Page 265 - Politics
Sulking TDP MP rejects Party Whip post
Sulking over being ignored for the post of TDP Parliamentary Party leader, Vijayawada MP Kesineni Nani on Wednesday refused to accept the post of Party Whip in the Lok Sabha.
US lawmakers introduce resolution condemning increasing human rights violations in China
Top US lawmakers have introduced a resolution in the Senate, recognising the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre in China and condemning the increasing repression and human rights violations by the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC). On June 4, 1989, Tiananmen Square in Beijing witnessed brutal massacre of students rebelling against the CPC, demanding democracy. Thousands were believed to have been killed in the protests. The massive square became famous all over the world with an iconic picture of a young man standing before a row of battle tanks in a bid to stop them. Expressing sympathy with the family, friends, colleagues and classmates of the victims of the massacre, the Senate resolution, introduced Tuesday, condemns the use of violence as a means to repress the legitimate aspirations of the Chinese people to speak and associate freely, including to petition the government and challenge the policies and ideology of the CPC. It calls on the Chinese Government to .
Saudi Arabia flies Iranian to hospital off 'hostile' ship
Saudi Arabia says it helped evacuate an Iranian crew member from a "hostile" ship off the coast of Yemen amid its war against the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. A statement late Tuesday from a spokesman for the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen, Col. Turki al-Maliki, says they flew the injured man off the Iranian ship Savis to a military hospital in Jizan. Maliki says the Savis was 95 nautical miles northwest of Hodeida at the time of the rescue. He said the rescue came after a request from Iran's mission to the United Nations. The Iranian mission did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Maliki did not explain why the ship was "hostile." The Saudis alleged in the past that Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard ran operations from the Savis.
Australian police raid public broadcaster amid media crackdown
Australian police raided the headquarters of public broadcaster ABC on Wednesday, the second high-profile probe into news outlets in 24 hours, amid a crackdown on sensitive leaks. ABC executives said police searched the corporation's offices in Sydney, targeting three journalists involved in a two-year-old investigative report. In 2017, ABC obtained government documents that showed Australian special forces had killed innocent men and children in Afghanistan. The Australian Federal Police said the search was "in relation to allegations of publishing classified material, contrary to provisions of the Crimes Act 1914." ABC executive editor John Lyons said the search warrant demands access to reporters' handwritten notes, emails, story drafts, footage and passwords, among other things. "It is highly unusual for the national broadcaster to be raided in this way," said managing director David Anderson, as the organisation tried to win legal redress. A day earlier police raided a ...
PM Modi urges citizens to make yoga an integral part of their lives
In the run-up to the fifth International Yoga Day on June 21, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday urged citizens to make yoga an integral part of their lives and also inspire their loved ones to do the same.Taking to Twitter, the Prime Minister said, "On June 21, we will mark Yoga Day 2019. I urge you all to make yoga an integral part of your life and also inspire others to do the same."He also posted an animated video where he is demonstrating Trikonasana, also known as the triangle pose on the micro-blogging site.Last year also, the Prime Minister had shared several 3D videos explaining Pawanmuktasana, Setu Bandhasana, Shalabhasana, Ardha Chakrasana, Vajrasana, Vrikshasana, Bhujangasana among others.From 2015 onwards, the Centre along with state government has been organising various yoga programs and campaigns on June 21 since it was declared by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015.It is worth noticing that this year, the Centre has shortlisted five cities, Delhi, ...
TDP MP K Srinivas rejects party whip position in LS
MP Kesineni Srinivas on Wednesday requested his party chief N Chandrababu Naidu to appoint another person as TDP's whip in the Lok Sabha."I thank Chandrababu Naidu for appointing me as party whip in Lok Sabha. But I humbly request him to appoint someone else who is more capable and efficient than me to that post as I feel that I am not suitable to handle the responsibilities of such a big post," Srinivas said in a letter to Naidu.Apologizing for rejecting the post, Srinivas further wrote, "The people of Vijayawada have given me their blessings and elected me as their Member of Parliament. I would be more than happy to serve the constituency full time but not this post. Once again, I thank Chandrababu for possessing faith in me and my apologies for rejecting the post."In the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, Srinivas won against YSR Congress candidate Prasad Veera Potluri from Vijayawada.
