Page 2620 - Politics
PM Modi holds summit talks with Abe
India and Japan signed six agreements, including on a high speed rail project and naval cooperation, and agreed to hold 2+2 dialogue after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe held talks Monday during which they discussed a range of bilateral, regional and global issues including the situation in the Indo-Pacific region. During the 13th annual summit, the two prime ministers reviewed developments in bilateral relations and explored new areas of cooperation, focusing on shared vision for peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific, where China is flexing its muscles. The two leaders agreed that India and Japan must work together for a rules-based and inclusive world order that fosters trust and confidence by enhancing communication and connectivity to ensure rule of law, unimpeded trade and flow of people, technology and ideas for shared prosperity. They agreed to hold a 2+2 dialogue between the Foreign Ministers and Defence Ministers of the two countries. .
China congratulates Brazil president-elect Bolsonaro
Beijing on Monday congratulated Jair Bolsonaro -- a former army captain who has accused China of "buying Brazil" -- on winning his country's presidential elections. Beijing "congratulates" Bolsonaro and will continue to "deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and promote common development of both countries to benefit the two peoples", said foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang at a regular press briefing. Though Bolsonaro has vowed to implement free-market reforms in Latin America's biggest economy, the president-elect said his privatisation pledge would not extend to the core businesses of oil company Petrobras and electricity group Electrobras, singling out China as a concern. "China isn't buying in Brazil -- China is buying Brazil," Bolsonaro said earlier this month in an interview with Brazilian media Band TV. In February, Bolsonaro visited Taiwan, breaking convention with Beijing's One-China policy, which regards the self-governing island as a renegade province. Despite that, Lu ...
India, Japan sign USD 75 bn currency swap agreement
India and Japan Monday concluded a USD 75 billion bilateral currency swap agreement, a move that will help in bringing greater stability in foreign exchange and capital markets in the country. The agreement will further strengthen and widen the depth and diversity of economic cooperation between the two countries. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is visiting Japan, and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe held delegation-level talks during which the two leaders discussed a range of bilateral, regional and global issues including the situation in the Indo-Pacific region. "With a view to enhancing financial and economic cooperation, governments of Japan and India welcomed the agreement to conclude a Bilateral Swap Arrangement (BSA) of USD 75 billion," said India-Japan Vision Statement issued after the summit-level meeting between the two leaders. The swap agreement, a Finance Ministry's release said, should "aid in bringing greater stability to foreign exchange and capital markets in ...
BJP tries to polarise views on Ram Mandir issue before elections: Congress
Congress has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of polarising views on the controversial Ram Mandir issue every time before elections.Addressing a press conference here on Monday, senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram said: "This is a familiar story. Every five years before elections, the BJP tries to polarise views on Ram Mandir (issue). The Congress party's position is that the matter is before the Supreme Court. Everyone should wait until the Supreme Court decides. I don't think we should jump the gun."Responding to Congress leader Shashi Tharoor's statement where he likened Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "a scorpion sitting on a shivling", Chidambaram said that it is a complete "non-issue". "Shashi Tharoor did not make that comment. Shashi Tharoor has already clarified that he was quoting an article in the magazine which was published some six years ago. It is a complete non-issue because with time - the author changes, the context changes and the word changes," he ...
AIADMK announces by-election in-charges
The ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu Monday announced a list of leaders led by Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam as 'By-election In-charges' for 20 assembly constituencies, including those which have fallen vacant following disqualification of 18 party MLAs loyal to rival leader TTV Dhinakaran. The 20 constituencies included Tiruvarur and Thiruparankundram, where by-polls are due following the recent death of sitting MLAs-late DMK chief M Karunanidhi and A K Bose of the AIADMK. By-polls have not been announced for any of the segments so far. Panneerselvam, the AIADMK Coordinator, will be the in-charge for Andipatti and Periakulam (SC)--both in Theni district, according to a statement issued by him and Chief Minister K Palaniswami, who is the Joint Coordinator. AIADMK's move comes days after the Madras High Court upheld the disqualification of 18 party MLAs by Speaker P Dhanapal last year, after they expressed no confidence in Palaniswami and vacated a stay on conduct of .
