election
The United States has said that voting irregularities in Cameroon cast doubt on the credibility of strongman Paul Biya's latest victory as it urged a peaceful way forward. A council dominated by Biya loyalists said that the 85-year-old leader won 71.3 percent of the vote, after authorities banned an opposition march called to denounce allegedly widespread fraud. "While we welcome the Cameroonian Election Commission's demonstrable improvement over the 2011 elections, there were a number of irregularities prior to, during and after the October 7 election," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Monday in a statement. "These irregularities may not have affected the outcome but created an impression that the election was not credible or genuinely free and fair," she said. Amid tight security in the capital Yaounde and gunfire in the restive English-speaking region, the United States called for dialogue moving forward. "We urge all parties -- including the government -- to ...
US treasury secretary meets Saudi crown prince in Riyadh
US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Monday held closed-door talks in Riyadh with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has faced a global backlash over journalist Jamal Khashoggi's murder. The official Saudi Press Agency said they stressed "the importance of the Saudi-US strategic partnership" in a meeting on the eve of a key investment conference in Riyadh. Mnuchin is a among a wave of Western political leaders who pulled out of the Future Investment Initiative (FII) amid global outrage over the journalist's murder in Saudi Arabia's Istanbul consulate. Trump said on Monday he was "not satisfied" with Riyadh's explanation of how Khashoggi, a Washington Post contributor, died inside the Saudi consulate. Mnuchin's withdrawal from the investment conference came after top financial, trade and foreign officials from Britain, France and Germany also dropped out. The Saudis have said they plan to move forward with the conference, scheduled for Tuesday through Thursday, despite a ..
Italy wants Russia's re-admission to G8
Rome, Oct 23 (IANS/AKI) Russia should be allowed to rejoin the G8 group of nations and international economic sanctions should be lifted against Moscow, Italy's Premier Giuseppe Conte has said.
Trump 'not satisfied' with Saudi explanations of Khashoggi death
US President Donald Trump has said he was "not satisfied" with Riyadh's explanation of how journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post contributor, died inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Asked if he believed the Saudis were telling the truth about the circumstances surrounding the 59-year-old's death three weeks ago, Trump told reporters on Monday at the White House: "We will know very soon." "I am going to know very shortly because I have a great group of people in Turkey right now and a great group of people in Saudi Arabia," Trump said. "They are coming back tonight and tomorrow and I will know very soon." "And I am not satisfied with what I have heard." Saudi officials originally said Khashoggi, who entered the diplomatic mission on October 2, had left unharmed, before announcing Friday he was killed inside the building in what they described as an altercation. The case has shone the spotlight on Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has spearheaded a reform drive ...
Italy awaiting 'credible' account of Khashoggi's fate
Rome, Oct 23 (IANS/AKI) The Italian government expects credible explanations of the events surrounding dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi's alleged murder at his country's consulate in Istanbul on October 2, Premier Giuseppe Conte has said.
Iran vows to abort US sanctions
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has said his country will manage to abort anti-Iran sanctions by the US, Press TV reported Monday.
Congress, JD-S campaign for by-elections in Karnataka
A dozen ministers and leaders of the ruling Congress and Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) coalition government on Monday jointly launched their campaign for the five by-elections in Karnataka on November 3.
Bengal parties accuse Centre of using CBI as 'political tool'
Amid the bickering at the top in the CBI that saw the agency arrest one of its senior officials, anti-BJP parties in West Bengal on Monday accused the Modi government of reducing the agency into a "political tool".
Bangladesh arrests prominent government critic
Bangladesh police on Monday arrested a prominent critic of the government who recently helped the country's embattled opposition parties forge an alliance amid fears that dissent is being stifled in the South Asian nation. Police said Moinul Hosein, a top lawyer and a publisher of an English daily, was detained from Dhaka's Uttara neighbourhood hours after Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina slammed him for his comments against a pro-government female journalist. "He has been arrested after a warrant of arrest was issued against him", a senior Dhaka Metropolitan Police officer told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity. Hosein, 78, who does not belong to any political party, emerged as a top critic of the government in recent months and was a key organiser of the recently formed alliance between the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and other centrist parties. Premier Hasina on Monday attacked Hosein for his comments against the woman journalist whom he ...
PoK activists hold anti-Pakistan protest in London
A large number of activists from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) gathered outside the Pakistan High Commission in London to mark October 22 as 'Black Day'.They shouted pro-freedom and anti-Pakistan Army slogans to demand the security forces leave PoK and Gilgit Baltistan who illegally occupied the region on this day in 1947.Sajjad Raja, President of Jammu Kashmir National Awami Party, UK said, "We all have gathered here to protest against Pakistani invasion of Jammu and Kashmir on October 22, 1947. We are protesting against Pakistan because we think that is the day which caused the division of our state and that is the day when the ill-planning was conceived to suppress our people and victimize our people. That was the conspiracy which still ongoing, which still continuing".Sajjad added, "We want to convey a message to the world that this sort of activity, this sort of brutality is not acceptable, come what may, we will never ever give up and continue our struggle against the ...
China VP pays highest-level visit to Israel since 2000
Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan on Monday became the most senior Beijing official to visit Israel in 18 years, as the two countries look to bolster their growing business ties. Wang headed to the Western Wall in Jerusalem, one of the most sacred sites in Judaism, after touching down at the start of his four-day trip, Israel's foreign ministry said. The visit to the Jewish state is the highest-level Chinese arrival since then president Jiang Zemin came in 2000, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. Wang was set to meet Netanyahu, who visited Beijing last year, later on Monday and will also host a meeting of a joint innovation commission with the Israeli leader. The Chinese official is due to travel to Ramallah on Tuesday to hold talks with Palestinian prime minister Rami Hamdallah, according to the official programme. China and Israel, a firm US ally, have stepped up trade and business ties in recent in years and launched free trade talks. Chinese firms have
British PM May calls for 'truth' over Khashoggi murder
British Prime Minister Theresa May on Monday called for the "truth" over the murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul earlier this month. "I am sure the whole House will join me in condemning the killing of Jamal Khashoggi in the strongest possible terms. We must get to the truth of what happened," May told parliament. May was the first European leader to address the issue after Saudi Arabia on Saturday admitted that Khashoggi was killed inside the consulate in what it said was a "brawl". She was speaking the day before Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is due to address ruling party lawmakers in an address he has vowed will reveal the "naked truth" about the case. Khashoggi entered the Saudi consulate on October 2 and Riyadh initially said that he had left and was missing. Saudi authorities later admitted he was killed in the building and 18 Saudi nationals had been detained. In a joint statement, Britain, France and Germany on Sunday ...
Turkey vows 'nothing will remain secret' in Khashoggi murder case
Turkey on Monday vowed that nothing will stay secret in the case of the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul, adding Ankara did not want relations with Riyadh to be damaged. "From the start, the line of our President (Recep Tayyip Erdogan) has been clear. Nothing will remain secret in this case," presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin told reporters in Ankara. "This entire case will be explored from the legal point of view. Shedding light on all the aspects is our final aim and responsibility," he said. Kalin's comments came ahead of a hugely anticipated address to ruling party lawmakers by Erdogan on Tuesday which the president has vowed will reveal the "naked truth" about the Khashoggi case. Erdogan has so far stopped short of directly pointing the finger at Riyadh. Analysts say he preferred to authorise the leak of incriminating information to pro-government media to pressure the kingdom. Kalin emphasised that Erdogan has spoken by ...