Sudan: Death toll rises to 60 after crackdown on pro-democracy protesters
At least 60 people were killed and over 300 others were wounded after security forces launched a crackdown on pro-democracy protesters earlier this week, according to the Central Committee of Sudan Doctors (CCSD).The demonstrators demanded that the Transitional Military Council (TMC), which toppled Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir in a coup this April, hand over the government charge to civilians.Violence erupted on Monday after the military stormed the main camp of the protesters here in a bid to break up the agitation, according to CNN.Several of the wounded are in a critical condition, according to the CCSD.Quoting eyewitnesses, CNN also reported that the police and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces fired shots at the protesters, while many law enforcement personnel beat the demonstrators who took to the streets.While the violence has simmered down in Khartoum, the CCSD said that one woman was killed by a stray bullet on Tuesday.Internet connections have also been blocked by major ...
Vijayasai Reddy named YSRCP Parliamentary Party leader
YSR Congress Party President and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has appointed senior party leader V. Vijayasai Reddy as YSRCP Parliamentary Party leader.
PM greets people on Eid
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday greeted people on Id-ul-Fitr, saying may this day ignite the spirit of harmony. He posted a signed message greeting peoplein Urdu and English on his Twitter handle. May this special day ignite the spirit of harmony, compassion and peace in our society.May everyone be blessed with happiness, the prime minister said.
Thai junta chief in pole position as PM vote looms
Thailand's new lawmakers are set to vote for a prime minister Wednesday, with junta chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha in pole position to sweep away the challenge of a charismatic billionaire leading the anti-military bloc. Prayut, who seized power in 2014, is all but assured of completing his transformation from junta head to civilian leader with the support of 250 hand-picked senators. But he faces competition from Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, leader of the Future Forward Party, which scooped up millions of votes in a March poll mainly from the kingdom's millennials. In an unexpected move late Tuesday, Thanthorn was announced as the sole prime ministerial candidate of the anti-junta coalition, despite being enmeshed in legal woes that could see him banned from politics and jailed. Thailand remains bitterly divided after 13 years defined by coups, violent street protests and short-lived civilian governments. At root is a rivalry between an arch-royalist conservative establishment -- ...
Remove Imran, to save nation: Zardari
Former Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has called for the immediate removal of Prime Minister Imran Khan to save the nation and end peopl's miosery.
Now RLD announces it will fight UP assembly bypolls alone
A day after the SP and the BSP decided to contest alone all 11 seats in the upcoming assembly bypolls, their third alliance partner in the recent Lok Sabha elections - RLD - Wednesday announced it too will go solo. Rashtriya Lok Dal UP president Masood Ahmad, however, expressed hope that the 'gathbandhan' remains intact. "The Rashtriya Lok Dal will contest the UP assembly bypolls on its own whenever they are held. However, it is too early to comment on the political scene of the state," he told PTI. Party chief Chaudhary Ajit Singh and Jayant Chaudhary will decide on the number of seats the party will contest and the matter may be discussed during a meeting in the next few days, Ahmad said. When asked about the RLD's role in the new political landscape of the state, which sends the highest number of 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha, Ahmad said, "The RLD was with the Samajwadi Party. We got the seats from the quota of Akhilesh". The UP RLD chief said the Congress should also be a part of the ...
CM tells minister to submit report cards of their depts every
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has told his ministers to submit monthly report cards on steps taken by their departments for implementing the ruling BJD's election manifesto, an official said. The ministers were told to submit their report cards with the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) by the seventh of every month, an official statement said on Tuesday. The first meeting of the council of ministers held on May 29 adopted the Biju Janata Dal's election manifesto as the state government programme for the next five years. Patnaik had also informed the ministers that the state government would have to apprise the people about implementation of promises made during the elections. Since the government has set priority on poverty alleviation, empowerment of women, development of weaker sections of the society and welfare of youths, the ministers were told to act accordingly to meet the target. The chief minister has also suggested to the ministers to set their department's .
