Page 2599 - Politics
Trump: Number of troops sent to border could reach 15,000
President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the number of military troops deployed to the US-Mexican border could go as high as 15,000 as he draws a hard line on immigration in the lead-up to the midterm elections. With his eyes squarely on next Tuesday's contests, Trump has rushed a series of immigration declarations, promises and actions as he tries to mobilize supporters to retain Republican control of Congress. His own Republican campaign in 2016 concentrated on border fears, and that's his focus in the final week of the midterm fight. "As far as the caravan is concerned, our military is out," Trump said Wednesday. "We have about 5,800. We'll go up to anywhere between 10,000 and 15,000 military personnel on top of Border Patrol, ICE and everybody else at the border." Trump rejected the idea he was "fearmongering" or using the issue for political purposes, but his escalating rhetoric in the waning days of the campaign season call into question the denial. Trump has railed against ...
UN welcomes moves to restart negotiations on Western Sahara
The UN Security Council has approved a resolution welcoming stepped up efforts to try to restart negotiations to end the 42-year conflict over the mineral-rich Western Sahara between Morocco and the Polisario Front. Morocco annexed Western Sahara in 1975 and fought the Polisario Front until the UN brokered a cease-fire in 1991. A peacekeeping mission established to monitor it was also mandated to help prepare a referendum on the territory's future that has never taken place. Wednesday's vote on the US-sponsored resolution extending the mission's mandate until April 30, 2019, was 12-0 with Russia, Ethiopia and Bolivia abstaining. Bolivia's UN Ambassador Sasha Llorentty Soliz welcomed an upcoming roundtable of key parties but complained that the resolution neglected the crucial issue of self-determination of the people of Western Sahara.
US-SKorea to decide fate of future drills after review
Seoul and Washington will decide in the coming weeks whether to continue suspending large-scale joint military drills, South Korea's defense minister said Wednesday. After President Donald Trump met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in June, the US said it would suspend "select" exercises with South Korea, including the large-scale Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercises over the summer. The two allies this month announced they would also suspend a December drill called "Vigilant Ace" to give diplomats more time to negotiate with North Korea on its nuclear arsenal. Speaking alongside US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis at the Pentagon, South Korean Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo said officials were conducting a review on what to do about future "major, large-scale exercises." "We will make our final decision on any major exercises (that could happen) in the next year before the first of December," Jeong said. US and South Korean forces have been training together for years, and routinely ..
'Bus service between China, Pakistan violates India's sovereignty, territorial integrity'
The Ministry of External Affairs on Wednesday stated that the proposed idea of a bus service between Lahore (Pakistan) and Tashkurgan (Kashgar - China) violates India's "sovereignty and territorial integrity.""We have lodged strong protests with China and Pakistan on the proposed bus service that will operate through Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir under the so-called 'China-Pakistan Economic Corridor'," Official Spokesperson of the MEA said in a statement."It is Government of India's consistent and well-known position that the so-called China-Pakistan 'Boundary Agreement' of 1963 is illegal and invalid, and has never been recognised by the Government of India. Therefore, any such bus service through Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir will be a violation of India's sovereignty and territorial integrity," the statement added.The Indian Foreign Ministry's statement comes after China and Pakistan earlier announced that the locals of the two countries will soon have a bus service ...
S Africa home affairs minister lied under oath: watchdog
South Africa's public standards watchdog said Tuesday that the home affairs minister had violated the constitution when he lied under oath in court, triggering immediate calls for him to resign. Malusi Gigaba, 47, was investigated by the public protector ombudswoman after testifying last year in a court case filed by a company controlled by the wealthy Oppenheimer family. Public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane in her report recommended that President Cyril Ramaphosa take disciplinary action against the minister for "telling an untruth under oath and before a court of law". The allegations were probed after a complaint from the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) party. "The DA has repeatedly called for constitutional delinquent Gigaba to be sacked, yet inexplicably he has remained a fixture in the cabinets of both Jacob Zuma and Cyril Ramaphosa," the party said in a statement. The court case hinged on whether Gigaba had given the Oppenheimers' approval to have a private terminal at ...
