Mining companies are being forced to operate at less than they were when the mining levy was introduced in 2014.
The slump in mining revenue is a consequence of the introduction of the tax and the rise in the price of copper, the world’s most valuable metal, has made the sector’s profitability even more difficult.
In April, the Government announced that the levy would be abolished by June 2020, meaning mining companies will have to be paid their share of the costs of the levy.
The industry’s biggest mining groups have said that they will continue to oppose the tax, and have even threatened to sue if it is reintroduced.
It is a dramatic turnaround from what happened just a year ago, when the industry had its lowest revenue in more than three decades.
“The government is now forcing a very significant change in the way that mining companies operate, as a consequence the government’s decision to make the mining industry pay the cost of the mine levy has had a major impact on the business,” said David Turek, director of the Australian Industry Group.
While the levy is still on the books, the government has not announced any plans to raise revenue from other sources.
Treasurer Scott Morrison said he would announce an update on the tax in the coming weeks, but warned that the impact on mining companies would be far-reaching.
This will affect us all, he said.
There will be consequences for the people who are going to be paying that price, for the businesses that are going do that, for other taxpayers who are also paying that cost, he told the ABC.
“We are going from the lowest level in the past decade, to the highest level in history.”


Jerusalem, Dec 13: Reports suggest that the chief Palestinian negotiator has said that Israel has asked to annex 6.8 per cent of the West Bank in a peace deal with the Palestinians. Ahmed Qureia, the negotiator said that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert proposed in peace talks that Israel take in 5,000 Palestinian refugees over five years.
Qureia said neither offer was acceptable to the Palestinians. He added that Israel never revealed its position on the most contentious issue -- Jerusalem. He was speaking to the Palestinian reporters. Sources say that the comments appeared aimed at providing a public record of the Israeli position ahead of leadership changes in Israel and the United States.


Kuwait- Protocol signed to empower persons with disabilities
(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) KUWAIT, Nov 5 (KUNA) -- The General Authority for Youth and the General Authority for Persons with Disabilities Affairs signed on Sunday a protocol of cooperation to invest and empower youth with disabilities and prepare them to develop their skills and talents to contribute to the development of the society.
Director General of the General Authority for Youth Abdulrahman Al-Mutairi said at a news conference that this approach aims to provide opportunities for young people with disabilities and organize joint programs between the two authorities in the fields of innovation, craft, art, sports and entrepreneurship of small projects.
Al-Mutairi added that the protocol will allow young people with disabilities to benefit from the various facilities rendered by the Youth Authority, pointing out that it has been coordinating with the NGOs sponsoring the disabled to activate these facilities and make the most of it for the development of young people from such category in all areas of youth work.
He said that the two sides started implementing this protocol today through convention of a workshop with the participation of concerned figures, specialists and specialized schools for people with disabilities to explain the objectives of the project which aims to provide a safe and secure environment for young people with disabilities.(end).
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“We have partners and allies, the Americans amongst them – but we are a continent that must also ensure that we are not a mere appendix of international politics,” Gabriel said.
He went on to argue that Europe has focused mainly on domestic affairs since WWII and in the meantime left the international realm as a matter for the US. However, times have changed and “it is not news” to Germany that the world has become multipolar, he added.
“In the past, we have often said that global politics are what the Americans do. If something goes wrong, we will complain. But I think we need to find our own voice.”


Azerbaijani army holds orienteering exercises (PHOTO)
(MENAFN- Trend News Agency ) BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept. 21
Regular orienteering exercises are being held in the Azerbaijani army, Trend reports via Azerbaijani Defense Ministry.
Participants involved in the competitions from various branches of the armed forces, specialized military educational institutions and military units will compete in the ability to navigate the terrain.
The results of the competition will be evaluated by the judging panel consisting of representatives of the Ministry of Defense and the Orienteering Federation of Azerbaijan.
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Coronavirus: 50 more COVID-19 cases in Andhra Pradesh, state tally reaches 1,980
50 more COVID-19 cases have been reported from Andhra Pradesh, taking the total number of coronavirus cases in the state to 1,980 on Sunday.
"50 more COVID-19 cases ( including 26 returned from Gujarat and 1 returned from Karnataka) reported in the state in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of positive cases in the state to 1,980," said the state Nodal Officer.
Among the 50 new cases reported, Chittoor reported the highest number of cases at 16, followed by Kurnool at 13.
While Ananthapur and Nellore have reported 5 cases each and Guntur reported 6 new cases.
At present, there are a total of 1,010 active cases in the state, according to a bulletin issued by State Command Control Room.
A total of 45 people have lost their lives due to the infection in the state while 925 people have been discharged from hospitals.


Somalilandsun: The Police Force has launched new police posts in all public hospitals across the country.
The new services were first time Somaliland Police made operational is police-cum-traffic facilities at general hospitals premises will enable the community to easily got O-P documents were previously been sought by the nearest police and the Traffic headquarters.
This step, which will make it easier for the public to gain related crimes and accidents referral, May Allah save us, is said to be part of the efforts of Police Chief Gen Mohamed Aden undertaking to promote the duties and responsibilities the force have for the community.
Meanwhile, the police force has succeeded to arrest several suspected Shabaab terrorist members over the past two months and submitted their cases to the judicial authorities, the interior minister Mohamed Kahin Ahmed informs.
By: Mohamoud Walaaleye


(MENAFN- The Peninsula) QNA
Luanda: The Shura Council has taken part in the inaugural ceremony of the 147th General Assembly of Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), hosted by the Angolan capital, Luanda.
Council Member, Chairman of the Inter-Parliamentary Union's Permanent Committee on Peace and International Security, Mohamed bin Mahdi Al Ahbabi, represented the Shura Council in the inaugural ceremony.
During the ceremony, Angolan President, Joao Lourenco, delivered a remark in which he touched on the developments of the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, stressing the importance of securing the access of assistance to Gaza Strip to alleviate the plight of Palestinians.
For her, part, President of the National Assembly in Angola, Carolina Cerqueira, underscored the significance of IPU's meetings hosted by Angola. She expressed her aspiration that the General Assembly and the accompanying meetings would contribute to coming out with results that reinforce parliamentary cooperation among IPU's members.
Additionally, the Shura Council participated in the keynote session of the 147th General Assembly of Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) which discussed the topic of the current session that revolves around the parliamentary action for peace, justice, and strong institutions as the Goal 16 of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
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(MENAFN- Bangladesh Monitor) Dhaka : Bo Lingam, President (Aviation) of Capital A and Group Chief Executive officer of AirAsia Aviation Ltd arrived in the capital on May 30, 2023 for a three-days official visit to Bangladesh.
During his visit, he attended several meetings with AirAsia's local partners and high officials of the country's Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism.
Lingam also met different stakeholders of the aviation industry to understand further prospects of the sector.
As Group CEO of AirAsia Aviation Ltd, Bo Lingam lead's AirAsia's airline business, overseeing four airlines of the group-Air Asia Malaysia, Air Asia Philippines, AirAsia Thailand and AirAsia Indonesia-as well as its shared services including AirAsia Consulting, the corporate services division, the Santan food group and the ground handling joint venture service Ground Team Red.
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Health Emergency Operations Center HEOC has issued a warning over the recent surge in new COVID-19 cases in the Maldives and urged all to take all precautionary measures amid the reality of a new variant now spreading in the country.
Speaking at the press conference organized by HEOC today, State Minister at the Health Ministry Dr. Shah Mahir Abdullah said that it is now possible that Maldives is now fighting a new variant of the COVID-19 causing virus as the number of COVID cases have rapidly increased over the last few days.
He assured that authorities were trying to confirm the spread of the new variant but urged the country to take all necessary actions to further avoid the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, Dr, Nazla Musthafa from the Technical Advisory Group said at the press conference today that the positivity rate in the Male Area has spiked in recent days.
Dr. Nazla said that the Male' Area flu clinic positivity rate has now reached 14 percent in the last week and that the positivity rate had increased from 7 percent to 10 percent between 21st April to 27th April.
She also urged all to get their COVID-19 vaccine doses as soon as they can before their vaccine deadlines are met.
On Wednesday, HPA reported a record 464 new cases of COVID-19 in the country including more than 200 new cases in the Greater Male Area alone.
This has taken the total number of cases beyond 29,000 in the island nation.


