Former Karnataka chief minister and senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Monday wrote a letter of resignation to Interim Congress president Sonia Gandhi and expressed his regrets for not being able to give `satisfactory results` in the bypolls held on 15 seats of the state.

"I express my sincere regrets for not being able to give satisfactory results in the recently concluded bye-elections held to Karnataka Legislative Assembly despite my sincere efforts," Siddaramaiah wrote in the letter.

"I deem it necessary to step down as Leader of CLP by taking moral responsibility. I solemnly pledge my loyalty to your esteemed leadership and to the Congress party at all times," he added.

Earlier today Siddaramaiah said that he has also resigned as the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly.

"I have also resigned as the Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Assembly," he said.

Siddaramaiah further said that he will be sending a copy of his resignation to Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal and the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Dinesh Gundu Rao.

"I had expected that the voters might vote against the disqualified MLAs, who sold themselves. I thought they will be punished and I had expected this to happen. My expectations have gone wrong," he added.

According to the latest trends of the by-elections held on 15 assembly constituencies in the state, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has won 10 seats and is currently leading on two others whereas, Congress has won one and is leading on one other.&nbsp;

Former Karnataka chief minister and senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Monday wrote a letter of resignation to Interim Congress president Sonia Gandhi and expressed his regrets for not being able to give `satisfactory results` in the bypolls held on 15 seats of the state.

Former Karnataka chief minister and senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Monday wrote a letter of resignation to Interim Congress president Sonia Gandhi and expressed his regrets for not being able to give `satisfactory results` in the bypolls held on 15 seats of the state. "I express my sincere regrets for not being able to give satisfactory results in the recently concluded bye-elections held to Karnataka Legislative Assembly despite my sincere efforts," Siddaramaiah wrote in the letter. "I deem it necessary to step down as Leader of CLP by taking moral responsibility. I solemnly pledge my loyalty to your esteemed leadership and to the Congress party at all times," he added. Earlier today Siddaramaiah said that he has also resigned as the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly. "I have also resigned as the Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Assembly," he said. Siddaramaiah further said that he will be sending a copy of his resignation to Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal and the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Dinesh Gundu Rao. "I had expected that the voters might vote against the disqualified MLAs, who sold themselves. I thought they will be punished and I had expected this to happen. My expectations have gone wrong," he added. According to the latest trends of the by-elections held on 15 assembly constituencies in the state, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has won 10 seats and is currently leading on two others whereas, Congress has won one and is leading on one other.

Karnataka: Siddaramaiah sends resignation to Sonia Gandhi, takes responsibility of bypoll results

Japanese trade minister Hiroshi Kajiyama will be meeting his Indian counterpart Piyush Goyal on Tuesday in New Delhi. Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) will be the top focus during the meeting tomorrow.

Japan is keen that India joins the RCEP from which New Delhi had withdrawn in November during the East Asia Summit. India said that the outcome of the pact is not a balanced one and does not provide adequate protection against import surge among other things.

Earlier this month, the Japanese foreign minister said that, "Japan is making diplomatic efforts to realize the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) with the participation of all 16 countries, including India".

Explaining his government's position Kajiyama said, "what is driving our efforts is Japan’s firm conviction that the framework of the RCEP can truly boost the region’s economic potential only with the participation of India" which is the "world’s most populous democratic country and a major strategic player connecting the Asia-Pacific and the Indian Ocean."

RCEP deal is expected to go ahead with 15 countries. The negotiation for the deal started in 2012 in Cambodia and will be one of the biggest free trade agreement in the world. 
&nbsp;

Japanese trade minister Hiroshi Kajiyama will be meeting his Indian counterpart Piyush Goyal on Tuesday in New Delhi. Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) will be the top focus during the meeting tomorrow.

Japanese trade minister Hiroshi Kajiyama will be meeting his Indian counterpart Piyush Goyal on Tuesday in New Delhi. Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) will be the top focus during the meeting tomorrow. Japan is keen that India joins the RCEP from which New Delhi had withdrawn in November during the East Asia Summit. India said that the outcome of the pact is not a balanced one and does not provide adequate protection against import surge among other things. Earlier this month, the Japanese foreign minister said that, "Japan is making diplomatic efforts to realize the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) with the participation of all 16 countries, including India". Explaining his government's position Kajiyama said, "what is driving our efforts is Japan’s firm conviction that the framework of the RCEP can truly boost the region’s economic potential only with the participation of India" which is the "world’s most populous democratic country and a major strategic player connecting the Asia-Pacific and the Indian Ocean." RCEP deal is expected to go ahead with 15 countries. The negotiation for the deal started in 2012 in Cambodia and will be one of the biggest free trade agreement in the world.

With RECP in focus, Japanese trade minister to meet Piyush Goyal on Tuesday 

Equity benchmark indices ended on Monday with marginal gains after a volatile session on Friday while heavy buying was witnessed in metal, auto, energy and infra stocks.

The BSE S&amp;P Sensex closed 42 points higher at 40,487 while the Nifty 50 was up by 15 points at 11,937.

Sectoral indices at the National Stock Exchange (NSE) were mixed with Nifty auto gaining by 0.8 per cent and metal by 0.5 per cent.

