Page 253 - Politics
12 Cong MLAs break away, Speaker recognises merger with TRS
In a big jolt to the Congress in Telangana, as many as 12 of its 18 MLAs were recognised as members of the ruling TRS by the Assembly Speaker Thursday hours after they moved him seeking merger of their group. Capping a day of fast paced political developments, Speaker P Srinivas Reddy acceded to the request of the 12 MLAs considering the fact they constituted two-thirds of the Congress Legislature Party, a requirement for merger under the anti-defection law. A bulletin from the assembly Thursday night said seats had been alloted to the 12 MLAs along with the members of the Telangana Rastra Samithi Legislature Party in the House. Unless the merger is reversed, the Congress is set to lose its Opposition Party status in the assembly as its strength has come down to six. AIMIM led by Hyderabad Lok Sabha member Asaduddin Owaisi has seven members in the assembly, while the BJP one. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) had won two seats in the December polls, that saw the TRS scoring ..
Government policies led to financial chaos in MTNL: Congress
The Congress on Thursday blamed the BJP for the systematic neglect of public sector companies such as BSNL and MTNL, saying the government policy has resulted in a financial chaos.
PM Modi reconstitutes NITI Aayog
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday reconstituted the NITI Aayog retaining Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar and three other members. Names of high profile member Bibek Debroy and Chief Executive Officer Amitabh Kant do not figure in the new team.An official release said that Modi who will continue to be Chairman has retained VK Saraswat, Ramesh Chand and Dr VK Paul.Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar will be ex-officio members of the reconstituted body while Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, Social Justice Minister Thaawar Chand Gehlot, and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal will be special invitees.Minister of State for the Ministry of Statistics, Rao Inderjit Singh, will also be a special invitee.The reconstitution comes ahead of the first meeting of NITI Aayog's Governing Council on June 15, after the Modi government returned to power following the elections.Chief Ministers of all states, .
Macron praises May and looks beyond Brexit on D-Day
French President Emmanuel Macron looked beyond the current tensions with Britain over Brexit on Thursday as he paid tribute outgoing Prime Minister Theresa May and hoped for a "common future" on the 75th anniversary of D-Day. May's trip to Normandy for the anniversary came the day before she formally steps down as ruling Conservative Party leader on Friday after announcing her resignation in the wake of her failure to end the deadlock over Britain's exit from the European Union. She will remain as prime minister and acting party leader until her successor is chosen. "I feel it's my duty to pay tribute to her (Theresa May) and do to everything I can to keep our countries united," Macron told reporters in Normandy. "Even if the United Kingdom leaves the European Union, it is vital that the relationship between our countries stays strong." Britain's prime minister "has acted with courage and resilience. She kept going through difficult months to implement the decision of the British ...
Jaishankar meets Chinese Communist Party leader Li Xi
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Thursday met Chinese Communist Party Politburo member Li Xi and discussed bilateral relations between the two countries.
Poll debacle: Haryana Cong chief faces flak at party meeting, says 'shoot me'
The rift in the Haryana Congress surfaced at a meeting where the party's state unit chief Ashok Tanwar faced fire over the recent poll debacle, prompting him to say, If you want to finish me, shoot me, a participant recalled. A party leader who attended the meeting summoned Tuesday in New Delhi by Ghulam Nabi Azad, the Haryana in-charge at the AICC, claimed Tanwar was targeted by some MLAs close to former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. The MLAs pressed for a leadership change in Haryana over the party's failure to win any of the 10 Lok Sabha seats in the state. When contacted Thursday, Ashok Tanwar said he will continue to work towards strengthening the Congress as long as my party president and my party leadership want. The meeting was attended by all 17 Congress MLAs from the state and lasted over two hours, a Haryana Congress leader said. Former assembly Speaker and sitting MLA Kuldeep Sharma singled out Tanwar for the party's poor showing on the Karnal Lok Sabha ...
Andhra farmers to get Rs 12,500 each from October 15
Farmers in Andhra Pradesh will get annual financial support of Rs 12,500 each as the new YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government in the state has decided to implement the "Rythu Bharosa" scheme from October.
