Lawmakers

Look forward to more Indian American members in US Congress: Lawmakers

Celebrating the largest representation of the community in the history of the US Congress, Indian American lawmakers on Friday said that they are looking forward to welcoming more Indian American members of Congress in the future. When I first took office in 2013, I was the only Indian American member of Congress and the third ever in our nation's history, said Congressman Dr Ami Bera, the senior-most Indian American lawmaker in the House of Representatives. Since that day, I have been committed to ensuring we grow our representation in Congress. In the past decade, I am proud to be joined by incredible Indian American colleagues from around the country -- Representatives Jayapal, Khanna, Krishnamoorthi and Thanedar, he said. With the swearing-in of the 119th Congress, our cohort has grown to a record six members with the election of Representative Subramanyam in Virginia. I look forward to welcoming even more Indian American Members of Congress in the future! Bera said, days after

UK lawmakers slam Shein for refusing to answer questions on cotton supply

A lawyer for Shein summoned to a British parliamentary hearing evaded questions Tuesday on whether the fast-fashion giant sells products containing cotton from China, angering lawmakers seeking answers on the retailer's labour practices and allegations of forced labour in its supply chains. Executives from Shein and its rival Temu were grilled on their labour rights compliance and how they source their products at Parliament's business and trade committee Tuesday. The hearing came amid reports that Shein, which was founded in China but is now based in Singapore, is preparing for a 50 billion-pound ($62 billion) listing on the London Stock Exchange in the first quarter of this year. Both global retailers are growing in popularity worldwide for selling mostly Chinese-made clothes and products at bargain prices. But they have drawn criticism over allegations that their supply chains may be tainted by forced labour, including from China's far-west Xinjiang province, where rights groups .

Russian lawmakers approve Bill that may remove terrorist tag for Taliban

The lower house of Russia's parliament on Tuesday approved a bill that would set the stage for Moscow to remove the designation of the Taliban in Afghanistan as a terrorist group. Under the bill passed by the State Duma in the second and third readings, the official terrorist designation of an organisation could be suspended by a court. The legislation still needs to be approved by the upper house and signed by President Vladimir Putin to become law. The Taliban were put on Russia's list of terrorist organisations in 2003, and any contact with such groups is punishable under Russian law. At the same time, Taliban delegations attended various forums hosted by Moscow. Russian officials have shrugged off questions about the seeming contradiction by emphasising the need to engage the Taliban to help stabilise Afghanistan. The Soviet Union fought a 10-year war in Afghanistan that ended with Moscow withdrawing its troops in 1989. Since then, Moscow has made a diplomatic comeback as a pow

US lawmakers raise concerns in new export rules on China's chip access

They criticised the introduction of the 'License Exception Restricted Fabrication Facility,' a list-based approach which they argued would be ineffective in protecting US national security

South Korea's ruling party head supports suspending Prez Yoon's powers

South Korea's ruling party chief showed support Friday for suspending the constitutional powers of President Yoon Suk Yeol for imposing martial law, in a bombshell reversal that makes Yoon's impeachment more likely. People Power Party leader Han Dong-hun said he had received intelligence that Yoon had ordered the country's defense counterintelligence commander to arrest and detain unspecified key politicians based on accusations of anti-state activities during martial law. Han on Thursday had said he would work to defeat the impeachment motion even though he criticized Yoon's martial law declaration as unconstitutional. Han said there was a need to prevent damage to citizens and supporters caused by unprepared chaos. Han said Friday that Yoon poses a significant risk of extreme actions, like reattempting to impose martial law, which could potentially put the Republic of Korea and its citizens in great danger. Impeaching Yoon would require support from two-thirds of the National ...

Martial law explained: Meaning, global cases, and the S Korean controversy

What is martial law and how has it been implemented across the globe during times of emergencies? Let's find out

Indian Ambassador to US meets top American lawmakers to strengthen ties

India's Ambassador to the United States Vinay Mohan Kwatra has begun meeting top American lawmakers to strengthen the India-US relationship, which enjoys bipartisan support in the US Congress. Kwatra, who assumed his post as the top Indian diplomat to the US in August, met Senator Jon Ossoff from Georgia at his chambers at the US Capitol on Wednesday. Appreciate his warm welcome and his support towards strengthening the India-US partnership! Kwatra said in a social media post after the meeting. On Monday, he met Senator Jeanne Shaheen from New Hampshire. Thank you Senator Jeanne Shaheen for your time, thoughts and a productive conversation on the strong upward trajectory of the India-US relationship. Look forward to working together to further strengthen our engagement! Kwatra wrote. After the November 5 general elections, the Republican Party gained a majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The new Congressional term begins in January. Until then, the ...

