Venezuela will prove unlawfulness of the US move to impose sanctions on the country’s state oil company PDVSA and its subsidiary Citgo, and will ultimately emerge victorious in the situation, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro told Sputnik in an interview. On Monday, the United States blocked $7 billion in PDVSA’s assets in its jurisdiction and imposed ban on deals with the entity as part of efforts to facilitate power transfer to “the interim president [Juan Guaido] or a subsequent democratically elected government.” US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told reporters that by blocking PDVSA assets, the United States takes care of this…
Author: Samikhsya Bureau
Expressing happiness over Suman Kumari taking over as Pakistan’s first Hindu woman judge, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti said it is heartening to see the country allowing minorities to play a role in nation building. Ms Mehbooba, who is the former chief minister of J&K, hoped that this development allows them (Pakistan) to revisit their blasphemy laws. “Heartening to see Pakistan allowing minorities to play a role in nation building. I hope this development allows them to revisit their blasphemy laws,” the PDP president wrote on micro-blogging site twitter. Ms Mehbooba was reacting to reports that Ms Kumari…
With the Interim Budget coming up on February 1, the premier industry body for the development of a vibrant Indian Electronics System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM) ecosystem has suggested that the government abolish the Angel Tax for ESDM start ups and enable R&D through provisioning separate budget to fund projects of national interest in the Electronics & Semiconductor domain. Start ups in Electronics and Semiconductor space primarily depend on Angel and self funding as very few Venture Capitals in India are investing is ESDM companies. Angel tax and the current policy of getting the start up valuation done by a…
Mausam Benazir Noor’s shift to Trinamool Congress is being viewed as a big blow to Congress’ hopes of reviving its position in West Bengal. Noor, a two-time Congress MP from Malda(North), met Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at her office on Monday and joined formally. The parliamentarian was the Congress president of Malda district and is the niece of legendary ABA Ghani Khan Choudhury, who won the Malda Lok Sabha seat eight times at a stretch. According to political analysts, her move is a breach in the Congress bastion, which the Choudhury family had safeguarded for decades. It is needless to…
The Budget for 2019-20, which will be presented in the Lok Sabha on February 1, is expected to unveil measures for modernisation of the Railways, besides coming up with steps for boosting infrastructure and additional allocation for safety-related issues. Though not many expect Railway Minister Piyush Goyal to announce new trains in the Budget, sources say that some new trains could be announced as this will be the last budget of the Modi government before the Lok Sabha polls. There is an expectation that this budget will announce some steps to make train tickets cheaper and improve infrastructure facilities in…
British Prime Minister Theresa May won parliament’s backing on Tuesday to renegotiate her Brexit deal – a major policy reversal that sets up a new standoff with the EU after it ruled out any change. Observers termed this as a sharp reversal of policy, the British Prime Minister agreed to return to Brussels and reopen Brexit talks, even though she previously said the idea was a non-starter and the EU has repeatedly insisted the deal is locked down. May’s dramatic decision to abandon a pact she herself sealed with the 27 EU leaders at a summit last month came with…
(UNI)President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his 71st death anniversary. Taking to micro-blogging site twitter, the President said, ‘On Martyrs’ Day, we gratefully remember Mahatma Gandhi and the countless freedom fighters who sacrificed their all for our Independence”. Mr Naidu said, ‘On this Martyrs Day, I join all country men in paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi and all the valiant people, who had sacrificed their lives for the country. #martyrsday.’ “Let us rededicate ourselves to the high ideals and values set by the Father of…
Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) President Girish Chodankar has said that Congress President Rahul Gandhi’s gesture of visiting the ailing Goa Chief Minister was in keeping with his politics of dealing with all with love, compassion and no ill-will even to the political adversaries. In a statement, he said,’It is not just a courtesy call but one of care and concern and mirrors our party’s ideology of believing in politics of compassionate behaviour with humanity and society at heart. He extended a hand of care and compassion and called on Parrikar to share his concern and wish speedy recovery.’ ‘Congress…
Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 30 (UNI) The 10th National Conference of Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI) has resolved to fight against merger and privatization of public sector banks and demanded the Union Government to refrain from the move of merging Dena Bank and Vijaya Bank with Bank of Baroda. The Conference held from January 28 to 31 here also declared solidarity to government employees and teachers of Tamilnadu who are fighting against National Pension System (NPS). The conference hailed the indefinite strike launched by them from January 22 against the NPS through a resolution. The conference resolved to bring up the issue of…
କେଦାର ମିଶ୍ର ‘ବାପୁ ତାଙ୍କ ଜୀବନରେ କେବେବି ଥଣ୍ଡା ପାଣିରେ ଗାଧେଇ ନଥିଲେ। ସେଦିନ ଜାନୁଆରୀ ଶୀତର ରାତି ଦୁଇଟାରେ, ମୁଁ ବାପୁଙ୍କ ମୃତ ଶରୀର ଉପରେ ଥଣ୍ଡା ପାଣି ଢାଳିଥାନ୍ତି କେମିତି! ମୋର ଛାତି ଫାଟି ଗଲା ପରି ଲାଗୁଥିଲା ଓ ମୁଁ ଭୋ ଭୋ କାନ୍ଦି ପକାଇଲି।‘’ ଯେ ଥିଲା ବୃଜକୃଷ୍ଣ ଚାନ୍ଦିବାଲାଙ୍କ ସ୍ମୃତିକଥା। ୩୦, ଜାନୁଆରୀ, ୧୯୪୮ ସନ୍ଧ୍ୟାରେ ବାପୁଙ୍କୁ ଗୁଳି କରି ହତ୍ୟା କରିବାପରେ ତାଙ୍କର ମୃତ ଶରୀରକୁ ଗାଧେଇ ନୂଆ ଲୁଗା ପିନ୍ଧେଇବାର ଦାୟିତ୍ଵ ବୃଜଲାଲ ନିର୍ବାହ କରିଥିଲେ। ଭାରତ ସ୍ଵାଧୀନତା ପାଇବାର ମାତ୍ର ପାଞ୍ଚ ମାସ ପନ୍ଦର ଦିନ ପରେ ଗାନ୍ଧୀଙ୍କ ହତ୍ୟା ସାରା ଦେଶ ପାଇଁ ଏକ ବିଶାଳ ଧକ୍କା ଥିଲା। ସେଇ ସନ୍ଧ୍ୟାରେ ସେତେବଳର ବଡଲାଟ ଲର୍ଡ ମାଉଣ୍ଟବ୍ୟାଟେନ କହିଥିଲେ, “ଆଜି କେବଳ ଭାରତ ନୁହଁ, ପୂରା ପୃଥିବୀ ଆଜି ଶୋକାକୁଳ।“ ବାପୁଙ୍କ ସହିଦ ହେବାର ପୀଡା ବିଷୟରେ ଶତୃ…
New Delhi, Jan 29 (UNI) Questioning the timing of the application moved by Narendra Modi government in the Supreme Court seeking allotment of the ‘undisputed’ 67 acres land to Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas, the Congress on Tuesday asked why the Union government has suddenly woken up after 16 years. Talking to mediapersons at AICC headquarters, party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said Congress has no opinion in the development and the matter is before the Supreme Court. ‘We do not have an opinion, we do not intend to have an opinion. The application moved by you (Government), the matter will be decided by…
New Delhi, Jan 29 (UNI) Renowned Hindi writer Chitra Mudgal was among 24 writers, who were on Tuesday honoured with the Sahitya Akademi Award. Akademi President and noted Kannada playwright Chandrasekhar Kambar presented these awards for 2018, at a ceremony here. The prize includes Rs one lakh cash, a citation, an emblem and a shawl. In the absence of English writer Anees Saleem and Oriya writer Dashherthi Das, these awards were received by their representatives. This award was given to Chitra Mudgal for her book ‘post box no 203 Nalla Sopara’, which was based on the life of a transgender.…
Indian tunes were the flavour of this year’s ‘Beating the Retreat’ ceremony, here on Tuesday, which marked the culmination of Republic Day celebrations. As many as 27 performances on the historic Vijay Chowk, overlooking the Rashtrpati Bhavan on the Raisina Hill, enthralled the spectators with captivating and foot-tapping music of the bands from the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the State Police forces and Central Armed Police Force (CAPF). As many as 19 tunes were composed by Indian musicians from the armed and police forces, which are ‘Indian Star’, ‘Paharonki Rani’, ‘KumaoniGeet’, ‘Jai Janam Bhumi’, ‘Queen of Satpura’, ‘Marooni’,…
US chipmaker Intel will likely beat Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics in terms of sales in the October-December period, taking back its title as the largest global chip firm. According to its earnings report released late last week, the US firm posted US$18.7 billion in revenue during the three-month period. Although the quarterly sales fell below market estimates of US$19.01 billion, the company’s revenue for the full fiscal year set a record of US$70.8 billion, up 13 percent on-year. Intel’s fourth-quarter sales are likely to surpass that of Samsung, which is expected to be lower than US$18 billion. The earnings…
