Tag: United States News

DeSantis scrambles RNC race after praising Dhillon and urging ‘new blood’

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DeSantis made his comments during an interview with Charlie Kirk, the conservative founder of Turning Point USA who is supporting Dhillon.
DeSantis went on to criticize the GOP for losses in the 2022 midterm elections, when the political environment was “tailor-made to make big gains in the House and the Senate and state houses all around the country. And yet that didn’t happen.”
In the aftermath of the 2022 midterms, the Florida GOP governor drew accolades from Republicans across the country after he won reelection by historic margins, including in the traditional blue stronghold of Miami-Dade county.
At a press conference in Miami later Thursday, DeSantis did not address his decision to make last-minute comments on the chairman’s race.
DeSantis’ support for Dhillon is the most high profile so far. Dhillon counts Fox News stars who carry significant influence in the conservative movement — including Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham — among her supporters. Roughly 30 RNC members have been listed on her campaign’s official website, but it’s unclear if she has the kind of widespread support among the voting members to win. McDaniel in November, prior to Dhillon announcing her bid, boasted the support of 107 members.
Former President Donald Trump, who picked McDaniel for chair of the RNC following his 2016 victory, and whom Dhillon represents in legal cases, has so far stayed out of the race, declining to pick one over the other. But some of his top lieutenants, including Susie Wiles, have been supportive of McDaniel.
After emerging from a members-only breakfast at the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach, where the RNC is gathering this week, Dhillon told reporters that she didn’t consider DeSantis’ praise an “endorsement.”
“I call that answering a question and weighing in. An endorsement is something on somebody’s stationery, that says ‘I heartily endorse this person.’”

Dhillon insisted she will remain neutral in any 2024 primary, and suggested McDaniel would not be. McDaniel has said she will remain neutral.
“President Trump’s team is here whipping votes for Ronna … so I think that speaks for itself.”
Dhillon’s team was caught off guard by DeSantis’ remarks on Thursday, though thrilled with his show of support, said Caroline Wren, Dhillon’s campaign adviser. Her allies believe it could further influence members to support Dhillon in the final hours of the campaign.
Dhillon said while leaving the Thursday morning breakfast, she heard from multiple members who told her they were switching their votes, but declined to elaborate further on her vote count.
Wren said DeSantis was among other influential figures in the conservative movement to call for a “change of leadership in the RNC” and who “want to start winning elections.”
Soon after DeSantis’ announcement, another top Republican in Florida, Sen. Rick Scott, jumped to make his own comments on the RNC chair race, praising McDaniel but also falling short of issuing an explicit endorsement. In a tweet, Scott praised McDaniel’s “major role in helping turn Florida red,” despite DeSantis claiming Republican gains in the state were not due to the RNC’s efforts.
McDaniel has boasted having the support of the overwhelming majority of RNC members in her reelection bid, though Dhillon’s team argues McDaniel’s support has been soft ahead of Friday’s secret ballot vote.
McDaniel was in the same closed-door breakfast as Dhillon when the DeSantis news broke, and members weren’t immediately available to comment on the development.
DeSantis’ decision to weigh on the RNC race came hours after Trump gave an endorsement — not in the contentious battle for chair but in the race for RNC treasurer. Trump backed Joe Gruters, a state senator and current chair of the Republican Party of Florida. Gruters is a backer of McDaniel and has not had a close relationship with DeSantis
Last week, Gruters was forced to call a meeting at which the party was being asked to consider a no confidence vote in McDaniel. Ultimately, the vote was not considered because not enough Florida GOP executive committee members showed up. But a rally outside the vote drew a large crowd of conservatives, including Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.).
Trump has also endorsed in the co-chair race, backing North Carolina GOP chair Michael Whatley.
Gary Fineout contributed to this report.

