Page 1657 - Politics

Acting Pentagon chief makes surprise Baghdad visit

Acting Pentagon chief Patrick Shanahan arrived in Baghdad on an unannounced visit Tuesday for talks on the sensitive issue of a continued troop presence following withdrawal from neighbouring Syria. Shanahan is keen to reassure Iraqi leaders after President Donald Trump angered many by saying he wanted to keep troops at the Al-Asad airbase, northwest of Baghdad, to keep an eye on Iran. The acting defence secretary, who flew in from Afghanistan on his foreign tour since taking office last month, is due to hold talks with Prime Ministrer Adel Abdel Mahdi and top military advisers and commanders. Trump's comments about Iran, in an interview with CBS television aired on February 3, drew a stern rebuff from President Barham Saleh, who said the use of Iraq as a base against a third country violated its constitution. They also sparked renewed calls for a US withdrawal both from pro-Iran factions within the government and from Iran-trained armed groups whose power has risen sharply during the

Russia seeks to vindicate Afghan war, 30 years after pullout

Soviet authorities themselves condemned the USSR's bloody occupation of Afghanistan, but 30 years later some in Vladimir Putin's Russia are coming to see the operation in a more positive light. After a decade of military intervention to bolster Kabul's embattled Communist government against Islamist fighters, the USSR finally pulled out its last units on February 15, 1989. The withdrawal, ordered by Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, was a humiliating defeat for the Union and helped lead to its collapse. Mikhail Kozhukhov, who covered the conflict as a correspondent for the Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper, remembered how the final Russian troops left without joy or bitterness. "The soldiers were dreaming only of one thing: getting home safe and sound," Kozhukhov, now 62, told AFP. The reporter remembered crossing the "Friendship Bridge" across the Amu Darya river separating Afghanistan from then-Soviet Uzbekistan in the second-last armoured vehicle of the last Soviet convoy, flying red ..

A cover to hide nervousness: Akhilesh hits back as Yogi says visit could have triggered violence

Describing Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's comments that his Allahabad visit could have triggered violence as "a cover to hide nervousness", Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav Tuesday said that stopping him shows how "scared" the government is. "I was stopped from boarding a flight to Allahabad to attend a students' union programme. I haven't been given a reason why but it seems the general impression was that I would create a law and order problem. Chief minister has given a statement to this effect but they are using this as a cover to hide their nervousness because our youth have had enough," Yadav said. "If there was a genuine problem, the police there would have objected, or asked for a change in my schedule. I understand the need to ensure the safety of people and property and would never do something to endanger either knowingly," he added. He said the BJP has lost Uttar Pradesh, "but more than an election, they have lost the faith that the youth of this country reposed in .

Rajya Sabha adjourned for 30 minutes amid uproar

Rajya Sabha proceedings were Tuesday adjourned for half an hour till 2:35 PM amid uproar by Samajwadi Party members after party chief Akhilesh Yadav was allegedly stopped at Lucknow airport while on his way to Allahabad. As soon as the House resumed proceedings at 2 PM, members from the Samajwadi Party jumped into the well protesting against party chief being allegedly stopped at Lucknow airport. Meanwhile, the government introduced two bills - the International Financial Services Center Authority Bill, 2019 and Cinematography (amendment) Bill, 2019. International Financial Services Centre Authority Bill, 2019 was moved by Minister of State for Finance Shiv Pratap Shukla. The Cinematography (amendment) bill, 2019 was moved by Information and Broadcasting Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore. Earlier in the morning, Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 2 PM following uproar by SP members SP members were up on their feet trying to raise their issue but nothing could

Akhilesh stopped from going to Allahabad University

Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav was on Tuesday prevented from taking a flight to attend an event organised by the Students Union at Allahabad University, triggering a political storm.

