Page 1894 - Politics
Trump-Kim summit: Second meeting by February-end
US President Donald Trump is to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un for a second summit by the end of February, the White House has said.
Russian FM to hold talks with new UN envoy for Syria
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said he will hold talks with the new UN envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen in Moscow on Monday next week.
Pelosi cancels Afghanistan trip, cites security risk
Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has claimed that she had to cancel her trip to war-torn Afghanistan as the White House had "leaked" her plans to fly commercially and caused a security risk. US President Donald Trump had Friday denied Pelosi's "excursion" to Brussels and war-torn Afghanistan, a tit-for-tat retaliation for her suggesting him to reschedule his annual State of the Union address slated for January 29.The speaker had made the suggestion citing security concerns triggered by a nearly four-week federal government shutdown. The developments have only deepened the divide between the Trump-led Republican party and Pelosi-led Democrats which are already at loggerhead over the US-Mexico border issue that led to the shutdown. Speaker Pelosi accused Trump of endangering the lives of Americans by revealing to the world about her trip to Afghanistan. She told reporters Friday that "any time anyone with a bright light, of the presence of a high-level, or any level of ...
'Khamosh': Shatrughan Sinha avoids question on Ram Temple
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Shatrughan Sinha on Friday avoided media when he was asked about the Ayodhya land dispute case.Sinha arrived in Kolkata to attend an anti-BJP rally organised by the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) in Brigade Parade Ground today.When a reporter asked him a question on Ram Temple, Sinha simply said, 'Khamosh' (quiet) and walked away.Sinha even played safe when he was questioned about the chances of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's as the next Prime Minister."She is a national leader in true sense. She is really a tried, tested and experienced leader... Still there is time for people see the writing on the wall. There is a long gap between performances and promises. That gap needs to be handled well. The people will decide who will be the next Prime Minister, it is not our job," he said.Sinha believes that the upcoming general elections will be the "most interesting" one."It is not going to be between have and have not. It is going to be
PM Modi, Amit Shah 'afraid' of grand alliance, says Singhvi
Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi on Friday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah are "afraid" of the grand alliance and that's why they keep on poking fun at it.Singhvi has arrived in Kolkata to attend a rally organised by the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) in Kolkata's Brigade Parade Ground today. The Congress will be represented officially represent by Lok Sabha leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge.TMC is organising the rally to gather support for a pan-India anti-BJP front. Banerjee had been touring the country since the last one year in an effort to shore up a strong and united opposition front to fight the Lok Sabha elections against the BJP."I want to congratulate West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee... All the people (participating in the event) have the same agenda - to avoid the division of votes, which BJP has always been in favour of. The policies of this BJP-led central government need to end," Singhvi told media here."Today, there
Swedish PM elected for second term
The Swedish Parliament on Friday ended a four-month-long political uncertainty, electing Prime Minister Stefan Lofven for a second four-year term, following last September's general elections in which no political party won a majority.About 115 lawmakers in the 349-member Swedish Parliament voted in favour of Lofven, while 153 MPs voted 'no' and 77 abstained in the no-confidence vote. To be elected as the prime minister, Lofven, a centre-left politician, did not need to secure a majority during the motion.According to Sweden's political system, a nominee becomes a prime minister as long as a majority of the Parliament (175 members) does not vote against that individual, Al Jazeera reported.Last week, the 61-year old Social Democratic Party leader finalised a coalition comprising the centre-right and centre-left parties in a bid to thwart the Sweden Democrats, an anti-immigration and a far-right party, from wielding any influence in policymaking.With this, Lofven will now form a ...
Trump to make 'major announcement' on shutdown, border security
US President Donald Trump said that he will be making a "major announcement" on the partial government shutdown and the border security on Saturday.Trump will be making the announcement at around 3 pm (local time) at the White House."I will be making a major announcement concerning the Humanitarian Crisis on our Southern Border, and the Shutdown, tomorrow afternoon at 3 P.M., live from the @WhiteHouse," the US President wrote on his Twitter handle on Friday.The shutdown, that has now entered its 28th day, was triggered on December 22 last year by a lack of consensus between Democratic lawmakers and the US President on the $5.7 billion funding for the wall on the border with Mexico, which was one of Trump's electoral promises.The ongoing partial government shutdown is the longest in the history of the US.An estimated 800,000 federal workers have been adversely affected by the lapse in funding, as there is still no hope in sight for the end of the shutdown.
