Page 1846 - Politics
Riteish congratulates Priyanka Gandhi on new role in Congress
Actor Riteish Deshmukh, the son of late Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, has congratulated Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on her appointment as Congress General Secretary in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh.
US may offer FTA to Pak to assist in ending Afghan war: Report
The US may offer Pakistan a free trade agreement (FTA) in return for its assistance in ending the Afghan war, a media report said on Thursday. Dawn reported from Washington that official sources said that US Senator Lindsey Graham, who visited Islamabad this week, is believed to have discussed this idea with Pakistani leaders. Graham first proposed offering an FTA to Pakistan, after a recent visit to Afghanistan. "If we can go to Pakistan and put a free trade agreement on the table to get the Pakistanis to push the Taliban to the peace table, and you can end the Afghan war," he said. Graham, a Republican member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, is considered President Trump's closest ally in Congress and the US media say that the president often uses him to float ideas that he wants debated publicly. Before leaving for Islamabad last week, Senator Graham is believed to have said in close official circles that he would discuss his FTA proposal with Pakistani leaders and also ...
Akhilesh Yadav for use of paper ballots for LS polls
Citing "doubts and controversy" surrounding EVM machines, Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav has requested Election Commission to conduct next polls through ballot papers. "The SP has asked the EC to conduct next elections through ballot papers. There are doubts and controversy related to EVMs that have raised question mark on entire democratic exercise of polls," Akhilesh said in a statement issued here Wednesday. "Technology is being misused for political purposes and there is no doubt regarding this. Technological literate society should also raise their voice against misuses of EVMs. Use of ballot papers in elections strengthens relations between the state and common man. The trust is basis of democracy and it is necessary for the country", he said. He said in past elections too, a number of complaints related to faulty EVMs had come. People used to stand in queues for a long time for their turn to vote due to this. Is it technical or failure of election management or ...
'Pawar tied up with Cong as ideology more important for him'
The NCP Thursday said its president Sharad Pawar had joined hands with the Congress 20 years ago, immediately after quitting it, as ideology was more important for him than personal issues. NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik made the remarks a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Pawar had tied up with the Congress despite the old party "humiliating" him. Malik also sought to know why the BJP was "upset" now. Pawar had quit the Congress in 1999 over the issue of foreign origin of then Congress President Sonia Gandhi and formed the NCP in the same year. "After the Maharashtra Assembly and Lok Sabha polls (held simultaneously) in 1999, the BJP had offered Deputy Prime Minister's post to Pawar sahab and also called for forming government in the state," Malik said. "But Pawar sahab formed government in Maharashtra with the Congress. For him, individual ego was not a big issue, but ideology. When it comes to ideology, personal issues are not important. This was 20 years ago, .
Arunachal will reconstruct old buildings built during UT days:
Arunachal Pradesh government will reconstruct and refurbish school, hospital and government office buildings in the state that were constructed during the union territory (UT) days, Chief Minister Pema Khandu has said. All old Assam type buildings constructed during UT days that has outlived its usefulness would be reconstructed in a phase-wise manner across the state, Khandu informed during a review meeting at Daporijo in Upper Subansiri district on Wednesday. Khandu said this while holding a meeting with the heads of the departments, government officers and officials to review the implementation of important flagships programmes of the state and the Centre, a CMO release said here on Thursday. Arunachal Pradesh became a full-fledged state in 1987. "However, challenging the task may be but the mission to phase out all such buildings will be completed," Khandu said. The chief minister appealed to government officers to start taking corrective steps for better Arunachal .
Justice Sikri recuses himself from hearing plea challenging Rao's appointment as interim CBI Director
Supreme Court judge Justice A K Sikri on Thursday recused himself from hearing a plea challenging the Centre's decision to appoint M Nageswara Rao as the interim CBI director. A bench headed by Justice Sikri listed the matter for Friday for hearing before a different bench. Justice Sikri was part of the high powered panel which had removed CBI Director Alok Verma. As soon as the matter came up for hearing, Justice Sikri told senior advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for petitioner NGO Common Cause, that he would not like to hear the matter and was recusing himself. "You understand my position. I can't hear this matter," Justice Sikri said. To this Dave said, "It is becoming very frustrating and it is giving an impression that your Lordship does not want to hear this matter. Earlier also the CJI had recused when the matter was listed for hearing. Now your lordship (Justice Sikri) is also recusing from the matter". To this Justice Sikri said, he is recusing from the matter and can't say .