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( With inputs from : www.politico.com )

January 27, 2023
Eric Adams’ annual New York City address underpins message for national Democrats

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Adams is the latest in a long line of politicians to focus his rhetoric on the working class. His predecessor, Bill de Blasio, at one point promoted the slogan Working People First. However, Adams has repeatedly stressed that his upbringing by a single mother who worked cleaning houses and his first career as a cop give him insight into the plight of millions of New Yorkers that other politicians can lack.
“Don’t let it fool you — I may wear nice suits,” said Adams, who was dressed for the occasion in a dark suit offset by a white pocket square and magenta tie. “But I’m a blue-collar cat.”
On the subject of crime, which largely impacts low-income communities, Adams has urged fellow Democrats to talk more frankly about the successes of policing and the immediate boost that solving crimes can provide to the public’s confidence in government.
“The party, I believe, articulates long-term solutions to a problem. And that’s fine to do so and we should have a long-term plan. … But people are saying, what about right now?” he said during a Wednesday appearance on MSNBC’s Morning Joe. “How are we going to intercede with that 16-year-old child that was stabbed, or that mother who was shot by a random bullet?”
During Thursday’s speech, Adams touted a recent drop in crime in New York City, which he has attributed to his support for the NYPD, the relaunch of a controversial plainclothes unit and his focus on seizing illegal guns.
“I want to thank everyone who has supported this effort, especially Governor [Kathy] Hochul and President [Joe] Biden,” the mayor said. “They understand that fighting the scourge of illegal guns is a top priority for our city.”
Adams has appeared happy to clash with left-leaning members of the party who are skeptical of the NYPD. And he pledged Thursday to focus during the upcoming year on shoplifting, robberies and burglaries while also pushing — again — for changes to the state’s criminal justice laws in Albany with an eye toward keeping a small number of repeat offenders in custody.
“We know who they are, and we need to get them off our streets,” he said.

Other planks of his working people’s agenda include apprenticeships and career training to steer more students into higher paying jobs. The mayor noted that the unemployment rate for Black New Yorkers was three times higher than white residents.
He also pledged to provide free internet for more low-income New Yorkers while streamlining the process of receiving food assistance and other social service programs from the city. Health officials will begin providing free health care to those who have spent more than seven days in a homeless shelter and will begin to roll out centers specifically geared to residents experiencing mental health challenges. The city will also seek legislation that would allow New Yorkers to retain public benefits for six months after starting a new job, and will expand access to fresh food by beefing up city investment in a program to help connect people with groceries.
“You can’t have Whole Foods in Park Slope and junk food in Brownsville,” the mayor said in one of many off-script remarks that drew applause from the crowd of politicians who gathered for the speech.
Adams’ effort to define his brand of Democratic politics comes as he seeks other wins on the national level.
On Thursday, the mayor reiterated his call for the federal government to provide aid for the more than 40,000 asylum-seekers who have arrived in New York City, and plugged the city’s bid to host the 2024 Democratic National Convention.
And on Thursday he made other major policy announcements, including a citywide composting program and rezonings in Manhattan and Staten Island.
“City government must work to improve the public good, support an economy that works for all, and care for the working people who make it possible,” Adams said as he rounded out his address. “Jobs, safety, housing, and care — without these pillars of support, cities crumble, institutions fall, society weakens. We will not allow that to happen in New York.”
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( With inputs from : www.politico.com )

January 27, 2023
All Vehicles Including Buses Older Than 15 Yrs To Be Scrapped – Know Details – Kashmir News

