Page 1912 - Politics
Dy CM Nitin Patel's picture missing from 'Vibrant Gujarat' posters
Even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived here on Thursday for the high-profile three-day "Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2019", pictures of Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel went missing from all posters and banners across the state capital Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad.
SAS soldier saved lives in Nairobi attack: reports
A heavily-armed man seen working with Kenyan forces and helping victims during the Nairobi attack this week was a member of Britain's special forces, British media reported on Thursday, citing officials. "Without this British special forces soldier, many more lives would have been lost," the Daily Mirror quoted a senior British military source as saying. "His selfless action will be remembered by those he rescued and privately celebrated and acknowledged by his colleagues," the military source said. The paper said the man was part of a small "liaison" team embedded with Kenyan special forces. Former special forces soldier Chris Ryan was quoted in the paper as saying the man was "out shopping" when the attack started. The Times said he is a "long-serving member" of Britain's elite SAS (Special Air Service). Pictures of the man, who wore jeans, a purple jumper and a balaclava, showed him rescuing survivors. He was wearing body armour, holding an assault rifle and carrying a pistol. The
China hits back at criticism of its detention of Canadians
China minced no words on Thursday as it rejected an accusation by Canada's foreign minister that its detentions of Canadians pose a threat to all countries. "I think your foreign minister may be in a hurry, and can't help speaking without thinking," foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said in response to a question from a Canadian journalist. "What threat has China posed to Canada?" She said Canada instead poses a threat to Chinese by detaining a Chinese citizen for "no reason." She was referring to the arrest of Chinese telecoms executive Meng Wanzhou in Canada at the request of the United States. "It is understandable that Canada is a little worried, but we hope it will avoid speaking freely without thinking because its reputation and image would be badly damaged by such behaviors," Hua said. "And such remarks cannot help settle the issue, either." Meng's arrest while she was transiting Vancouver airport on December 1 created a diplomatic rift that has continued to grow. Meng .
Former BJP MP Savitri Phule meets Akhilesh, says talking to strengthen alliance
Former BJP lawmaker Savitri Phule, who resigned from the saffron party last month, Thursday met Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav. "I am only talking to strengthen the alliance," Phule told PTI without giving any details. She said that nothing concrete has so far happened. "I will inform you, if things take shape," she told PTI. The meeting comes days after once arch-rivals Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party announced their tie-up in the state ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, sharing 38 seats each. The meeting, which was also confirmed by SP's chief spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary, lasted for about 15 minutes. He said both the leaders have met earlier as well. Phule, who has often been critical of the BJP leadership, resigned from the party last month, saying it was dividing society. However, she said she will complete her tenure as a Member of Parliament and won't quit the post. The opposition alliance for Uttar Pradesh, which also includes Ajit Singh's Rashtriya Lok Dal, has ...
Yashwant, Shourie to attend Mamata's rally, Mayawati deputes Satish Mishra
Former Union Ministers Arun Shourie, Yashwant Sinha and Shatrughan Sinha -- all of whom had served in late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's cabinet but have been bitterly opposed to the present Narendra Modi regime -- will be part of the January 19 Brigade Rally convened by Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee here, which would be attended by a host of opposition leaders.
Majority of millennials do not like Trump, Twitter: US Poll
Over 60 per cent of millennials in the US disapprove of Donald Trump's performance and only 37 per cent view the president favourably, according to a survey. The poll conducted by researchers at the University of Massachusetts Lowell in the US found that Trump, his Twitter activities and Twitter in general are not popular with millennials. The survey of 1,000 adults was conducted prior to the government shutdown, the researchers said. Of those polled, 54 per cent identified themselves as Democrats, 32 per cent as Republicans, 12 per cent as independents and two per cent were unsure, they said. Sixty-two per cent of all millennials -- Americans aged 18 to 37-- surveyed said they disapprove of Trump's job performance and only 37 per cent said they view the president favourably. Among millennials who identified as Republicans, more than 80 per cent said they approve of the job Trump is doing as president. A majority of millennials do not approve of Trump's behaviour on Twitter, ...
Will make nephew join BSP movement, give him chance to learn: Mayawati
Taking on allegations of nepotism levelled against her, Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati on Thursday announced that she will make her nephew Akash join the BSP "movement" and give him a chance to learn the ropes. Addressing a press conference here, she said the rise in the BSP's popularity after its alliance with the Samajwadi Party has created unrest among some parties and leaders. "Instead of fighting us fairly, they are making absurd remarks against us and conspiring with the help of some casteist and anti-Dalit TV channels. I will make Akash join the BSP movement and give him a chance to learn," she told reporters. Her comments follow reports in a section of the media that her nephew would be her heir apparent. Accusing the "casteist and anti-Dalit" media of raising issues of nepotism, she said she was a disciple of Kanshi Ram and would give them a befitting reply. If anyone has problems with that, so be it, her party does not care, Mayawati said. She said her younger brother .
Shutdown is starting to hurt Trump's financial deregulation agenda
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. government shutdown over President Donald Trump's call for Congress to fund a wall he promised to build on the U.S.- Mexican border is threatening another campaign pledge to make rules easier to navigate for banks and corporations.
'Govt firmly following road to inclusive growth in J'khand'
Jharkhand Governor Droupadi Murmu Thursday said that the state government is committed to development based on inclusiveness, justice and economic progress. "The state governments priority is not only to provide basic amenities but also infrastructural development, covering all sections of the state, including farmers, the poor, the exploited and the deprived," Murmu said while addressing the first day of the Budget session of the state Assembly. She said that the government had made changes to the previous policies and work culture in the state has improved. To uproot corruption, Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has been re-organised and, besides its headquarters in Ranchi, six additional ACB regional units have been set up which led to the arrests of 424 corrupt government officials. Stating that left-wing extremism had been a legacy that Jharkhand inherited after becoming a state, Murmu said that Maoists have been an impediment to development. Murmu said the renewed ...
Vasundhara Raje govt got distracted over 'useless issues': Rajasthan governor
In his address at the first session of the new state assembly, Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh Thursday accused the former BJP government of getting distracted from more important issues as it tried to find flaws with the Congress-led regime before it. The customary address in which the government of the day lays out its agenda was married by disruptions by Rashtriya Loktantrik Party chief Hanuman Beniwal who climbed on to a platform near the assembly secretary's desk. Speaking for the recently elected Congress government led by Ashok Gehlot, the governor said economic growth rate dropped during Vasundhara Raje government's term. "The former government got distracted over useless issues like finding flaws of its previous government, Kalyan Singh said. As a result of which the annual average economic growth rate, which was 8.16 per cent in 2009-10 to 2013-14 reduced to 7.19 per cent in 2014-15 to 2017-18. The average increase in per capita income was 14.95 per cent from 2009-10 to ..
Srinivas Reddy set to be elected Telangana Speaker
Pocharam Srinivas Reddy of the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) is all set to be unanimously elected the new Speaker of the Telangana Legislative Assembly.
Top N Korean official in Beijing en route to Washington: reports
A top North Korean official arrived in Beijing Thursday, reports said, en route to Washington for talks with his US counterpart ahead of an expected summit between President Donald Trump and Pyongyang's leader Kim Jong Un. Kim Yong Chol, Kim's right-hand man and the counterpart to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in denuclearisation talks, was seen getting into a vehicle at Beijing airport after flying in from Pyongyang, pictures showed. He was due to leave the Chinese capital later Thursday for Washington, the South's Yonhap news agency reported. He was expected to meet Pompeo on Friday before paying a courtesy call on Trump, it said, and appeared to be carrying another letter from his leader for the US commander in chief. Kim's trip comes as expectations grow for a second US-North Korean summit after Kim Jong Un last week went to Beijing, long Pyongyang's key ally, for talks with President Xi Jinping. The summit, which observers say will probably be held in either Vietnam or ...
Model claiming Trump secrets deported from Thailand
A Belarusian model who claimed she had evidence of Russian efforts to help Donald Trump win office was deported from Thailand on Thursday after being convicted of participating in a "sex training course". Anastasia Vashukevich, known by her pen-name Nastya Rybka, was held with several others in a police raid last February in the sleazy seaside resort of Pattaya. In a case that veered between salacious and bizarre, Vashukevich said she had travelled to Thailand after becoming embroiled in a political scandal with Russian aluminium tycoon Oleg Deripaska -- a one-time associate of Trump's disgraced former campaign director Paul Manafort. She then set tongues wagging by promising to reveal "missing puzzle pieces" regarding claims the Kremlin aided Trump's 2016 presidential election victory. But the material never surfaced and critics dismissed the claims as a publicity stunt. In the risque Pattaya seminar led by Alex Kirillov, a self-styled Russian seduction guru, some participants wore ..
