Page 2660 - Politics

Japan confirms ID of journalist freed from Syria

Japan confirmed Wednesday that a man freed from Syria is a Japanese freelance journalist who was kidnapped three years ago and said he appears to be in good health. The man was identified as Jumpei Yasuda, Foreign Minister Taro Kono said. "We are extremely pleased that we have confirmed the safety of Mr. Jumpei Yasuda," Kono told reporters. He said Japanese Embassy officials met with Yasuda at an immigration center in southern Turkey near the border with Syria, where he has been protected since he was freed Tuesday. Kono said Yasuda appeared to be in good health. Yasuda was kidnapped in 2015 by al-Qaida's branch in Syria, known at the time as the Nusra Front, after contact with him was lost in June that year. A war monitoring group said he was most recently held by a Syrian commander with the Turkistan Islamic Party, which mostly comprises Chinese jihadis in Syria. The news of Yasuda's release came late Tuesday from Qatar, which helped in efforts for his release along with Turkey and .

CBI director removed because agency questioned Rafale deal: Rahul Gandhi

Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the CBI row, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday alleged that its Director Alok Verma was removed because the agency was raising questions over the Rafale fighter jet deal. Addressing a public rally in Rajasthan's Jhalawar district, the home turf of Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, Gandhi also alleged that Mehul Choksi deposited money in the bank account of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's daughter. The CBI director was removed last night because the agency was raising questions over Rafale, Gandhi alleged, adding that Verma had asked for documents of the fighter jet deal. At a press conference in Delhi, Jaitley, however, dismissed as "rubbish" allegations that Verma was removed because he wanted to look into the Rafale fighter jet deal. He said the government's decision to remove Verma and Special Director Rakesh Asthana is based on the Central Vigilance Commission's recommendations. Gandhi said that the prime minister sought votes ..

Israel Aerospace wins $777 million India contract for missile defence

TEL AVIV (Reuters) - State-owned Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has won an additional $777 million contract to supply LRSAM air and missile defence systems to seven ships in the Indian navy, the company said on Wednesday.

Anyone around Rafale will be wiped out: Rahul on CBI shake-up (Lead, changing headline)

Congress President Rahul Gandhi said on Wednesday by sending CBI Director Alok Verma on "forced leave" for collecting documents on the Rafale "scam", Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given out a clear message that anyone coming close to unravelling the truth behind the defence deal will be "wiped out".

CBI row: PM must explain to people the truth: CPI

The CPI Wednesday described the situation in the CBI as one akin to a "coup" that has shocked the nation and demanded the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as head of the government, explain to the people the truth. Communist Party of India's national secretary D Raja said there is also speculation that the goings-on in the premier investigative agency has something to do with the Rafale scam and that the prime minister must clarify. "What is happening in the CBI is like a coup that has shocked the entire nation. The CBI has been plunged into such a crisis. It's credibility stands completely destroyed. It is happening under the nose of the prime minister. "There is speculation that it has something to do with the Rafale scam. People want to know the truth. The prime minister being the head of the government should explain to the people and the nation," Raja said. Top two officers of the CBI have been embroiled in a bitter battle with each accusing the other of corruption, with government .

BJP blames Congress for delay in Grade-3 teacher appointment in Rajasthan

BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi Wednesday blamed the Congress for creating hurdles in the process of appointment of Grade-3 teachers in Rajasthan. Addressing a press conference here, Trivedi said the selection process was complete, the results had been declared and only the appointment letters needed to be issued to the selected candidates. He said the Congress, however, wrote to the Election Commission to stall the installment process citing technical and judicial issues. The Congress was doing do for its own political gains, he added. Trivedi said the selection process to appoint 26,000 Grade-3 teachers was completed in February and the matter was then moved to the court. The court had observed the view of the Rajasthan government and had given its nod to complete the appointment process in May this year, he said. Trivedi said the Congress did not want the appointment process of teachers to complete smoothly. The party is playing with the future of the youth of the

AAP to set up SC/ST, Minority Wings

The Aam Aadmi Party on Wednesday announced the formation of SC/ST and Minority wings, as the party seeks to bolster its social base ahead of the Lok Sabha elections next year.