Bangladeshi actor Anju Ghosh, who joined BJP, is an 'Indian citizen'
Refuting the allegation that the saffron party roped in a Bangladeshi national Anju Ghosh, the BJP on Thursday said that she is an Indian citizen.
Fadnavis meets HM Amit Shah
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis Thursday called on Home Minister Amit Shah and is believed to have discussed the prevailing situation in the state, where 15 policemen were killed in a Naxal attack in Gadchiroli district last month. An official said, during the 20-minute meeting, Fadnavis is said to have discussed with Shah about various issues concerning Maharashtra. The chief minister is also believed to have briefed shah about the security situation in Gadchiroli where suspected Maoists killed 15 policemen in an IED explosion last month, the official said. Fadnavis met Shah for the first time after the later became the Union Home Minister last week.
Calling Martha Stewart: US troops to paint border wall
Fuchsia or camouflage? Flat black? Or good, old, red, white and blue? US troops are planning to paint the Mexico border wall "to improve the aesthetic appearance," the Department of Homeland Security says. In an email to Congress Wednesday, DHS, which manages border matters, said that the military will spend the next month painting a section of the wall in California with the "primary purpose" of improving its looks. DHS did not say what the color would be, but noted that "there may be an operational benefit" from painting the wall, which in most areas -- before artists, protestors and vandals spray-paint their own designs on it -- is the color of new or rusted steel. In one stretch of wall in Arizona, DHS noted in the email, paint applied to the wall's steel bollards helped counter "camouflaging tactics" by border crossers trying to hide, according to the email. An unanticipated benefit of that paint jobs, DHS said, made it harder for migrants to climb the wall. Neither DHS nor the ..
Family took away Pak-origin London Bridge attacker's passport: wife
The family of one of the London Bridge attackers took his passport away to stop him travelling to war-torn Syria, the Pakistani-origin terrorist's wife told an inquest on Thursday. Khuram Butt booked a holiday to Turkey in 2015, but his wife Zahrah Rehman told the Old Bailey she refused to go, the BBC reported. She told her family she feared he would take their young son to Syria, so they took both Butt's and the child's passports away, she said. Eight people were killed and 48 others were injured in the attack Butt carried out with two other men on June 3, 2017. The trio mowed down pedestrians on London Bridge before launching a knife attack in nearby Borough Market. Butt, 27, Rachid Redouane, 30, and Youssef Zaghba, 22, were shot and killed by police less than 10 minutes after the terror attack began. The so-called Islamic State terror group later said it was behind the attack. Rehman said her family was originally from Pakistan, but she was born and brought up in the UK. She said ..
Jagan quashes Naidu order, allows CBI to enter state
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy on Thursday revoked "General Consent" that barred the CBI from entering the state.The state Home Department quashed the order by the Chandrababu Naidu government withdrawing consent to CBI to conduct raids and carry out investigations on central establishments in the state in November last year.The new government order clears the way for CBI to enter into the state with general consent.
Ministerial aspirants raise voice in JDS too
With cabinet expansion on the cards, ministerial aspirants are springing up in the JD(S) too, with a senior party MLA expressing his desire to work in ChiefMinister H D Kumaraswamy-led coalition cabinet. JD(S) MLA from Malavalli K Annadani expressed his desire to become a minister, but said, he would abide by the party leadership's decision. "If given (opportunity), I will be happy. I will abideby the decision of our party leaders. I have a wish since longto work in his (Kumaraswamy) cabinet. I want to work as thevoice of Dalits and backward classes in the state..," Annadanisaid. Speaking to reporters here, he said "our leaders- Deve Gowdaji (JDS patriarch) and Kumaranna (Kumaraswamy)- if they ask me take the responsibility, I'm ready to take upand manage it." To a question, Annadani said, "Discussions are on about how to do it (cabinet expansion) and when, but who has to be (inducted) has not come up for discussion. Our top leaders Deve Gowda and Kumaranna will decide ...
