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Hello Jammu News at 6:44:00 PM 0


Paris, Oct 12 (PTI) Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Friday visited a production facility of French aerospace major Dassault Aviation near Paris where the Rafale jets to be supplied to India are being manufactured, official sources said.


They said during her visit to the plant in Argenteuil, Sitharaman spoke to officials of the Dassault Aviation, the makers of Rafale, and took stock of progress in production of the fighter jets whose delivery to India will begin in September next year.

Sitharaman arrived in Paris Thursday on a three-day visit in the midst of a massive controversy over the procurement of 36 Rafale jets under a Rs 58,000 crore government-to-government deal between India and France.

Last evening, Sitharaman held wide-ranging talks with her French counterpart Florence Parly on ways to deepen the strategic and defence cooperation between the two countries.

The talks were held under the framework of the annual Indo-French defence ministerial dialogue which was agreed to during the summit meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron in March.

Official sources said the two defence ministers held a one-on-one meeting followed by delegation-level talks, covering a range of bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interests.

They said both the sides deliberated on co-production of military platforms and weapons by the two countries besides expanding cooperation between their armed forces, particularly in the maritime domain.

It was not immediately known whether the Rafale deal figured in the talks.

Sitharaman's visit to France came in the backdrop of a fierce political backlash between the ruling BJP and Congress over the procurement of the jets.

In a report Wednesday, French publication Mediapart said Dassault Aviation, the manufacturer of Rafale, had to choose Ambani's firm Reliance Defence as its offsets partner in India as a trade-off for getting the deal.

When asked about the allegations, Sitharaman said that offset obligations for the deal are mandatory but not the names of the companies.

In a statement, Dassault Aviation said it has "freely chosen to make a partnership with Reliance Group, as it rejected the report by French publication Mediapart".

The latest report followed former French president Francois Hollande's comments last month that France was given "no choice" on selection of the Indian partner for Dassault and the Indian government proposed the name of the Indian company. Hollande was the French president when the Rafale deal was sealed.

The Congress has been alleging massive irregularities in the deal, saying the government was procuring each aircraft at a cost of over Rs 1,670 crore as against Rs 526 crore finalised by the UPA government when it was negotiating the deal.

The Congress has also been targeting the government over selection of Reliance Defence as an offset partner for Dassault.

The government has vehemently rejected the allegations and asserted that it did not have any role in the selection of Reliance Defence.

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Hello Jammu News at 11:30:00 AM 0


Paris, Oct 11 (AFP) Dassault Aviation's joint venture with Reliance represents around 10 per cent of the offset investments under the Rafale jet deal, Dassault CEO Eric Trappier has said. 


"We're in talks with about 100 Indian firms, including around 30 with which we've already confirmed partnerships," Trappier told AFP.

Separately on Thursday, speaking at a briefing in Paris, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman reiterated the government's claim that it had no idea that Dassault Aviation would team up with Reliance Group, run by Anil Ambani.

Several reports say Dassault was forced to choose Reliance by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, despite its having almost no experience in the aviation sector.

On the eve of Sitharaman's visit, French investigative website Mediapart quoted the notes of a meeting between Dassault management and workers' representatives which described the choice of Reliance as "imperative and compulsory".

"We are very clear: With the government of France, we agreed to purchase 36 Rafale aircraft in flyaway condition," Sitharaman said.

"And in an intergovernmental agreement, there are no mentions of any individual firms," she said.

"It is more for the companies which have chosen A, B or C as their partners to answer questions if there are any," she said.

In a statement, Dassault released a transcript of what it said was Trappier's interview with AFP in which he was asked about the status of the offsets.

"Signing an offset contract is a requirement of Indian law (Defence Procurement Procedure). The implementation of offsets is an obligation and, under the Indian regulation, the choice of the partners belongs to us, Trappier was quoted as saying.

"In full compliance with this regulation, Dassault Aviation therefore decided to set up the DRAL joint venture with Reliance and build a plant in Nagpur, which should enable us to meet about 10% of these offset obligations. We are in negotiations with about a hundred Indian companies and partnerships have already been concluded with about thirty of them," he was quoted as saying.

