Page 2598 - Politics
Shiv Sena attacks Fadnavis govt on completion of 4 years
On the occasion of Maharashtra government's fourth anniversary, Shiv Sena, in its mouthpiece Saamna, launched a blistering attack at the Devendra Fadnavis government and criticised it over a number of issues.Shiv Sena downplayed achievements claimed by Fadnavis during his tenure and asked his government to look at issues such as malnutrition and Maratha reservation."The chief minister claimed that in last four years he has brought Maharashtra on the top spot. In what segments did he achieve the first spot? Price rise, unemployment, hollow work or anything else? The statistics of malnutrition in Maharashtra is continuously increasing. Who will take the responsibility of Bhima-Koregaon violence, Maratha reservation march and social unrest?" read the editorial in Saamna, published on Thursday.The Shiv Sena also debunked the speculations of a possible alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the upcoming elections and said, "In his fourth year, the chief minister has started ...
Kim Jong-un criticises international sanctions
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un strongly criticised international sanctions against his country while slamming "hostile forces" that are hampering his country's efforts in improving the lives of people.Kim made the statement during a visit to the construction site of the Wonsan-Kalma tourist area, Yonhap News Agency reported, quoting Korean Central News Agency (KCNA)."The hostile forces are foolishly keen on vicious sanctions to stand in our way towards promotion of people's wellbeing and development and to lead us to change and submission," the North Korean leader said.Kim also claimed that North Korea has been built by its own strength, technology, and efforts while saying, "They will be made to clearly see over time how our country that has built its strength hundreds of times defying hardship to build its own country as a powerful nation by its own strength, technology, and efforts," he mentioned.KCNA quoted Kim as stating that "on-target impact" on hostile forces will be made ...
J-K: Stone pelters attack ANI OB van
An Outside Broadcasting (OB) van of Asian News International (ANI) came under attack after an encounter with terrorists broke out in the Budgham district of Jammu and Kashmir.Stone pelters smashed the windshield of the OB-van even as the vehicle was identifiable with a large dish antenna fitted atop its roof and 'Press' placard posted on the front.The crew was on an assignment covering the encounter in which two terrorists were gunned down by security forces in the Zagoo Arizal area of Budgam district on Thursday morning.Security personnel soon provided a cover to the reporters and cameramen, forcing the stone pelters to retreat.In a video of the incident, a mob can be seen hurling stones at security forces and media crew.The attack on the media has come just two days after a video journalist working for state broadcaster Doordarshan was killed in a Naxal attack in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh state.The Editors Guild, in a statement, said, "Creating a safe environment for media .
Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena lifts suspension of parliament
Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has lifted the suspension of parliament and summoned a meeting of the legislature on Monday to end the current political stalemate in the country over the sudden sacking of prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, officials said Thursday. Sirisena replaced Wickremesinghe with former president Mahinda Rajapaksa in a dramatic turn of events last Friday. Sirisena also suspended Parliament until November 16, which experts said was meant to buy time to engineer crossovers from Wickremesinghe's side to Rajapaksa in the 225 member parliament to reach the 113 majority mark. He was under increasing political and diplomatic pressure to reconvene Parliament and resolve the crisis. The president has agreed to call a parliamentary session on November 5, officials at Rajapaksa's office said. Sirisena and parliament Speaker Karu Jayasuria discussed the issue yesterday. Sirisena later indicated that he may call the session next week. Jayasuriya's office, however,
Sri Lankan President to convene Parliament on Nov 5
Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has decided to convene Parliament on November 5 to settle the ongoing political crisis, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse said on Thursday.
Political incitement to violence against journalists 'toxic': UN experts
Political incitement to violence against journalists is 'toxic', a group of independent, UN-appointed human rights experts have said as they called on nations to take firm steps to ensure accountability for attacks against scribes. They particularly highlighted the killing earlier this month of Saudi dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and condemned the response of UN member states, the international community and the United Nations itself, for the failure to address his enforced disappearance and apparent murder. Khashoggi was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. The Saudis, under intense pressure to explain Khashoggi's whereabouts, have offered conflicting accounts. They initially said he had left the consulate on October 2, but later admitted that he had been killed in a fight. "The only way forward is to establish an independent, transparent and credible investigation into his murder, one authorised by and reporting to the United Nations. Anything short of
S Korea's Moon: N Korean leader Kim to visit Seoul 'soon'
South Korean President Moon Jae-in said Thursday that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will "soon" visit Seoul as part of a flurry of high-profile diplomacy aimed at ridding North Korea of its nuclear weapons. During a speech before parliament, Moon said that a second North Korea-US summit is "near at hand" and that Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to visit North Korea soon. Moon also said he expected Kim to visit Russia soon and that Kim may meet with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Moon has previously said that Kim told him he would visit Seoul within this year when the leaders met in Pyongyang in September. South Korea's presidential office said later Thursday that it had nothing to add to Moon's speech about Kim's trip. His comments were in line with previous statements, the Blue House said. They suggest that Moon is determined to push ahead with diplomacy to resolve the nuclear issue. "Now, based on firm trust among one another, South and North Korea and the United ...