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(MENAFN- Gulf Times) The Philippines' most active volcano on Saturday spewed a thick cloud of ash, prompting hundreds of people to flee homes surrounding the mountain, officials said.
The ash column reached 2,500 metres in height from the crater of Mayon Volcano in Albay province, 330 kilometres south of Manila, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.
‘We could not see the extent of the ashfall due to thick clouds enveloping Mount Mayon,' said Cedric Daep, chief of the provincial emergency management office.
More than 200 residents in the towns of Guinobatan, Camalig and Cabangan have fled their homes at the foot of Mayon due to the ashfall, said Chief Inspector Arthur Gomez, spokesman for the provincial police.
The displaced residents were staying in schools converted into evacuation centres, he added.
The 2,472-metre volcano has erupted about 50 times since 1616. Its last deadly eruption was in May 2013, killing five hikers and wounding seven other people.
Mayon's most violent eruption was in 1814, when more than 1,200 people were killed and a town was buried in volcanic mud. An eruption in 1993 killed 79 people.
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Symphony of the Valley
The Symphony of the Valley all-volunteer chamber ensemble will hold open rehearsals from 7:30 to 9 p.m. today at the Stephens City…
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11 killed in terrorist attack against Jalalabad city education department
(MENAFN- Afghanistan Times) AT-KABUL- At least 11 employees of the Urban Education Department of Jalalabad city were martyred and 10 more were injured after two terrorists attacked the city's education department office today morning.
The attack which started at 9:30am lasted two hours before the two armed terrorist of ISIS to be killed by security forces.
Out of the 31 employees who were in the building during the attack, 20 of them were rescued by the security forces.
But 11 employees including Sulaiman Pacha, head of the department were killed in the attack, Attaullah Khogyanai, Nangarhar governor spokesmen said.
Ten more people including a student were injured.
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Story | Feb 22, 2008Skeptic Michael Shermer exposes hate speech against the Church of Scientology and strangely concludes that its "cult-like secrecy" and "hypocrisy" merit suspicion. He also calls it a "faux religion." Speaking as a scholar who has analyzed new religions...


‘You Shall Not Pass’ (Quickly Into Economic Recovery)Using the same terminology one might employ to describe the plot of “The Lord of the Rings,” President Obama has agreed that the country's economic recovery has been “painfully slow” and has indicated he understands the vitriol aimed toward Democrats as the 2010 midterm elections approach.
Using the same terminology one might employ to describe the plot of “The Lord of the Rings,” President Obama has agreed that the country’s economic recovery has been “painfully slow” and has indicated he understands the vitriol aimed toward Democrats as the 2010 midterm elections approach.
But Obama took a swipe at Republicans, saying they are holding up important legislation in Congress purely for political gain ahead of the elections. –JCL
Wait, before you go…
US President Barack Obama has said that progress in pulling the American economy out of recession has been “painfully slow”.
“The hole the recession left was huge and progress has been painfully slow,” he told a White House news conference.
Mr Obama has made three speeches on the economy this week, as it looms as the major issue for the US mid-term polls.
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Edo State government has taken the alarming rate of insecurity along the Benin – Auchi Highway to the communities situated in the route, just as its cautioned them not to cooperate or connive with suspected criminals to continue to perpetuate their kidnapping and other criminal activities.
Recall that youths in Ehor, Uhunmwonde local government last week barricaded the road as a result of incessant cases of kidnapping and killings in that axis.
A meeting with community leaders, youths and other stakeholders Thursday, the state government, represented by the Deputy Governor of the state, Comrade Philip Shaibu and heads of security agencies said the state government got more information that would complement the security architecture the state governor , Godwin Obaseki has already initiated.
Shaibu said: “We came here for a fact finding mission, we already have a security architecture that the governor is already working to deal with this menace. Youths last week protested here and we needed to come down to the community to actually know what the issues are and how to deal with them. We have discovered that the issue of security has to be localised and in localising it, you must hear directly from the people.
“We have the information, we need to understand it deeply and fortunately for us, some of the things we have put in place are some of the solutions they are suggesting to us and we have learnt one or two other things that we needed to add to the security architecture.
“We are good to go and what we have agreed is that we all have to domesticate every aspect of dealing with security.”
On his part, the Commissioner of Police, Philip Ogbadu cautioned the community against conniving with the suspected criminals but called for information to help check the insecurity in the area even as he promised increased police presence in the area.
He said: “Also, we need information from the communities because to us, it appears that there are some community members that have more information and we have impressed on them to give us information and if there is anybody benefitting from it, we want the community to open up and search within so that if there is any deviant benefitting from what is happening, we will know and bring them to book.”


Gunmen went on a rampage on Saturday evening at Wasinmi area, along the Ife-Ibadan expressway in Osun State, abducting two travelers in the process.
Eyewitnesses said the victims were heading toward the Ikire area before the incident.
Osun Police Command spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola, who confirmed the incident said police have been deployed to the scene of the incident.
She also revealed that three suspects have been arrested in connection with the kidnapping while police have intensified the search for the abducted victims
More to come…


Health minister pays surprise visit to hospital
Punjab health minister Surjit Kumar Jyani on Thursday night made a surprise visit to the government hospital here and inspected the facilities being provided to the patients.punjab Updated: Jun 13, 2014 19:33 IST
Punjab health minister Surjit Kumar Jyani on Thursday night made a surprise visit to the government hospital here and inspected the facilities being provided to the patients.
During the visit at around 10 pm on Thursday night, Jyani also talked to the patients and asked the doctors to ensure all facilities and treatment to patients, especially to the poor.
Jayani also asked the doctors to put complaint boxes at the hospital to know about the problems being faced by the patients.
The minister said the state government was committed to ensure cleanliness and security at all government hospitals to provide best health care to the patients. He also directed the doctors to ensure free treatment and diet to pregnant women as per the policy of the state government.
Jyani also asked the doctors and other staff to do their duty honestly and to make the state health department corruption-free.


Jordan- Lower House begins budget debate
(MENAFN- Jordan News Agency)
Amman, Dec. 31 (Petra)--The Lower House on Sunday started debating the 2018 draft laws for the state budget and the budgets of independent government units during a session chaired by House Speaker Atef Tarawneh and attended by Prime Minister Hani Al Mulki and cabinet members.
Speakers on behalf of each parliamentary bloc, its members and individual MPs will be given 20 minutes, seven minutes and ten minutes, respectively, to comment on the bills.
MP Abdul Min'im Al Odat spoke about the current situation in the region, adding that it was a major reason for our economic problems. He also spoke about the financial and economic policies as well as government mismanagement, stressing the need to work together to address economic and social challenges.
MP Mazen Al Qadi also called for assessing the economic situation and drafting a national economic plan to address problems and imbalances to achieve comprehensive economic and financial reforms that meet the aspirations of the next stage.
He also highlighted the need to support the Jordan Armed Forces and security agencies to enable them to preserve security and stability in the Kingdom.
31/12/2017 - 01:34:11 PM
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LUCKNOW: As many as 483 new Covid cases and 272 recoveries were reported in the state in the past 24 hours.
Releasing the data on Saturday, health officials stated that the number of active cases in the state has reached 2,323. They advised precaution as new and active cases have doubled in the past one week. The health officials said that more than half of the new and active cases (over 51%) are concentrated in Gautam Budh Nagar, Lucknow and Ghaziabad.
The three districts saw 90, 94 and 45 new cases respectively in the past 24 hours, while their active case tally reached 468, 478 and 250 respectively.
Taking note of the matter, chief minister Yogi Adityanath directed health and medical education officials to remain vigilant. He told them to increase testing and boost vaccination.


Yavatmal: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) betrayed the people and also went back on its assurances to farmers in Maharashtra, former Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president and sitting MLC Manikrao Thakre said here on Monday.
Speaking at a press conference held at the Yavatmal District Congress Committee office on Monday, the said that the Modi government as well as the Sena-BJP government failed to fulfill even a single promise though more than an year has passed, Manikrao said.
He said that people have realised the hollowness of their assurances and have begun retaliating, which has been reflected in the results of the local body elections.
In the recent zilla parishad elections in Bhandara, as well as 461 village panchayats in Yavatmal district, people voted against the BJP-Sena alliance, while the Congress dominated across all panchayat samitis in the district.
A majority of village panchayats were also won by the Congress, Manikrao claimed and expressed his confidence in winning forthcoming local body elections.
He said that the Congress plans to file a chargesheet against the BJP-Sena led Maharashtra government in court, adding that final details would be declared shortly by the MPCC president.


