Page 1103 - Politics
Actor couple Jeevitha, Rajasekhar return to YSRCP
Actor couple Jeevitha and Rajasekhar on Monday re-joined the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP).
Chandrababu Naidu dubs Pulwama attack as PM Modi's failure
Terming Pulwama terror attacks as a failure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu launched a scathing attack on him by questioning the outcome of Balakot air strike and accusing the Prime Minister of lying about it.Speaking to ANI on Sunday, Naidu said, "Pulwama is your (PM Modi) failure. Earlier you criticised the then Prime Minister now you want to take credit. This air strike you gave a big statement- 300 terrorists killed, destroyed, all terrorist over. No international media confirmed, then you are blaming us. As a Prime Minister there is a stature, how can you lie, is it good? You cannot lie to the nation. India has prestige, it is a proud nation. I cannot lie, my conscience won't permit."He also accused the BJP led Central government of taking a U-turn on according special status to Andhra Pradesh."One should have respect. Give respect take respect. You (Modi) are taking U-Turn not me, why should I have alliance with him. Our ...
FIR against Union Minister Ashwini Choubey, 149 others for violating MCC
Following a verbal altercation between Union Minister Ashwini Choubey and a government official over alleged violation of Model Code of Conduct, an FIR has been lodged against 150 people including Choubey.The FIR also names BJP leader Rana Pratap Singh and various other leaders. The said 150 accused have been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including 'assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty'.This comes after the BJP leader (Choubey) was caught on camera while having a verbal altercation with Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) KK Upadhyay after the official had stopped his convoy for allegedly violating MCC.In a video of the incident that occurred on Saturday night, a furious Choubey sitting on the front seat of a vehicle can be seen aggressively reacting to the official who attempted to appraise the Union Minister about election commission's order."What's the issue? Who's order is it. Send me to jail if you have to do ...
Jayant Chaudhary takes a dig at BJP over UP MP-MLA shoe fight, calls it a 'jutiya' party
In a statement that can spark a controversy, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) leader Jayant Chaudhary called BJP a 'jutiya' party while addressing a public gathering in a village here on Sunday.While referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling alliance of BJP-SP-RLD as 'Sharaabi', Chaudhary reminded people of an incident of a shoe-fight between a BJP MLA and MP and said, "There bad time is coming. They will call you alcoholic, they will call it adulteration but I have also thought of a name for them. They are well versed in fighting with shoes. I don't want to abuse them but these are very big 'jutiya' and it is a big 'jutiya' party. This is a fight of identity and lot depends on it."On March 6, BJP MLA Rakesh Singh Baghel got into a fist fight with MP Sharad Tripathi during an official meeting at Sant Kabir Nagar in Uttar Pradesh. Initially, both of them had a verbal argument over the placement of names on a foundation stone of some development project. However, the argument soon turned
Electricity rationing plan announced in Venezuela
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has announced the start of a plan for electricity rationing that will last 30 days amid the frequent power blackouts since last month that has cripple the South American nation.
LS polls: Minister Shinde confident of BJP-Sena win in Maha
Maharashtra minister Eknath Shinde has expressed confidence that the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance will win the Lok Sabha polls and asked the coalition workers to work for increasing the victory margin this time. Addressing a meeting of Shiv Sena-BJP workers at Dombivli town in Maharashtra's Thane district on Sunday night, the senior Sena leader also asked them not to be reckless or underestimate the rival candidates. "Our victory is definite this time also. Our target should be to ensure maximum difference of votes between the winning and losing candidates," said Shinde, who is also the guardian minister of Thane. Lauding Srikant Shinde, the sitting Sena MP from Kalyan seat in Thane, for the work done by him in his constituency in the last five years, the minister claimed the voters would elect him this time also. State minister Ravindra Chavan said voters in Dombivli segment of the constituency earlier supported the BJP and Shiv Sena and this time also they will ensure ...
Protests break out in Venezuela over power blackout
Protests broke out in Venezuela after seven consecutive days of continuing electricity supply problems amid the latest power blackout.
