Page 110 - Politics
Moon calls for efforts to prevent another Korean war
South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Monday stressed the need for efforts to prevent another war in the peninsula.He said that the 1950-53 Korean War, which ended in an armistice, is not formally finished, Yonhap News Agency reported.Moon made the comments while holding a luncheon meeting at the Presidential office -- Cheong Wa Dae -- with 182 South Korean, American and other foreign veterans who participated in the Korean War. It also came a day ahead of the 69th anniversary of the outbreak of the war."June 25 (incident) is a bitter history, but the Republic of Korea has kept its identity by overcoming North Korea's invasion," Moon said while referring to South Korea's official name.He underlined that the "best way to repay the sacrifice of all the war veterans is to make the Korean peninsula peaceful without worrying about a war."Moon has been undertaking active efforts in order to increase and strengthen bilateral cooperation with North Korea. He has also played the role of a ...
Cong-JD(S) leaders engage in "daily street fight", people
Karnataka BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa Monday dismissed Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy's 'Grama Vastavya' (overnight stay in villages) programme as a "drama" and said people need relief from the "daily street fight" between Congress and JD(S) leaders. The chief minister is wasting crores of rupees in the name of 'Grama Vastavya', he alleged and claimed that the government spent Rs 1 crore on Kumaraswamy's stay at Chandaraki village in Yadgir district last week as part of the programme. 'Grama Vastavya' is aimed at taking administration to the people. Internal squabble in the ruling Congress-JD(S)coalition has created an atmosphere that the government may collapse any time, Yeddyurappa claimed, asking Kumaraswamy as to when people would get relief from his administration that has lost direction. "During his stay at Chandaraki village in Yadgir district last week- just imagine- he (CM) claims to be a simple man and boasted that state's exchequer will be burdened if he travels by a ...
UN rights chief urges states to repatriate families of IS fighters
The UN rights chief called Monday for countries to repatriate family members of suspected foreign fighters in Syria, including some 29,000 foreign children of Islamic State group jihadists. The situation of foreign fighters and their families topped a long line of concerns listed by Michelle Bachelet in her opening address to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, which also included the tensions wracking Sudan. She insisted that countries must take responsibility for their nationals caught up in Syria's drawn-out war. Following the collapse of IS's self-proclaimed caliphate, foreigners from nearly 50 countries have been detained in Syria and Iraq, and more than 11,000 of their family members are being held in Syria's al-Hol camp "in deeply sub-standard conditions", Bachelet said. Several governments are grappling with the problem of what to do with captured jihadist fighters from their country, the women who married them and their children. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights ..
Turkey opposition deals blow to Erdogan in Istanbul win
Turkey's opposition revelled Monday in a landslide win in Istanbul's re-run mayoral vote -- a blow for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that even some pro-government media called a victory for democracy. Ekrem Imamoglu, a little-known district mayor at the start of the year, won the election by more than 777,000 votes, up from just 13,000 in the first election in March, which was annulled over controversial claims of fraud. It was a rare chance to celebrate for the opposition after 25 years of rule by Islamic conservatives in Istanbul. And it was a rare blow to Erdogan, who has held national power since 2003. In the traditionally left-wing neighbourhood of Besiktas, thousands partied late into night, clogging the streets, waving beers and Turkish flags. "It wasn't right to repeat this election, but the fact that it was won with such a gap is even better for Istanbul," said 45-year-old Servan Soydan as he walked his dog on Monday. There was less jubilation in the media, which has been ...
Amhara attorney general dies from wounds after Ethiopia attack: state media
The attorney general of Amhara state in northern Ethiopia has died after a coup bid which also saw the region's president and his advisor killed, while the national army chief was shot in a separate attack in Addis, state media said Monday. State broadcaster EBC reported that top prosecutor Migbaru Kebede had died from gunshot injuries after Saturday's attack, which the government has described as an attempted coup in the region. In a separate attack, which the government said appears linked to the Amhara incident -- although it is not clear how or with what motive -- the country's army chief Seare Mekonnen was killed by his bodyguard in his Addis Ababa home.