Vihiga high school students are set to resume studies after their KCSE results were cancelled over exam malpractice.
The students are expected to report back on Monday next week after a stormy meeting between the administration and parents who were angered after 184 students missed their results.
Earlier the principal Ezekiel Ayego said Chemistry results for all students had a score of Y while a few got Y in Biology.
According one of the guardians Collins Asunga, the full year fees has been slashed to reduce the burden on parents who will be forced to pay for the second time.
He said they had discussion with the Principal about the affected students and they agreed to reduce the total fee by about shillings 20,000.
Asunga said the principal asked parents to pay part of the costs since the government would not subsidize the fees for the affected students.
“The principal said that the government will not pay for them exam registration fee of shillings 5,000 and boarding of shillings 12, 000,”said Asunga.
Normally the government pays part of the fees for students in both primary and secondary schools.
He said the school had purchased extra mattresses, beds and lockers for the students to start studying for the exams.
He noted that the school also agreed to have extra teachers who will prepare the students for the National examinations.
Asunga spoke after attending the closed door meeting where journalists were barred from entering the school compound.
The principal said the media were reporting and concentrating too much on the school over results cancellation.


The death toll from tropical storm “Kompasu” through the Philippines has risen to thirteen, according to local authorities, who have also indicated that another nine people are still missing.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said in its latest report that more than 21,500 people have been affected, while around 5,850 have been transferred to evacuation centers.
He also stressed that ‘Kompasu’ in Cagayan, Cordillera, Ilocos and Mimaropa resulted in more than 40 roads and four bridges being shut down, as reported by the Philippine television channel GMA.
On the other hand, “Kompasu” has caused power outages in more than a hundred cities and towns, around 60 of which they have already restored, while four ports continue to cease operations.
The tropical storm has also landed in Hong Kong, where, according to local authorities, it left at least one dead, which has opened 24 emergency shelters where around 250 people have already sought refuge.


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Amaravati: A delegation of e-commerce company Flipkart led by its CEO Kalyan Krishnamurthy met Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and discussed issues related to investment and business opportunities in the state, ensuring better prices for farmers and skill development.
During the meeting at camp office here on Thursday, the Chief Minister explained to the CEO of the Flipkart that Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs) have been launched as a revolutionary move in the field of agriculture in the state and they will continue to be the backbone to the farmers by meeting the various needs from providing seeds to purchasing their crops.
He appealed to the Flipkart to help the farmers get better price for their crops and also making better technology available to them.
He said CMAPP (Continuous Monitoring of Agriculture Prices and Procurement) has been monitoring prices regularly and asked the Flipkart to provide adequate support to improve it further. Flipkart CEO Kalyan Krishnamurthy said they will take appropriate steps to procure products from farmers for their commodities business and it will benefit both the parties.
He said they would do their best in providing better technology to the farmers.
The Chief Minister said Visakhapatnam is a good platform for IT and e-commerce investments in the state and invited the Flipkart to invest in the port city. He said the state government is setting up a high-end skill university in Visakhapatnam to enhance the skills of the youth and asked the e-commerce giant to become partners in it.
Responding positively to the proposals of the Chief Minister, the Flipkart CEO said their company was already active in Vishakapatnam and added that they would invest more in the city. He said they would partner with the state government in skill development activities and added that those programmes will start from the following year.
The Chief Minister urged the Flipkart CEO to help in increasing export business of fisheries to foreign countries. Kalyan Krishnamurthy said their partner Wal-Mart has been buying and exporting seafood products from state and assured that they would increase the business.
He said the Chief Minister has good vision for the development of the state and he was committed to ensure better prices to farmers Flipkart CCO Rajneesh Kumar and Chief Minister’s secretary Solomon Arokia Raj were also present in the meeting.


Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that this is India’s time and the world’s trust in India is continuously increasing day by day. Addressing the Times Global Business summit in New Delhi, Mr. Modi said that experts across the world believe that India has transformed in the last ten years. He said that in Davos, as well, unprecedented enthusiasm was witnessed towards India. Prime Minister Modi said such sentiments regarding the capability of India were never seen or heard before and prove that the world trusts India immensely. Mr said, completing projects in a time-bound manner has become the identity of his government.
The Prime Minister said that on one hand, they are addressing the challenges of the 20th century and on the other, they are also fulfilling the aspirations of the 21st century. He said, in any country’s development journey, a time comes when all circumstances are in its favour and when that country strengthens itself for many centuries to come. The Prime Minister said, he sees that the time for India is now. He said his government’s policy is stability, consistency and continuity.
Speaking on the interim budget, the Prime Minister said that media and economic experts have praised the internal budget and said that it is not a populist budget.


The number of public health funerals in one of the UK’s biggest cities has risen to record levels over the past 12 months.
An investigation by the Yorkshire Evening Post has shown that more than 650 public health funerals have been organised in Leeds over the past five years.
Leeds City Council and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust have stepped in to ensure that those unable to afford a funeral are laid to rest in a dignified manner.
In a comparison between eight of England’s biggest cities, Leeds was revealed to have the third highest burial fees. This, coupled with the economic downturn, has been blamed for the rise in buy cymbalta public health funerals.
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust alone spent more than £40,000 arranging 72 public health funerals in just a six-month period last year.
Of the 659 funerals organised by Leeds City Council and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, over three-quarters have been for men and more than 63 per cent were for people aged 60 and over.
The Local Government Association (LGA) has indicated that there has been a year-on-year rise in the overall number of public health funerals, with local authorities across the country having to pay for almost 3,000 in 2011.


Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal dedicated Dibrugarh Police Station which has been rebuilt under Mission for Overall Improvement of Thana for Responsive Image (MOITRI) at a programme held at Dibrugarh today.
Speaking on the occasion Chief Minister Sonowal said under MOITRI scheme in the first phase as many as 73 police stations will be renovated.
He also said that in the present situation where science and technology are ruling the roost the traditional practices of policing should be complimented with modern practices backed by science and technology. He said that State government has decided to renovate Dibrugarh Police Station under MOITRI scheme to empower the traditional method of policing by smart policing.
Chief Minister Sonowal said that Dibrugarh Police station has been playing crucial role in instilling the sense of security among the people for the last hundred years. He also said that under the present situation the police station has to play even greater role in view of the changing dynamics of crime. He also hailed the larger fraternity of Assam police for standing by the people in times of emergency as well as during general needs.
Chief Minister Sonowal also lauded the role of police during COVID-19 pandemic induced lockdown. He said that police have played the role of true friends by helping the people afflicted with various problems during the lockdown period. They even went to the extent of providing food to the people.


Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that Pakistan does not want war, however, if India imposes, then it will give a befitting response.
PM Imran Khan met with senior journalists, where he spoke about the ongoing political situation after India revoked occupied Kashmir’s special status.
The Prime Minister said that Pakistan will take the issue of Indian violence against Kashmiris to the United Nations and seek every political forum to voice its objection to the violation of Kashmiris by India.
He said that the international community will be apprised of the Indian tactics, such as ethnic cleansing and plans to change the demographic landscape of Kashmir.
On Monday, India’s Hindu nationalist government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi signed a presidential decree abolishing Article 370, the constitutional provision that awards Indian-controlled areas of Kashmir special status and autonomy.
Home Affairs Minister Amit Shah said there were threats to the integration of Kashmir with the broader Indian republic.
Without the key constitutional provision in place, Kashmiris feel that the region’s demography will forever be changed.
It will pave the way for non-Kashmiri Indians to buy land, take up government posts and settle into the predominantly Muslim region, effectively changing its character.
PM Imran Khan said that he always spoke to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi about peace, adding that the Indian PM has the mindset of ‘Hitler’. He went on to say that this is a war of public opinion and Pakistan has to win it.
He said that India can resort to any measure to divert attention from the situation in occupied Kashmir.