But Nifty realty slipped by 1.57 per cent, IT by 0.93 per cent, and media by 0.79 per cent.Among stocks, auto majors Maruti and Mahindra &amp; Mahindra added gains of 1.7 per cent and 0.8 per cent respectively while JSW Steel was up by 1.7 per cent.

The other prominent gainers were Bharat Petroleum Corporation, IndianOil Corporation, Axis Bank, Adani Ports, HDFC.

Reliance Industries and Power Grid Corporation of India. However, IT major suffered losses.

Tata Consultancy Services was down by nearly 3 per cent, HCL Technologies by 1.6 per cent and Tech Mahindra by 0.8 per cent.

Cipla, Larsen &amp; Toubro, IndusInd Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, State Bank of India and ITC also closed in the red.

Meanwhile, Asian stocks edged up, catching some of Wall Street's momentum after surprisingly strong US jobs data.

Japan's benchmark Nikkei and South Korea's Kospi added gains of 0.33 per cent each while China's Shanghai Composite stood virtually flat at 0.08 per cent.Wall Street rose to near-record highs on Friday on the strong jobs data and some signs of optimism about the US-China trade talks.

Equity benchmark indices ended on Monday with marginal gains after a volatile session on Friday while heavy buying was witnessed in metal, auto, energy and infra stocks.

Equity benchmark indices ended on Monday with marginal gains after a volatile session on Friday while heavy buying was witnessed in metal, auto, energy and infra stocks. The BSE S&P Sensex closed 42 points higher at 40,487 while the Nifty 50 was up by 15 points at 11,937. Sectoral indices at the National Stock Exchange (NSE) were mixed with Nifty auto gaining by 0.8 per cent and metal by 0.5 per cent. But Nifty realty slipped by 1.57 per cent, IT by 0.93 per cent, and media by 0.79 per cent.Among stocks, auto majors Maruti and Mahindra & Mahindra added gains of 1.7 per cent and 0.8 per cent respectively while JSW Steel was up by 1.7 per cent. The other prominent gainers were Bharat Petroleum Corporation, IndianOil Corporation, Axis Bank, Adani Ports, HDFC. Reliance Industries and Power Grid Corporation of India. However, IT major suffered losses. Tata Consultancy Services was down by nearly 3 per cent, HCL Technologies by 1.6 per cent and Tech Mahindra by 0.8 per cent. Cipla, Larsen & Toubro, IndusInd Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, State Bank of India and ITC also closed in the red. Meanwhile, Asian stocks edged up, catching some of Wall Street's momentum after surprisingly strong US jobs data. Japan's benchmark Nikkei and South Korea's Kospi added gains of 0.33 per cent each while China's Shanghai Composite stood virtually flat at 0.08 per cent.Wall Street rose to near-record highs on Friday on the strong jobs data and some signs of optimism about the US-China trade talks.

Equity parameters close with marginal gains, IT stocks under pressure

New Delhi [India], Dec 9 (ANI): The Delhi High Court on Monday refused to pass any directions to the Centre on a plea seeking to formulate a policy related to linking social media accounts of individuals with Aadhaar and other identification proofs to weed out fake and ghost accounts.

A division bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and C Hari Shankar left over the central government to decide over any policy required to frame on this issue.

The court observed that to weed out the around 18 and 20 per cent fake and ghost account, date related to Aadhaar, Voter Id card, PAN card and other identification proof of 80 per cent genuine account holders will go to a foreign country.

"If such type of direction for linkage of Aadhaar, PAN or Voter ID is ordered by the court, there may be a situation where data of genuine account holder (who are 80 per cent of the total) will also go in a foreign country, which may be unnecessary," the court said.

The Centre apprised the court that the government is under consideration and also got some suggestions from law commission on this regard.

The court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by advocate Ashwini Upadhyay seeking direction to the Centre to take appropriate steps to link social media accounts with Aadhaar, PAN, voter ID card or any other identification proof to weed out fake and duplicate accounts and to control fake and paid news which may affect the election process.

The plea, also sought direction to the central government to declare that the publication of `paid news` and political advertisements during the last 48 hours before polls is a "corrupt practise" under Section 123(4) in The Representation of the People Act, 1951.

"The publication of fake news involves the use of black money, under-reporting of election expenses of political parties and candidates and indulging in other kinds of malpractices. The influence of black money also has the potential to result in an imbalanced election between people of different financial statures," the plea claimed."

Thus, in order to have free and fair elections, which is a basic dictum of democracy, the level playing field is paramount and this cannot be achieved without mitigating the instances of fake news," the petition added.

Upadhyay, through his plea, sought Centre`s direction to take appropriate steps for deactivation of fake, duplicate and ghost social media accounts.

The plea claimed that the hundreds of fake Twitter handle and bogus Facebook accounts in the name of eminent peoples and high dignitaries including the President, Vice President, Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, Cabinet Ministers, Chief Justice of India and the judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts.

"These fake Twitter handles and bogus Facebook accounts use the real photos of the constitutional authorities and eminent people," the petitioner said.

The plea stated that fake and paid news prevents the free exercise of the right to vote due to the use of money and muscle power by candidates.

"It affects the rights of the ordinary citizens to get elected and puts them at a great disadvantage due to reduced win-ability factor as an independent. Use of fake and paid news is arbitrary and unfair because it invites and enables people with criminal backgrounds to buy tickets from national and state recognised political parties and contest elections," the petitioner claimed.

"A person convicted of rape, extortion, kidnapping and murder can come back into the electoral arena. A person guilty of corruption and terrorism can also become a candidate of national and state recognised parties. Take the case of 2G, CWG and Coalgate. The accused are coming back to the election arena through national or state recognised parties. Would they not affect the elections with money and muscle power, offsetting the valuable freedom to vote without fear or favour?" the plea added.

Upadhyay said that the principle of one man, one vote is based on the freedom to vote in a fair election, which is impossible without weeding out fake accounts.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

New Delhi [India], Dec 9 (ANI): The Delhi High Court on Monday refused to pass any directions to the Centre on a plea seeking to formulate a policy related to linking social media accounts of individuals with Aadhaar and other identification proofs to weed out fake and ghost accounts.

New Delhi [India], Dec 9 (ANI): The Delhi High Court on Monday refused to pass any directions to the Centre on a plea seeking to formulate a policy related to linking social media accounts of individuals with Aadhaar and other identification proofs to weed out fake and ghost accounts. A division bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and C Hari Shankar left over the central government to decide over any policy required to frame on this issue. The court observed that to weed out the around 18 and 20 per cent fake and ghost account, date related to Aadhaar, Voter Id card, PAN card and other identification proof of 80 per cent genuine account holders will go to a foreign country. "If such type of direction for linkage of Aadhaar, PAN or Voter ID is ordered by the court, there may be a situation where data of genuine account holder (who are 80 per cent of the total) will also go in a foreign country, which may be unnecessary," the court said. The Centre apprised the court that the government is under consideration and also got some suggestions from law commission on this regard. The court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by advocate Ashwini Upadhyay seeking direction to the Centre to take appropriate steps to link social media accounts with Aadhaar, PAN, voter ID card or any other identification proof to weed out fake and duplicate accounts and to control fake and paid news which may affect the election process. The plea, also sought direction to the central government to declare that the publication of `paid news` and political advertisements during the last 48 hours before polls is a "corrupt practise" under Section 123(4) in The Representation of the People Act, 1951. "The publication of fake news involves the use of black money, under-reporting of election expenses of political parties and candidates and indulging in other kinds of malpractices. The influence of black money also has the potential to result in an imbalanced election between people of different financial statures," the plea claimed." Thus, in order to have free and fair elections, which is a basic dictum of democracy, the level playing field is paramount and this cannot be achieved without mitigating the instances of fake news," the petition added. Upadhyay, through his plea, sought Centre`s direction to take appropriate steps for deactivation of fake, duplicate and ghost social media accounts. The plea claimed that the hundreds of fake Twitter handle and bogus Facebook accounts in the name of eminent peoples and high dignitaries including the President, Vice President, Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, Cabinet Ministers, Chief Justice of India and the judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts. "These fake Twitter handles and bogus Facebook accounts use the real photos of the constitutional authorities and eminent people," the petitioner said. The plea stated that fake and paid news prevents the free exercise of the right to vote due to the use of money and muscle power by candidates. "It affects the rights of the ordinary citizens to get elected and puts them at a great disadvantage due to reduced win-ability factor as an independent. Use of fake and paid news is arbitrary and unfair because it invites and enables people with criminal backgrounds to buy tickets from national and state recognised political parties and contest elections," the petitioner claimed. "A person convicted of rape, extortion, kidnapping and murder can come back into the electoral arena. A person guilty of corruption and terrorism can also become a candidate of national and state recognised parties. Take the case of 2G, CWG and Coalgate. The accused are coming back to the election arena through national or state recognised parties. Would they not affect the elections with money and muscle power, offsetting the valuable freedom to vote without fear or favour?" the plea added. Upadhyay said that the principle of one man, one vote is based on the freedom to vote in a fair election, which is impossible without weeding out fake accounts.

Delhi HC refuses to pass directions to Centre to link social media accounts of individuals with Aadhaar

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who tabled the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019 in the Lok Sabha on Monday, said that Muslims from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh won`t get the benefit of this amendment as they have not faced religious persecution.

"If any Muslim from these three (Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh) nations applies for citizenship according to our law, then we will consider it, but the person won`t get the benefit of this amendment as the person has not faced religious persecution," said Shah in the Lower House.

"In Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh, Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Christians, Parsis and Jains have been discriminated against. So, this bill will give these persecuted people citizenship. Also, the allegation that this Bill will take away the rights of Muslims is wrong," he said.

"Why do we need this Bill today? After independence, if the Congress had not done the partition on the basis of religion, then today we would have not needed this Bill," he said.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019 seeks to grant Indian citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan.

Through this Bill, Indian citizenship will be provided to the members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities, who have come from the three countries to India till December 31, 2014, to put an end to them being treated as illegal immigrants in the country.

