Page 1029 - Politics
'Democratic ethos, patriotic zeal helps BJP stand tall'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday greeted party members on BJP's Foundation Day, saying the party stands tall due to it's democratic ethos and patriotic zeal.
6 military bases identified for US Space Command
The US Air Force has identified the six military bases that could house the military's newest combatant command, Space Command, according to a defence memo.
Our development work has endeared BJP to all sections of society: Modi
On the 39th foundation day of the Bharatiya Janata Party Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed confidence that its workers would be working day and night to ensure that the party and its allies are "blessed" by people in the Lok Sabha polls. In his tweets, he said the BJP was born with an unwavering commitment to serve society and take the nation to new heights, and that it has become India's preferred party. "The BJP stands tall due to its democratic ethos and patriotic zeal. This is a party that is always on the ground, at the forefront of helping fellow Indians. Our development work has endeared the party to all sections of society, across the length and breadth of India," Modi said. "I am confident that the entire family of BJP Karyakartas would be working day and night to ensure that our party and our allies are blessed yet again by the people of India. In the last 5 years lots have been done and we want to do much more for the country," he added. On the occasion, BJP .
EC transfer orders in Bengal can again spark row
The Election Commission's decision to shunt out senior officers ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, can spark a clash with the Trinamool Congress going by the way Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee went all guns blazing against the panel after it cracked similar whips during the previous Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in the state.
Rahul, Priyanka to jointly address rallies on Monday in Western UP
Congress president Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are expected to address three rallies jointly in the Western part of the state, along with Uttar Pradesh West in charge Jyotiraditya Scindia.The Congress trio will hold rallies in Saharanpur, Shamli and Bijnor districts, where polling is scheduled to be held in the first phase on April 11. Since campaigning will end on April 9, the party has planned a mega show on April 8 where its recently-announced NYAY scheme and issues of women's safety and sugarcane farmers will be highlighted, party sources said.Besides this, the party also plans to hold around 18 major rallies in the state that would be jointly addressed by Rahul and Priyanka, sources added. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is also likely to address a couple of poll rallies in Pilibhit and Kanpur that have sizeable Sikh voters.A senior Congress leader said the venues of the rallies would be finalised soon, while mentioning that importance would be attached
US to designate Iran's Revolutionary Guards as terror organisation
The US is expected to designate Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a foreign terrorist organisation as early as next week, according to an administration official.
'Trump's Florida club breach tied to Chinese espionage'
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the recent arrest of a woman who allegedly breached security at President Donald Trump's private Florida club while carrying Chinese passports and a flash drive containing malware, is an example of the threat Beijing poses to Washington.
Democrats vie for nomination as ideological fissures open (News Analysis)
Senator Kamala Harris is leading the pack of younger aspirants for the Democratic Party's nomination in next year's presidential election, behind the two tired politicians in their 70s who are first out of the starting gate in a race that has brought ideological fissures to the fore.
Rights and media groups want information on Khashoggi trial
Seven human rights and press freedom groups are urging the United States, Britain and France to speak out publicly about the trial in Saudi Arabia of 11 people charged in the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi which their diplomats are attending. The groups said in letters to foreign ministers of the three countries obtained Friday that providing information and much-needed transparency "would enable some scrutiny of the fairness of the trial." "In addition to reinforcing the fair trial rights of the accused persons," the groups said making information public would "guard against potential scapegoating of some individuals." They also said that "transparency around the trial can work to guarantee that the court proceedings do not cover up the alleged involvement of the Saudi leadership." A global outcry was sparked by Khashoggi's grisly killing inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in October by Saudi agents, in an operation directed by former top aides to Crown Prince ...
Reformist Maldives leader seeks to overcome split in polls
Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih is hoping Saturday's parliamentary elections will help him overcome a coalition split that has hampered his efforts to restore political freedoms and tackle corruption. Solih's Maldivian Democratic Party is seeking at least 44 seats in the 87-member Parliament for a majority to pass legislation needed to implement pledges from last year's presidential campaign. His coalition currently has 52 seats, but one partner with 22 seats is now aligned with former strongman Yameen Abdul Gayoom. Solih defeated Yameen last year, giving new hope to the young democracy that has gone through a tumultuous transition that threatened to drag the Indian Ocean archipelago back to its autocratic past. Yameen had curtailed freedom of speech and jailed his political rivals. The Maldives became a multiparty democracy in 2008 after decades of autocratic rule. Solih was only a fallback choice as president for his party because charismatic former President Mohamed ...