CM gets emotional while paying tribute to Pant
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat Monday became emotional while paying tribute to late state minister Prakash Pant in the state assembly. Trying to control his emotions, Rawat took a long pause midway while paying tribute and had a glass of water before resuming. Pant, who was the state's minister of finance and parliamentary affairs died recently, battling cancer at a US hospital. Glowing tributes were paid to the late minister by the Houseas the state assembly session began Mondaywith both ruling party and opposition members praising him for his erudition and the ability to take everyone together. The chief minister remembered his long association with Pant, saying his profound knowledge of legislative business was amazing. "Pant held the distinction of becoming the youngest speaker of Uttarakhand assembly but the way he rose above party considerations to discharge his responsibilities objectively came in for praise from all quarters," Rawat said. Extending his ...
HC seeks response of ex-LoP, 2 others on appointment as ministers
The Bombay High Court on Monday sought the response of former leader of opposition in the state assembly, Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and two other ministers in the Maharashtra government on a plea challenging their appointment. A division bench of justices S C Dharmadhikari and G S Patel was hearing a petition challenging the appointment of Vikhe Patil, NCP-turned Shiv Sena leader Jaydutt Kshirsagar, and RPI(A) leader Avinash Mahatekar as ministers. Vikhe Patil, who was the leader of opposition in the state Assembly till some time ago before he quit the Congress, was inducted into the Devendra Fadnavis cabinet on June 16 and given the plum housing portfolio. "Let the respondents (ministers) also get a chance to object or respond to the petition," the court said while posting the matter for further hearing after four weeks. Government counsel V A Thorat opposed the plea and said the three can hold ministerial charge for six months and will have to get elected to the state legislature ...
UAE assures India to cover shortfall in oil supplies after US sanctions on Iran: Envoy
The UAE has assured India that it will cover any shortfall in oil supplies following the US sanctions on Iran, United Arab Emirates Ambassador to India Ahmed Al Banna said Monday. India has expressed concern over developments in the Strait of Hormuz impacting oil prices and sought OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia's active role in keeping rates at reasonable levels. This comes after tensions ran high in the region after US President Donald Trump approved and then later called off military strikes against Tehran following shooting down of an American Navy drone over the strait by Iranian forces. "UAE has promised and assured India that they will cover any shortage of oil that it might face because of the situation (US sanctions on Iran). It has been done in the past and we commit to the Government of India the same thing now," he said. India stopped importing oil from Iran after American waivers granted to eight buyers expired in May this year. Besides, Al Banna said India and the UAE are to ..
US President Trump to visit Seoul after letters with Kim
US President Donald Trump will visit South Korea at the weekend after the G20 summit to discuss deadlocked nuclear talks with the North with President Moon Jae-in, Seoul's presidential office said Monday. Trump will fly to the South Korean capital on Saturday after attending the G20 summit in Japan, officials said, prompting speculation he could try to visit the Demilitarized Zone that divides the peninsula. The visit comes after Trump exchanged letters with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who said the US president's letter to him had "excellent content", according to the North's state-run media Sunday. Trump received a missive from Kim earlier this month and called it a "beautiful letter". The letter exchange comes after their second summit in Hanoi in February ended without an agreement -- on sanctions relief and what the North might give up in return -- and since then the negotiation process has stalled, with minimal contact. Kim last week hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping for ..
NCP leaders ridicule Maha govt, CM over pending water bills
Citing media reports, NCP leader Dhananjay Munde Monday claimed Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and other state ministers had defaulted on water bills of Rs 8 crore, and asked whether the BMC would disconnect supply. According to media reports based on an RTI reply, the bill due on the chief minister's official residence is Rs 7.44 lakh, while the overall amount pending for that of other state ministers was reportedly around Rs 8 crore. NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad, in a sarcastic vein, said he would clear the chief minister's (bungalow's) bill to ensure the latter faced "no delay in taking bath" and that "there is no delay in the government's decision-making". "The chief minister and his ministers have kept water bills of Rs 8 crore of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) pending. Will the BMC, which cuts water supply of common citizens, exhibit courage to cut supply of the ministers' bungalows?" Munde asked on Twitter. Speaking to reporters outside the state ...