Warning the State government that the Congress party would wage a movement on par with separate Telangana movement in case the government failed to provide water to their crops, Nalgonda MLA Komatireddy Venkat Reddy has stated that the Nalgonda farmers were in a feeling that they got water to their fields for two crops in United Andhra Pradesh, but the water was not reaching to their fields in separate Telangana state.
Participating in a debate on demands on Irrigation, Panchayat Raj, Roads & Buildings, Municipal Administration and Power, Komatireddy alleged that the State government neglected the development of the villages in the last three years. The TRS government was only concentrating on Mission Kakatiya and Mission Bhagiratha schemes neglecting the rural areas by not giving funds to the MPTCs and ZPTCs. The government was diverting the funds to others schemes as they wished, he alleged. Reacting on it, Panchayatraj Minister Jupally Krishna Rao said that the state government was not diverting the funds and spending properly.
Continuing his speech, Komatireddy alleged that the state government was neglecting the Women Groups and was not releasing funds to them. He asked the Power Minister to supply power in two spells to the Agriculture sector. He said that he was not obstructing the Yadadri Power Project but suggesting that there was a need to encourage the solar power production as it was happening across the nation. He said that about 100 kilometers area, the people would suffer with the pollution through the Thermal power project and Rs.26,000 crore burden will fall on the state government if the Yadadri Power Project was constructed. He said that after few years everybody uses Solar Power and the state government will avail the solar power from other states too.
He demanded the state government that it has to complete the SLBC Tunnel and Udaya Samudram project. He alleged that several irregularities were taking place in the Mission Bhagiratha project worth Rs.50,000 crore. Asking the state government that it would have given the contracts of the Mission Bhagiratha to sub-contractors belongs to Telangana instead of keeping the huge project in the hands of four Andhra contractors. He asked the state government to initiate action against the irregularities of the main contractors of the Mission Bhagiratha. He demanded the state government not to give extension to the corrupt officials and asked the state government to control the corruption of the Andhra contractors and officials’ corruption as part of eradication of political corruption.
He said that he was providing water to the houses in great manner in his Nalgonda constituency and opined that Siddipet model was nothing before the Nalgonda model. He said that several people from his constituency visited the Siddipet constituency and come to conclusion that Nalgonda model was far better than Siddipet one in supplying water to the people for the domestic purpose. He said that he was supplying raw and drinking water through separate pipeline and there was no such system in the Siddipet constituency. (NSS)


Hassan: Preetam Gowda expressed his opinion that BJP will come to power again in the state and will focus more on development in Hassan.
Speaking to reporters in the city for the first time after Vidanasabha elections, he said that the government will be formed if the BJP gets 120 seats in this election. He said that the development work will continue in Hassan as well.
He said that he will work hard for the development of Hassan in the coming days under the guidance of his elders.
People have given respect to the development work of the last 5 years, he said. He is confident of winning as people have expressed their support for BJP at 276 booths.
He said that the activists have campaigned in every booth and conveyed it to the voters.


Healthcare International Nigeria Limited has stressed the need for more Nigerians to be covered by the National Health Insurance Scheme.
The Managing Director, Healthcare International, Mr. Tosin Awosika, said this at a forum organised by the HMO for its health care providers in Lagos.
Awosika said, “We still have less than five per cent of the Nigerian population under the NHIS; and insurance deals with numbers. We should be covering nothing less than 20 to 30 per cent of the Nigerian population.”
The managing director said that the HMO organised the forum with its health care providers between two to four times a year to meet, interact and exchange ideas with the ultimate aim to serve the enrolees better.
While noting that many of the blue-chip companies had keyed into the NHIS, he said that the informal sector that comprised the larger percentage of the country’s population had yet to do so.
He said that Healthcare International was not only providing health insurance for the corporate sector, but was also providing for individuals, associations and other groups in the informal sector.
The managing director said that the HMO was looking at how to provide special care for the elderly.
Awosika said. “We have been doing this at Healthcare International for 20 years; so obviously, we have gathered a lot of experience. We believe we are one of the HMOs in the forefront and we have a lot of regard for our enrolees.”
The Punch News


Ukraine’s President sends economic bill passport to Parliament
(MENAFN) Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky provided the Verkhovna Rada committee of Ukraine with a bill on the economic passport of the nation, as the information on the site of the Parliament shows.
The bill’s elements, seen by Zelensky to be urgent, remained secretive and unpublished. Simultaneously, it is mentioned under the title of "Date and status" that the paper was sent to the headship of the Parliament to look into it.
Moreover, Zelensky gave Verkhovna Rada the supplementary bills No. 6395 “On Amendments to the Budget Code of Ukraine on State Contributions to the Economic Passport System”, No. 6396 “On Amendments to the Tax Code of Ukraine on Taxation of the Fund of Future Generations”, and No. 6397 "On Amendments to the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses, the Criminal Code of Ukraine on Liability for Violation of the Interests of the Participants in the Fund for Future Generations".
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At the heart of this hinterland crisis lies the state of Uttar Pradesh – which has a population of 230 million people, more than Brazil’s. It is also one of the poorest and least developed countries. In April, local elections were held in villages across the state, which officials say have resulted in an increase in rural areas. According to the Teachers’ Organization, more than 700 government teachers Those who were assigned to vote died after the elections, after they tested positive for the Corona virus at the beginning of the month, the state was recording just over 2,500 cases. By the end of the month, as the elections ended, the number of cases had risen to nearly 35,000.


COLUMBUS (WDTN) — Gov. Mike DeWine signed House Bill 168 on Tuesday morning, which allocates American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding.
According to a release, the bill invests $2.2 billion in federal ARPA funding into local economic recovery, improvements to Ohio’s pediatric health care facilities, and improvements to water and sewer infrastructure in Ohio.
“This bill addresses some of the most fundamental responsibilities that we share as public servants,” said DeWine.
The Act provided approximately $2.7 billion to Ohio. The ARPA funding is given out in two payments. Another $2.7 billion will be given to the state in a year.
DeWine said $84 million will go toward pediatric behavioral health and $250 million will be invested in Ohio’s water/sewer infrastructure.
“One of the things that we have seen during this pandemic is an increase in children’s mental health challenges,” said DeWine. “This is something that we have seen for some time and it’s something that the state simply has to address.”
The bill also allots funding to repay Ohio’s loan to the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund, which was “necessary to pay unemployment benefits during the pandemic.”


(MENAFN- UkrinForm) Ukraine offered Turkey, which had suffered from a powerful earthquake, assistance in conducting a rescue operation.
Volodymyr Zelensky said this in an evening video address , Ukrinform reports.
'Today, very sad news came from Turkey and from the territory of Syria. There was a powerful earthquake. Many people died. Thousands of homes were destroyed. My sincere condolences to Mr. President of Turkey, Erdogan, as well as to those in the Syrian society who have lost their loved ones, who have lost their homes. Ukraine immediately responded and offered Turkey support in carrying out the relevant rescue operation,' Zelensky said. Read also: ukraine ready to provide any support to earthquake-stricken turkey
As reported by Ukrinform, two earthquakes rocked the southeastern part of Turkey on February 6: at 4:17, with a 7.7 magnitude and at 13:24 with a magnitude of 7.6.
In Turkey, a week of mourning was announced for the victims of the earthquakes, as a result of which the number of those killed reached 1,651, while more than 11,000 were injured.
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Addressing the gathering after unfurling the Tricolour on the occasion of 74th Independence Day, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said that a “Task Force on the economy has been formed to suggest reforms for rejuvenating the economy in the short, medium and long-term”.
“Based on the recommendations, the state government will launch the Restart Meghalaya Mission,” Sangma added.
He further informed that the proposed “Meghalaya Mission” is a series of programmes to support farmers, entrepreneurs and others working in different fields and sectors.
“An amount of Rs 14,515 crore would be spent over the next three years for the mission and of the amount, Rs 7,839 crore was earmarked for the current fiscal (2020-21),” Sangma added.
He further said that the state government has been implementing various schemes and projects which include the National Rural Livelihood Mission and the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.
“The Meghalaya government is also pushing the Jal Jeevan Mission and we are aiming to provide functional tap connections to 5,89,000 households in the state by 2022,” he further said.
In his speech, the CM also congratulated health and various other frontline workers for their efforts to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.
He also felicitated 71 health workers by giving them citations in recognition of their service to the state in containing the virus.


