Page 121 - Politics
Rajnikanth's Rajini Makkal Mandram distributes water in Kodambakkam
As Tamil Nadu reels under the acute water crisis, actor-turned-politician Rajinikanth did a noble deed on Saturday by distributing water in Kodambakkam area.Rajnikanth through his organisation -- Rajini Makkal Mandram -- distributed water through tankers in the area. Carrying empty plastic pots in their hands, people waded through the streets to fill with the water.Earlier today, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) held a state-wide protest against the state government over the water scarcity issue.On Friday, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami held a press conference following a high-level meeting on the prevailing water scarcity in the state.Palaniswami also said that the government plans to bring an additional 10 million litres of water per day (MLD) through railway tankers from Jollarpettai.The Chief Minister also refuted media reports about hotels and schools being shut down due to the water crisis, saying that he has personally spoken to schools and these reports are ..
US report on global religious freedom shows bias against Modi: BJP
The US state department's 2018 International Religious Freedom Report shows clear bias against the Narendra Modi government and the BJP, the saffron party said Saturday, asserting that its leaders had strongly deplored violence against minorities and weaker sections of society. The report, released on June 21, alleged that some senior leaders of the BJP "made inflammatory speeches against minority communities". "Mob attacks by violent extremist Hindu groups against minority communities, especially Muslims, continued throughout the year amid rumors that victims had traded or killed cows for beef," it added. In a statement, BJP media head and Rajya Sabha MP Anil Baluni said, "The basic presumption in this report that there is some grand design behind anti-minority violence is simply false. On the contrary, in most of such cases, these instances are carried out as a result of local disputes and by (people with) criminal mindsets." Whenever needed, PM Modi and other BJP leaders have ...
Iran warns US attack would imperil interests across Mideast
Tehran warned Washington Saturday that any attack would see its interests across the Middle East go up in flames after US President Donald Trump said he called off a strike at the 11th hour. The aborted US military action was to have been in response to Iran's downing of a US reconnaissance drone, which has seen tensions between the two countries soar after a series of attacks on oil tankers the US has blamed on Iran. "Firing one bullet towards Iran will set fire to the interests of America and its allies" in the region, armed forces general staff spokesman Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi told the Tasnim news agency. "If the enemy -- especially America and its allies in the region -- make the military mistake of shooting the powder keg on which America's interests lie, the region will be set on fire," Shekarchi warned. President Donald Trump said Friday that the United States was "cocked & loaded" to strike Iran but pulled back at the last minute as it would not have been a ..
Amid US-Iran tensions, Etihad Airways supends operations through Tehran airspace
Two-day after the US restricted its airline operations in Iranian-controlled airspace, Etihad Airways on Saturday suspended operations through Iranian airspace over the Straits of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman amid escalating Tehran and Washington tensions.The airline will now use alternative flight paths on a number of routes to and from Abu Dhabi until further notice, said Etihad Airways in a statement.The US Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday issued an emergency order prohibiting its operators from flying in an overwater area of Tehran-controlled airspace."The safety of our passengers and staff is the highest priority for Etihad Airways, and we are continually engaging with regulatory authorities and conducting our own risk assessments to ensure that our standards are not compromised," the statement added.The already strained relationship was further aggravated after Iran shot down a US military drone on Thursday.While Iran says that the "intruding American spy drone" was ...
BJP delegation visits Bhatpara, claims police firing killed 2
A three-member BJP delegation visited the trouble-torn Bhatpara area in West Bengal on Saturday and alleged that it was due to police firing that two persons lost their lives during clashes earlier in the week. Led by former Union minister and Bardhaman-Durgapur MP S S Ahluwalia, other members of the delegation were newly-elected MPs and former police officers Satyapal Singh and B D Ram. Leaders of the state also accompanied them. "We spoke to the family members and locals. We got portions of spent self loading rifle (SLR) bullets used by the police on Thursday to shoot the BJP workers," Alhuwalia said. Two people were killed and 11 others injured in the town in North 24 Parganas district on Thursday after clashes broke out between two groups believed to be affiliated to the Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party. "The police is saying they fired in the air. If they had done that, how can it hit humans?" he asked. "We will submit our detailed report to party president and ..
