Page 1540 - Politics
Trump to meet Chinese trade negotiator amid effort to defuse conflict
President Donald Trump is due to meet Friday afternoon with China's top trade negotiator, as talks continue to try to defuse the escalation of the tariff war between the world's economic superpowers. The fourth round of talks have been underway all week, with senior officials meeting Thursday and Friday as Trump's threat to more than double tariffs on USD 200 billion in Chinese goods on March 1 looms over the discussions. The White House said Trump would meet with China's Vice Premier Liu He, who is leading the delegation from Beijing. China's President Xi Jinping also met with US negotiators last week in Beijing, a sign the two leaders are closely following the high-stakes talks. Trump has signalled he could extend the March 1 deadline and said any final agreement likely would be sealed at a meeting with Xi. Since July, the countries have hit out with tariffs on more than $360 billion in two-way trade, weighing on the manufacturing sectors in both countries and raising fears this ...
No place for MNS in opposition alliance in Maha: Chavan
The Congress said Friday that there was no place for the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) in the proposed alliance of opposition parties for Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra. This has been conveyed to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), said state Congress chief Ashok Chavan. "We have ideological differences with MNS, and any kind of electoral tie-up with it would be difficult," Chavan told reporters. The NCP wants the MNS in the alliance, sources said. Senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar had met MNS chief Raj Thackeray a few days ago. The MNS is known for its strident anti-North Indian stand. Chavan also said the Congress was awaiting response from Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar, whom the Congress and NCP have offered four Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra. Ambedkar and AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, who have joined hands for the coming polls, would be holding a rally at Shivaji Park in Central Mumbai Saturday. "We want Ambedkar to be part of our alliance so that the BJP does not .
Haryana MLA demands abrogation of Article 370
A legislator from Haryana on Friday called for abrogation of Article 370 that grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir, saying it was "the need of the hour" in the wake of the terror attack in Pulwama. Tek Chand Sharma, the rebel BSP MLA from the Prithla constituency, made the demand during a debate in the House on the governor's address. "Article 370 should be scrapped, and the Assembly should bring a resolution in this regard," Sharma said. The gruesome attack by a Jaish-e-Mohammed suicide bomber on a CRPF convoy had left 40 personnel dead on February 14.
Shah slams Kerala government over Sabarimala issue
Slamming the ruling CPI(M) in Kerala over the Sabarimala issue, BJP chief Amit Shah Friday said the state government has been "cheating" crores of Ayyappa devotees and denying them justice. This would only result in "unsettling the foundation of the communist party in the state," Shah said addressing party workers here. Over 2,000 devotees were put behind bars and cases were registered against 30,000 people during the Sabarimala protests, the BJP president said as he attacked the left government. "The LDF government has been cheating crores of Sabarimala devotees in the country. I would like to remind you that this will result in unsettling the foundation of the communist party," he said. Kerala had been rocked by protests after the state government decided to implement the Supreme Court's September 28 verdict allowing women of all age groups to offer prayers at the hill shrine. "The LDF government has been stating that they were bound by the Supreme Court verdict. ...
PM can waive Rs 3.5 lakh cr loans of bizmen, but not farm
Congress President Rahul Gandhi Friday accused the Narendra Modi government of 'forgiving' Rs 3.5 lakh crore loans of powerful businessmen in the country while not waiving the farmers loans. Addressing a public meeting in this temple town, he also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of reneging on his assurance of providing special category status to Andhra Pradesh. He promised to accord the status to Andhra Pradesh if the Congress was voted to power in the coming Lok Sabha elections. On the farm loan waiver, he said Congress implemented its promise in this regard in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgargh. "We showed from where the money came from" by implementing the loan waiver on which the BJP MPs had expressed scepticism, the Congress chief said. "Modi can forgive Rs 3.5 lakh crore and give loan waivers to the most powerful businessmen in the country but cannot forgive the farmers' loans," he charged. Gandhi said it did not matter to him whether the Congress ...
ISIS jihadi girl's family plead for her baby's UK entry
The family of a UK girl of Bangladeshi descent, who fled to join Islamic State (ISIS) in 2015, has appealed to the government to allow her new born baby to be rescued from the Syrian refugee camp and raised in Britain. Sister of Shamima Begum, Renu, has written to UK home secretary Sajid Javid urging for his assistance and also informed him of the family's plan to help her 19-year-old sister mount a legal challenge against his decision to revoke her British citizenship. "We were pleased to learn from your comments in the Commons that you recognise my nephew, Shamima's son, as a British citizen," Renu Begum said in a letter to the UK Home Secretary. "As a family, we ask now how we can assist you in bringing my nephew home to us. In all of this debacle, he is the one true innocent and should not lose the privilege of being raised in the safety of this country," it notes. Distancing the family from some of the "vile comments" made in support of the ISIS by Shamima Begum during media ...
Pakistan Army warns India of 'surprise response' if war imposed
Pakistan's Army on Friday accused India of sending war threats and warned of a "surprise response" if New Delhi initiated any aggression amid heightened tensions between the two neighbours following the Kashmir suicide attack.
