Page 2438 - Politics
BJP, Cong bet on turncoats in Rajasthan
The ruling BJP and the Congress in Rajasthan have fielded 11 turncoats for the December 7 Assembly polls, hoping that the "parachute" candidates will shine for them in the elections. Voices of dissent are being heard from both parties and sidelined party leaders are quick to cross over to get a chance to contest. The ruling BJP alone has fielded seven defectors, including six from the Congress and one from the BSP. BJP nominees Mahesh Pratap Singh from Nathdawara, Ram Kishor Saini from Bandikui, Mamta Sharma from Pipalda, Kalpna Singh from Ladpura, Rajendra Bhamu from Jhunjhunu and Ashok Sharma from Rajkhera are the leaders who crossed over to the saffron brigade from the Congress. Another defector from the BSP, Abhinesh Mehrishi, replaced sitting BJP minister Rajkumar Rinwa from Ratangarh seat. Not to be left behind, the Congress has given tickets to at least four turncoats to test electoral waters. Congress President Rahul Gandhi, who had in August stated that he will make sure that
Divided Taiwan to vote in key test for ruling party
When Taiwan goes to the polls Saturday in local elections, it will not only be a test for President Tsai Ing-wen's embattled government but a crucial vote on divisive issues that could rile China. The ballot includes an unprecedented 10 referendums, one of which calls for Taiwan to change the name it uses at sports events, a proposal that has already angered Beijing. Also on the ballot are pro- and anti-gay rights referendums, reflecting tension between conservative and liberal groups as the government drags its heels to implement a Constitutional Court decision that legalised gay marriage over a year ago. The island-wide vote on November 24 covers seats from village level upwards, with the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) currently controlling 13 of the 22 cities and counties that will elect new chiefs, including four of the six key mayoral battlegrounds. But opinion polls tip the party to lose ground as resentment grows over a stagnant economy and reforms that have included
Poland refuses to sign UN Global Migration pact
The Polish government's press service department has informed that Poland will not support the UN Global pact on migration.The government while explaining its expulsion said that the global pact documents do not define and guarantee the country's right to decide whom to accept on its territory.According to Sputnik, the Polish government further said that the document does not give a clear distinction between legal and illegal migration.The Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration will formally be adopted at the UN conference in Marrakesh, Morocco on December 10-11.The pact came after Europe faced migration crisis in 2015. It aims to organize and secure the increasing tide of international migration.Apart from this, Israel refused to brace the migration pact earlier in the day. The United States and Hungary were the first nations to announce their support for the agreement.
Bengal's food festival 'Ahare Bangla' offers variety of dishes
The annual food festival 'Ahare Bangla', organised by the West Bengal government, here is offering the gourmet a wide variety of dishes from Bengali to Continental. About 125 food stalls have been installed to cater to the choice of the visitors in the six-day festival which was inaugurated Tuesday. The participants include 55 well known restaurant chains and caterers. There are stalls by government organisations and 30 private sweetmeat shops and confectioner outlets, an organising committee spokesman said. Delicacies of Bengal, Europe, China, Bangladesh, Russia, Afghanistan and Japan, besides traditional and fusion sweets and desserts are available in the fair which will continue till November 25. The number of stalls has gone up from 108 last year to 125 this year as response of the people is encouraging in the past few years, Principal Secretary to the Animal Resources Development department Anil Verma told reporters. Several state departments such as Agriculture, ...
Afghans must have a say in creating sustainable peace for the country: Pompeo
People of Afghanistan must have a say in creating sustainable peace in the war-torn country, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said. This was the message conveyed to the leaders of Afghanistan, and other stakeholders during the recent visit of the Special US Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad to Afghanistan, the UAE, and Qatar. Pompeo said that the US will continue to work with all the interested parties to support and facilitate an inclusive peace process for Afghanistan. "In every one of his meetings, Ambassador Khalilzad stressed that all Afghans must have a say in creating a sustainable peace for Afghanistan. We will continue to work with all interested parties to support and facilitate an inclusive peace process," Pompeo said. Khalilzad's first and last stop was Kabul, where he met with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Chief Executive Abdullah, and other Afghan stake holders to facilitate a peace process between the Government of Afghanistan and the .
