Page 1827 - Politics
Trump backs down, agrees to temporarily end government shutdown
President Donald Trump announced on Friday an agreement to end the partial government shutdown for three weeks, backing down from his defiant stand against allowing a budget without funding for his election promise of a wall along the Mexican border to deter smugglers and illegal immigrants.
Trump strikes deal to end shutdown
US President Donald Trump has announced a deal with the Democrats to temporarily open the government for three weeks till mid-February, ending the longest-ever partial shutdown and enabling over 800,000 federal workers to resume their job. "I am very proud to announce today that we have reached a deal to end the shutdown and re-open the federal government," Trump said at the White House on Friday. "After 36 days of spirited debate and dialogue, I've seen and heard from enough Democrats and Republicans that they're willing to put partisanship aside, I think, and put the security of the American people first." The president, however, implied about declaring a national emergency if the Congress did not approve a funding for the wall by February 15. "If we don't get a fair deal from Congress, the government will either shut down on February 15 again or I will use the powers afforded to me under the laws and the Constitution of the United States to address this emergency." Minutes after ...
Deal reached to lift government shutdown: Trump
US President Donald Trump has said that he has reached a deal to reopen the United States government, and that he would sign a bill to fund the government until February 15.
'We have reached deal to reopen govt': Trump
US President Donald Trump announced that lawmakers have reached a deal to reopen the US government, which has been partially shut down since December 22 last year."We have reached a deal to end the shutdown," Trump said in his address to media at the White House's Rose Garden on Friday (local time).The temporary deal will fund the government for three weeks until February 15. Furthermore, a bipartisan panel will be working together on a border security package."This is an opportunity for all parties to work together," Trump said. The temporary deal does not include funding for the wall, Trump added while pushing for the wall to be built again. He also confirmed that he would not be declaring an emergency to build the wall - yet."Wall should not be controversial. Walls work - No matter where you go, they work. They keep criminals out. It's just common sense," he said."Democrats in the past have voted for very powerful fences," Trump said while taking veiled jibe towards the Democrats, .
PM to visit Tamil Nadu, Kerala on Jan 27
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone for an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Madurai, Tamil Nadu on January 27, a statement said. He will also inaugurate the super speciality blocks of Rajaji Medical College (Madurai), Thanjavur Medical College (Thanjavur) and Tirunelveli Medical College (Tirunelveli) as a part of upgradation projects of government medical colleges. The prime minister will visit Kochi on the same day and unveil a plaque to dedicate to the nation an integrated refinery expansion complex of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited. He will also lay the foundation stone for a petrochemical complex at the same venue, inaugurate a mounded storage vessel at an LPG bottling plant of the Indian Oil Corporation Limited in Kochi and lay the foundation stone for skill development institute at Ettumanoor.
Community involvement can do wonders for implementing schemes: Kiran Bedi
Lt Governor Kiran Bedi on Friday emphasised the importance of community involvement for implementation of schemes, saying that it could do wonders. In her message on the eve of the 70th Republic Day, the former IPS officer said the focus this year should be to ensure that every child is healthy and parents contribute to the health, growth, education and character building of children. Bedi called upon officers to never forget their oaths. Officers should take the government to doorsteps of the people and also ensure that the money earmarked for the schemes is only spent for the right purpose, without being diverted, she said. Citing the Water Rich Puducherry programme as a "wonderful model" of community involvement, she said, "Community involvement can work wonders for implementing schemes". Bedi also appealed to people to exercise franchise in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. "Do not not sell your votes or accept money," she said. "This year is not just for voting, but for ...
J&K admin to set up state IT infrastructure development company
The Jammu and Kashmir administrative on Friday approved the incorporation of the state IT infrastructure development company under the Companies Act. The administration, under the chairmanship of Governor Satya Pal Malik, met here in the evening and took the decision to form the Jammu and Kashmir IT infrastructure development company private limited, an official said. The decision by the administration is aimed at attracting IT companies to the state to operate from constructed spaces created by the state and to establish their offices and work facilities on developed land, thereby boosting the economy of the state by way of investment, employment and increased economic activities, the official added.
