Page 1165 - Politics
Jitters to relief: Mumbaikars react to PM's address to nation
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement about an address to the nation, coupled with the delay in its commencement, heightened speculation among Mumbai commuters about the contents of the speech. Having witnessed demonetisation announced in a similar way in 2016, the restlessness among commuters and office-goers in the financial capital's lifeline was palpable, as talk veered to what to expect from the latest missive from the PM. Access to information through social media sort of democratised guess work, with various theories being floated. As the wait continued -- Modi was to speak at 11.45 am initially -- the speculation only intensified with a wide range of possibilities being discussed. The discerning ones noticed a sharp correction in the equity markets ten minutes after Modi tweeted about his impending message to the nation, leading to further concerns on what to expect. Tweets were being read out aloud in offices and local trains as people tried to get their ...
AAP names 15 star campaigners for Delhi
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has come up with 15 names to be the party's star campaigners in Delhi, senior party leader Gopal Rai said. Rai said these names would be submitted to the Election Commission for approval on Wednesday and they would come up with more names in the coming weeks. "A total of 40 star campaigners will be campaigning for the party in Delhi," he said. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and senior party leaders Satyendra Jain, Sanjay Singh and he are among those chosen by the party, Rai said. The other names on the list include party members Bhagwant Mann, Sushil Gupta, N D Gupta, Imran Hussain, Kailash Gahlot, Saurabh Bhardwaj, Rajendra Pal Gautam, Rakhi Birla, Jarnal Singh and Shahnaz Hindustani, he told reporters here. The election to the seven Lok Sabha seats in the national capital will be held on May 12.
S.Africa president's son paid by scandal company: media
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's son Andile admitted on Wednesday he was paid USD 140,000 by a company facing extensive corruption allegations, an admission that could embarrass his father ahead of polls. President Ramaphosa has sought, ahead of elections on May 8, to de-toxify the ruling African National Congress which has been embroiled in numerous graft scandals since coming to power in 1994. "It was a severe oversight on our part," Andile told the News24 site of a USD 16,000-a-month deal his company signed with the Bosasa group in December 2017. Bosasa, which is now African Global Operations, was a conglomerate involved in bidding for and running lucrative government contracts. Several suspects including the company's former chief operating officer Angelo Agrizzi appeared at the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court Wednesday over the alleged theft of USD120 million from contracts with the prisons service. The case was postponed to July. "It is clear now with the benefit of
Dhavalikar sacked for anti-government activity: Goa CM
Goa Deputy Chief Minister and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) leader Sudin Dhavalikar, who held the Public Works Department Ministry, has been dropped from the cabinet because of anti-government activity, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Wednesday.
Subhas Chouhan joins BJD
A day after resigning from the BJP, senior leader Subhas Chouhan Wednesday joined the ruling Biju Janata Dal. Odisha chief minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik welcomed Chouhan and said his joining the BJD will further strengthen the party. "I am glad that a senior leader of western Odisha has joined us. I welcome Sri Chouhan and his joining will further strengthen our party," Patnaik said. "In the 'Dharma Yudh' (battle for justice), I took the side of Naveen Patnaik. He is like Mahabharat's Yudhisthira while Dharemendra Pradhan is akin to Duryodhan," said Chouhan, who severed his 30-years relationship with the BJP. Chouhan, who was denied a BJP nomination to contest from Baragarh Lok Sabha seat, was appointed as the BJP's state vice-president four days ago. Replying reporters, Chouhan said he would not contest elections in 2019 and has put no condition before joining the BJD. "I have worked for the people for more than 30 years and will continue to do so in coming .
Limitless drama to reap political benefits: Mamata Banerjee on Mission Shakti
Trinamool Congress Chief Mamata Banerjee Wednesday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his announcement about India's successful demonstration of anti-satellite missile capability, saying it was "yet another limitless drama" to "reap political benefits" ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. Terming it a gross violation of the model code of conduct, Banerjee said there was "no great urgency" of announcing the mission by a government "past its expiry date" and asserted that it seems to be the "desperate oxygen to save the imminent sinking of the BJP boat". She said she will lodge a complaint with the Election Commission. "India's Mission Programme is world-class for many many years. We are always proud of our scientists, @DRDO_India, other research & space organisations," she said adding research, space management and development are a continuous process over the years and "Modi, as usual likes to take the credit for everything". She said "credit to those who really deserve it, ...
