Page 1004 - Politics

J&K restores security cover of politicians, activists

The Jammu and Kashmir government on Monday restored the security cover of 400 politicians and political activists which had been withdrawn last month.

Congress trying to politicise issues related to national security: Gadkari

Accusing the Congress of trying to politicise issues related to national security, Union minister Nitin Gadkari has asserted it is "not a debatable political subject" and that politics of the 21st is driven by progress and development. In an interview to PTI here ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, the senior BJP leader expressed confidence that his party would get a "reasonably good majority" and Narendra Modi would again be the prime minister. Replying to a question, he said, "In elections there are many important subjects related to the economic situation, some with national security. It is time for people to discuss these subjects." "As far as our ideology is concerned, we are committed towards progress and development and this is the politics of the 21st century," Gadkari said. He, however, opined that issues of national security should not be politicised. "These are not debatable political subjects. Internal and external security are very important for the country. We should think ...

Terror incidents in Pak declined by 21 per cent in 2018: Report

Terror-related incidents in Pakistan declined by 21 per cent in 2018 as compared to 2017, says an official report. The National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) issued its 2018 report on terrorism. It shows that there were 584 incident of violence in 2018 while 741 such incidents were recorded in 2017. "Islamabad and Punjab witnessed a decrease of 50 per cent in terrorism-related incidents... Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa witnessed 92 per cent reduction in terrorist incidents," says the report. Sindh witnessed a decline of 80 per cent in terrorist incidents in 2018. It says that 517 people were killed in terrorist incidents in 2018. Majority 288 victims were killed in Balochistan and 138 in former tribal region. The report showed that 59 were killed in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 15 in Punjab, 10 in Sindh, five in Gilgit-Baltistan and one each in PoK and Islamabad. The report shows that the month of July was the worst in 2018 as 221 were killed in terror-related incidents. The rate of

Mirwaiz appears before NIA in terror funding case

After avoiding the first two summons, moderate separatist leader and Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq on Monday appeared before the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with a case related to terror funding, officials said. The Mirwaiz, who was provided security upon his arrival at the Indira Gandhi airport, was accompanied by other separatist leaders, including Abdul Gani Bhat, Bilal Lone and Maulana Abbas Ansari. The Mirwaiz was asked to appear before the NIA on March 11 and March 18 but expressed his inability to join the investigation in the national capital, saying he feared for his security in view of "conditions of hostility". In its third summons, issued last week, the NIA promised him security. The NIA probe seeks to identify the chain of players behind the financing of terrorist activities, pelting of stones on security forces, burning down of schools and damaging of government establishments. The case names Hafiz Saeed, the Pakistan-based chief .

Those who hoard people's money should be punished: Kamal Hassan on I-T raids

Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) chief Kamal Haasan on Monday supported the Income Tax (I-T) raids at houses of political party leaders across the nation, stating that it was important to punish those who hoarded people's money.Speaking to ANI, Haasan said: "Fantastic but they should spread it further so that it becomes an even playground for all. Those who hoard people's money, they should be raided, they should be punished. The raids have not taken place just during elections but before also."The actor turned politician was speaking after releasing his party's manifesto for 2024 titled "Kovai 2024".The houses of many Congress and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders have been raided in the past week by the I-T department in Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh.Congress leader P Chidambaram had accused the government of planning Income Tax raids at his residences to "cripple the election campaign" on Monday.The Lok Sabha elections will begin on April 11. The results will be declared on May 23.

Musk in talks with Netanyahu for tunnels in Israel

Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX, Tesla and Neuralink, is in negotiations with Israels government to build tunnels in the country, said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

UK opposition expects more Brexit talks as deadline looms

With just five days to go until the UK is due to leave the European Union (EU) on Friday, the opposition Labour Party has said that it expects to hold further talks with Prime Minister Theresa May's government to find a Brexit deal.

Mirwaiz Umar appears before NIA in terror funding case

Moderate separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Monday appeared before the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with a case related to terror funding, officials said. Mirwaiz was provided security upon his arrival at Delhi airport as was assured by the NIA after he raised the issue for appearing at the agency's headquarter in the national capital. Hurriyat Conference leaders Abdul Gani Bhat, Bilal Lone and Maulana Abbas Ansari accompanied him. In 2004, the same group of leaders had met then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and then home minister L K Advani for finding a lasting solution to the Kashmir issue. The NIA probe seeks to identify the chain of players behind the financing of terror activities, pelting of stones on security forces, burning down of schools and damaging of government establishments. The case names Hafeez Saeed, Pakistan-based chief of Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD), the front for banned Lashker-e-Taiba, as an accused, besides organisations such as the ...

