Page 2372 - Politics
Speaker adjourns Bihar Assembly
The Bihar Legislative Assembly was on Wednesday adjourned, within few minutes of start of proceedings, as opposition MLAs shouted slogans over the 'misuse' of the CBI. As the House assembled at 11 am, opposition members from RJD, Congress, CPI(ML) rushed into the well of the House raising slogans against the Nitish Kumar government. The commotion continued in the House amid sloganeering by them over the 'misuse' of CBI. Assembly Speaker Vijay Kumar Choudhary requested members to allow the Question Hour but they did not heed to his request and commotion continued forcing Choudhary to adjourn the House till lunch break. The RJD has served notice for moving adjournment motion for discussion on the issue of 'misuse' of CBI. The RJD has been alleging the misuse of the CBI by the Central government against its president Lalu Prasad in the multi-crore fodder.
Trump to have trilateral meeting with Modi and Abe in Argentina
US President Donald Trump will hold a trilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Premier Shinzo Abe this week on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Argentina, amidst China flexing its muscles in the strategic Indo-Pacific region. The trilateral, which would be an expansion of the bilateral meeting between Trump and Abe, is part of the series of meetings the US president would have on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Buenos Aires on November 30 and December 1, the White House said. The annual meeting is being attended by leaders of the top 20 economies of the world. However, all eyes are expected to be on two meetings that Trump would have with Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Briefing reporters ahead of the G-20 Summit, US National Security Advisor John Bolton said on Tuesday that Trump will meet with Abe, and then the two leaders will meet jointly with Modi. China is engaged in hotly contested territorial disputes in .
NTR's granddaughter banks on lineage
TDP founder N.T. Rama Rao's granddaughter N. Venkata Suhasini, who is contesting the Telangana Assembly election from Kukatpally constituency in Greater Hyderabad, is banking on her lineage.
Kartarpur Corridor opening doesn't mean dialogue will start: Swaraj to Pak
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday said the opening of Kartarpur Corridor does not mean a dialogue between India and Pakistan will start as "terror and talks cannot go together"."For many years the Indian Government has been asking for this (Kartarpur) corridor, only now Pakistan responded positively. It doesn't mean the bilateral dialogue will start because of this, terror and talks can't go together," the minister stated, while addressing media in Hyderabad.The foundation stone of the Kartarpur Corridor will be laid on the other side of the border by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan today. It will connect Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan's Kartarpur and Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India's Gurdaspur district.While on the Indian side, the foundation stone was laid on November 26 by Vice President Venkaiah Naidu.Swaraj also took the occasion to give a strong response to Pakistan's invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the 20th South Asian Association ..
Chouhan's opponent Arun Yadav confident of Congress sweeping MP Assembly polls
Former Minister of State for Agriculture Arun Yadav, who is contesting against Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan from Budhni town in the assembly elections being held on Wednesday, is confident of the party's victory in the polls.In an exclusive interview to ANI, Yadav who was also the Congress state president asserted that people are disillusioned with the ruling Madhya Pradesh government as they failed to develop the state."I am here in Budhni from the past 15 days. I believe that the majority of the people will vote for us (Congress). People are upset with this government because they have not carried any substantial development plan so far. I have visited villages and towns of Madhya Pradesh. people residing in these areas do not have access to even basic amenities such as water and electricity," he said.The 44-year-old leader also accused the aides of the incumbent Chief Minister of creating an atmosphere of panic among voters in the state.Yadav's remarks came shortly after ...
I may be shifted: J&K Governor
Governor Satya Pal Malik hinted on Wednesday that he may be shifted out of Jammu and Kashmir following his remarks that New Delhi wanted to see Peoples Conference leader Sajad Lone as Chief Minister.
Japan to resume oil imports from Iran
Japan is all set to resume its oil imports from Iran by the end of the year following an exemption from United States sanctions which will last for 180 days."Some firms may resume imports from Iran late December. The amount of the imports will likely grow from January to March," NHK World quoted Takashi Tsukioka, the President of the Petroleum Association of Japan, as saying.There is an ambiguity surrounding what may happen after the exemption period is up, but Tsukioka believes that Japanese wholesalers will bring in as much Iranian oil as they can during this time.The US had exempted eight nations from its sanctions related to oil imports from Iran, including Japan after it decided to reimpose sanctions on the middle-eastern nation after its withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal in May this year.