Mike Pence says Venezuelan President 'must go'
Vice President of the United States Mike Pence on Friday said Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro "must go", owing to the "suffering he has brought" to the people of that country."Make no mistake about it: The struggle in Venezuela is between dictatorship and democracy, but freedom has the momentum. Nicolas Maduro is a dictator with no legitimate claim to power, and Nicolas Maduro must go," Pence said, according to a statement issued by the White House.The remarks by Pence came during his visit to Rice University's Baker Institute in Houston, Texas, home to a large Venezuelan immigrant community, as well as the corporate headquarters of CITGO, a subsidiary of Venezuela's state-run oil giant PDVSA.Venezuelan Opposition leader Juan Guaido proclaimed himself as the President on January 23 and was immediately supported by the United States along with 50 other countries, who recognised him as the official interim President of the Latin American nation."He and his duly-elected government ...
Pompeo says Trump resort arrest shows China's threat
The arrest of a Chinese woman who allegedly brought malicious software to President Donald Trump's Florida resort shows that Beijing poses a threat, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Friday. Zhang Yujing was arrested last week at Mar-a-Lago, where Trump was on one of his frequent visits, after attempting to enter while carrying multiple mobile phones and a thumb drive containing malware, according to court documents. "I think this tells the American people the threat that China poses, the efforts that they're making here inside the United States not only against government officials, but more broadly," Pompeo said in an interview with CBS News. "The theft of American intellectual property is a big business to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars, and President Trump is determined to push back against it," he said. He was referring to ongoing trade talks in which the United States is pressing China to take action to protect intellectual property. Pompeo said the administration
US to designate Iranian Guard Corps as terror outfit
The United States is expected to label the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a foreign terrorist organisation by next week, a government official said.CNN reported that the decision is a part of the White House's increasingly aggressive strategy towards Iran.The decision that was formally under the State Department's purview earlier marks the first time when Washington has designated any foreign country's military as terrorists.Meanwhile, neither the White House National Security Council nor the State Department made any comments in this matter.US Defense officials further told CNN that US troops in Syria and Iraq often operate in close collaboration with the members of the IRGC.Last year, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats had warned Washington that such a decision could pose dangers to the US forces."Under the cover of the Syrian war, the IRGC is now trying to plant military roots in Syria and establish a new strategic base to threaten Syria's neighbours ..
Trump visits US-Mexico border, says US 'too full' to accommodate more immigrants
President Donald Trump on Friday visited Calexico in southern California to inspect a section of the new wall that is being built on the US' southern border with Mexico."If you want to climb that, it's pretty sharp up on top, too. If you want to climb that then you deserve whatever you can get, but it's very, very hard. It's meant anti-climb. It's called anti-climb, so it's a great wall and ... I think it looks fantastic -- very see-through, so you're able to see the other side, which is a very important element," CNN quoted Trump as saying during his visit along with law enforcement and immigration officials near the border.While addressing a roundtable meeting on border security here, the US President noted that the immigration system in his country is "full", regardless of whether the individuals seeking to come into the US are seeking asylum or not."The system is full. We can't take you anymore. Whether it's asylum. Whether it's anything you want. It's illegal immigration," Trump .
US to declare Iran's Revolutionary Guards as terrorist group: WSJ
The United States will designate Iran's Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization, an unprecedented move that would ramp up pressure on the elite force, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday. The newspaper, quoting unnamed officials, said President Donald Trump's administration would announce the long-mulled decision as soon as Monday and that concerned defense officials were bracing for the impact. The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp was formed after the 1979 Islamic revolution with a mission to defend the clerical regime, in contrast to more traditional military units that protect borders. The Revolutionary Guards have amassed strong power within Iran, including with significant economic interests. The Guards' prized unit is the Quds Force, named for the Arabic word for Jerusalem, which supports forces allied with Iran around the region including Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Lebanon's Hezbollah. The Trump administration has already imposed sweeping sanctions on ...
