Page 2697 - Politics
French MP proposes 'glottophobia' law after southern accent mocked
A French MP on Thursday announced the tabling of a bill to outlaw regional linguistic discrimination, "glottophobia", after a prominent politician mocked a journalist's southern accent. "Do we speak French any the less with an accent. Must one suffer humiliation if one doesn't speak standard French? Because our accents are our identity, I am tabling a bill to recognise glottophobia as a source of discrimination," Laetitia Avia tweeted. According to the MP's proposal, regional accents -- whether they be from the south, from Paris, the city's suburbs or elsewhere -- are "an integral part of many French people's identity". On Wednesday, Jean-Luc Melenchon, leader of the far-left France Insoumise (France Unbowed) movement and a former presidential candidate in 2017, was caught on camera being rude to a journalist with a southern accent who asked him a question at the National Assembly. "Can someone ask me a question in French? And (make it) a bit more understandable...," Melenchon said, ..
US veterans, including many women, seek to serve anew in Congress
America's military veterans are taking the leap from battlefield to ballot in large numbers in 2018, aiming to bring their discipline, can-do problem-solving, and country-before-party sense of duty to Congress. Washington may well need them. The US Senate and House of Representatives are gridlocked, Donald Trump's presidency has deepened the partisan divide, and approval ratings for Congress hover at just 19 per cent. Veterans, mostly men, have long served in Congress but their percentage has plunged, from a high of more than 70 per cent in the early 1970s to about 20 per cent today. Some 200 military veterans are running in the November 6 midterm elections, including a record number of women Democrats intent on being a check against Trump. They were soldiers, sailors, barrier-busting female fighter pilots, paratroopers and intelligence analysts. Many came of age after 9/11, volunteering to serve in Afghanistan or Iraq. They are Democrats seeking to flip districts in deep state Texas,
Vice President Naidu meets Prime Ministers of Greece, Portugal
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu has met Prime Ministers of Greece and Portugal here and discussed ways to boost bilateral ties through greater economic cooperation and people to people exchanges. Naidu, who is here to attend the 12th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit, met on Thursday Prime Minister of Greece Alexis Tsipras and Portugese Prime Minister Antonio Costa and sought his collaboration to strenghten ties in areas of defence, space, infrastructure and startups. Tsipras informed the Vice President about the economic conditions of Greece and the efforts taken by the government to restore stability to the financial system. "He commended that the growth of the Indian economy over the last few years has had a positive influence on the global economic situation," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. Tsipras encouraged Indian companies to consider investing in Greece, particularly in the port sector and extended an invitation to Prime Minister Modi to visit Greece at .
VP Naidu meets Portuguese PM in Brussels
Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu, who is in Brussels ahead of the 12th Asia-Europe meeting (ASEM) summit, held a bilateral meeting with Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa at the European Union headquarters on Friday.Recalling Prime Minister Costa's successful visit to India in January 2017 when he was honoured with the Pravasi Bhartiya Samman Award, Naidu commended the former for his personal commitment towards strengthening India-Portugal relations.He further thanked Costa for joining the committee set up to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi worldwide.During the meet, Naidu also briefed the Portuguese Prime Minister about the developmental programmes of the Government of India such as Beti Padhao Beti Bachao, Clean India and flagship initiatives including the Make-in-India, Digital India and Make-in-India programmes.Prime Minister Costa, on the other hand, expressed his pleasure over the ongoing positive momentum in the bilateral relations of the two ...
Argentina's Macri is stuck between the IMF and a hard place
BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Argentine President Mauricio Macri is used to seeing bad poll numbers as he struggles to drive through an unpopular austerity program that has cut fuel subsidies, raised taxes and sent utility bills soaring.
Mueller's not being pressured to end probe after midterms
US Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein has not given special counsel Robert Mueller a date by which his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election must be completed, a Justice Department source said.
US merges embassy, consulate general in Jerusalem
United States Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo announced the merging of the US Embassy and US Consulate General in Jerusalem into a single diplomatic mission.Thursday's announcement comes over five months after the inauguration of the US Embassy to Israel in Jerusalem.Pompeo asked the US Ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, to guide the merger. He also announced the stationing of a new Palestinian Affairs Unit inside the US Embassy Jerusalem, through which a full range of reporting, outreach, and programming in the West Bank and Gaza as well as with Palestinians in Jerusalem shall be conducted.Pompeo mentioned that the decision finds impetus from the US' global efforts to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the nation's operations. He, however, clarified that the decision does not signal a change in the US' policy on Jerusalem, the West Bank, or the Gaza Strip.The Secretary of State also reinforced US President Donald Trump's statement from December 2017, in which the ...
