Page 1474 - Politics
AP FM files paper for council polls
Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu Thursday filed his nomination for the election to the state Legislative Council. The Telugu Desam Party re-nominated Yanamala for the Council election scheduled for March 12 and, accordingly, he filed his papers on the last day of nominations. Yanamalas current term as MLC ends on March 29. The TDP also chose Duvvarapu Rama Rao of Visakhapatnam, B T Nayudu of Kurnool and P Ashok Babu of Krishna district for the three other seats under the MLAs quota, party sources said. Incidentally, Ashok Babu, a former leader of the AP Non-Gazetted Officers Association, joined the TDP Thursday. TDP supremo and Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu picked up Babu for the MLC post. Babu met Naidu at the latters riverfront residence here and thanked him for the Council nomination. The former NGO leader then reached the Legislature and filed his nomination. In all, election for five Council seats under the MLAs quota is slated for March ...
No new summit planned with Kim: Trump
US President Donald Trump has not agreed to another summit with North Korea's Kim Jong Un, he said Thursday after their second meeting ended in Hanoi with no concrete progress and no deal on denuclearisation. When asked if a third summit had been agreed with Kim, Trump told reporters: "No we haven't... we'll see if it happens.
Odisha creating hurdles in project implementation: Dharmendra
Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday accused the Odisha government of creating hurdles in the implementation of several developmental and welfare schemes proposed by the Centre in the state.
Former envoy to Pak confident of captured IAF pilot's return
Former envoy to Pakistan G Parthasarathy, who played a key role in bringing back IAF pilot K Nachiketa during the 1999 Kargil war, has expressed confident that wing commander Abhinandan Varthaman too would return safely. Parthasarthy recollected that growing international pressure had forced Pakistan to come up with a "goodwill gesture" of releasing Nachiketa, a flight lieutenant who was forced to eject in Pakistani territory after his jet developed a technical snag 20 years ago. "I am confident that Abhinandan would be back safely. I have no doubts about it. Pakistan has to abide by the Geneva Convention (of 1929), they just can't violate it," he told PTI. Varthaman was captured by Pakistan on Wednesday after his plane was shot down. The Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot will be governed under the Geneva Convention of 1929. India had demanded the immediate and safe return of Varthaman and strongly objected to the neighbouring country's "vulgar display" of an injured defence personnel in ..
SP slams PM's mega video-conference amid escalating tension with Pakistan
Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday lashed out at the BJP for going ahead with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to party workers through a mega video-conference amid escalating tension with Pakistan. Prime Minister Modi Thursday interacted with over 1 crore BJP workers and volunteers from 15,000 locations across the country in what the party claims is the "world's largest video conference". In a tweet, the SP chief said, "When the entire nation is standing along with the government as an Indian rising above politics, BJP is going to make a record of contact with booth level workers ..even the BJP supporters are ashamed of this." "The situation could be very bad but this suited-booted BJP will continue with its festivities...condemnable," he said. An IAF pilot was captured by Pakistan after an air combat Wednesday during which the two sides said they shot down each other's warplanes that followed an unsuccessful attempt to target Indian military installations in .
South Korean president to announce new engagement plans
South Korean President Moon Jae-in plans to offer new proposals for inter-Korean engagement following the high-stakes nuclear summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Moon's announcement is planned for a ceremony on Friday marking the 100th anniversary of a 1919 uprising by Koreans against Japan's colonial rule and will likely include plans for economic cooperation between the rival Koreas. Moon, who has prioritised improving relations with the North, is desperate for a breakthrough in nuclear negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang so he can continue his ambitious drive for inter-Korean engagement. He has driven the three-way diplomacy but is held back by tough US-led sanctions against the North. In a meeting with senior aides on Monday, Moon expressed hope on the material progress of the North's nuclear disarmament and the easing of the sanctions, which would allow further space for inter-Korean cooperation, including joint economic ...
Security beefed up for Modi's rally in Bihar
Security has been beefed up for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Sankalp rally here on March 3 when he is likely to launch NDA's campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, police said on Thursday.
India will fight, live, work and win as one: PM
It is necessary to ensure that nothing is done to dent the morale of the security forces, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday, a day after Pakistani fighter jets violated Indian air space in response to Indian forces targeting a JeM terror camp in its territory. Modi said India will fight, live, work and win as one and nobody can create hurdles in its march towards development. He was interacting with about one crore BJP workers in 15,000 locations through what the party said was the "world's largest video conference".
Akali Dal, BJP to fight Lok Sabha poll in Punjab together: Shah
BJP president Amit Shah Thursday announced that his party and its old ally the Akali Dal will fight the Lok Sabha poll together and contest on the same number of seats in Punjab as in the 2014 general elections. The SAD will fight on 10 and the BJP on three seats, he said. "SAD-BJP alliance with fight the 2019 Lok Sabha elections together. Their seats will remain the same as they were in 2014. SAD will contest on 10 seats and the BJP on three," Shah tweeted. He made the announcement after a meeting with Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal.
Routine flight operations start at Srinagar, Jammu
After being suspended on Wednesday, routine commercial flight operations started on Thursday at both the Srinagar and Jammu airports.
Venezuela's Guaido arrives in Brazil to meet with president
Venezuela's opposition leader Juan Guaido arrived early Thursday in Brazil for talks aimed at securing more support from President Jair Bolsonaro, press reports said. Guaido, recognized as interim president by some 50 countries, traveled to the capital Brasilia from Colombia, where he has stayed since Friday despite a travel ban imposed by the regime of Venezuela's socialist leader Nicolas Maduro. There are fears he might be arrested upon his return to Venezuela. Guaido arrived in Brasilia around 0440 GMT, the news website G1 reported. Bolsonaro "will host Guaido in a personal visit, although Guaido will be officially welcomed by the minister for foreign affairs," Ernesto Araujo, said the Brazilian presidency's spokesman Otavio Rego Barros. He said the meeting with Bolsonaro would take place at 2:00 pm (1700 GMT) at the president's official workplace, Planalto Palace. A statement from Guaido's envoy to Brazil, Maria Teresa Belandria, said he would also meet "a number of ...
