Page 1595 - Politics
Israel to withhold USD 138 mn from Palestinians over prisoner payments
Israel said its security cabinet on Sunday decided to withhold USD 138 million (122 million euros) in tax transfers to the Palestinian Authority over its payments to prisoners jailed for attacks on Israelis. A statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said the withheld cash would be equal to that paid by the PA last year to "terrorists imprisoned in Israel, to their families and to released prisoners". Israel alleges the payments encourage further violence. The PA says the payments are a form of welfare to the families who have lost their main breadwinner and denies it is seeking to encourage violence. Many Palestinians view prisoners and those killed while carrying out attacks as heroes in their conflict with Israel. Palestinian leaders often venerate them as martyrs. Senior Palestine Liberation Organisation official Ahmed Majdalani accused Israel and the United States, which has cut hundreds of millions of dollars in Palestinian aid, of an attempt at blackmail. US ...
2 Youth Congress workers hacked to death in Kerala
Two Youth Congress workers were allegedly hacked to death by unidentified assailants in the northern district of Kasargod late Sunday night, a senior police official said. The incident took place at around 8 pm and the deceased were identified as Kripesh and Sarath Lal (24), the official told PTI. "Two youths have been killed. We have just confirmed the identity of the deceased. Further investigation is on," police said. Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala lashed out at the ruling CPI(M) and expressed his strong protest against the double murder. He will visit homes of the two deceased workers on Monday. "The CPI(M) is trying to destroy the Congress party using the party goons. The youth congress activists were attacked without any provocation. They were not involved in any kind of criminal activities. No cases were there against them. The government should identify the culprits and arrest them as soon as possible," Chennithala told media persons. He also alleged that the murder was .
Those opposing Citizenship Bill want to 'attack' Assam's culture, civilisation: Sarma
Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said those opposing the Citizenship Bill want to "attack" the culture and civilisation of Assam. Addressing a rally of Bhartiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) in the presence of BJP president Amit Shah here, Sarma claimed that his party will win 10-11 Lok Sabha seats out of the 14 in Assam in the upcoming elections. "Lots of misinformation is being spread about the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, ST status to six tribes and Clause-6 of the Assam Accord," he said. "They (those opposing the bill) want to mislead the Assamese community. They want to attack the culture and civilisation of Assam. We want to tell all that we will protect the Indian culture and civilisation. It is our resolution," he added. The contentious Citizenship Bill is set to lapse on June 3, when the term of the present Lok Sabha ends. It could not be passed in the Rajya Sabha during the Budget session, the last Parliament session of the present government, which ended on
Mamata running WB govt like private company: Raman Singh
Former Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh on Sunday alleged that the West Bengal government is being run like a private company by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, creating an atmosphere of fear and threat in the state. He also said the West Bengal government has violated all democratic norms by misusing powers, and is "running a syndicate" in the state. "Mamata Banerjee has broken all political ethics and running her government by creating an atmosphere of fear and threat. Going by the situation in West Bengal, it seems that there are only two people -- Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee -- are leading the government like a private company," Singh told reporters here. Referring to Banerjee's recent dharna to protest CBI's action against Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar in connection with the Saradha chit fund probe, he said that such an incident had never happened in the history of the country, and democracy in West Bengal is being violated by misuse of
Priyadarshini Scindia's 9-day Guna visit begins Monday
Amid speculations of Priyadarshini Raje Scindia contesting from the seat of Congress leader and her husband Jyotiraditya Scindia in the coming Lok Sabha elections, she is all set to undertake a nine-day tour of the Guna parliamentary constituency from Monday.
Pondy CM's dharna continues, Bedi's talks offer fails
Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi cut short her New Delhi trip and returned here, offering to hold talks Sunday evening with Chief Minister V Narayanwamy to end his five-day old dharna, but the initiative failed to take off with the latter "imposing" pre conditions for the meeting. After the parleys scheduled later in the evening were cancelled, Bedi accused the Chief Minister of "imposing" conditions on the venue and officials to be present only to "stretch the matter unduly" as it suits him politically. Bedi's offer came hours after Narayanasamy warned that the dharna infornt of Raj Nivas would be intensified into a "jail bharo" agitation from February 20. "Our protest will continue till our demands, contained in the letter sent to the Lt governor on February 7, are met," he said. On Sunday morning, the chief minister, his ministers and leaders of the ruling coalition hoisted black flags atop their residences as part of their protest against the Lt governor. Claiming ..
