Page 1125 - Politics
IUML upset, wants Rahul to come clean on Wayanad
Syed Hyderali Shihab Thangal, the supreme leader of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) on Saturday asked the Congress high command to end uncertainty over whether their President Rahul Gandhi will contest from Wayanad, or not.
Mueller report to Congress, public by April
The US Justice Department will release Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report on the Russia investigation to Congress and the public by "mid-April, if not sooner", Attorney General Bill Barr has said.
Google axes controversial gay conversion therapy app
Facing immense pressure from the LGBTQ civil rights advocacy groups, Google has removed a controversial app that advocated for gay conversion therapy.
Poll graffiti, limericks find favour in the age of social
In an age when social media holds sway, good old poll graffiti and limericks still find favour with parties in politically conscious Bengal to grab the attention of its voters. The walls of buildings across the state have been claimed by political parties before the polls. Adorning them are graffiti depicting 'chowkidar' sitting idle while industrialists loot banks (put up by the TMC) to those by the BJP, lampooning the opposition efforts to cobble up an alliance. Limericks in catchy tunes mocking TMC's policies to BJP's poll promises are also being preferred by the political parties. "Graffiti and limericks are an integral part of poll campaign in Bengal. Canvassing is incomplete without them. Social media undoubtedly has a wider reach, but the visual impact of graffiti can never be denied," veteran politician and senior TMC leader Subrata Mukherjee told PTI. Mukherjee, who is also a minister in the Mamata Banerjee cabinet, and is contesting the elections from the ...
MPs, ex-student leaders in fray for 5 Assam seats
Three sitting MPs and former student leaders are in the fray for the first phase of polls for Assam's five Lok Sabha constituencies, even as political parties are seen making last ditch efforts to gain votes for their candidates.
Slovaks vote for president with outsider tipped to win
Slovaks vote for a new president on Saturday with the odds-on-favourite an outsider whose anti-corruption stance has resonated with voters, still reeling from the fallout from an investigative journalist's murder. An environmental lawyer with no experience in political office, Zuzana Caputova could become the EU and eurozone member's first female president. Her rival in the run-off election is the ruling party's candidate, EU energy commissioner and career diplomat Maros Sefcovic. Two recent opinion polls give at least 60 percent of the vote to Caputova, who ran on a slogan of "Stand up to evil", telling AFP that "People are calling for change" in the central European country of 5.4 million. She was among tens of thousands of anti-government protesters who rallied last year after journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee were gunned down as he was preparing to publish a story on alleged ties between Slovak politicians and the Italian mafia. Then prime minister Robert Fico was forced to ...
YSRCP criticises TDP for moving court against transfers of top cops by ECI
YSR Congress Party general secretary Nagireddy criticised Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP government in the state for approaching the Andhra Pradesh High Court regarding the transfers of three IPS officers by the Election Commission of India (ECI).Calling the ECI an autonomous body, the YSRCP leader said that Telugu Desam Party (TDP) supremo Naidu thinks himself as "king of Andhra Pradesh"."In democracy, Election Commission is an autonomous body. Nobody can go against the Election Commission decisions but one pity thing the TDP government did is that they directly went to the High Court," Nagireddy told ANI.He added, "The EC has just relieved the police officers but Naidu feels that he is above the constitutional laws and he thinks himself as a king to Andhra Pradesh."This came after Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP government filed a petition in Andhra Pradesh High Court challenging the orders of the EC transferring three IPS officers on Tuesday night.The Andhra .
TDP Minister slams PM Modi for ignoring development of Andhra Pradesh
Telugu Desam Party (TDP) state president K Kala Venkat Rao hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for ignoring the development of Andhra Pradesh.In an open letter written to Prime Minister Modi, State Minister for Energy Rao said, " You (PM Modi) have done nothing on the basis of which you can ask for votes. You have deceived people of Andhra Pradesh. You have been reiterating that we (TDP) don't cooperate. We are not corrupt like YSRCP, with whom have cordial relations."He further accused the Prime Minister of conspiring with Telangana Chief Minister KCR and YSRCP chief Jagan Reddy to remove names of TDP sympathizers from the voter list.Calling Union Minister Nitin Gadkari "Minister cum contractor", Rao said, "Can you (Modi) at least ask your Minister cum contractor Nitin Gadkari that how to complete Polavaram project."Polavaram Project is an under construction multi-purpose irrigation project on the Godavari River in the West Godavari District and East Godavari District in Andhra ..