Mayawati's decision to go solo in future polls will weaken fight for social justice: SP
SP leader Ramashankar Vidyarthi Monday said BSP supremo Mayawati's decision of going solo in all future elections will "weaken" the fight for social justice. Mayawati on Monday declared that her party in the future will contest all elections "small and big" on its own, signalling the end of the much discussed Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Samajwadi Party (SP) alliance forged for the Lok Sabha polls. "She is speaking against the Samajwadi Party in haste and due to the Dalit support to the SP and its leader Akhilesh Yadav. She is weakening the fight for social justice," Vidyarthi told reporters. The SP national general secretary said the 'Dalit samaj' is getting connected with the Samajwadi Party and its chief Akhilesh Yadav in a big way. "People know the reality about what the 'malkin' of the alliance has done," he said. Mayawati's announcement came a day after she held a meeting with party workers to review the BSP's performance in the recent Lok Sabha polls. "Everyone is aware that ...
UK's Hunt urges leadership rival Johnson not to be 'coward'
Jeremy Hunt, the underdog in a bitter battle with Boris Johnson to become Britain's next prime minister, on Monday called on his rival not to be "a coward" trying to "avoid scrutiny" over a domestic row. Foreign minister Hunt urged Johnson, who has become embroiled in a scandal over a dispute with his girlfriend that led to a police visit last week, to "man up" and show he can cope with questioning. Johnson, the overwhelming favourite to replace Theresa May as Conservative Party leader, and therefore prime minister, has refused to discuss the early Friday incident. He has also kept an unusually low profile during the weeks-old race, skipping a candidates' TV debate and doing barely any media interviews. "I am not interested in debating Boris's private life," Hunt said in an article in The Times, arguing he instead wants to quiz Johnson on his policy ideas. "A new prime minister needs the legitimacy of having made his arguments publicly and having them subjected to scrutiny. "Only then
PPP to challenge ban on using the word 'selected' for Imran Khan in House
The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) on Monday said that it will challenge the ban imposed by the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly for addressing Prime Minister Imran Khan using the word "selected".Former president and PPP's co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari questioned the legitimacy of the move and said that the party will look for legal options after consulting with lawyers.Urging all lawmakers to come together in the matter, The Express Tribune quoted Zardari as saying, "We must ascertain whether the government even has the authority to impose such a ban."Echoing similar sentiments, PPP Vice President Senator Sherry Rehman said that 'selected' is a part of Khan's identity."PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was the first person to use the word 'selected' for PM Imran. It is quite telling to see that this word has now become a part of Imran Khan's identity. This single word sums up his political journey," she said.Rehman claimed that the ban proved allegations that Khan was ...
Congress' Vijay Waddetiwar nominated LoP in Maha Assembly
Senior Congressman Vijay Waddetiwar was on Monday nominated the leader of opposition (LoP) in the Maharashtra Assembly. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis made the announcement in the Lower House and described Waddetiwar as a grassroot leader who has risen from the ranks. "I wish him good luck as a strong opposition leader is required to keep a watch on the government. We need quality and constructive opposition," he said. Beginning his political career from the National Students' Union of India (NSUI), a student wing of the Congress, Waddetiwar later joined the Shiv Sena and was its MLC from 1998 to 2004. In 2004, he was elected to the state Assembly for the first time from Chimur seat on Sena's ticket. But, in 2005, he came back to the Congress later won the by-election from Chimur on its ticket He then served as a minister in the Congress-NCP government and in 2014, he got elected as an MLA from Brahmapuri seat. Taking potshots at the opposition over its criticism of ...