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According to a notification from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways All the government vehicles older than 15 years are to be scrapped. The vehicles owned by the state and central government, including buses owned by public transport corporations and public sector undertakings, are to be deregistered and scrapped starting the 1st of April.
This, however, does not apply to special-purpose vehicles like armoured vehicles used for operational purposes of defence and maintenance of law and order in the country.
“Disposal of such vehicles shall, after the expiry of the fifteen years from the date of initial registration of the vehicle, (should) be ensured through the Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facility set up in accordance with the Motor Vehicles (Registration and Functions of Vehicle Scrapping Facility) Rules, 2021,” it said.
Announced in the Union Budget 2021-22, the policy provides for fitness tests after 20 years for personal vehicles, while commercial vehicles will require it after 15 years.
Under the new policy which is effective from 1 April 2022, the Centre has said states and Union Territories will provide up to 25 per cent tax rebate on road tax for vehicles that are purchased after scrapping old vehicles.
Last year, Union minister Nitin Gadkari had said his aim is to develop at least one automobile scrapping facility within 150 kilometres from each city centre, while asserting that the country has the potential to become a vehicle scrapping hub of the entire South Asian region.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the National Vehicle Scrappage Policy in 2021 and had said it will help phase out unfit and polluting vehicles and also promote a circular economy.
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( With inputs from : kashmirnews.in )

January 26, 2023
Residential House Gutted In Fire Mishap

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SRINAGAR: A residential house was damaged in a fire incident in Beerwah area in central Kashmir’s Budgam district on Thursday evening.
Quoting local sources news agency KDC reported that a house belonging to Khazir Mohammad Malla, a resident of Peth Malpora in Beerwah area was gutted after a fire broke out, which engulfed the structure.
The reason, as per the initial details, behind the fire, was said to be a purported gas leakage.
A police officer confirmed and said that the cognizance of the fire incident has been taken and further investigation is on.

Previous articleJ&K Govt Puts Statutory Requirement Of 15 Years’ Service Experience For SMC, JMC Heads In Abeyance
With more than 7 years of experience in Journalism, Tahir Bhat is an Online Editor at Kashmir Life. Tahir has reported on Human Rights, Economy, Polity, Society.

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( With inputs from : kashmirlife.net )

January 26, 2023
Justice Department disrupts group behind thousands of ransomware attacks

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Garland, at a press conference in Washington, said Hive was behind attacks in the past two years on a Midwest hospital, which was forced to stop accepting new patients and to pay a ransom to decrypt health data. While Garland did not name the hospital, the Memorial Health System in West Virginia and Ohio was attacked by Hive affiliates at the same time. Hive was also linked to an attack last year on Costa Rica’s public health service.
Hive is known to go after health care organizations, and the Justice Department, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the Department of Health and Human Services put out a joint alert last year warning of additional Hive attacks on health care and public health groups.
Garland said the Justice Department had assisted around 300 victims around the world since July, and stopped the payment of around $130 million to Hive.
“Cybercrime is a constantly evolving threat, but as I have said before, the Justice Department will spare no resources to identify and bring to justice anyone, anywhere who targets the United States with a ransomware attack,” Garland said.
FBI Director Christopher Wray said the “disruption campaign” against Hive had taken place over the past year and a half, and involved FBI personnel gaining access to Hive’s control panels in order to give victims keys to unlock their encrypted systems. Wray pressed victims of cyberattacks to come forward and inform law enforcement, noting that only around 20 percent of Hive’s victims had done so.
“A reminder to cybercriminals: No matter where you are, and no matter how much you try to twist and turn to cover your tracks — your infrastructure, your criminal associates, your money and your liberty are all at risk, and there will be consequences,” Wray told reporters.
Hackers linked to some ransomware attacks have often been based out of Russia, including the hackers behind the 2021 attack on Colonial Pipeline, which temporarily crippled the supply of gas to the East Coast. While the Biden administration opened discussions with Moscow in 2021 about cracking down on cybercriminals based in Russia, these talks collapsed following the Russian invasion of Ukraine last year.
When asked whether Hive cybercriminals were based in Russia, Garland declined to answer, noting “we are in the middle of an ongoing investigation.”