Cong stages walkout in LS on Rafale issue

The Congress Tuesday staged a walkout in the Lok Sabha after its demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Rafale deal was rejected. Kharge tried to speak but Speaker Sumitra Mahajan did not allow and continued with the business of the House. At this a visibly upset Kharge asked loudly, "What is this? We want JPC". The Speaker said she was not saying no to anyone. "I will allow you to speak when the time will come. Now sit down. You have shouted a lot. Give your throat some rest," she said. With this, Kharge sat down but said, "If you don't allow us to speak, why should we be here". UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, who was sitting next to Kharge, nodded in support. Kharge soon nudged other Congress MPs to restart the protests and they immediately trooped into the well, carrying placards and shouting slogans seeking JPC on the Rafale deal. Alleging corruption, Kharge said a JPC probe was needed to probe the deal. He also demanded discussion on the issue to which ..

3 politico-wives from MP set for electoral debut

Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Digvijaya Singh and Jyotiraditya Scindia, three prominent leaders from Madhya Pradesh, may field their spouses in the upcoming general elections.

SP chief 'stopped' at airport, uproar in UP legislature

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday claimed he was stopped by authorities at Lucknow airport in a bid to prevent him from visiting Allahabad, triggering outrage by party lawmakers in the state legislature and workers outside the airport. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said he was to fly to Allahabad from Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport to attend an event at Allahabad University. "The government is afraid of oath-taking ceremony of a student leader and is stopping me at the airport to prevent me from visiting Allahabad," Yadav claimed on Twitter. He posted photographs in which he was seen talking to police officers inside the airport. But the airport director A K Sharma said, "I have no such information." The issue rocked the Uttar Pradesh legislature. As soon as Samajwadi Party members came to know about their national president being stopped at the airport, they raised the matter during Question Hour in the assembly. "The present regime is trying to kill ...

Ex-White House aide sues Trump over non-disclosure agreements

A former White House staffer who wrote a tell-all book, is suing President Donald Trump over non-disclosure agreements, the media reported on Tuesday.

Politics of deception on electoral rolls in Delhi: Lekhi in LS

The Delhi government is playing "politics of deception" on the issue of electoral rolls and action needs to be taken, BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi said in the Lok Sabha Tuesday. "Many people are getting calls that their names have been deleted from the voter list. To their surprise it turns out to be false when they check," she said during the Zero Hour. This kind of "fraud" is taking place and police have filed a case but no action is being taken, she said. "How the politics of deception is being played by Delhi government is for everyone to see...I urge police action in such incidents," she added. The Election Commission on Sunday asked Delhi Police to take "necessary action" against people making "misleading" phone calls about electoral rolls in the capital. A BJP delegation had met the Chief Election Commissioner and alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had been making such phone calls. AAP national convener and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had retorted that the ...

Xi issues China's first-ever decree on training of PLA to improve combat reediness

President Xi Jinping has signed China's first-ever decree on training of the country's two million-strong military, the world's largest, to improve the combat readiness of armed forces, official media reported on Tuesday. Xi, 65, regarded as the most powerful Chinese leader after Mao Zedong heading the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC), the military and Presidency, has signed an order to release a trial regulation on the supervision of military training, the first of its kind in the country. The regulation, which will take effect on March 1, focuses on improving the combat readiness of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), state-run Xinhua news agency reported. It formulates measures to rectify practices that are inconsistent with the requirements of actual combats. It also details the criteria for identifying malpractices and discipline violations during military training. The regulation also states the responsibilities, power and priorities of military training supervision and ...

Notices issued to Parrikar's son over eco-resort construction

The Panaji bench of the Bombay High Court on Tuesday issued notices to Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's son, Abhijat, in connection with a petition filed against him for alleged destruction of forested areas for the construction of an eco-resort.

UP government stopped me from visiting Prayagraj: Akhilesh

Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday accused the state government of preventing him from taking a flight to Prayagraj where he was to attend the oath-taking ceremony of the Students Union at Allahabad University.