'No agreement' reached at Kim-Trump nuclear talks
The nuclear summit between US President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un in Hanoi ended without an agreement Thursday, the White House said after the two leaders cut short their discussions. They had "very good and constructive meetings" and "discussed various ways to advance denuclearisation and economic driven concepts", White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement. But she went on: "No agreement was reached at this time," adding that their "respective teams look forward to meeting in the future," No joint communique was issued, despite high expectations beforehand for progress. In the original White House programme, a "Joint Agreement Signing Ceremony" was scheduled as well as a working lunch for the two leaders. In the event, both men left the summit venue without a public signing ceremony and Trump moved up his news conference by two hours, sparking doubts about the progress made at the summit. The Hanoi summit was supposed to build on their initial historic ...
Don't understand agenda of Pakistan to sponsor terrorism: Javed Akthar
Veteran lyricist-screenwriter Javed Akhtar says he does not understand the agenda of Pakistan to sponsor terrorist activities in India.
Trump-Kim summit: N.Korean leader talks up denuclearisation
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Thursday said he would not be at a summit with US President Donald Trump if he was not ready to denuclearise.
Modi's mega video-conference ridiculous, betrayal of national sentiments: Mayawati
BSP chief Mayawati Thursday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his proposed address to BJP workers through a mega video-conference, terming it "ridiculous and betrayal of national sentiments" amid escalating tension between India and Pakistan. Under the BJP's 'Mera Booth Sabse Mazboot' programme, Modi is slated to have direct dialogue with about a crore BJP workers, volunteers and others through the "world's largest video conference" at noon on Thursday. "At a time when India is facing hostility of war and country needs firm leadership, PM Narendra Modi instead of concentrating on the matters of national security trying to serve political interest by addressing his BJP workers is ridiculous besides betrayal of national sentiments (sic), Mayawati wrote on Twitter. "Indian forces foiled Pakistani attack yesterday it is a matter of big relief but an IAF pilot is under Pak custody is a matter of great concern. India should try to do its best at all levels to ensure safe return of
CCS to meet Thursday later
The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely on Thursday evening to take stock of the situation as tension escalated between India and Pakistan.
Pakistan suspends Samjhauta Express service in view of prevailing tensions with India
Pakistani authorities have suspended the Samjhauta Express train service between Pakistan and India until further notice, an official said Thursday, amidst tense bilateral ties in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack. The train departs on Monday and Thursday from Lahore. "The operation of Samjhauta Express has been suspended today (Thursday) in view of the prevailing tensions between Pakistan and India," Pakistan's Foreign Office (FO) spokesman said in a statement. The biweekly train was scheduled to depart from Lahore with 16 passengers. "Samjhauta Express will resume its operations as soon as the security situation improves between India and Pakistan," the FO said without giving any specific date for resuming the train service. The FO statement came after a spokesman of the Railways said early in the morning that the train service scheduled to depart for India at 8.00 AM (local time) was cancelled. Dawn news reported that the train embarked on its journey from Karachi but ...
Maha Assembly approves interim budget without debate
The Maharashtra Assembly on Thursday approved the vote-on-account, which has budgetary provisions for four months of the next financial year (April to July this year), without any debate. Leader of Opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and NCP members Ajit Pawar and Jayant Patil said they were tabling their respective speeches on the interim budgetary provisions on the floor of the House. The appropriation bill and vote-on-account were subsequently passed by a voice vote and without any debate. Reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) and the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) were also tabled. The House was then adjourned for an hour. State Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar on Wednesday presented an interim budget for 2019-20 having an estimated revenue deficit of Rs 19,784 crore and provision of special fund for farm loan waiver. Earlier, as soon as the House assembled for the day on Thursday, NCP legislator Jitendra Awhadurged Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis .
Postpone mega video-conference; energy should be spent on getting pilot back: Kejriwal to Modi
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Thursday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to postpone his mega video-conference with BJP workers, saying the nation's energy must be spent on getting the IAF pilot back from Pakistan's custody. Under the BJP's 'Mera Booth Sabse Mazboot', Modi is slated to have direct dialogue through the "world's largest video conference" with about a crore BJP workers, volunteers and others at noon on Thursday. In a tweet, Kejriwal also asked the prime minister to "sternly" deal with Pakistan. "I wud urge the PM to postpone this. At this moment, we as a nation, need to spend all our energies and time to get the IAF pilot back safely andto sternly deal wid Pak (sic)," he wrote on the microblogging site while the sharing BJP's announcement of the programme on Twitter. An IAF pilot was captured by Pakistan after an air combat Wednesday during which the two sides said they shot down each other's warplanes that followed an unsuccessful attempt to target Indian ...
Aus asks India, Pak to 'exercise restraint'; says cycle of escalation 'very dangerous'
Australia has once again urged India and Pakistan to "exercise restraint" and avoid further military action, saying the cycle of escalation is "very dangerous" for all. Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne, who was in London on Wednesday, said that she was very concerned about the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack. "I was hearing very serious reports about an escalation of the conflict between Pakistan and India. I am very concerned about those. "If those reports are correct, we would certainly urge both sides to exercise restraint and to avoid further military action... this is a dangerous cycle of escalation," she said. Payne said she would encourage "direct dialogue" between both countries to resolve these matters in a peaceful way. "I will seek further information as soon as I am in a position to do so," the minister said. Asked if the upcoming general election in India was behind the recent escalation, Payne ..