While the dismantling of Hive’s operations is a win for the Justice Department — which launched a ransomware task force in 2021 to better prioritize investigating and bringing to justice ransomware cybercriminals — at least one expert is skeptical of its long-term impact.
“The disruption of the Hive service won’t cause a serious drop in overall ransomware activity, but it is a blow to a dangerous group that has endangered lives by attacking the health care system,” John Hultquist, the head of Mandiant Threat Intelligence at Google Cloud, said Thursday. He noted that a new competitor will likely be “standing by” to take Hive’s place.
“Actions like this add friction to ransomware operations. Hive may have to regroup, retool, and even rebrand,” Hultquist said. “When arrests aren’t possible, we’ll have to focus on tactical solutions and better defense. Until we can address the Russian safehaven and the resilient cybercrime marketplace, this will have to be our focus.”
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( With inputs from : www.politico.com )

January 26, 2023
Nearly 30 Households in Syed Hamid Pora Locality Srinagar Without Power Supply

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Srinagar, Jan 26 (GNS): Locals of Gulbadaab Galli, opposite graveyard, in Syed Hamid Pora, Nawab Bazar in central Kashmir’s Srinagar district have expressed their anguish over non-availability of electricity amid ongoing harsh winters.
A local delegation told GNS that nearly thirty households have been left without electricity since Thursday afternoon. “We faced the outage this afternoon following which we reached out to the authorities concerned to know the issue”, they said, adding the authorities assured that they were on job to restore the supply at an earliest”.
“At around evening, when we called them again, they (department) told us that it may take a while to rectify the issue”, they said. “However even after several hours since then also, we are yet to see restoration of the supply”, they claimed.
“First the department kept us waiting for almost a day, promising the supply will be restored and now when we called them again they are saying it is too late for them to do anything now”, they said adding they are more concerned about themselves and not about the plight of common masses amid the prevalent harsh weather.
When contacted, AEE concerned Imtiyaz Ahmad told GNS that the department had put its men on job to rectify the issue. “We are mindful of the sufferings of people, however due to darkness and as a sort of precautionary measure, the men on job were taken off the duty to avoid any exigency in late hours”, he said adding the supply will be restored by or before 10 tomorrow (Friday). (GNS)
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( With inputs from : thegnskashmir.com )

January 26, 2023
U.S. to send Ukraine more advanced Abrams tanks — but no secret armor

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The most radical changes are on the inside, which has been redesigned to take advantage of new technology. The control mechanisms are digitized, most notably a new inter-vehicle information system that allows vehicles to exchange information continuously and automatically. Using the new technology, commanders can rapidly track the location of friendly vehicles, identify enemy positions and process artillery requests.
But federal policy forbids the export of Abrams with classified armor packages used by the U.S. military, which includes depleted uranium, according to a fourth person with knowledge of the policy. The U.S. strips the vehicles of this secret armor “recipe” before selling them to other countries. There are other armor packages the U.S. can provide for foreign military sales customers.
The Pentagon is planning to provide Ukraine the A2 version in this “exportable” form, according to one defense official and two other people with knowledge of the deliberations.
Questions remain over the timeline of when the Abrams tanks can be delivered to Ukraine. The tanks are assembled in one place only — a government-owned, General Dynamics-operated plant in Lima, Ohio. That facility can produce 12 tanks per month, but the line is now full of new tank orders for Taiwan and Poland — orders it would be difficult and likely controversial to put on the backburner.
The Army is providing multiple options for senior leaders to determine the way ahead, the service’s acquisition chief, Doug Bush, told reporters Wednesday.
Poland has ordered 250 A2 tanks that will be delivered starting in 2025, but in the meantime is receiving an emergency infusion of 116 M1A1 tanks recently retired by the Marine Corps. Warsaw asked for the tanks to quickly replace the 250 Soviet-era T-72 tanks it gave Ukraine last year, and the shuttering of the Marine Corps tank units made hundreds of well-maintained tanks available immediately.
Taiwan ordered 108 M1A2 tanks in 2019, and the first are expected to be delivered in 2024.
General Dynamics no longer builds the M1 from scratch, but has a number of “M1 seed vehicles” that are bare-bone tanks. When new orders come in, General Dynamics modifies these seed vehicles with new technology depending on which variant is selected.

