Page 148 - Politics
Australia unsure about prosecution of journalists
Australias Attorney General (AG) on Wednesday declared that he would be reluctant to authorise the prosecution of journalists after federal police raids earlier in June.
Trump formally launches 2020 re-election campaign
US President Donald Trump has formally launched his 2020 re-election campaign at a rally in Orlando, Florida, and called on his supporters to deliver a metaphorical "earthquake" at the ballots against his Democratic Party rivals.
Xi hails friendship with N. Korea in state newspaper
Chinese President Xi Jinping has written a rare opinion piece in North Korea's official newspaper Wednesday, just a day before his scheduled visit to Pyongyang, saying Beijing's friendship with the isolated North is "irreplaceable". Xi is to visit Pyongyang on Thursday and Friday at the invitation of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The visit comes as nuclear negotiations between Kim and US President Donald Trump have soured after a second summit in February broke up without a deal, failing to agree on what Pyongyang would be willing to give up in exchange for sanctions relief. In the op-ed piece in the Rodong Sinmun -- the official mouthpiece of the North's ruling Worker's Party -- Xi said Beijing is willing to make a joint plan with Pyongyang to achieve "permanent stability" in the East Asian region. "We will actively contribute to regional peace, stability, development and prosperity by strengthening communication and coordination with North Korea and other relevant parties to make
PM Modi wishes good health, long life to Rahul on his birthday
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday wished good health and a long life to Congress president Rahul Gandhi on his birthday. "Best wishes to Shri @RahulGandhi on his birthday. May he be blessed with good health and a long life," he said in a tweet. The two leaders were involved in a war of words in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls, in which the BJP-led NDA returned to power with a massive majority. Gandhi was born on this day in 1970.
MH17 crash probe set to name suspects
International investigators are on Wednesday expected to announce charges against several suspects in the shooting down of flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine five years ago in an attack which killed all 298 people on board. The Dutch-led probe has said it will first inform families, and then hold a press conference to unveil "developments in the criminal investigation" into the downing of the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777. The breakthrough comes nearly a year after the investigators said that the BUK missile which hit the plane had originated from a Russian military brigade based in the southwestern city of Kursk. The airliner travelling between Amsterdam and Kuala Lumpur was torn apart in mid-air on July 17, 2014 over territory in eastern Ukraine held by pro-Russian separatists. Ukraine's deputy foreign minister Olena Zerkal told Interfax-Ukraine news agency on Tuesday that four people would be named over MH17, including senior Russian army officers. "The names will be announced. ...
Trump formally kicks off 2020 re-election campaign
US President Donald Trump has formally kicked off his 2020 re-election campaign at a rally in Orlando, Florida.
UN chief asks Russia, Turkey to 'stabilize' Syria's embattled Idlib
UN chief Antonio Guterres called on Russia and Turkey Tuesday to "stabilize the situation" in the Syrian province of Idlib, rocked by intense fighting that the UN body warned is creating a humanitarian disaster. "I am deeply concerned about the escalation of the fighting in Idlib and the situation is especially dangerous given the involvement of an increased number of actors. Yet again civilians are paying a horrific price," Guterres told reporters. His comments came ahead of a UN Security Council session on Tuesday to discuss the situation. The world is facing "a humanitarian disaster unfolding before our eyes," Mark Lowcock, the UN's humanitarian chief, told the council. Parts of Aleppo, Hama and Idlib -- the last bastion of jihadist forces in Syria -- are supposed to be protected from a massive regime offensive by a buffer zone deal that Russia and Turkey signed in September. But it was never fully implemented as jihadists refused to withdraw from a planned demilitarized zone. In ..
Anantnag encounter: Adityanath announces ex-gratia of Rs 25 lakh, govt job for Ketan Sharma's family
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday announced ex-gratia of Rs 25 lakh and promised a government job to a family member of Army Major Ketan Sharma who lost his life in Anantnag encounter on June 17.A road will also be named after the braveheart."Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced financial assistance of Rs 25 lakh and a govt job to a family member of Army Major Ketan Sharma who lost his life in Anantnag encounter on June 17, a road will also be named after his name," Uttar Pradesh Minister Suresh Rana said while speaking to ANI.On Tuesday, a large number of people gathered in Meerut at Ketan's residence to receive his mortal remains.Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Army Chief General Bipin Rawat had also paid their homage to Major Sharma.