He said what is called offset in English is usually translated into French as compensation or contrepartie . With regard to the staff and trades unions organizations, Dassault Aviation uses the term obligation contractuelle d'offset or obligation contractuelle de compensation , he said.

Dassault negotiated for years with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the order, with the jets being jointly built in India.

But those talks were cancelled after Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office, when he decided to purchase the jets directly from France. 

Asked why Dassault chose Reliance over HAL as its partner, Trappier said Dassault Aviation decided to establish a long-term presence in India through DRAL, a joint enterprise in which governance is provided by an Indian Chief Executive Officer and a French Chief Operating Officer. 

"Dassault Aviation therefore exercises technical and industrial control over the operations, applying its standards and its flexibility. This JV will produce parts for the Falcon 2000 and Rafale. The choice of the Nagpur site, in central India, was dictated by the availability of land with direct access to an airport runway, he was quoted as saying.

Dassault on Wednesday said it had "freely chosen" to form a joint venture with Reliance. But that stance was contradicted recently by former French president Francois Hollande, under whose watch the Rafale deal was signed.

Hollande said last month that France had "no choice" but to join with Reliance after it was pushed by the Indian government -- comments which were seized upon by Indian opposition parties.

Under Indian defence procurement rules, foreign companies winning contracts must "offset" or reinvest half the total value -- in this case around eight billion euros -- in joint ventures or purchases with Indian firms. (AFP) VJ PYK PMS

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Hello Jammu News at 3:00:00 PM 0

Paris, Sep 13: The migrant hero nicknamed "Spiderman" for saving a child hanging off a balcony by scaling a Paris apartment block with his bare hands has become a French citizen, according to a government decree.

Nimble 22-year-old Mamoudou Gassama from Mali was granted a fast-track to French nationality and a job in the fire service after the daring rescue in May.

"This act of great bravery exemplifies the values which help unite our national community, such as courage, selflessness, altruism and taking care of the most vulnerable," said the official document published Wednesday.

Gassama, who had been in France illegally, was catapulted to global fame by the extraordinary feat captured in footage seen by millions on social media.

The video showed the former construction worker jumping from one floor to the next, hauling himself up with impressive athleticism towards the four-year-old boy dangling above.

He was congratulated in person by President Emmanuel Macron two days later and also met Mali's President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in the capital of the West African country.

Gassama arrived in France in September 2017 after travelling the perilous Mediterranean migrant route and found a job in the construction industry despite not having the right to work.

He has received international acclaim for his bravery but activists have accused the French government of "hypocrisy", pointing to its treatment of other migrants.

In August a controversial asylum and immigration bill was signed into French law, designed to accelerate asylum procedures by cutting the maximum processing time.

The new law was passed despite opposition on the left which decried an effort to limit arrivals while the far right saw the measure as not going far enough. (AFP)
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Hello Jammu News at 5:03:00 PM 0

Paris, Aug 23: A man armed with a knife killed one person and seriously injured two others today morning in a town about 30 kilometres (20 miles) southwest of Paris, a police source told.

The man was "neutralised" by police in Trappes after trying to hide in a building, the source said, without specifying if he had been killed.

It was unclear if the violence was terror-related.

Trappes has a population of around 30,000 and is part of the far suburbs of the greater Paris area.

Only a short drive from the wealthy area of Versailles, home to the world-famous Versailles Palace, the town is known for problems linked to poverty, gangs and hardline interpretations of Islam.

It has a large Muslim population and about 50 locals are suspected of having left France to fight for the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq, French security sources have previously told. (AFP)
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Hello Jammu News at 12:32:00 PM 0

Paris, Jul 28: The longest "blood moon" eclipse this century dazzled skygazers across the globe, coinciding with Mars' closest approach in 15 years in a thrilling celestial spectacle.

As Earth's constant companion slowly sailed across the skies, crowds gathered around the world yesterday to catch a glimpse of the rare phenomenon.

Beside Lake Magadi, 100 kilometres southwest of the Kenyan capital Nairobi, young members of the Maasai community watched the eclipse through a high-powered telescope provided by a local couple.

"Until today I thought Mars, Jupiter and the other planets were in the imagination of scientists," Purity Sailepo, 16, told AFP.