SC refuses to stay amendments to SC/ST Act
The Supreme Court Thursday refused to stay the proposed amendments to the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act which restored the no anticipatory bail provision for the accused. A bench headed by Justice A K Sikri said the pending review petition filed by the Centre against the apex court's March 20, 2018 verdict and the pleas challenging the new amendments made in the SC/ST verdict will be taken up together. The bench referred the matter to the Chief Justice for reconstitution of a bench which Justice U U Lalit was a part of. Justice Lalit was part of a bench which had passed the March 20, 2018 verdict, taking note of the rampant misuse of the stringent SC/ST Act against government servants and held that there shall be no immediate arrest on any complaint filed under the law.
Great scope for taking India-US relationship exponentially forward: Shringla
There is a great scope for taking India-US relationship exponentially forward by engaging the diaspora and the states of the both nations, India's envoy here has said. India's new Ambassador to the US, Harsh V Shringla, who presented his credentials to President Donald Trump on January 11, in recent days met top American lawmakers, including Senator Mark warner, Co-Chair of the Senate India caucus, Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and Congressman George Holding, who are Co-Chairs of the House India Caucus and Congressman Eliot Engel, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Despite the longest partial government shutdown, Shringla has had a series of introductory meetings in various wings of the Trump administration including the State Department and the Pentagon. He said after his meetings with US officials, he "got a sense of how our relationship is viewed, the importance given by the US side to the India-US relations, the scope for taking it exponentially forward; and also ...
Pak Army lobs mortars at forward posts in Rajouri
The Pakistan Army Thursday targeted forward posts and civilian areas along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district with mortars and small arms, official said. The Indian Army is effectively retaliating. "Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by small arms fire and shelling with mortars in Sunderbani Sector since 0915 hours", the Defence PRO said. The Pakistan Army also targeted forward posts in Mendhar sector of Poonch district on Wednesday night, officials said. Officials said the Pakistan Army is continuously firing 120 mm and 81 mm mortars when last reports came in. The shelling and firing has triggered panic among border dwellers. Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Ranbir had saidon Thursday last that a befitting reply will be given to ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops.
Trump delays State of the Union address
President Donald Trump Thursday announced that he would delay his State of the Union address until a crippling government shutdown ends, backing down in a major spat with the Democrats over his plan to build a controversial border wall along the US-Mexico border. His announcement came after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi rescinded an invitation for him to deliver the speech in the House Chamber. A row between Trump and the Democrats over border security has led to the longest government shutdown in US history. Trump is demanding USD 5.7 billion of congressional funding to build a wall on the US-Mexico border, but newly empowered Democrats have refused. Some 800,000 federal employees have been going unpaid since December 22 due to the shutdown. Trump announcing his decision said it was Pelosi's "prerogative" to suggest a later date. "As the Shutdown was going on, Nancy Pelosi asked me to give the State of the Union Address. I agreed. She then changed her mind because of the shutdown, ...
India, China review progress in bilateral ties
India and China have reviewed progress in the bilateral ties and discussed ways to strengthen them as Indian envoy Vikram Misri met Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou here.
Kim expresses 'great satisfaction' over Trump's letter
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un expressed "great satisfaction" after receiving a letter from US President Donald Trump and spoke highly of the latter's "determination and will" to resolve issues between the two countries, Pyongyang state media reported on Thursday.
Collective leadership need of the hour: Chandrababu Naidu
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has stressed that "collective leadership" is the need of the hour for the 'Mahagathbandhan' (grand alliance) of opposition parties, and said the name of the leader for the prime minister's post would be declared after elections. Naidu, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president, said that be it West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee or NCP chief Sharad Pawar, nobody is working single-handedly but functioning together. He came down heavily on his Telangana counterpart K Chandrasekhar Rao for skipping the Trinamool Congress' (TMC) mega opposition rally in Kolkata on January 19, and described his absence from the event as "drama". The absence of the BJD and Left parties at the Brigade Parade Ground national unity rally, which was participated by nearly two dozen opposition leaders, had also set tongues wagging. Naidu also made a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and dubbed him as a "publicity-seeking prime minister, who only
Speaker Pelosi shuts door on Trump's ceremonial address to Congress
Shut out of the House of Representatives by Speaker Nancy Pelosi from delivering his State of the Union address with pomp and show, US President Donald Trump is left looking for another venue as the government shutdown entered its 34th day on Thursday.