Rose Festival begins in Chandigarh
The 47th Rose Festival began at the Rose Garden here on Friday, after paying homage to CRPF troopers who were killed in the Pulwama terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir on February 14.
ECI to visit J-K on March 4 to review security situation
A team of the Election Commission will visit Jammu and Kashmir on March 4 to review the security situation ahead of the Lok Sabha and state assembly elections, officials said on Friday. Keeping in view the upcoming general elections, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has ordered cancellation of leaves of the government officers. "Leave of any kind sanctioned to the gazetted officers except on medical grounds, child care leave for study purpose shall stand cancelled with effect from Monday," commissioner secretary of general administrative department Hilal Ahmed said in a order on Friday. All officer shall remain available at their headquarters and places of posting till the conclusion of the elections, he said. State Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Shailendra Kumar had said that his office had already taken necessary steps for holding the elections, but decision lies with the Election Commission, who would take a final call at an appropriate time after taking all aspects into ...
Over 40,000 BJP workers to listen to Modi's 'Maan Ki Baat' at an event in Himachal
Over 40,000 BJP workers from the Kangra-Chamba parliamentary constituency in Himachal Pradesh will listen to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's radio address 'Mann ki Baat' on February 24 at an event here, the party said Friday. The BJP workers will meet at Rait, 20 km from here. The meeting will be addressed by Union ministers Nitin Gadkari and J P Nadda and Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur. The party has planned a series of meetings and rallies in the state ahead of the parliamentary election due this summer.
Telangana BJP lawmaker calls for attack on Pakistan
BJP MLA in Telangana T Raja Singh Friday called for an attack on Pakistan to teach the neighbouring nation a lesson for supporting terrorism against India. He was speaking in the Assembly on a motion condemning the Pulwama terror attack, in which 40 CRPF men were killed, and expressing sympathy with their families. Singh urged Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao to write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that there should be a "decisive battle" with Pakistan this time. "Chief Minister, write a letter to the prime minister that now we cannot lose our brave Indian soldiers. "This time, let there be a decisive battle. This time, let there be an attack on Pakistan, the Telangana government and every young man of Telangana is with you. You write such a letter," he said. Singh, who is the lone BJP MLA in the Assembly, said everyone in the country took out candle marches or protested in other forms against the attack on February 14. "Today, the entire India is standing (united) by coming on one
Congress-NCP-led grand alliance in Maha to hold rally Saturday
Leaders of anti-BJP grand alliance in Maharashtra, including NCP chief Sharad Pawar, will Saturday hold their second joint rally at Parli in Beed district ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. Besides the NCP president, Maharashtra Congress chief Ashok Chavan, People's Republican Party leader Jogendra Kawade and PWP's Jayant Patil will attended the rally at Parli, a town around 500km from here in the Marathwada region. Maharashtra NCP chief Jayant Patil, its leaders Chhagan Bhujbal and Ajit Pawar and others will also take part in the public meeting, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Dhananjay Munde of the NCP said in a statement. The grand alliance ('maha aghadi'), a Congress-NCP-led bloc of anti-BJP parties in the state, had held their first joint rally on February 20 in Nanded, Chavan's home turf. Saturday's rally will also mark culmination of the 'Parivartan Yatra' launched by the NCP. The yatra is a public outreach programme the party had launched in January ...
Tripura Assembly passes motion condemning Pulwama attack
Tripura Assembly Friday unanimously passed a motion condemning the terror attack at Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir that left 40 CRPF personnel on February 14. Senior MLA Ashish Kumar Saha, who was officiating as Speaker in the House, proposed the motion saying the Assembly condemns the "hateful and cowardly" attack by Pakistan based terror group Jaish-e-Muhammad. "The most dangerous terror attack in Kashmir valley was carried out on Srinagar-Jammu Highway in Avantipura of Pulwama district in Jammu & Kashmir on February 14, 2019. The attack was executed by a suicide bomber of Jaish-e-Muhammad terrorist group who rammed an explosive laden vehicle into the CRPF convoy," Saha said while reading out the motion. He also mentioned that 40 CRPF jawans lost their lives in the attack which was aided by Pakistan. The motion condoled the deaths of the CRPF personnel. The House unanimously passed the motion and observed silence for two minutes as a mark of respect for the ...
It's intriguing Cong needs lessons on national security: Jaitley
Union minister Arun Jaitley Friday took pot shots at the Congress, saying it is "intriguing" that the party which ruled India for half a decade needs to be educated on national security issues, a day after the party roped in surgical strike architect D S Hooda to head a national security task force. He also asked the Congress not to give an impression that India is divided on how to fight terrorism. Lt Gen D S Hooda (Retd) will head a Congress task force on national security. Acknowledging General Hooda as an experienced and distinguished former officer of the Indian Army, Jaitley said, "I have not the least doubt that he would give a very valuable advice to the grand old Party". In a blog, the Finance Minister said the appointment of the retired General is significant as it is a "belated and grudging" recognition and acceptance of the surgical strikes with which Hooda was intrinsically associated. "I am sure the Head of the Advisory Panel would educate the Party leaders that the ...