DCW rescues Delhi-based businessman kidnapped in Kashmir

The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) has rescued a 50-year-old Delhi-based businessman, who was kidnapped and tortured in Kashmir for three days.The businessman was rescued last week within six hours of his wife's first call to the commission's 181 Women Helpline number.The woman informed the commission that her husband, an apple trader, was kidnapped in Kashmir. The businessman, who used to buy apples from Kashmir and supply in bulk to Delhi's Azadpur Mandi, was abducted in the second week of October from gate no. 2 of Srinagar's Barqat Hotel and was kept in Pulwama.The man somehow managed to share his location with his wife on October 12, 2018 and informed that the people who kidnapped him have planned to kill him by October 14.Following the revelation, the woman rushed to the police, who as per her, refused to take action since it was not in their jurisdiction.The police suggested the woman gets her complaint registered in Kashmir. After which, she called the DCW for help.The women

Decision taken to maintain integrity, credibility: Jaitley on CBI controversy

Justifying the Central Government's decision to send Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director Alok Verma and Special Director Rakesh Asthana on leave, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday said that the move was taken to maintain the investigative agency's "institutional integrity and credibility."Jaitley said that since both the senior officers of the investigative agency have accused each other, this move is a pre-condition and is essential for a fair investigation into the matter."CBI is a premier investigative agency. For maintenance of its institutional integrity, it is a pre-condition and absolutely essential for a fair investigation. Director has been accused by Special Director. A Special Director has been accused by CBI. Two top most officers of CBI have been accused. Now who will investigate it? Requirements of fairness and fair play have to be there. Government can't investigate it," Jaitley told media here."To maintain the institutional integrity of CBI ...

Centre won't let anyone probe Rafale: Rahul on CBI shake-up

Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said that by sending CBI Director Alok Verma on a "forced leave" for collecting documents on the Rafale "scam", Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given out a clear message that anyone coming close to unravelling the truth behind the defence deal will be "wiped out".

CBI chief, deputy removed on CVC's recommendation: Jaitley

The government's decision to remove feuding CBI Director Alok Verma and Special Director Rakesh Asthana is based on the CVC's recommendations, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said Wednesday, asserting that it is absolutely essential to restore the agency's institutional integrity and credibility. A Special Investigation Team will look into the charges and both officers will "sit out" the duration of the probe, he said, adding that they have been sent on leave as an interim measure. It is up to the probe agency or the Central Vigilance Commission, which has superintendence over it in cases of corruption, to constitute the probe team, the minister told reporters. The CVC, which received details of the charges both officers had levelled against each other, made its recommendations last evening as an "accused or potential accused" cannot be allowed to be in charge of investigation against them, Jaitley said. The government has no role in it, he added. Taking questions from the media during

Sri Lankan Northern Council's first CM resigns from TNA, forms new Tamil alliance

The first chief minister of Sri Lanka's Northern Province, C V Wigneswaran on Wednesday resigned from the country's main Tamil party and formed a new political alliance, as he slammed the Sirisena government and the party for failing to address the issues of war-affected Tamils. Wigneswaran, who completed his five-year term as the northern council's first chief minister on Tuesday, said the new alliance will be named the Tamil People's Alliance (Tamil Makkal Kootani) and will consist of a group of Tamil political parties. The new party will uphold the fundamentals of Tamil nationalism," said the 79-year-old former judge of the Supreme Court. On Tuesday, In his final speech at the last sitting of the Northern Provincial Council, which was elected to power in 2013 after the post-war polls, Wigneswaran slammed the TNA members in the Constitutional Assembly, the body to form a new constitution, and accused them of acting arbitrarily without consulting the council on the issues of ...

MQM Chief criticises human rights violations in Pakistan

Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) founder and leader Altaf Hussain said that it's now widely known that all forms of terrorism and religious extremism are born in Pakistan. He stated that all ethnic linguistic groups and religious minorities, for decades, have been facing gross human rights violations in the whole country, much like Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.Speaking at a conference organised by the Jammu Kashmir International People's Alliance (JKIPA) in Brussels, Hussain urged the European Parliament to raise voice against this situation.Different political leaders, writers and civil society activists of human rights defenders attended the conference, which was organised in honour of Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri, human rights activists and journalists to deal with the grave situation of terrorism, extremism, human rights violations and hatred in the South Asian country.Hussain said that these issues not only affect the people in South Asia but its implications spread across the globe. ..

Ethnic groups, minorities facing human rights violations in Pakistan: Altaf Hussain

Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) founder and leader Altaf Hussain said that it's now widely known that all forms of terrorism and religious extremism are born in Pakistan. He stated that all ethnic linguistic groups and religious minorities, for decades, have been facing gross human rights violations in the whole country, much like Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.Speaking at a conference organised by the Jammu Kashmir International People's Alliance (JKIPA) in Brussels, Hussain urged the European Parliament to raise voice against this situation.Different political leaders, writers and civil society activists of human rights defenders attended the conference, which was organised in honour of Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri, human rights activists and journalists to deal with the grave situation of terrorism, extremism, human rights violations and hatred in the South Asian country.Hussain said that these issues not only affect the people in South Asia but its implications spread across the globe. ..