Afghan leaders begin peace summit in Pakistan
Dozens of Afghan political leaders attended a peace conference in neighboring Pakistan on Saturday to pave the way for further Afghan-to-Afghan dialogue. The conference is to be followed by meetings and working sessions over the next two days, all of which come in the run-up to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's visit to Pakistan next week. Ghani, his political opponents and a broad swath of Afghan civil society have been holding meetings in recent days with the United States' special envoy to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, who continues to press for talks between the Afghan government, the opposition and the Taliban. There are no representatives of the Taliban at Saturday's conference, held near the Pakistani capital, Islamabad. However, attending the conference is Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, who struck a peace deal with Ghani's government and was taken off a U.S. terrorist list. That peace deal was touted as a blueprint for an agreement with the Taliban, although the insurgents dismissed ...
Prague set to see biggest protests since Velvet Revolution
Prague won't have seen anything like this since the protests of 1989 which brought down the communist regime in what was then Czechoslovakia. Some 400,000 have signed a petition calling on Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis to step down over fraud allegations and subsidies paid to his former companies. And hundreds of thousands are expected at a rally in Prague on Sunday to urge the populist billionaire to stand down. The businessman turned populist politician is standing firm, though and points to record low unemployment rate. "The Czech Republic is doing well," Babis recently said. "We are the best in the region and the entire Europe. If you want to invest, it's the best place (to do it), it's a place for the future." The protest at Letna Park is set to be the biggest demonstration against the government since 1989's Velvet Revolution and concludes a wave of rallies across the country. "It's interesting but also it's a shame that our political situation is in such a state that ...
Mauritania votes after low-key campaign on economy and stability
Mauritanians voted Saturday to elect a new president after a campaign dominated by the West African country's economy and appeals to preserve its hard-won stability. The ballot is the first in the nation's coup-strewn history that looks set to see an elected president complete his mandate and transfers power to an elected successor, although the opposition has raised concerns of bias fraud. Some 1.5 million people are entitled to vote. Polling stations opened at 0700 GMT and will close at 1900 GMT, with preliminary results expected at the start of next week. President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, a general who is standing down after winning high marks from many Mauritanians for stabilising the country, cast his vote early in the morning in Nouakchott. "The country must choose the president it needs to take it on the right path, that of security and stability," said Abdel Aziz, who has previously warned that the opposition would reverse progress in the nation. At the nearby Olympic ...
UK PM hopeful Boris Johnson caught up in row with girlfriend
The frontrunner in the race to be the next British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, was dealing with the wrong kind of headlines on Saturday as a loud and noisy bust-up with his girlfriend in London was reported to the police. Johnson, who is going head to head with UK foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt in the Conservative Party leadership race to replace Theresa May at Downing Street, was recorded by neighbours during what seemed like a screaming match with partner Carrie Symonds in south-east London on Friday. "The caller was concerned for the welfare of a female neighbour. Police attended and spoke to all occupants of the address, who were all safe and well," a Metropolitan Police spokesperson said. "There were no offences or concerns apparent to the officers and there was no cause for police action," the spokesperson added. 'The Guardian' reported that a neighbour had told the newspaper they heard a woman screaming followed by "slamming and banging" during the alleged altercation. In a ..
BJP to expand base in states where it is not in power: Chouhan
After its thumping victory in the recent Lok Sabha polls, the BJP said on Saturday that it will now concentrate on strengthening the organisation in states where it is not in power. "We have to strengthen the BJP in those states where the party is not in power," BJP national vice president Shivraj Singh Chouhan said at a press conference here. Chouhan, who is also the chief of the party's membership drive, said, "We will organise the drive from July 6 to August 11 all over the country to expand the base of the party." The former Madhya Pradesh chief minister was flanked by UP BJP chief Mahendra Nath Pandey, who has become Union Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship after his re-election to the Lok Sabha last month. Both the senior leaders earlier addressed a membership workshop at the state party headquarters here.