Flights delayed at major US airports due to shutdown
Flights stand delayed at major airports in the US, including New York and Florida, due to staffing issues apparently caused by the ongoing partial government shutdown."We have experienced a slight increase in sick leave at two facilities. We are mitigating the impact by augmenting staffing, rerouting traffic and increasing spacing between aircraft when needed," a statement issued by the Federal Aviation Administration noted.Furthermore, Air traffic stands delayed at New York City's LaGuardia, Philadelphia, and New Jersey's Newark airports due to staffing issues during the shutdown.Over 800,000 federal workers have gone without pay since December 22, when the shutdown came into place due to an impasse between the US Congress and US President Donald Trump. They are at loggerheads over funding for a wall on USA's southern border with Mexico, leading to the shutdown.Trump has repeatedly reinforced the need for a wall, while Democrats have spoken against it, slamming it as wastage of ...
India, South Africa to address issue of economic offenders through international organisations
India and South Africa have resolved to work together to address the issue of fugitive economic offenders through international organisations and institutions, said a joint statement released after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Cyril Ramaphosa held talks here on Friday. Noting that terrorism is a serious threat to international peace, security and stability and that no country was immune to the danger that it represents, the two sides condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations regardless of its motivation, "whenever, wherever and by whosoever committed." The two sides also noted the need for a concerted action by the global community against terrorism through early agreement and adoption of the UN Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism, as well as the implementation of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in a balanced and integrated manner. "They reiterated their commitment to working together on strengthening cooperation to ...
Trump to speak on govt shutdown at 1830 GMT: WH
US President Donald Trump will deliver a statement Friday on the government shutdown which has seen hundreds of thousands of federal workers go unpaid for five weeks, the White House announced. "The President will make remarks regarding the shutdown in the Rose Garden today at 1:30 pm (1830 GMT)," spokeswoman Sarah Sanders tweeted.
China welcomes all pilgrims from India: Envoy
Amid a row over Rahul Gandhi's Kailash Mansarovar visit last year after the Congress chief on Friday said he had also met Chinese ministers during his trip, the Beijing's envoy here said all Indian pilgrims were welcome to the country. "The Chinese government, the Chinese side will welcome all pilgrims from India," Chinese envoy Luo Zhaohui said in response to a question on Gandhi's meeting with his country's ministers. Earlier in the day, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused Gandhi of acting as a "Chinese propagandist" and asked him to give complete details of his meeting with China's ministers and officials during his Kailash Mansarovar visit and questioned why had he not kept the Indian government informed about it. "The Kailash Mansarovar yatra was an excuse. He had gone to meet these ministers. Rahul Gandhi is not an ordinary citizen. Why did he not inform the Ministry of External Affairs? Why was the Indian embassy not kept in loop? We want to know the details of his talks,"
Absence of BJP-Shiv Sena alliance to help Congress, NCP: Danve
Maharashtra BJP president Raosaheb Danve Friday said his party will win more seats than the Shiv Sena in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections if the latter does not enter into a pre-poll alliance with it. Addressing a press conference here, he said absence of an alliance between the BJP and the Shiv Sena will benefit the Congress and the NCP. "The BJP will win more seats than the Shiv Sena in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections if the Sena does not forge an alliance with the BJP," he said. Danve said the BJP has made preparations to contest all the 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state in case there was no alliance with the Uddhav Thackeray-led party. Danve said the executive meeting of the state BJP will be held at Kalash Seeds in Jalna town on January 28. Danve would inaugurate the day-long conclave, while Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will address the valedictory session. Around 1,000 delegates from across the state will take part in the meeting, he added. Later, the chief ...
Rahul should disclose the details of his meeting with Chinese minister during Kailash yatra: BJP
The BJP on Friday attacked Congress President Rahul Gandhi over his meeting with Chinese Minister during his Kailash Mansarovasr Yatra last year and sought details of it.
O.P. Chautala moves HC challenging Delhi government order cancelling furlough
Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) chief Om Prakash Chautala, who is currently lodged in Tihar Jail, on Friday moved the Delhi High Court challenging a Delhi Government order cancelling his furlough (temporary release from jail).