Second Trump-Kim summit to take place in late February
The second meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will take place "near the end of February", the White House announced on Friday.However, the White House said that the location for the meeting will be announced "at a later date.""President @realDonaldTrump looks forward to a second summit with Chairman Kim, which will take place near the end of February. Location will be announced at a later date," the White House tweeted.The announcement came after Trump held talks with Kim Yong Chol, North Korea's lead negotiator on nuclear talks, at the Oval Office for around 90 minutes on fixing the second meeting and denuclearisation, CNN quoted White House press secretary Sarah Sanders as saying.Trump welcomed the senior North Korean official at the White House after the latter met US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo at a hotel in Washington DC earlier in the day.Moreover, Pompeo also invited Kim Yong Chol and his entourage for a working lunch after his ..
Trump to make 'major' announcement on shutdown, border issue
US President Donald Trump has said he will make a "major" announcement Saturday on the ongoing federal government shutdown and the humanitarian crisis on the country's southern border. No further detail about the announcement was immediately available from the White House. The shutdown, the longest-ever in US history, is a result of the bitter political divide over border security issue between the Trump-led Republican party and the opposition Democratic party led by the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The Democrats, who now enjoy majority in the House, have refused to approve a legislation approving USD 5.7 billion in federal funding to construct a wall across the US-Mexico border, a poll promise by the Republican president. "I will be making a major announcement concerning the Humanitarian Crisis on our Southern Border, and the Shutdown, tomorrow afternoon at 3 P.M. (1:30 am Sunday IST), live from the @WhiteHouse," President Trump tweeted Friday. Functioning of several key wings of the .
Yemen's Huthis finance war with fuel from Iran: UN report
Fuel loaded from ports in Iran has generated revenue to finance the Yemen Huthi rebel war effort against the Saudi-backed government, according to a report by a UN panel of experts seen by AFP. The findings are expected to again raise questions about Iran's support for the Huthis in the war that has pushed Yemen to the brink of humanitarian catastrophe. In its final report for 2018, the panel said it had "identified a small number of companies, both within Yemen and outside, which operated as front companies," using fake documents to conceal fuel donations. The fuel was "for the benefit of a listed individual" who is on a UN sanctions blacklist, it added. "The revenue from the sale of this fuel was used to finance the Huthi war effort," said the 85-page report sent to the Security Council. The panel found that the "fuel was loaded from ports in the Islamic Republic of Iran under false documentation" to avoid UN inspections of the cargo, it added. The experts have in past reports ...
Court gives permission to lodge FIR against Kejriwal for 'disrespecting' National Flag
A court in Sagar on Friday gave permission to lodge an FIR against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and AAP workers for allegedly disrespecting the national flag during a rally in January 2014.Separate cases will be registered in Sagar, Bina, Khurai and Delhi.The court's direction gave the order while hearing a petition, which was filed in 2015 by advocate Rajendra Mishra, who claimed that Kejriwal and AAP workers during the campaigning for the 2014 general elections carried the national flag along with a broom, which is also their party's symbol.In his petition, Mishra claimed that the AAP workers first swept the floor with brooms and later held them with the tricolour.
Trump to meet top N Korean official to discuss denuclearization
United States President Donald Trump on Friday is expected to meet North Korea's lead negotiator in nuclear talks, Kim Yong Chol at the White House, where they would discuss the issue of Pyongyang's dismantling of the nuclear weapons programme.According to White House press secretary Sarah Sanders, Trump is scheduled to meet Kim Yong Chol in the Oval Office at around 12:15 pm (local time) to discuss the progress on North Korea's "final and fully verified denuclearisation" and the ties between the two countries, CNN reported."They will discuss relations between the two countries and continued progress on North Korea's final, fully verified denuclearisation," Sanders added.Kim Yong Chol arrived in Washington DC on Thursday, amid speculations that he was in the US to fix a potential second meeting between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.The senior North Korean official met with US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun to ...
New article on Rafale based on fudged arithmetic: Jaitley dismisses report of price escalation
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Friday dismissed a news report of price escalation in the Rafale deal by Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government and said it was based on "fudged arithmetic".Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, Jaitley asserted that the Supreme Court has examined the prices of the fighter aircraft and that the CAG too is examining the same."The new article on Rafale is based on fudged arithmetic - ignore the escalation of the 2007 non-deal offer and compare it with the 2016 price and invent a scam," he tweeted."The Supreme Court has examined the prices. The CAG is examining the same. The fudged arithmetic of a compulsive contrarian can hardly be objective. Fudged arithmetics does not add to the credibility of its creator, " he added.Earlier today, the Defence Ministery also dismissed media reports suggesting that advancements sought by the union government shot the price of a Rafale planes by 41 per cent as "factually inaccurate"."The article is factually ...
