Page 2643 - Politics

Rahul leads Cong march to CBI headquarters, demands 'reinstatement' of CBI director

Congress workers led by their president Rahul Gandhi took to the streets on Friday against the move to divest CBI Director Alok Verma of his powers and send him on leave, and to demand an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Congress, which marched from Dayal Singh College on Lodhi Road to the CBI headquarters about a kilometre away, has termed the move against Verma "illegal and unconstitutional". Senior Congress leaders, including Ashok Gehlot, Ahmed Patel, Motilal Vora, Veerappa Moily and Anand Sharma, took part in the march that culminated in a demonstration ahead of the CBI headquarters. Loktantrik Janata Dal leader Sharad Yadav, CPI leader D Raja and TMC's Nadimul Haque joined the protest. Carrying placards against the prime minister, the protesters walked the distance with scores of police personnel maintaining vigil and camera crews jostling with each other to capture the moment. One of the protesters was carrying a placard depicting the Central Bureau of ...

Cong leaders demonstrate outside CBIs Patna office

Hundreds of Congress workers along with their leaders in Bihar Friday staged a demonstration here as part of the partys nation-wide protest against the decision of the Centre to divest CBI Director Alok Verma of his duties and sending him on leave. The demonstrators, including scores of women, sat on a dharna outside the gate of the CBI office at Bailey Road, carrying placards reading 'Save CBI Save Democracy' and raised slogans amid a heavy contingent of police. Talking to reporters, BPCC president Madan Mohan Jha said "we demand resignation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. CBI Director Alok Verma was sent on leave in a late night exercise to save the government from the embarrassing truth that was coming out on the Rafale deal." RJD spokesman Bhai Virendra, whose party was not taking part in the demonstration, said "we may not be physically participating in the protest, but Congress is our ally and their efforts have our full moral support.

BJP asks Tripura unit to woo Chakma, Bru voters in Mizoram

The BJP has entrusted its Tripura unit with the responsibility of wooing Chakma and Bru voters in five Assembly constituencies of Mizoram, dominated by people belonging to the two ethnic communities, a senior party leader said. The five Mizoram Assembly constituencies have been identified as West Tuipui, Mamit, Tuichawng, Hachhek and Thorang, vice-president of BJP's Tripura unit, Pratima Bhowmick, said on Friday. Elections to the 40-member Mizoram Assembly are scheduled for November 28. "We have been given the responsibility of the overall campaign in the five constituencies where the maximum voters are from Chakma and Bru communities. We are hopeful of winning all the five seats," Bhowmick told PTI. Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, Social Welfare Minister Santana Chakma, state BJP vice-president Pratima Bhowmick and MLAs Sambhu Lal Chakma and Promod Reang on Tuesday began their campaign in Mizoram for the Assembly elections. Biplab Kumar Deb, Santana Chakma and

Abe's Beijing visit underscores warming China-Japan ties

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held a second meeting with his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang on Friday during the first formal visit to Beijing by a Japanese leader in nearly seven years that heralds warming ties following years of acrimony. Speaking to reporters afterward, Li said 500 business agreements worth USD 18 billion had been signed between Chinese and Japanese companies during the visit, displaying the "bright future" for cooperation between the sides. Abe, who has been accompanied by a 500-strong business delegation, expressed hopes for closer ties and a shift in relations from an age of "competition to cooperation," an apparent reference to rifts that until recently have muted Japanese business interests in China. Abe is due to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping later Friday, possibly cementing the steady recovery in relations that hit a low in 2012 amid a dispute over East China Sea islands. Ties have also been dogged by enduring Chinese resentment over Japan's invasion and ...

Rahul leads protest march to CBI headquarters

Congress president Rahul Gandhi Friday led a protest march to demand the reinstatement of CBI Director Alok Verma, who has been divested of his powers and sent on leave, and an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Congress has termed the move against Verma "illegal and unconstitutional". Top Congress leaders took part in the march that culminated in a demonstration outside the CBI headquarters. Leaders of other parties also joined the protest as a mark of solidarity. Loktantrik Janata Dal leader Sharad Yadav, CPI leader D Raja and TMC's Nadimul Haque joined the Congress protest that started from outside Dayal Singh College on Lodhi Road. Gandhi got on to a truck in front of the police barricades put up outside the CBI headquarters to prevent the protesters from reaching the building.