"But now I've seen it I can believe it and I want to be an astronomer to tell other people." Unlike with a solar eclipse, viewers did not need protective eye gear to observe the rare display.

For about half the world, the moon was partly or fully in Earth's shadow from 1714 to 2328 GMT -- six hours and 14 minutes in all.

The period of complete eclipse -- known as "totality", when the moon appears darkest -- lasted from 1930 to 2113 GMT.

At the same time, Mars hovered near the moon in the night sky, easily visible to the naked eye.

Amateur astronomers in the southern hemisphere were best-placed to witness the rare sight, especially in southern Africa, Australia, and Madagascar, though it was also visible in Europe, South Asia and South America.

More than 2,000 people including many children armed with binoculars gathered in the Tunisian capital of Tunis.

"I hope this eclipse will bring us happiness and peace," said Karima, 46, without taking her eyes off the sky.

However, bad weather thwarted the cosmic display in several parts of the world.

Widespread monsoon rainstorms and thick clouds hid the moon across much of India and its neighbours, which should have had a prime view.

Similarly, eager observers who had assembled on cliffs and beaches in the English county of Dorset were left in the dark due to an overcast sky.

"It's disappointing," Tish Adams, 67, told AFP. "I took a few photos but there was nothing but a streak of pink in the sky."

Those gathered in Brazil's Rio de Janeiro had more luck, snapping the red moon in the clear night sky with their phones and cameras.

"I thought it was very pretty and I liked the planet Mars even more, which you could see right next to the moon," said Talita Oliveira, 34.

Mars appeared unusually large and bright, a mere 57.7 million kilometres (35.9 million miles) from Earth on its elliptical orbit around the sun.

A total lunar eclipse happens when Earth takes position in a straight line between the moon and sun, blotting out the direct sunlight that normally makes our satellite glow whitish-yellow.

The moon travels to a similar position every month, but the tilt of its orbit means it normally passes above or below the Earth's shadow -- so most months we have a full moon without an eclipse.

When the three celestial bodies are perfectly lined up, however, the Earth's atmosphere scatters blue light from the sun while refracting or bending red light onto the moon, usually giving it a rosy blush.

This is what gives the phenomenon the name "blood moon", though Mark Bailey of the Armagh Observatory in Northern Ireland said the colour can vary greatly.

It depends partly on "how cloudy or transparent those parts of the Earth's atmosphere are which enable sunlight to reach the moon", he told AFP.

"During a very dark eclipse the moon may be almost invisible." The long duration of this eclipse is partly due to the fact that the moon will make a near-central passage through Earth's umbra -- the darkest, most central part of the shadow.

The moon was also at the farthest point on its orbit from Earth, making its movement across the sky slower from our perspective, thus spending longer in the dark.

NASA, meanwhile, called out social media hoaxers claiming that Mars would appear as big as the moon during the eclipse.

"If that were true, we'd be in big trouble given the gravitational pulls on Earth, Mars, and our moon!" the NASA website stated.

Mars instead appeared as a very bright star.

"In the middle of a lunar eclipse it can look as if a red planet has taken up residence near the Earth -- they are both eerie and beautiful," said Robert Massey of the Royal Astronomical Society in London.  (AFP)
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Hello Jammu News at 4:13:00 PM 0

Paris, Jul 12: Rising global oil supply, driven by crude giants Saudi Arabia and Russia, may come under pressure as key producers face disruptions, the International Energy Agency said today.

The IEA welcomed in its July report last month's agreement between the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and Russia to open the taps in order to bring prices down from multi-year highs.

But it pointed to supply disruptions in Libya after a string of attacks on infrastructure.

It also highlighted continuing unrest in Venezuela and a drop in Iranian exports after President Donald Trump announced he was pulling the United States out of the landmark nuclear deal reached in 2015.

"The large number of disruptions reminds us of the pressure on global oil supply," the IEA said.

"This will become an even bigger issue as rising production from Middle East Gulf countries and Russia, welcome though it is, comes at the expense of the world's spare capacity cushion, which might be stretched to the limit."

The IEA report was published a day after both main oil contracts were sent into freefall by worries over a stronger dollar and the impact of the global trade war on demand.

