News for 'United States Agency for International Development'

CIL floats maiden tender to import 2.416 MT coal for power sector

CIL floats maiden tender to import 2.416 MT coal for power sector

Rediff.com9 Jun 2022

State-owned CIL on Thursday said that it has floated its maiden tender to import 2.416 million tonnes of coal to ensure adequate supply of the fuel to power plants in the country. The development assumes significance in the wake of the government making all efforts to build up stock of coal to avoid the reoccurrence of power outages which happened in April on account of shortage of the fossil fuel. "In a first ever, Coal India Limited (CIL) on Wednesday floated an international competitive bidding e-tender, seeking bids for import of 2.416 million tonnes (MTs) of coal," the company said in a statement.

India must embrace Biden's B3W initiative

India must embrace Biden's B3W initiative

Rediff.com1 Jul 2021

Joe Biden's B3W proposal aims to bring democracies together. India should come up with its own plans to contribute to the initiative, states Rahul Mishra.

'Public Sector Banks Don't Like To Loan To MSMEs'

'Public Sector Banks Don't Like To Loan To MSMEs'

Rediff.com21 Jul 2022

'The approach today is, instead of giving loans to 100 MSMEs, let us give one loan to a big-ticket corporate.' 'And so many of these big fish deceived the banks and the banks are in the doldrums now with high NPAs.'

Modi, Xi capable of solving issues without outside help: Putin

Modi, Xi capable of solving issues without outside help: Putin

Rediff.com5 Jun 2021

Asserting that both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping are 'responsible' leaders, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday said they both are capable of solving issues between the two countries, and that it was important that no 'extra-regional power' should interfere in the process.

India eyes rare feat as ISRO gears up for 3rd lunar mission

India eyes rare feat as ISRO gears up for 3rd lunar mission

Rediff.com12 Jul 2023

Four years after it broke many hearts, Indian Space Research Organisation's Chandrayaan is all set to soar towards the moon in its third expedition on Friday in an attempt to put the country in an elite club of nations that accomplished lunar missions with a soft landing.

Xi offers help to Trump to combat COVID-19

Xi offers help to Trump to combat COVID-19

Rediff.com27 Mar 2020

Trump spoke to Xi over telephone, days after the US president angered Beijing by referring to the coronavirus as "Chinese virus" and his Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said China's ruling Communist Party poses a substantial threat" to Americans' health and their way of life.

North Korea threatens to hit US military base after Trump's 'fire and fury' warning

North Korea threatens to hit US military base after Trump's 'fire and fury' warning

Rediff.com9 Aug 2017

Media reports said North Korea has successfully miniaturised a nuclear warhead that can fit inside its missiles.

Arunachal Pradesh has ALWAYS been part of India

Arunachal Pradesh has ALWAYS been part of India

Rediff.com15 Dec 2021

China has long coveted Arunachal Pradesh, which it calls Southern Tibet. But, as Venkataraghavan Subha Srinivasan explains, in 1947, the present state of Arunachal Pradesh constituted the North East Frontier Tract of Assam. When India adopted its Constitution on 26 January 1950, NEFT became 'a separate politico-administrative entity' although it was constitutionally still a part of Assam. Its administration was brought directly under the President of India with the Governor of Assam acting as his agent. A revealing excerpt from his book The Origin Story of India's States.

White House says Iran has clandestine nuke programme

White House says Iran has clandestine nuke programme

Rediff.com1 May 2018

Information released by Israel provided new and compelling details about Iran's efforts to develop missile-deliverable nuclear weapons, says WH.

In MP, RSS internal report warns of unhappiness at ground level

In MP, RSS internal report warns of unhappiness at ground level

Rediff.com13 Nov 2018

Despite his ministers on shaky ground, Chouhan -- at the helm for three consecutive terms -- is holding the fort. He is being aided by a capable team for public relations and the RSS, which has deployed its workers to bolster the BJP's campaign, reports Sandeep Kumar.

India abstains from UN vote condemning Russia's annexations

India abstains from UN vote condemning Russia's annexations

Rediff.com13 Oct 2022

The 193-member general assembly voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday to condemn Russia's "illegal so-called referendums in regions within the internationally recognised borders of Ukraine and the attempted illegal annexation of the Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine, following the organisation of the above-mentioned referendums".

India's auto revolution is driving global oil demand

India's auto revolution is driving global oil demand

Rediff.com16 May 2016

India is currently the world's fourth-largest oil consumer after the United States, China and Japan

Bharat Biotech has two more Covid vaccines in pipeline

Bharat Biotech has two more Covid vaccines in pipeline

Rediff.com16 Jan 2021

First a scientist and then a businessman, founder chairman Krishna Ella quit his faculty position at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, United States, in 1996 to return to India.