Telangana Congress accuses KCR of violating MCC, writes to ECI
Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) has written to the Election Commission of India (ECI) accusing TRS President and state Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao of violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).The TPCC has urged the Chief Election Commissioner to ensure strict implementation of the MCC."The Chief Minister is using the government accommodation - Pragathi Bhavan, as his office-cum-residence. He has been violating the MCC on several occasions, since the 2014 elections. We wish to state that during the course of the biennial elections to the Telangana Legislative Council in 2015, our party filed a complaint that after the MCC came into existence on November 24, 2015, as CM of Telangana, Shri K Chandrasekhar Rao addressed a meeting organised to admit Congress leaders from Khammam district into TRS on November 28 at this official camp office. ECI had promptly issued a notice to Shri K Chandrasekhar Rao,' the TPCC claimed.The TPCC claimed that there have been several ...
India, US seek meaningful and irreversible action from Pak on terror
India and the United states on Friday underlined the need for Pakistan to take meaningful, irreversible and verifiable action against terrorists and terror groups operating from its soil. The two countries exchanged views on threats posed by international terrorist organisations during the US-India Counterterrorism Joint Working Group and Designations Dialogue that concluded here Friday. While the US delegation was led by State Department Coordinator for Counterterrorism Ambassador Nathan Sales, the Indian side was headed by Joint Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, Mahaveer Singhvi. "Both sides underlined the urgent need for Pakistan to take meaningful, irreversible, and verifiable action against terrorists and terrorist groups," according to a joint statement. It said the two sides discussed counterterrorism cooperation between them and resolved to continue close coordination on this important element of the bilateral relationship. Sales, according to the joint statement, ...
Mueller report to be delivered to Congress by mid-April: Barr
US Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report on alleged collusion of Russia in the 2016 Presidential election will be delivered to Congress by mid-April, announced Attorney General William Barr on Friday (local time)."Everyone will soon be able to read it on their own," Barr wrote in a letter to the lawmakers.According to the Washington Post, Barr will not send the 400-page report to the White House for a "privilege review" before showing to Congress."Although the president would have the right to assert privilege over certain parts of the report, he has stated publicly that he intends to defer to me and, accordingly, there are no plans to submit the report to the White House for a privilege review," Barr wrote.This comes after Democrats questioned the release of only the conclusion of the report, but not the full findings.House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Mr Barr's summary, which cleared Trump of campaign collusion with Russia and criminal obstruction of Mueller's federal probe, was ...
India, US jointly urge Pakistan to take verifiable action against terror groups operating from its soil
In a major move, India and United States have jointly urged Pakistan to take meaningful, irreversible and verifiable action against terrorists and terror groups operating from its soil.Indian and U.S. officials met in Washington on March 29 for the sixteenth meeting of the U.S.-India Counterterrorism Joint Working Group and the second session of the U.S.-India Designations Dialogue.The Counter Terrorism Joint Working Group exchanged views on threats posed by international terrorist organisations as well as ongoing concerns over cross-border terrorism in the South Asia region."Both sides underlined the urgent need for Pakistan to take meaningful, irreversible, and verifiable action against terrorists and terrorist groups. There was discussion of strengthening cooperation on information sharing and other steps to disrupt the ability of terrorists to travel, consistent with the important provisions and obligations outlined in United Nations Security Council Resolution 2396," a statement .
US warns Russia against sending troops to Venezuela
The US on Friday warned Russia against sending troops and military equipment to Venezuela, saying such actions will be considered as a "direct threat to international peace"."We strongly caution actors external to the Western Hemisphere against deploying military assets to Venezuela, or elsewhere in the Hemisphere, with the intent of establishing or expanding military operations," Al Jazeera quoted US National Security Adviser John Bolton as saying."We will consider such provocative actions as a direct threat to international peace and security in the region," Bolton added.Bolton warning was in the reference to the reports that two Russian military jets with 100 soldiers on board reached Caracas.He also condemned Russia-backed Venezuela socialist President Nicolas Maduro by saying, "use of foreign military personnel in his attempt to remain in power, including the introduction of Russian military personnel and equipment into Venezuela".Further building the pressure on Moscow, US ...
Mueller report: US Congress to get redacted version by 'mid April'
US Attorney General William Barr has told Congress to expect a redacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller's confidential report on the Russia investigation by mid-April, "if not sooner."