T'gana polls: Political parties ignore 'Girl Power' in seat
Major political parties in Telangana that ostensibly support the Women's Reservation Bill, gave a raw deal to women in allottment of assembly seats for the December 7 polls. Telangana has 119 Assembly seats. The Congress, which issued B-form to 100 candidates, gave only 11 tickets to women (11 per cent) while the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti offered just four seats (four per cent) as against six during the 2014 polls. Justifying the stance towards women candidates, Congress party's star campaigner Khushbu Sundar said her party was the first to introduce the Women's Reservation Bill in the Parliament and the ruling NDA government has no will to get it cleared from Lok Sabha. The Bill, which paves way for 33 per cent reservation to women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies, was passed in Rajya Sabha in 2010. "We may not have given 33 per cent seats to women. But we gave 11 seats whereas TRS gave just four. We made a beginning," she had told reporters here when asked about
Telangana polls: Notice to 5 politicians for violating poll code
The Election Commission (EC) has served notices to five politicians in the state after receiving various complaints against them for allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).Telangana Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Rajat Kumar said that notices have been issued to Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao, Congress leader Revanth Reddy, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader Vanteru Pratap Reddy, and TDP leader Revuri Prakash Reddy."We have also received a complaint against Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) chief Uttam Kumar Reddy for speaking at a religious meeting. We have also sent a notice to him. We have asked them to file their replies," he said.He further informed that they have also received a complaint against former MLA and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) candidate Gangula Kamalakar for threatening a BJP leader and added that they are examining the complaints and will take action accordingly.Telangana CEO said that around 32,796 polling stations have been created for the
Leh coldest in Kashmir Valley
Minimum temperatures across Jammu and Kashmir dropped on Wednesday due to a clear night sky, with Leh town in Ladakh region recording minus 8 degrees Celsius, the MET said.
US further tightens noose around Iran for supplying oil to Syria
The United States has imposed sanctions on an international network through which Iran and Russia provide millions of barrels of oil to Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria, in exchange for the movement of hundreds of millions of dollars to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force, and an onward transfer of resources to the terrorist organisations like Hamas and Hizballah.The US State Department in a release issued on November 20, mentioned that the sanctions directly target the Iranian regime's exploitation of the international financial system to hide revenue streams it uses to fund terrorist activities and provide support to sectarian militias responsible for abuses against the civilian population in the Middle East and destabilize the region.The Iranian-commanded forces inside Syria along with other proxy terrorist groups continue to foment instability to extend their malign influence. These actions by the Iranian and Assad regimes undermine the legitimate processes to resolve .
USTR says China has failed to alter 'unfair, unreasonable' trade practices
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Trump administration on Tuesday said that China has failed to alter its "unfair" practices at the heart of the U.S.-China trade conflict, adding to tensions ahead of a high-stakes meeting later this month between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
USD 1.66 bn in security aid to Pak suspended: Pentagon
The US has suspended USD 1.66 billion in security assistance to Pakistan after President Donald Trump's directive, the Pentagon has said, in what experts believe is a strong signal of American frustration. The Pentagon's statement came days after President Trump said that Pakistan does not do "a damn thing" for the US, alleging that its government had helped al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden hide near its garrison city of Abbottabad. "USD 1.66 billion of security assistance to Pakistan is suspended," Col Rob Manning, spokesman of the Department of Defence, told reporters in an e-mail response to questions on Tuesday. No further breakdown of the suspended security assistance to Pakistan was provided. According to David Sedney, who served as Deputy Assistant Secretary Defence for Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central Asia during the previous Obama administration, the blocking of military assistance to Pakistan, which began in January this year, is a strong signal of American frustration. "But,
Pompeo meets Turkish counterpart on detained US citizens, ties
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu here on Tuesday to discuss Turkey's detention of US citizens and bilateral ties, said the US State Department.
Senior Congress leader M I Shanavas passes away
Senior Congress leader M I Shanavas, passed away early Wednesday at a private hospital in Chennai, Tamil Nadu after a prolonged illness. He was 67. The Member of Parliament who represented the Wayanad constituency twice in the Lok Sabha breathed his last at around 1 am. He had undergone a liver transplant on Nov 2. His mortal remains are expected to be brought to Kochi in the afternoon. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan along with senior Congress leader and former chief minister Oommen Chandy and opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala, expressed their condolences over Shanavas' demise. The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) working president is survived by his wife, a son and a daughter.