It is important to note that the Bill was passed by the Lower House of Parliament earlier this year but lapsed with the term of the previous Lok Sabha during the first term of Prime Minister Narendra Modi government at the Centre.&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who tabled the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019 in the Lok Sabha on Monday, said that Muslims from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh won`t get the benefit of this amendment as they have not faced religious persecution.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who tabled the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019 in the Lok Sabha on Monday, said that Muslims from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh won`t get the benefit of this amendment as they have not faced religious persecution. "If any Muslim from these three (Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh) nations applies for citizenship according to our law, then we will consider it, but the person won`t get the benefit of this amendment as the person has not faced religious persecution," said Shah in the Lower House. "In Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh, Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Christians, Parsis and Jains have been discriminated against. So, this bill will give these persecuted people citizenship. Also, the allegation that this Bill will take away the rights of Muslims is wrong," he said. "Why do we need this Bill today? After independence, if the Congress had not done the partition on the basis of religion, then today we would have not needed this Bill," he said. The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019 seeks to grant Indian citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. Through this Bill, Indian citizenship will be provided to the members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities, who have come from the three countries to India till December 31, 2014, to put an end to them being treated as illegal immigrants in the country. It is important to note that the Bill was passed by the Lower House of Parliament earlier this year but lapsed with the term of the previous Lok Sabha during the first term of Prime Minister Narendra Modi government at the Centre.

Muslims from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh won't get benefits of Citizenship (Amendment) Bill: Amit Shah

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged the country`s police forces for striving to improve their image to inspire a sense of confidence among the people including women at all times.

Delivering his address at the 54th conference of the Directors General of Police and Inspectors General of Police here, the Prime Minister lauded the police forces for their meticulous efforts in maintaining general peace and tranquillity and ensuring normalcy in the country.

"We must not forget the contribution of their families who stood firmly behind them," he said while emphasising the role of effective policing in making sure that women feel safe and secure.

Modi urged the heads of police departments to carry forth the spirit of the conference to the lowest level-from state to the district to the police station.

After listening to the presentations given by different state police forces, the Prime Minister mentioned that a comprehensive list of best practices could be prepared and adopted by all the states and UTs, according to an official statement.

"Technology provides us with an effective weapon to ensure pro-active policing that factors-in the feedback of the common man," he said.

Modi expressed his special interest in the development of North-Eastern states which is critical for the Act East Policy of the government and urged the DGPs of these states to make extra efforts to create a conducive environment for the development programmes.

The Prime Minister recognised the pulls and pressures confronting the police officer in the day to day discharge of duties.

However, he said, "Whenever they are in doubt they should remember the ideals and the spirit with which they appeared for the civil services exams and continue to work in the national interest, keeping in mind the welfare of the weakest and poorest sections of society."

The Prime Minister participated in the 54th DGsP/IGsP Conference here on December 7 and 8.

Apart from leading the discussions and giving valuable suggestions over the past two days, he addressed the valedictory session of the conference this evening.

He also awarded the President`s police medals for distinguished service to officers of the Intelligence Bureau.

With the guidance of the Prime Minister, in order to encourage a meaningful exchange of views and experiences, the conference, which earlier used to be a one-day event, was changed to a three-day affair starting from 2015.

Moreover, the Conference was taken out of Delhi and organised in different parts of the country.

The format of the conference has also undergone significant changes in terms of the presence of the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister.

In the lead-up to the conference, Committees of DGPs were established to formulate the contours of presentations, which are on contemporary security threats. Additionally, during the conference, break-out sessions were held to further refine policy issues.

"This year, eleven core groups were formed for holding brainstorming sessions on key aspects of internal and external security such as terrorism, Naxalism, coastal security, cyber threats, combating radicalisation and narco-terrorism," the statement said.

Commending the conference for generating good inputs for policy planning and implementation, the Prime Minister laid emphasis on the emergence of concrete outcomes from the finalised action points.The Prime Minister has departed for Delhi after attending the conference.&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged the country`s police forces for striving to improve their image to inspire a sense of confidence among the people including women at all times.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged the country`s police forces for striving to improve their image to inspire a sense of confidence among the people including women at all times. Delivering his address at the 54th conference of the Directors General of Police and Inspectors General of Police here, the Prime Minister lauded the police forces for their meticulous efforts in maintaining general peace and tranquillity and ensuring normalcy in the country. "We must not forget the contribution of their families who stood firmly behind them," he said while emphasising the role of effective policing in making sure that women feel safe and secure. Modi urged the heads of police departments to carry forth the spirit of the conference to the lowest level-from state to the district to the police station. After listening to the presentations given by different state police forces, the Prime Minister mentioned that a comprehensive list of best practices could be prepared and adopted by all the states and UTs, according to an official statement. "Technology provides us with an effective weapon to ensure pro-active policing that factors-in the feedback of the common man," he said. Modi expressed his special interest in the development of North-Eastern states which is critical for the Act East Policy of the government and urged the DGPs of these states to make extra efforts to create a conducive environment for the development programmes. The Prime Minister recognised the pulls and pressures confronting the police officer in the day to day discharge of duties. However, he said, "Whenever they are in doubt they should remember the ideals and the spirit with which they appeared for the civil services exams and continue to work in the national interest, keeping in mind the welfare of the weakest and poorest sections of society." The Prime Minister participated in the 54th DGsP/IGsP Conference here on December 7 and 8. Apart from leading the discussions and giving valuable suggestions over the past two days, he addressed the valedictory session of the conference this evening. He also awarded the President`s police medals for distinguished service to officers of the Intelligence Bureau. With the guidance of the Prime Minister, in order to encourage a meaningful exchange of views and experiences, the conference, which earlier used to be a one-day event, was changed to a three-day affair starting from 2015. Moreover, the Conference was taken out of Delhi and organised in different parts of the country. The format of the conference has also undergone significant changes in terms of the presence of the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister. In the lead-up to the conference, Committees of DGPs were established to formulate the contours of presentations, which are on contemporary security threats. Additionally, during the conference, break-out sessions were held to further refine policy issues. "This year, eleven core groups were formed for holding brainstorming sessions on key aspects of internal and external security such as terrorism, Naxalism, coastal security, cyber threats, combating radicalisation and narco-terrorism," the statement said. Commending the conference for generating good inputs for policy planning and implementation, the Prime Minister laid emphasis on the emergence of concrete outcomes from the finalised action points.The Prime Minister has departed for Delhi after attending the conference.