But these upgrades are not “easy or fast,” Bush said.
Rather than sending Ukraine tanks from its own stocks, as it has done with previous weapons, the U.S. has said it is buying the Abrams from industry, meaning they won’t arrive on the battlefield for many months, or potentially years, given industrial constraints in upgrading them. In the meantime, the U.S. will train Ukrainian forces on how to maintain and operate the tanks, as well as “combined arms maneuver” tactics to help them integrate the weapons into their overall operations.
Either Abrams version would be a significant upgrade from the Soviet-era tanks Ukraine now operates, in firepower, accuracy and armor. But once they arrive, Ukrainian forces will be challenged to keep them in operation, experts said.
Those challenges are why the Biden administration pushed the delivery of German-made Leopard tanks, which are easier to maintain and train on. The first Leopards from Germany and other European countries will likely start arriving in Ukraine this spring.
Unlike other tanks that use diesel, the Abrams has a jet turbine engine that guzzles JP-8 jet fuel, which is more expensive and harder to maintain. They are also tricky to maintain, and any crew error could trigger the engine to blow.
Meanwhile, they require a massive infrastructure, including M88 recovery vehicles to repair broken parts on the battlefield, to operate.
“The M1 is a complex weapon system that is challenging to maintain, as we’ve talked about,” Pentagon spokesperson Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said Tuesday. “That was true yesterday; it’s true today; it will be true in the future.”
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( With inputs from : www.politico.com )

January 26, 2023
Security agencies have launched final assault on terror, its ecosystem in J&K: LG Manoj Sinha

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Jammu, Jan 26: Jammu and Kashmir’s Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha Thursday said that security agencies have launched final assault on militancy and its eco-system to ensure everlasting peace in the Union Territory.
Addressing the Republic Day gathering at Moulana Azad Stadium Jammu, LG Sinha, as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said that the morale of security forces is high in J&K and all efforts to destabilize the peace is being given a befitting reply.
“Sustained efforts of our security agencies have resulted in a marked decrease in terrorist incidents in Jammu and Kashmir. The security grid has been strengthened and anti-terror operations have been intensified through direct attacks on the ecosystem that supports and finances terror,” he said during address.
Last year, 180 terrorists were neutralized, or there has been a corresponding reduction of 55% in civilian killings and 58% in the martyrdom of security forces,” the LG said adding, “Befitting reply is being given to narco-terrorists and seizures and arrests in Narco-terror cases have increased”.
“Security agencies are busy in the last assault on the terror, its ecosystem and its supporters to ensure everlasting peace in the UT,” Sinha said.
The LG said that the administration and the Centre has taken a series of steps for the welfare of security agencies operating in J&K.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha further said that upcoming G-20 meeting in Jammu and Kashmir is a “message to the enemies of humanity” and urged people of the Union territory to come forward and make it an “inclusive” event.
“The G-20 meeting being held in Jammu and Kashmir in May this year is a message to the enemies of humanity who were attacking the interests of our citizens through cowardly acts of terrorism for decades,” Sinha said.