Won't pay Pak as it has done nothing for US: Trump
US President Donald Trump has reiterated that the USD 1.3 billion aid to Pakistan will remain suspended till the country does not act against militant safe heavens inside its territory. "I want Pakistan to help us. We're no longer paying USD 1.3 billion to Pakistan. We're paying them nothing because that's what they've done to help us. Nothing," Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday before leaving for his private Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida for the Thanksgiving holidays. Over the last few days, Trump has accused Pakistan of not helping it in its fight against terrorism. In an interview to Fox News over the weekend, Trump said that people in Pakistan knew that Osama bin Laden, Al Qaeda leader, was living in a mansion near their garrison city of Abbottabad, but they did not tell the US and kept on accepting billions of dollars in aid. "And I cut those payments off a long time ago. We're not paying Pakistan any money because they're not helping us at all and we'll see where
President Kovind reaches Australia
President Ramnath Kovind arrived in Australia on a four-day official visit on Wednesday morning.Marking a maiden visit of an Indian President to the island nation, President Kovind and First Lady Savita Kovind were received by the official Secretary to Governor-General of Australia Paul Singer MVO along with other dignitaries.During his bilateral trip, the President will address the Indian diaspora and unveil the statue of Mahatma Gandhi marking his 150th Birth anniversary.He is also scheduled to meet Linda Dessau AC, Governor of Victoria and address the students at Melbourne University.Prior to the Australia visit, President Kovind was on a four-day trip to Vietnam where he addressed the National Assembly and met with his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Phu Trong and agreed to strengthen relations in defence, civil nuclear energy outer space, oil and gas, infrastructure, agriculture and innovation-based sectors.He also held discussions with Prime Minister of Vietnam Nguyen Xuan Phuc
Kerala Congress working president passes away
Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) working president MI Shanavas died on Wednesday following complications caused due to a liver transplant.Shanavas, a Member of Parliament (MP) from Wayanad constituency was admitted in a private hospital in Chennai. The 67-year-old leader had survived from cancer a few years ago, but cancer had recently spread to his liver.Shanavas, who had been the member of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee since 1983, was elected to the Lok Sabha for consecutive two terms-2009 and 2014.He will be cremated on Thursday at Ernakulam in Kerala.
Pakistan summons US envoy to protest Trump's criticism
Pakistan Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua on Tuesday summoned United States Charge d'Affaires (CdA) Ambassador Paul Jones to protest against the recent statement made by US President Donald Trump against Islamabad.Terming the allegation "unwarranted and unsubstantiated", Januja conveyed Pakistan's disappointment on the recent tweets and comments made by the US President, reported Dawn.Janjua further rejected the claims about Osama bin Laden made by Trump and pointed out that it was Pakistan's intelligence cooperation that provided the "initial evidence to trace the whereabouts of bin Laden".Earlier on Sunday, Trump in an interview with Fox News said that Pakistan doesn't do "a damn thing for us," and defended his administration's decision to pull hundreds of millions of dollars in military aid to the country. Trump also alleged that the Pakistan government helped wanted terrorist Osama Bin Laden to hide in their country.Trump continued his tirade against Pakistan through his Twitter ..
Turkey seeks extradition of exiled cleric from US
Turkey's top diplomat has presented top Trump administration officials with a series of big requests, including extradition of scores of people linked to an exiled Turkish cleric and a permanent exemption from US sanctions for importing Iranian oil. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said he had given Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and national security adviser John Bolton a list of 84 people tied to Fetullah Gulen whom Ankara wants extradited to face charges related to a failed coup. The 84 include Gulen himself, who lives in Pennsylvania and denies involvement in the 2016 coup attempt. Cavusoglu gave no indication as to the reaction to the list from either Pompeo or Bolton. But he said he was pleased that the US was looking at Turkey's request. Turkey has sought Gulen's extradition in the past but has been rebuffed. In addition to the extraditions, Cavusoglu said he had raised Turkey's request to make permanent a temporary waiver of US sanctions it was granted earlier this month to ..
Trump defends Ivanka's use of personal email
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday defended daughter and adviser Ivanka Trump over her use of personal email for official business, while Democrats in the US House of Representatives announced plans to investigate the matter.
Piyush Goyal targets Congress over 'corruption, casteism and dynastic politics'
Sharpening his attack on the Congress party, Union Railways Minister Piyush Goyal has said that that the party could not think beyond corruption, casteism and dynastic politics when it was in power.Addressing media in Jaipur, the Union Minister said, "All Congress has is a history of casteism and dynastic politics along with corruption. There are several incomplete promises of the Congress that I am fulfilling. We are not a kind of government that makes false promises. The Congress has done the politics of making promises while the BJP is working with an aim of development."He further said that the Congress stood failed on every developmental work when it was in power."The Congress has always made hollow promises to people, they have not done anything during its tenure in the country, while the BJP has implemented various public welfare schemes, which are directly benefitting people," he added.The minister also appreciated the work done by incumbent Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara