Page 1831 - Politics

WEF lists 33 ways Davos 2019 made an impact on the world

As the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2019 came to an end Friday after five days of brainstorming by over 3,000 leaders across hundreds of sessions, the organisers said the event this year made an impact on the world in as many as 33 ways. The WEF listed Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan committing his country's G20 Chairmanship to launch an agenda for global data governance. Besides, a group of 70-plus countries confirmed intentions to commence WTO negotiations on trade-related aspects of e-commerce following a ministerial meeting on the margins of the Davos meeting on Friday. Shortly before that, members of the Forum's business and civil society trade community issued a statement calling for a new digital trade deal that should be both ambitious and inclusive. The community urged governments to move forward with this agenda at the WTO in order to reduce costs and facilitate greater participation in the global digital economy. The leaders of Brazil, Colombia and Brazil, along ..

Former Prez Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan's grandson to join BJP

Subramanya Sharma G, the grandson of former President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, will be joining Karnataka BJP on January 26, the party said on Friday. Sharma will be joining the party in the presence of state BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa at the party headquarters after the Republic Day celebrations, a release said. Sharma had unsuccessfully contested the May 2018 assembly polls as a candidate of the All India Mahila Empowerment Party from Malleswaram constituency in the city.

Greek MPs ratify Macedonia name change in historic vote

Greek lawmakers on Friday ratified a landmark name change deal with neighbouring Macedonia, handing Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras a diplomatic triumph and bucking street protests to end one of the world's most stubborn diplomatic disputes. A narrow majority of 153 MPs in the 300-seat chamber approved the deal, with several independent lawmakers supporting Tsipras' leftist Syriza party. "With this agreement, Greece regains... its history, its symbols, its tradition," Tsipras told the chamber ahead of the vote during the two-day debate, calling an end to "thirty years of hypocrisy". He stressed that Macedonia will henceforth "become a friend, an ally, a supporter for cooperation, peace and security in the area." Macedonia's parliament on January 11 backed a constitutional revision to change the name to the Republic of North Macedonia, but for the deal to go through, it had to be approved by Greek MPs. Since 1991, Athens has objected to its neighbour being called Macedonia because Greece

BJP's "Operation Lotus" still on, Cong MLA offered gift: Karna

Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy Friday claimed opposition BJP was continuing its Operation Lotus to topple the JDS-Congress government and tried to lure a Congress legislator with 'gift'. Accusing BJP and its state president B S Yeddyurappa of being behind the offer allegedly made Thursday night, he said the MLA informed him that he had rejected the gift. "Operation Lotus is on. Yesterday night also they have telephoned a Congress legislator, asking him- where to send the gift, Kumaraswamy told reporters here. The chief minister's fresh allegation comes days after Yeedyurappa had said the BJP would not destabilise the ruling coalition. The state had remained in the grip of political unrest for several days recently with the Congress on tenterhooks to keep its numbers intact amid fears of poaching by the BJP after two independent MLAs withdrew their support to the coalition government. In a return of resort politics, all 104 BJP MLAs had stayed in a hotel in ...

Sudan opposition head backs protesters' call for Bashir to go

Sudan's main opposition leader Sadiq al-Mahdi on Friday called for President Omar al-Bashir to step down, throwing his support behind anti-government demonstrators after weeks of deadly protest. "This regime has to go immediately," Mahdi told hundreds of worshippers at a mosque in Omdurman, the twin city of the capital Khartoum, which has seen near daily anti-government protests. Mahdi said that since the protests erupted on December 19, "more than 50 people have been killed" in violence during the demonstrations. Officials say 30 people have died in the protests, while rights groups have put the death toll at more than 40. "A period of transition will come soon... we are supporting this (protest) movement," said Mahdi, leader of the opposition Umma Party whose government was toppled by Bashir in an Islamist-backed coup in 1989. After nearly a year in exile, he returned to Sudan last month on the same day protests began. Mahdi said Friday his party has signed a document with the ...

Turkey court orders release of hunger striking Kurdish MP

A hunger striking pro-Kurdish lawmaker was released under supervision from prison by a Turkish court and sent home on Friday, after an 11-week fast that has left her gravely ill. Crowds of supporters gathered at a jail in the Kurdish majority southeastern city of Diyarbakir to cheer Leyla Guven, 55, who launched her hunger strike on November 8 to protest the prison conditions for outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan. Guven, from the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), was freed a few hours after the Diyarbakir court ordered her release under judicial supervision, which includes an overseas travel ban. She was taken from the prison by an ambulance. Guven, whose party says she has a "life-threatening" medical condition, did not attend the hearing. The MP was arrested in January 2018 for her criticism of Turkey's military operation against a Syrian Kurdish militia that Ankara considers an offshoot of the PKK. She started the hunger strike in prison and .

