Page 2404 - Politics
Taiwan Prez resigns as party chief after local elections defeat
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen late on Saturday announced her resignation as the head of Democratic Progressive Party of Taiwan, after enduring a 'crushing defeat' in the local government elections.CNN quoted Central News Agency (CNA), a state-owned news agency operated by the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan), reporting that Tsai apologised to the supporters of the party for the 'disappointing performance' in a speech at its headquarters. The Taiwanese President took full responsibility for the party's loss in the local elections.Tsai further said that while her administration is moving in the right direction, the election results were proof that the Taiwanese people are going to set a higher standard for their government.The Democratic Progressive Party is expected to undergo a "major reshuffle" soon, Tsai said, to prepare for the challenges ahead, CNN reported.Tsai Ing-wen, the first woman to be elected as the country's President, scored a landslide victory in the ...
Brexit: Spain, UK reach agreement over Gibraltar
Spain reached an agreement with the United Kingdom on Saturday over the status of Gibraltar.CNN quoted Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez saying, "I have just told the head of state, the King, that Spain has reached an agreement over Gibraltar."He further underlined that the agreement excludes the territory from the general negotiation between the EU and UK and "will allow Spain to negotiate directly with the UK over Gibraltar.""Europe and the UK have accepted the Spanish demands, and as a result, Spain lifts its veto and will vote tomorrow in favour of Brexit," he said in a televised statement. "The question of Gibraltar is of capital importance for Spain," CNN reported.The British overseas territory of Gibraltar, a rocky projection located at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, which voted overwhelmingly to remain in the EU. This territory is a subject of territorial claims by Spain, which further threatened a clear passage of the Brexit on Sunday."Throughout our history ...
Cong directionless, lacks leadership, policy making skills: Goyal
Union Railways Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday tore into Congress party and asserted that it lacks both leadership and policy making ability.Invoking the example of an alleged video from the state of Rajasthan, where the sloganeering of Bharat Mata ki Jai was stopped by a Congress leader only to replace it with slogans hailing Sonia Gandhi and other senior leaders, Goyal said, "The incident uncovered the real face of Congress's dynastic politics. The Congress has become a directionless party which has no leadership and policy but also lack good intentions. They have become a party gripped with dynasty, communalism and obstructive politics. Owing to these factors it has now reduced to governing two states- Mizoram and Punjab and one Union Territory- Pondicherry. However, in these elections, they will also lose Mizoram."He further stressed and said that the BJP government both in Centre and the state have meticulously worked in coordination to develop Rajasthan.He said, "As the ...
I respect Delhi Police, they are like family: Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday referred to the Delhi Police as his family and underlined that he respects the men in khaki immensely.The Chief Minister also asserted that few senior police officials being politically motivated does not imply that the entire organisation is corrupt.Kejriwal further said that despite several Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs urging him to exclude Delhi Police from the Rs 1 crore compensation policy for the martyrs, he would not do so, because of the respect he has for the Delhi police."I want to say something, please don't connect it with politics. I have been attacked twice in the last one month. Once when Signature Bridge was being inaugurated and second at the Delhi Secretariat recently. Some of our MLAs got furious over the attack and said that the One crore policy should not cover the Delhi Police, but I don't agree with it at all. Delhi Police is my family, it's a part of my family," he said."Delhi Police is not an individual, Delhi ...
Ex-British FM Johnson says Brexit deal like 'Titanic'
Brexiteer Boris Johnson on Saturday lambasted British Prime Minister Theresa May's draft EU divorce deal, calling it a "historic mistake" of Titanic proportions. Johnson used a speech at the annual gathering of the Democratic Unionist Party -- the day before a special EU summit to sign off the agreement -- to deliver a blistering attack. "The Titanic springs to mind and now is the time to point out the iceberg ahead," said the former foreign minister, who resigned from the cabinet in July in protest at May's Brexit approach. Johnson said that a contentious "backstop" plan for Northern Ireland, which if used would keep the British-ruled province more closely aligned with the EU in certain areas after a 21-month transition period, would leave it "an economic semi-colony" of the bloc. "No British Conservative government could or should sign up to any such arrangement," he said. He and the DUP -- the Northern Irish party whose support is vital to May's government and EU exit plans -- ...
47 US-backed fighters killed by IS in Syria over two days: monitor
At least 47 US-backed fighters have been killed in counter-attacks by the Islamic State group in eastern Syria over the past two days, a Britain-based monitor said Saturday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights raised the death toll from an earlier figure of 24 after it said IS jihadists launched three fresh assaults Saturday.