Palestinians pledge to cancel leaked ministerial raises: UN
The cash-strapped Palestinian government has pledged to suspend a secret increase in ministerial salaries, the United Nations envoy on the Israel-Palestinian conflict said Thursday after reports of the raise sparked anger. Documents leaked online appeared to show that in 2017, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas had quietly agreed to increase monthly salaries of ministers from USD 3,000 to USD 5,000, as well as boosting the prime minister's salary from USD 4,000 to USD 6,000. The revelation, by an anonymous online group known as "Against the Current", came as the Palestinian government faces desperate financial shortfalls. Nickolay Mladenov, United Nations special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, said Thursday he had spoken to recently installed Palestinian prime minister Mohammad Shtayyeh, who had agreed to cancel the raises. "At a time when the #Palestinian people are struggling with economic hardship, when salaries were cut in #Gaza, such decisions defy logic and ...
Japan PM to visit Iran in effort to mediate tension with US
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will visit Iran in an effort to reduce tensions between Tehran and Washington, Japan's government spokesman said Thursday. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Abe's trip will be the first by a Japanese leader to Iran in 41 years. He declined to specify the dates of the trip or other details, but said it would be "soon." Officials are finalizing the details so the visit will be meaningful, Suga said. Kyodo News and other local media said Abe will visit Tehran on June 12-14 and meet with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani. Tensions between the US and Iran have worsened since Washington withdrew last year from a nuclear deal between Iran and several world powers, and re-imposed sanctions on Tehran. "With tensions intensifying in the Middle East, I believe it is extremely important to try to alleviate tension, encourage Iran to abide by the nuclear agreement and play a constructive role for regional stability," ...
Sidhu divested of his portfolio; most Punjab ministers get new one
Hours after the first state Cabinet meeting post Lok Sabha elections, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Thursday evening rejigged the portfolios of most of the ministers, including Navjot Singh Sidhu.
Rajnath reviews defence acquisition issues with top officials
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday reviewed defence acquisition issues with top officials of the ministry and directed them to seek indigenous solutions to meet the forces' requirements to the extent possible. Singh also reviewed defence cooperation activities with friendly foreign countries (FCCs) and the policy matters pertaining to defence diplomacy, including bilateral, multilateral exercises, capacity building, training and material assistance to FFCs. Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra and other top officials of the Ministry of Defence were present at the meeting. "The Defence Minister also reviewed defence acquisition issues. He was briefed about Defence Procurement Procedures (DPP), budget utilisation, major procurements and challenges therein. "The present status of procurements and payments were also briefed along with implications of major deals with countries. He directed officials to seek indigenous solutions for meeting the forces' requirements to the extent ...
Trump says relations with Macron 'outstanding'
US President Donald Trump admitted that there had been past difficulties in his relationship with French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday, but said "right now it's outstanding". "It's been good sometimes and sometimes it hasn't been, but right now it's outstanding. So the relationship that we've had together has been really terrific and I appreciate it very much," Trump told Macron as they met for talks in northern France. Earlier Thursday, they led a ceremony to pay tribute to veterans of the D-Day landings in northern France on the 75th anniversary of the invasion that began the liberation of France and shaped the outcome of World War II. "We've had great success working together too," Trump added at the start of a working lunch with Macron, referring to joint US and French military actions against the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq. "Your military is excellent. My people report back, they say it's absolutely excellent. They work very well together," the US leader ...
No lack of funds to implement proposal for making bus travel for women free: Sisodia
The Delhi government Thursday asserted it has a "concrete plan" to implement the proposal to make travel for women on buses free and said there is no lack of funds for it. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said a "very effective" plan is emerging and a lot of feedback is being received from the people on the proposal. Taking a swipe at the AAP government, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri Thursday said Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has announced the proposal of providing free-ride to women in buses and Metro trains without making any proposal. Rejecting Puri's charge, Sisodia said,"There is a concrete plan and also there is no lack of funds for providing free travel to women in buses and Metro trains." The Union housing and urban affairs minister termed Kejriwal as a "disruptionist" and also likened the AAP government with theories of 'broken window economics and broken window fraud'. The deputy chief minister refused to comment on this barb from Puri, and said "we just want him ..
J&K Congress defers its June 9 meet
The Jammu and Kashmir Congress Thursday deferred its June 9 meeting due to some "important engagement" of senior leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Ambika Soni at national level. "The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) has deferred the meeting that was scheduled to be held in Srinagar on June 9. The new date for the meeting shall be announced shortly," a party spokesman said. The meetingwas deferred as Azad and Soni, who were scheduled to address it,had some important engagements at national level, he added.