PaK govt declares sugarcane juice as 'national drink' after Twitter poll

Pakistan government has declared sugarcane juice as the "national drink" of the country after a poll on Twitter, according to a media report. The government conducted a poll on Twitter at which people were asked to decide the national drink of Pakistan. Options including orange juice, sugarcane juice and carrot juice were given in the poll, the Nation reported. In the poll, 7616 people cast their votes. Around 81 per cent selected the option of sugarcane juice, 15 per cent voted in favour of the orange juice while 4 per cent chose the option of carrot juice, the daily said. Upon securing majority votes, sugarcane juice was declared as the 'national drink' of Pakistan.

Elections give chance to set things right: Mayawati's R-Day message

In her message on the eve of Republic Day, BSP chief Mayawati urged people not to let go of the opportunity elections provided them to improve their lot and accused the BJP of ignoring the principles of the Indian Republic. Without naming the previous governments, she said the Constitution has not been implemented in its right spirit in the past 70 years or else poverty, illiteracy and unemployment would have been removed to a large extent. While not referring directly to the coming Lok Sabha elections, she said a general election gives people a chance to set things right. Attacking the BJP-led government at the Centre, she said the manner in which it has "ignored" the values and principles of the Indian Republic was improper and most unfortunate. Extending Republic Day greetings, particularly to the people of Uttar Pradesh, Mayawati said it marked the day when Babasaheb Ambedkar's Constitution, which provided equal rights to all, came into effect.

Priyanka's entry in politics will not have any impact on outcome of LS polls: Yogi

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday said Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's entry into active politics would not have any impact on the outcome of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls as "zero plus zero results in zero". Adityanath also dubbed Priyanka Gandhi's appointment as the Congress general secretary for eastern UP an extension of the "political dynasty" culture in the party. "Zero plus zero results in zero. This would not make any impact on the poll outcome. With her appointment, the Congress has only extended its culture of political dynasty," he told reporters here. Priyanka Gandhi, 47, the sister of Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, was Wednesday appointed the party's general secretary for UP East, effective from February. Her region of responsibility would also include Gorakhpur, from where Adityanath has been a five-time member of parliament. The chief minister, who was here to inaugurate the Noida-Greater Noida Metro Rail and half-a-dozen infrastructure projects, also took on .

Former BJD minister joins Cong in Odisha

Odisha's former finance minister Panchanan Kanungo Friday joined Congress in presence of AICC president Rahul Gandhi at the Parivartan Sankalpa Samabesha here. Kanungo, a minister in the Naveen Patnaik government from August 2002 to May 2004, returned to active politics with his induction into the Congress. A three-time lawmaker from Gobindapur in Cuttack district in 1977, 1995 and 2000, he had resigned from the BJD on April 30, 2008, expressing displeasure at the manner in which it was functioning under the leadership of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. Kanungo had also unsuccessfully contested from Bhubaneswar central assembly constituency in 2009. I haven joined the Congress without any condition. If party decide, I will definitely contest the upcoming elections, Kanungo told reporters. Odisha assembly poll is expected to coincide with the general election this year.

China reacts cautiously to Indian Navy's new air base in Andamans

The Chinese military has reacted guardedly to the Indian Navy's move to launch a new air base in the strategically located Andaman and Nicobar islands, saying the area is part of India and it is a normal move by it to establish a military base there. The Indian Navy on Thursday commissioned the new air base -- INS Kohassa -- in the Andaman and Nicobar islands as part of efforts to expand operational presence in the Indian Ocean where China has been increasing its military presence. The Indian Navy has been bolstering its presence in the Indian Ocean in view of China regularly sending warships and submarines to the region. Referring to the launch of the Indian naval base, a report in official Chinese military website said on Friday that some foreign media are provoking the situation, saying India intends to "confront China". Ding Hao, deputy director of the Asian-African Military Affairs Office of the Foreign Military Studies Department under the Chinese People's Liberation Army's ...

Talks with like-minded parties to get over by Jan end: Cong

Maharashtra Congress Friday said the seat-sharing talks with the like-minded parties for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections would get over by the end of this month. Ashok Chavan, president of the Maharashtra unit of Congress, while addressing a press conference here, also said the district committees were submitting names of the aspiring candidates, which would be examined by the state committee at its meeting on January 29-30 and forwarded to the AICC for its approval. "At any cost, discussions with eight to nine parties will finish by the end of this month...There are no differences between the NCP and the Congress and only discussions on seat sharing have been taking place," he said. On the alliance with Prakash Amedkar's Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM), Chavan said, "We have categorically told them that as long MIM is there, Congress will not be a part of join hands with it." "But now since (MIM chief Asaduddin) Owaisi has said that his party does not want a seat from

Era of high taxes, misuse of public money over: Piyush Goyal

Appealing to the business community to pay taxes and do business ethically, interim Finance Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday said the era of high taxes and misuse of public money was over, and now every rupee received as tax was being put to good use in the interest of the nation.