He said that Jammu and Kashmir, which is an integral part of India, is the “life blood” of the country. Sinha said it is the guiding lamp of the civilization and “eternal sound of our social consciousness”.
“Jammu and Kashmir today stands tall with self-confidence, encompassing the great heritage and cultural values of the world’s largest republic. Today, J&K is marching forward on the path to progress,” he said.
“I urge every section of the society to come forward and make the G-20 an inclusive event,” the LG said.
He said that Jammu and Kashmir is not just a geographical entity but a vibrant and radiant ecosystem, where different faiths are the guiding force of inclusive culture.
“Jammu and Kashmir is a rhythmic dialogue of social, cultural values, plurality and tolerance. It is the aura of self-confident India. Harmukh, Amarnath, Pir Panjal and Trikuta Hills are the highest peaks of our spiritual heritage.
“The waves of Jhelum, Chenab and Tawi rivers reflect the essence of our intellectual and spiritual experiences. Since times immemorial the spiritual energy and blessings of Mata Vaishno Devi, Sudh Mahadev, Budha Amarnath have guided our society,” he said.
Sinha said that for decades, the development and aspirations of common people were held hostage by “exploitative and anti-developmental” land laws.
“Over the last two years, land owners have been empowered through a series of land reforms. Legal action is being taken against influential people who had illegally encroached upon the government land,” he said.
The LG said the people are at the centre of governance. “We have ensured that the interests of common citizens are protected and that they are not impacted by the campaign to remove illegal encroachments. We have been successful to a great extent in curbing corruption by issuing land passbooks in three languages.”
He said that so far, 28 lakh such passbooks have been distributed, and revenue records are being demystified for eliminating the possibility of manipulation.
Similarly, the new land-use laws have ensured that people get a reasonable and fair price for their land and the interest of farmers are protected, he said.
On Kashmir migirants, he said that the administration received 8400 applications from Kashmiri Pandits, whose land and property was grabbed forcibly in 1990. “Administration is working to ensure such properties are retrieved and handed over to KPs,” he said.
“The Kashmir Migrant Portal, which was launched in September last year for registering grievances for illegally encroached properties during the 1990s, has registered 8408 applications and action has been taken on 6336 applications, resulting in removal of encroachment on 2608 kanals of land,” he informed.
On Package and reserved category employees, “The administration is trying to solve the problems of Kashmiri Pandit brothers and sisters with utmost sensitivity. Their safety is our topmost priority. All PM package and minority employees working in the Kashmir valley have been deployed at safe places. A nodal officer has been appointed in the Raj Bhavan and in every district to resolve issues related to their security and other problems,” he said and further added that long-standing issue of availability of land for their accommodations has been resolved, and construction of 3000 accommodations for our Kashmiri Pandit brothers and sisters shall be completed this year.
Although, recruitment under the Prime Minister’s Package and reserved categories is on the strength Kashmir Division cadre, the issue of their transfer is being examined by an empowered committee.
He said a series of developmental initiatives are going on in J&K to push the UT to new heights of achievements. “Srinagar and Jammu will soon have metros, the tubes on the Srinagar-Jammu highway are also being set up on war footing,” the LG said as per KNO.
He said that for the first time, J&K will have a Women Industrial Estate while promotions of almost 2000 officers that didn’t take place since 2001 are being cleared. The LG said that the special focus of the administration is on the youth as J&K’s 70 per cent economy is dependent on agriculture.
On digital reforms, the LG said, in just two years, we have laid the foundation of a new digital society and bridged the digital divide to a great extent.
“In the last one year, Jammu and Kashmir recorded 11 lakh e-transactions per day, which is about 48,000 e-transactions per hour. All applications for Government services have been made online from January 15th and 400 services have been integrated into the feedback mechanism for monitoring the quality of service. Further, 250 online services have been brought under the Public Service Guarantee Act to ensure delivery of these services within stipulated time frame and easy redressal of grievances through integration with the auto appeal system,” he said.
The Jammu and Kashmir also said that government has achieved something remarkable in terms of education.
“After three decades of stagnation, schools were operational for 200 days last year, which is a statement of an emerging vibrant society that has broken free from shackles of the past,” he said during his speech adding, “In the realm of school education, emphasis is being laid on increasing enrolment, access to quality education, retention and introduction of an educational framework that sparks curiosity in children, focuses on value based education and makes them passionate about studies.”
70,000 children have been taken to classrooms through the “Aao School Chalein” campaign. We recorded a 17.87% increase in enrollment in the year 2022 through special focus on early child care and education.
On Tourism
“A record 1.88 crore tourists visited Jammu and Kashmir last year, which is the highest since independence. Infrastructure are being strengthened at Mata Vaishno Devi, Construction work of Mantalai Wellness Center has been completed at a cost of Rs. 80 crore and the design of Katra Multi Modal Station has been finalized.
He added that after the launch of the New Film Policy in 2021, Jammu and Kashmir has emerged as the favourite shooting destination for film industry and permission has been granted for shooting of 150 films and web series in less than two years.
Industry
The LG said that for the first time in the last seven decades of independence, Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing an Industrial Revolution.
“It has opened up doors of immense possibilities for the new generation. Private investment proposals worth Rs. 66,000 crore have been received within a period of around one year, during which 1455 industrial units started their operations,” he said.
“The foundation stone of Emaar Group Shopping Mall and IT Tower shall be laid in March, 2023 and 52 other industrial units will also start their operations during the same month. Further, land has been allotted to 1711 industrial units which is also a new record in the industrial history of Jammu and Kashmir.
“Another 77 industrial units are being developed on private land and in the last three years, 500 start ups have come up which have ushered in a new social revolution. Sincere efforts are being made to revive the handloom and handicraft sector,” the LG said, adding, “We are committed to provide training, design, technology inputs like GI tag and such other infrastructural support as are required for quality, branding and boosting global demand for our handicraft products”—(KNO)
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( With inputs from : roshankashmir.net )