Theresa May warned of new Brexit revolt
British Prime Minister Theresa May on Friday warned of a new revolt brewing within her otherwise loyal group of party parliamentarians over fears that a chaotic no-deal Brexit is not being ruled out in time for the March 29 deadline for Britain's exit from the European Union (EU). The Brexit Delivery Group, which comprises both pro and anti-Brexit Conservative Party MPs, has warned that they are preparing to back alternatives if May's reworked withdrawal agreement cannot command a House of Commons majority. Co-chairs Andrew Percy and Simon Hart said their group wants the government to take no-deal off the table or they would consider voting against the government and in favour of an amendment to give Parliament the opportunity to delay Brexit and prevent a no-deal situation if there is no agreement with the EU by the middle of March. "A lot of colleagues are becoming very frustrated, a lot of colleagues have compromised from their positions," Percy said, adding that the Conservative ..
Goa: Ex-BJP minister Mahadev Naik to join Congress
Former BJP minister in Goa Mahadev Naik Friday said he has decided to join the Congress. Naik, who was a minister in the Laxmikant Parsekar-led cabinet, had contested the 2017 Assembly polls on BJP ticket from Shiroda constituency. However, he had lost to Congress candidate Subhash Shirodkar, who joined the ruling BJP in October last year. Shirodkar is now tipped to be the BJP candidate for the Shiroda by-election, dates of which are yet to be announced. "I have decided to join the Congress after several leaders approached me to put up a common front against Shirodkar," Naik said when contacted. Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) chief Girish Chodankar said, "Naik would be joining the Congress soon to put up a united front against Shirodkar." He said the Congress has started approaching the leaders, who are opposed to Shirodkar. Shirodkar and another Congress legislator Dayanand Sopte (Mandrem seat) had resigned in October last year to join the BJP, necessitating ...
Rahul calls Modi 'prime time minister', says he continued photoshoot hours after Pulwama attack news
In a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday said the "prime time minister" continued shooting for a film till even three hours after news of the Pulwama terror strike came in. There was an ocean of pain in the country's heart and in the homes of martyrs and he was smiling and doing a photoshoot in the waters, Gandhi said on Twitter with the hashtag 'PhotoShootSarkar'. "Even after three hours of the news of the 40 jawans being martyred in the Pulwama terror strike, the prime time minister continued with a film shooting," the Congress president tweeted in Hindi. On Thursday, the Congress cited media reports to allege that Modi continued shooting for a film in the Corbett National Park on February 14 for "self propagation", and stayed put till the evening despite the attack on a CRPF convoy in south Kashmir's Pulwama district in the afternoon that day. Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala, addressing a press conference, also ..
World standing with India but not some political parties: BJP's attack at Congress
Hitting back at the Congress for its attack on the Modi government over the Pulwama terror attack, the BJP Friday said some political parties are "not standing with the country" for petty politics when nations across the world have backed India. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra dismissed as lies the Congress's claim that Prime Narendra Modi was "completely oblivious" to the terror strike or "insensitive" as he "continued" with his prior engagements after the attack, and asserted that such lies need not be responded to. The ruling party had in a tweet said that Modi's photo-shoot, on the day of the Pulwama terror attack, that Rahul Gandhi had referred to in his tweet took place before the incident and not after it as alleged by the Congress president. At a press conference, Patra also attacked West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and some other opposition leaders, claiming that they have spoken on the same lines as Pakistan has by questioning the timing of the attack. The ...
Shah attacks "Mahagathbandhan", hits out at LDF, UDF in Ker
BJP chief Amit Shah Friday attacked the proposed "mahagathbandhan" (grand alliance) of opposition parties and said it was not good for the country. Addressing a party rally, Shah said the alliance was just a "front to grab power" and did not have any ideology or leader. The BJP president was here to review poll preparedness of his party for the coming Lok Sabha elections. "This 2019 election will be an important poll for the party. Because the party will return to power and there will be MPs from Kerala to take part in the central government. This poll is important for the country as well. Rahul Gandhi is eager to form a mahagathbandhan. This is not good for the country. This mahagathbandhan doesn't have any ideology, leader or anything. This is just a front to grab power," Shah said. Attacking the ruling left party in the state and the Congress, the BJP president said "the Communist party has become extinct in the world. That's the situation of the Congress party in the .
SC directs chief secys, DGPs of states, UTs to act against assault on Kashmiris post Pulwama
The Supreme Court Friday directed chief secretaries and DGPs of states and UTs to take "prompt" and "necessary" action to prevent incidents of threat, social boycott and violence against Kashmiris following the Pulwama terror attack. It also sought responses from the Centre and 11 states where incidents of threat and violence against Kashmiris have taken place after the February 14 terror attack in which over 40 CRPF personnel were killed. "The Chief Secretaries, the DGPs of all states and Union Territories (UTs) including the Commissioner of Police, Delhi are directed to take prompt and necessary action to prevent incidents of assault, threat, social boycott and such other egregious acts against Kashmiris including students enrolled with the institutions in the respondent states and the UTs and other minorities in the wake of the terrorist attack of February 14," said a bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Sanjiv Khanna. The bench perused the list of top police officers, ..