Merkel will step down as chancellor in 2021: source
Angela Merkel will step down as German chancellor when her mandate ends in 2021, a party source said Monday, following a series of political crises and regional vote debacles rocking her fragile coalition. She told party top brass her mandate running to 2021 will be "her last term", a party source told AFP, adding that she has no plans to seek a post in the European Commission following that despite speculation to that effect in Brussels.
Modi's CBI and Mamata's CID have no differnce : Adhir
Senior Congress leader and MP, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury today questioned the TMC leadership for keeping mum on the Rafale deal and said there is no difference in functioning of CBI and the CID in West Bengal under BJP and TMC regimes respectively. Chowdhury, who is the former West Bengal PCC president, questioned TMC's silence on the Rafale deal even as several opposition parties have spoken out against it. Congress chief Rahul Gandhi stepping up offensive against the government for forcing the CBI director to go on leave had dubbed the action as "illegal" and a "panic eaction" to cover up Rafale deal evidence "The functioning of CBI under the BJP regime at the Centre and the CID in the state under the TMC have no difference. Both the agencies are being used by the ruling parties respectively to serve their own political purposes," Chowdhury said. He said, "When opposition parties have spoken out against the Rafale scam, TMC has maintained a silence on this issue. Why are
Delhi govt appoints transport minister's advisor as vice-chairman of DDC
The Delhi government Monday appointed Jasmine Shah, advisor to Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot, as vice-chairman of Dialogue and Development Commission of Delhi (DDCD), an advisory body of the Arvind Kejriwal dispensation, an official said. Shah, an alumni of IIT-Madras and Columbia University, has been advising the government since 2016 on budgetary and transport policy reforms. The appointment of Shah was cleared at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Kejriwal. The vice-chairman of DDCD enjoys cabinet-level position. He will succeed Ashish Khetan, who resigned in April this year. Later, Khetan also quit the Aam Aadmi Party. After his appointment as vice-chairman of DDCD, Shah said he will try to ensure Delhi government's policies have maximum impact on the lives of common people. "It's an honour and a privilege to serve as the VC of Delhi's Dialogue and Development Commission. Thank you for the opportunity @ArvindKejriwal @msisodia sir! Will leave no stone unturned in ...
SC refuses to hear fresh petition in Rafale deal
The Supreme Court on Monday refused to hear a fresh petition filed in connection with the Rafale deal.A three-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi said, "We are already hearing many petitions in the issue", adding: "What is the need to hear fresh petition?"Earlier on Saturday, the central government submitted the details of the decision-making process pertaining to the deal to the top court's Secretary-General in a sealed cover.The apex court, while hearing a petition, had sought the said information from the Centre without divulging technical details and prices of the Rafale fighter jets.The opposition Congress party has been alleging irregularities in the high-profile Defence fighter jets contract signed between India and France in 2016 under National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.In 2012, during the United Progressive Alliance's (UPA) tenure, India planned to buy 18 off-the-shelf jets from France, with 108 others to be assembled in the
China says leaders from 18 countries to participate in import fair next week
BEIJING (Reuters) - A total of 18 countries' leaders will be coming to next week's major import expo in China's commercial hub of Shanghai, the government said on Monday, ranging from Russia and Pakistan to the tiny Cook Islands, though none from major Western nations.
Transformed 'bimaru' MP into a developed state: Shivraj Chouhan
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday said the Congress party handing over the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government a bimaru or sick state in 2003, which he claimed to have transformed into a developed one."The Congress had destroyed Madhya Pradesh. With a lot of efforts, we have changed it from a bimaru state into a developed state. We have to make it enriched now," Chouhan told reporters here.Chouhan also urged people to vote for the BJP in the forthcoming assembly elections, so as to "take Madhya Pradesh forward.""I request people to vote for the BJP so that we can take Madhya Pradesh forward," the Chief Minister said.Earlier, BJP president Amit Shah had also alleged that it was the Congress government which made Madhya Pradesh a "bimaru state".The elections, which were earlier seen as a direct political battle between the ruling BJP and the Congress party, is now seeing many political parties coming to the fray.Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led ...