New Delhi: Global advisory firm Gartner said on Thursday that government spending on information technology (IT sector) is projected to grow at 8.6 per cent in 2022, with 13.2 per cent expected to grow during the current 2021. Apeksha Kaushik, Senior Principal Research Analyst at Gartner said, “The Indian government’s initiatives to digitize organizations took a big leap in 2020 due to the global pandemic. The pandemic forced the government to change its priorities.
He said public health is improving as vaccination rates increase across the country and governments will continue to focus on digitization efforts.
According to the report, spending on software will increase by 24.7 percent to US$1823 million in 2022, while the growth in data center spending will decrease and is estimated to be 2.2 percent. Gartner further said that total spending on telecom services is expected to decline by one percent.


Although workers in the construction industry are at a high risk of suffering from mental health problems, in the United States they are also leading the way when it comes to dealing with these issues.
The construction industry in The USA has taken notice of risk factors such as seasonal unemployment, long hours, and exhaustion which put construction workers at the top of the list for mental health problems and in response have developed the Construction Industry Blueprint.
This tool is meant to help managers put protective measures in place to reduce the risk of suicide. It also provides employers with strategies to educate and support their employees.
As employers some of the things we can do is, speak up about mental health and help employees detect issues early on. It’s also important to support employees attempts to get help for mental health problems.


President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has reportedly said that he will respect the decision taken at the Party Leaders’ meeting today.
According to Ada Derana, the Prime Minister’s Office said the President had informed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe of his decision.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has held initial discussions with several party leaders.
The Prime Minister has reportedly said that the decisions taken at the party leaders’ meeting will be conveyed to the public.
He has further said that appropriate action will be taken according to the decisions taken at this meeting.
Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena has summoned a special Party Leaders’ meeting at 04.00 pm today.
Earlier this afternoon, the PM also called for an emergency Party Leaders’ meeting to discuss the current situation in the country and come to a swift resolution.
The special Party Leaders’ meeting has been summoned after the public stormed the Presidential Secretariat and the President’s official residence during anti-government protests today.
The public took to the streets in mass protests to show displeasure against the President and government over the current crisis in Sri Lanka.
Over 40 people have been injured during the anti-government protests and have been admitted to the Colombo National Hospital. (NewsWire)


(MENAFN) On Wednesday, the Turkish major stock index closed with wins to achieve another high ending of 1,857.40 points, as it reached a one-day fresh record high of 1,857.83 points in the trading session.
Beginning the day at 1,828.33 points, Borsa Istanbul's BIST 100 index increased 47.75 points, or 2.64 percent, from last ending of 1,809.65 points.
The lowest price of the index recorded in the day was 1,823.06 points, whereas its everyday high was 1,857.83 points. The overall market worth of the BIST 100 was more than 1.5 trillion Turkish liras (USD116 billion) by market end, with a daily trading capacity of 38.7 billion Turkish liras (USD2.9 billion).
While 90 stocks on the index increased, eight dropped throughout the day, and two stayed at the same value in comparison to Tuesday's end. The uppermost trading volumes were registered by private lender Garanti BBVA, national flag carrier Turkish Airlines, as well as glassmaker Sise Cam.
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Hoshiarpur: Gurdeep Singh: The newly appointed DSP (Special Branch) Prabh Singh along with PCR Incharge Baljit Singh and Traffic Police Incharge Talwinder Kumar have initiated a campaign against the violators of the traffic rules.
DSP Prabh Singh said that they have challaned more than 65 people who were violating traffic rules at Government College Chowk. He said that they had also given warnings to the people to follow the traffic rules. He said that a child was driving a tractor while his father was sitting along with him on tractor. He said that they have given a warning to both of them.
He said that the violation of the traffic rules would not be tolerated in future also. He said that their campaign would continue in coming days also.


(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer)
KO File Photo: Abid Bhat
Srinagar- Jammu and Kashmir reported ten fresh covid-19 cases even as there was no death due to the virus during the last 24 hours, officials said on Friday.
They said seven cases were reported from Jammu and three from Kashmir Valley, taking the overall tally to 479207. Among the cases, 174005 are from Jammu division and 305202 from Kashmir Valley.
Giving district wise details, they said, Jammu reported 6 new cases of Coronavirus, Srinagar 3 and Doda 1.
There was no death due to the virus during the time. So far 4785 people have succumbed to the virus and among them include 2352 from Jammu division and 2433 from the Valley.
Besides, they said, 18 Covid-19 patients recovered during the last 24 hours—three from Jammu division and 15 from Kashmir Valley. There are now 77 active cases— 32 in Jammu and 45 in Kashmir.
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Govt seeks solutions to the energy crisis
2019-12-10 at 19:51
Minister of Power and Energy Mahinda Amaraweera says the government has directed its attention towards finding prompt solutions to the power crisis that can occur in the future.
Speaking at a discussion at the Energy Ministry premises on issues that may arise in the power industry, Minister Amaraweera said the President and the Prime Minister had been informed of the power crisis that the country is facing.
He said the construction of new power plants for the energy sector, and the failure of the Ceylon Electricity Board on directing its attention on other forms of alternative power generation are being widely discussed in the country.
Minister of Power and Energy Mahinda Amaraweera noted that officials have highlighted various issues that they face during the attempts to revive the power sector, such as practicality, adding that such explanations have not been supported through facts.
Minister Amaraweera added that he will promptly carry-out the President’s and the Prime Minister’s projects on the creation of power generation plants, permanent solutions to the LNG issue as well as the coal powered, power stations as a solution to the present energy crisis.


Apni Party President Altaf Bukhari Sunday said that the development activities in Jammu and Kashmir were going on at a snail’s pace.
A statement of Apni Party issued here said that speaking before Apni Party leaders and workers of Jammu East Constituency at the party office in Jammu, Bukhari said, “In absence of an elected government, public issues remain unheard. The administration has miserably failed to perform on the ground and the failure of the bureaucracy in the delivery system has crumbled the entire system of good governance.”
He said that the bureaucracy had failed good governance in J&K.
“We founded Apni Party to bring both regions together after politics came to a standstill and the statehood of J&K was snatched,” Bukhari said in the statement. “The two regions – Kashmir and Jammu – have the same demands of restoration of statehood, protection to land and jobs and development.”
He said that the Apni Party had come into being to represent the people of two regions without any bias.
“People in both regions have the same demands and sufferings. We have come to serve people selflessly,” the Apni Party president said in the statement.
He also urged the local leadership of Jammu to work for the people.


Meeting of coordination council of people with disabilities was held in the government administration led by the Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili.
The ministers discussed the tasks received at the last meeting and presented the report on the work performed.
They also discussed the petition developed for protection of rights of children with disabilities and current issues for people with disabilities.
At the coordination council meeting it was mentioned that the government actively works for providing equal environment for people with disabilities.
The representatives of member non-government organizations of the council thanked the Prime Minister and members of the minister cabinet for the work performed and expressed their hope that the government will continue the systematic approach to dealing with the problems of people with disabilities.
The members of the council also supported the decision according to which the administration of the issues of people with disabilities under the health ministry was transferred to the administration of human right of the Prime Minister which will support the effective implementation of the action plan related to people with disabilities.


Source: Radio Tamazuj
A bishop who is leading a peace and reconciliation commitee for Wonduruba in South Sudan’s Central Equatoria state said seven people were killed by SPLA soldiers there last week.
Radio Tamazuj earlier reported that five people were killed when they went to find food in the village which has seen numerous clashes in recent months between SPLA and local armed groups.
Bishop Paul Yogusuk said the situation is not stable and called on the Central Equatoria state government and SPLA to implement the Wonduruba peace deal which was signed between the army and the local community last year.
Yogusuk appealed to the authorities to send organized forces to the area to provide security so that people who fled can safely return to their homes.
The church leader said more than 17,000 people have fled to Lainya County to escape insecurity and have gone the last seven days without food, according to a report he received from the Wonduruba director.


