Page 1542 - Politics
Decision time, not extra time, EU Brexit negotiator says
Brexit talks now require a "decision" rather than going into "extra time", the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier said Friday as the clock runs down on March 29 when Britain is set to leave the block, with or without an exit deal. "We don't need extra time, what we need now is a decision and for everyone to take responsibility," Barnier told Europe 1 radio. He did not exclude granting Britain more negotiating time -- beyond March 29 -- for concluding an agreement on the Brexit divorce terms, but said it was now up to "the British to take their responsibilities and assume the consequences of decisions they took democratically". The British government said Thursday that ongoing Brexit talks are focusing on securing new guarantees to reassure eurosceptic British lawmakers, rather than on demanding that a divorce deal already concluded with the EU be re-opened. EU leaders insist the withdrawal agreement, which they struck with Britain last year, cannot be re-opened to appease British ...
Blood of 40 slain CRPF troopers will not go in vain: Shah
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah on Friday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government will not let the sacrifice of 40 CRPF troopers to go in vain.
Govt packaging 'jingoism' to hide security 'failures': Cong on Gadkari's water threat
In a sharp attack, the Congress on Friday dismissed Union Minister Nitin Gadkari's remarks that India has decided to "stop" the flow of its share of water to Pakistan as an attempt to "package high octane jingoism to subterfuge national security failures". Union Water Resources Minister Gadkari had said on Thursday that India has decided to "stop" the flow of its share of water to Pakistan from rivers under the Indus Water Treaty -- comments that came over a week after the ghastly Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed. "You cannot always get away by substituting rhetoric for action. Yesterday you had the highways minister saying that we will stop the flow of all eastern rivers to Pakistan. Somebody needs to ask them that do dams get built in a day," Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said. The two projects the minister was alluding to are Shapurkandi, which was cleared in 1999, and Ujh, that was cleared by the Union cabinet in 2006, he said. "So, therefore ...
Modi receives Seoul Peace Prize, makes veiled attack on Pakistan
In a veiled attack on Pakistan on cross-border terrorism, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday that time has come for the global community to join hands to completely eradicate terrorist networks and their supply channels and to counter terrorist ideology.
FATF says EU dirty money list risks undermining its work
PARIS (Reuters) - A European Union blacklist of nations it considers as anti-money laundering and terrorism-financing threats risks undermining the work of the Financial Action Task Force, the body's head said on Friday.
Option of joining SP-BSP alliance open: SBSP chief Rajbhar
Accusing the BJP of creating confusion and not fulfilling his party's demands, Uttar Pradesh minister and Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief Om Prakash Rajbhar Friday said the option for his outfit to join the SP-BSP alliance in the state for the upcoming general elections is open. Rajbhar said he is in talks with TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackrey, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, SP president Akhilesh Yadav and BSP chief Mayawati, and a decision on retaining or severing ties with the saffron party would be taken after February 24. Rajbhar had last week written to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to give up the charge of the backward class welfare department, expressing disappointment that his recommendations on appointment of state backward castes panel members have been "ignored". However on February 17, the SBSP chief said his offer to give up the charge of the department was not accepted by the chief minister, who had assured him that the ..
BCCI undecided on boycotting Pakistan at ICC World Cup
The crucial BCCI CoA meeting on Friday failed to decide whether India should play against Pakistan in the upcoming ICC cricket World Cup in the United Kingdom in May-July in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack.
Budget session of Mizoram Assembly from March 12
The budget session of the Mizoram Legislative Assembly would begin from March 12, officials said Friday. Assembly Secretary S R Zokhuma told PTI that the calendar of the coming session would be finalised at a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC), chaired by Assembly Speaker Lalrinliana Sailo. The BAC is likely to hold its meeting on March 4, he added. It would be the first session of the state legislature after the Mizo National Front (MNF) government came to power in the election to the 40-member House held on November 28 last year.
Congress to build Ram temple if it wins elections: Harish Rawat
Congress General Secretary Harish Rawat on Friday said the party will launch sincere efforts to build a grand Ram Temple at Ayodhya if it comes to power after the Lok Sabha elections.
SC directs chief secys, DGPs to take action against assault on Kashmiris post- Pulwama; Omar, Mehbooba welcome order
The Supreme Court Friday directed the Chief Secretaries and DGPs of 11 states to take "prompt" action to prevent incidents of "threat, assault and social boycott" of Kashmiris, including students, in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack. Seeking a response from states where incidents of threat and violence against Kashmiris were reported, a bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi also directed that the police officers, who were earlier appointed as nodal officers to deal with lynching incidents, would now be responsible to deal with cases of assaults on Kashmiris. The states whose authorities were directed to take necessary action were Maharashtra, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Meghalaya, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand. The direction also covered the Delhi Police commissioner. The bench asked the Union Home Ministry to give wide publicity so that Kashmiri people who are being targeted can approach the nodal officers. "The chief secretaries, ..