Jaitley hits back at Congress, Oppn over missile launch
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Wednesday accused the the erstwhile UPA government of not granting scientists permission to build the country's own anti-satellite missile, saying it lacked "capability and clarity". Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters here, he said when India had test-fired the Agni-V missile in April, 2012, then DRDO chief V K Saraswat had said that India could now develop an anti-satellite missile but the government had not given its nod. Targeting the Congress, he said those patting their own back for India's strategic missile programme were doing so for wrong reasons. "If they want to rectify the Balakot (air strike) mistake, it is the opportunity for the opposition to do so and stand in support of our scientists," he said, referring to the air strike on a terrorist camp in Pakistan after the Pulwama terror attack. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced that India had demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a ...
BJP faces rebellion from Ranchi LS MP Ram Tahal
Jharkhand's ruling BJP is facing rebellion from Ranchi MP Ram Tahal Choudhary as the party is likely to deny him ticket for the Lok Sabha polls.
Shunted outgoing MP gets ticket from Etawah
Outgoing Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Ram Shankar Katheria, who was earlier denied ticket, has been fielded to contest from his home constituency Etawah in Uttar Pradesh.
Tusk urges EU not to 'betray' pro-Europe British voters
European Council President Donald Tusk urged EU lawmakers Wednesday to remain open to a long postponement of Brexit while Britain rethinks its position, urging them not to "betray" the UK's pro-Europe voters. "I said that we should be open to a long extension if the UK wishes to rethink its Brexit strategy, which would of course mean the UK's participation in the European Parliament elections," Tusk said. "And then there were voices saying that this would be harmful or inconvenient to some of you. Let me be clear, such thinking is unacceptable," he told the Strasbourg assembly. At last week's European summit, EU leaders agreed to delay the day of Britain's departure from the bloc by three weeks until April 12, while Prime Minister Theresa May struggles to ratify a withdrawal treaty. But many on the continent -- most vocally France's President Emmanuel Macron -- oppose a longer extension, concerned it would disrupt the European Parliament elections that start on May 23. If Britain is ..
Australian official lifts lid on cyberwarfare
Australia's top cyberwarrior revealed Wednesday that his country actively participated in the electronic war against the Islamic State group in Syria, degrading their communications during military operations and actively stopping people seeking to join the extremist group. The director-general of the government-run Australian Signals Directorate, Mike Burgess, spoke publicly for the first time about his agency's work. Burgess cited an example of how the cyberwarfare body helped the Australian Defense Force and its allies win a critical battle with IS. "Just as the coalition forces were preparing to attack the terrorists' position, our offensive cyberoperators were at their keyboards in Australia firing highly targeted bits and bytes into cyberspace," Burgess said in a speech at the Lowy Institute, an Australian strategic think tank. He said IS communications "were degraded within seconds." "Terrorist commanders couldn't connect to the internet and were unable to communicate with ...
No takers for federal front pitch of TRS, says BJP
The BJP on Wednesday dismissed the Telangana Rashtra Samiti's pitch to forge a federal front of regional parties, saying the initiative is a non-starer and there are no takers for it. "This federal front is a complete non-starter. It has not gone beyond Telugu states (of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh)", the BJP national spokesperson G V L Narasimha Rao told PTI. "There are no takers for it." In the past several months, TRS President and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had been making efforts to prop up a non-BJP, non-Congress federal front of regional parties. But TRS leaders have said in recent times that they expect the proposed front to take "good shape" after the Lok Sabha elections. TRS leader and Nizamabad Lok Sabha member, K Kavitha, daughter of the Chief Minister, said earlier this month she expected parties not aligned with the Congress and the BJP to bag 120-plus seats in the April-May elections. "It's a very desperate attempt to show that we (TRS)
Imran fears 'another incident' before Indian elections
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that he fears "another security incident" with India ahead of general elections in that country.
China expels ex-Interpol chief Meng from Communist Party
China has expelled former Interpol chief Meng Hongwei from the Communist Party and dismissed him from his official positions, the country's graft watchdog announced Wednesday. Meng, who served as the vice minister of public security, disappeared last year during a visit to China from France and was later accused of accepting bribes. "Meng Hongwei has no party principle... does not report personal matters in accordance with regulations... and refuses to implement the decision of the Party Central Committee," the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection said in a statement.