January 26, 2023
Gallego’s early Sinema challenge squeezes Senate progressives

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On the other hand, longtime Sinema critic Sanders (I-Vt.) is suggesting that he’d be open to backing Gallego: “I’ve not heard from Gallego, but it’s something we would certainly look into.”
Arizona’s 2024 Senate contest is already testing the power of incumbency among Democrats — a dynamic felt most acutely on their left flank in the chamber. Liberals aired their share of frustration with Sinema during the last Congress, when she wielded her majority-making vote to cut sweeping bipartisan deals. But coming out early for Gallego risks making life harder while Sinema still serves.
Progressives who are behind Gallego, a fifth-term House Democrat, hope they can eventually secure endorsements from Sanders and other upper-chamber liberals, including Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.). Merkley declined to comment on Gallego this week. Meanwhile, Warren said it’s “too early.”

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) speaks with reporters as she departs a vote at the U.S. Capitol Jan. 23, 2023.
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Francis Chung/POLITICO
For now, the Senate Democratic campaign arm is refraining from talking about a potential Gallego-Sinema matchup. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer also demurred this week, only saying it’s “much too early” and praising Sinema as an “excellent” senator.
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee can help in races with independent candidates who would caucus with the party, even without officially endorsing them. In 2012, the campaign arm took out ads against GOP nominee Charlie Summers in Maine, despite never formally endorsing Angus King, who ran as an independent and continues to caucus with Democrats. The party also backed Independent Al Gross in the 2020 Alaska Senate race.
But it’s been years since the DSCC had to confront a serious Democratic challenge to an independent senator who, despite the ire she sparks on the left, more often than not votes with the party.
Progressives see plenty of reasons for frustration with Sinema, who voted against changing the filibuster, supports business-friendly tax policies and opposed a push to raise the minimum wage to $15 in the 2021 coronavirus relief bill. She’s also rubbed some of her colleagues the wrong way on a political level: for example, she backed her friend and former colleague Democratic Rep. Joe Kennedy when he challenged Markey in the party’s 2020 Massachusetts Senate primary.
But Sinema’s also played a central part in some of President Joe Biden’s biggest legislative accomplishments so far, including laws on infrastructure, same-sex marriage and gun safety. That’s not lost on Senate Democrats who recognize the value of her affable relationship with Senate Republicans and ability to shape significant bipartisan legislation.

