Page 2589 - Politics
Sirisena likely to convene Parliament on November 7: Speaker
Sri Lanka's Parliament Speaker Karu Jayasuriya on Friday informed lawmakers that President Maithripala Sirisena was likely to convene Parliament on November 7.
AIBA candidate Rakhimov hints at stepping aside
The leading candidate to run the amateur boxing association has hinted he will take a leave of absence if elected to calm tensions with the International Olympic Committee. The IOC has said Gafur Rakhimov's bid to become president of AIBA could put the association's place in the Olympics at risk. Rakhimov is on a U.S. Treasury Department sanctions list for alleged ties to organized crime and international heroin trafficking. He has denied wrongdoing. Rakhimov, who is AIBA's interim president, says "we are addressing any issues that the IOC would have as a result of the election" through proposed amendments to AIBA rules, particularly "a system that will allow an elected president, whoever that may be, to step aside for a limited period of time, should it be necessary." Rakhimov is running against Serik Konakbayev of Kazakhstan for the AIBA presidency. The election is set for Saturday.
Office of outfit opposing women's entry into Sabarimala vandalised in Kerala
The office of caste-based outfit NSS, which is opposing the Supreme Court verdict allowing women of all age groups into the Sabarimala temple, was vandalised early Friday, police said. The office situated in Nemom near here was allegedly pelted with stones by some miscreants destroying its flag mast and breaking the window panes of a memorial of saint-reformer Chattampi Swamy, located in front of the building, they said. A wreath with the name of Nair Service Society (NSS) president G Sukumaran Nair on it was left behind by the miscreants, police said. The attack on the NSS office, an outfit of the influential Nair community in the state, assumes significance in the wake of its strong stand against the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government's decision to implement the apex court verdict permitting women of all age groups into the Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala. Nair had on Wednesday said the NSS stood firmly with the devotees opposing entry of women in the menstrual age group into .
Youth Congress workers detained during protest over Rafale deal
Activists of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) were detained by police on Friday during a protest against the Narendra Modi government over the Rafale fighter jet deal. IYC president Keshav Chand Yadav and vice president Srinivas along with several other workers of the outfit were marching towards the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) when they were detained near the Tughlaq Road. "It has been proved by Rahul Gandhi today that the Modi government has indulged in corruption over the Rafale deal," Yadav claimed. IYC national spokesperson Amrish Ranjan Pandey alleged that the Modi government is "crushing" constitutional bodies "to hide lies on the Rafale scam". He said the Youth Congress will launch a series of protests across the country over the issue. The detained activists were taken to the Mandir Marg police station, he added.
Cong workers vandalise party offices over ticket distribution
Supporters of some Congress leaders allegedly ransacked the party offices in Raipur and Bilaspur districts alleging unfair distribution of tickets for the upcoming Chhattisgarh Assembly polls. The incidents took place on Thursday evening, a party leader said. The party, however, chose to play down the incidents calling them "minor protests", and claimed that there was no discontent among the workers. Several supporters of Congress leader Ejaz Dhebar, who was eyeing a ticket from Raipur City South constituency, entered the party's state office in the capital late Thursday evening and raised slogans against the leadership. According to the party leader, they allegedly broke chairs, window panes and flower pots during the protest and tried to storm inside the office room of AICC state incharge P L Punia. The protesters, however, later told media persons that they were enraged after Dhebar was denied a ticket. They also said that they spoke to Punia, who assured to take up ..
Election to post of mayor, deputy mayor of SMC a battle between secular and communal forces: JKPCC
The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) Friday said the election to the post of mayor and deputy mayor of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) is a battle between secular and communal forces. "The Congress has emerged as the single largest party in the elections to the SMC held last month. Make no mistake, it is a battle between the Congress-led secular front and the communal forces sponsored by the RSS and the BJP," JKPCC president G A Mir told reporters here. Friday is the last day for filing of nominations for the post of mayor and deputy mayor of the SMC with polling scheduled to be held on November 6. Mir expressed confidence that the Congress candidate will be the next mayor of the SMC as the party has received "overwhelming support from the independent secular minded corporators". He also criticised the move of the state government to amend the Municipal law by bringing an ordinance that would allow secret ballot for the election to these posts. "Why has ...