US will not allow Iran to develop world's deadliest weapons: Trump

US President Donald Trump has said all sanctions against Iran lifted by the 2015 nuclear deal will be back in "full force" from November 5 and promised more in the future to prevent Tehran from developing the world's deadliest weapons. In May, the Trump administration withdrew the US from the Iranian nuclear deal and reimposed a series of tough sanctions on Iran, citing the Islamic nation's 'malign activities'. While the first phase of sanctions is already in place, the sanctions would come into full force on November 4 and the US expects all countries, including India, to bring down their import of Iranian oil to zero by then or face secondary sanctions. To avoid this, India either needs a waiver from the US or has to bring down the purchase of Iranian oil to zero. "On November 5th, all US sanctions against Iran lifted by the nuclear deal will be back in full force, every sanction that we had on their originally, which would have -- if they would have just left it a little bit ...

CBI row: Congress begins protest march across nation

Stepping up their attack against the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, the Congress party has started their protest outside Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) offices across India demanding the reinstatement of the premier investigative agency's director Alok Verma.The party is also demanding an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for allegedly destroying the image of the investigative agency.The Congress has termed the Centre's move to send Verma on leave as a disgraceful attempt to prevent an investigation into the alleged Rafale scam.In Delhi, Congress leaders Ambika Soni, Anand Sharma, Selja Kumari, former Uttarakhand chief minister Harish Rawat among others took part in the protest which is being led by party president Rahul Gandhi.Scores of protestors raised slogans against the Centre's decision and displayed placards reading, " CBI has stopped all investigation since BJP came to power", "CBI: Closed Bureau Investigation."The Congress leaders, along with ...

Rajasthan: Notice served to BSP for violation of MCC

The Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP)-led by former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati has come under scrutiny for allegedly distributing money to people at the inaugural function of its office in Rajasthan's Bharatpur area on Thursday.Speaking to ANI, Nnadbai Neeraj Meena, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) said that the matter came to light after police received a viral video showing money being distributed to people after the inauguration of the office."We came to know of a case of violation of model code of conduct and also received its video," he said.The officer also said that they have served a notice to BSP's Jogendra Singh Avana, who is one of the contenders in the upcoming assembly election in the state and added: "The investigation into the matter is underway".The legislative assembly elections in Rajasthan are scheduled to be held on 7 December 2018. Polling will be held in a single phase and the results will be declared on December 11.The BSP had earlier decided to go solo ...

Khashoggi's son leaves Saudi Arabia, US praises decision

The son of slain journalist Jamal Khashoggi has left Saudi Arabia after the kingdom revoked a travel ban and allowed him to come to the United States. State Department spokesman Robert Palladino says Washington welcomes the decision. It's the latest turn in the saga of the killed Saudi writer and dissident after the kingdom on Thursday cited evidence showing that his killing was premeditated changing its story again to try to ease international outrage over the macabre circumstances of Khashoggi's October 2 death at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had discussed the case of Khashoggi's son, Salah Khashoggi, during his recent visit to the kingdom, making it "clear to Saudi leaders" that Washington wanted the son to return to the United States.

Macron warns eastern members not to leave EU values behind

French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday warned eastern EU members not to fall out of step with the bloc's principles, singling out Hungary and Poland whose nationalist governments have clashed with Brussels. In an interview published in Czech, Hungarian, Polish and Slovak media, the French leader insisted that "Europe is not a supermarket", driving home a point he made previously that eastern states could not pick and choose among the bloc's fundamental values. Seven months ahead of elections to the European Parliament, Macron said he expected the campaign ahead of the vote to be a duel between "progressives" and nationalists. As he kicks off a two-day visit to Slovakia and the Czech Republic, Macron also expressed concern about the refusal of some eastern EU members to accept migrants from the Middle East and North Africa under an EU quota programme drafted in the wake of the 2015 migrant crisis. "We have a collective need for coherence and solidarity: we cannot benefit from the ..

CBI row: After Alok Verma, Rakesh Asthana also challenges forced leave in SC

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Special Director Rakesh Asthana on Friday moved the Supreme Court challenging the central government's decision to send him on leave.Earlier on October 24, CBI Director Alok Verma had moved the apex court against the Centre's leave order.Gopal Sankaranarayanan, the lawyer appearing for Verma, had told the apex court that the Centre on Wednesday morning asked his client and Special Director Rakesh Asthana to go on leave, hence compromising the investigation into various sensitive cases.After a spell of infighting in CBI, the Centre divested Verma and Asthana from their roles and asked them to go on leave. Asthana and Verma were at loggerheads on several issues and accused each other of blocking investigation of several important cases.Amid this tug of war, M Nageshwar Rao, who was working as the Joint Director of the CBI, was appointed as the interim director with immediate effect.The Centre's decision came after Asthana moved the Delhi High Court .