The selling was also fanned by Libya's resumption Wednesday of oil exports from its eastern production heartland after a showdown between the war-torn country's rival authorities.

Even though Libyan exports have resumed, the IEA remains worried for the future.

"At the time of writing, the situation seemed to be improving, but we cannot know if stability will return," it said.

Also worrisome was the unabating unrest in Venezuela, which has sent output from the Latin American oil giant crashing in recent weeks.

And while Iran has yet to feel the full impact of renewed US sanctions, the IEA fears there could be "an even steeper reduction than the 1.2 million barrels per day seen during the previous round of sanctions".

Iraq, which is also chronically restive, does not have spare capacity either, leaving most of the job of hiking OPEC production to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait.

"We see no sign of higher production from elsewhere that might ease fears of market tightness," the IEA said.

Saudi Arabia and Russia opened their taps ahead of a key Vienna meeting in June where OPEC and Moscow agreed to up output in order to bring prices down.

"Already in June the two key producers lifted output by more than 500,000 barrels per day between them," the IEA said.

"Saudi Arabia's sharp increase allowed it to overtake the US and reclaim its position as the world's second largest crude producer, and if it carries out its intention to produce at a record rate near 11 million barrels per day this month, it will challenge Russia," it added.

But they alone cannot carry the burden of keeping the oil market stable.

"Despite higher output in June, OPEC oil supply was down 700,000 barrels per day compared to a year ago, with Venezuela lower by nearly 800,000 barrels per day, Angola by 210,000 barrels per day and Libya by 130,000 barrels per day," the IEA said.

"Even so, global oil output was 1.25 million barrels per day higher than a year ago as rampant US output underpinned healthy non-OPEC growth." (AFP)
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Hello Jammu News at 7:24:00 PM 0
Paris, Jun 19 : India will construct a war memorial at Villers Guislain, a town around 200 km from Paris, to highlight the contribution of the soldiers of the undivided India to the freedom of France in the World War I.
This was announced by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

"India will construct an Indian Armed Forces Memorial at Villers Guislain," she said.

This will be the second such memorial in Europe, she said.

During the World War I, Villers-Guislain had witnessed a fierce battle in which the British Indian cavalry regiments were heavily involved. The town was liberated on September 29, 2018.

Swaraj, who arrived here from Rome yesterday on the second leg of her four-nation tour, addressed the Indian diaspora at a reception organised in her honour. She said that Indians in every part of the world carry India and its civilisational ethos in their heart.

She also addressed the Indian students and unveiled a plaque at the India Hostel to commemorate the golden jubilee of the landmark building.

"Bridging the gap between India and France through people-to-people connect! EAM @SushmaSwaraj with the Indian students staying at Maison de l'Inde or Indian hostel on the occasion of its 50th anniversary," Ministry of External Affairs Spokesman Raveesh Kumar tweeted. PTI

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Hello Jammu News at 12:59:00 PM 0
Paris, Jun 19 : India and France are working to shape a strong development partnership, including in the fields of science and technology, clean energy and infrastructure, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has said as she met the country's top leadership and discussed issues of mutual interest from a strategic perspective.


Swaraj, who arrived here from Rome yesterday on the second leg of her four-nation tour, called on French President Emmanuel Macron and discussed follow up to the understandings reached during his visit to India in March this year. 

She also met her French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian and the two leaders held in-depth and constructive discussions on full range of bilateral relationship, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

"Our trade, capital and technology partnerships are registering impressive growth. Bilateral trade touched Euros 9.85 billion (or USD 10.95 billion) last year. But, we need to do more to reach the set target of trade in goods to 15 billion Euros by 2022," Swaraj was quoted as saying by Kumar.

"India and France are also working to shape a strong development partnership, including in the fields of smart urbanisation, science & technology, clean energy, transportation, and infrastructure sectors," she said.

She said the visits of Prime Minister Modi to France in April 2015 and June 2017 and Macron to India have infused new momentum and dynamism to bilateral strategic partnership, brought about increased political convergence and built deep mutual trust.



Swaraj also met Philippe Etienne, Diplomatic Advisor to Macron, and exchanged views on bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest from a strategic perspective. 