Russians hit out at Kremlin ban on flights to Georgia
Russia's travel industry hit out Saturday at a decision by the Kremlin to suspend flights to Georgia as a politically motivated move that has little to do with safety concerns. President Vladimir Putin signed a decree banning Russian airlines from flying to Georgia from July 8 late Friday in response to anti-government rallies in the ex-Soviet neighbour. The outbreak of protests was sparked by a parliamentary address in Tbilisi by a Moscow lawmaker earlier this week. The Kremlin said the ban was to "ensure Russia's national security and protect Russian nationals from criminal and other unlawful activities" and a taskforce was being put together to oversee the return of Russians from Georgia. Russia and Georgia fought a brief but bloody war in 2008 and tensions between the two governments remain high. Georgia -- known for its picturesque Black Sea resorts, rich national cuisine and generous hospitality -- has emerged as one of the most popular destinations for Russian tourists over the
Vijayawada: Ruckus erupts after Chandrababu Naidu's photo replaced with Jagan Reddy at council hall
A ruckus ensued during a council meeting at the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation on Saturday after portraits of TDP leaders NT Rama Rao and N Chandrababu Naidu were replaced with pictures of YSRCP chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy at the council hall.As Andhra Pradesh saw a change in guard where YSRCP walloped TDP in both Lok Sabha and state Assembly elections, the portraits of NTR and Naidu were removed from the council hall by the corporation officials.However, city mayor Koneru Sridhar became furious with the move. He pulled up the officials for changing the portraits and asked them to follow his orders.Irked by the mayor's intervention, YSRCP councillors staged an agitation by protesting at the mayor's podium. They demanded that if a photo of NTR was to be kept, then a portrait of late former chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy should be kept as well.Naidu's TDP faced a severe drubbing at the hands of Reddy's YSRCP which got an absolute majority in the ..
AP government rejigs administration; transfers IAS, IPS and other officers
In an administrative reshuffle, Andhra Pradesh government on Saturday issued orders for transferring some of its Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers and one each of their Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Railway Personnel Service(IRPS), and Indian Foreign Services(IFS) officers, with an immediate effect.While some key officers were transferred to new posts, a number of officers waiting to be posted were given new roles on Thursday. A total of 47 officers will now assume office with new roles.As per the recent orders, Sri Budithi Rajsekhar who was the Principal Secretary to Government in Agriculture and Cooperation Department is now transferred and posted as Principal Secretary to Government, in the School Education Department.While Sri Y. Madhusudhan Reddy, who was the Special Secretary to Government in the Agriculture and Cooperation Department is now given the complete Additional Charge of the post of Principal Secretary to Government in the Agriculture & ...
Petition in Delhi HC seeks direction for appointment of Leader of Opposition in LS
A petition has been filed in the Delhi High Court seeking a direction to the Lok Sabha Speaker to appoint a Leader of Opposition for the 17th Lok Sabha.The petition, filed by advocates Manmohan Singh Narula and Susmita Kumari on Friday, contends that denying the second largest party the leadership in the parliament sets the wrong precedence and dilutes the democracy.Since the Leader of Opposition is a "statutory post" and the Speaker is performing a "statutory duty" in recognising the Leader of Opposition, he or she cannot exercise any discretion in the matter, the petition stated."There is no room for ifs and buts, under the Salaries and Allowances of Leaders of Opposition in Parliament Act, 1977, the duty of the Speaker is to recognise the eligible person," says the petition."Recognising a member of the house as the Leader of Opposition is not a political or arithmetical decision, but a statutory decision. The Speaker has to merely ascertain whether the party claiming this post is ..
Ex-IAS officer Ashwini Vaishnav joins BJP after getting RS nomination
A day after being named the BJP nominee for Rajya Sabha bypolls in Odisha, former IAS officer Ashwini Vaishnav Saturday joined the saffron party, even as the Congress hinted at a 'deal' behind the ruling BJD backing his candidature. Vaishnav, who was private secretary to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, joined the BJP in the presence of the party's Odisha unit president and MP Basant Panda and other senior leaders here. Shortly after the BJP named the ex-bureaucrat as its candidate for the July 5 Rajya Sabha bypolls, Odisha Chief Minister and BJD chief Naveen Patnaik announced his party's support to him. Vaishnav has enjoyed cordial relations with Patnaik, whose Biju Janata Dal (BJD) was an ally of the BJP during the Vajpayee era. Patnaik himself had served as a minister in the Vajpayee government before he became the chief minister of Odisha in the year 2000. Vaishnav told reporters that it is a great opportunity for him to serve the people of Odisha again. The ex-IAS .
