Page 2490 - Politics
Rebels set to give tough time to BJP, Cong in MP
Disgruntled leaders of the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are gearing up to upset many apple-carts in Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls scheduled for November 28.More than 60 rebels of the BJP have flexed their muscles to stay in the electoral fray as independents, giving sleepless nights to the party's crisis managers. The Congress is also faced with the rebel heat as over 14 party leaders have dropped more than enough hints that they were going to contest the polls as independents.Though the BJP and the Congress have partially succeeded in securing the withdrawal of some rebel candidates from the fray, a majority of others are not ready to be convinced to withdrawal from the fray. They are likely to impact the poll outcome in at least 30 Assembly seats out of a total of 230, which are at stake in Madhya Pradesh.After being denied the ticket from Seoni-Malwa constituency, former minister and BJP leader Sartaj Singh defected to the Congress, which has fielded him from ...
Raab resigns as Britain's Brexit minister: Statement
British Prime Minister Theresa May suffered a huge blow on Thursday as Dominic Raab quit as her Brexit secretary, saying he "must resign" over the proposed EU withdrawal agreement. "I cannot reconcile the terms of the proposed deal with the promises we made to the country in our manifesto," he said in his resignation letter, published on his Twitter account.
Pence says Trump-Kim meeting likely in New Year, won't accept broken promises
Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un will likely meet again after New Year, the US vice president said Thursday, but insisted his government would not repeat past mistakes where "promises are broken". The US president and the North's leader held a historic summit in Singapore earlier this year, signing a vaguely worded deal on denuclearisation. North Korea has taken some steps since then -- forgoing nuclear and missile tests, dismantling a missile test site and promising to also break up the country's main nuclear complex if the US makes concessions. But progress has generally been slow, with the two countries sparring over the exact meaning of the agreement. Trump has said he hopes to have a second meeting with Kim early next year, but talks between Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and a top North Korean official planned for last week, partly to prepare for the meeting, were cancelled. The US said the North axed the talks because they weren't ready, and Trump insisted he was in "no ...
J&K govt to build 20,000 flats for police personnel on self-financing basis
The Jammu and Kashmir government has approved a proposal for construction of 20,000 flats for state police personnel on a self-financing basis, an official spokesman said Thursday. According to the proposal, submitted by the home department, 10,000 flats will be constructed in Kashmir and Jammu divisions each at one or two locations, subject to the availability of land. The proposal was green-lit by the State Administrative Council (SAC), which met here under the chairmanship of Governor Satya Pal Malik on Wednesday, he said. The flats are to be constructed over a period of two years for which state land will be provided by the government on nominal charges. They will be allotted to intending police personnel on self-financing basis. The spokesman said a demand survey will be conducted by the Director General of Police to determine the exact demand of flats. This will be completed by December 1. There are extremely limited housing facilities for the police personnel. The objective of .
Pence says US committed to Indo-Pacific, not seeking control
America has a steadfast and enduring commitment to the Indo-Pacific region but wants cooperation, not control, US Vice President Mike Pence said Thursday in comments to a Southeast Asian summit that carried a veiled swipe at China's growing influence. Pence, standing in for President Donald Trump at the 10-nation summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Singapore and another later in the week in Papua New Guinea, told his fellow leaders that "empire and aggression have no place" in the region. He said US support includes work to counter terrorism and pressure North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons and a commitment "to uphold the freedom of the seas and skies where we stand shoulder to shoulder with you for freedom of navigation, and our determination to ensure that your nations are secure in your sovereign borders on land, at sea, and in the digital world." "Like you, we seek an Indo-Pacific in which all nations, large and small, can prosper and thrive - secure in ..