India and France are celebrating the 20th anniversary of their Strategic Partnership.
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Hello Jammu News at 7:29:00 PM 0

PARIS, May 3: If there's one industry Emmanuel Macron has sought to tie his political fortunes to since storming to victory in France's presidential election last May, it's technology.
Barely a month after he entered the Elysee Palace, the world's largest start-up incubator opened its doors on the other side of Paris, bringing hi-tech buzz to the French capital.
Station F, created by telecoms billionaire Xavier Niel, an ally of the president, had long been in the works. But the timing of its opening -- and the fact Macron attended it -- has created a connection between the two.
So after a year in office, has Macron, a 40-year-old former investment banker and self-confessed tech champion, managed to breathe new life into French entrepreneurship?
Roxanne Varza, a 33-year-old Iranian-American whom Niel put in charge of Station F, is quick to emphasise that France's start-up scene didn't begin with Macron. But she acknowledges that the president's youth, energy and enthusiasm have raised its profile, stimulating the flow of ideas and investment.
"It's not something that changed from one day to the next as soon as he arrived," said Varza, a fluent French speaker and former start-up adviser at Microsoft France.
"(But) we've definitely seen a lot of international funds, international entrepreneurs, starting to get more interested in coming to or coming back to France to create their business," since he took office, she told Reuters.
"We've really seen him send a pro-business message, and a lot of investors have taken hold of that."
*** For a package examining the impact of Macron's first year in office on France's economy, please see: ***
START-UP 'ECOSYSTEM'
Since its opening last June, Station F, occupying a vast train depot in the edgy southeast of Paris, has taken in around 2,000 start-ups, with entrepreneurs from the United States, Britain, China and India, alongside France.
As well as providing an environment for ideas to percolate and grow, the incubator houses venture capital, private equity and other early-stage investors, and makes room for corporate partners such as Facebook and Microsoft, too.
The aim -- ambitious as it may sound -- is to have 10,000 start-ups pass through Station F in the first five years, with the hope that the next Uber or Spotify will be among them.
Since coming to office, Macron has talked about wanting France to be a world leader in artificial intelligence and 'deep-tech', and several of the world's biggest tech firms have announced plans to invest with that goal in mind.
When foreign leaders, business tycoons or dignitaries visit, one of their first stops is usually at Station F.
The incubator keeps its focus broad -- start-ups can be in AI, gaming, the environment, medical or any sector. The key, says Varza, is to create an 'ecosystem' of ideas and the funds to back them, from gestation through later-stage development.
One of the first policy initiatives Macron undertook was to make it easier for companies to fire and hire. Now he's promising to cut corporate tax rates and abolish an 'exit tax' levied on entrepreneurs who take assets out of France.
Overall, the aim is to change the image of France as a place to invest and do business.
"He's been able to really communicate a message that there's a lot going on here, there's a lot of opportunity, and the government wants to help and make things easier," said Varza.
France still lags Britain and Germany when it comes to how much money its start-ups raise, and the three combined are a fraction of the United States. But Station F, and Macron, are hoping incremental change will pay off over time.
"When you come to Paris, you see the Louvre, you see the Eiffel Tower and now you see Station F," said Varza. "It's great for our start-ups to have that sort of exposure." REUTERS
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Hello Jammu News at 4:56:00 PM 0