Trump says N.Korea suffering, doesn't need new sanctions
US President Donald Trump on Saturday reaffirmed that he would stop new sanctions on North Korea, saying the country was suffering and he valued his relationship with its authoritarian leader Kim Jong Un. Trump shed light on his tweet a week ago that took Washington by surprise in which he said he was rolling back sanctions on North Korea that the Treasury Department had planned. "They are suffering greatly in North Korea. They're having a hard time in North Korea," he told reporters at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. "And I just didn't think additional sanctions at this time were necessary. Doesn't mean I don't put them on later but I didn't think additional sanctions at this time were necessary," he said. A month after his latest summit with Kim ended in stalemate in Vietnam, Trump said he got along "very well" with the young leader, adding: "We understand each other." "I think it is very important you maintain that relationship at least as long as you can," Trump said. Trump's ...
Iraqi leader says there's 'consensus' on US troops presence
Iraq's president On Friday said he does not see any "serious" opposition when it comes to the presence of American forces in Iraq, provided they continue to be there specifically to assist Iraqi forces in the fight against the Islamic State group. Barham Salih said there is "general consensus" that Iraq needs continued collaboration with the forces, which he said can go on "as long as it is necessary." He also warned that the threat from IS extremists is far from over, despite the announcement of the group's territorial defeat in Syria last week. Salih spoke to The Associated Press in an exclusive interview in Baghdad on Friday, a day before traveling to Tunis to attend an annual Arab summit meeting. Some 5,200 troops are stationed in Iraq as part of a security agreement with the Iraqi government to advise, assist and support the country's troops in the fight against the Islamic State. IS overran large parts of Iraq in 2014 after Iraqi forces collapsed, and it proceeded to declare a .
We will scrap Niti Aayog, says Rahul
Congress President Rahul Gandhi said on Friday that his party will scrap the Niti Aayog if voted to power in Lok Sabha elections as it has served no purpose other than marketing presentations for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and "fudging data".
Sudan frees editor as football fans launch protest
Sudanese security agents on Friday released a prominent editor who had been detained for weeks for criticising a state of emergency, as scores of protesters including football fans held anti-government rallies, witnesses said. Osman Mirghani, editor-in-chief of independent daily Al-Tayar, was taken away by security agents from his office on the night of February 22 after making televised comments on President Omar al-Bashir's decision to impose emergency rule nationwide. Bashir announced the measure after an initial crackdown failed to quell widespread protests against his administration that erupted in December. "My father has been released and he's in good health. We are now on our way home," his son Jihad Mirghani told AFP. Mirghani was arrested after an interview with Sky News Arabia in which he said Bashir's measures would "spark a new wave" of protests and send a message that the public "can exert more pressure to achieve its goal of removing this regime". The US-educated ...
Mexico not stopping two massive caravans from entering US: Trump on shutting southern border
Justifying his decision to close down southern border next week, US President Donald Trump on Friday (local time) claimed that Mexico is not taking any action to stop "two massive caravans" that are moving towards the United States."Massive caravans walking right through Mexico. So Mexico's tough. They can stop them but they chose not to. Now they're going to stop them. And if they don't stop them, we're closing the border. We'll keep it closed for a long time, I'm not playing games," Hill tweeted Trump as saying.Trump made these remarks while interacting with media in Canal Point in Florida.Further pushing for a wall on US-Mexico border, he said: "I said let's go. We need a wall also on the border. You know that, right? I'm looking at all these walls I'm saying southern border too. Don't forget our southern border. And we're right now building a lot of wall on the southern border."Earlier in the day, Trump threatened to shut its southern border "or large sections of it" next week if .
Odisha: BJP candidate quits party to join BJP
BJP candidate for Anandpur Assembly constituency, Bhagirathi Sethi on Friday joined the Biju Janta Dal (BJD) in presence of party chief Naveen Patnaik.Sethi was a BJP leader before he switched sides with the BJP.Sethi was elected to the Odisha assembly from Anandpur in 2009 on a BJD ticket, however, the party in 2014 replaced him with Mayadhar Jena due to which he had resigned from the Patnaik led the party and joined BJP.After rejoining BJD Sethi said, "I decided to quit BJP as there were a lot of internal fights and conspiracies against me."Reacting to Sethi's rejoining, Patnaik said, "I am glad that Bhagirathi Sethi has returned to the Biju Janta Dal. His joining will strengthen the party."Odisha is set to go for a simultaneous poll along with Lok Sabha in four phases on April 11, 18, 23 and 29. The state will be voting simultaneously for parliamentary and assembly constituencies. There are 21 Lok Sabha and 147 Assembly seats in Odisha.