Congress slams BJP for encounter killings in UP, says culture has come from Gujarat

The Congress on Friday attacked the BJP for the alleged rise in encounters in Uttar Pradesh, saying the culture comes from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state of Gujarat and UP too has become a victim of the ruling party's "muscular" model of governance after Jammu and Kashmir . In a series of tweets, former home and finance minister P Chidambaram said that during the last 16 months, 78 people were killed in encounters by Uttar Pradesh police. "Is this the rule of law under the Constitution of India? It is the rule of law under the 'muscular' model of governance offered by the BJP. After Jammu & Kashmir, it is UP that is the victim of muscular government," he said. Taking a swipe at the BJP, senior Congress leader Anand Sharma said the saffron party is now seeking to make it a national campaign. He said encounters are not sanctioned by law and are against the basic tenets of natural justice. "This culture comes from Gujarat; of false encounters and killing people. Now they ..

Jailed politician Anand Mohan Singhs wife returns to Cong

Former MP Lovely Anand, wife of jailed mafia don-turned-politician Anand Mohan Singh, on Friday joined the Congress at the partys Bihar headquarters here. Anand was inducted into the party at the Sadaqat Ashram by AICCs state in-charge Shaktisinh Gohil in presence of other leaders including BPCC president Madan Mohan Jha. Her induction, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, has triggered speculation that she might be considered for a Lok Sabha party ticket, though Gohil asserted Anand has returned to the Congress without laying down any conditions and she will get due respect here. Anand had made a sensational debut when she won a by-election for Vaishali Lok Sabha seat in 1994 defeating two-time MP Kishori Sinha whose husband Satyendra Narayan Sinha had formerly been a Chief Minister of Bihar and a Union minister. Her husband, who has represented Sheohar parliamentary seat twice, had floated his own outfit Bihar Peoples Party in the 1990s which merged with the Congress in .

Yechury writes to PM condemning US intervention in Venezuela

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, condemning the US intervention in the internal affairs of Venezuela. In his letter to Modi, the Left leader has called the intervention "brazen" and pointed out that the US has recognised the leader of the opposition groups in the South American country as its president. "This is going against the democratic verdict of the Venezuelan people, who have legitimately elected Nicolas Maduro as their president. This election was overseen by observers from various countries, who endorsed the electoral process as being free and fair," he said. Yechury has urged the government to decry the US efforts to destabilise a democratically elected government in Venezuela. "Simultaneously, the USA has declared the imposition of economic sanctions and threatened military interventions. I am sure you will agree that these are brazen acts of violation of the United Nations Charter and a brazen attack on the sovereignty ..

Former Gujarat CM Vaghela confirms he will join NCP

Former Gujarat Chief Minister Shankarsinh Vaghela Friday confirmed he will soon join the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), starting a new political innings after stints in the Congress and the BJP. Vaghela said he took the decision after discussion with NCP president Sharad Pawar and a formal announcement of him joining the party can be expected by Sunday from Mumbai. "I have discussed this issue with Pawar Saheb. I think it is a good thing. In public life a good platform is required to raise issues of people and nobody should say no to such things," he told reporters when asked about reports of him joining the NCP. "We are likely to make an official announcement regarding this thing by Sunday from Mumbai," said the former Congress leader. On Thursday, Gujarat NCP chief Jayant Patel alias Boski had said Vaghela will join his party at a function in the presence of Pawar and another senior leader Praful Patel. The function is likely to be held on January 29 in Ahmedabad, ..

India, South Africa announce 3-year strategic programme to boost ties in key sectors

India and South Africa Friday announced a three-year strategic programme to expand ties in several key areas such as defence, maritime security and trade and investment after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held extensive talks with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. In his media statement, Modi said both sides discussed all aspects of the bilateral ties with an aim to further expand cooperation in diverse areas. The 'strategic programme of cooperation' is aimed at deepening the bilateral engagement and ensuring that a "result oriented" partnership benefits people of both the countries. The South African president, who arrived here on Friday morning on a two-day visit, will be chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations on Saturday. Calling India a "strategic partner" of South Africa, Ramaphosa said he was "most honoured" to have been invited for the Republic Day celebrations. "We reviewed the existing cordial bilateral relations between South Africa and India as encapsulated in ..

India ready for change: Kamal Nath's poll message to global leaders

Pitching for investments that can generate jobs and help farmers in his state Madhya Pradesh, senior Congress leader Kamal Nath has said his message to global community here is that India is ready for a change in upcoming national polls. He also said the party will get a new vigour in Uttar Pradesh, which sends maximum number of 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha, with appointment of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Jyotiraditya Scindia as general secretaries for that state. Asked what he was telling global leaders at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting about the upcoming elections in India, Nath said, "I am giving them a fair picture." He also said his message was that Indian economy can grow irrespective of anything and it has an inherent resilience to grow. "It is the entrepreneurial ability of India that drives its economic growth, it is not just the government policies," he said, allaying fears that investors might have about any change in government impacting economic growth prospects and ...

Poll panel's trust in technology should be respected: Prasad

Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Friday backed the Election Commission over the use of electronic voting machines, saying the poll panels trust in technology should be respected.