Clashes break out in Tripoli, UN Secretary-General leaves Libya with 'heavy heart'
Clashes broke out here on Friday between forces aligned to Eastern Libyan army commander Khalifa Hafter and the UN-backed pro-government soldiers.Quoting sources, CNN reported that the clashes impacted regions located 50 kilometres south of the Libyan capital.Meanwhile, Haftar's office said that his forces indulged in "violent fighting on the edge of Tripoli with armed militias".In addition, Haftar also told UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that his operation towards Tripoli will continue until terrorism has been defeated.The statement by Haftar came a day after Guterres on Thursday pushed for a bid to avoid a military escalation on Tripoli.Guterres met Haftar in Benghazi, a day after his troops launched an offensive against the UN-backed government in Tripoli which the Eastern Commander dubbed as 'terrorists'."I leave Libya with a heavy heart and deeply concerned. I still hope it is possible to avoid a bloody confrontation in and around Tripoli," Guterres said on Twitter."The UN
I'm pleading with you, don't believe PM Modi's colourful words: Kumaraswamy
Just a week ahead of the commencement of polling in the country, Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy pleaded before the public here not to believe Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "colourful words.""I'm pleading with you, don't believe the Prime Minister's colourful words," Kumaraswamy said at a rally here. "Why should we have enmity with neighbouring countries? Two years ago, a military officer had told me the Prime Minister will make stories before elections to get votes. They do not ask for votes on the basis of development," he added.Earlier in the day, Kumaraswamy had alleged that he was being harassed by Election Commission and Income Tax department officials.The JD(S) leader claimed that his car was searched at least 13 to 14 times in the past two days, adding that on Thursday, his car was checked twice within a distance of 60 kilometres.Seven phase elections in the country will begin on April 11 and go on till May 19. Counting of votes will be done on May 23.Karnataka will ..
20 states sign motion to block Trump's border wall funding
Twenty U.S. states on Friday signed a motion to block President Donald Trump's attempts to divert federal funds to build a wall along the US' border with Mexico."This wall is unnecessary, and an abuse of power that will take away resources that could be used to help Americans across our nation," New York Attorney General Letitia James tweeted.The motion, filed late on Thursday, came while the US President headed to California on Friday in a fresh bid to make border security a central campaign issue for his 2020 presidential campaign.In February, the states had filed a lawsuit after Trump declared a national emergency to help build the border wall, Al Jazeera reported.Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that the House of Representatives will sue to block President Trump's transfer of money to pay for the wall."The President's action clearly violates the Appropriations Clause by stealing from appropriated funds, an action that was not authorised by constitutional or statutory authority," Pelosi ..
KALIA beneficiaries will get Rs 10,000 a day after new govt is formed in Odisha: Naveen Patnaik
Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday promised to provide two installments (Rs 10,000) of financial assistance to all the beneficiaries of the KALIA scheme a day after BJD comes to power in the state again after the Assembly polls.Addressing a public meeting here, Patnaik said, "Farmers are on the top in our agenda and the welfare of the farmers has been placed at number one in Biju Janata Dal's manifesto."He added, "You all know about KALIA yojana, 40 lakh farmers have already been benefitted under KALIA scheme, a list of another 25 lakh beneficiary has been prepared and they will get two installments (Rs 10,000) on day one of the formation of new government in the state."The BJD had on Friday submitted a memorandum to the Election Commission of India requesting for the release of funds from KALIA scheme for Odisha's farmers.According to the memorandum, a total of 25.34 lakh persons should have received benefits to the tune of Rs 1,250 ...
UN calls on Haftar's forces to halt Libya advance
The UN Security Council on Friday called on Libyan forces under Khalifa Haftar to halt their advance on Tripoli, warning the military move was putting Libya's stability at risk. Haftar, the commander of the self-proclaimed Libyan National Army (LNA), launched an offensive on Thursday to take the capital, held by a UN-backed unity government and an array of militias. The council "called on LNA forces to halt all military movements," German Ambassador Christoph Heusgen, who holds the council presidency, told reporters following a closed-door meeting. "The members of the Security Council expressed deep concern at the military activity near Tripoli which risks Libyan stability and prospects for UN mediation and a comprehensive political solution to the crisis," he said. The appeal for Haftar to halt his offensive was unanimously backed by the council, including Russia, which has supported the strongman. Armed clashes broke out earlier Friday south of Tripoli between a pro-government ...