ULFA attack: Student Union calls for bandh in Assam
The All Assam Bengali Youth Students Federation has called for a 12-hour shutdown in Tinsukia town as a sign of protest against the killings committed by the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) terrorists on Thursday.Five people, identified as Ananta Namasudra, Abinash Namasudra, Subal Das, Dhanai Namasudra and Syamal Biswas, were killed at around 7 pm on Thursday in Bishnoimukh village near Dhola-Sadiya bridge in Tinsukia district."The incident has hurt us. The Union government had promised to protect the Bengalis. But, these claims are in vain. Big leaders must provide us with adequate security, and the guilty should be awarded rigorous punishment," said Shubhankar Dev, the leader of the Student Union.Ministers Keshab Mahanta and Parimal Suklabaidya, accompanied by Director General of Police, Kuladhar Saikia, also reached the spot, even as some local women blocked the Dhola-Tinsukia highway and burned tyres in agitation.Dev further refuted reports of a divide among the Assamese .
Changing political dynamics compelled Naidu to embrace enemy (News Analysis) (Lead, correcting intro)
A few months ago, the TDP chief rubbing shoulders with the Congress president would have been trashed as an April Fool joke but changing political dynamics have compelled Nara Chandrababu Naidu to join hands with a party that has been his enemy for 35 years.
Modi won't survive if Rafale is probed: Rahul
Alleging French defence major Dassault Aviation of paying "kickback" to secure the Rafale deal, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Friday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would not survive if the "huge corruption" in the purchase was probed.
Sri Lanka's Parliament suspension will end on Nov 7: speaker
Sri Lankan Parliament Speaker Karu Jayasuriya said Friday that President Maithripala Sirisena has agreed to summon the legislature on November 7, in a fresh twist to the ongoing political crisis after former strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa replaced Ranil Wickremesinghe as the prime minister. There was confusion since Thursday on the date when the parliamentary deadlock would end as Sirisena had suspended the sittings until November 16. Controversially-appointed prime minister Rajapaksa said Thursday that Parliament would be convened on November 5. This was later denied by Rajapaksa loyalists. President Sirisena's party said on Thursday night that Parliament will not be convened before November 16, contradicting Rajapaksa's office. Harsha de Silva, a Wickremesinghe supporter, said that 115 Members of Parliament belonging to different political parties including Wickremesinghe's United National Party (UNP), the main Tamil party Tamil National Alliance (TNA), the Marxist Janatha Vimukthi ...
Nothing to do with Asia case, asks protestors to end standoff: Army
Pakistan Army on Friday warned hundreds of radical Islamists hardliners not to test their "patience" and asked them to end the standoff peacefully to avoid the use of force as the mass protests against the acquittal of a Christian woman for blasphemy entered its third day. Asia Bibi, a 47-year-old mother of four, was convicted in 2010 after being accused of insulting Islam in a row with her neighbours. She always maintained her innocence, but has spent most of the past eight years in solitary confinement. The apex court's judgement, which was pronounced last Wednesday, triggered protests across Pakistan with protestors led by Islamic political party Tehreek-i-Labaik Pakistan and other groups blocking major highways and roads in different parts of the country. Army spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor told state-run channel PTV that a government team, including a representative of ISI was holding talks with the protestors. He said the Army had seen statements of protest leaders against
Khashoggi was dangerous Islamist: Saudi Crown Prince
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman described murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi as a "dangerous Islamist" in a phone call with President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and National Security Adviser John Bolton, The Washington Post reported
Shivraj Chouhan to contest polls from Budhni constituency
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will contest the upcoming Assembly elections from his home constituency of Budhni in Sehore district.The Central Election Committee (CEC) of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday released the first list of candidates for Madhya Pradesh, comprising candidates for 177 seats in Madhya Pradesh.State ministers Narottam Mishra and Yashodhara Raje Scindia will contest from Datia and Shivpuri seats, respectively.Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections will take place on November 28 to elect members of the 230 constituencies in the state.The election is being considered as a direct political battle between the BJP and the Congress. While Chouhan is attempting to secure a fourth consecutive term, the Congress will fight for regaining power after 2003.The party has also released the names of 28 candidates for Telangana and 24 for Mizoram. So far, the BJP has announced the names of total 66 candidates out of 119 in Telangana and total 37 names of