While the incumbent has $7.9 million in the bank for a potential run and Gallego blasts her as in the pocket of big donors, he isn’t just hunting in the grassroots for money to spend against Sinema. Gallego is set to host a high-dollar fundraiser in Washington on Feb. 28, with the suggested contributions starting at $500, according to an invitation obtained by POLITICO.
Larry Cohen, board chair of the Sanders-aligned Our Revolution, said that “Democrats have an obligation to support the Democratic nominee and build the Arizona Party.” Yet even as outside organizations push for more Gallego endorsements, spokesperson Rebecca Katz said that’s not where the candidate is devoting his attention.
“While a number of Ruben’s colleagues have reached out to offer their encouragement, this decision belongs to the people of Arizona, and that’s who he’s focused on,” Katz said. “Caring more about what powerful people in D.C. think than actual Arizonans is kind of the whole problem with Sinema.”
Only a small group of Senate Democrats are willing to even entertain questions about Gallego, all while declining to talk about a potential Sinema reelection bid. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) called Gallego a “very impressive and effective legislator” and welcomed the Arizonan’s interest in a move across the Capitol. But Blumenthal also made clear that he rarely endorses in primaries and highlighted that Sinema’s reelection plans are up in the air.
Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, including Sens. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), could also face pressure to back Gallego, according to a Democrat close to the Arizona congressman. Luján said Wednesday that “Ruben’s a good person, cares about people” but was noncommittal about the race, only observing that “at the end we’ll see how this all plays out.” Menendez declined to comment and said he’s focused on his own reelection.
Meanwhile, Senate Republicans are more than happy to watch it all from the sidelines, continuing to publicly hope Sinema ends up with switching caucuses and joining them on the other side of the aisle. Republicans have lost the last three Senate races in Arizona, most recently in 2022, when Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) defeated Blake Masters.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said this week that the Gallego bid is a “big dilemma for the Senate Democratic majority.”
“I’m pretty sure you were asking a bunch of questions along those lines right before we came out here,” McConnell told reporters gathered for his weekly press conference. “I look forward to reading which answers, if any, you got.”
Zach Warmbrodt and Sarah Ferris contributed to this report.
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( With inputs from : www.politico.com )

January 26, 2023
J&K Govt Puts Statutory Requirement Of 15 Years’ Service Experience For SMC, JMC Heads In Abeyance

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SRINAGAR: In a move to allow incumbent commissioners of Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) and Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) to continue at their current places of posting, the Jammu & Kashmir government has put in abeyance a legal provision that mandated 15 years’ service experience for officers to be posted as administrative heads of J&K’s two biggest municipal bodies.
In a notification, a copy of which is in possession of news agency KNO, the Housing & Urban Development Department has done away with the statutory requirement of 15 years of service experience for officers to be posted as commissioners in SMC and JMC.
As per sub-section (1) of section 45 of the Municipal Corporation Act, 2000, the government shall, by notification, in the government gazette, appoint a class 1 officer of the government having a service of not less than fifteen years, as the commissioner of the Corporation.
The Jammu and Kashmir Municipal Corporation (Removal of Difficulties) Order, 2023 states that the government may appoint any suitable officer as commissioner of the Corporation, irrespective of his service experience, for the smooth functioning of the Corporations.
The legal requirement of 15 years of experience has been put on hold by invoking section 427 of the Municipal Corporation Act, which empowers the government to remove difficulties in the implementation of the Act. “If any difficulty arises in giving effect to the provisions of this Act or by reasons of anything contained in this Act to any other enactment for the time being in force, the Government may, as occasion requires, by order direct that this Act shall during such period as may be specified in the order but not extending beyond the expiry of two years from the commencement orders have effect subject to such adaptations whether by way of modification, addition or omissions as it may deem to be necessary and expedient,” reads the provision.
According to the notification , the Jammu and Kashmir Municipal Corporation (Removal of Difficulties) Order, 2023, shall deemed to have come into force w.e.f 01.01.2023 and shall remain in force for a period of two years or till it is revoked by the Government, whichever is earlier.
The incumbent SMC commissioner Athar Aamir Khan is 2015-batch IAS officer while his Jammu counterpart Rahul Yadav is 2014 -batch officer.

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#Govt #Puts #Statutory #Requirement #Years #Service #Experience #SMC #JMC #Heads #Abeyance
( With inputs from : kashmirlife.net )

January 26, 2023