Page 1597 - Politics
Iran unveils first semi-heavy missile-equipped submarine
Iran's state TV is reporting that the country's President Hassan Rouhani has unveiled the first Iranian made semi-heavy submarine. The Sunday report said the Fateh, "Conqueror" in Persian, is capable of being fitted with cruise missiles. Since 1992, Iran has developed a homegrown defense industry that produces light and heavy weapons ranging from mortars and torpedoes to tanks and submarines. The Fateh has subsurface-to-surface missiles with a range of about 2,000 kilometres, capable of reaching Israel and U.S. military bases in the region.
Cong govt will fall soon after NDA wins LS poll: MP BJP chief
A senior BJP leader Sunday said the Congress-led government in Madhya Pradesh would "fall on its own" in "two to three months" after the NDA returned to power in the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls. MP BJP president Rakesh Singh also alleged that the Congress managed to unseat his party, which was ruling the state since 2003, in the 2018 Assembly polls on the back of false promises to farmers and other sections of voters. Addressing a BJP workers convention here, Singh said, "We can see that the Congress government in MP is not stable. We will form the government at the Centre under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi again after the Lok Sabha polls. After this, in two to three months, the state government will fall on its own." He added, "Voters did not give the Congress a majority and this has led to a lame government being formed here." Clarifying his statement later, Singh said, "I meant to say the Kamal Nath government is surrounded by so many contradictions .
Rajinikanth not to contest in Lok Sabha polls (Roundup)
Amid dragging speculation whether he will take the plunge or not, superstar Rajinikanth on Sunday announced that he will not contest the coming Lok Sabha elections nor will he support any political party.
Pulwama terror attack an assault on nation: Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday described the Pulwama terror attack as an assault on the nation and said it was time that Pakistan be given a strong reply. Kejriwal was here to pay tributes to the CRPF personnel who lost their lives in the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on Thursday. "Pulwama attack is a cowardly act. This attack was against humanity. Pakistan is in the habit of carrying out such acts through proxy. But it is not in our blood to take on the enemy through proxy as we take our enemy head on," he said. He said that entire nation is united and Pakistan should be given a befitting reply. "Pakistan feels it can carry out such attacks and nothing will happen. But this time they need to be given a strong reply," the Aam Aadmi Party's national convener said. Forty CRPF personnel were killed and five injured on Thursday in one of the deadliest terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir when a Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad suicide bomber rammed a .
NHM employees suspend 35-day strike, to resume duties tomorrow
National Health Mission (NHM) employees Sunday suspended their 35-day-long strike after Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik's assurance that their demands will be looked into. Thousands of NHM employees had gone on strike across the state on January 14 in support of various demands, including regularisation of services and implementation of 'equal pay for equal work' order, badly affecting the functioning of the government-run health institutions. "The decision to suspend the strike and resume duties from Monday was taken on the assurance of state Governor Satya Pal Malik that our genuine demands will be given a favourable consideration," NHM Employees' Association spokesperson Faizan A Tramboo told PTI. He said a delegation of senior BJP leaders, led by state party president Ravinder Raina, also visited the protesting employees and assured them to facilitate a meeting with the governor in the first week of March and persuaded the members to suspend the strike in view of the ...
UK teen who joined IS has given birth in Syria: Family
A runaway teenager who has divided British opinion after joining the Islamic State group in Syria but now wants to return home, has given birth, her family said on Sunday. Shamima Begum, whose fate has prompted British soul-searching since she and two friends stirred controversy by fleeing to the terror network in 2015, gave birth to a boy, according to family lawyer Mohammed Akunjee. "We, the family of Shamima Begum, have been informed that Shamima has given birth to her child," a statement he released on Twitter said. "We understand that both she and the baby are in good health. "As yet we have not had direct contact with Shamima, we are hoping to establish communications with her soon so that we can verify the above." Akunjee told AFP the family had learned about the birth from a translator in an eastern Syria refugee camp where Begum is currently staying. Begum had previously given birth to two other children, but both died during her time in Syria, she told The Times earlier this
No development in Odisha despite stable government: Rajnath
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday alleged that Odisha had failed to develop under Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik despite the state having a stable government for years.