Abki baar 200 paar: Chouhans confident of victory in MP polls
Incumbent Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, accompanied by wife Sadhna Singh and his sons Kartikey and Kunal, cast their votes at a polling station in Budhni while expressing confidence in the party's victory in the ongoing assembly polls.Speaking exclusively to ANI, Chouhan said that he has set a target of bagging 200 seats, for which lakhs of volunteers are working day and night. "I am 100 per cent sure that BJP will come to power for the fourth time and will have absolute majority. We have set a target of 200 seats this time and lakhs of volunteers are working to achieve this goal."Speaking about his Congress opponent Arun Yadav, Chouhan said that the party has done a "lot of injustice" to him. "They (Congress) first removed him from the post of state unit president and then gave him a ticket from Budhni," he claimed.Voting for 230 assembly seats has commenced in Madhya Pradesh today. In the view of polling, Chouhan and his wife, Sadhna, urged all people to cast their votes in .
Resistance mounting against illegal occupation of PoK, Gilgit
Activists of Jammu Kashmir National Independence Alliance (JKNIA) took to the streets in London to demand an end to the decades-long subjugation and economic depredation of the illegally occupied regions of Gilgit Baltistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.The protest came at a time when Pakistan's Chief Justice Saqib Nisar was seeking donations for the construction of Diamer Bhasha dam - a mega project set to displace thousands of locals of Gilgit Baltistan - subsequently pushing them into a state of abject poverty. The protesters were carrying placards saying 'No to Diamer Dam' and 'Abolish terrorist charges against human rights activists in Gilgit Baltistan'. They also demanded the Islamabad establishment to keep its hands off the resources of the occupied region.Mahmood Kashmiri, the Chairman of the Jammu Kashmir National Independence Alliance said, "Chief Justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar is here in the United Kingdom and he is going around the cities to fundraise for the Diamer ...
MP polls: 3 election officers die of cardiac arrest
One Election Commission official in Guna and two in Indore have died of cardiac arrest at their respective polling booths.Madhya Pradesh Chief Election Officer (CEO) VL Kantha Rao said a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each will be given to the kin of the deceased, and additional help will be given through Red Cross society.The CEO said nearly 70 EVMs were replaced after complaints of malfunctioning. He added that at least 30 cases have been registered against those found distributing liquor and money in the poll-bound state.On being asked about Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath showing his hand - a symbol of the Congress party- after casting vote, the CEO said, "We will first verify the pictures and video and will take action if needed."Showing party symbols or asking voters to vote for their party violates the EC's Model Code of Conduct.Amid tight security, Madhya Pradesh is voting for a new assembly today. The voting is underway at 65,341 polling booths, which have been set ..
Mizoram polls: 29 pc voter turnout recorded in first four hours
Around 29 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the first four hours of polling in 40 Assembly constituencies of Mizoram, Chief Electoral Officer Ashish Kundra said. The voting process began at 7 am, amid tight security, and would continue till 4 pm, he said. No untoward incident was reported from any part of the state, but snags in electronic voting machines led to delays in the polling process in some booths, Kundra said. Forty-two VVPATs, 25 ballot units and 19 control units were being replaced in various polling stations, the CEO stated. A total of 7,70,395 voters, including 3,94,897 women, would decide the fate of 209 candidates, including Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla, who is contesting from two seats -- Serchhip and Champai South. While Thanhawla is seeking a third consecutive term in the state, the BJP, which failed to open its account in 2013 elections, is looking to uproot the Congress in its last bastion in the northeast. Long queues of enthusiastic voters were seen outside
Indian Ministers cross over to Pakistan for Kartarpur Corridor ceremony
Union Ministers Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Hardeep Puri on Wednesday crossed over to Pakistan through the Attari-Wagah joint check post between India and her neighbour for the Kartarpur Corridor ceremony, and termed it a "historic step".
13% polling registered in MP
Polling is underway for 230 seats to elect a new Madhya Pradesh Assembly. Nearly 13 per cent of over five crore electorate cast their votes in the first three hours on Wednesday, a poll official said.
Insight: China, vying with U.S. in Latin America, eyes Argentina nuclear deal
BUENOS AIRES/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Argentina and China are aiming to close a deal within days for the construction of the South American nation's fourth nuclear power plant, a multi-billion dollar project that would cement Beijing's deepening influence in a key regional U.S. ally.