Opposition should rethink, but its leaders are still arrogant: J P Nadda in RS
BJP today asked the opposition in the Rajya Sabha to do a rethink on its stance on various issues in the light of the massive mandate it has got in the Lok Sabha elections but felt the rivals are still arrogant even after losing all their strength."We should not disagree just for the sake of disagreeing. Opposition just for the sake of opposition is not good for democracy. We got the mandate despite your opposition and continuous disrupting of House in last four years," said J.P. Nadda, the newly-appointed BJP Working President, who initiated the discussion from the treasury benches on the discussion on the President's address in the House."You have to rethink whether you are on the right path or not. If the House runs properly then it is the opposition that derives the largest benefit. The mandate shows that the public supports our policies," he said.Nadda, who is a former union minister, said that opposition leaders are "arrogant" and even after defeat they have not given up their
Water crisis: DMK warns of 'jail bharo' stir across TN
Upping the ante against the AIADMK government in Tamil Nadu for "inefficient handling" of the water scarcity in the state, DMK president M K Stalin Monday led a massive protest here and lambasted Chief Minister K Palaniswami for attempting to downplay the crisis. 'Yagams' (elaborate ritualistic worships) that AIADMK leaders are conducting are to save their positions in the government and not to please the rain gods, said Stalin, while also warning of a massive 'jail bharo' stir if the government failed to solve the state-wide water crisis. AIADMK leader D Jayakumar, however, asserted that the protest would get no support from the people. Joining the DMK workers at the protest, Stalin dramatically raised an empty pot and asked, "Kudam Inge Kudineer Enge?" (Pot is here, where is the drinking water)?" "The government has scarcity of funds, schemes, jobs, industries, justice, law and order, now include water. But Chief Minister K Palaniswami, his deputy O Panneerselvam and Municipal ...
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury questions BJP over inaction in 2G, coal 'scams'
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Monday launched a scathing attack on the Central government in the Lok Sabha, saying that they failed to put alleged "thieves" -- Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi -- behind the bars in 2G and coal allocation scams despite being in power in the last term."Did you manage to catch anybody in 2G and coal allocation scams? Did you manage to send Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi behind the bars? You came to power by calling them thieves. Then, how are they sitting in the parliament," asked Chowdhury, newly-elected Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha.The 2G scam dates back to 2007-2008 when the Congress party was in power. It relates to the grant of 2G spectrum licence allocations, which caused, according to a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, a loss of Rs 1.76 lakh crore to the public exchequer.On the other hand, coal allocation scam relates to the allocation of coal blocks to private companies by the Central government between ..
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury questions BJP over inaction in 2G, coal scams
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Monday launched a scathing attack on the Central government in the Lok Sabha, saying that they failed to put alleged "thieves" -- Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi -- behind the bars in 2G and coal allocation scams despite being in power in the last term."Did you manage to catch anybody in 2G and coal allocation scams? Did you manage to send Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi behind the bars? You came to power by calling them thieves. Then, how are they sitting in the parliament," asked Chowdhury, newly-elected Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha.The 2G scam dates back to 2007-2008 when the Congress party was in power. It relates to the grant of 2G spectrum licence allocations, which caused, according to a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, a loss of Rs 1.76 lakh crore to the public exchequer.On the other hand, coal allocation scam relates to the allocation of coal blocks to private companies by the Central government between ..
What's the proof: Azam Khan on Mayawati's 'bad conduct' claim
Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan on Monday questioned BSP Chief Mayawati's claim of bad conduct on SP's part as the reason of scrapping the erstwhile 'mahagathbandhan' and said the SP-BSP alliance was forged mutually."The alliance was stitched with mutual agreement. The coalition was stuck after much deliberation about its pros and cons. What can we do if she wants to contest elections alone?" Khan told media at the Parliament here."Is there any proof to back what she (Mayawati) said? I believe she should not have made such a hollow comment," he added.Earlier in the day, Mayawati announced to scrap all ties with the Akhilesh Yadav-led party, ending a brief coming together of both parties, popularly known as 'Mahagathbandhan', after its poor performance in the recently held Lok Sabha polls.Mayawati's announcement to contest "all small and big polls alone in the future" came after her "realisation" that the SP-BSP alliance was not enough to defeat the BJP, for the decision to chart
Pompeo meets Saudi king on Iran crisis
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met Monday with the king of Saudi Arabia as he sought to coordinate with allies over soaring tensions with Iran. On a day trip scheduled after Iran shot down a US drone, Pompeo flew into the Red Sea city of Jeddah and met with King Salman at his palace. "You are a dear friend," the king told Pompeo as he shook hands with the top US diplomat and his aides. Pompeo is later due to meet the powerful crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, before flying for talks in the United Arab Emirates, US officials said. Both Saudi and Emirati leaders advocate a tough US approach against regional rival Iran, whose downing of the unmanned drone prompted President Donald Trump to order a military strike before changing his mind. Pompeo, speaking to reporters as he left Washington, called Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates "two great allies in the challenge that Iran presents". "We'll be talking with them about how to make sure that we are all strategically aligned ...