GUWAHATI, Dec 12 � Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today said that the situation in Kokrajhar district where a number of doctors had left government hospitals following a spurt in extortion demands by militant outfits was serious, and that the Government was taking necessary measures to restore confidence of the people in the law-enforcing mechanism.
"The law-and-order situation in Kokrajhar is bad, and we are transferring the superintendent of police (SP). Security will be strengthened and temporary arrangements have already been put in place," Gogoi said at a press conference.
Gogoi, however, said that only a few doctors had left hospital and efforts were on to bring them back.
Expressing concern over the spurt in kidnapping in the State, the Chief Minister said that insurgency-related cases apart, miscreants were also indulging in kidnapping under the grab of insurgents. On the growing cases of theft in Sattras (Vaishnavite monasteries), he said that the CID of the State police had been engaged to investigate into the cases.
Gogoi also said that different active militant groups like ULFA and NDFB (anti-talk) and the Maoists were trying to unite to perpetrate their agenda of disturbance and violence.
On Anna Hazare's movement, Gogoi said the movement was aimed more on ousting the Congress. "We are also against corruption but some people in the anti-corruption movement led by Hazare are exhibiting double standards� the Prime Minister himself want to come under the purview of the Lokpal but the matter has to be discussed in Parliament," he said.


Council likely to show its hand tonight on Millwood
WINCHESTER — After more than two years of study and discussion, the legislative moment of truth for the controversial Millwood Avenue project is nearing.
At a work session at 5:30 tonight, City...
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AltaGas commits $1M in emergency assistance
By PLANT STAFFGeneral Energy Manufacturing AltaGas COVID-19 oil and gas
Financial assistance will be distributed to partners on the frontlines supporting communities addressing the health crisis.
EDMONTON — AltaGas Ltd. will donate $1,000,000 to help community partners in its operating regions respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The assistance funds, provided by AltaGas, will be distributed to partner organizations on the frontlines supporting local communities and providing critical support to health care workers addressing the health crisis.
“This unprecedented health crisis is having an immediate and significant impact on many people in the communities we serve,” said Randy Crawford, president and CEO, in a prepared statement. “We are committed to doing everything we can to support the communities and those on the frontlines during this unsettled and difficult time.”


Iraq inquiry: Ex-MI5 boss says war raised terror threat
Baroness Manningham-Buller said the Iraq war "undoubtedly increased" the level of terrorist threat.
The invasion of Iraq "substantially" increased the terrorist threat to the UK, the former head of MI5 has said.
Giving evidence to the Iraq inquiry, Baroness Manningham-Buller said the action had radicalised "a few among a generation".
As a result, she said she was not "surprised" that UK nationals were involved in the 7/7 bombings in London.
She said she believed the intelligence on Iraq's threat was not "substantial enough" to justify the action.
Baroness Manningham-Buller said she had advised officials a year before the war that the threat posed by Iraq to the UK was "very limited", and she believed that assessment had "turned out to be the right judgement".
News article from BBC


ISLAMABAD (92 News) – President Dr Arif Alvi has said that the educated people knew that corruption was eroding the country.
In 92 News’ Program [email protected]
on Wednesday, he said that the Supreme Court and the present government took steps against corruption. “The government will not compromise on the corruption cases.”
“Only Allah Almighty dispenses justice. Pitfalls do exist in the justice done by us,” he said.
The President said that the civil-military relations are at a good level. “The release of the captured Indian pilot Abhinandan was the joint decision of the civil-military leadership,” he said.
He said that the 18th amendment should be improved. “There is no threat to democracy. It has stabilized instead,” he observed.
Dr Arif Alvi said that the media has played the best role in the current situation.
The President said that women do not get the share from inherited property as per the law of Allah. “I will write a letter to the Islamic Ideology Council in this regard,” he said.
He said that the women were not given rights until the 19th century. “It is painful that if it is not done in Pakistan,” the President added.
Dr Arif Alvi said that Pakistan had passed through big trials. “Pakistan gave shelter to the Afghan refugees in a better way,” he added.
He said that Pakistan had never refused to receive the refugees.
The President said that it would have been better if the Punjab MPAs would have not talked about raise in their salaries. “The prime minister is a supporter of increasing the salaries. He expressed disappointment over the increase in salaries under present circumstances,” he maintained.


Sweden broadens efforts to escape economic tumble
(MENAFN) Sweden's government is struggling to find shelter for tens of thousands of refugees who have streamed across the border, plus there're as many as 190,000 asylum seekers expected to arrive in Sweden this year.
The influx into the nation of 10 million people could hit 350,000 this year and next, hence a group of local firms like the biggest construction company Skanska AB say the private sector should be brought in to help build infrastructure.
Accordingly, discussions are being held to renew calls for the use of public-private partnerships, known as PPPs, to collect funds for projects like public transport that will allow new accommodation to be constructed more quickly.
Moreover, the government will have to revise economic projections because budget deficits will be wider than previously estimated, hence the country currently doesn't have the capacity to deal with current numbers of refugees.
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Sherando girls rout Handley, 56-37
WINCHESTER — Sherando and Handley are two girls’ basketball teams experiencing a youth movement this season.
The Judges start three freshman and two seniors, but the Warriors are even younger,…
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(MENAFN- IANS) Lucknow, Feb 23 (IANS) The sitting MPs of the Bahujan Samaj Party have started looking for greener pastures for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections after party president Mayawati's repeated assertions that the party would contest the polls on its own.
BSP MPs feel that with BJP-led NDA and Congress led-INDIA bloc, there would be a polarisation of votes between the two formations, leaving little scope for parties that contest independently.
BSP MP Afzal Ansari has already been declared a candidate by the Samajwadi Party from Ghazipur parliamentary seat.
Another MP, Danish Ali, who has been suspended by Mayawati for anti-party activities, is on his way to the Congress and sources said that he was all set to contest Amroha seat on a Congress ticket.
BSP MP Ritesh Pandey is also said to be looking for options outside the BSP.
His father Rakesh Pandey is SP MLA from Jalalpur seat in Ambedkar Nagar while Ritesh is MP from Ambedkar Nagar Lok Sabha seat.
The BSP MP is likely to seek re-election to the Lok Sabha on a SP ticket.
Talking to IANS, one of the BSP MPs said that the Lok Sabha elections would be contested on a highly polarised note and in such a situation, the idea of contesting alone is not wise.
"Why would someone vote for us if they know that we are neither going to sit in treasury benches and nor in the opposition? The BSP usually benefits in a multi-cornered contest but as things stand now, there will be a straight fight between NDA and INDIA bloc," he said.
In 2019, the BSP had contested the general elections in alliance with the SP and had won 10 seats. However, immediately after the polls, Mayawati snapped ties with the SP.
In the 2022 assembly polls, the BSP could manage to win only one seat, making it almost irrelevant in state politics.
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Mon, 2020-09-21 19:43
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia said on Monday that it expresses its support for the Afghan reconciliation process, state news agency SPA reported.
The Saudi government has been following the recent reconciliation talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban movement, the statement said.
The Kingdom said it supports everything that would achieve security, stability and reduce violence in Afghanistan,.
“The Kingdom was and remains with Afghanistan and the Afghan people to achieve all their hopes and aspirations,” the statement added.


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Horror pic "Deliver Us From Evil" spent more than $19 million in New York state over the course of its 34-day shoot in New York City and on Long Island, according to economic development agency Empire State Development. Empire State, the org of which the...


The Bloomfield City Council did the right thing Thursday night when it made the decision to evaluate its communication with the press and the public during an emergency situation.
That decision was made after communication delays occurred during the recent power outage. City employees and elected officials have committed to researching how other cities and FEMA handle similar situations.
During an emergency such as the recent power outage, the public has a right to know what is happening, what is being done to alleviate the situation, what they can do to help, and what public safety procedures are being implemented.
That information should be accurately communicated to the press in a timely manner by a city employee or an elected city official.
The press can then accurately and widely disseminate that information through multiple platforms such as newspapers, websites, TV and radio stations and their social media sites.


