Page 202 - Politics
Trump claims executive privilege in census fight
President Donald Trump asserted his executive privilege Wednesday to block Congress from obtaining documents related to how his administration added a citizenship question to the 2020 US census. The Justice Department notified the chairman of the House Oversight Committee of the decision shortly before the panel was to vote on whether to hold Attorney General Bill Barr and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross in contempt for refusing to produce the subpoenaed material. "These documents are protected from disclosure by the deliberative process, attorney-client communications, or attorney work product components of executive privilege," the department wrote in a letter to committee chairman Elijah Cummings. It added that Trump "has made a protective assertion of executive privilege over the remainder of the subpoenaed documents" in order to allow more time for review. Cummings responded by postponing the vote to allow members additional time to review the Justice Department's letter. "It ...
Union Cabinet gives momentum to reforms in medical education
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill, 2019 to replace the Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Second Ordinance, 2019 through an Act of Parliament.The Bill will be introduced in the ensuing session of the Parliament, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar told media here.The move will ensure transparency, accountability and quality in the governance of medical education in the country.The New Bill provides for supersession of MCI for a period of two years with effect from September 26, 2018. During this period, the Board of Governors shall exercise the powers and functions of MCI as assigned under the IMC Act, 1956. The number of members in the Board of Governors will be increased from existing seven to 12.Further, the Union Cabinet has approved the draft Homoeopathy Central Council (Amendment) Bill, 2019.The Bill seeks to extend the period for reconstitution of the Central Council from existing period of one .
Cabinet approves bill for supersession of Indian Medical Council
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a bill for supersession of the Indian Medical Council for a period of two years during which the board of governors will run the scam-tainted regulatory body for medical education. The Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was approved at a Cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to replace the Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Second Ordinance through an act of Parliament. The bill will be introduced in the upcoming session of Parliament. The move will ensure transparency, accountability and quality in the governance of medical education in the country, an official statement said. During this period, the board of governors (BoG) shall exercise the powers and functions of MCI as assigned under the IMC Act, 1956. The number of members in the BoG will be increased from existing 7 to 12, the statement stated. The Ministry of Health had come across certain arbitrary action by MCI in disregard to the provisions of the IMC ..
Cabinet approves introduction of bill to amend Dentists Act
In order to make the Dental Council of India more effective, the Union Cabinet Wednesday approved the introduction of a Bill to amend the Dentists Act, 1948. The decision also gives effect, with certain modifications, to the provisions of the Dentists Act with regard to the membership of the Dental Council of India and membership of state and joint state dental councils, an official statement said. The amendment will help restructure the Dental Councils and the representation of the central government members and elected members would no longer be made mandatory in the dental councils. The Bill will be introduced in the upcoming session of Parliament beginning July 17. The representation of dentists registered in Part B as central government nominees in the Dental Council of India and the election of four/ two members from Part B to the State/Joint State Dental Councils under the respective clauses in the Act have lost relevance. With a view on reducing the redundancy of the ...
Delhi Metro sends report on free rides to women to Delhi govt
The Delhi Metro has sent a report on free rides to women to the AAP government, seeking at least eight months' time to make necessary preparations, including seeking approval from the fare-fixation committee, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said Wednesday. He said the report received by his government from Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has cited an annual requirement of Rs 1566.64 crore to fund the fare exemption. Addressing a press conference, Kejriwal said the fare fixation committee's approval was just a "formality" and rejected the apprehension that it could be a "roadblock" before his government's ambitious scheme. "The role of fare fixation committee is just a formality, though we feel no fare fixation is involved," he said. The fare-fixation committee formed by the Centre for Delhi Metro's fare-related decisions may take time to set up. Since the inception of the Delhi Metro in 1995, only four such committees have been formed, officials said. Headed by a serving or retired
BJP against giving oppn status to ruling TRS' ally AIMIM
BJP Telangana unit president K Laxman Wednesday opposed any move to grant opposition status for AIMIM in the state assembly, saying it would amount to "killing democracy" as the party is an ally of the ruling TRS. "Giving opposition status to a party that contested in alliance with ruling party amounts to murdering democracy. If that happens, we will play the role of opposition outside assembly and through our member in the assembly," he told reporters here. He was asked about reports that AIMIM may get the main opposition party status in the assembly in the wake of Congress' strength falling to six, one less than AIMIM, after 12 of its MLAs merged with TRS. AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi had earlier said his party would submit a representation to the Speaker, seeking opposition leader post to his party. Laxman said his party would stand by people and intensify its campaign on people's issues. "We will be on the side of people. Telangana people are watching that ...