Ram temple: VHP calls meeting, says construction to begin in 18 months
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), which has been in the forefront of a campaign for Ram temple construction in Ayodhya, has convened a meeting of its top leaders later this month to discuss the issue, amid its assertion that the work on the project will start within one-and-a-half years.
Vajpayee-era footprint shrinks in Modi 2.0
Among the 24 Cabinet ministers who were sworn in by President Ram Nath Kovind, only four were part of NDA-I, signalling further shrinking of the Atal-Advani impression on the Modi government.
House votes to help 'dreamer' immigrants in US
The Democrat-dominated House of Representatives approved a bill Tuesday that would create a path to citizenship for hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants, but it faces dubious Senate chances. The White House has warned President Donald Trump would veto the legislation if it reaches his desk as is, and the Republicans who control the Senate are unlikely to pass the measure. The bill, which would grant permanent protection to so-called "Dreamers" -- people brought into the United States illegally as children -- was passed by a vote of 237 to 187. It would also set up a path for them to gain outright citizenship, together with individuals covered by so-called Temporary Protected Status (TPS). This is for people who fled their countries because of armed conflict or natural disaster. Many of the Dreamers are now protected under the DACA program instituted by former president Barack Obama. "We have the opportunity to be part of history, to be on the right side of history, but ...
Sudan: Paramilitary puts Khartoum under lockdown
Sudanese paramilitary forces are pushing deeper into Khartoum, witnesses say, after a crackdown on protesters killed at least 30 people.
Mamata govt will fall on its own, WB people want peace: Vijayvargiya
BJP National General Secretary and the party in-charge for West Bengal Kailash Vijayvargiya has asserted that the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government will "fall on its own" before 2021 - the year when the government's five-year term will officially come to an end.Speaking to reporters here on Tuesday, Vijayvargiya said, "I don't think Mamata Ji will go on till 2021, saying anything now would be premature, we are preparing for 2021 but this government will fall on its own."When asked about the impact of TMC's door-to-door campaign, he said, "The more she (Mamata) does door-to-door campaigns, (the more) it will benefit us. People want to end violence in West Bengal and only BJP can do it. In TMC rule, violence is at its peak."He also dismissed reports on faults in Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and said, "She also became Chief Minister with EVMs only. When she is winning then EVMs are good but when she is losing then EVMs are said to be tampered with. She should look at ...
N Korea urges US to adopt 'strategic choice' to resume talks, warns 'patience has a limit'
Four months into the stalled denuclearisation talks between the United States and North Korea following the failed Hanoi summit, Pyongyang has once again urged Washington to reflect upon the "correct strategic choice" to resume talks before its patience wears down, state media reported.In a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Tuesday, a spokesperson for North Korea's foreign ministry has urged the US to "drop its current way of calculation" to keep alive the agreement they reached during their first summit in June last year."Whether the June 12 DPRK-U.S. Joint Statement will remain effective or turn out to be a mere blank sheet of paper will now be determined by how the U.S. would respond to our fair and reasonable stand," Yonhap news agency quoted the spokesperson, as saying."The U.S. should duly look back on the past one year and cogitate about which will be a correct strategic choice before it is too late. The U.S. would be well-advised to change its ...
US announces restrictions on travel to Cuba
In a bid to pressurise Cuba over its support to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, the United States on Tuesday announced major restrictions on US citizens travelling to the Communist Island.According to a statement by the US State Department, the new rules halts authorisation for the most popular way the Americans travel to Cuba, i.e, through organised tour groups, also known as 'people to people educational travel.' In addition, the US will no longer permit visits to Cuba via "passenger and recreational vessels, including cruise ships and yachts, and private and corporate aircraft."The new restrictions have been implemented as the US "holds the Cuban regime accountable for its repression of the Cuban people, its interference in Venezuela, and its direct role in the man-made crisis led by Nicolas Maduro.""Despite widespread international condemnation, Maduro continues to undermine his country's institutions and subvert the Venezuelan people's right to self-determination. Empowered .