Mizoram parties need not visit Bru camps for poll campaigns: Rights body
The apex body of Bru refugees in Tripura has appealed to political parties in Mizoram to refrain from visiting the relief camps for poll campaigns, ahead of the November 28 elections to the 40-member Assembly. R Laldawngliana, the vice president of Mizoram Bru Displaced People's Forum (MBDPF), said the community members were not keen on attending public meetings by parties from Mizoram. "We do not welcome poll canvassing inside the camps. The members here are not looking forward to attending public meetings by the parties, just before the polls," he said. The general secretary of the outfit, Bruno Msha, said unorganised campaigns by political parties could lead to a law-and-order situation. He, however, clarified that political parties have to approach the MBDPF leadership if they wish to carry out campaigns in the region. "If any political party wishes to hold a public rally, it should get in touch with the MBDPF leadership. We do not wish to create any law-and-order situation in the
Trump shocks with racist new ad before midterms
In the most racially charged national political ad in 30 years, US President Donald Trump and the Republican Party have accused Democrats of plotting to help Central American "invaders" overrun the nation with police killers, CNN reported on Thursday.
Masood Azhar confirms death of nephew in Kashmir
Masood Azhar, Jaish-e-Muhammad chief and Kandahar hijacking mastermind, has confirmed the killing of his nephew, Usman Ibrahim by the Indian security forces in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Tral.Azhar himself has confirmed this in an audio recording as he has asked the Kashmiris to stand against India and launch an offensive.In the audio clip, Azhar said, "My beloved nephew Usman Ibrahim and a Kashmiri fighter, Shaukat Ahmed have sacrificed their lives. A large number of people gathered to pay tribute to Shaukat Ahmad and still Indians claim that Kashmir is an integral part of India? They should feel ashamed."Jaish-e-Muhammad militant Usman Ibrahim is the second nephew of Azhar to be killed in Kashmir in a span of less than a year.Azhar while praising the "sacrifice" of his nephew said, "18-year old Usman Ibrahim has sacrificed his life at this young age. Usman's visit to Kashmir is not illegal, but India's entry into Kashmir's territory is illegal."He asked the Kashmiris to ...
US allies 'temporarily' halt campaign against IS in Syria
The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces have announced a pause in their campaign against the Islamic State (IS) terror group following clashes with Turkish forces, according to American military officials.
US urges Pakistan to enact law banning radical groups
The US has urged Pakistan to immediately enact a legislation that formally ban radical religious groups, a media report said on Thursday.
Japan resumes work at disputed site for US base relocation
Japan's central government resumed work at a disputed US military base relocation site on Okinawa on Thursday even though residents see the project as an undemocratic imposition on the small southern island. The Defense Ministry's branch on the island said an early stage of landfill work at Henoko on Okinawa's east coast began Thursday morning. Construction workers were setting up floats to mark the designated landfill area, making it off-limits to the public, including protesters, said Satoshi Shirakata, a spokesman at the Okinawa Defense Bureau overseeing the Henoko project. At the centre of contention is a decades-old plan to move a Marine Corps air station from densely populated Futenma in the southern part of the island to less-crowded Henoko on the east coast. Many Okinawans say the presence of so many US troops on the island is burdensome already and they want the air station moved off the island entirely. Defense Ministry officials said the resumption of work at Henoko ...
Enough supply of petroleum for countries to cut oil import from Iran: Trump
President Donald Trump said on Wednesday in a presidential memorandum that he had determined there was sufficient supply of petroleum and petroleum products for countries to "significantly" reduce their purchase of crude oil from Iran, which is going face US sanctions from November 5. In May, Trump had pulled out of the 2015 landmark nuclear deal, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) terming it as "disastrous". Under the Obama-era deal, involving five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and Germany, Iran had agreed to stop its nuclear programme in exchange of relief from economic sanctions. Moments after coming out the deal Trump had signed fresh set of sanctions against Iran and warned countries against any cooperation with Tehran on its controversial nuclear weapons programme. In his presidential determination, Trump said "there is a sufficient supply of petroleum and petroleum products from countries other than Iran to permit a significant reduction ..