Ex-Saudi diplomat 'pivotal' in Khashoggi's apparent killing
Saudi intelligence officer and former diplomat Maher Abdulaziz Mutreb played a "pivotal role" in the apparent assassination of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a source familiar with the Turkish investigation told CNN.
US, UN condemn Afghan terror attack
The US and the UN have condemned the terrorist attack on a high-level security meeting in Afghanistan's southern Kandahar province in which three people, including a top Afghan police chief, were killed. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. In a Twitter post, the Taliban said NATO commander Gen Scott Miller and Kandahar provincial police chief General Abdul Raziq, who was killed, were the targets of the attack. Miller escaped unhurt in the attack in which at least three people were killed and nearly 12 people were injured. "The United States condemns the attack directed today on Afghan provincial leadership in Kandahar," sad US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. In a late-night statement, he extended his sympathies and condolences to the families of General Raziq and the other senior Afghan officials who were killed in the attack. "We also extend hope for the speedy recovery of all those injured in the attack, including two Americans and one Coalition member who were ...
UN Security Council condemns Afghan terrorist attack
The UN Security Council has strongly condemned the recent terrorist attacks in Afghanistan, asserting that efforts to disrupt elections and democratic process in the war-torn country is unacceptable. A gunman on Thursday opened fire on a high-level security meeting in Kandahar, killing a powerful Afghan police chief and a journalist along with another person. At least 12 people, including three Americans, were injured. The meeting was also attended by top US commander General Scott Miller who was not hurt in the Taliban-claimed attack that took place two days before Afghanistan's long-delayed parliamentary elections. The Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the attacks that took place in Afghanistan over the past weeks, including in Jowzjan, Kunduz, Takhar, Herat, Zabul, Farah and Kandahar, resulting in numerous casualties, ahead of the parliamentary elections in Afghanistan on October 20. Members of the Security Council, in a statement, expressed their deepest sympathy ..
Exclusive - U.S. asks for WTO panel over metals tariff retaliation
WASHINGTON/OSLO (Reuters) - The United States is requesting that a World Trade Organization dispute resolution panel get involved in a clash over international retaliation over U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminium, according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter.
Ghulam Nabi Azad's remark a reflection of Congress' ethos: Owaisi
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi has said that the recent statement by senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad is a clear message to Indian Muslims that they should not vote for the party in the upcoming polls.Owaisi's statement came after Azad, while addressing a gathering in Lucknow recently, was heard saying "Hindu brothers don't invite me for campaigning anymore.""It is a reflection of his party's ethos. It is a clear message on how he feels frustrated and is irrelevant in his party. It's a clear message to Indian Muslims that we should not vote for Congress," he told ANI.Speaking at an event on Wednesday in Lucknow, Azad had said, "Since the days of the Youth Congress, I have been campaigning across the country from Andaman Nicobar to Lakshadweep. 95 per cent of those who used to call me were Hindu brothers and leaders and just five per cent were Muslim brothers. But in the last four years, I have observed that the figure of 95 has dropped
Trump's key aides get into heated argument
United States President Donald Trump's closest aides John Kelly and John Bolton got into a heated argument on Thursday (local time) in the West Wing of the White House.Kelly, the Chief of Staff and Bolton, the National Security Advisor exchanged heated words regarding the increased inflow of migrants, reported CNN. This comes a few days after reports emerged that a caravan of migrants was heading towards US' southern border to cross over into the "land of dreams".Administration officials have stated that several meetings have taken place between officials regarding the caravan issue, which found mention in Trump's tweets on Thursday morning when he threatened to shut down US' southern border to stop the migrants from illegally crossing over.Trump had launched a scathing attack against the Democrat Party earlier in the day, accusing them of wanting "open borders"."I am watching the Democrat Party-led (because they want Open Borders and existing weak laws) assault on our country by ...
PM Modi to visit Shirdi today
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Shirdi in Maharashtra on Friday.In Shirdi, the Prime Minister will unveil the plaque to mark the laying of a foundation stone for various development works of the Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust. Furthermore, he will release a silver coin to commemorate the centenary year of Shri Saibaba Samadhi.At a public function, Prime Minister Modi will hand over the keys to mark the 'Grihapravesh' of the Prime Minister Awas Yojana- Grameen (PMAY-G) beneficiaries in Maharashtra. He will also address the gathering.Prime Minister Modi will also visit the Shri Saibaba Samadhi Temple Complex during his day-long visit.
