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Reports of coal crisis baseless: Sitharaman

Reports of coal crisis baseless: Sitharaman

Rediff.com   13 Oct 2021

Amid reports of the ongoing coal shortage in the country, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stressed that there is no shortage and termed these as "absolutely baseless", saying India is a power surplus country. Sitharaman said that Power Minister R K Singh went on record just two days ago when he said absolutely baseless information is floating around that there is probably shortage of coal, shortage of other inventories which will lead to a sudden gap in the supply demand situation in the energy consumption. "Absolute baseless! There is no shortage of anything. In fact, if I recall the minister's statement, every power producing installation has the next four days' stock absolutely available within their own premises and the supply chain has not broken at all," Sitharaman said at Harvard Kennedy School on Tuesday.

India looks at close to double digit growth this year: Sitharaman

India looks at close to double digit growth this year: Sitharaman

Rediff.com   13 Oct 2021

India is looking at near close to double-digit growth this year and the country will be one of the fastest-growing economies, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said. The minister also emphasised that she expects the economic growth next year to be in the range of 7.5-8.5 per cent, which will be sustained for the next decade.

Lakhimpur violence condemnable, but what about...?: Sitharaman in US

Lakhimpur violence condemnable, but what about...?: Sitharaman in US

Rediff.com   13 Oct 2021

The Lakhimpur Kheri violence, in which four farmers were killed, is "absolutely condemnable," Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said, emphasising that there are issues of such nature happening in other parts of India equally which should be raised "when they happen and not when it suits others" because there is a Bharatiya Janata Party government in Uttar Pradesh.

Change in authority in Kabul was neither through negotiations, nor inclusive: India

Change in authority in Kabul was neither through negotiations, nor inclusive: India

Rediff.com   13 Oct 2021

Addressing the UNSC High Level Open Debate on 'Peacebuilding and sustaining peace: Diversity, state building and the search for peace', Muraleedharan said the expectations of the international community on Afghanistan, including on combating terrorism, are set out clearly in the UN Security Council Resolution 2593, that was adopted under India's Presidency of the 15-nation Council in August.

Study finds high Covid rate in 0-19 age group in India

Study finds high Covid rate in 0-19 age group in India

Rediff.com   8 Oct 2021

'Using viral genomic sequences from 9,500 COVID-19 patients, the study found an increased number of infections among younger age groups (0-19 years) and women, a lower mean age for infection and symptomatic illness/hospitalisation, higher mortality and more frequent incidences of post-vaccination infections with Delta variant compared to the non-VOC (B.1) variant,' the WHO update said.

I've never asked for raise: Indra Nooyi

I've never asked for raise: Indra Nooyi

Rediff.com   8 Oct 2021

Indra Nooyi, the former chairperson and CEO of PepsiCo, has said that she has "never, ever, ever" asked for a raise as she found it "cringeworthy" and cannot imagine working for somebody and saying "my pay is not enough." Nooyi, 65, who helmed the beverage giant PepsiCo for 12 years and stepped down as its chief executive officer (CEO) in 2018, has published a memoir 'My Life in Full'. Born in Chennai, she graduated from the Madras Christian College and studied management at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Calcutta before moving to Yale University in the US for a master's degree.

Biggest perpetrator of terrorism: India slams Pak at UN

Biggest perpetrator of terrorism: India slams Pak at UN

Rediff.com   7 Oct 2021

"We call on Pakistan to stop cleansing their own minorities including Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and others," Bhat said.

Deeply concerned over spread of weapons of mass destruction: India at UN

Deeply concerned over spread of weapons of mass destruction: India at UN

Rediff.com   5 Oct 2021

Ambassador Pankaj Sharma, Permanent Representative of India to the Conference on Disarmament (CD), Geneva, said India has been drawing the attention of the world towards these threats and the need to strengthen international cooperation to address them through its annual consensus UNGA resolution titled 'Measures to prevent terrorists from acquiring weapons of mass destruction'.

Pak is world's biggest destabilising force: India at UN

Pak is world's biggest destabilising force: India at UN

Rediff.com   5 Oct 2021

Strongly hitting out at Pakistan for again raking up the Kashmir issue at the United Nations, India has said a constructive contribution cannot be expected from a country that has an established practice of hosting terrorists and is the "epicentre" of global terrorism, and the biggest destabilising force in the world.

World leaders thank India for Covid vaccine shipments to combat pandemic

World leaders thank India for Covid vaccine shipments to combat pandemic

Rediff.com   29 Sep 2021

World leaders thanked India for its help and support in combating the coronavirus pandemic through "early and meaningful" shipments of COVID-19 vaccine doses, as they addressed the high-level UN General Assembly session this year.

Hopeful that dialogue can happen: UN on India-Pak war of word

Hopeful that dialogue can happen: UN on India-Pak war of word

Rediff.com   28 Sep 2021

India slammed Pakistan at the UN after Prime Minister Imran Khan raked up the issue of Jammu and Kashmir in his address to the 76the UN General Assembly session on Friday.

Sikh officer plans to sue US Marine Corps for full religious freedom

Sikh officer plans to sue US Marine Corps for full religious freedom

Rediff.com   27 Sep 2021

A 26-year-old Sikh-American officer in the US Marines who has been allowed to wear the turban - the first person in the 246-year history of the elite force allowed to do so, but with a few limitations, plans to sue the Corps if he is not granted full religious accommodation, according to a media report.

Pak-based terror came up in all of Modi's meetings: Shringla

Pak-based terror came up in all of Modi's meetings: Shringla

Rediff.com   26 Sep 2021

"In all the meetings the Prime Minister had, beginning with US leadership, there was a suo moto recognition of the concerns that Pakistan represents as a country that has in many senses both supported and nurtured cross-border terrorism, including in Afghanistan and from Afghanistan," he said.

The young diplomat who countered Pak PM at UNGA

The young diplomat who countered Pak PM at UNGA

Rediff.com   26 Sep 2021

First Secretary Sneha Dubey gave a blistering retort to Khan in the UN General Assembly as she delivered India's strong Right of Reply from the UNGA hall, carrying on with a tradition seen over the past few years of young Indian diplomats taking on Pakistani leaders and strongly responding to their rants over Kashmir and other internal matters of India.

Permanent UNSC seat India's top priority: Foreign secy

Permanent UNSC seat India's top priority: Foreign secy

Rediff.com   25 Sep 2021

Shringla said India will continue to work towards the reformed United Nations during its stint as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.

'When India grows, world grows': Modi at UNGA

'When India grows, world grows': Modi at UNGA

Rediff.com   25 Sep 2021

Addressing the 76th United Nations General Assembly session here, Prime Minister Modi said that today, every sixth person in the world is an Indian.

No country must take advantage of Afghan situation: PM @ UNGA

No country must take advantage of Afghan situation: PM @ UNGA

Rediff.com   25 Sep 2021

Addressing the 76th UNGA session in New York, Modi called for ensuring that no country 'tries to take advantage of the delicate situation in Afghanistan and use it for its own selfish interests'.

Pakistan is 'arsonist' disguising itself as 'fire-fighter': India at UNGA

Pakistan is 'arsonist' disguising itself as 'fire-fighter': India at UNGA

Rediff.com   25 Sep 2021

"We keep hearing that Pakistan is a 'victim of terrorism'. This is the country which is an arsonist disguising itself as a fire-fighter. Pakistan nurtures terrorists in their backyard in the hope that they will only harm their neighbours," India's first secretary Sneha Dubey said in the UN General Assembly on Friday.

Taliban seek participation at UNGA, nominate envoy

Taliban seek participation at UNGA, nominate envoy

Rediff.com   22 Sep 2021

The nomination sets up a confrontation between the Taliban and Afghanistan's fallen government envoy, Gram Isakuzai, who has held his post so far.

World seeing 'explosion' in power seizures by force: UN chief to world leaders

World seeing 'explosion' in power seizures by force: UN chief to world leaders

Rediff.com   21 Sep 2021

The world is seeing an "explosion" in seizures of power by force and military coups are back, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres told world leaders on Tuesday, lamenting that geopolitical divisions are undermining international cooperation as he called for strengthening global governance and re-igniting multilateralism.