Goa CM holds cabinet meeting at his residence, discusses several issues
Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Wednesday evening held a cabinet meeting at his residence in Taleigao near Panaji.Present at the meeting were PWD minister Sudin Dhavlikar, town and country planning minister Vijai Sardesai and panchayat minister Mauvin Godinho.While talking to media, Dhavlikar said issues related to state IT policy and PWD engineers' remuneration, among others, were discussed in the meeting.After attending the cabinet meeting, Godinho said that the Chief Minister participated in the discussion and even gave his "valuable suggestions"."Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar needs a little rest. He is meeting party people tomorrow, agenda has been cleared. Normal functioning would not be impacted," Godinho said."The Chief Minister is fully fit. He participated in the discussion, gave his valuable suggestions. Except for the fact that the meeting didn't take place at the Secretariat, everything else was like a normal cabinet meeting," he added.Earlier on Tuesday, Parrikar
Norwegian diplomat appointed as UN special envoy for Syria
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday announced the appointment of Norwegian diplomat Geir Pedersen as his new special envoy to Syria, media reported.
MP polls: Shivraj Chouhan tears into Rahul Gandhi
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday took a dig at Congress president Rahul Gandhi over his recent statement on the latter's son's name figuring in the Panama Papers.While addressing a public rally in Jabua on Monday, Rahul Gandhi said that Kartikey Chouhan was named in the Panama papers. However, the very next day, the Congress president clarified that he got confused when he leveled allegations against the chief minister's son.On Wednesday, Kartikey filed a criminal defamation case against the Congress chief .Reacting to the allegations levelled by Rahul Gandhi , Chouhan said, "After Rahul Gandhi put allegations on me and my son, media asked him for proof. However, he said that he got confused. If you will keep getting confused like this, then how will you run the country?"He further alleged that Rahul Gandhi went to a restaurant in Indore on Tuesday to have ice cream and referred to senior Congress leader, "Kamal ice cream bohat achi hai tum bhi khao. ..
US, South Korea renew mutual military commitment
The US Defense Department on Wednesday promised South Korea that it would maintain bilateral military cooperation, adding that it will also continue with the program of joint military maneuvers to confront "the security challenges" in the region.
Venezuelan journalist Petkoff, ex-guerrilla leader, dies
Teodoro Petkoff, a giant of Venezuela's politics who led a band of communist guerrillas in his youth before winning the praise of Wall Street in a top government post and then launching a newspaper that fearlessly railed against socialist President Hugo Chavez, died Wednesday. Xabier Coscojuela, editor of the newspaper Tal Cual, said the paper's founder died after a long illness. Petkoff was 86. Petkoff was celebrated as a critical thinker who maintained his political independence within an opposition movement weakened by cronyism and infighting. He promoted conservative economic policies, which Latin American leftists considered a betrayal. "Teodoro Petkoff was a mentor to at least three generations of Venezuelans. I count myself among them," playwright, essayist and former Tal Cual columnist Ibsen Martinez told The Associated Press. "He instilled in us the idea that democracy and tolerance ... are the essence of social justice." Petkoff's life story reads more like a Hollywood movie
Trump, Democrats kick off final midterm campaign blitz
President Donald Trump launched an eight-state campaign blitz on Wednesday, seeking to shore up Senate Republicans and GOP gubernatorial candidates against an onslaught of Democratic surrogates, including entertainment icon Oprah Winfrey. Trump will crisscross the nation, landing him in Senate battlefields such as Indiana, Missouri and Florida along with nail-biter contests for governor in Georgia and Ohio. Winfrey, who offered crucial support to President Barack Obama during his 2008 rise, will campaign Thursday for Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, who is attempting to become the nation's first black female governor. Obama plans to campaign Friday for Abrams in Atlanta and in Miami to boost Florida Sen. Bill Nelson and Tallahassee mayor Andrew Gillum, who is running for governor. On Sunday, the former president will be in Gary, Indiana, for Sen. Joe Donnelly, who is among the most endangered Senate Democrats, and in his hometown of Chicago for J.B. Pritzker, .