France activates plan for no-deal Brexit: PM
The French government has activated its plans for handling the effects of a no-deal Brexit, which has become "less and less unlikely", Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said Thursday. Speaking after a ministerial meeting called to discuss the British parliament's rejection of the divorce deal negotiated with the EU, Philippe said: "I have taken the decision to activate the plan for a no-deal Brexit or hard Brexit as it is sometimes called.
Days of khichdi politics over, India needs another 10 years of Modi: Hardeep Singh Puri (IANS Special)
Asserting that the days of "khichdi politics" are over, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, says that the proposed mahagathbandhan is an "alliance of opportunists".
Karnataka coalition govt will complete full term: K C Venugopal
Accusing the BJP of indulging in horse-trading of MLAs, Congress General Secretary K C Venugopal Thursday asserted that the coalition government with JDS in Karnataka would complete its full term. "...Once again, this party, the ruling party of India, has been exposed before the people of Karnataka and the country. Their dirty horse-trading games have been established in Karnataka," he told PTI here when asked for his comments on the political turmoil in Karnataka. "We are very sure that nothing will happen to the Congress-JD(S) government. It will continue for the full term. I am very much sure," he said. BJP Karnataka chief B S Yeddyurappa has said no member of his party was involved in any operation to topple the coalition government in the state. To a query on reports about discontent among Congress MLAs in neighbouring state of Telangana, Venugopal said no MLA would quit the party. "This is the way BJP is trying to poach our MLAs. They are offering crores and crores of rupees, ...
Congress leader mocks Amit Shah's health
A senior Congress leader in Karnataka on Thursday mocked the health condition of BJP President Amit Shah, who has been admitted to the AIIMS in Delhi for treatment of swine flue, and linked it to political developments in the state.
Taiwan holds live-fire exercises following China threats
Taiwan held live-fire exercises along its east coast Thursday amid renewed threats from China to bring the island under its control by force if deemed necessary. Artillery and assault helicopters fired at targets off the west coast city of Taichung, while French-made Mirage fighter jets took off amid rainy conditions from the air base at Hsinchu to the north. The drills are Taiwan's first since Chinese President Xi Jinping on January 2 reasserted Beijing's willingness to use military force to bring self-ruling Taiwan under Chinese control. The drills also follow a new Pentagon report laying out US concerns about China's growing military might, underscoring worries about a possible attack against Taiwan. Taiwan's independence-leaning President Tsai Ing-wen has made national defense a priority while refusing China's demand that she recognise Taiwan as a part of China. That's led to Beijing ratcheting up economic, military and diplomatic pressure on the island of 23 million. In a meeting
Hitachi freezes UK nuclear project as Brexit crisis deepens
TOKYO/LONDON (Reuters) - Japan's Hitachi Ltd decided on Thursday to freeze a 3 trillion yen ($28 billion) nuclear power project in Wales as Britain scrabbles for a way to exit the European Union, dealing a blow to UK plans for the replacement of ageing plants.
Our country is in a hellhole right now: Cardi B on shutdown by Trump govt
Cardi B has slammed Trump administration on the ongoing government shutdown that has left thousands without pay in the US, saying that the country is in a "hellhole right now". The rapper vented her anger on the order through a video on Instagram. "Trump is now ordering federal workers to go back to work without getting paid. I don't want to hear y'all motherf***ers talking about 'Oh, but Obama shut down the government for 17 days'," Cardi B said in the video, defending Obama's shutdown in 2013, noting that it was "for healthcare". The recording artiste pointed out that irrespective of one's job, the shutdown needs to be taken seriously. "Our country is in a hellhole right now. We really need to take this serious. I feel like we need to take some kind of action." The longest-ever government shutdown entered its 26th day Thursday. Cardi B's rant comes after President Donald Trump summoned tens of thousands of federal employees back to work without getting paid as the government's ...