Fuel prices witnessed a decline on Tuesday as petrol was declined by 8-9 paise and diesel gets cheaper by 11 paise per litre. In national capital Delhi, petrol is being sold for Rs 71.19 per litre while diesel costs Rs 65.89 a litre. In Mumbai, people have to shell out Rs 76.82 for a litre of petrol while diesel costs Rs 69 per litre. According to Indian Oil Corporation website, petrol and diesel cost Rs 73.28 and Rs 67.67 per litre in Kolkata. Similarly, in Chennai petrol is retailing at Rs 73.90 and diesel Rs 69.61 a litre. As per…
Samsung Electronics will start taking steps this year to replace plastic packaging materials with paper and other environmentally sustainable elements. From the first half of 2019, the packaging used currently for Samsung’s products and accessories – ranging from mobile phones and tablets to home appliances – will be substituted with environmentally sustainable materials like recycled/bio-based plastics and paper. To revamp product packaging, Samsung Electronics has formed a task force involving design and development, purchasing, marketing and quality control for innovative packaging ideas, the company said on Monday. For mobile phone, tablet and wearable products, Samsung will replace the plastic used…
NCML Finance Pvt Ltd (NFIN), the wholly owned subsidiary of National Collateral Management Services Ltd, on Tuesday announce the launch of its new product, ‘Multipurpose Loans Secured by Property.’ The product envisaged by NFIN would cater to the short term & long-term financial needs of its customer who could need mixed usage of the loan facility. NFIN has been active for some time, with a strong focus on Semi-rural and agri-business finance. The focus of NFIN is to make available Multipurpose Loans in semi urban and peri urban areas. NFIN MD & CEO Aryendra Kumar said, “We at NCML Finance…
Chief Minister of Maharastra Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday slammed opposition parties for forming ‘Mahagathbandhan’ against the BJP government in view of the oncoming Lok Sabha. Addressing a huge public rally on Monday night at Mamaji Chowk at Jalna about 60 km from here, Mr Fadnavis criticised opposition’s ‘Mahagathbandhan’. He said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called all the 34 regional parties leaders in her state and formed an alliance called ‘Mahagathbandhan’. In the opposition party, all are ready to become the Prime Minister, he quipped. He said that the BJP has a powerful leader in Mr Narendra Modi who…
Goa Town and Country Planning (TCP) Minister Vijay Sardesai on Tuesday said that Congress President Rahul Gandhi had tweeted about the Rafale audio clip because he wanted to keep the issue alive. Speaking to reporters at the Assembly complex at Porvorim near the city, he said, “For us, we want the issue to be over. He (Mr Gandhi) wants the issue to be alive. He is doing what he has to do.’ “The tweet was from Goa. So he remembered about it and he has to keep up the pressure. He is doing his job, we have to do our…
Adopting the old Mayawati project of 2007, the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has decided to construct the world’s longest Ganga expressway from Meerut to Prayagraj. The government also approved the much publicised Bundelkhand expressway and the Gorakhpur Link expressway to connect with the Poorvanchal expressway. The decisions were taken at the Cabinet meeting here on Tuesday in the Kumbh tent city. The cabinet meeting, being held for the first time out of the state capital, took place after the state ministers, around 30 in number, worshiped at the Sangam and paid obeisance to the century-old Akshay Vat and…
Shanghai will set up a special court to handle bankruptcy cases on Feb. 1, local authorities said Tuesday. The news was revealed by Liu Xiaoyun, president of the Shanghai Higher People’s Court, during the ongoing annual session of the municipal legislature. Liu did not disclose more details about the court. Zhu Zhengwei, a Shanghai legislator and chairman of Shanghai Lijin Economic and Trade Co. Ltd. said the court could improve efficiency in handling bankruptcy cases. On Jan. 14, Shenzhen set up a bankruptcy court to primarily handle companies’ bankruptcy and compulsory liquidation cases and cross-border bankruptcy cases. Chinese courts received…
