U.S. East Coast hit Jonas the Blizzard storm
At least 18 deaths blamed on #Blizzard2016 as snowstorm paralyses US east coasthttp://bbc.in/1QshnVF
U.S. East Coast hit “Jonas” the Blizzard storm
Jonas the Blizzard snowy winter storm devastated daily life of the eastern region of the United States, forcing more cities along the East Coast to be shut down Saturday, leaving at least 12 people dead and stranding thousands on the roads and at airports. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a travel ban in New York City Saturday. According to the ban, all non-emergency vehicles should be off the roads after 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a press conference that the police would enforce the ban. He also urged Broadway theaters and restaurants to close immediately
According to weather reports , Winter Storm Jonas was moving towards Northeast Saturday, with dangerous blizzard or near-blizzard conditions ongoing across the region. Record coastal flooding and winds over 112 kilometers per hour were predicted in some coastal areas.
Blizzard warnings remained in effect Saturday for about 38 million people in northern Virginia, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York City.
So far, governors of 11 U.S. states had declared a state of emergency as heavy snowfall, gale-force winds and coastal flooding showed no signs of dying down.
The storm continued to move past Washington, D.C.and across Maryland and Delaware, and was headed for New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island and southeast Massachusetts by late Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.
Shortly after the midday Saturday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a travel ban in New York City. According to the ban, all non-emergency vehicles should be off the roads after 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a press conference that the police would enforce the ban. He also urged Broadway theaters and restaurants to close immediately.
“It’s time for businesses to shut down and get their employees home right away,” said De Blasio.
Calling the storm “one of the worst snowstorms in New York City history,” De Blasio said the storm, not expected to stop until Sunday, could dump up to 30 inches (76cm) of snow in the city.
Meanwhile, De Blasio left open the possibility of shutting down the subway service, calling a possible suspension “conceivable.” However, he said that it did not appear likely at the moment.
In Washington, D.C., the city’s metro system was shut down from Friday night through Sunday.
Across the U.S. East Coast region, thousands of motorists were stranded on slippery roads late Friday night and Saturday. As the storm continued to rage, more than 85 million people in at least 20 states were to be affected. Media agencies
Merkel Needs Erdogan to Stay in Power
Merkel Needs Erdogan to Stay in Power
Germany shuts its eyes to the mass killings of the Kurds in southeastern Turkey, the illegal oil trade and Turkey’s collaboration with ISIL terrorists, hoping that the Turkish President will help Europe to reduce the inflow of migrants, German newspaper Handelsblatt wrote.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel ignores the fact that Turkish President Erdogan is waging war against his own people and continues to take advantage of the questionable cooperation with him on the refugee issue, Handelsblatt wrote, Sputnik News reported.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel ignores the fact that Turkish President Erdogan is waging war against his own people and continues to take advantage of the questionable cooperation with him on the refugee issue, Handelsblatt wrote, Sputnik News reported.
“Merkel needs Erdogan for her own political survival,” the article said.
Germany is silently watching the brutal war in Turkey, relying on the promise of Erdogan to provide assistance to refugees at the Turkish-Syrian border. However, the Turkish president uses the refugee issue in his own interests, being involved in the illegal oil trade with ISIL militants. “Erdogan has created his own trump card to prevent Europe’s intervention — the refugees,” the article said. The Turkish President takes advantage of the trust of European countries, and is “smoothly waging the dirty war” in his own country, which again results in the new flows of migrants fleeing the south-eastern parts of the country amid increased violence.Turkish authorities started an alleged anti terrorism operation in the southeast of the country. The brutal operations against Kurdish communities have left hundreds dead, including civilians, and resulted in the arrest of a number of Turkish academics who have vocally opposed the government’s treatment of Turkish Kurds. Media agencies/ Handelsblatt
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s on visit to Iran
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TEHRAN, Jan. 23, 2016 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) meets with Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran, Iran, Jan. 23, 2016. (Xinhua/Ju Peng
Global event watch, brace up with the two two leader meet in Eurasia region where the conglomerate of regional powers are in making after rapid violence erupts from radical values and states conglomerate have wider role to play. Xi told Khamenei that China will unswerevingly follow a peaceful development path and adhere to an independent foreign policy of peace. “China is willing to maintain mutual support with Iran in regional and global affairs, and jointly safeguard peace, stability and development in the region and around the world,” he added.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei met here Saturday, pledging to beef up practical cooperation between the two countries and jointly safeguard security, peace and stability in the region and around the world. Noting that China and Iran enjoy a long history of friendly exchanges, Xi said China will always be a “reliable cooperative partner” of Iran and stands ready to deepen bilateral cooperation on all fronts. China and Iran are “natural partners” in implementing the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, the president said, calling on the two sides to boost cooperation in infrastructure, interconnectivity, production capacity and energy within the framework of the initiative for the benefit of the two peoples.
Khamenei expressed gratitude to China for its enduring support for Iran, and said that Tehran is willing to push the bilateral practical cooperation to a new high.Iran is an important country along the Belt and Road and stands ready to play a greater role in jointly pursuing the initiative with China, the supreme leader said. He said China is a very influential country in the world and Iran hopes to strengthen communication and coordination with China to jointly safeguard security, peace and stability in the region.