We'll build the wall anyway: Trump

US President Donald Trump has announced that he would be "building the wall anyway", while referring to setting up a barrier on the US-Mexico border, on Monday night at a rally in El Paso here."We'll be building the wall anyway. They (Congressmen) say that progress has been made…I said: 'Wait a minute, I gotta take care of my people from Texas, I've got to go, I don't even wanna hear about it.' So I don't know what they mean (when they say) 'progress has been made," Trump said, according to Sputnik.This comes after Congressional negotiators announced that "an agreement in principle" had been reached on funding for border security, with more than USD 1.3 billion allocated for the barrier alone, reports Fox News. Trump had previously asked for a budget allocation of USD five billion to build the US-Mexico border wall. An impasse between the US Congress and Trump over funding for the wall had earlier triggered the longest-ever partial government shutdown in the United States, which ...

President Kovind, PM Modi pay tributes to Vajpayee at Central Hall

President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday paid rich tributes to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in the Central Hall of Parliament.A life-size portrait of Vajpayee, who passed away on August 16 last year, was installed in the Central Hall of Parliament today.Speaking at the event, President Ram Nath Kovind said, " Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee offered decisive leadership under challenging circumstances. The 1998 nuclear test in Pokhran and the Kargil War of 1999 are classic examples. These decisions were taken in the interest of the nation.""Atal ji will always be remembered as a great politician of India. His spontaneity and dignity in accepting victory and defeat are exemplary. He will be remembered for being patient in the tough situations," the President said."Atal ji made initiatives so that the rivers and other water resources can be utilised properly by the people. With the help of Golden Quadrilateral Highway network, Atal ji .

Akhilesh Yadav barred from boarding airplane, detained at Lucknow airport

Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav was allegedly prevented from boarding an airplane without any written orders on Tuesday.The former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh was on his way to attend the swearing-in ceremony of a student leader in Allahabad.Taking to Twitter, Akhilesh said the incident clearly shows how "frightened" the government is by his presence at the oath-taking ceremony of a student leader."I was prevented from boarding the airplane without any written orders. Currently detained at Lucknow airport. It is clear how frightened the government is by the oath ceremony of a student leader. The BJP knows that youth of our great country will not tolerate this injustice anymore!" Yadav tweeted.The SP leader also said authorities failed to cite reasons for stopping him from boarding the flight."The sole purpose of preventing me from attending the student union's program is to suppress socialist ideas and voices among the youth," Yadav added.

Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2 p.m.

The Rajya Sabha was on Tuesday adjourned till 2 p.m. midway through Zero Hour as some members tried to raise their issues out of turn.

Modi has rock-solid support, but who is Oppn alliance leader? Shah

Claiming that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has rock-solid support of people, BJP president Amit Shah on Tuesday said the coming Lok Sabha poll will be an important step for India to become a global superpower. Attacking the opposition parties which were trying to forge an alliance ahead of the Lok Sabha election to take on Modi, Shah said the "mahagathbandhan" (grand alliance) was made up of only state-level leaders and that it will not affect BJP's poll prospects. He sought to know from the opposition parties who was their prime ministerial face and the leader of their proposed grand alliance. Addressing BJP leaders and workers from Gujarat after launching the 'Mera Parivar-Bhajapa Parivar' voter outreach campaign, he said a full majority government was required to enable PM Modi to continue serving the needy. "The 2019 Lok Sabha election is an important step for India to become a superpower in the world. I have travelled across the country, and I can see that people are standing ...

Vajpayee's portrait unveiled in Central Hall of Parliament

President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday unveiled a life-size portrait of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in the Central Hall of Parliament.

RS adjourned till 2 PM amid uproar by SP members

Rajya Sabha proceedings were Tuesday adjourned till 2 PM following uproar by Samajwadi Party members after party chief Akhilesh Yadav was allegedly stopped at Lucknow airport while on his way to Allahabad. Trouble started after as many as 15 members made zero hour mention on issues of public importance. SP members were up on their feet trying to raise their issue but nothing could be heard and Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu ordered that nothing would go on record. Naidu said he cannot allow them to raise the issue as they have not given notice and no member can raise issue without the permission of the Chair. SP members said they have received information that Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav was stopped at Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport in Lucknow by police in a bid to prevent him from visiting Allahabad to attend an oath-taking ceremony at Allahabad University. "Please go to your seat. Please don't spoil the atmosphere. This is not the way. We have lost