Ex-Trump lawyer Cohen delaying testimony to Congress
President Donald Trump's former lawyer, Michael Cohen, will not testify before a House committee next month as scheduled, his adviser said Wednesday, depriving Democrats for now of a prime opportunity to scrutinize Trump, his links to Russia and payments to buy the silence of a porn star. Cohen indefinitely delayed his Feb 7 appearance before the House Oversight and Reform Committee. He blamed threats from Trump and the president's attorney-spokesman, Rudy Giuliani, and cited his own ongoing cooperation in special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation. Cohen adviser Lanny Davis said the decision was made on advice of Cohen's lawyers. "This is a time where Mr. Cohen had to put his family and their safety first," Davis said in a statement. The statement did not detail the threats. But Trump and Giuliani have publicly urged the Justice Department to investigate Cohen's father-in-law, insinuating he was part of some unspecific criminal activity. Trump, for example, told Fox News ..
Is paralysing Delhi's work not treason, questions Kejriwal
Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of restricting the works done by the Delhi government for the city, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday questioned if the act of paralysing the national capital was not "treason".
Pompeo confirms he's been approached to run for Senate
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo acknowledged Wednesday that he had been approached to run for Senate next year but said he was focused for now on being America's top diplomat. He said that Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, the top Senate Republican, asked him to consider the race in Kansas, where Pompeo served three terms in the House of Representatives until he joined President Donald Trump's administration. "I spoke to Senator McConnell once. He asked me if I'd think about it, and I told him I appreciated the phone call," Pompeo told Fox News. Pompeo declined to respond if he was interested, saying that answering might violate a US law against federal employees engaging in political activity. "Lots of folks have reached out to me and suggested I ought to do that. I have suggested to them that I have a very full plate as secretary of state, and I intend to keep doing this so long as President Trump will commit to it," Pompeo said. The Republicans are bracing for a potentially tough ...
North Korea says Kim ordered preparations for 2nd Trump meet
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ordered preparations for a second summit with President Donald Trump, saying he'll "wait with patience and in good faith" to work toward a common goal, the North's state media reported Thursday. Despite Kim's determination for another meeting with Trump, the two remain at odds over fundamental issues. Experts say a major sticking point is what denuclearization steps Kim should take to move forward stalled nuclear diplomacy and what rewards Trump should provide to push Kim to take those measures. The Korean Central News Agency said Kim received a letter from Trump from a North Korean envoy who met the U.S. president in Washington last week. After meeting with Kim's envoy, top lieutenant Kim Yong Chol, Trump said that he and Kim Jong Un will probably meet around the end of February but did not say exactly when and where the summit would take place. Thursday's report said Kim expressed satisfaction over his envoy's meeting with Trump and spoke highly ..
Singapore PM's brother backs his rival as polls loom
The estranged brother of Singapore's prime minister on Thursday backed a former ruling party stalwart who is seeking to form a new opposition party, describing him as "the leader Singapore deserves". Lee Hsien Yang has been locked in an acrimonious feud with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong over the fate of a family house since the death in 2015 of their father, Singapore's founding leader Lee Kuan Yew. Last week Tan Cheng Bock, a former ruling party MP and ex-presidential candidate, announced he was seeking to register a new political party -- a move analysts said could revitalise the country's weak and disunited opposition. Singapore must hold elections by 2021 but speculation is mounting they could come later this year, with the long-ruling People's Action Party (PAP) widely expected to win. In a post on Facebook, Lee Hsien Yang congratulated Tan, who narrowly lost the 2011 presidential election to the ruling party's de facto candidate, and his new group, the Progress Singapore ...
Trump backs Venezuelan opposition leader as President
US President Donald Trump has officially recognised Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as the country's legitimate President, a move that forced the South American nation's incumbent leader Nicolas Maduro to cut "remaining" political and diplomatic ties with Washington