Xi concluded on Saturday night his five-day, three-nation tour in the Middle East, which had previously taken him to Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
This, Xi’s first overseas visit this year and also his first trip to the region since becoming Chinese president in 2013.
China has offered billions of U.S. dollars in loans and investment as well as political and security support to help the Middle East, during President Xi Jinping’s first overseas visit of the year. Xi unveiled a package of measures in his Cairo speech to the Arab League, including industrial and anti-terrorism cooperation to promote peace and development in the Arab world. Xi’s speech defused speculation that China will fill the vacuum left by the strategic U.S. “pivot” from the Middle East to the Asia Pacific. He said China will not attempt to fill in the void in the region but promote peace talks and seek win-win cooperation through the Belt and Road Initiative.
“China has grasped the root cause for the conflicts in the Middle East and is willing to contribute more to regional peace,” said Hua Liming, former ambassador to Iran, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Netherlands.
Stressing political dialogue as solution to any crisis, Xi promised 230 million yuan of additional humanitarian assistance this year to the people of Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya and Yemen.
“Since President Xi took office, China has worked to play a bigger and more effective role in regional and international affairs. China’s diplomacy in the Middle East is no exception,” said Tang Zhichao, a researcher with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
Instead of being a bystander in Middle Eastern affairs, China has put great effort into the Palestinian issue, the Syrian crisis and the Iranian nuclear issue, Tang said.
Xi expressed opposition to linking terrorism with any specific ethnic group or religion, noting doing that will only create ethnic and religious tensions.
Xi also offered in his speech 300 million dollars for law enforcement cooperation, police training so as to help build up the abilities of the regional countries to maintain stability.
Chinese President Xi Jinping returned to Beijing early Sunday morning after his state visits to Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Iran.
Xi visited Saudi Arabia at the invitation of Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. The two countries agreed to upgrade the bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership.
He then visited Egypt at the invitation of Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi. The two sides signed a five-year outline document to further advance their relationship.
At the invitation of Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani, Xi visited Iran. The two sides agreed to elevate the bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership.
Media agencies /Xenhua
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CAIT TAKE ON HARSIMRAT BADAL ON FDI IN FOOD RETAIL SECTOR IN INDIA
24th January, 2016
The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has expressed utter dismay over the reported letter of Food Processing Minister Mrs. Harsimrat Kaur Badal written to Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi requesting him to open FDI in multi brand retail of food and food products in the Country on pretext of reducing wastage and farm diversification. ” It appears that perhaps Mrs Badal has not taken cognisance of report of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) released in year 2010 which stated that food wastage in India is merely 0.8% to 10% which is not that much alarming for which we need MNCs”-said CAIT. The Government is committed for not allowing FDI in Retail and as such any move to allow MNCs into Indian retail trade will amount betrayal of confidence of the small businesses in India-said CAIT Secretary General Mr. Praveen Khandelwal here today.
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), a body under the Ministry of Agriculture, commissioned a post harvest loss study with Central Institute of Post Harvest Engineering & Technology (CIPHET), Ludhiana and submitted its report to the then Government in September, 2010 which clearly state that food wastage in India is only between 0.8% to 10% except mushroom which is 12.5% and Guava which is 18%. “Unfortunately, neither the Union Cabinet and nor the Parliament was informed of this report by either the then Commerce Minister Mr. Anand Sharma and Agriculture Minister Mr. Sharad Pawar and a song of 40% food wastage in India was sung by one and all facilitating the decision of UPA Government of allowing 51% FDI in multi brand retail. The argument that FDI in multi brand food retail will curb food wastage is a fallacy since food wastage in India is very minimal “-said Mr. B.C.Bhartia, National President of CAIT.
To understand the concept of so called food wastage in India, the CAIT intends to present a copy of ICAR report to Mrs. Harsimrat Kaur Badal and will urge her to have a holistic and comprehensive view since the issue is very sensitive and has vital bearing on livelihood of millions of people in India.
Both Mr. Bhartia & Mr. Khandelwal urged the Government to issue a White Paper on FDI in Retail and said that arguments advanced in favour of allowing FDI in retail are based on merely on assumptions without considering the fall out of such global retailers in Countries like USA, UK, and Europe etc. where these retailers have failed to provide any advantage to the respective country, which are being advocated by proponents of MNCs. Allowing FDI in any form of retail including food retail will have adverse impact on traders, farmers, hawkers, transporters, small industries, consumers and other sections of retail trade and will result into mass unemployment-said both trade leaders.
PM Modi,French President Hollande at Rock Garden
PM Modi and President Hollande reach rock Garden in Chandigarh
Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has warmly welcomed French President, Mr. François Hollande, on his arrival in India for three day visit. The Prime Minister will meet President François Hollande in Chandigarh and Delhi. PM Modi tweeted,”A warm welcome to French President François Hollande. We are honoured and delighted to have him as the Chief Guest for Republic Day celebrations. Further added President François Hollande and I will meet in Chandigarh and Delhi. We will build on the ground covered during our previous interactions”, the Prime Minister tweeted
PM #NarendraModi and French President #FrancoisHollande at Rock Garden in Chandigarh
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