SIMI getting active in MP again under Cong: BJP national spokesperson
The BJP Sunday accused the Congress-led government in Madhya Pradesh of making the state an "asylum of criminals" and said the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) was getting active again. BJP national spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao also alleged that the Congress was providing "tacit support" to proscribed outfits like SIMI and the Popular Front of India. "Within two months of Congress rule, Madhya Pradesh has become an asylum of criminals. Murders, kidnapping of children, chain-snatching are taking place and no action is being taken. SIMI has again entered the state. Naxal activities have started," he claimed. In an apparent reference to the Congress' election symbol, he told reporters here that the party's "hand" was with criminals. When asked that whether he had any specific information on the revival of SIMI activities in the state, Rao said this was being seen in other states like Karnataka and Kerala where the Congress was "sympathising" with organisations like the .
Leaders greet Telangana CM on his 65th birthday
: President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday greeted by phone Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on his 65th birthday. Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Governor ESL Narasimhan also wished Rao. The Governor wished Rao, popularly known as KCR, along and healthy life in the service ofTelangana state and its people, an official press release here said. KCR thanked the leaders for conveying birthday greetings to him, the release said. On February 14, the Chief Minister had appealed to cadre of Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) not to celebrate his birthday as the nation was in a state of mourning over the death of 40 CRPF jawans in a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir.
Senior Delhi Congress leaders vying for LS seats as prospects of alliance with AAP fade
With the prospects of an alliance with AAP nearly over, several senior Delhi Congress leaders have emerged as contenders for the seven seats in the national capital for the coming Lok Sabha election. Delhi Congress president Sheila Dikshit said a number of applications from party leaders have been received but added the ticket distribution will be decided based on their "winnability". Former Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken is focusing his strength on New Delhi Lok Sabha seat by holding meetings with local leaders and workers, Congress insiders say. Maken, a two-time MP from the seat in 2004 and 2009, was defeated by BJP's Meenakshi Lekhi in 2014 elections. Former MP Mahabal Mishra is eyeing West Delhi constituency but the Congress may field a Jat candidate, possibly Yoganand Shastri, from the seat, they say. "On almost all seven Lok Sabha seats, several senior leaders are staking claims as it is almost clear that Congress will not ally with AAP for the coming election," a senior ..
In east Syria, IS in last stand to defend dying 'caliphate'
Diehard jihadists have blocked roads out of the last scrap of their Islamic State group "caliphate" in Syria, US-backed forces fighting them said Sunday, preventing hundreds of civilians from fleeing. Ahead of a victory declaration expected within days and a subsequent US military pullout, US President Donald Trump called on his European allies to take back hundreds of alleged jihadists captured in Syria. At a base for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces behind the frontline in eastern Syria, an AFP reporter heard airplanes darting in the sky. The jihadists declared a "caliphate" across large parts of Syria and neighbouring Iraq in 2014, implementing their brutal interpretation of Islam on millions. But several offensives have expelled them from all of it, except a tiny patch of less than half a kilometre square on the banks of the Euphrates river near the Iraqi border. Thousands of people have streamed out of the so-called "Baghouz pocket" in recent weeks, but hundreds of ...
Sikkim announces Rs 3 lakh each for families of Pulwama martyrs
Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling on Sunday announced Rs 3 lakh each for the families of the 49 CRPF personnel who were killed in the Pulwama terror attack last Thursday.
Netanyahu hands Israel foreign minister role to right-wing rival
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Sunday he was relinquishing the role of foreign minister and handing it to a right-wing rival from within his Likud party, Israel Katz. The move comes ahead of April 9 elections and follows court challenges arguing Netanyahu -- who is also health and defence minister -- has taken on too many governmental portfolios. A Likud spokesman said Netanyahu intended to appoint Katz as acting foreign minister without providing further details. Katz is currently transportation and intelligence minister and it was unclear whether he would give those roles up. He called the appointment a "moving moment". "Together with the prime minister we will continue to advance and lead Israel's foreign policy to further achievements," Katz said in a statement. Katz holds right-wing views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and has said conditions are not in place now for a two-state solution. In 2017, he advocated a plan that critics said would amount to de .
Centre should recall Bedi for 'impeding' welfare schemes in
DMK President M K Stalin Sunday demanded that the Centre immediately recall Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi alleging that she has been "autocratically" impeding implementation of welfare schemes evolved by the elected government in the Union Territory. Stalin called on Chief Minister V Narayanasamy and his ministerial colleagues outside Raj Nivas here on their fifth day of dharna against the "negative stand" of Bedi towards the government proposals. Later he told reporters that the Lt Governor had been functioning like a "dictator" impeding implementation of welfare schemes and has been "trampling" democracy. Alleging that the BJP was trying to grab power through the backdoor using Bedi as a "tool," the DMK leader said if it had 'guts and courage' it should face the elections and come to power here. Stalin charged Bedi with "bowing to the instructions and commands of the Prime Minister and is trampling democracy in Puducherry." Though the dharna was on for the last ...