Trump says missing Saudi journalist Khashoggi likely dead, warns of 'very severe' consequences
US President Donald Trump has said it looks like Saudi Arabia's missing dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi is dead and warned of "very severe" consequences if the kingdom is responsible. Trump's remarks came after he was briefed on the investigation by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo who returned from a trip to Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Khashoggi, 60, who has not been seen since entering Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul earlier this month, is feared to have been killed inside the mission. The incident has resulted in a global outrage, more so in the US where he lived as a legal permanent resident and worked for 'The Washington Post'. "It certainly looks that way to me. It's very sad. Certainly, looks that way, Trump told reporters at Joint Air Force base Andrews before boarding Air Force One on his way to Montana for a campaign rally. This is the first time that the US has officially acknowledged about Khashoggi's death, who was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in ...
Radio ad in Arkansas suggests 'lynching' if Democrats win
A Republican congressman in central Arkansas and his challenger on Thursday condemned a political action committee's radio ad that suggests white Democrats will lynch black Americans if they win the midterm election next month. GOP Rep. French Hill criticized the ad from Black Americans for the President's Agenda, which invokes the accusation that Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted a woman when he was a teenager. A woman in the ad says that "white Democrats will be lynching black folk again." "I'm voting to keep Congressman French Hill and the Republicans because we have to protect our men and boys," the woman in the ad says. "We can't afford to let white Democrats take us back to bad old days of race verdicts, life sentences and lynchings when a white girl screams rape." Hill, who represents the 2nd District covering Little Rock and seven central Arkansas counties, blasted the ad. "I condemn this outrageous ad in the strongest terms," he said in a statement. ...
Religious extremism effectively contained: Xinjiang governor
Chairman of the Government of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Shohrat Zakir, claimed that the Chinese government's policies in the region have led to the containment of religious extremism, has brought peace and led to economic growth in Xinjiang.Speaking to Xinhua, Zakir, while talking about counterterrorism and the vocational education and training programme initiated by the Chinese government in the region, also claimed that the government created policies for the region as a response to the United Nations General Assembly's resolution on Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, which entails "addressing conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism, while preventing and combating terrorism".While stating that Xinjiang combined the fight against terrorism with the protection of human rights, the governor mentioned "Xinjiang has also stressed addressing the root cause of terrorism, and moved to bring around, educate and save the majority of those who committed petty crimes, through ...
Exclusive - U.S. asks for WTO panel over metals tariffs retaliation
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is requesting that a World Trade Organization dispute resolution panel get involved in a clash over international retaliation over U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminium, according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter.
Venezuela expels Ecuador diplomat in tit-for-tat move
Venezuela on Thursday ordered Ecuador's top diplomat in Caracas to leave the country, hours after Quito expelled Venezuela's ambassador over "offensive" comments about its president. Venezuela said it was "forced to take reciprocal action against the Charge d'Affaires of Ecuador in Venezuela, Elizabeth Mendez, who is declared a persona non-grata and has 72 hours to leave the country." The move follows Ecuador's expulsion of Venezuelan ambassador Carol Delgado earlier Thursday for "offensive" comments against President Lenin Moreno by a Venezuelan government minister. Communication and information minister Jorge Rodriguez had accused Moreno of lying about the number of Venezuelans that have arrived in Ecuador after fleeing the economic meltdown in their homeland. "I listened stupefied to a president on this continent because I couldn't believe he could be such a liar," Rodriguez said on Wednesday, referring to the claim that "6,000 unwell Venezuelans a day are entering ...
Trump believes Khashoggi is dead
United States President Donald Trump believes that missing Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi is dead."It certainly looks that way to me, it's very sad. It certainly looks that way," he stated while also saying that the results of "three investigations" are awaited, CNN reported.However, no official investigation has confirmed Khashoggi's death as yet.Trump, who has supported investigations into the missing scribe's death, further said that his administration would be releasing a "very strong" statement regarding the incident.The US President also remarked that the consequences for the crime will be "very severe" if Saudi Arabia's role is proved in the case. "It'll have to be very severe," Trump said while stating that "we'll see what happens."Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist who wrote for The Washington Post, disappeared on October 2 after cameras captured him walking into the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey.Several high-profile meetings have been held regarding the scribe's ...