Experts have predicted that onion prices in India will remain depressed until mid-March. This is due to the fact that the supply of onions has been affected by the recent floods in Maharashtra and Karnataka.
The floods have caused a shortage of onions in the market, leading to a sharp rise in prices. According to the National Horticulture Board, the average wholesale price of onions in the country has increased by more than 50% since the beginning of the year.
The situation is expected to remain the same until mid-March, when the new crop of onions is expected to arrive in the market. The new crop is expected to bring some relief to the market, as it will increase the supply of onions and bring down the prices.
However, experts have warned that the prices may not come down significantly, as the demand for onions is still high. The demand is expected to remain high until the end of the summer season, when the prices are expected to come down.
In the meantime, the government has taken several measures to control the prices of onions. It has imposed a ban on the export of onions and has also imposed a minimum export price. The government has also increased the import duty on onions to discourage imports.
The government has also asked the states to take steps to ensure that the prices of onions remain stable. The states have been asked to take steps to ensure that the supply of onions is not disrupted and that the prices remain stable.
Experts have also suggested that the government should take steps to increase the production of onions in the country. This will help to increase the supply of onions and bring down the prices.
Overall, experts have predicted that the prices of onions will remain depressed until mid-March. The government has taken several measures to control the prices, but it remains to be seen if these measures will be effective in bringing down the prices.


Kigali city authorities have announced plans to increase health infrastructure in the city to cater for the growing city population.
City Mayor Fidele Ndayisaba said that the city will scale up a campaign on behavior change among residents toward their health improvements and explore how patients will receive treatment when diseases occur.
“We will increase health centers and equip hospitals. However what is needed is to put more effort in sensitizing citizens on how to prevent diseases” Ndaysaba noted.
The Ministry of Health has warned City dwellers need special attention in terms of health care due to the fact that urbanization is likely to pose a lot of health challenges.
Statistics indicate that population of Kigali is expected to double by 2020 to around 2 million inhabitants compared to 1.2 million today.
According to experts, this will result in increasing demand for basic health services but also pressure on the environment.


Rice issues annual community benefit report
WILLMAR -- Rice Memorial Hospital provided $17.8 million worth of community benefits -- ranging from charity care to free support groups and health fairs -- in 2006, according to a report released Wednesday to the hospital board of directors.
The amount represents 20.9 percent of the city-owned hospital's operating expenses for the year.
It has been rising slightly every year, said Bill Fenske, chief financial officer at Rice.
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Government decides to establish Anti-Harassment Cells for women across government departments
ISLAMABAD - Balochistan government has finalized a plan to establish Anti-Harassment Cells to strictly tackle harassment issues in the province.
Talking to APP today, an official of Balochistan government said these cells will be established at Chief Minister Secretariat and Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner offices.
He said the government is especially working to ensure safe environment to working women in the province.
The official said said the cells would cater to women’s complaints about harassment.
He said the Cells will have helpline numbers, which will be advertised soon, so that the people could register their complaints.
He further said the Cells would also include an investigative arm besides collection of complaints.


Mihoyo’s Genshin Impact has been a rousing success worldwide and it seems that the company has already recouped development costs! Reports in the past stated that the game reached around $100 million to develop and in just 12 days, the game has grossed over that amount. The game is projected to reach $150 million soon and its already the biggest Chinese international game launch in history. Fans will have more content and characters to look forward to in the coming months.
Lastly, update 1.1 of Genshin Impact has been detailed here. Stay tuned at Final Weapon for the latest gaming news and updates!


SPAOH: Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Douglas Uggah Embas today warned community leaders against being “used” by the opposition to spread lies and disunite the people.
He told leaders of the Temenggong, Pemanca and Penghulu communities, as well as the longhouse chiefs, village chiefs and local councillors that they were part of the government machinery.
“You are the eyes and ears of the government on the ground. Your tasks are to unite the people and bring them into mainstream development,” he said at the launch of a community policing programme here.
Uggah described as “disturbing” that one or two community leaders had deemed social media to be a platform for the solution of problems.
“The issues posted are mere allegations or lies against the government. When they have gone viral, the fake news can cause uneasiness and concern among the more gullible folks,” he said.
He advised the community leaders to learn about the government’s development programmes and plans, especially in modern agriculture, and inform their communities on ways they could improve their livelihood.


The Fiji interim government says it will appeal a court decision that ruled that its appointment was unlawful.
It also says it is disappointed that the court did not grant a stay against the orders.
The court of appeal ruled that the interim government led by Commodore Frank Bainimarama was unlawfully appointed two years ago and that the President needs to appoint an independent caretaker Prime Minister to arrange general elections.
The interim attorney general, Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum, says the ruling essentially means President Ratu Josefa Iloilo needs to pull a name out of a hat to be Prime Minister.
"It's well and OK to say that the appointments were invalid and it's well and OK to say appoint a third person. But what happens to the state of Fiji in the meantime and what we were trying to do was to reason with the court as far as the stay application was concerned, was to say, look, we are going to appeal, but in the meantime grant a stay, because people are coming to the country, various orders need to be signed, people are catching buses, the courts need to function."
Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says the caretaker Prime Minister will need to be someone of calibre, and those people are not just lying around in the street.


(MENAFN) Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has granted amnesty to a total of 82,656 Iranian prisoners and individuals facing charges, including 22,628 people who were arrested during the demonstrations following the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody last year. The announcement was made by Judiciary head Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei in a statement reported by Iranian state media. Ejei stated that those receiving pardons were not accused of theft, violent crime, spying, or membership of certain groups.
The mass amnesty, which marks the 44th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, was initially announced last month when the Ayatollah agreed to pardon "tens of thousands" of prisoners. This could include any participants in the recent unrest who were not accused of espionage, involvement with foreign intelligence agents, damaging state property, or causing injury or death during the riots. The announcement comes a week before the Persian new year celebration of Nowruz and the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
The decision to grant amnesty to a large number of prisoners is seen as an attempt by the Iranian government to ease tensions in the country and promote unity, especially in light of the recent protests that have taken place across the country. This gesture is also intended to help improve Iran's international standing and reduce pressure on the country from the international community. The pardoning of prisoners is a traditional practice in Iran, usually occurring during significant religious or national events.
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Football Association of Malawi (Fam) Vice-President, James Mwenda, has said they will engage the government on the need to have Malawi national football team assistant coaches on Capital Hill’s payroll.
Since the expiry of contracts for the then Flames’ assistant coaches Gerald Phiri Senior and Deklerk Msakakuona last year, the government has not employed other coaches.
Fam pays the Flames Coach, Ronny van Geneugden (RVG).
“We still have a provision from the government that we can employ coaches. So, we will re-engage the government on the need to have coaches employed by them. Suffice to say that the government has always assisted us when we come up with such proposals,” Mwenda said.
The Flames are yet to have full-time assistant coaches as RVG has been rotating his assistants.
Asked how the hiring of permanent coaches will be done with RVG rotating his assistants, Mwenda said the modalities will be discussed during a Fam Youth and Technical Committee meeting to be held soon.
“All along we have been doing things contrary to the norm by imposing assistants on senior coaches. So, with RVG having stayed in the country for more than a year, he knows the coaches he can work with. During the next technical meeting we will discuss to have permanent coaches,” Mwenda said.
He further said RVG’s rotation of his assistants will have a cut-off point as the team will have a permanent coaching panel.
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Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic said that the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) was in Croatia’s interest, criticising an interpellation of 21 Croatian members of parliament regarding the matter of this trade agreement being negotiated between the European Union and the United States.
I can understand that someone wants to be politically popular, but the interpellation is misplaced, Milanovic said in the answer regarding the 21 MPs’ interpellation.
He said that there was a series of safeguards that enables the overseeing of the related developments and the negotiations between Brussels and Washington.
The government stated in the answer that it strongly advocated the ongoing negotiations ion the TTIP.
Foreign Minister Vesna Pusic said that since its admission to the EU, Croatia had increased its exports by 9% and that the TTIP was in the country’s interest.


Stonebwoy and Sarkodie headlined the concert back in 2021, which was held at Alliance Francaise, Accra. The two were joined on stage by Fameye, Kwabena Kwabena, Becca, and Gasmilla. Passi and Orti also represented the Francophone nation at the concert.
The festival is scheduled to take place on Saturday (April 23) at the Elysee Montmartre, Paris, France. According to organizers, the event will help deepen the already strong relationship between the two countries through arts and culture and will also serve as an opportunity to sell Ghana in Europe.