Murmurs over Hillary for 2020
Hillary Clinton, who was the Democratic Party's nominee for President of the United States in the 2016 elections, may re-emerge as the party's possible presidential contender for 2020 elections.Speculation about former first lady Clinton launching a bid for the White House in 2020 started mounting after an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal penned by Mark Penn, Clinton's former long-time pollster, and Andrew Stein, former president of the New York City Council, claimed that the former secretary of state is going to run in 2020."When the former first lady, former senator, former secretary of state, former candidate for president - former just about everything - was asked the other day if she wanted to run again for the highest office in the land again, she said "No," but with a caveat. "Well, I'd like to be president." This was followed up quickly by an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal by two former advisers, who say not only will she run, but she will reinvent herself back to the future
Bipartisan legislation introduced against China's human rights abuses in Xinjiang
A powerful bipartisan group of over a dozen American senators has introduced a legislation against China, accusing it of committing "gross" human rights abuses of a million Uyghur Muslims in its restive Xinjiang province. The Uyghur Human Right Policy Act accuses China of gross violations of human rights in Uyghur Autonomous Region, including the mass internment of over one million Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim ethnic minorities. It also accuses China of intimidation and threats against US citizens and legal permanent residents (LPRs) on American soil. "The United States must hold accountable officials in the Chinese government and Communist Party responsible for gross violations of human rights and possible crimes against humanity, including the internment in 'political reeducation' camps of as many as a million Uyghur and other predominantly Muslim minorities," Senator Marco Rubio said. Alleging that China's treatment of its Uyghurs is beyond abhorrent, Senator Bob Menendez
US congressmen, Indian-Americans celebrate Diwali at US Capitol
Top US lawmakers along with leading Indian-Americans from across the country celebrated Diwali at the US Capitol, pledging to further strengthen Indo-US relationship. Highlighting the contributions of Indian-Americans in the socio-economic development of the country and the rich cultural diversity they bring to their adopted land, a number of top American senators and congressmen celebrated the festival of lights, a day after US President Donald Trump commemorated Diwali. Speaking on the occasion, the top American Senators and Congressmen pledged to work to further strengthen the India-US relationship. "We are privileged to have your support. The Indian Embassy really feels very much comfortable on the Hill," Indian Ambassador to the US Navtej Singh Sarna said, addressing the Diwali celebrations organised in association with top Indian-American organisations from across the country. "We find so much support, no matter which corridor we walked through, which door we knock on, we ...
Pak minister calls for probe into issues linked with 'economic terrorism'
Pakistan's Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry has called for forming a parliamentary panel to probe issues linked with "economic terrorism", a media report said Thursday. Speaking in the Senate, Chaudhry on Wednesday referred to the recently unearthed 5,000 fake bank accounts which were used to stash billions of dollars abroad and said the proposed parliamentary committee would see to whom these accounts belonged to, Dawn reported. He said information received from 10 countries showed that these accounts had been used to launder Rs 70,000 crore. The minister said the committee should also see as to how allocations made in successive budgets had been spent and why the government was forced to lend money to pay back loans. The idea was endorsed in principle by Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani who promised to consult the leader of the House and the leader of the opposition in the Senate, besides discussing it with the National Assembly speaker, the paper said. Pakistan has been under the radar ..
EU's Tusk says summit to sign Brexit deal November 25
EU President Donald Tusk on Thursday confirmed the bloc would hold a special summit to seal the hard-fought Brexit agreement with Britain on November 25. Tusk's announcement will come as a boost to British Prime Minister Theresa May as she begins the daunting task of selling the deal to a fractious parliament where she faces resistance from arch Brexiteers and EU supporters alike. Ambassadors from the 27 remaining EU states will meet by the end of the week to share their analysis of the withdrawal deal, Tusk said, adding that he hoped "there will not be too many comments". They will also take stock of work on the "Joint Political Declaration" about future relations between Brussels and Britain, which Tusk said should be finalised with London by Tuesday and then analysed by member states' officials. "Then if nothing extraordinary happens, we will hold a European Council meeting in order to finalise and formalise the Brexit agreement. It will take place on Sunday the 25th of November at
Election Commission replaces Mizoram's CEO after protests
The Election Commission on Thursday replaced Mizoram's Chief Electoral Officer S.B. Shashank after local groups demanded his removal and appointed Ashish Kundra, a 1996 batch IAS officer, as the new CEO ahead of the November 28 elections.
India reaffirms maritime cooperation with Asean
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday reaffirmed India's cooperation in the maritime domain during a India-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Breakfast Summit here.
Book on airwaves war in Indo-Pak conflict
A new book unravels historical facts about how Radio Kashmir has over the past seven decades countered incessant malicious propaganda by various underground and FM stations that operate round-the-clock from across the border. Replete with rare pictures, transcripts and documents from the archives of Jammu and Kashmir, Radio Kashmir: In Times of Peace & War reveals how Radio Pakistan and its notorious Radio Trarkhal beamed vicious misinformation against India to create unrest in the minds of people of Kashmir while trifling with their sentiments and identity. It also says how under Operation Topac', the ISI launched more radio stations, mostly along the Indo-Pak border to bombard airwaves with hostile ranting. In addition to Jammu and Kashmir, Radio Pakistan had a meticulously planned coverage to target certain communities living in Indian cities, including New Delhi, Jaipur, Kanpur, Bikaner, Ambala, Saharanpur, Meerut, Aligarh, Farrukhabad, and parts of Nepal, rousing anti-India
Junior N. Ireland minister quits over Brexit deal: Statement
Shailesh Vara, a Northern Ireland minister in the British government, quit on Thursday over the proposed Brexit withdrawal agreement, saying it fails to leave the UK as a "sovereign, independent country". The agreement "leaves the UK in a half-way house with no time limit on when we will finally be a sovereign nation", he wrote in his resignation statement, published on his Twitter account.