2 Union ministers to attend groundbreaking ceremony of Kartarpur corridor in Pakistan
India will send Union ministers Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Hardeep Singh Puri to Pakistan next week to attend the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kartarpur corridor, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said Saturday while responding to an invite to her by Islamabad for the event. Earlier in the day, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, in a tweet, said he has extended an invitation to Swaraj, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and state minister Navjot Singh Sidhu to attend the ceremony at Kartarpur on November 28. In a letter to Qureshi, Swaraj thanked him for the invite but said it would not be possible for her to travel to Kartarpur Sahib due to prior commitments, and India will send Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Puri for the event. The visit of the two Union ministers to Pakistan is expected to ease tension between the two countries. "Being mindful of the sentiments of our Sikh citizens and the importance of facilitating their smooth and easy access to holy Gurudwara ...
Russian FM says US pursues 'hidden agenda'
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has accused the United States of pursuing a "hidden agenda" through its military involvement in Syria. Lavrov said Saturday that in contrast to American claims that it is intervening in Syria to help in the fight against the Islamic State group, the U.S.'s true goal is to overturn the Syrian government supported by Moscow. Lavrov told the press while visiting Lisbon, Portugal, that "my suspicion (is) that the US looks upon ISIS as a justification for their military participation in Syria," using a different acronym for IS. "In contradiction to their loudly trumpeted claims that their main task is the eradication of terrorism in Syria, they have another hidden agenda," Lavrov said.
Difficult to understand if Rahul speaks in Pakistan or India: Adityanath
Three days ahead of the Madhya Pradesh assembly polls, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has launched a scathing attack on Congress president Rahul Gandhi.Addressing a rally in Indore on Saturday, Adityanath said, "I do not understand what Rahul Gandhi says. Sometimes it is difficult to understand if he is speaking in India or in Pakistan."Continuing his tirade against the Congress party, he added: "The only thing that Congress got from Italy is mafia. They made six Hindi speaking states 'bimaru'. Till the last 15 years, there was no water, electricity or roads in the state. The party has done nothing in the last 70 years."Bimaru is an acronym that came up in the mid-1980s and was used to refer to the poor economic conditions of five states, namely Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.Taking a jibe at senior Congress leader Kamal Nath's remark, he said, "There was a statement from a senior Congress leader wherein he said that the party only wants votes of ...
'Mark Babri Masjid demolition anniversary as Defend the Constitution and Secularism Day'
A group of left parties on Saturday have called for observing 'Defend the Constitution and Secularism Day' on December 6- the day when the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya was demolished.The Left parties, comprising Communist Party of India - Marxist (CPIM), Communist Party of India (CPI), All India Forward Bloc (AIFB), Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist)-Liberation and Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist), have also called upon all its units to mobilise to observe December 6, also Dr. B. R. Ambedkar's death anniversary, as 'Defend the Constitution and Secularism Day. The parties have further directed all state units to work out programmes of holding joint demonstrations, dharnas, and meetings."December 6, this year, marks the 26th anniversary of the demolition of the Babri Masjid. In the current situation, it is essential to observe this day in defence of secularism and democracy. The RSS led outfits have begun a campaign to demand that the
British PM meets Juncker on eve of Brexit summit
British Prime Minister Theresa May met with EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels on Saturday, for final talks ahead of a crucial Brexit summit. The pair did not make any public statements before they went into their meeting, which comes ahead of a summit of all 28 European Union leaders on Sunday.
Two Sikh ministers to represent India in Kartarpur ceremony in Pakistan
In a thawing of almost frozen bilateral ties, India on Saturday responded positively to Pakistan's invitation for the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kartarpur corridor in Pakistan, saying two senior Sikh ministers will represent New Delhi.
UP unveils details of statue of Lord Ram to be installed at Ayodhya
The Uttar Pradesh government late on Saturday night unveiled the picture of the grand statue of Lord Ram that it proposes to install in Ayodhya.
Cannot guess if Rahul is speaking in India or Pak: Adityanath
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Aditynath hit out at Rahul Gandhi over the issue of national security Saturday, and hinting at the Congress chief's comments on the Rafale deal, said it was hard to guess whether he was speaking in India or Pakistan. Speaking at a rally in Indore's Rau area, Adityanath also attacked Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath over a video that has gone viral and made a veiled reference to the origins of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi with an "Italy" jibe. "The country is setting new records on the security front and has developed its hitting capabilities, due to which we can enter the territories of enemies like China and Pakistan. This is upsetting the Congress," he told the gathering. Attacking the Congress chief, Adityanath said, "You will be surprised at the fake outlook of the Congress. Do you know what Rahul speaks? Sometimes, we cannot guess from his body language whether he is speaking in India or Pakistan." Gandhi has been attacking the Centre on .