Emeriti aids hit USD47.3b throughout 44 years
(MENAFN) The value of developmental, humanitarian and charity aid extended by the UAE for the duration of 44 years between 1971-2014 stands at USD47.3 billion, covering 21 sectors in 178 nations worldwide.
The announcement of the value came specifically to highlight the country's efforts in providing international aid, and the initiatives of its leadership delivered through donor institutions to enhance the lives of millions of people.
The figures released show that the largest percentage of aid is concentrated in the government and civil society sector, amounting to USD21.9 billion, followed by the public programs support with an overall of USD6.1 billion in aid.
Additionally, the Asian continent was the main beneficiary of support and aid money provided over the past 44 years, with a total exceeding USD21.7 billion, followed by Africa with a total touching USD20.5 billion.
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Indian newspaper ‘The Print’ claimed Friday that India had voted against Maldives in the United Nations Security Council elections.
An official of the Indian government told the newspaper that the Indian vote had gone to Indonesia; the other country that was competing for the Asia-Pacific region’s seat.
Indonesia won the Asia-Pacific seat with 144 votes from the total 190 countries that partook in the vote. Maldives got 46 votes in favour.
Indonesian media claimed that during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official visit to the country last month sentiments were exchanged to help Indonesia win the seat, among other discussions.
The most important power that a member of the United Nations Security Council holds is the power to have opinions regarding different conflicts and issues that are taking part in the world.
The Council will also guarantee that all its members can take measures against any state that is going against international law.
Maldives had won the Human Right’s Council’s seat with 185 countries voting in favour of it, in 2009.
Indonesia won the seat during a time when Maldives has been in the international radar for its domestic and foreign policies. Maldives’ ties with prominent countries in the international realm have been severed due to imprisonment sentences or detainment sentences on opposition leaders and dissent.
The EU and US have been issuing several statements regarding the situation in the Maldives. India has also issued several statements expressing concern about the Maldives, after historic ties were severed between the two countries.


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ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: President Mamnoon Hussain on Wednesday underscored that Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) should have also approached far flung areas along with big districts to eliminate poverty.
While talking to Chairperson BISP Marvi Memon at the Aiwan-e-Sadr in Islamabad on Wednesday, the president said that BISP was playing an important role in eradicating poverty which was also being acknowledged at international level.
The president noted with appreciation that BISP was being further expanded and in that regard adoption of modern technology like Biometric System would ensure transparency.
President Mamnoon appreciated that the federal government had allocated Rs 115 billion for Financial Year 2016-17 which was reflective of its commitment to end poverty from the country.
On the occasion, Chairperson BISP Marvi Memon briefed the president about the budget of her organization and National Socio-economic Registry (NSER), and said that a survey to identify eligible household was being conducted since June 2016.
Marvi Memon said that in that pilot project information about the deserving people was being collected by visiting households. The president was apprised that biometric system was being introduced to ensure transparent delivery of payments.
The Chairperson BISP extended an invitation to President Mamnoon Hussain for the launch of the 3rd impact evaluation report which was accepted by the president.
The Secretary BISP Yasmin Masood and senior officials were also present on the occasion.


(MENAFN) EU presidents are going to talk over energy and economy at the two-day European Council conference, as declared by EU commission chief on Thursday.
At her entrance declaration, Ursula von der Leyen claimed restrictions to cut gas costs and support the economy will be negotiated by the presidents of the EU member states at the conference.
“If we look at the start of Russia’s atrocious war against Ukraine, since today, we can see that Russia has cut deliberately two thirds of its gas supplies to the European Union,” on the words of von der Leyen.
“We’ve been able to compensate in the last eight months by diversifying away from Russia to reliable suppliers, we have saved minus 15 percent. We have been able to fill our storages and we have deployed more renewable energy,” she continued.
The command came with a “substantial package” that will be deliberated at the conference, as stated by von der Leyen, saying that two points will be the emphasized during the talk.
“The first one is how are we able to tame the gas prices, mainly the spikes and the manipulation by Russia. Here two models are on the table … that one is at TTF level, so, wholesale level and the other one is decoupling the gas partially from the electricity prices,” she added.
“And then there is a second topic that is very important, that is how can we support our economy all over Europe, everywhere in Europe,” she further said.
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Defence secretary Philip Hammond has claimed some councils were reluctant to accept help from the Armed Forces in dealing with the floods.
Speaking to the media over the weekend, Mr Hammond said the Government had offered troops to local authorities ‘a long while ago’.
‘What we’ve done over the past 10 days is push them a bit more aggressively,’ said Mr Hammond.
‘We needed to push ourselves a bit more on the civilian authorities.’
Mr Hammond said Royal Engineers were now being tasked to carry out a high-speed assessment of ‘serious’ damage to the UK’s flood defence infrastructure but conceded that in future the Government would involve the military earlier in the process.
He said more than 3,000 troops were currently deployed to help and 5,000 more were available if needed.


Addu City, Maldives – Managing Director of FENAKA, Ahmed Saeed has told that the company aims to generate 70 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2025.
Speaking on the ‘Ahafele’ program conducted by local media outlet ‘adduLIVE’ last night, MD Saeed told that even now FENAKA was generating a total of 8 megawatts from solar around the Maldives and that their goal was to generate 70 percent of the total power generated by the company through renewable sources such as solar.
He also added that FENAKA was installing their own solar panels around the country and that Lh. Olhuvelifushi will be changed to an island which uses 100 percent renewable energy by FENAKA.
MD Saeed added that if the Maldives wanted to lower the cost of electricity charged to the customers, then the company and even the country needed to lower the amount of money spent on fossil fuel for power generation. He told that as Maldives imports 100 percent of its oil and fuels, every change to the global fuel prices effect the country and that the cost of electricity cannot be lowered because of this.
MD Saeed also added that the company was working inline with the governments plan to increase renewable energy sources in the country and that this would help to lower the cost of electricity in the country in the upcoming years.


ISLAMABAD (APP): Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb said on Sunday that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan was ridiculing and making mockery of the judiciary which was unprecedented.
In a statement, the minister said that Imran Khan used abusive language every day and threatened judiciary to get bail through bullying.
She said that PML-N was now running a campaign to expose Imran and his facilitators.
She said her party was now only campaigning against those who were damaging national
economy and making people unemployed.
The minister said that the PML-N was now only campaigning against foreign agents and “Tosha Khana thiefs”.
“PML-N is now only campaigning against those who are conspiring against the country”, she remarked.


Despite the rise of COVID-19 cases across the province of Quebec, it seems many Montrealers continue to break the rules.
On Twitter on Monday, Montreal police said they issued 109 tickets last week to people who violated the public health guidelines put in place at the beginning of the month to help stop the spread of the COVID-19.
In total, Montreal police say they received 600 calls from people with concerns. During that time, the police visited 297 schools, 29 bars and restaurants— and performed inspections at 279 other establishments.
The news comes as Quebec health authorities reported 1,038 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday.
According to Santé Quebec, provincial numbers now total 94,429 cases since the start of the pandemic.
Six more deaths have also been added to the provincial toll, bringing the total of COVID-19 related deaths to 6,044.
The number of hospitalizations increased by five to 532. Of those patients, 92 are in intensive care.
With cases on the rise, Montreal has once again extended the state of emergency— although, for the first time in more than a week, Montreal did not record the most new cases in the province. That distinction went to Quebec City, which reported 272 new cases.


On Sunday, The ICC, International Cricket Council, showed their happiness with the Pakistan Cricket Board’s press to adopt measures of anti-corruption.
The ICC said in a statement that the progress reported by the PCB impressed the Pakistan Task Team (PTT).
Haroon Lorgat, ICC Chief Executive, said that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) clearly recognizes that protecting the cricket’s integrity is imperative and the progress reported really impressed them.
He added that the team’s willingness on playing is critical to the international cricket’s future. And he said that they’ve presented an evident determination on tackling all the challenges.
Giles Clarke, ICC Director and Chairman, also said that they must congratulate the PCB chairman and the team for speeding up on adopting the ICC Board’s recommendations. He said that PCB’s statements and actions encouraged everyone and they hope that the team will continue it.
Ijaz Butt, PCB chairman, said that the PCB is determined on implementing ICC’s recommendations. He said that they’re committed to a zero-tolerance approach to corruption.