Uddhav criticises Fadnavis for "delay" in declaring drought

Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray has questioned Maharashtra government's "delay" in declaring drought in the state following scanty rainfall. At a rally here Tuesday, Thackeray wondered if Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis would declare drought only after consulting the "panchang" (astrological daily calendar). Fadnavis said Tuesday that around 180 talukas in the state are facing a drought-like situation, as the state received only 77 per cent of its average rainfall this year. Thackeray accused the BJP-led Maharashtra government of wasting time in discussions, adding the water scarcity situation has worsened in Maharashtra and there is an urgent need to declare the state as drought-hit. "Karnataka government has declared drought without any condition but Maharashtra government has not done so despite water and crop conditions getting worse. Will Fadanvis declare drought only after seeing the panchang," he said. Referring to the farmers' recent protest march to Delhi, .

Pak must make sincere efforts to curb terrorism on Afghan border: Pompeo warns

Pakistan will be held responsible if it did not make sincere efforts to curb terrorism and their safe harbour on its western border with Afghanistan, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has warned. He made the comment as he welcomed the holding of long-delayed election in war-torn Afghanistan in which around four million people exercised their franchise. Talking to reporters on Tuesday at the State Department, Pompeo said this was the message he delivered to the Pakistani leadership when he travelled to Islamabad last month after Imran Khan became prime minister. "We had made (it) clear that the US policy with respect to south-central Asia has not changed, that our expectation is that Pakistan will not provide safe harbour to terrorists on their western border," he said in response to a question. The relations between Pakistan and the US nose-dived this January after President Donald Trump accused Islamabad of giving nothing to Washington but "lies and deceit" and providing "safe haven"

Has CBI chief Alok Verma been sacked for his keenness to probe Rafale scam, asks Congress

The Congress Wednesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of interfering in the working of the CBI and wondered if its Director Alok Verma was "sacked" for his keenness to probe the "layers of corruption" in the Rafale scam. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the Modi government has put the "last nail" in the independence of the CBI by removing Verma. Systematic dismantling and denigrating of CBI is now complete. Once a premier investigating agency, PM ensures that CBI's integrity, credibility and reliability is 'buried and dead', he wrote on Twitter. Has the CBI Director been sacked for his keenness to probe the layers of corruption in Rafale Scam? Isn't the rest a shoddy cover up? Let PM answer, he said in another tweet. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, however, dismissed as "rubbish" allegations that Verma was removed because he wanted to look into the Rafale fighter jet deal. He said the government's decision to remove Verma and Special Director Rakesh Asthana is ..

Pak must make sincere efforts to curb terrorism on Afghan border: Pompeo

Pakistan will be held responsible if they do not make sincere efforts to curb terrorism on their western border with Afghanistan, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said. Talking to reporters Tuesday at the State Department's Foggy Bottom headquarters, Pompeo said this was the message he had delivered to the Pakistani leadership when he travelled to Islamabad in September, after Imran Khan became prime minister. We had made clear that the US policy with respect to south-central Asia has not changed, that our expectation is that Pakistan will not provide safe harbor to terrorists on their western border, he said in response to a question on AfPak. On September 5, Pompeo met Khan and pressed him "to do more" to rein in the terror groups operating from Pakistan's soil. We couldn't make that message any more clear and that Pakistan will be held account if they don't see about it... If they're not sincere in that effort. "We don't believe we can get to the place that everyone wants. ...

Absolutely essential to restore CBI's institutional integrity and credibility: Jaitley

The government's decision to remove CBI Director Alok Verma and Special Director Rakesh Asthana is based on the CVC's recommendations, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said Wednesday, asserting that it was absolutely essential to restore the agency's institutional integrity and credibility. The Central Vigilance Commission made its recommendations last evening, he said. Jaitley told reporters that allegations by the top two officers of the country's premier investigation agency led to a "bizarre and unfortunate" situation. A Special Investigation Team will probe the charges and both persons will "sit out" as an interim measure, he added. It is an extraordinary situation, and the accused cannot be allowed to be in charge of investigation against them, the minister said. He also dismissed as "rubbish" allegations of opposition parties, including the Congress, that Verma was removed because he wanted to look into the Rafale fighter jet deal. In a swipe at them, Jaitley said their ...

CBI is BJP Bureau of Investigation: Mamata Banerjee

Commenting on the ongoing CBI controversy, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday renamed the central investigation agency as the "BJP Bureau of Investigation".