Iran's Zarif says Israel 'looking for war'
Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Sunday that Israel was "looking for war", in an apparent reference to recent strikes against Iranian targets in Syria. "Certainly some people are looking for war," Zarif said during a question and answer session at the Munich Security Conference, adding "Israel" when pressed to say who. Israel carried out a series of air strikes last month against what it said were facilities belonging to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force in Syria. Israel has carried out hundreds of air strikes in Syria in the past few years against Iranian and Hezbollah targets. Iran is a major supporter of President Bashar al-Assad in the Syrian civil war. "We are in Syria on the invitation of the Syrian government for the sole purpose of fighting terrorism," Zarif said.
Congress cannot nurture country's democracy: Shah
Launching a blistering attack on the Congress over its dynastic politics, BJP president Ami Shah Sunday said the opposition party cannot nurture the country's democracy and fulfil its objectives. Naming Congress leaders from the Nehru-Gandhi family, Shah said the oldest party of the country does not have "internal" democracy. "Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Sanjay Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi -- I am not mentioning the future name. No question of involving workers at all. Such parties cannot nurture the country's democracy and fulfil its objectives," the BJP leader said at a party meet here. Taking a dig at the Congress, he said that the party, which does not have "internal democracy", cannot strengthen the country's democracy. "That is why, only one family ruled the country for 55 years... Nehru-Gandhi family of the Congress ruled these 55 years. But what has the country got?" Shah said.
Pulwama terror attack will be avenged: Naqvi
Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said on Sunday the Narendra Modi government has broken the backbone of terrorists as he asserted that the "cowardly" Pulwama terror attack will be avenged. "National security is most important and there cannot be any compromise on this. Neither can there be any soft posturing. The cowardly act will be avenged," Naqvi told reporters here, referring to the recent terror attack in Pulwama in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed. "In the more than four-and-half years of the Modi government, the backbone of terrorists have been dismantled. Since the formation of BJP government at the Centre, barring some places in Kashmir, there have been no terror attack," the Union minister said. Citing Sankat Mochan temple (Varanasi), Mecca Masjid (Hyderbad) and Lucknow, he claimed that earlier there were no places where terror attack had not taken place. "But, during the tenure of the Modi government, the terrorists have not been able to strike," he said. The minister .
Pak claims to fulfilling sanctions obligations against JeM
Pakistan on Sunday said that Jaish-e-Mohammad, which claimed responsibility for the Pulwama terror attack, was banned in 2002 and Islamabad was fulfilling its obligations on sanctions as per the law. At least 40 CRPF personnel were killed and five injured on Thursday in one of the deadliest terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir when a Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) suicide bomber rammed a vehicle with explosives into their bus. Pakistan-based terror group JeM claimed responsibility for the attack on the CRPF convoy. In a major diplomatic offensive against Islamabad after the attack, India has highlighted Pakistan's role in using terrorism as an instrument of state policy. India has slammed Pakistan for stating that it had no role in the Pulwama attack carried out by Pakistan-based terror group JeM, saying Islamabad could not claim that it was unaware of the presence of terror groups on its soil as the links of such outfits to the country were there for everyone to see. Ministry of External ...
Theresa May urges her MPs to unite over Brexit
British Prime Minister Theresa May has urged her Conservative Party MPs to shed their "personal preferences" over Brexit and united in the national interest ahead of a fresh round of talks with the European Union on the divorce deal next week. Britain is set to exit the 28-member bloc on March 29, but May is struggling to persuade parliament to back a divorce deal. In her letter to all 317 Conservative MPs over the weekend, May urged her party to sacrifice "personal preferences" as she attempts to get an agreement on the terms of the UK's departure from the EU through Parliament. She warned the Tories, who remain deeply divided over the contours of Brexit, that leaving the EU without a deal on the March 29 deadline "would cause disruption to our economy and to people's daily lives, damaging jobs both at home and across the EU". "Instead, our party can do what it has done so often in the past; Move beyond what divides us and come together behind what unites us; Sacrifice if necessary ..
India yet to tell us about MFN status withdrawal: Pakistan
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.