Paris, Mar 24: The so-called Islamic State says it was behind deadly gun attacks in southwestern France on Friday in which a man shouting "Allahu Akbar" stormed into a supermarket and took hostages, a report of the Euronews said on Saturday.
The lone gunman was shot dead when security forces raided the store in the small town of Trèbes after a siege.
By that time, however, he had killed a total of three people and injured 16 others.
The French police officer who volunteered to trade places with a hostage during the siege has died, said Interior Minister Gerard Collomb on Saturday.
45-year-old lieutenant colonel Arnaud Beltrame offered to trade places with a hostage, said Collomb, in what he described an 'act of heroism'.
According to Collomb, he had a call running on his mobile phone throughout the attack to allow police units to monitor the situation inside the supermarket.
"And so he stayed with him. The terrorist opened fire. The tactical unit intervened. And shot down the terrorist."
The gunman, named as local man Redouane Lakdim, 25, of Moroccan origin, was known as a petty criminal.
However, Paris Prosecutor Francois Molins revealed on Friday night that Lakdim had been monitored by security services for links "with the Salafist movement".
Molins said that when Lakdim entered the shop, in which some 50 people were present, he claimed to be a "soldier" of Daesh (Islamic State), ready to die for Syria.
He also demanded the liberation of 'brothers' before shooting dead a customer and a member of staff.
Initial media reports suggested Lakdim demanded particularly the release of Salah Abdeslam - the prime surviving suspect in the ISIL attacks that killed 130 people in Paris in 2015.
Molins also revealed that Lakdim had threatened to blow up the store before security forces moved in.
Before seizing hostages, Lakdim had already shot one person dead and injured another while stealing a car on Friday in the nearby town of Carcassonne, which is one of France's top tourist attractions.
He then shot at four police officers who were jogging, injuring one of them, before taking hostages at the supermarket in Trèbes, about 8 km to the east, where two people died.
The Portuguese government indicated on Friday night that a Portuguese citizen was among those killed in the attacks.
Molins said that a person in the immediate entourage of Lakdim had been placed in custody on Friday night.
More than 240 people have been killed in France in attacks since 2015 by assailants who pledged allegiance to so-called Islamic State or were inspired by the group.
The last deadly attack in France was in October 2017 when a Tunisian-born man stabbed two young women to death in Marseille before he was shot dead by soldiers. ISIL also claimed responsibility for that attack. UNI
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Hello Jammu News at 1:23:00 PM 0


Paris, Dec 5: French President Emmanuel Macron has told Donald Trump that he was "concerned" the US leader could unilaterally recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital.
Any decision on the contested city's status must be "within the framework of negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians", Mr Macron said, according to the BBC News on Tuesday.
Earlier, similar warnings came from a number of Arab and Muslim nations.
Reports say the US president will recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital this week.
Both Israelis and Palestinians claim the city as their capital.
The White House said Mr Trump would miss Monday's deadline to sign a waiver delaying the relocation of the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
But White House spokesman Hogan Gidley stressed that "the president has been clear on this issue from the get-go: It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when".
Every president, including Mr Trump, has signed the waiver every six months since US Congress passed an act in 1995 calling for the embassy to be moved.
The status of Jerusalem goes to the heart of Israel's conflict with the Palestinians, who are backed by the rest of the Arab and wider Islamic world.
The city is home to key religious sites sacred to Judaism, Islam and Christianity, especially in East Jerusalem.
Israel occupied the area in the 1967 Middle East war and regards the entire city as its indivisible capital.
The Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state, and according to 1993 Israel-Palestinian peace accords, its final status is meant to be discussed in the latter stages of peace talks.
Israeli sovereignty over Jerusalem has never been recognised internationally, and all countries, including Israel's closest ally the US, maintain their embassies in Tel Aviv.
Since 1967, Israel has built a dozen settlements, home to about 200,000 Jews, in East Jerusalem. These are considered illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this.
If the US recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital, it will put it out-of-step with the rest of the international community and reinforce Israel's position that settlements in the east are valid Israeli communities.
On Monday, Saudi Arabia said such a move before a final settlement in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would "have a detrimental impact on the peace process".
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has urged world leaders to intervene, saying "such a US decision would destroy the peace process".
Jordan has warned of "grave consequences", while Arab League chief Abul Gheit has said such a move would "nourish fanaticism and violence".
Turkish Deputy PM Bekir Bozdag has said this would be a "major catastrophe". UNI
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Hello Jammu News at 12:08:00 PM 0