No KCR or TRS factor in LS polls, says Telangana Cong
There would be no KCR or TRS factor in the coming Lok Sabha elections as it was about electing the Prime Minister, Telangana Congress chief Uttam Kumar Reddy said Sunday asserting that the party would sweep almost all the 17 seats in the state. Voting for Parliament is not about Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao or Telangana Rashtra Samiti. It will be a vote to elect the next Prime Minister and people would certainly prefer Congress president Rahul Gandhi over BJP's (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi, Reddy said in a press release here. "Brainstorming sessions held in the last three days have proved that all the Congress cadres were rejuvenated to win the Lok Sabha elections," the release quoted Reddy as saying while addressing party leaders from the constituencies of Chevella, Malkajgiri, Hyderabad, Secunderabad and Medak at separate meetings. He further said the Congress would field a strong candidate in Hyderabad constituency currently held by AIMIM president .
Bedi cuts short Delhi trip to hold talks with Pondy CM, fails
Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi cut short her New Delhi trip and returned here, offering to hold talks Sunday evening with Chief Minister V Narayanwamy to end his five-day old dharna, but the initiative failed to take off with the latter "imposing" pre conditions for the meeting. After the parleys scheduled later in the evening were cancelled, Bedi accused the Chief Minister of "imposing" conditions on the venue and officials to be present only to "stretch the matter unduly" as it suits him politically. Bedi, who left for Delhi on February 14, returned this afternoon and shot off a letter to Narayanasamy inviting him and his colleagues for a meeting in the evening at Raj Nivas. As soon as he received the letter, the Chief Minister sent his reply requesting Bedi to hold the meeting atthe Chief Secretariat. In his letter, the CM had very specifically stated that the Officer on Special Duty or Consultant of the office of Lt Governor should not be present at the ...
White House indicates Trump to veto disapproval of emergency
A top adviser to President Donald Trump indicated Sunday that Trump is prepared to issue the first veto of his term if Congress votes to disapprove of his declaration of a national emergency along the U.S.-Mexico border. White House senior adviser Stephen Miller told "Fox News Sunday" that "the president is going to protect his national emergency declaration." Asked if that meant Trump was ready to veto, Miller added, "He's going to protect his national emergency declaration, guaranteed." Trump declared the emergency Friday in an effort to go around Congress to fund his border wall. It would allow him to move federal dollars earmarked for military construction to the border but is already facing legal and political challenges. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra told ABC's "This Week" that his state would sue "imminently" to block the order, after the American Civil Liberties Union and the nonprofit watchdog group Public Citizen announced Friday they were taking legal ...
India yet to tell us about MFN status withdrawal: Pakistan (Lead, Correcting para four)
Pakistan said on Sunday that it has not yet been informed by India on withdrawing the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to Islamabad in the wake of a bloody suicide bombing in Jammu and Kashmir.
Swaraj visits Morocco to consolidate strategic partnership in areas of mutual interest
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Sunday arrived at Moroccon capital Rabat from Bulgaria on her maiden visit to the North African nation where she will met the country's top leaders to discuss ways to consolidate strategic partnership in various sectors of mutual interest. Swaraj is on a four-day three-nation tour to Bulgaria, Morocco and Spain as part of India's efforts to strengthen relations with these three countries and expand avenues of cooperation. "EAM @SushmaSwaraj arrives in #Rabat, #Morocco, on her first ever visit to the country. EAM will meet her Moroccan counterpart from @MarocDiplomatie Nasser Bourita and political leadership on this short visit. We attach priority to strengthen our relationship in different sectors," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted. Swaraj met her Bulgarian counterpart Ekaterina Zaharieva on Saturday and the two leaders discussed a range of bilateral issues including those related to economy, agriculture and ...
Brazil president in grips of party crisis
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, one of his politician sons and his ultraconservative party were embroiled in a crisis Sunday over a campaign finance scandal threatening the leader's anti-corruption image. The 63-year-old far-right president, who is just six weeks into his mandate, spoke with top officials in his government Friday and Saturday to try to draw a line under the affair, after key allies turned on him. Brazilian media, citing anonymous government sources, said the outcome could be the forced exit on Monday of one of his ministers, Gustavo Bebianno, a former chief of his Social Liberal Party who is reportedly suspected of misusing campaign funds in last year's election. The furor could divert the president's attention as he tries to focus on other priorities, including a bill to reform Brazil's unsustainable pension system, and stepping up pressure on Venezuela as part of a US-led effort to topple President Nicolas Maduro. Bebianno had tried to downplay the campaign ...
Polish PM says Jewish compensation issue 'resolved'
Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki insisted Sunday that the question of Polish compensation for Jewish assets stolen by the Nazi was "definitively resolved", rebuffing a US call for further action. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who visited Poland last week, called on Warsaw to move forward with legislation to help "those who lost property during the Holocaust era". But Morawiecki told the PAP news agency Sunday: "The question of restitution of assets to US citizens of Jewish origin has been definitively resolved. "A law of compensation, signed with the United States settles the question, and frees Poland from these responsibilities," he said. The compensation law to which he was referring was passed in 1960. "I want to underline that: This subject does not exist," he added. The claims for compensation were based on a fundamental misunderstanding, he said. "Poland was the victim and not the executioner," he argued. And Germany had never compensated Poland "for losses inflicted by ..