Modi has made country proud with Mission Shakti: Fadnavis
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said Wednesday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had done India proud with the successful testing of an anti-satellite missile. Fadnavis also congratulated the scientists who achieved the feat and noted that India has become the fourth country in the world after the US, Russia and China to have such a capability. "Congratulations India! We are now a space power too! And thank you Hon PM Narendra Modi ji for making India proud again by accomplishing #MissionShakti by testing anti-satellite (ASAT) missile & shooting down live satellite in just 3 minutes," Fadnavis tweeted. "India also congratulates all hard working scientists and entire team for this great achievement and making entire Nation proud," Fadnavis said in another tweet. Modi announced earlier Wednesday that India had demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite. Mission Shakti, led by the Defence Research and Development ...
China defends Tibet policies, bashes exile government
Chinese officials responsible for Tibet are praising development in the Himalayan region in the 60 years since the suppression of an uprising against Beijing's rule. Executive vice governor Norbu Dondrup on Wednesday reviewed gains in the economy, health care and education since 1959 and castigated the self-declared government-in-exile established by Buddhist leader the Dalai Lama as illegitimate. The now-83-year-old Dalai Lama fled to India after the uprising was suppressed. Dordrup also repeatedly emphasized that journalists must travel to Tibet to see for themselves the conditions there, even though China heavily restricts such travel. The US State Department issued a report on Monday saying China's government "systematically impeded travel" to Tibet and Tibetan areas outside the official Tibetan Autonomous Region for US diplomats and officials, journalists, and tourists in 2018.
Modi playing politics over anti-satellite missile capability: Mayawati
BSP supremo Mayawati Wednesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of playing politics over India's anti-satellite missile capability. "Congratulations to Indian defence scientists for the successful experiment of shooting down a satellite in the space. But the prime minister playing politics under its garb for electoral gains is most condemnable," she said in her tweet in Hindi. Her remarks came a few hours after Modi announced that India had demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite. "The honourable election commission should definitely take cognizance of this," Mayawati said in her tweet.
YS Sharmila, Vijayamma to campaign for YSRCP
: YS Sharmila, sister of YSR Congress Party chief and Andhra Pradesh Leader of Opposition YS Jaganmohan Reddy will undertake "Bus Tour" campaign for the party from March 29, party sources said Wednesday. Jaganmohan Reddy's mother YS Vijayamma will also campaign for the party from March 28, they further said. "As per the schedule fixed for the first three days, Sharmila will be covering six constituencies-Mangalagiri, Guntur West, Guntur East, Tadikonda (SC) Pedakurapadu and Narsaraopet. She will be campaigning in some more constituencies. The schedule is yet to be fixed," the sources told PTI. Vijayamma will be covering Pulivendula in Kadapa where her son is contesting and some constituencies in Srikakulam initially, they said. Sharmila undertook a walkathon in 2012 for over 3,100 km after Jagan was arrested in the disproportionate assets case. She and her mother also campaigned for the partys candidates in the 2012 bypolls in the united Andhra when Jagan was in prison.
BJP leaders hail PM Modi for India's successful demonstration of anti-missile technology
Union Ministers and senior BJP leaders Wednesday hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for India's successful demonstration of anti-satellite missile capability and described it as a "surgical strike" in space. Congratulating scientists involved in 'Mission Shakti', BJP chief Amit Shah said with its success, India has registered its presence among the elite space powers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced that India had demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite, describing it as a rare achievement that puts the country in an exclusive club of space super powers. "It is a proud moment for all Indians. I congratulate all the scientists involved with #MissionShakti and thank Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi for ensuring that India continues to safeguard the interest of its people and secures them on all fronts. "Decisive leadership leads to a stronger Nation. With #MissionShakti, India has registered its presence among the elite ...
Decisive leadership leads to stronger nation: Shah on Mission Shakti
BJP president Amit Shah Wednesday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for India's successful demonstration of anti-satellite missile capability, saying decisive leadership leads to a stronger nation. Congratulating scientists involved in 'Mission Shakti', he said, with its success, the country has registered its presence among the elite space powers. "It is a proud moment for all Indians. I congratulate all the scientists involved with #MissionShakti and thank Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi for ensuring that India continues to safeguard the interest of its people and secures them on all fronts," Shah tweeted. "Decisive leadership leads to a stronger Nation. With #MissionShakti, India has registered its presence among the elite space powers. A-SAT, an anti-satellite weapon, which successfully targeted a live satellite on a low earth orbit, is a giant leap in India's national security," he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced that India had demonstrated ...