Army's northern command chief visits border posts in Poonch
The chief of the Army's northern command, Lieutenant General Ranbir Singh, visited forward posts in Poonch and Nowshera sectors in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday to review the operational preparedness and the prevailing security situation. The visit came days after the Indian Army carried out retaliatory action and hit Pakistan Army's administrative headquarters across the Line of Control (LOC). The action was in retaliation to the recent shelling in Poonch and Jhallas. During the visit, Lt. Gen Ranbir Singh was accompanied by White Knight Corps Commander Lt. Gen Paramjit Singh and was briefed by the officers on ground about the current operational and prevailing security situation and the preparedness of the formations, an Army officer said. The northern command chief was also briefed on the actions being taken to ensure a robust counter-infiltration and counter-terrorist grid to enable continued peace and stability in the region, he said. Lt. Gen Ranbir Singh interacted with the ...
Britain eyes Brexit deal by Nov 21: minister
Britain's Brexit minister believes there could be a divorce deal with the European Union by November 21, it emerged Wednesday, although Downing Street was more cautious. Dominic Raab made the comment in a letter to the House of Commons Brexit scrutiny committee, dated October 24 but only now made public. "I would be happy to give evidence to the committee when a deal is finalised, and currently expect 21 November to be suitable," he wrote. Both Raab and Oliver Robbins, Prime Minister Theresa May's chief Brexit advisor, have been invited to address the committee on that date. Most of the divorce deal with Brussels is agreed but talks remain stuck on how to avoid new checks on Britain's land border with EU member Ireland after it leaves the bloc's single market and customs union. Raab will visit the UK province of Northern Ireland on Friday on a "fact-finding trip", which will include meetings with local businesses and politicians, an official in his ministry told AFP. EU leaders had ...
I may face raids by CBI, ED if I speak against party: Goa BJP MLA
Goa BJP MLA and former Deputy Chief Minister Francis D'Souza, who returned here Wednesday after undergoing treatment in the United States, claimed that he might face raids from central agencies if he spoke against his own party. D'Souza, dropped from the Goa cabinet owing to his ill-health, had earlier expressed resentment over the decision. Talking to reporters after his return from the US, he said he feared for his future. "For the last twenty years, I have not been in wrong news. I do not know what will happen from tomorrow," said D'Souza who was law minister in the Manohar Parrikar-led cabinet before being dropped. "I might get raided by Income Tax, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Enforcement Directorate (ED), or I may be even booked under the National Security Act for speaking against the party," he said. D'Souza alleged that a former minister in the earlier Laxmikant Parsekar government was raided by the Income Tax department after he spoke against the party for not ...
TDP chief to discuss opposition unity with Rahul on Thursday
Intensifying his efforts to build opposition alliance to take on the BJP, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu will meet Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday.
IWPC expresses shock over DD cameraman's killing
Indian Women's Press Corps (IWPC) on Wednesday expressed deep shock and outrage at the killing of Doordarshan camera-person Achyutanand Sahu in a Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh a day ago and demanded investigation into the matter.
EC will have to gain voters' confidence with EVMs: Zaidi
Former Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi on Wednesday said the commission will have to gain the voters' trust in Electronic Voting Machines, which have been targeted by political parties for "digital manipulation" of votes.
Don't 'forgive' Modi in 2019 LS polls: Yashwant Sinha to farmers
Former Union minister Yashwant Sinha on Wednesday said people should not "forgive" Prime Minister Narendra Modi and "uproot" his government in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. He was addressing a farmers' gathering at Vanthali in Gujarat's Junagadh district, around 300 km from here. "This government has failed on all fronts. Everyone is suffering, be it farmers, youth, women or Dalits. Only new slogans are being given. The only solution is to uproot this government in the next (Lok Sabha) polls," Sinha said. "I want to apologise because I was also part of the BJP when promises were made ahead of 2014 (general) elections. But I do not want you to forgive him (Modi) in the next polls," he said. The former finance minister has been a vocal critic of the current Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government and resigned from the party in April this year. Sinha was invited by Patidar leader Hardik Patel to address the farmers. Commenting on the unveiling of a 182-metre statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai .
India lodges strong protests with Pak, China over PoK bus service
India Wednesday said it has lodged strong protests with China and Pakistan over a proposed bus service between the two countries through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said on Wednesday the bus service will be a violation of India's sovereignty and territorial integrity. According to reports, the new bus service will be launched between Lahore in Pakistan and Kashgar in China via Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on November 13. Kumar said it has been India's consistent and well-known position that the "so-called China-Pakistan 'Boundary Agreement' of 1963 is illegal and invalid, and has never been recognised by the Government of India." "Therefore, any such bus service through Pakistan Occupied Jammu & Kashmir will be a violation of India's sovereignty and territorial integrity," he added. The MEA spokesperson was responding to media queries regarding the proposed bus
Internal fued in CBI example of misuse of agencies by Modi government: Congress
The Congress on Wednesday termed the internal fued in the CBI top bosses as the live example of the Modi government "misusing" the investigating agencies in the country against its political opponents and said it never happened in the country's history.
Demonetisation broke Maoists' backbone, claims report
The demonetisation decision of government in 2016 broke the backbone of Maoists in Chhattisgarh, leading to more number maoist arrests than ever and less number of attacks by them, claimed a report published by a right-wing think-tank.
Stranded goldsmiths return from Iran
Eleven goldsmiths from West Bengal, who had been stranded in Iran for the past several months, returned on Wednesday following intervention of the Centre. The youths from Hooghly, Cooch Behar, Howrah and Burdwan districts had gone to Iran in February but their travel documents were allegedly seized by their employer, a member of an NGO National Anti-trafficking Committee (NATC) said. The NGO had been trying to bring back the youths since mid-October. "We had informed the ministry of external affairs, Prime Ministers Office, West Bengal Chief Minister's office, ADG CID and Embassy of Islamic Republic of Iran, New Delhi. Finally, their return was possible with the effort of all concerned as the company which had taken them to Iran agreed to pay their air fare following the intervention of MEA," the NATC member said. "After reaching Iran in February 2018, things were fine in the initial months. But after two months, our salaries were stopped and we had no money to fend ...
BJP 'champion' in taking away tribal lands: Congress
Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said Wednesday that the Raman Singh-led BJP government in Chhattisgarh has become a "champion" in snatching natural resources away from tribals and handing them over it to businessmen. It diluted laws for this purpose, he alleged. "The people of Bastar have been bearing the brunt of this brutal Raman Singh government for 15 years. This government has done nothing except looting jal-jungle-zameen (water, forest and land) of tribals and handing them over to a few businessmen. "It has become a champion in it," Surjewala said at a press conference in Jagdalpur, the headquarters of Bastar district. The government diluted the laws meant to protect the land of tribals so that it can be taken away, he said. The Congress spokesperson also accused the BJP government at the Centre and in the state of betraying forest-dwellers by reducing the minimum support price (MSP) for forest produce fixed by the earlier Congress government. In the last ..
SC wants pricing, offset partner details of Rafale deal
The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought more information from the government on the Rafale jet deal, including details of its pricing and deemed advantages.
Journalist bodies demand action in killing of journalist by Naxals in Dantewada
Journalist bodies Wednesday urged the government to probe the killing of a scribe in a Naxal attack in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district and take adequate measures to prevent such incidents in the future. One mediaperson and two policemen were killed in the attack which took place in Dantewada's Aranpur area Tuesday. Two other security personnel were also injured in the attack. The mediaperson who died was Achyutananda Sahu, a cameraman with state-run broadcaster Doordarshan. Condemning the attack, the Indian Women's Press Corps and the Press Association in a joint statement said it was deplorable that journalists and innocent persons continued to be collateral victims in conflict areas and situations. "Not long back, the media fraternity lost another of its colleagues, Shujaat Bukhari, who was shot dead in Srinagar. We demand that the Union and the state government concerned investigate the killing and take adequate measures to prevent such incidents that have devastating ...
Top Cong leaders meet to select candidates for MP, Rajasthan assembly polls
Top Congress leaders held a meeting on Wednesday to select the party's candidates for assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. However, the party did not announce the name of any candidate. The party's central election committee, headed by Congress president Rahul Gandhi, held separate discussions for selecting candidates for Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Top Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh, were part of the deliberations. State Congress presidents and senior leaders were also present during the discussions. While the meeting for selecting candidate for Rajasthan was held in the morning, that for Madhya Pradesh was held in the evening and continued till late night. Sources said another round of meeting will be held Thursday to finalise candidates for Rajasthan polls, amid differences between state leaders over candidates for various seats. While the Madhya Pradesh assembly election will be held on November 28, that in Rajasthan would be held on ..