Inspire a sense of confidence among people including women: PM Modi to police top brass

At WION'S <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-needs-to-create-its-own-club-focus-on-indian-ocean-region-ram-madhav-at-wion-world-order-event-266452">World Order - Talking Diplomacy event</a>, ambassadors and top diplomats converged their ideas on a range of issues. On climate change, the distinguished guests called for an immediate action plan for the sustainability and welfare of the planet.&nbsp;

Brazilian ambassador, H.E. André Aranha Correa do Lago said that the devastating Amazon fires are the "consequence of climate change" while the Indonesian envoy informed that his country's new capital "is going to be a green one".

"Indonesia is most concerned about what is happening to the environment. Our new capital is going to be a green one and it will reduce Jakarta's burden," Indonesian ambassador H.E Sidharto Suryodipuro said.&nbsp;

Mr Suryodipuro emphasised that <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sleepy-to-sleepless-indonesias-future-capital-in-the-forest-247805">shifting the capital</a> is a requirement.&nbsp;

"This idea has been there since the 1950s... shifting to the Western side," Suryodipuro said while speaking at the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/at-wion-world-order-talking-diplomacy-event-ambassadors-and-top-experts-discuss-growth-climate-change-development-and-more-266443">WION event</a>.&nbsp;

Capital city Jakarta's reputation as a crowded, polluted megacity of more than 10 million people - one that is slowly sinking into the sea - is partly why Indonesia plans to move government offices to a "Forest City" in East Kalimantan province, news agency Reuters said in one its report published in September.&nbsp;

The logic of the plan, first mooted nearly 70 years ago, is also to escape Java's earthquake risk and to swing Indonesia's political centre nearer the middle of the archipelago and away from the politically dominant island.

"Kalimantan is an area of tropical forest, we are aware of that. Indonesia also suffered forest fires. These plantations are part of the forest system. They are not cut every year. They capture carbon," Suryodipuro said.&nbsp;

The envoy lauded India's Khadi movement and said that the world can learn a lot from New Delhi. "Khadi is a lot more environment-friendly," he said. &nbsp;

The Brazilian envoy emphasised the gravity of the situation in the Amazon rainforest. "Amazon is bigger than India. There has been an increase in fires across the globe. In developed and developing countries, these extreme events are catching everybody unprepared," Correa do Lago said.&nbsp;

Ambassadors from Spain, Tunisia and Madagascar also share their perspectives on climate change and how urgent the need for an action plan is for their respective countries.&nbsp;

Eduardo Sánchez, Chargé D'affaires, Embassy of Spain said that the "size of the scientific community is huge which we would need to tap. There will be many new opportunities like the creation of green zones".&nbsp;

Argentinian ambassador, H.E. Daniel Chuburu said that every country needs to do its bit to combat climate change. The Tunisian envoy called for a unified, international approach to fight the perils of climate change.&nbsp;

"If one is pursuing an organic approach and the neighbour isn't, it will not work. Those contributing to the emissions more need to take more responsibility," Tunisian ambassador Nejmeddine Lakhal said.&nbsp;

Tahina Rasamoelina, Chargé D'affaires of Madagascar to India said that her country is the fourth most affected from cyclones.

"We have been hit by 63 cyclones over the period. We have to make sure we also meet the challenge of meeting the demands. We can achieve growth at the same time respect the environment and protect diversity," Rasamoelina stated.&nbsp;

Ugo Astuto, Ambassador of the European Union to India called climate change an "existential issue" and said there is an urgent need to "act now".&nbsp;

WION World Order - Talking Diplomacy event took place in New Delhi on December 5, 2019.

At WION'S World Order - Talking Diplomacy event, ambassadors and top diplomats converged their ideas on a range of issues. On climate change, the distinguished guests called for an immediate action plan for the sustainability and welfare of the planet.

At WION'S World Order - Talking Diplomacy event, ambassadors and top diplomats converged their ideas on a range of issues. On climate change, the distinguished guests called for an immediate action plan for the sustainability and welfare of the planet. Brazilian ambassador, H.E. André Aranha Correa do Lago said that the devastating Amazon fires are the "consequence of climate change" while the Indonesian envoy informed that his country's new capital "is going to be a green one". "Indonesia is most concerned about what is happening to the environment. Our new capital is going to be a green one and it will reduce Jakarta's burden," Indonesian ambassador H.E Sidharto Suryodipuro said. Mr Suryodipuro emphasised that shifting the capital is a requirement. "This idea has been there since the 1950s... shifting to the Western side," Suryodipuro said while speaking at the WION event. Capital city Jakarta's reputation as a crowded, polluted megacity of more than 10 million people - one that is slowly sinking into the sea - is partly why Indonesia plans to move government offices to a "Forest City" in East Kalimantan province, news agency Reuters said in one its report published in September. The logic of the plan, first mooted nearly 70 years ago, is also to escape Java's earthquake risk and to swing Indonesia's political centre nearer the middle of the archipelago and away from the politically dominant island. "Kalimantan is an area of tropical forest, we are aware of that. Indonesia also suffered forest fires. These plantations are part of the forest system. They are not cut every year. They capture carbon," Suryodipuro said. The envoy lauded India's Khadi movement and said that the world can learn a lot from New Delhi. "Khadi is a lot more environment-friendly," he said. The Brazilian envoy emphasised the gravity of the situation in the Amazon rainforest. "Amazon is bigger than India. There has been an increase in fires across the globe. In developed and developing countries, these extreme events are catching everybody unprepared," Correa do Lago said. Ambassadors from Spain, Tunisia and Madagascar also share their perspectives on climate change and how urgent the need for an action plan is for their respective countries. Eduardo Sánchez, Chargé D'affaires, Embassy of Spain said that the "size of the scientific community is huge which we would need to tap. There will be many new opportunities like the creation of green zones". Argentinian ambassador, H.E. Daniel Chuburu said that every country needs to do its bit to combat climate change. The Tunisian envoy called for a unified, international approach to fight the perils of climate change. "If one is pursuing an organic approach and the neighbour isn't, it will not work. Those contributing to the emissions more need to take more responsibility," Tunisian ambassador Nejmeddine Lakhal said. Tahina Rasamoelina, Chargé D'affaires of Madagascar to India said that her country is the fourth most affected from cyclones. "We have been hit by 63 cyclones over the period. We have to make sure we also meet the challenge of meeting the demands. We can achieve growth at the same time respect the environment and protect diversity," Rasamoelina stated. Ugo Astuto, Ambassador of the European Union to India called climate change an "existential issue" and said there is an urgent need to "act now". WION World Order - Talking Diplomacy event took place in New Delhi on December 5, 2019.

From devastating Amazon fires to Indonesia's 'green' new capital: Climate change in focus at WION World Order event

Delhi Police on Sunday arrested the owner of the building in which a fire broke out earlier today, which claimed the lives of 43 people.

"Rehan and his manager Furkan have been arrested. The police are also interrogating brothers of Rehan -- Shan and Imran. We are also looking for those who were running the factory. We are investigating the matter. From the information we have, more or less there is no possibility of more bodies being recovered," DCP, North, Monika Bhardwaj told reporters.

According to police there was some part of the building which Rehan had not given on rent.

A case has been registered under Section 304 (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Indian Penal Code against building owner Rehan, who had absconded after the fire broke out.

As many as 43 people died after the fire broke out in the factory at Anaj Mandi here in the wee hours on Sunday.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Delhi Police on Sunday arrested the owner of the building in which a fire broke out earlier today, which claimed the lives of 43 people. "Rehan and his manager Furkan have been arrested.

Delhi Police on Sunday arrested the owner of the building in which a fire broke out earlier today, which claimed the lives of 43 people. "Rehan and his manager Furkan have been arrested. The police are also interrogating brothers of Rehan -- Shan and Imran. We are also looking for those who were running the factory. We are investigating the matter. From the information we have, more or less there is no possibility of more bodies being recovered," DCP, North, Monika Bhardwaj told reporters. According to police there was some part of the building which Rehan had not given on rent. A case has been registered under Section 304 (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Indian Penal Code against building owner Rehan, who had absconded after the fire broke out. As many as 43 people died after the fire broke out in the factory at Anaj Mandi here in the wee hours on Sunday.

Anaj Mandi fire: Delhi Police arrest building owner, his manager

The contentious Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) will be introduced by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Lok Sabha on Monday.

The Citizenship Amendment Bill was passed by the Lower House of the Parliament earlier this year but lapsed with the term of the previous Lok Sabha.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday issued a three-line whip to its members in Lok Sabha asking them to be present in the House from December 9 till 12.

On the other hand, the Congress parliamentary strategy group is slated to meet at the residence of party chief Sonia Gandhi today to deliberate the party's stance on the Citizenship Amendment Bill.

If passed by Parliament, it will amend the Citizenship Act of 1955 introducing exceptional provisions for acquiring citizenship for non-Muslim immigrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The contentious Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) will be introduced by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Lok Sabha on Monday. The Citizenship Amendment Bill was passed by the Lower House of the Parliament earlier this year but lapsed with the term of the previous Lok Sabha.

The contentious Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) will be introduced by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Lok Sabha on Monday. The Citizenship Amendment Bill was passed by the Lower House of the Parliament earlier this year but lapsed with the term of the previous Lok Sabha. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday issued a three-line whip to its members in Lok Sabha asking them to be present in the House from December 9 till 12. On the other hand, the Congress parliamentary strategy group is slated to meet at the residence of party chief Sonia Gandhi today to deliberate the party's stance on the Citizenship Amendment Bill. If passed by Parliament, it will amend the Citizenship Act of 1955 introducing exceptional provisions for acquiring citizenship for non-Muslim immigrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Citizenship Amendment Bill to be introduced in Lok Sabha by Amit Shah on Monday

An 8-year-old Licypriya Kangujam from Manipur has called upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi to implement climate change laws in the country and pass them in the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament.

"Please save our future. I am with my inspiration @gretathunberg to give more pressure to you and the world leaders. You can't underestimate us. Please pass the Climate Change law in the ongoing winter parliament session," reads Kangujam's Tweet dated December 6.

For long, the young activist has been holding talks, organising awareness campaigns, rallies and has helped victims of natural calamities.

She recently met Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg in an climate change event in Madrid in Spain. In June this year, she stood near Parliament premises to draw Prime Minister Narendra Modi's attention towards climate change.

"I urge him and all MPs to act on climate change now and save our future. The sea levels are increasing and the Earth is becoming hotter. They should act now," she had told ANI.

She has voiced concerns across several international platforms, urging the world leaders to act on the issue of climate change and to reduce natural disasters. She has also been recognised for her work and was awarded the 2019 World Children Peace Prize Laureate.

Kangujam is also the founder of 'The Child Movement', a voluntary movement by the children to raise their voices on global issues. Prime Minister Modi has also voiced his concerns about climate change.

In September this year, while addressing the United Nations Climate Action summit 2019, Modi also said that India has come to the United Nations to present a practical approach and roadmap on the issue.

"Need and not greed is our guiding principle. India is here today to not only talk about the seriousness of this issue but to present a practical approach and a roadmap. We believe that an ounce of practice is worth more than a ton of teaching," Modi had said.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

An 8-year-old Licypriya Kangujam from Manipur has called upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi to implement climate change laws in the country and pass them in the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament.

An 8-year-old Licypriya Kangujam from Manipur has called upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi to implement climate change laws in the country and pass them in the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament. "Please save our future. I am with my inspiration @gretathunberg to give more pressure to you and the world leaders. You can't underestimate us. Please pass the Climate Change law in the ongoing winter parliament session," reads Kangujam's Tweet dated December 6. For long, the young activist has been holding talks, organising awareness campaigns, rallies and has helped victims of natural calamities. She recently met Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg in an climate change event in Madrid in Spain. In June this year, she stood near Parliament premises to draw Prime Minister Narendra Modi's attention towards climate change. "I urge him and all MPs to act on climate change now and save our future. The sea levels are increasing and the Earth is becoming hotter. They should act now," she had told ANI. She has voiced concerns across several international platforms, urging the world leaders to act on the issue of climate change and to reduce natural disasters. She has also been recognised for her work and was awarded the 2019 World Children Peace Prize Laureate. Kangujam is also the founder of 'The Child Movement', a voluntary movement by the children to raise their voices on global issues. Prime Minister Modi has also voiced his concerns about climate change. In September this year, while addressing the United Nations Climate Action summit 2019, Modi also said that India has come to the United Nations to present a practical approach and roadmap on the issue. "Need and not greed is our guiding principle. India is here today to not only talk about the seriousness of this issue but to present a practical approach and a roadmap. We believe that an ounce of practice is worth more than a ton of teaching," Modi had said.

8-year-old Licypriya Kangujam urges PM to implement climate change laws

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-pm-boris-johnson-admits-his-naughtiest-sin-266969">British Prime Minister Boris Johnson</a> said on Sunday that the impact of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-pm-boris-johnson-promises-lower-immigration-if-he-wins-election-266941">Thursday's general election</a> would be "felt for decades" as campaigning entered the final stages.

The prime minister is hoping to regain the majority that his Conservative Party lost in 2019, with a slew of polls released on Saturday suggesting he was narrowly on course to achieve his goal.

The stakes could barely be higher, with the fate of Brexit still to be settled.

"We're fighting for every vote and... this is a critical moment for this country, the choice on Thursday is unbelievably stark," he told Sky News.&nbsp;

He compared the election to other "historic elections" such as 1906, 1945 and 1979.&nbsp;

"The impact of this election will be felt for decades to come," he wrote in an open letter.&nbsp;

A Conservative majority would almost certainly cement Britain's departure from the European Union, but any other result could lead to a second referendum and the 2016 result being overturned.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hugh-grant-is-convincing-voters-in-uk-to-not-vote-for-boris-johnson-266017">The prime minister</a> faced scrutiny over promises there would be no checks on goods moving between Northern Ireland and mainland Britain as part of his Brexit deal with Brussels.

"There's no question of there being checks," he told Sky, adding "why would we put checks on goods going from NI to GB or GB to NI? It doesn't make sense."

His claims appear to contradict a leaked government document revealed by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn this week, which suggested that businesses would need to fill in paperwork when moving goods across the Irish Sea.

Corbyn is banking on a late surge, as he achieved in 2017, to prevent Johnson from winning a majority.

'Bear down on migration'

But polls released on Saturday showed the Conservatives with an average lead of 10 per cent.

Pollsters believe that Johnson needs to be more than six points clear of Labour on Thursday to secure a majority.

The prime minister announced Sunday that he would introduce an "Australian-style" points based immigration system if elected, signalling a tightening of low-skilled immigration.

"I've said that what we want to do is bear down on a migration, particularly of unskilled workers who have no job to come to," he said.

"You've got to have a system by which party politicians can say to people, 'well, yes, we are letting people in but we're doing it in a way that is controlled'."

Exit polls from Thursday's vote will be released at 2000 GMT, but the final result will not be confirmed until Friday.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Sunday that the impact of Thursday's general election would be "felt for decades" as campaigning entered the final stages.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Sunday that the impact of Thursday's general election would be "felt for decades" as campaigning entered the final stages. The prime minister is hoping to regain the majority that his Conservative Party lost in 2019, with a slew of polls released on Saturday suggesting he was narrowly on course to achieve his goal. The stakes could barely be higher, with the fate of Brexit still to be settled. "We're fighting for every vote and... this is a critical moment for this country, the choice on Thursday is unbelievably stark," he told Sky News. He compared the election to other "historic elections" such as 1906, 1945 and 1979. "The impact of this election will be felt for decades to come," he wrote in an open letter. A Conservative majority would almost certainly cement Britain's departure from the European Union, but any other result could lead to a second referendum and the 2016 result being overturned. The prime minister faced scrutiny over promises there would be no checks on goods moving between Northern Ireland and mainland Britain as part of his Brexit deal with Brussels. "There's no question of there being checks," he told Sky, adding "why would we put checks on goods going from NI to GB or GB to NI? It doesn't make sense." His claims appear to contradict a leaked government document revealed by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn this week, which suggested that businesses would need to fill in paperwork when moving goods across the Irish Sea. Corbyn is banking on a late surge, as he achieved in 2017, to prevent Johnson from winning a majority. 'Bear down on migration' But polls released on Saturday showed the Conservatives with an average lead of 10 per cent. Pollsters believe that Johnson needs to be more than six points clear of Labour on Thursday to secure a majority. The prime minister announced Sunday that he would introduce an "Australian-style" points based immigration system if elected, signalling a tightening of low-skilled immigration. "I've said that what we want to do is bear down on a migration, particularly of unskilled workers who have no job to come to," he said. "You've got to have a system by which party politicians can say to people, 'well, yes, we are letting people in but we're doing it in a way that is controlled'." Exit polls from Thursday's vote will be released at 2000 GMT, but the final result will not be confirmed until Friday.

Impact of UK polls to be 'felt for decades': PM Boris Johnson

The Central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to renew the reservation provided to the marginalised communities like Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in Parliament and state legislatures.

Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will introduce the Constitution (126th Amendment Bill) 2019, in the Lok Sabha on Monday, that provides to further amend Article 334 of the Constitution which proposes to extend the reservation for these marginalised sections for another ten years.

Interestingly, the proposed amendment does away with the reservation provided to the Anglo Indian community in the Lok Sabha and state legislatures.

"Although SCs and STs have made considerable progress in the last 70 years, the reasons which weighed with the constituent assembly in making provisions with regard to the aforesaid reservation of seats have not yet ceased to exist.

Therefore, with a view to retaining the inclusive character as envisioned by the founding fathers of the Constitution, it is proposed to continue the reservation of seats for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes for another 10 years, that is up to 25 January 2030," the proposed Bill states.

The move was set in motion after a meeting of the BJP`s top brass, attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister and party chief Amit Shah, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Leader of House in Rajya Sabha and Social Justice Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot, in Parliament on December 3.

The need for bringing in the Bill was felt as the current reservation provision ends on January 26, 2020, and the government wants to get the approval of Parliament ahead of the deadline.

The move by the Narendra Modi government is significant as the BJP is often portrayed as being anti-reservation. Sources stated that this step is expected to send across a message that the Narendra Modi government is with the marginalised sections of the society.&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

The Central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to renew the reservation provided to the marginalised communities like Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in Parliament and state legislatures.

The Central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to renew the reservation provided to the marginalised communities like Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in Parliament and state legislatures. Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will introduce the Constitution (126th Amendment Bill) 2019, in the Lok Sabha on Monday, that provides to further amend Article 334 of the Constitution which proposes to extend the reservation for these marginalised sections for another ten years. Interestingly, the proposed amendment does away with the reservation provided to the Anglo Indian community in the Lok Sabha and state legislatures. "Although SCs and STs have made considerable progress in the last 70 years, the reasons which weighed with the constituent assembly in making provisions with regard to the aforesaid reservation of seats have not yet ceased to exist. Therefore, with a view to retaining the inclusive character as envisioned by the founding fathers of the Constitution, it is proposed to continue the reservation of seats for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes for another 10 years, that is up to 25 January 2030," the proposed Bill states. The move was set in motion after a meeting of the BJP`s top brass, attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister and party chief Amit Shah, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Leader of House in Rajya Sabha and Social Justice Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot, in Parliament on December 3. The need for bringing in the Bill was felt as the current reservation provision ends on January 26, 2020, and the government wants to get the approval of Parliament ahead of the deadline. The move by the Narendra Modi government is significant as the BJP is often portrayed as being anti-reservation. Sources stated that this step is expected to send across a message that the Narendra Modi government is with the marginalised sections of the society.

Government to introduce Bill to extend reservation for SC/ST in Lok Sabha on Monday

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