Regime strikes kill 4 civilians in northwest Syria: monitor
Syrian government air strikes on the rebel-held northwest killed four civilians, two of them children, on Saturday, a war monitor said, as a two-month flare-up showed no let-up. The Idlib region of some three million people is supposed to be protected by a September buffer zone deal, but the jihadist-run enclave has come under mounting bombardment by the government and its ally Russia since late April. The two children were killed in a garage on the edge of the town of Maaret al-Numan, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The other two civilians were killed in strikes on the Idlib province villages of Kansafra and Khan al-Subul, the Britain-based monitor said. The September deal signed by Russia and rebel backer Turkey was supposed to set up a buffer zone around the Idlib region, but it was never fully implemented as the jihadists refused to pull back from the front lines. Hostilities deepened In January when Hayat Tahrir al-Sham -- an alliance led by Syria's former Al-Qaeda .
Cong leader Faleiro accepts party going through tough times
Congress general secretary Luizinho Faleiro has accepted that his party was going through "difficult times" and said an introspection was underway to find out and work on the grand old party's strength and weaknesses. Calling for structural changes in the Congress, Faleiro, who is the incharge of Northeast, said the party would come up with an action plan for the restructuring programme in about 6,000 villages of Meghalaya over next 15 days or a month. "The Congress is going through difficult times, we have to accept and appreciate it. We are doing our introspection to find out and work on our strengths and weaknesses," Faleiro said on Friday during a meeting with the Meghalaya Congress leaders, party MLAs and other functionaries here. "However, more than the Congress party, it is the nation which is going through disturbing times," he said. The eight Northeastern states has a total of 25 Lok Sabha seats. Congress drew blank in six of them. It has won only three of the 14 Lok Sabha ...
Pak at the cusp of achieving peace: General Bajwa
Pakistan army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Saturday said the country is at the cusp of achieving peace, which can be complemented through meaningful international partnership. Addressing a seminar on 'Pakistan's Regional Security Perspective' at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in London, Bajwa said the future of enduring peace and stability in South Asia "hinges on the ability to resolve issues and long pending disputes within the region". "Pakistan is at the cusp of achieving sustainable, irreversible, enduring peace and stability. This can be complemented through meaningful international partnership, support and will to take on regional challenges," the army chief, who is in London on an official visit, said.
Southeast Asian leaders throw weight behind China-led trade pact
Southeast Asian leaders gathered in Bangkok on Saturday determined to drive forward the world's largest commercial pact, with the trade war between the US and China clouding the outlook for their export-led economies. Disputes in the flashpoint South China Sea, Myanmar's persecution of Rohingya Muslims and plastic pollution in the seas are also set to be discussed at the two-day Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit, chaired by Thailand. But trade will take centre stage with ASEAN leaders keen to hasten the signing of a China-drafted commercial deal covering around half the world's population. The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) includes all 10 ASEAN economies, plus India, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. It is seen as a mechanism for China to draft the rules of Asia-Pacific trade, following a US retreat from the region. Shortly after his election, President Donald Trump pulled the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) -- which ...
Iran warns US attack would have regional consequences
Iran warned the United States on Saturday that any aggression against the Islamic republic would have serious consequences for US interests across the Middle East. "Firing one bullet towards Iran will set fire to the interests of America and its allies", armed forces general staff spokesman Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi told the Tasnim news agency. "Today, the situation in the region is to Iran's advantage. "If the enemy -- especially America and its allies in the region -- make the military mistake of shooting the powder keg on which America's interests lie, the region will be set on fire," Shekarchi warned. President Donald Trump said Friday that the United States was "cocked & loaded" to strike Iran but pulled back at the last minute as it would not have been a "proportionate" response to Tehran's shooting down of an unmanned US drone. The downing of the drone -- which Tehran insists violated its airspace, a claim Washington denies -- has seen tensions between the two ...