Trump announces 2020 Presidential campaign in Orlando
US President Donald Trump announced his intent to run for a second term by contesting in the 2020 Presidential elections during a massive rally in Orlando here on Tuesday."Exactly 4 years ago this week, I announced my campaign for President of the United States...it turned out to be a great political movement because of you..." he told the crowd in Orlando."Nobody has done what we have done in two and a half years...Our future has never ever looked brighter or sharper," CNN further quoted the President as saying.Trump set off for the rally in Orlando along with First Lady Melania Trump on Tuesday. Vice President Mike Pence and his wife were also present at the rally when Trump announced his bid for re-election.He had started off his speech by taking a dig at the media. "You know, if we have three or four empty seats, the fake news will say headlines he didn't fill the arena," he said."The American dream is back. It's bigger, better and stronger than ever before," he told the gathered .
Canada: Trudeau cabinet approves controversial Trans Mountain project
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his cabinet on Tuesday approved the controversial Trans Mountain expansion project for the second time.This decision is the next step in laying down a pipeline which would carry nearly a million barrels of oil from Alberta to British Columbia every day, as per the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC).The project has the potential to damage the environment and marine life. Indigenous communities, especially those in British Columbia's lower mainland, are outrightly against the project, even though Trudeau reaffirmed that proceeds from the pipeline would be invested in unspecified clean energy projects.The cabinet on Tuesday decided that the project is in national interest as it would be creating jobs and bringing in billions of dollars to state coffers."We need to create wealth today so we can invest in the future. We need resources to invest in Canadians so they can take advantage of the opportunities generated by a rapidly changing ...
Trump's choice for US Defence Secretary pulls out
US President Donald Trump has announced his choice for Defence Secretary has withdrawn, shaking up the Pentagon at a time of rising Middle East tensions.
Xi, Trump hold talks amidst trade dispute
As the trade dispute between the United States and China continued, the Presidents of both the nations held talks via phone on Tuesday.The talks were held at the request of US President Donald Trump, according to Chinese state media agency Xinhua.Speaking to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, Trump said that he looked forward to discussing issues of common concern when they meet during the upcoming G-20 Summit in Japan's Osaka later this month.The US values its economic and trade cooperation with China, Trump added during the conversation on Tuesday. He hoped for both the sides to resolve the ongoing dispute as soon as possible.This comes as the US and China are locked in a bitter trade dispute which has seen both the sides increasing tariffs on each other's imports after the talks held to resolve the matter failed. Trump has previously accused China of backing out of the deal at the last minute.Speaking to Xi on Tuesday, Trump further said that the world hopes to see the United ...
US, Iran voice resolve in brinkmanship, say war not sought
The United States and Iran said Tuesday they were not seeking war with each other as tensions simmered between the two in the Persian Gulf and President Donald Trump vowed the US would respond to any attack. "We have a lot of things going with Iran," Trump told reporters as he left the White House for a campaign event in Florida. "We'll see what happens. Let me just say this: We are very prepared." Trump's comments came just hours after he announced the sudden departure of acting Pentagon chief Patrick Shanahan, jolting the Defense Department only a day after he signed off on sending an additional 1,000 troops to the Middle East to counter Iran. On a visit Tuesday to US Central Command in Florida, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he was confident the US is taking the necessary steps to confront any challenge from Iran. He said the military is ready to respond to any attack by Iran on U.S. interests or Iranian disruption of international shipping lanes through which much of the ...