Cabinet clears fresh triple talaq bill
The Cabinet on Wednesday cleared a fresh bill to ban the practice of instant triple talaq, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said. The bill will be introduced in the Budget session of Parliament which begins on Monday to replace an ordinance issued in February by the previous BJP-led NDA government. With the dissolution of the 16th Lok Sabha last month, the previous bill had lapsed as it was pending in Rajya Sabha. The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, which made the practice of instant triple talaq (talaq-e-biddat) a penal offence, had faced objections from the opposition parties which claimed that jail term for a man for divorcing his wife was legally untenable. Javadekar said the proposed legislation is based on gender equality and is part of the government's philosophy of SabkaSaath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas' . The new bill will be a copy of the ordinance in force and the minister hoped that it will be passed "unanimously" by Rajya Sabha, where the government .
Project Priyanka as CM candidate in 2022, demand party workers in Rae Bareli
Congress leaders during the Lok Sabha election results review meeting on Wednesday here demanded that party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra be made the party's chief ministerial candidate for the 2022 assembly elections in the state.
TRS MPs to meet Thursday to plan strategy for Par session
Amid ongoing speculation on who would be TRS' leader in Lok Sabha, the party members in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha would meet Thursday to chalk out the party's strategy for the parliament session beginning June 17. "The TRS Parliamentary Party meeting will be held at Pragati Bhavan on Thursday afternoon at 2 PM. Chief Minister KCR will discuss with TRS MPs on the strategy to be implemented during the forthcoming parliament sessions from 17th of this month," an official release said Wednesday. All Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members have been invited to the meeting, it said. TRS has won nine of the 17 seats in Telangana in the recent Lok Sabha election. It has six members in Rajya Sabha. Speculation has been rife over who would lead the TRS in Lok Sabha. TRS leader in Lok Sabha in the previous Lok Sabha A P Jitender Reddy had quit the party after being denied ticket in the general elections. He joined the BJP. His deputy B Vinod Kumar was defeated in the Lok Sabha ...
Bengal Governor calls meeting of four major parties amid post-poll violence
Amid post-poll violence being reported across districts in West Bengal, Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi convened a meeting of four major political parties on Thursday in order to create harmonious situation in the state, an official said on Wednesday.
Trump plans 'significant' troop announcement for Poland but base remains in doubt
President Donald Trump and his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda were to announce higher US troop levels in Poland on Wednesday, with the main question being whether Washington will defy Russian objections to establish an American base in the NATO country. A senior Trump administration official said the White House meeting would see the two leaders make "a significant announcement." Whether Trump will risk irritating Moscow with a base or take the simpler option of adding more troops to the current non-permanent force was unclear. Located deep in what used to be Soviet-dominated eastern Europe, Poland is a member of NATO but has long wanted deeper US commitment. Spooked by resurgent Russia's seizing control of territory in Georgia and Ukraine over the last decade, Duda has tried to charm the US president, even touting the idea of Poland building a "Fort Trump" to house thousands of US soldiers. Krzysztof Szczerski, an adviser to the Polish president, said the general concept of a "Fort .
Govt to give reservation benefits to people living along Indo-Pak border in J&K
People living along the India-Pakistan international border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir will get the benefits of reservation in direct recruitment, promotion and admission in different professional courses, at par with those living along the Actual Line of Control (ALoC). The decision was taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Wednesday. In keeping with its pro-people initiatives and especially for those at the last mile of development, the Union Cabinet cleared the decks for approval of the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2019, which will be introduced in the forthcoming session of Parliament, according to an official statement. "The Cabinet decision is a reflection of Prime Minister Modi's vision of a pro-people government committed to Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas and Sabka Vishwas," the statement said. The move will go a long way in providing relief to the people living in areas adjoining the international border in Jammu .
Would have have killed rapist had I the power: BJP's Kanpur MP
Terming rapes of underage girls as "inhuman acts", BJP's new Kanpur MP Satyadev Pachauri Wednesday said had he the power to punish, he would have killed rapists. Addressing a public function here, Pachauri said it is one thing to let off those committing petty crimes and violating traffic rules, but "quite another" to take heinous crimes lightly. "I will ask police to let off those caught violating traffic rules but would never ask them to let off those committing murders," he added. The Kanpur MP also vouched for the prompt administration and stern treatment of criminals under the BJP government. "Every police officer is performing his duty honestly. DMs (district magistrates), SSPs (senior superintendents), IGs (inspector generals) and DG (director general of police) are all doing their best," he said. "Now that the BJP government is in power, these things are taken seriously and criminals are dealt with iron hands," he added. "It is difficult for the officers to work properly ...
President's rule in JK extended for 6 more months beginning July 3
The Union Cabinet Wednesday approved extension of President's rule in Jammu and Kashmir for six more months beginning July 3, Union minister Prakash Javedkar said. A meeting of the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, decided that central rule, which has been continuing in Jammu and Kashmir since June 20, 2018, will remain for six months. "Yes, it has been decided," Javadekar told reporters when asked whether the Cabinet gave its nod to extend President's rule in Jammu and Kashmir. An official statement said based on the prevailing situation in the state as stated in the report of Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, the Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister has approved the extension of President's Rule in Jammu and Kashmir for a further period of six months with effect from July 3, 2019, under article 356(4) of the Constitution of India. This is likely to be the last extension of the central rule in the state as the Election Commission had issued a statement ...
Kerala plans to set up 200-acre rubber complex
The Kerala government plans to set up a state-of-the-art rubber complex in the Kottayam district and has identified a 200-acre plot for it.
Poll-related panels like core group automatically ceased to exist after LS elections: Cong
The Congress on Wednesday said the core committee and other panels formed for the Lok Sabha polls have automatically ceased to exist with the end of the elections. Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala made the assertion after an informal meeting presided by former Union minister A K Antony, in which senior Congress leaders discussed the party's strategy and preparations for the assembly elections in Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand and Maharashtra later this year. Senior Congress leaders Ahmed Patel, Mallikarjun Kharge, Ghulam Nabi Azad, P Chidambaram, KC Venugopal, Jairam Ramesh, Anand Sharma and Surjewala were present at the meeting. All the leaders present at the meeting were members of the party's core group, which was formed for the Lok Sabha election. However, Surjewala clarified that contrary to the speculation in the media, there was no core group in the party now as all the election-related committees had ceased to exist. The Congress had formed several panels .
Japan PM meets Rouhani on mission to ease Iran-US tensions
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held talks with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in Tehran on Wednesday during a rare diplomatic mission aimed at defusing tensions between the Islamic republic and Tokyo's ally Washington. Abe, the first Japanese prime minister to visit Iran in 41 years, was received by Rouhani at the Sadabad presidential palace where they began a closed-door meeting, an AFP reporter said. He is expected to meet Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei on Thursday morning. Addressing a cabinet meeting ahead of the visit, Rouhani said Iran's leaders and people were united in their view that "the main culprit is America. Not a single individual doubts it." "The (US) pressure has reached its full strength," he told the cabinet. Tehran is locked in a bitter standoff with Washington after US President Donald Trump withdrew from a landmark 2015 nuclear deal in May last year. Washington has since reimposed crippling unilateral sanctions -- which have forced Japan to halt its ...
Kyrgyzstan visit will strengthen India's ties with SCO nations: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday said the global security situation as well as economic cooperation will be on the agenda at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Kyrgyzstan, and asserted that his visit to the Central Asian country will strengthen India's ties with the SCO member states. Modi, in a statement before his visit to Bishkek from June 13-14, said that on the sidelines of the SCO Summit, he also plans to meet several leaders bilaterally. "We attach special importance to SCO in promoting multilateral, political, security, economic and people-to-people interaction in the region. India has actively participated in various SCO dialogue mechanisms since its full membership of SCO two years ago," he said. India has extended full cooperation to the chairmanship of the Kyrgyz Republic over the past year, Modi said. "The Summit is expected to discuss the global security situation, multilateral economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges and topical issues of ...
US resident freed by Iran to Trump: 'Get back your hostages'
A Lebanese man and permanent US resident who was released after spending years in an Iranian prison called on President Donald Trump and Western countries to "please get back your hostages from Iran," adding that he saw American detainees during his nearly four-year imprisonment. In an interview with The Associated Press, Nizar Zakka said he was subjected to "all kinds of torture," both physical and mental, during his detention in the notorious Evin prison in Tehran, including standing on one leg for hours, extended periods of interrogation and lack of food. "Nobody on earth deserves such suffering," he said in the 30-minute emotional interview during which he broke down in tears at one point. Zakka, an information technology expert, was arrested in Iran in September 2015 while trying to fly out of Tehran. He had just attended a conference there at the invitation of one of the country's vice presidents. The following year, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison after authorities ...
Cancelled 2 govt deals that involved Rs 300 crore kickbacks: J-K Governor
In a startling claim, Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik Wednesday said Rs 300 crore would have changed hands as kickbacks, had he not cancelled two deals between the state government and private companies after taking charge last year. He claimed that the prevalence of corruption was more in Kashmir than in the rest of the country as "the ruling elite was itself involved" in it. "As far as corruption is concerned, after I came here, I cancelled two deals in which Rs 150 crore each was agreed upon (as kickbacks). I spoke to secretaries and they admitted that such a thing had happened. Very powerful people were involved," Malik told a press conference here, without providing details of the deals. He claimed that some of the people involved in these cancelled deals were so powerful that they had "direct approach up to the prime minister". On one of the deals, Malik said, "I asked the PM if I had the permission to cancel this deal or I will sign on the paper and will not continue