RRTS has to be built to de-congest Delhi, AAP govt has to arrange funds for it: EPCA
The Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) chief, Bhure Lal, on Friday said the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), a corridor between Delhi, Ghaziabad and Meerut, had to be built to decongest the national capital and the Delhi government had to arrange the funds for it. Lal chaired a meeting with Delhi government officials, in which he asserted that there was no doubt that the RRTS had to be there to decongest the national capital. "The Delhi government is facing issues in the mobilisation of resources and that is why the meeting was convened. The government has to generate the funds for the project, whether it comes from the Centre or it generates the funds itself," he said. On January 18, the Supreme Court had asked the EPCA to convene a joint meeting of all the stakeholders within a week so that these issues could be sorted out. The apex court had said it should be informed about the outcome of the deliberations and had posted the matter for ...
IYC sends mirrors to prominent BJP leaders' children after party accused Congress of 'family politics'
Indian Youth Congress on Friday sent mirrors to the BJP leaders, who are children of the prominent leaders of the party, as they accused Congress of family politics on the entry of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra into mainstream politics.Priyanka, the 47-year-old daughter of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and sister of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, will take charge of her responsibility from February first week. She will be working in the capacity of General Secretary in-charge of Uttar Pradesh East, the party announced on Wednesday.The mirrors were sent as a befitting reply to the BJP hours after Priyanka was formally inducted into active politics and Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a veiled dig at the Congress party saying "for some parties, the family is the party".The Prime Minister further said: "For the BJP, the party is the family".Five party members, who received the mirrors, included Poonam Mahajan (daughter of Pramod Mahajan), Pankaja Munde (daughter of Gopi Nath Munde), Rajvir ...
Queen sends a Brexit message to UK politicians: end your bickering
LONDON (Reuters) - Queen Elizabeth has sent a delicately coded message to Britain's fractious political class over Brexit, urging lawmakers to seek common ground and keep their eyes on the big picture to resolve the crisis.
Punjab AAP rejects Bhagwant Mann's resignation
Punjab unit of AAP on Friday unanimously rejected Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann's resignation as state party chief, which he tendered last year following party supremo Arvind Kejriwal's apology to former minister Bikram Singh Majithia. On March 15 last year, Kejriwal tendered an apology to Majithia for levelling charges of involvement in drugs trade against him, drawing flak from Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) Punjab unit. Mann announced his resignation on Twitter the next day. In a core committee meeting of the Punjab unit of AAP, which was held here on Friday, Mann's resignation was unanimously rejected and a resolution was adopted to send it to the central political affairs committee for review, party leader Budh Ram, who chaired the meeting, said. The meeting was also attended by Mann and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Vidhan Sabha Harpal Singh Cheema, among others. Reacting to the meeting's decision, Mann said he would take a decision after meeting Kejriwal. Speaking on the occasion, Cheema ..
C'garh govt to withdraw 'political cases' filed under BJP rule
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel Friday said "political cases" filed against workers of political parties during the previous BJP government in the state will be withdrawn. He said political cases against workers of student unions and political parties will be revoked. Baghel was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a programme of the National Student Union of India (NSUI) at the Medical College auditorium here. "Several fake cases were registered against NSUI student workers who had staged protests (under the BJP rule) in support of their demands and those cases will be revoked. "Even former Chief Minister Raman Singh had lodged cases against his opponents within the BJP. All those cases will also be withdrawn on the basis of merit," Baghel said. In an apparent reference to Raman Singh's son Abhishek Singh, the MP from Rajnandgaon Lok Sabha constituency, in context of the Panama Papers scandal, Baghel said, "Nawaz Sharif of Chhattisgarh is roaming ...
Political leaders in West Bengal congratulate Mukherjee on being conferred Bharat Ratna
Political leaders in West Bengal congratulated former president Pranab Mukherjee on Friday on being conferred the Bharat Ratna. "It is a matter of great pride for all of us that our very own Pranab Mukherjee is getting the Bharat Ratna. He is one of the most distinguished politicians in the country," former state Congress chief and Member of Parliament Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said. The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in the state and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) too congratulated Mukherjee. "His contribution to Indian politics has been immense. He is not only a great son of India but also a great human being," TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee said. Mukherjee, Bharatiya Jana Sangh leader Nanaji Deshmukh and singer Bhupen Hazarika will be conferred the Bharat Ratna, the country's highest civilian award, an official statement said on Friday.