Sushma Swaraj arrives in Saudi Arabia on 3-day visit

Agencies
February 7, 2018

Riyadh, Feb 6: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today arrived in Riyadh on her maiden visit to Saudi Arabia during which she will inaugurate the Janadriyah festival of the Gulf Kingdom, which is home to over three million Indians.

During the three-day visit, Ms Swaraj will meet with the Saudi leadership and discuss bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest.

She will also participate at the inauguration of the prestigious National Heritage and Culture Festival 'Janadriyah', at which India is the guest of honour country.

The festival, organised by the National Guard, exhibits Saudi Arabia's rich tapestry of culture and heritage.

"Warm welcome reflecting our relationship! EAM @SushmaSwaraj received by Saudi officials and Indian Ambassador Ahmad Javed on her arrival at Riyadh airport. Saudi Arabia is India's valued strategic partner," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

Ms Swaraj will inaugurate the Janadriyah festival on Wednesday.

Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh had earlier said that India's participation in the festival will be multi-faceted.

"We will have an Indian pavilion where we will project a number of Indian themes and projects. The pavilion will comprise glimpses of traditional and modern India," he said.

Saudi Arabia is home to more than 3 million Indian people and ties between the two countries are on an upswing in the last few years especially after the landmark visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Gulf Kingdom in April 2016.

Saudi Arabia is India's fourth largest trade partner after China, the US and the UAE. The country is a major source of India's energy requirement as it accounts for almost one- fifth of India's crude oil requirement.

The volume of bilateral trade during 2016-17 was recorded at USD 25.079 billion, a slight decrease from the USD 26.71 billion in 2015-16.  

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Abu Safwan
 - 
Wednesday, 7 Feb 2018

WELCOME MAM..Please try to cancel the new family levy system.  Also inform the Indian School authorities not to increase the school fees for the childrens. Thank you very much

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News Network
February 12,2020

Bengaluru, Feb 12: Hinting at the possibility of a consolidation of ex-Janata Parivar leaders, JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda said Tuesday his party was open to talk to any former Janata leaders, who are at present either in various factions of the Janata Dal or in Congress and BJP. The veteran leader also appreciated Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP's way of work.

At the party's National Executive Committee meeting held here, Gowda said that some ex-Janata Parivar leaders had reached out to him in this regard. His comments come at a time when JD(U) leader Mahima Patel recently rekindled the debate of a unified Janata Parivar.

However, Deve Gowda was clear that he was not interested in pursuing anyone who was happy with the party they were in. "It's a waste of time to pursue someone who has seen success within their party. I am not going to do that. I am willing to persuade only those who are not holding any office at present," he said. He added that he had already asked party leaders in Kerala to take the initiative and figure out ways to bring leaders together. As for other places, it would take him some time to reach out people, he added.

The party, which organised the National Executive Meet here on February 10 and 11, spoke of strategies to rejuvenate the party from the grassroots level. The party is also conducting a membership drive.

'Much to learn from AAP'

There is much to learn from Aam Aadmi Party, which registered a victory in Delhi elections on Tuesday, said Devegowda. "Kejriwal has showed that caste does not matter. There is lesson to be learnt from the work done by AAP," he said. Later in the day, Deve Gowda also wrote a letter to Arvind Kejriwal, congratulating him on his victory.

On the occasion, the party also came up with resolutions to urge the central government to release pending amount of GST it owed to state governments apart from focusing on development of labour, industries and agriculture; to demand the centre to rollback decision on CAA, NRC and NPR and to urge the centre to pass the women's reservation bill.

At the JD(S) National Executive Meet, even as news poured in about the victory of Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi elections, the JD(S) leaders celebrated Arvind Kejriwal's victory. Seeing it as an optimistic sign for regional parties across the country, the leaders distributed sweets to mark the hat trick win of Kejriwal.

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coastaldigest.com news network
May 23,2020

Mudigre, May 23: The throat swab sample of a Primary Health Care doctor at Mudigere in Chikkamagaluru district tested negative for COVID-19. 

It was wrongly tested positive for COVID-19 on May 19, clarified DC Dr Bagadi Gautham. 

The doctor's throat swab was tested again in Shivamogga and Hassan labs where it has tested negative. He will be discharged from hospital, said the DC.

All the 28 contacts of the doctor too tested negative. 

A total of 485 primary contacts and 961 secondary contacts of the doctor were quarantined after the throat swab of the doctor was tested positive. All the contacts who have been quarantined will be sent back home from quarantine centres, added DC.

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News Network
January 8,2020

Bengaluru, Jan 8: Accusing the BJP of running a "fake news factory" at full potential, former chief minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said according to reports only Rs 669 crore of additional flood relief funds are being released by the Centre for the state as opposed to the ruling party's claim of Rs 1,869.85 crore.

Reacting to his attack, the State BJP unit, without clarifying on the actuals of the amount being released, said it believed in speaking the truth and not spreading lies.

Siddaramaiah, leader of the opposition in the state assembly, tweeted: "Reports from State govt officials tells that only Rs 669 crore of addl funds (sic) are released in 2nd instalment as opposed to the claim of Rs 1870 Cr by @BJP4Karnataka leaders. At a time when manufacturing industries are closing, BJP's fake news factory is running at full potential!!"

Calling BJP leaders "devotees of the God of lies," he said in another tweet that Prime Minister Narendra Modi released an additional Rs 669.85 crore moved by Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa's plea, taking the total amount to Rs 1,869.85 crore. He said it was funny that they were attempting to depict the total relief amount as 1200+1869.85 equalling to Rs 3,069.85 crore.

Siddaramiahs tweet was in response to Karnataka BJPs tweet last night claiming that the High-Level Committee (HLC) Chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah has approved the release of Rs 1869.85 crore as central assistance to the state towards flood relief. This was in addition to Rs 1200 crore already released by the Centre in October 2019, the BJP unit had said.

On Monday, the HLC had approved additional central assistance to seven states affected by floods last year, from National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), including Karnataka.

While a PIB release states that Rs 1869.85 crore was approved for Karnataka, according to sources in the state government the figure was inclusive of Rs 1,200 crore released in October. Earlier in the day, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa while expressing confidence that more funds will be released in later stages, maintained that Rs 1869 crore has been released in addition to Rs 1,200 crore earlier, and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"...funds will never be enough, they (central government) will release in stages, they have released such big amount- earlier Rs 1200 crore, now again Rs 1869 crore- I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for it," he told reporters here.

Revenue Minister R Ashoka said the state government will press for more funds in the days to come, and the state government will fulfil promises made to those hit by floods.

Karnataka faced two spells of unprecedented rains and floods last year, resulting in widespread damage to life and property, following which the state government had submitted a report to the centre claiming loss was to the tune of about Rs 38,000 crore.

Reacting to Siddaramaiah's attack of "fake news factory" against it, the state BJP tweeted "Ayyo @siddaramaiah Avare, We surrender to You as we are incapable of running Fake News Factory like You or @INCIndia.

We believe in speaking the Truth like Gandhiji, not spreading lies like Goebbels. Kannadigas still remember the "Lies Bhagya (a scheme)" you gave them as CM from 2013-18."

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