What Navalny’s death tells us about Russia
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The sudden death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, claimed as political murder by his family and supporters, is a blow to democrats everywhere. Navalny persistently questioned Putin’s regime despite facing trumped-up charges and surviving an assassination attempt with a nerve agent, Novichok. Russia has struggled to transform itself into an electoral democracy with credible institutions and a clear separation of powers. Putin’s rise to power brought stability but also centralization of power in Moscow and an overtly nationalist and authoritarian regime with no space for dissent.
#AlexeiNavalny #Russia #RussianPolitics #Democracy #Opposition
Kin of electrocuted man protest with corpse at Salarpur powerhouse
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A man named Virendra was electrocuted to death after coming in contact with a high-tension wire during a family function on their terrace. His family and local residents protested at the Salarpur powerhouse with the corpse, demanding compensation for the death. The family alleged that the incident occurred due to a high-tension overhead cable that passes very close to their house. The power department was blamed for negligence and the protestors sought action against it. Virendra, a 45-year-old laborer, is survived by a wife and four children. The incident took place in Greater Noida and a police complaint has been filed. The power discom, Paschimanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited (PVVNL), has ordered a departmental inquiry into the incident.
#Electrocution #Protest #Corpse #SalarpurPowerhouse #Compensation #High-tensionWire #Negligence #FamilyFunction #PaschimanchalVidyutVitranNigamLimited
China gives suspended death sentence to Australian writer Yang Hengjun on espionage charges. What does it mean?
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A court in Beijing has given a suspended death sentence to Australian-Chinese writer Yang Hengjun on charges of espionage. Yang, a pro-democracy blogger, was arrested at the Guangzhou airport in 2019. He had been accused of spying for a country China has not publicly identified. The details of the case against him have not been made public. A suspended death sentence in Chinese law gives the accused a two-year reprieve from being executed, after which it is automatically converted to life imprisonment or, more rarely, a fixed-term imprisonment. Human rights advocates argue that a suspended death sentence is an unusually harsh verdict in an espionage-related case. Yang has denied the allegations and claimed that he was tortured at a secret detention site. China's foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin confirmed the sentence and stated that all of Yang's personal property has been confiscated.
#China #YangHengjun #Espionage #SuspendedDeathSentence
Israel-Hamas war: Antony Blinken again heads to Middle East to push for peace in Gaza
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Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, is heading to the Middle East for his fifth trip to the region since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. He is expected to visit Saudi Arabia, Israel, Egypt, and Qatar in an effort to secure a new truce. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza will be a focus of the trip, with Blinken stressing the need to address the urgent needs in the region. The war was triggered by Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, resulting in the deaths of about 1,160 people. The proposed truce would pause fighting for six weeks and involve the release of hostages by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. However, no agreement has been reached yet. The Gaza Strip has faced dire humanitarian conditions, with limited access to clean water and sanitation. The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, is facing controversy after accusations that 12 staff members were involved in Hamas's attack. Several countries, including the United States, have suspended their funding to UNRWA. Blinken's visit comes amid rising violence across the region by Iran-backed groups in solidarity with Hamas.
#AntonyBlinken #MiddleEast #Gaza #Israel #Hamas #Truce #HumanitarianCrisis
Unexpected growth in US economy as 353,000 jobs added in January
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U.S. job growth accelerated in January, with 353,000 jobs added, exceeding economists' forecast of 180,000. The data for December was revised higher to show 333,000 jobs added. Employment gains remain well above the roughly 100,000 jobs per month needed to keep up with growth in the working age population. Average hourly earnings increased by 0.6% in January, and annual wage growth is well above pre-pandemic levels. The unemployment rate in January was 3.7%. The Federal Reserve has left interest rates unchanged but expects them to move lower in the coming months. Financial markets now expect the central bank to start lowering borrowing costs in May. The strong job gains and wage growth suggest that the US economy is resilient and may be shielded from a recession this year.
#UsEconomy #JobGrowth #Employment #Wages #FederalReserve
‘Trump and Modi have profound mutual respect, agree on China and Pakistan’
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Kash Patel, a senior advisor to former US President Donald J Trump, spoke about Trump's foreign policy approach, policy on China, relationship with Narendra Modi, and views on India. Patel highlighted that Trump prioritized national security and had beneficial relationships with global leaders. He emphasized Trump's commitment to working with allies like India and PM Narendra Modi. Patel also discussed Trump's approach to China, stating that Trump recognized China as a growing threat and implemented a combination of economic, diplomatic, and military policies to address it. He mentioned that Trump's commitment to the Indo-Pacific, particularly India, would likely continue if he were reelected. Patel criticized the Biden administration for its failure to take on Russia and China, which has resulted in a partnership between the two countries. He also praised the relationship between Trump and Modi, describing it as one of profound mutual respect and engagement. Patel addressed the criticism of Modi by American liberals, stating that it did not shape the American approach to India during the Trump presidency. He highlighted the importance of emerging technologies, such as semiconductors and artificial intelligence, in the bilateral relationship between the US and India. Patel discussed Trump's position on immigration, emphasizing the need for a lawful immigration system and border security. He also mentioned the importance of tech talent in national security and suggested that the Trump administration would be committed to opening up legal immigration in the tech domains. Patel criticized the deep state, referring to individuals in senior positions of government who fulfill a political agenda instead of abiding by their oath of office. He discussed Trump's governance roadmap, including plans to address federal employees who break their oath of office and to tackle lobbying. Patel concluded by highlighting Trump's commitment to working for the American people and his belief in fixing the country.
#Trump #Modi #China #Pakistan #ForeignPolicy #NationalSecurity #Allies #India #BidenAdministration #Russia #DeepState #Immigration #TechTalent #Governance
US Fed key meet: All eyes on Jerome Powell's comments amid 2024 rate cut expectations
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The US Federal Reserve will announce its monetary policy decision on Wednesday, January 31. Chair Jerome Powell will provide updates on the outlook of the Central bank. While the Federal Reserve forecasts three rate cuts in 2024, some Wall Street economists predict up to five cuts this year. The Fed's decision on rate increase will be announced by Jerome Powell in a press conference at 2.30 pm ET. Powell's news conference could provide hints on when to lower interest rates. The Fed is expected to hold rates constant on Wednesday and drop rates for the first time in March. Approximately 50% of economists predict the Fed will make its first 2024 cut at its March 19-20 meeting. The first 2024 inflation report will be announced on February 13. Over 27% of Americans believe the economy is good or excellent, but roughly 45% rank the economy as poor. The outcome of the Federal Reserve's policy meeting will impact gold prices and consumer spending. Some experts believe the timing and extent of interest rate decreases may have a political impact. Gold prices rose to a two-week high on Tuesday. Consumer confidence increased for the third consecutive month in January, reaching its highest level in two years. Consumer spending remained high in December. The Fed's decision will have a big impact on the direction of gold prices. The Fed has repeatedly raised the interest rate to control inflation, but inflation has slowed in recent months. The Fed's target inflation rate is 2%. The Fed may seek to "douse hopes of any early easing in policy" due to uncertainty about inflation. The Fed is not in a rush to cut rates. The timing and extent of interest rate decreases may have a political impact. Some experts believe that lower borrowing prices may impact US President Joe Biden's effort for a second term. The Fed's decision will impact the direction of gold prices. If the Fed maintains its hawkish stance, the adverse trend in gold prices may continue. Consumer confidence increased for the third consecutive month in January. Consumer spending remained high in December. The Fed's decision will impact consumer spending.
#UsFederalReserve #MonetaryPolicy #RateCut #JeromePowell #InterestRates #Inflation #Economy #GoldPrices #ConsumerSpending