Lawmakers concerned about background checks of Trump's Cabinet picks

As senators prepare to consider President-elect Donald Trump's picks for his Cabinet, they may be doing so without a well-established staple of the confirmation process: an FBI background check. The Trump transition team has so far not signed the requisite agreements with the White House or the Justice Department to allow the FBI to screen his personnel choices, both for the process of obtaining security clearances and meeting the Senate's usual standards for nominations. That means the Senate could be asked to vote on Trump's picks without the usual rigorous background checking meant to uncover personal problems, criminal histories or other red flags that would raise questions about a nominee's suitability for the job. There already are questions about problematic issues related to a number of the people Trump wants in his administration. There are very real liabilities on the security side if you don't get this right, said Dan Meyer, a Washington lawyer at the Tully Rinckey law fi

US Congress passes bill to avert shutdown, deferring spending talks to Dec

The US Congress has passed a temporary measure that keeps government agencies funded into December, avoiding a shutdown for now while punting final spending decisions until after the November 5 election. The Senate approved the measure on Wednesday by a vote of 78-18 shortly after the House easily approved it. The bill generally funds agencies at current levels through December 20. But an additional USD231 million was included to bolster the Secret Service after the two assassination attempts against Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. Money was also added to aid with the presidential transition, among other things. The bill now goes to President Joe Biden's desk to be signed into law. This bipartisanship is a good outcome for America, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said moments before the vote. I hope it sets the tone for more constructive, bipartisan work when we return in the fall. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., billed the measure as doing only what's absolut

Japan's new PM likely to pledge more spending to support economy, growth

The winner of the Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) leadership race, scheduled on Sept. 27, will become next prime minister due to the party's control of parliament

African-American lawmakers support Prez Biden, but some express concern

The Congressional Black Caucus prides itself on its authority among Democrats and its influence with President Joe Biden in particular. So far, only one of its roughly 60 members have joined calls for Biden to drop his reelection bid due to concerns over his age and ability to win. But the caucus' broad backing of the president varies widely, ranging from enthusiastic support to outright skepticism. And a small but growing number are publicly expressing doubts about Biden's candidacy. Black voters are credited with helping Biden clinch the Democratic nomination four years ago and defeat Donald Trump. Whether Black lawmakers stick with the president now, and how fervently they do so, could be critical in the coming days as pressure builds from the highest levels of the Democratic Party for Biden to end his campaign. Biden's approval ratings with Black Americans are down from when he took office, reflecting weakened enthusiasm. Among Democrats nationwide, nearly two-thirds say Biden .

US lawmakers protest Boeing's firefighter lockout, urge firm to reach deal

Hoyle, a Democrat, said she hopes Boeing will come to the table and do the right thing. They prioritise safety and they invest in their workforce

Supreme Court on bribe for vote: MPs and MLAs won't get immunity

Top court's unanimous verdict overrules 1998 P V Narasimha Rao judgment

SC junks PIL seeking round-the-clock digital monitoring of lawmakers

The Supreme Court on Friday trashed a PIL seeking a direction to the Centre to digitally monitor MPs and MLAs round the clock for better governance, saying "there is something called right to privacy also". A bench comprising Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud, Justice J P Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra asked whether the court can put a "chip" in the body of the lawmakers to track their movement round the clock. At the outset, the CJI cautioned petitioner Surinder Nath Kundra, a Delhi resident, that he should be ready to pay Rs 5 lakh as a fine for misusing the judicial time on such an issue. "If you argue and we do not agree with you then a cost of Rs 5 lakh will be recovered from you as land revenue. This is public time and this is not about our ego," the bench said. "Do you realise what you are arguing? You want 24/7 monitoring of MPs and MLAs... This is done only for a convicted felon who can flee justice. There is something called right to privacy and we cannot digitall

Tory suspends lawmaker after he claims London mayor controlled by Islamists

The UK's governing Conservative Party has suspended ties with one if its lawmakers after he accused London Mayor Sadiq Khan of being controlled by Islamists, as tensions over the Israel-Hamas war roil British politics. The party said on Saturday that Lee Anderson was suspended after he refused to apologise for remarks made about Khan in a television interview on Friday. The action means that Anderson, a deputy chairman of the Conservatives until last month, will sit in Parliament as an independent. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and other senior Conservative leaders had come under increasing pressure to reject the comments, which the chairwoman of the opposition Labour Party called unambiguously racist and Islamophobic. The controversy comes as the Israel-Hamas war fuels tensions in British society. Pro-Palestinian marches in London have regularly drawn hundreds of thousands of demonstrators calling for an immediate cease-fire, even as critics describe the events as antisemitic hate ...

Present 'actionable, clearly defined' plan in March 3 meet: PM to Cabinet

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked his Cabinet ministers to prepare an "actionable, measurable and clearly defined" plan and present it in the meeting of the Council of Ministers on March 3, government sources said on Saturday. It may be noted that Modi in the last Cabinet meeting on February 21 had asked his ministerial colleagues to prepare an action plan for the next 100 days. He has asked them to undertake extensive consultation, including with experienced people like senior bureaucrats, those working on the ground and domain experts, before mapping out their action plan, the sources said. He has asked them and their ministries to brainstorm over the agenda for the period, which is also the likely duration before a new government takes office following the Lok Sabha elections expected in April-May. The prime minister, sources said, wants to ensure that the government's work goes on amid the poll cycle and his call for preparing the agenda for the next 100 days is part of su

China officials cut costs as Xi says 'belt-tightening rules here to stay'

The term xiguan is "foreseeing that the financial situation is unlikely to fundamentally improve for a considerable period in the future," said Lu Xi

Chinese lawmakers weigh stock market rescue package backed by $278 billion

Policymakers are seeking to mobilize about 2 trillion yuan ($278 billion), mainly from the offshore accounts of Chinese state-owned enterprises

Sunak will face UK lawmakers over decision to join US strikes on Yemen

Four Royal Air Force Typhoon jets took part in last week's US-led strikes on sites used by the Iran-backed rebels, who have been attacking commercial ships in the Red Sea

Lawmakers to hold discussions with select banks, insurance cos next year

Indian government, in 2019, announced the merger of 10 state-owned banks into four lenders