Modi to address poll rally in Maharashtra
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a public meeting in Wardha Monday to campaign for the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance candidates in Vidarbha region. The meeting will begin at 11 am at Swavalambi ground here, BJP sources said. All the 10 candidates of the BJP-Sena alliance will be present at the meeting, they said. The candidates include Union ministers Nitin Gadkari (Nagpur) and Hansraj Ahir (Chandrapur), Krupal Tumane (Ramtek), Ramdas Tadas (Wardha), Ashok Nete (Gadchiroli), Bhavana Gawali (Yavatmal-Washim), Anand Adsul (Amravati), Sanjay Dhotre (Akola), Sunil Mendhe (Bhandara-Gondia) and Pratap Jadhao (Buldhana). Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis will also attend the meeting. Modi is also scheduled to address another public meeting in Gondia on April 3. Seven constituencies in Vidarbha are going to polls on April 11 while the remaining three will have polling on April 18.
British MPs seek new path for Brexit after deal rejected again
British MPs will attempt to chart a new Brexit path on Monday after rejecting Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal for a third time, leaving her strategy in tatters and the country in limbo. With less than two weeks to go until the day Britain risks crashing out of the European Union, MPs will hold a series of votes to try and find a majority-backed plan to end the current crisis. Britain voted by 52 percent to leave the EU in a 2016 referendum but the process has been mired in divisions between Brexit supporters over the terms of the divorce and what kind of future ties to seek. The government struck a deal with the EU in November but parliament has refused to ratify it, forcing the government to seek a delay to the originally planned departure date of March 29. The EU's offer of an extension until May 22 was conditional on MPs approving the deal last week. Despite May's promise to step down if they voted for the deal -- an attempt to get Brexit hardliners to vote for it -- they .
Pak violates ceasefire in J-K's Poonch district
Pakistani troops violated ceasefire by firing mortar shells and small arms in Shahpur and Kerni areas of Poonch at around 8 am on Monday.Indian Army is retaliating strongly and effectively, officials said.On Sunday, Pakistan violated ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Nowshera sector of Jammu and Kashmir.Further details are awaited.
Japan reveals new 'era' name ahead of emperor's abdication
Japan on Monday announced its new imperial era, which will begin next month after Emperor Akihito abdicates, will be known as "Reiwa", a word that includes the character for "harmony". The name consists of two characters: "Rei", which can have meanings related to "order" but also "auspicious" and "Wa", usually translated as "peace" or "harmony". The government is expected to explain the official meaning as well as the English spelling for the name shortly. "A short while ago, the government decided at a cabinet meeting on the new era name and how to pronounce it," Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said at a press conference, holding up the new name painted in traditional calligraphy on white paper. Although the Gregorian calendar is widely used in Japan, the imperial calendar is also in common use and the new era announcement has been highly anticipated. Emperor Akihito will step down at the end of April and his son Crown Prince Naruhito will assume the throne on May 1, when the new ...
Rahul Gandhi refused to forge alliance with AAP for LS polls: Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Monday said that Congress President Rahul Gandhi has refused to forge an alliance with the AAP for the Lok Sabha polls in the national capital. Talking to reporters at the airport here, the AAP leader said he had met Gandhi recently and the Congress leader had refused to join hands with the AAP. Asked about Congress' Delhi unit president Sheila Dikshit's remarks that Kejriwal never approached her for an alliance, the chief minister said, We have met Rahul Gandhi. Dikshit is not that important leader. Kejriwal has been urging the Congress to stitch an alliance in Delhi for the Lok Sabha polls to keep the BJP away from power. Leaders in the Delhi unit of the Congress were divided over the issue of alliance with Dikshit and her three working presidents opposing it, party sources had said. A top source in the party had recently said that chances of alliance were "slim" considering its long term repercussions in Delhi. "The biggest question is how will .
New Zealand shooters back gun control after massacre
New Zealand will crack down on firearms ownership this week after the Christchurch mosques massacre that claimed 50 lives -- and the Kiwi gun lobby, for the most part, is okay with that. In stark contrast to the United States, where even the most minor curbs on gun ownership meet ferocious opposition led by the National Rifle Association, New Zealand gun owners agree action is needed. The March 15 rampage by a white supremacist gunman has been a shock to the collective system. "We want to support our government in any changes to prevent a terrorist attack from happening in New Zealand again," Nicole McKee, secretary of the Council of Licensed Firearm Owners said. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's government announced an immediate ban on military-style semi-automatic rifles (MSSAs) after the shooting and will put laws to parliament formalising its action on Tuesday. Finalising such legislation can often take months but Ardern says the matter is so urgent it will be done by April ...