Citizenship Bill to figure in BJP manifesto: Shah
The Bharatiya Janata Party will make the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 part of the party manifesto for the next elections and pass it on return to power this year, said BJP national President Amit Shah, here on Sunday.
Assam CM likens Pulwama incident to attacks of Mughals
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal Sunday likened the Pulwama terror incident, in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed, to the attacks of Mughals. The chief minister was addressing a public rally of the Bhartiya Janata Yuva Morcha here in presence of BJP president Amit Shah. "The recent Kashmir incident is an Islamist terrorist attack on India. Our brave jawans were martyred and I pay my sincere homage to them. "... We have to continue the fight against the Mughals even today. The attack of the Mughals is not over yet and the Kashmir incident is a proof of that," Sonowal said. Forty CRPF jawans were killed and five were injured when a Jaish suicide bomber rammed his explosives-laden vehicle into a bus carrying the soldiers on Thursday, nearly 20 kilometres outside Srinagar. The bus was part of a convoy of 78 vehicles in which the CRPF soldiers were heading to the Kashmir Valley.
BJP pays tributes to slain CRPF personnel in programmes held across country
The BJP organised condolence meetings across the country on Sunday to pay tributes to the 40 CRPF personnel who were killed in the Pulwama terror attack, with party leaders asserting that the central government will avenge their deaths. A party statement said its top leaders, including president Amit Shah, besides several Union ministers and other office-bearers, paid tributes to the slain soldiers at programmes held across the country. Besides BJP MPs and MLAs, people from different sections of society also paid tributes at the condolence meetings held in district headquarters, it said, adding that Pakistan and terrorism sponsored by it were condemned strongly. Shah paid his tribute at a public meeting in Assam. Other party leaders who attended the condolence meetings included vice presidents Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Raman Singh and Om Mathur and Union ministers Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Narendra Singh Tomar, among others. Referring to the comments of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ...
CPI, CPI(M), JMM and Cong in talks to form alliance in Odisha: D Raja
CPI national secretary D Raja said Sunday that his party, the CPI(M), the JMM and the Congress are in talks to form an alliance ahead of the Lok Sabha and assembly polls in Odisha to take on the BJP and ruling BJD in the state. Raja said this while addressing a party meeting here. "The CPI, CPI(M), JMM (Jharkhand Mukti Morcha) and Congress are talking to each other to form an allaince to take on both the BJD and the BJP," he told reporters here. "We have had a meeting in this regard with the president of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) Niranjan Patnaik and a meeting for seat sharing with the Congress will be held very soon," Raja said. Patnaik confirmed Raja's statement and said, "Yes, we will soon form an alliance. The Congress has been talking to the CPI, the CPI(M) and the JMM for seat-sharing." The details of the seat-sharing arrangement is yet to be finalised, he said. The state has 21 Lok Sabha seats and 147 assembly seats. Sources in the Congress said the party ...
4-day MP Assembly session to begin on Monday
The second session of the newly-elected Madhya Pradesh Assembly will begin here from Monday and conclude on February 21, a official said. The four-day session will have only three sittings as February 19 is a government holiday on account of Sant Ravidas Jayanti, a state Assembly secretariat official said. He informed that this session of the 15th Madhya Pradesh Assembly would have a Question Hour. The Assembly secretariat has received 727 questions submitted by MLAs, including 309 questions from first-time legislators, and 167 calling attention motions, he said. According to the list of business released by the Assembly secretariat, Finance Minister Tarun Bhanot would table the vote-on-account on Monday. The House would also pay tribute to departed leaders as well as 40 CRPF personnel martyred in the Pulwama attack. Both the opposition BJP and ruling Congress Sunday organised MLA meetings to prepare strategies during the session. Earlier, Leader of Opposition Gopal ...
Make in India all about Indian self-reliance: Piyush Goyal to Rahul
Soon after Rahul Gandhi raised questions over the central government's 'Make in India' initiative, Union Minister Piyush Goyal hit back at the Congress president and said the initiative is all about "Indian self-reliance"."It is very unfortunate that he (Rahul) has attacked a flagship programme that doesn't belong to a political party, but to the people of India. Make in India is all about Indian self-reliance," Goyal told ANI here."It is all about Indian technical knowledge, the efforts that our workers do to produce goods in India. I feel sorry that Rahul Gandhi hasn't recognised that for the first time India has indigenously developed a transit which barely a few countries in the world made," he added.His comments come after Rahul earlier today tweeted, "Modi ji, I think Make in India needs a serious rethink. Most people feel it has failed. I assure you we in the Congress are thinking very deeply about how it will be done.
Maoists, SIMI raising their heads again in MP: BJP
BJP spokesman G.V.L. Narasimha Rao on Sunday said that within two months of the Congress party coming to power in Madhya Pradesh, Maoists and banned outfit Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) have started raising their heads again.