US to begin process to move embassy to Jerusalem: Tillerson

Agencies
December 7, 2017

Washington, Dec 7: The US will immediately begin the process to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has said, hours after President Donald Trump recognised the holy city as Israel's capital.

In a major announcement, Trump recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital yesterday despite warnings from the Arab leaders, reversing decades of US and international policy on the holy city.

"The State Department will immediately begin the process to implement this decision by starting the preparations to move the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem," Tillerson said.

The President Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital aligns the US presence with the reality that Jerusalem is home to Israel's legislature, Supreme Court, president's office, and prime minister's office, Tillerson said in a statement.

"We have consulted with many friends, partners, and allies in advance of the President making his decision. We firmly believe there is an opportunity for a lasting peace," he said.

Tillerson said the the safety of Americans was the State Department's highest priority, and with other federal agencies, it has implemented robust security plans to protect its citizens in affected regions.

In his landmark announcement, Trump said consistent with the Jerusalem Embassy Act, he was directing the State Department to begin preparation to move the American Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

"This will immediately begin the process of hiring architects, engineers and planners, so that a new embassy, when completed, will be a magnificent tribute to peace," he said.

The controversial decision received mixed reactions.

"I have long believed that Jerusalem is the true capital of Israel. However, issues surrounding the final and permanent status of Jerusalem must ultimately be resolved by Israelis and Palestinians as part of an internationally supported peace process," Senator John McCain said.

"That is why today's policy announcement, as well as any future relocation of the US Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, should be part of a comprehensive diplomatic strategy in coordination with regional partners to achieve peace and security between Israelis and Palestinians," he said.

Democratic Senator Tim Kaine, member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the reaction from across the world is "troubling", including from important allies of Israel, and asserted that the announcement could have "destabilising consequences" for a region already rife with tensions.

"I am worried about the impact of this decision on the safety of US personnel overseas and have raised my concerns with the State Department to ensure sufficient security measures are in place at all US embassies and consulates," he said.

Another Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi rued that in the absence of a negotiated settlement between Israel and the Palestinians, moving the US embassy to Jerusalem now may "needlessly spark mass protests, fuel tensions, and make it more difficult to reach a durable peace".

Senator Marco Rubio said, "Today's announcement is an important step in the right direction. Unequivocal recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital will be complete when the US embassy is officially relocated there".

Following the Trump's decision, many Arab leaders warned that it could trigger an upheaval in the already volatile Middle East.

Comments

M Parson
 - 
Friday, 8 Dec 2017

This is outmost blunder by USA & Israel. Palestinian gave Israel people to live on their land. Today they acquired the place & now they say its their. Trump will never have natural death. Its known fact that USA admin call Israeli as their father before they any decision. One day inn sha Allah these Israel people will be paid for the things which they have done to Palestinian people. USA being such big country is afraid of Israel. Hum kisi se kum nahii Hamare Dash mein dum nahii

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News Network
June 15,2020

New Delhi, Jun 15: On Monday, petrol and diesel prices across the country were raised for the ninth consecutive day by 48 paise and 59 paise, respectively.

Petrol price per litre was raised to Rs 76.26 in New Delhi, Rs 83.17 in Mumbai, Rs 79.96 in Chennai, Rs 79.17 in Hyderabad, Rs 78.73 in Bengaluru and Rs 78.10 in Kolkata.

Diesel price per litre was hiked to Rs 74.62 in New Delhi, Rs 73.21 in Mumbai, Rs 72.69 in Chennai, Rs 72.93 in Hyderabad, Rs 70.95 in Bengaluru and Rs 70.33 in Kolkata.

Since 7 June, after ending their 82-day hiatus in daily revision, state-owned oil marketing companies have increased petrol price by Rs 5 per litre and diesel by Rs 5.23 per litre.

These prices are close to levels last seen in October-November 2018 when international oil prices had spiked close to $80 per barrel. In October 2018, petrol price in Mumbai had crossed Rs 90-mark and in Delhi, it was around Rs 83 per litre.

Comparatively, on Monday, Brent crude, the international benchmark for crude oil prices, fell 2.3 percent to $37.84 a barrel over concerns of subdued demand for fuel as new coronavirus infections were reported in China and the US.

The present spike in fuel prices in India could be attributed to the fact that central and state governments, along with oil marketing companies are looking to make up for their loss in revenues due to the lockdown.

Last month, the central government had increased the excise duty on per litre of petrol by Rs 10 and per litre of diesel by Rs 13. Several state governments have also hiked their VAT or cess on fuel in the last month. In fact, now around 70 percent of the retail price of fuel is just some form of tax.

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News Network
June 26,2020

Washington, Jun 26: The United States reported more than 39,000 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, its highest-ever single-day count as the government relaxed restrictions and is downplaying the threat of the deadly virus.

According to the Washington Post, experts believe there is a troubling lack of consistent, unified messaging from President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. They have downplayed the danger and denigrated effective disease defences such as mask-wearing, testing, and social distancing.

Churches, beaches, and bars are filling up with people and so are hospital beds, the report said.

The counties home to Dallas, Phoenix, and Tampa all reported record-high averages on at least 15 straight days in June.

The hardest-hit states are California, Texas, Florida and those that thought they had the virus under control, like Utah and Oregon.

"I think the politicians are in denial," said Kami Kim, director of the Division of Infectious Disease and International Medicine at the University of South Florida.

The chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at the University of Utah Health, Andrew T. Pavia, is of the view that the push to reopen quickly even as cases climb sends a dangerous and inaccurate message.

"On the one hand, you get messages from politicians and the business community that we have to go, go, go and open up," he said. "On the other hand, you're seeing epidemiological indicators that we still have to be very careful."

"It's cognitive dissonance," he added.

The Trump administration has tried to downplay the rising number. Pence called concerns about another surge of infections "overblown," the product of media "fearmongering."

Some governors have followed the administration's lead, blaming rising caseloads on more testing.

Testifying before a congressional committee this week, Anthony S. Fauci, the nation's top infectious-diseases expert, said the new cases were "a disturbing surge" spurred by community transmission rather than testing.

"That's something I'm really quite concerned about," Fauci said. "A couple of days ago, there were 30,000 new infections. That's very disturbing to me."

Several states like Arizona, Arkansas, the Carolinas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas and Utah have recently reported new highs in the number of coronavirus patients hospitalized.

"We're seeing a 40 per cent increase in the last two weeks in hospitalizations," said Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins (D), the jurisdiction's top elected official. "We're by far at our record numbers, and we're at record numbers in north Texas. Houston is at a record, the state is at a record." The Texas Medical Center in Houston, a massive medical complex, reported Thursday that 100 per cent of the beds in its intensive care unit are occupied.

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News Network
May 9,2020

May 9: Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said the West Bengal government is not allowing trains with migrant workers to reach the state that may further create hardship for the labourers.

In a letter to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Shah said not allowing trains to reach West Bengal is "injustice" to the migrant workers from the state.

Referring to the 'Shramik Special' trains being run by the central government to facilitate transport of migrant workers from different parts of the country to various destinations, the home minister said in the letter that the Centre has facilitated more than two lakh migrants workers to reach home.

Shah said migrant workers from West Bengal are also eager to reach home and the central government is also facilitating the train services.

"But we are not getting expected support from the West Bengal. The state government of West Bengal is not allowing the trains reaching to West Bengal. This is injustice with West Bengal migrant labourers. This will create further hardship for them," Shah wrote.

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