Uruguay lawmakers Ok entry of US planes, soldiers for summit
Uruguayan lawmakers approved legislation Wednesday allowing eight US aircraft and up to 400 American military personnel and civilians into the South American country to provide security for a Group of 20 summit of world leaders in neighbouring Argentina. The law, which was passed by a large majority in the Chamber of Deputies, authorises the entry into Uruguay of three fuel cargo aircraft, two transport aircraft and three AWACS planes as well the crews and support personnel. The US deployment will "provided logistical support and security" to the US delegation, according to the legislation, which was needed under Uruguay's constitution to permit foreign troops into the country. US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin will be among the international leaders who attend the November 30-December 1 meeting in Buenos Aires. The G20 is composed of 19 countries and the European Union. While the bill easily passed, it divided Uruguay's ruling party. Many lawmakers spoke .
US urges sustained sanctions pressure on N. Korea
Vice President Mike Pence on Thursday took America's "pressure campaign" against North Korea to a summit of world leaders, as concerns mount over Pyongyang's key allies easing sanctions imposed over its nuclear programme. US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held a historic summit in Singapore earlier this year, signing a vaguely worded deal on denuclearisation. But there has been little progress since, with the two countries sparring over the exact meaning of the agreement. The isolated, impoverished North is under heavy sanctions imposed over its atomic weapons programme, which it has pursued in violation of UN resolutions. Washington insists they must be maintained until the North denuclearises. But US officials acknowledge enforcement of the sanctions by the North's traditional trading partners China and Russia has eased. Meanwhile, Seoul has said it is mulling lifting its own measures against Pyongyang. In remarks at the opening of a meeting with ...
Cong, oppn parties facing credibility crisis in Chhattisgarh: Rajnath Singh
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh Thursday said the Congress and other opposition parties were grappling with a credibility crisis in poll-bound Chhattisgarh with people losing faith in them. The home minister, who is scheduled to address rallies on Thursday ahead of the second phase of polls on November 20, also said the number of districts under the grip of Naxalism had come down from 90 to about 10-11. "Naxal menace is on the wane. Earlier, around 90 districts were under the grip of Naxalism but the number has now come down to 10-11 districts...The menace will be wiped out of the country in next three to five years," he told reporters while issuing an appeal to Naxals to shun violence and join the mainstream. According to the minister, the Congress had not projected a chief ministerial candidate in the state because it was facing a credibility crisis. Other opposition parties are also grappling with the same problem, he added. "The manifesto released by the Congress is an admission
PM Modi attends 13th East Asia Summit in Singapore
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday attended the 13th East Asia Summit in Singapore during which the leaders of the grouping discussed global and regional issues, including maritime cooperation. "PM @narendramodi at #EastAsiaSummit reiterated India's vision of a peaceful, open and inclusive Indo Pacific region, strengthening maritime cooperation and commitment to a balanced RCEP," Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Raveesh Kumar tweeted. It was Prime Minister Modi's 5th East Asia Summit. India has been participating in the East Asia Summit since its very inception in 2005. The members of EAS consists of 10 ASEAN nations (Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, The Philippines, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, Brunei and Laos), Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia and the US. The EAS was formed to further the objectives of regional peace, security and prosperity. Prime Minister Modi interacted with leaders of other countries, including his Japanese ...
Ashish Kundra is new Mizoram CEO
IAS officer Ashish Kundra has been appointed as the new Chief Election Officer (CEO) of Mizoram with immediate effect replacing SB Shashank."In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of Section 13A of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 (43 of 1950), the Election Commission of India in consultation with the Government of Mizoram hereby nominates Ashish Kundra, IAS, (AGMUT: 1996) as the Chief Electoral Officer for the State of Mizoram with immediate effect and until further orders in place of SB Shashank, IAS," the Election Commission of India (ECI) said in an official statement."Ashish Kundra while functioning as the Chief Electoral Officer, Mizoram shall not hold any additional charge whatsoever under the Government of Mizoram except that he should be designated Secretary to the Government in charge of Election Department in the State Secretariat," the statement added.Earlier, Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ...
President Kovind on 4-day visit of Vietnam from Nov 18
President Ram Nath Kovind will embark on a four-day official visit to Vietnam from November 18 to 21.President Kovind will address the National Assembly of Vietnam. Apart from him, Chinese President Xi Jinping has been the only foreign leader to address the National Assembly till now.Vietnam's Ambassador to India Pham Sanh Chau said that India is a long-standing friend of Hanoi.Earlier in August this year, Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj had visited Vietnam and several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were signed between the two countries during her visit.