Spain to back Brexit deal after UK agrees to Gibraltar terms
The European Union removed the last major obstacle to sealing an agreement on Brexit after Spain said it had reached a deal Saturday with Britain over Gibraltar on the eve of an EU summit. British Prime Minister Theresa May, who arrived in Brussels Saturday evening for preparatory talks with EU leaders, will then have the momentous task of selling the deal to a recalcitrant British Parliament and a nation still fundamentally split over whether the U.K. should leave the EU on March 29 and under what conditions. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced Saturday that Madrid would support the Brexit divorce deal after the UK and the EU agreed to give Spain a say in the future of the disputed British territory of Gibraltar, which lies at the southern tip of the Mediterranean nation. Spain wants the future of the tiny territory, which was ceded to Britain in 1713 but is still claimed by Spain, to be a bilateral issue between Madrid and London, not between Britain and the EU. In a ...
2 Union ministers to attend groundbreaking ceremony of Kartarpur corridor in Pak
Union Ministers Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Hardeep Singh Puri will travel to Pakistan next week for the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kartarpur corridor, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj conveyed to Islamabad Saturday. Swaraj's response came hours after Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi invited her to visit Pakistan to attend the ceremony on November 28. In a letter to Qureshi, Swaraj thanked her Pakistani counterpart for the invite and said she was unable to travel to Kartarpur Sahib due to prior commitments including election campaign in Telangana and that India will be represented at the ceremony by Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Puri. "Since I am unable to travel to Kartarpur Sahib on the scheduled date, Government of India will be represented by my esteemed colleagues Mrs Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Mr H S Puri (sic)," she tweeted. Swaraj also hoped that the Pakistan government will ensure that the construction of the corridor is expedited so that "our citizens can pay .
Modi launches all-out attack on Cong, says it has no issues, cannot take him on
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on the Congress and the Gandhi family Saturday, saying the opposition party was dragging his mother into the political slugfest as it did not have any real issue and could not fight him. Addressing rallies in Madhya Pradesh, where Assembly polls will be held on November 28, Modi said farmers in the country would have been better off if Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was the first prime minister. He also attacked former prime minister Indira Gandhi over the "false promise" of "Garibi Hatao" (remove poverty) and the "fraud" of bank nationalisation, while targeting UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi for running the government through a "remote control". Speaking at Chhattarpur, Modi said the Congress was "abusing" his nonagenarian mother as it was bereft of issues. Congress leader Raj Babbar had compared the falling value of Indian rupee with the advanced age of Modi's mother Hiraben during poll campaigning. "Those in the Congress, you do not ..
Mufti, Omar could have easily contacted me if they were serious about forming govt: J-K Guv
Defending his decision to dissolve the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, Governor Satya Pal Malik Saturday said PDP president and ex-chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, and NC vice president Omar Abdullah could have easily contacted him if they were serious about forming a government. The Jammu and Kashmir assembly was abruptly dissolved by Governor Satyapal Malik Wednesday night hours after the PDP staked claim to form a government with the backing of rival National Conference (NC) and the Congress followed by another bid from the two-member People's Conference which claimed the support of the BJP and 18 legislators from other parties. "If PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti and NC leader Omar Abdhullah were serious about forming government (by joining hands) in Jammu and Ksahmir, they should have rang me up, or sent me a letter," Malik said at the convocation ceremony of a private university here. "I am always accessible on phone. When I get messages on WhatsApp, I try to mitigate the problem," he said,
Pakistan arrests over 1100 members of radical party
Pakistani police have arrested over 1,100 members of the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan, including the radical Islamist party's chief who had given a protest call for Sunday against the acquittal of Christian woman Asia Bibi on blasphemy charges. Last month, Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) disrupted daily life across Pakistan by staging widespread protests following Bibi's acquittal in a blasphemy case by the apex court. Among the 1,135 people arrested is TLP chief Khadim Hussain Rizvi, who has been detained under three sections of the MPO ordinance, said a notification issued here earlier today. Ninety-five people were arrested from Lahore alone, the home department said. The Punjab government has imposed Section 144 province-wide which will be in effect till December 1. Rallies, demonstrations as well as any congregations of five or more people are banned under the section. The use or display of any kind of weapons is also prohibited. A senior police officer told PTI that a team ...
Shiv Sainiks home bound journey from Ayodhya rescheduled
In a sudden change of plan, Shiv Saina activists who had come by two special trains to Ayodhya for events organised by the party, are returning on Saturday night after one train was rescheduled, officials said.