Rafale an 'open and shut' case, PM Modi won't survive: Rahul
Stepping up attack against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Friday reiterated the alleged Rafale scam is an "open and shut" case, adding that if the inquiry is initiated "Prime Minister Modi is not going to survive".The Congress chief asserted that the alleged Rafale scam is a "PM Modi-Anil Ambani partnership"."Dassault invested Rs 284 crore in the company of Anil Ambani. Anil Ambani bought land with the same money. This is clear that CEO is lying. Why did they invest Rs 284 crore in a loss-making company? Rafale is an open and shut case. It is simply a PM Modi-Anil Ambani partnership," he said.Sharing the details of the alleged scam, Gandhi explained reasons as to why the Rafale deal was bagged by Reliance Defense."The Dassault CEO said that the reason HAL wasn't given the contract and Anil Ambani was given the contract because he had land, now, the things turned out that the land Anil Ambani had was purchased for him with money that he got from ...
If inquiry is ordered over Rafale, Modi won't survice: Rahul
Stepping up the attack on the Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Rafale deal, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Friday said that if there was nothing to hide Modi would have ordered an inquiry into the decision to purchase fighter jets from France.
BJP's 1st list for MP, Telangana, Mizoram out
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday issued its first list of 229 candidates for the single phase November 28 assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and Mizoram.
Changing political dynamics compelled Naidu to embrace enemy (News Analysis)
A few months ago, the TDP chief rubbing shoulders with the Congress president would have been trashed as an April Fool joke but changing political dynamics have compelled Nara Chandrababu Naidu to join hands with Rajiv Gandhi, his enemy of 35 years.
Trump, Xi upbeat on U.S.-China trade; U.S. targets more Chinese firms
WASHINGTON/BEIJING (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping both expressed optimism on Thursday about resolving their bitter trade disputes ahead of a high-stakes meeting planned for the two leaders at the end of November in Argentina.
Andhra CM stabbing his own party members: Ram Madhav
In response to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu's meeting with Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) General Secretary Ram Madhav claimed that Naidu is not following the principles of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and is back-stabbing his own party members by taking such moves."Naidu first backstabbed N. T. Rama Rao (former Andhra Pradesh CM) and now he is backstabbing his party members. He met Rahul and other members in order to remain in power," he told reporters here on Thursday.Training guns at the Opposition, Madhav said that Congress' motto is to pull every political outfit down and join the bandwagon of the defeated under their "motto" - Hum toh doobe hain saath main tumhe bhi doobange (if we go down, we'll take you down with us).Naidu met the Gandhi scion in an attempt to stitch an alliance against the ruling government ahead of the 2019 polls. Speaking to media, the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister had said, "We (TDP and Congress) are coming .
Asia eyes US midterm elections with anxiety, hope
Hope and anxiety hang over Asia and north Asia in particular ahead of Tuesday's US midterm election. President Donald Trump has shaken up Asia, as he has much of the world. Now Beijing, Seoul and other Asian capitals are waiting to see if the Democrats wrest control of at least one house of Congress from the Republicans and whether that would significantly alter US foreign policy and trade initiatives. In South Korea, the concern is that Trump might sour on North Korea after months of bold engagement. For China, the hope is he might be forced to ease off on trade. A look at how the election is being watched in China, South Korea and Japan While the Chinese public does not focus much on US congressional elections in most years, it is now, thanks to Trump's policies toward China, said Yu Wanli, an expert on US studies at Beijing Language and Culture University. "People are hoping that the result of the election could change China-US relations," Yu said. The world's two biggest ...