US climate envoy John Kerry on 5-day visit to India, will attend G20 Climate Meeting in Chennai

US special presidential envoy for climate John Kerry meets India’s Minister of Power and New & Renewable Energy Raj Kumar Singh in New Delhi, India, September 13, 2021. REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis 

United States Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry is slated arrives on a five-day visit to India beginning Tuesday, July 25, 2023, days after returning from China. During his visit Kerry is visiting Chennai and Delhi, the US State Department said. In India, Kerry will attend the G20 Environment and Climate Sustainability Ministers (ECSM) Meeting in Chennai to be held on July 28, the US Department of State said in a statement. In Delhi, Kerry will meet with senior government officials to advance shared objectives on renewable and clean energy, and climate, the statement read. “Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry will travel to New Delhi and Chennai, India, July 25—29, to advance shared objectives on climate and clean energy, including mutual efforts to build a platform for investments in renewable energy and storage solutions, support the deployment of zero-emission buses, and diversify clean energy supply chains,” the US State Department said. The third Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group (ECSWG) meeting was also under India’s G20 Presidency on May 21. The three-day meeting witnessed the participation of 141 delegates from G20 countries and 10 invitee countries. The representatives of 14 international and regional organizations also attended deliberations.. Earlier, Kerry ended his four-day visit to China on July 19 without any new agreements. in fact, the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, insisted in a speech that China would pursue its goals to phase out carbon dioxide pollution at its own pace and in its own way. Still, Kerry appeared buoyed that the world’s two biggest polluters had restarted discussions, which had been frozen for a year because of strained relations over Taiwan, trade and other issues. He insisted he was not disappointed in the outcome, noting that just talking marked progress, according to the Washington Post.“We had very frank conversations but we came here to break new ground,” Kerry said, adding, “It is clear that we are going to need a little more work.” Source: https://www.newsindiatimes.com/

Read More........ → August 02, 2023

Biden's meeting with Bucharest Nine is signal of political attention – Lithuanian PM

Photo: Office of the President of the United States

VILNIUS - US President Joe Biden's meeting with representatives of the Bucharest Nine, also attended by Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, is an important signal of political and practical attention to NATO's eastern flank, Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte says.

"The meeting with the leaders of NATO's eastern flank countries is a very important signal. It has been mentioned many times over the years that the Article 5 guarantees are ironclad, they are very solid, but they have to be reinforced with a political dimension, with such political attention, and with a practical dimension, with the physical reinforcement of the eastern flank," Simonyte told the Ziniu Radijas news radio on Thursday. "This invasion (…) has given NATO second wind."

As Russia's war in Ukraine continues, many of the Bucharest Nine countries are worried that if Russian President Vladimir Putin succeeds in Ukraine, his next target could be any of these countries.

The Bucharest Nine includes Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia.

The US president concluded his four-day visit to NATO's eastern flank allies Ukraine and Poland on Wednesday. On Monday, several days before the 1st anniversary of Russia's invasion of pro-Western Ukraine, Biden made a surprise visit to Kyiv where he met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and vowed a new arms package and strong American support.

"I think it's extremely symbolic that President Biden visited Kyiv at this particular time because there was a very clear message here," the Lithuanian prime minister noted.

Putin delivered his annual speech on Tuesday and accused Western countries of causing and supporting the war in Ukraine. He also rejected Moscow's any responsibility."Clearly, the real event was President Biden in Kyiv, not Putin's speech," Simonyte said. Source: https://media.baltictimes.com/

Read More........ → February 24, 2023

Modi congratulates Mamata

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi congratulated West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee this evening and assured that the Centre will "continue to extend all possible support to the West Bengal Government to fulfil people's aspirations and also to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic". Counting the BJP's gains in a state where it only had a marginal presence, he thanked the people of Bengal for their "blessing" to the party.

"From a negligible presence earlier, BJP's presence has significantly increased," PM Modi tweeted as his party -- which aspired to 200 of Bengal's 294 seats -- looks set to win only 70-plus seats. Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress is likely to win more than the 211 seats it won in 2016.

PM Modi's congratulations came hours after several of his party leaders, including Union Minister Rajnath Singh, extended their good wishes to the Chief Minister.

In another tweet, the Prime Minister -- who addressed more than 50 meetings as part of the BJP's Mission Bengal – said: "I would like to thank my sisters and brothers of West Bengal who have blessed our party. From a negligible presence earlier, BJP’s presence has significantly increased. BJP will keep serving the people. I applaud each and every Karyakarta for their spirited effort in the polls."

The BJP has been aiming to expand their footprint in the eastern India since coming to power at the Centre in 2014. In 2015, then BJP chief Amit Shah had laid down a 200-seat goal to the state unit of the party. But over the years, while the BJP has managed to bring the states of the northeast under its control, Bengal has proved elusive yet again.

For many in the party, the disappointment has been sharp, especially after the 2019 Lok Sabha polls where the BJP managed to win 18 of the state's 42 Lok Sabha seats – a long way up from two seats.

But Babul Supriyo was the only leader who refused to congratulate her.

In a short, angry Facebook post, Mr Supriyo – whose Asansol seat was a BJP stronghold long before 2019 -- said Bengal's voters had made a "historic mistake"."Neither will I congratulate Mamata Banerjee... nor do I wish to say I 'respect' the people's verdict... sincerely think people of Bengal made a historic mistake by not giving BJP a chance... by electing this corrupt, incapable, dishonest government and a cruel lady back to power," his message read. Source: https://www.daily-bangladesh.com

Read More........ → May 08, 2021