Trump to meet again with Kim Jong Un in late February: White House
US President Donald Trump will hold a second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in late February about dismantling Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programmes, the White House announced Friday. The two leaders had met on June 12 in Singapore for the first summit. The announcement came after Trump met with a North Korean envoy, a discussion that included talk about Kim's unfulfilled pledge to dismantle his nation's nuclear weapons programmes. Trump sat down with Kim Yong Chol, a high-level official in North Korea's Communist government, in the Oval Office, said White House Spokeswoman Sarah Sanders. "President Donald J Trump met with Kim Yong Chol for an hour and half, to discuss denuclearization and a second summit, which will take place near the end of February. The President looks forward to meeting with Chairman Kim at a place to be announced at a later date. the White House said.
Kumaraswamy questions Modi's commitment to remove corruption
Accusing the BJP of using money power to destabilise his government by poaching Congress legislators, Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Friday questioned Prime minister Narendra Modi's claims of fighting corruption.
J&K govt to provide cattle to BPL families
The Jammu and Kashmir government has decided to give away cattle received from the military farms to the families living below the poverty line, officials said Friday. The decision was taken here at a meeting of defence representatives and officers of animal husbandry department, chaired by advisor to the Governor Khurshid Ahmed Ganai, regarding the handing over of cattle to state government after the closure of military farms. The military dairy farms at Nowshera, Udhampur and Jammu have a total of 1917 cattle heads of different types. The advisor directed officers of animal husbandry department to prepare a plan for the distribution process with special preference to SC/ST families. Ganai further directed the principal secretary to constitute district level committees headed by deputy commissioners to monitor the distribution at the district level.
Exclusive: U.S. pushing for regular review of China trade, reform progress
BEIJING/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is pushing for regular reviews of China's progress on pledged trade reforms as a condition for a trade deal - and could again resort to tariffs if it deems Beijing has violated the agreement, according to sources briefed on negotiations to end the trade war between the two nations.
ECI to visit J&K soon to review situation:CEO
A team of the Election Commission will soon visit Jammu and Kashmir to review the situation with political leaders and other stakeholders on polls in the state. "A team of Election Commission will visit the state soon to have a review of situation with political leaders and other stakeholders for holding the elections," state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Shailendra Kumar said Friday. On the issue of holding of simultaneous polls, the CEO informed that his office had already taken necessary steps for holding the elections, but decision lies with the Election Commission, who would take a final call at an appropriate time after taking all aspects into consideration. Speaking about the progress on updation of voters for which the final publication date was January 1, Shailendra said the exercise was launched on September 1, but the date was extended by the Election Commission for the state, along with some other states till January 31. During this period, as many as 3,07,813 additions, ..
Lok Sabha polls: Over 1.36 cr voters in Delhi in final electoral roll
Over 1.36 crore voters are there in Delhi in the final electoral roll published Friday ahead of the 2019 general elections, an increase of nearly 8 per cent from the total number of electors in the last Lok Sabha polls, officials said. However, the figure is 0.87 per cent less than the total number of electors in the last electoral roll, 1,38,14,866, published on January 10, 2018, according to the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) here. "The total number electors (in Delhi) during last general elections in 2014 were 1,27,06,366, whereas the count of electors as per the final roll published January 18, stands at 1,36,95,291, an increase of 9,88,925 (or 7.78 per cent)," according to the CEO office. The number of electors are likely to increase during continuous update process undertaken before the next elections due in 2019, it said. Also, there was decrease in the number of both male and female voters vis-a-vis the one published last year. The number of male, female and third
Shutdown hits home for Trump; he lives in government housin
The partial government shutdown is hitting home for President Donald Trump in a very personal way. He lives in government-run housing, after all. Just 21 of the roughly 80 people who help care for the White House from butlers to electricians to chefs are reporting to work. The rest have been furloughed. Even so, the shutdown doesn't mean Trump is making his own bed or emptying the trash on the second floor of the White House, where he and the first lady live with their 12-year-old son, Barron. The pared-down White House residence staff typically still includes a butler and a chef. Basic housekeeping continues. But forget fresh flower arrangements from the White House florist that's hardly considered an essential service. Trump joked this week that because of the skeletal staff, Melania Trump might have had to make salads for members of the championship Clemson football team when they visited the White House on Monday. Instead, he shelled out for a mega fast food order of burgers, .