Breakthrough in trade if Xi steps up: White House advisor
Larry Kudlow, the Director of the National Economic Council under US President Donald Trump, has indicated that there may be a breakthrough in trade talks with China but also added that Trump's Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping would have to "step up" for that."President Xi has an opportunity to change the tone and the substance of these talks. This is a big opportunity. President Trump has indicated he's open. Now we have to know if President Xi is open," he said.Trump and Xi are slated to meet on Saturday which is their only scheduled meeting before US tariffs on around USD 200 billion in imports from the Asian country rise to 25 percent from January 1. Both the leaders will be meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Argentina for a dinner where both their spouses may join them, according to CNN."This is a big deal. We're all going to try to do the best we can," the advisor added.Washington and Beijing have been engaged in an escalating trade war from the past few months, with ...
Senators set to grill US officials over Khashoggi response
Senators who have grown increasingly uneasy with the US response to Saudi Arabia after the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi are set to grill top administration officials Wednesday at a closed-door briefing that could determine how far Congress goes in punishing the longtime Middle East ally. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says "some kind of response" is needed from the United States for the Saudis' role in the gruesome death. While President Donald Trump has equivocated over who is to blame, the Senate is considering a vote as soon as this week to halt US involvement in the Saudi-led war in Yemen. "What obviously happened, as basically certified by the CIA, is completely abhorrent to everything the United States holds dear and stands for in the world," McConnell said Tuesday. "We're discussing what the appropriate response would be." Much will depend on what senators hear from Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Administration officials were ..
Mississippi Republican overcomes gaffes to win final 2018 Senate race
A Mississippi Republican who drew scorn for making racially insensitive comments managed to hold her US Senate seat Tuesday in the final race of 2018, networks projected, avoiding what could have been an embarrassing setback for President Donald Trump. Incumbent Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith was leading Democratic challenger Mike Espy, a former congressman, by 55.2 per cent to 44.8 per cent with four fifths of precincts reporting, according to Fox News and NBC. The runoff in the Republican stronghold between Hyde-Smith, who is white, and Espy, who is black, came under national scrutiny when unsettling remarks by the senator, who said she would attend a "public hanging" for a supporter, were widely interpreted as alluding to Mississippi's history of lynchings and other racist violence. Hyde-Smith's victory preserves the 53-47 majority that Republicans will hold in the Senate when the new Congress convenes in January, and allowed Trump to dodge a political bullet in the Deep South, which ...
Maha irrigation scam: ACB puts onus on Ajit Pawar
The Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has informed the Bombay High Court that its probe into the alleged multi-crore irrigation scam has revealed major lapses on part of the state's former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and other government officials. The scam, pegged at around Rs 70,000 crore, relates to alleged corruption and irregularities in approval and execution of various irrigation projects in Maharashtra during the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) rule. Pawar was among the NCP ministers who were in-charge of the irrigation department at different times between 1999 and 2014 during the Congress-NCP coalition rule in Maharashtra. ACB's Director General Sanjay Barve filed an affidavit before the Nagpur bench of the high court on Tuesday in response to a petition filed by an NGO, Janmanch. The NGO, in it's petition, raised concerns over irregularities in irrigation projects undertaken by the Vidharba and Konkan Irrigation Development Corporations. The affidavit .
25% voting registered in Mizoram (Third Lead)
Brisk polling is underway in Mizoram with nearly 25 per cent of 7.68 lakh voters casting their votes in the first three hours on Wednesday, an official said.
Mizoram polls: 15 pc voter turnout recorded in first two hours
Around 15 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the first two hours of polling in 40 Assembly constituencies of Mizoram, Chief Electoral Officer Ashish Kundra said Wednesday. The voting began at 7 am amid tight security and will continue till 4 pm, he said. A total of 7,70,395 voters, including 3,94,897 women, would decide the fate of 209 candidates, including Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla, who is contesting from two seats -- Serchhip and Champai South. While Thanhawla is seeking a third consecutive term in the state, the BJP, which failed to open its account in 2013 elections, is looking to uproot the Congress in its last bastion in the northeast. Long queues of enthusiastic voters were seen outside many polling stations early in the day. Former chief minister and opposition Mizo National Front (MNF) chief Zoramthanga was among the first ones to exercise franchise at 7 am. Zoramthanga cast his vote at Ramhlun polling booth in Aizawl North-II constituency. Bru voters from six ..