Washington, Nov 14: US Deputy Secretary of State John J Sullivan will travel to France, Sudan, Tunisia, and Nigeria from November 14-21.
A statement from the Department of State said the Deputy Secretary, in Paris, will advocate for the Minnesota-USA 2023 Expo Bid and hold bilateral meetings. He will then travel to Khartoum, where he will meet with Foreign Minister Ghandour and other government officials to discuss ways to build on progress following the completion of the Five-Track Engagement Plan in October. He will also advance discussions on the DPRK and human rights, including religious freedom. In Tunis, the Deputy Secretary will meet with senior Tunisian government officials to discuss political, economic, and security cooperation. He will also meet leadership of the Libyan Government of National Accord in support of the UN-facilitated political process.
Finally, the Deputy Secretary will travel to Abuja, where he will lead the US inter-agency delegation to the Bi-National Commission, hosted by Foreign Minister Onyeama. During his trip, the Deputy Secretary will also engage with US Embassy staff in each of the four countries, as well as representatives from the business community and civil society. UNI
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Hello Jammu News at 1:43:00 PM 0

PARIS, Nov 3: Rafa Nadal continued his quest for a maiden Paris Masters title when he survived a second-set blip to beat Pablo Cuevas 6-3 6-7(5) 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals on Thursday.
The Spaniard, who made sure he will end the year as world number one by reaching the third round, had to dig deep to see off Cuevas and set up a meeting with Serbian qualifier Filip Krajinovic.
"It's been a long year.
It's been a very successful one.
(I'm) Very happy for everything," said Nadal, who this year won the French Open and the U.
S Open.
"And it is normal that at the end of the season after all the things that happened and all the season, all the matches I played with high intensity, it's normal that there I have a few body issues.
"It's nothing strange.
Something that (is) completely normal and (I have) accepted and just try to fight.
"David Goffin was knocked out in the third round but still became the first Belgian to qualify for the season-ending Tour finals after France's Lucas Pouille lost to American Jack Sock.
Only one spot is left for the Nov.
12-19 eight-man event at the O2 in London and Juan Martin Del Potro will clinch it if the Argentine, who defeated Dutchman Robin Haase 7-5 6-4, reaches the last four.
The 13th seed converted all his break points against Haase to set up a meeting with John Isner.
Del Potro is hoping to keep up his recent run, when he has contested two finals and a semi-final in his last three tournaments.
"It's extra motivation to me," said Del Potro.
"It's going to be a good battle next round trying to qualify for London.
Of course, I would love to reach London once again.
It could be a fantastic moment for me.
But it's still a really hard challenge to me.
"As the season winds to a close, fatigue continued to take its toll as fifth seed Dominic Thiem and sixth seed Grigor Dimitrov were both knocked out in the third round.
Austrian Thiem lost 6-4 6-4 to Spain's Fernando Verdasco while Bulgarian Dimitrov fell 7-6(10) 5-7 7-6(3) to American Isner. REUTERS
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Hello Jammu News at 9:45:00 AM 0


PARIS, Jul 16 : France should define a clear roadmap to fulfill its pledge to cut the share of nuclear power in its electricity generation to 50 per cent by 2025, French ecology minister said in an interview in the Sunday edition of regional daily Ouest-France. A 2015 law requires France to reduce in eight years the share of atomic power generation to 50 percent from over 75 per cent currently, and include more renewable wind and solar generation. Hulot said in a radio interview on Monday that for France to meet that target, it might have to shut down up to 17 of its 58 nuclear reactors operated by state-controlled utility EDF . His comments drew questions from observers on how nuclear-dependent France, a net power exporter in Europe, could possibly shut down 17 reactors and continue to guarantee adequate power supply. Hulot clarified in the Ouest-France interview that he did not say 17 reactors must close, but that if the 2015 law were respected, the reactors would have to close. Newly elected French President Emmanuel Macron has maintained the target of cutting French nuclear production by 2025. "We have to define realistic and possible scenarios, otherwise it will be brutal," Hulot told Ouest-France. Hulot, an environmental campaigner who was appointed ecology minister by Macron, said that since the 2015 law was passed, little had been done and there was no clear strategy on how France would meet the 50 percent target. "I want to engage in planned course of action, especially on a social and economic level," Hulot said. "Nuclear power plants can not be closed without taking into account the reality of jobs. We must model scenarios and build a roadmap." The closure of the nuclear plants is a hot-button issue in France with trade unions and some political parties saying the plan would cripple the French nuclear sector. Hulot also said that EDF would have to accelerate its development into renewable energies. The French authorities could stimulate the development of these energies by implementing tax incentives, easing regulatory processes and cutting the length of potential litigations, he said. REUTERS



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