Saudi, Turkish prosecutors discuss Khashoggi killing
Top Saudi and Turkish prosecutors on Monday discussed the investigation into the killing of Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi, a show of cooperation despite differences over which country should try 18 suspects who were detained in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia's top prosecutor, Saud al-Mojeb, met Istanbul's chief public prosecutor, Irfan Fidan, for one hour and 15 minutes at the main courthouse in Turkey's biggest city, Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency said. The two countries are running a joint investigation of the killing, though Turkey has been leaking information about the case to the media in an apparent effort to pressure its regional rival for full disclosure. Turkey is seeking the extradition of the Saudi suspects detained for the killing in the Saudi Consulate, which happened after Khashoggi entered the building on Oct. 2. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir, however, says the kingdom will try the perpetrators and bring them to justice after the investigation is ...
J&K is 'on fire' because of Modi's 'mistakes': Rahul
Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Monday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made "mistakes" on Jammu and Kashmir, as a result of which the state is "on fire". Addressing a public meeting here, Gandhi also alleged that the 'One-Rank, One-Pension' scheme has not been implemented so far and the prime minister was speaking "lies" on the issue. He said a couple of days back, a delegation of ex- servicemen met him and said they had trusted Modi over OROP but were "disappointed" now. The prime minister "claims that OROP has been implemented. He speaks lies. OROP has not been implemented so far. Modi ji claims but ex-servicemen said it was not executed," the Congress leader said. Referring to Jammu and Kashmir, he said the state is "on fire" right now, apparently referring to the latest killings in the state by the terrorists. The Modi government "opened the doors of J&K for terrorists. No politician was martyred in J&K but army men are laying their lives there ...
India, Qatar establish joint commission
India and Qatar on Monday established a joint commission to review all bilateral matters, as well as regional and global issues of mutual interest.
Rajapaksa assumes duties as new PM
Former Sri Lankan strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa assumed duties as the country's new Prime Minister on Monday following the ouster of his predecessor Ranil Wickremesinghe by President Maithripala Sirisena last week.
Cong close to clinching seat-sharing formula in Telangana
The Congress is likely to contest in 90 constituencies, leaving the remaining 29 seats to its alliance partners--TDP, TJS and CPI-- in the upcoming Telangana assembly elections, according to latest indications. Polls to the 119-member assembly will be held on December 7. Sources in the four parties said Monday, the discussions were at an advanced stage under which the TDP has been offered 15 seats, the Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS) led by Prof Kodandaram nine and the CPI five. The AICC In-charge for Telangana R C Khuntia, however, declined to comment on the number of seats to be contested by each party but said the seat-sharing formula is expected to be announced within a day or two. He also said the Congress planned to release its first list of candidates and election manifesto for the polls by Friday. "Draft (of the manifesto) is ready. We have to send it to the AICC (for approval). We are trying to release it by November one. Maybe, 60-65 candidates would be announced ..
Ram temple is not on our agenda: JD-U
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD-U, which is part of the BJP-led NDA, on Monday said the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya is not on the party's agenda.
Withdraw from occupied territories before advocating for Kashmir: Mohajir leader to Pak
The Voice of Karachi (VOK) chairman, Nadeem Nusrat said that Pakistan's decision to observe 27 October as a Black Day to protest over human rights situation in Kashmir is "laughable".The VOK chairman, in a statement, said that Pakistan security forces are involved in large-scale human rights violations in Karachi, Balochistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, tribal areas and Gilgit Baltistan for the many years."Human Rights situation in Pakistan's other areas is no more different, for Punjabi-dominated military forces are actively busy punishing Balochs, Pashtuns, people of Gilgit-Baltistan, Hazarah and tribal areas as well for raising voice for their rights. Just like Karachi, extrajudicial executions are a routine in Balochistan; thousands of people belonging to Pakistan's non-Punjabi ethnic groups have gone missing since being taken into unlawful custody," Nusrat reiterated.Taking a jibe at Pakistan for observing Black Day, Nusrat said that Pakistani security forces have a shameful record of ..
HC directs CBI to maintain status quo on proceedings against spl director Rakesh Asthana till Nov 1
The Delhi High Court on Monday ordered the CBI to maintain status quo on proceedings against its Special Director Rakesh Asthana, who was sent on leave by government till November 1. A bench of Justice Najmi Waziri questioned the CBI for not filing reply to pleas of Asthana and another official seeking quashing of FIR in the matter. The high court also directed CBI to file reply on the two pleas on or before November 1.
Hindus running out of patience over Ram temple: Giriraj
Union Minister Giriraj Singh said on Monday that Hindus are running out of patience due to the delay in constructing a grand Ram temple at Ayodhya and warned that no one can predict what will happen if they lose their patience.