Trump's Pentagon pick is Army veteran, defense lobbyist
President Donald Trump's pick for new Defense Secretary is an Army veteran who served in the first Iraq war and also has experience as a national security adviser on Capitol Hill as well as a defense industry lobbyist. Trump on Tuesday said Mark Esper, his current Army secretary, would lead the Defense Department on an acting basis. "I know Mark, and have no doubt he will do a fantastic job!" the president tweeted. He later told reporters that he would most likely nominate Esper for the permanent job. "Frankly this could happen very quickly for Mark Esper," Trump said. "He's very experienced. He's been around all of the things that we've been talking about for a very long period of time." The move came after acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan withdrew from the job before his formal nomination ever went to the Senate, citing a "painful" family situation that would hurt his children and reopen "wounds we have worked years to heal." Esper was sworn in as Army secretary in November
Pak PM directs cabinet to implement austerity measures
In view of the current state of the Pakistani economy, the country's Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday directed his cabinet to fully implement austerity measures and adopt a "simple lifestyle."During the meeting of the federal cabinet, the leader also outlined all the austerity measures undertaken by him, according to his Special Assistant on Information, Firdous Ashiq Awan."PM Imran Khan asked the ministers to set an example for others by adopting simple lifestyle keeping in view the current economic challenges faced by Pakistan," The News International quoted the Special Assistant as saying.Highlighting the steps taken by him, she said that while the previous government had allocated Rs 1.10 billion for the Prime Minister's House, the incumbent government had saved 32 per cent of the amount by spending only Rs 750 million out of it.She also blamed the media for failing to "accurately report" the amount set aside for the Prime Minister's House in the current budget. Awan said the .
Pak PM lauds ISI's role in protecting country from internal, external challenges
Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday appreciated the country's spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence's (ISI), role in protecting the country from "internal and external challenges."Khan made the statement during a meeting with Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed, ISI's latest Chief, at his office here on Tuesday, according to The Express Tribune. The leader also congratulated Faiz for his recent appointment to the post.No statement regarding the meeting has been released, only a short video has been given to Pakistani media by the PM Office.Faiz was made the chief of the Pakistani spy agency in a reshuffle within the military on Sunday. He succeeds Lieutenant General Asim Munir, who held the post for eight months before being appointed as the Commander Gujranwala Corps during the rejig.Before being promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General, Faiz served as the head of the internal security in ISI for two and a half years. He was then posted as the Adjutant General at the ..
Telangana govt to build new Secretariat at old site at a cost of Rs 400 cr
Telangana government on Tuesday decided to construct a new Assembly and Secretariat at the old site after the Centre denied permission for construction at Bison Polo Ground."We have decided to build a new Assembly and Secretariat at the old place as the Centre has denied permission to build it at Bison Polo Ground. The previous Andhra government also did not support us in the matter, following which, we had decided to build Secretariat in another place," Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhara Rao said here in a press conference.He informed that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy is ready to hand over his state Secretariat's two buildings in Hyderabad to his government."The newly-formed Andhra government has come forward and is ready to hand over their AP Secretariat's two buildings in Hyderabad to us. Therefore, we have decided to build new Secretariat in the same place," Telangana Rashtra Samiti chief Rao said.Rao said the new building will be constructed at an ...
Karnataka Congress MLA Roshan Baig suspended
The Karnataka Congress suspended its senior legislator from Bengaluru R. Roshan Baig for anti-party activities, a party official said late Tuesday.
Pakistan's army denies 'state agencies' killed activist
Pakistan's army has condemned the killing of an outspoken critic of the country's political and military leaders, saying state security forces were not responsible for his death. Tuesday's reaction by an army spokesman, Maj. Gen. Asif Ghafoor, said it was "ill-intended propaganda to implicate state agencies" in the activist Mohammad Bilal Khan's death. Khan was stabbed to death on Monday in the Karachi Company area, in the capital, Islamabad. Police are attempting to trace a phone call, which they say Khan's assailants used to lure him to the area. Khan was known to have close ties with hardliner Islamist groups. His Twitter account, which he used to regularly criticize Prime Minister Imran Khan and Pakistan's powerful security forces, had over 16,000 followers at the time of his death.
Telangana Guv, Maha & AP chief ministers to attend Kaleswaram project inauguration
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao Tuesday said the inauguration of Kaleswaram Lift Irrigation project on Godavari will be held in the presence of Governor E S L Narasimhan and chief ministers of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. Replying to a query, he said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not being invited for the June 21 event, but recalled that Modi was invited for the inauguration of Mission Bhagiradha drinking water scheme. "Do we invite for everything? We have invited (him) for Mission Bhagiradha," he told reporters Tuesday night. Rao asserted that the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government will continue the "constitutional relations" with the Centre. "We are not part of the NDA. I, for one, I am KCR, I promoted the federal front, still I keep doing. What is wrong... We will maintain the constitutional relations (with the Centre)," he said. The TRS government had maintained "issue-based" relations with the NDA government in the previous regime and the same will ...