S Korea starts search for war remains, separate from North
South Korea's military is separately searching for Korean War remains at the heavily armed inter-Korean border after North Korea ignored its calls to carry out a previously planned joint search. Seoul's Defense Ministry said Monday that South Korean soldiers will remove mines and proceed with excavation work at an area south of the military demarcation line that bisects the rivals. The joint recovery of war remains was one of many peace agreements reached between the Koreas last year as they took steps to improve bilateral relations amid the larger nuclear negotiations between North Korea and the United States. But North Korea has shown less enthusiasm about upholding inter-Korean agreements following the collapse of February's high-stakes summit between leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump.
US welcomes India's efforts to cut oil imports from Venezuela
The United States on Sunday appreciated India's efforts adding to Washington's sanctions to restrict exports of Venezuelan oil in the global energy market."I would say that we have had contacts with Indian companies and with the Government of India and that we have found there to be a very considerable amount of cooperation, which we are very happy to see," Sputnik quoted US Special Representative for Venezuela Elliott Abrams as saying.The statement comes after several Indian companies stopped importing oil from Venezuela after Washington urged oil refineries around the world to cut their dealings with Caracas or face sanctions themselves.The move comes after the US slapped additional sanctions on Venezuela's oil industry earlier this year to weaken President Nicolas Maduro's government.Earlier, the US had implemented sanctions against Venezuela's Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) state oil company, blocking the company's assets, worth USD seven billion, and pressuring other companies to
4 terrorists gunned down in Pulwama encounter, search ops underway
Four Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists were eliminated in an encounter that broke out between terrorists and security forces in Lassipora area of Pulwama district in Jammu and Kashmir in the early hours of Monday, officials said.The bodies of the terrorists have been recovered from the site. Their identities are yet to be ascertained.A huge cache of arms and ammunition, including two AK rifles, 1 SLR and a pistol have been recovered from the site.Security forces have cordoned off the area and search operations are underway.Over the past few days, a number of terror activities were seen in Jammu and Kashmir.
US, S. Korea intend to keep momentum of talks: S. Korea minister
South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha on Sunday said both Seoul and Washington intend to maintain the momentum of the US-North Korea talks."South Korea and the U.S. share the same thoughts that maintaining the momentum of the U.S.-North Korea talks is the most important thing," Yonhap news agency quoted Kang while addressing the media at the airport."We also talked about continuing to watch North Korea's moves," she added.Kang returned to Seoul on Sunday after holding talks with her US counterpart Mike Pompeo in Washington, ahead of the upcoming summit between the two countries scheduled to be held next month.United States President Donald Trump will be meeting his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in for a summit on April 11 at the White House, amidst an impasse with North Korea on denuclearisation following the Hanoi summit held last month.It will be their first meeting since the no-deal summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and President Trump in Hanoi ended ...
UK parliament to hold indicative vote on Brexit deal
British parliamentarians are set for another set of indicative votes on Monday designed to test the will of parliament on a way forward for Brexit. Last week, all eight such votes failed to achieve a majority complicating the already messy situation.
Encounter in J-K's Pulwama
An exchange of fire started between terrorists and security forces in Lassipora area of Pulwama district in Jammu and Kashmir in the early hours of Monday.Security forces have cordoned off the area.More details are awaited.Over the past few days, a number of terror activities was seenin Jammu and Kashmir.
President Kovind addresses Indian community in Chile
President Ram Nath Kovind addressed the Indian community here on Sunday and said it has integrated well into the Chilean society and established a good reputation for itself and for India."You have maintained your cultural roots and ethos here also. We tremendously value your involvement and initiatives organised by our government through our embassies. Such interaction defines the partnership between all of you and us back at home. This kind of partnership is not only of mutual benefit but is also a crucial building block on our route to the future," the President said."I thank you for your partnership and projecting our shared values. You represent the route to help us achieve a better understanding of Chile and Chileans. And through your affinity with an interest in India you will be able to help us to project India in Chile," he added.During his speech, President Kovind noted that his state visit to Chile is important for many reasons. "I am the third Indian President to visit ...