'Where is Oppn unity happening', asks Ram Madhav
BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav Friday brushed aside the talk of Opposition unity to take on his party-led NDA in the Lok Sabha elections, pointing out that there were multiple alliances in some states. "Where is the Opposition unity happening?" Madhav asked, while talking to reporters. "Everywhere there is more than one alliance of the Opposition," he said. "Look at UP (Uttar Pradesh), there are two," the BJP leader said, referring to the Bahujan Samaj Party-Samajwadi Party alliance and the Congress fighting separately. "Look at West Bengal. There are two parties," Madhav, who was here to attend a programme at the Indian School of Business, added. He said only Telugu Desam Party supremo and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had deserted the NDA for "his own politics and political interests". "But, otherwise, we (BJP) are winning new partners in Assam and elsewhere," Madhav said.
Congress to build Ram temple if it takes power: Harish Rawat
Dehradun, Feb 22 (PTI) Congress General Secretary Harish Rawat on Friday said the party will launch sincere efforts to build a grand Ram Temple at Ayodhya if it comes to power after the Lok Sabha elections.
Midnight drama before Maharashtra farmers suspend 'long march'
Dramatic developments, including an unprecedented post midnight 'peasant rally' addressed by Maharashtra Ministers, led to a mammoth "long march" of farmers from Nashik to Mumbai being called off early on Friday.
Blood shed by jawans in Pulwama will not go in vain: Amit Shah
BJP President Amit Shah Friday asserted the blood shed by the soldiers in the recent Pulwama terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir will not go in vain. Stating that the NDA government had a "zero tolerance towards terrorism," Shah, addressing party workers here, also recalled the martyrdom of two CRPF jawans from Tamil Nadu who were among those killed in the dastardly attack days ago. Addressing BJP workers for the first time after his party clinched a poll deal with the ruling AIADMK on Tuesday, he exhorted cadres to work for the victory of all the 40 alliance candidates in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Be it the "AIADMK, PMK or the BJP," party workers should work for the victory of alliance nominees to ensure the re-election of Narendra Modi as Prime Minister, he said. He mocked at the DMK and Congress combine over alleged corruption and asked if such an alliance will be able to deliver good governance.
Nigeria's Buhari promises safety for rescheduled vote
Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday sought to calm fears about election security, promising voters they would be able to cast their ballots in safety. "Do not be afraid of rumours of violence and unrest. Our security agencies have worked diligently to ensure that adequate security measures are in place," he said. "You will be able to vote in an atmosphere of openness and peace, devoid of fear from threat or intimidation," he added in a televised address. Buhari, 76, is seeking a second term of office on Saturday, but is facing a strong challenge from the main opposition candidate, former vice-president Atiku Abubakar. Previous elections have been hit by violence since the country returned to civilian rule in 1999 after decades of military government. But tensions have increased since last Saturday, when the electoral commission postponed the vote just hours before polling citing logistical difficulties. Buhari's ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the main ...
Upcoming book to lay bare propaganda of misinformation and hoaxes
Misinformation has been weaponised in recent times with the objective of sowing the seeds of division, prejudice and hate among citizens, says Pratik Sinha, who has edited a riveting volume of essays that aims to present the real picture.
BJP MLAs disrupt LG's address, marshalled out
Soon after the Delhi Assembly began its Budget Session, three BJP MLAs were on Friday marshalled out of the House for interrupting the welcome address by Lt Governor Anil Baijal.
Hillary Clinton meets Biden over 2020 election
Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met former Vice President Joe Biden to talk about the 2020 presidential election, the media reported.
Spl powers to Assam Rifles: Oppn walk out of Assam Assembly
The Congress and AIUDF Friday staged a walkout in Assam Assembly after their demands of an adjournment motion to discuss special powers granted to Assam Rifles was turned down by the Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami. While the state government expressed willingness to discuss the matter through other means, the Congress, AIUDF and AGP stood united in their demand to debate it only via adjournment motion. Three separate adjournment motion were submitted by the Congress, AIUDF and AGP as they felt that the contentious notification giving special powers to Assam Rifles would "violate human rights and bring in military rule". On Thursday, a Ministry of Home Affairs notification empowered Assam Rifles personnel to arrest anyone and search any place without warrant in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland and Mizoram. "It (special powers) will bring military rule and affect freedom of movement, which is given by the Constitution. It is like introducing undeclared ...
Modi is Prime Time Minister, not PM: Rahul
Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Friday took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling him 'Prime Time Minister' and said that when people were crying over the deaths in Pulwama, Modi was indulging "gleefully" in a photoshoot.