Global vaccine supply hit due to Covid surge in India:

Global vaccine supply hit due to Covid surge in India:

Rediff.com28 May 2021

The 'terrible' surge of the coronavirus cases in India has severely impacted COVAX's vaccine supply in the second quarter of this year to the extent that there will be a shortfall of 190 million doses by the end of June, according to a joint statement by the WHO, UNICEF, GAVI and CEPI.

IMF cuts India's FY22 growth forecast to 9%

IMF cuts India's FY22 growth forecast to 9%

Rediff.com26 Jan 2022

The IMF on Tuesday cut India's economic growth forecast by 0.5 percentage points to 9 per cent for the current fiscal year, with its chief economist Gita Gopinath saying that the slight downgrade is mainly due to the impact of the spread of the Omicron variant. "If you look at the 2021-22 fiscal year, we have a slight downgrade of -0.5 percentage points and for the next fiscal year 2022-23 we have a slight upgrade of 0.5 percentage points. So, growth for the previous fiscal year is now nine per cent and for this year now is at nine per cent. We moved it up slightly," Gopinath told reporters during a news conference in Washington. In its latest update of World Economic Outlook on Tuesday, the International Monetary Fund has cut India's economic growth forecast to 9 per cent for the current fiscal year ending March 31, joining a host of agencies which have downgraded their projections on concerns over the impact of the spread of Omicron on business activity and mobility.

From Russia with love: Putin sings praises of Trump

From Russia with love: Putin sings praises of Trump

Rediff.com18 Dec 2015

Russian President Vladimir Putin described Trump as a "talented and outstanding man".

Reliance Power commissions world's largest solar project

Reliance Power commissions world's largest solar project

Rediff.com12 Nov 2014

The project is the largest investment undertaken by any private sector entity in CSP in India.

Japanese PM Shinzo Abe to be Republic Day chief guest

Japanese PM Shinzo Abe to be Republic Day chief guest

Rediff.com6 Jan 2014

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will be the chief guest at this year's Republic Day parade at Rajpath in New Delhi.

South Korea allows mango exports from India

South Korea allows mango exports from India

Rediff.com20 Mar 2017

Mangoes from India are popular in the Middle East, the Far East, the United States and European countries.

China goes on offensive against US at bilateral talks

China goes on offensive against US at bilateral talks

Rediff.com26 Jul 2021

Talks between Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Xie Feng and US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman to improve the relations got off on a rough note at the northeastern Chinese port city of Tianjin, with Xie launching a blistering attack on Washington, accusing it of being the "owner of coercive diplomacy".

US mediation on Kashmir was just a wish, not a demand: Aziz

US mediation on Kashmir was just a wish, not a demand: Aziz

Rediff.com24 Oct 2015

Rebuffed by the Obama administration on its effort to seek US intervention on Kashmir, Pakistan has said that it has never made such a "demand" and just presented its wish list to Americans on the issue.

Trump abruptly calls off US Secretary Pompeo's visit to North Korea

Trump abruptly calls off US Secretary Pompeo's visit to North Korea

Rediff.com25 Aug 2018

Trump's decision to call off the visit came just a day after Pompeo had announced that the newly appointed special representative for North Korea Steve Biegun and he will be travelling to North Korea next week to "make further diplomatic progress towards our objective."

Jinping visits Xinjiang, says Islam in China must be Chinese in orientation

Jinping visits Xinjiang, says Islam in China must be Chinese in orientation

Rediff.com16 Jul 2022

During his four-day tour of the region which started on July 12, Xi met with officials.

'You can't run a country where people...'

'You can't run a country where people...'

Rediff.com31 Aug 2023

'... are losing faith in the institutions of government, where people do not believe that the institutions of government operate according to the Constitution, within the confines of the law, where these institutions are seen to be representing a small faction of a particular community against all other (minority) communities.'

Swaraj seeks probe into Sherin's adoption, WCD says process transparent

Swaraj seeks probe into Sherin's adoption, WCD says process "transparent"

Rediff.com27 Oct 2017

"After baby Saraswati @ Sherin Mathews' case, have requested minister for women and child development for a thorough investigation into the adoption process," External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted on Friday.

Trump warns Iran of 'major retaliation' in case of attack

Trump warns Iran of 'major retaliation' in case of attack

Rediff.com6 Jan 2020

United States President Donald Trump has warned Iran of "major retaliation" if Tehran carries out any attack against America to avenge the killing of top military commander Qasem Soleimani and hinted at striking its cultural sites. His statement came hours after Iran announced it will no longer abide by the limits contained in the 2015 landmark nuclear deal.

Modi-Biden talks: A call on Taliban to end terror

Modi-Biden talks: A call on Taliban to end terror

Rediff.com25 Sep 2021

In a US-India Joint Leaders' Statement issued after the first in-person bilateral meeting between US President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House on Friday, the two leaders underscored the importance of combating terrorism in Afghanistan.

Islam 'Isi' Siddiqui quits Obama administration

Islam 'Isi' Siddiqui quits Obama administration

Rediff.com26 Dec 2013

Ambassador Islam 'Isi' Siddiqui, one of the highest ranking Indian Americans in the Obama administration, has resigned from his position as chief agricultural negotiator in the office of the United States Trade Representative.

Full text: What Modi, Obama agreed on

Full text: What Modi, Obama agreed on

Rediff.com25 Jan 2015

This is the joint statement issued by the ministry of external affairs on the visit of US President Barack Obama to India.

North Korea launches missile but attempt ends in failure

North Korea launches missile but attempt ends in failure

Rediff.com16 Apr 2017

CNN quoted a South Korean defence official as saying that the missile launch was carried out from North Korea's Sinpo region in South Hamgyong Province.

Russia plays down athletics ban

Russia plays down athletics ban

Rediff.com14 Nov 2015

'What will happen? Yes, nothing will happen. Athletics will develop, the guys will train. Well, they will miss maybe one tournament'

Will impose more sanctions on N Korea, says Trump; talks to Xi

Will impose more sanctions on N Korea, says Trump; talks to Xi

Rediff.com29 Nov 2017

During the phone call, Trump underscored the determination of the US to defend itself and its allies from the growing threat posed by the North Korean regime, the White House said.

Russia reaches out to Kerala for Sputnik V plant

Russia reaches out to Kerala for Sputnik V plant

Rediff.com29 Jul 2021

The government may look at areas around Thonnakkal, in Thiruvananthapuram district, for the facility. If successful, this would be one of the few sites of Sputnik V owned by Russian firms outside that country. Shine Jacob and Sohini Das report.

PFI, 8 other outfits banned under UAPA for 5 years for terror links

PFI, 8 other outfits banned under UAPA for 5 years for terror links

Rediff.com28 Sep 2022

The Centre has imposed a ban on the Popular Front of India (PFI) and several of its associates for their alleged terror activities.

Pak Army Chief Is In No Mood To Forgive Imran Khan

Pak Army Chief Is In No Mood To Forgive Imran Khan

Rediff.com6 Mar 2023

The military establishment is in no mood to forgive or forget Imran's anti-military utterances, observes Rana Banerji, who headed the Pakistan desk at RAW, India's external intelligence agency.

What US looks like during a shutdown

What US looks like during a shutdown

Rediff.com14 Jan 2019

A partial United States government shutdown over President Donald Trump's demand for $5.7 billion to build a wall along the US-Mexico border entered its 23rd day on Sunday making it the longest shuttering of federal agencies in the country's history, with no end in sight. The closure, which began on December 22, broke a decades-old record by a 1995-1996 shutdown under former US President Bill Clinton that lasted 21 days.

5% cancer cases in India last yr linked to drinking: Study

5% cancer cases in India last yr linked to drinking: Study

Rediff.com15 Jul 2021

Globally, the researchers found that more than 7,40,000 or four per cent of new cancer cases in 2020 may be attributed to alcohol drinking.

Father of Pakistan's nuclear bomb AQ Khan passes away at 85

Father of Pakistan's nuclear bomb AQ Khan passes away at 85

Rediff.com10 Oct 2021

AQ Khan, a controversial scientist known as the father of Pakistan's clandestine nuclear programme, passed away here on Sunday after a brief illness. He was 85.

North Korea will take part in next two Olympics: IOC

North Korea will take part in next two Olympics: IOC

Rediff.com31 Mar 2018

North Korea will take part in the next two Olympic Games in Japan and China, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said on Saturday after meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang.

'Modi hit the ball out of the park'

'Modi hit the ball out of the park'

Rediff.com9 Jun 2016

'The speech he delivered had a profound impact on my colleagues,' US Congressman Ed Royce, Chairman of the House Foreign Relations Committee, tells Aziz Haniffa/Rediff.com in an exclusive interview.