Hafiz Saeed's JuD, FIF no more on banned outfits' list

Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed's Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and the Falah-i-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF) are no more on the list of banned outfits after the presidential ordinance that proscribed them under a UN resolution lapsed, a court here was told.

TMC to join Cong protest at CBI headquarters

The Trinamool Congress is likely to join the Congress-led protest outside the CBI office here Friday, demanding reinstatement of CBI Director Alok Verma who has been sent on leave, party sources said. The TMC will be represented in the protests by Rajya Sabha MP Nadimul Haque, the sources said. "Trinamool to stand by Congress in Delhi today on the CBI issue", the party sources said. The Congress will stage protest outside the CBI headquarters here in protest against the Centre's decision to send the CBI Director on leave. The Narendra Modi government on Wednesday asked Verma to go on leave as his rift with Special Director Rakesh Asthana escalated over bribery allegations. At the CBI headquarters here, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi will lead the protest. After the CBI chief was asked to go on leave, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee had slammed the BJP-led government at Centre. "CBI has now become so called BBI (BJP Bureau of Investigation)", Banerjee had charged.

Freed Japan hostage arrives home to joy, but also anger

A Japanese journalist freed from Syria this week arrived home to overjoyed relatives and supporters, but also to vitriol from some who accuse him and other hostages of reckless behaviour. Jumpei Yasuda was kidnapped in Syria in 2015, and spent more than three years in conditions he described as "hell." He arrived back in Japan on Thursday night, greeted by his delighted wife and parents, who had brought him homemade Japanese food to celebrate. But even before Yasuda set foot on Japanese soil, he was the target of angry criticism -- mostly online -- ranging from accusations of recklessness to claims that he was not even Japanese. "He is disturbing society," wrote one Twitter user. "He's an anti-citizen," charged another. Perhaps anticipating the criticism, Yasuda's only statement upon arrival, read to reporters by his wife Myu, was dominated by an apology. "I apologise for causing such trouble and worry, but thanks to all of you, I was able to come home safely," he said. The anger ...

CPI to suspend its Bengali mouthpiece 'Kalantar'

The Communist Party of India (CPI) has decided to suspend publication of its Bengali mouthpiece 'Kalantar' from next month due to financial constraints, a senior party leader said. 'Kalantar', first published as a daily newspaper in 1966, played a vital role in helping the CPI to expand its political base post the party's split which led to the formation of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) CPI(M) in 1964. "Due to financial constraints, we have decided to suspend publication of 'Kalantar' from November one. It is not possible for us to run the newspaper by providing a heavy subsidy," CPI state secretary Swapan Banerjee told PTI. "Earlier we used to get both state and central government advertisements. But for the last few years, advertisements have stopped coming from both the governments. It has only augmented our financial problems," he said. Banerjee said that during its 52-year-old journey, the party was twice forced to suspend the publication of its mouthpiece .

Trump signs new sanctions against Hezbollah

US President Donald Trump has signed new sanctions targeting the Iranian-funded militant group and political party Hezbollah, which is considered a terrorist organisation by Washington.

MP poll: Kukshi seat becomes bone of contention for Cong, JAYS

An Assembly constituency in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh has become a bone of contention between the Congress and Jai Adivasi Yuva Shakti (JAYS), a fledgling tribal political outfit, which are currently engaged in alliance talks for the next month's state polls. The seat sharing talks between them have apparently hit a roadblock, as both are keen on contesting election from Kukshi seat in western MP, currently held by the Congress. The JAYS wants to field its candidate from Kukshi, although the Congress says it does not want to part with this seat as it has been its traditional stronghold. The opposition party has been winning this seat since 1972, except losing it only twice- in 1990 assembly elections and 2012 bypoll. Talking to PTI on Friday, JAYS convener Dr Hiralal Alawa said, "Our seat-sharing talks with the Congress are underway. We want to contest the upcoming election from 40 assembly constituencies. Fighting from Kukshi due to our strong presence there is ...

14 kids injured in China knife attack

A woman attacked and injured at least 14 children with a kitchen knife at a Chinese kindergarten in Chongqing on Friday, police said. She was arrested.

Khashoggi's son arrives in US from Saudi Arabia

The son of murdered Saudi Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi, has arrived in the US after leaving Riyadh with his family, an informed source told CNN on Thursday.

Trump has only one official iPhone, not 3; White House rejects NYT report

The daily reiterated that calls made by Trump to his friends through these cellphones are being listened by the Chinese and the Russians