Beijing targeted writers over Australia secret inquiry: report

Beijing agents pressured two Chinese-Australian authors to provide information about a secret Canberra inquiry into Chinese meddling in domestic politics, local media reported Monday. Yang Jun, a novelist and democracy advocate, and Feng Chongyi, a Sydney-based university professor and former newspaper publisher, were reportedly interrogated over the classified probe. The pair are both friends of John Garnaut, a former journalist who was heading up the inquiry. Relations between the two nations have been fraught in recent times over fears of Chinese interference, and as Beijing flexes its muscle in the Pacific islands which Canberra views as its backyard. A joint investigation published Monday by The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and national broadcaster ABC found China had waged an intelligence operation to gain details of the probe ordered in 2016 by then-Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Yang, an Australian citizen whose pen name is Yang Hengjun, has been detained in China since ...

Trump to host Egypt's el-Sisi at White House for 2nd time

US President Donald Trump is set to welcome his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on Tuesday for the second time at the White House, the media reported.

Litmus test for BJP in Himachal bastion (Dynasty Politics)

It will be a litmus test for BJP's three-time young MP and former president of the state and national cricket bodies Anurag Thakur, who has been facing stiff competition from the Congress to wrest his party's bastion, the Hamirpur parliamentary constituency.

Ganguly replies to ombudsman, clarifies stand on conflict of interest

The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president and Delhi Capitals advisor Sourav Ganguly has replied to BCCI ombudsman and ethics officer DK Jain clarifying that there is no "conflict of interest" in his dual role as alleged by three cricket fans. The Ombudsman had asked Ganguly to clear his stand on allegations of conflict of interest in his role as IPL franchise Delhi Capitals advisor while serving as the president of CAB. Ganguly told PTI that he had sent his reply to Justice Jain on the April 6th, making his position clear. "In my respectful submission there is no direct or indirect interest, compromising roles, commercial conflict, prior relationship or position of influence within the meaning of the BCCI Constitution which may deter my involvement with the Delhi Capitals," wrote Ganguly as per excerpts of the letter available with PTI. The former India captain said he was not a part of any committee that was overseeing the organisation of the ongoing Indian Premiere ...

Chidambaram accuses govt of using IT raids to 'cripple election campaign'

Congress leader P Chidambaram has accused the government of planning Income Tax raids at his residences to "cripple the election campaign".In a series of tweets, Chidambaram on Sunday "welcomed" the search party to raid his Sivaganga and Chennai homes. "I have been told that the Income Tax department has plans to raid my residence in Sivaganga constituency and in Chennai. We will welcome the search party!," tweeted Chidambaram..

US Homeland Security chief quits amid upheaval at top level, immigration crisis (News Analysis)

Kirstjen Nielsen, the head of the US Homeland Security has quit President Donald Trump's cabinet amid an unprecedented upheaval at the highest echelons of the government and an immigration crisis at the country's southern border.

Abducted US tourist, tour guide in Uganda rescued

An American tourist and her tour guide, who were abducted in Uganda's Queen Elizabeth National Park on April 2, have been rescued by security forces, a government spokesperson has confirmed.

IT raids continue at various locations in Madhya Pradesh, security heightened

The Income Tax (IT) officials on Monday morning continued their raids at various locations here including the residence of Ashwin Sharma, an associate of Praveen Kakkar (OSD to Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath).A raid is also being carried out at Kakkar's residence. Security has also been heightened at the location.On Sunday, IT officials in pre-dawn swoop carried out raids at the residences of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath's private secretary, Praveen Kakkar, in Indore and former advisor R K Miglani in Delhi, on charges of alleged tax evasion.Officials conducted searches at 50 locations including Indore, Bhopal, Goa and Delhi, according to sources.Kakkar is Chief Minister Kamal Nath's Officer on Special Duty (OSD). More details are currently awaited.

Mirwaiz heads to Delhi, to appear before NIA

Senior separatist leader Mirwaiz Umer Farooq took an early flight to New Delhi to appear before the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday in connection with a terror funding case, sources close to him said.

India rejects Pakistan's allegation of planning attack

India on Sunday rejected as "irresponsible and preposterous" Pakistan's statement that New Delhi will attack it again and accused Islamabad of trying to whip up war hysteria in the region.

Democrats will 'never' obtain Trump's tax returns: Mulvaney

Congressional Democrats will "never" obtain US President Donald Trump's tax returns, acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said on Sunday.

US urges 'immediate halt' to military offensive by Libya's Haftar: Pompeo

The United States is "deeply concerned" by fighting near Libya's capital Tripoli and is seeking an "immediate halt" to an offensive by strongman Khalifa Haftar, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Sunday. "We have made clear that we oppose the military offensive by Khalifa Haftar's forces and urge the immediate halt to these military operations against the Libyan capital," he said in a statement. Libya descended into chaos during the 2011 overthrow of Moamer Kadhafi that has seen a bitter rivalry emerge between the Tripoli-based authorities and Haftar's supporters in the east of the country. Fighting raged south of Tripoli on Sunday, three days after Haftar launched the offensive to seize the capital, now controlled by a UN-backed unity government and an array of militias. But Pompeo stressed that there is "no military solution to the Libya conflict," and urged all parties to "urgently de-escalate the situation." "This unilateral military campaign against Tripoli is endangering ...