Page 2677 - Politics

New Telugu daily launched

A new Telugu daily 'Praja Paksham' was unveiled here Monday in the presence of CPI general secretary S Sudhakar Reddy, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president N Uttam Kumar Reddy and leaders of other parties. Observing that "public opinion is being manufactured today" like any other consumer product, Sudhakar Reddy appreciated 'Praja Paksham' for coming out to reflect the people's voice. The CPI leader alleged that there have been attempts to suppress democratic values since the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and BJP assumed power in Telangana and at the Centre respectively in 2014. Reddy said the "grand alliance", comprising Congress, TDP, CPI and Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS), should be made victorious in the December 7 assembly polls to "save democracy." TDP's Telangana unit president L Ramana said the alliance, if elected to power, would take steps to safeguard democratic principles and freedom of the press. CPI state secretary Chada Venkat Reddy, TJS leader M

Nigerian former state governor charged with corruption

A leading opposition politician and critic of Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari appeared in court on Monday on corruption charges, less than a week after he stepped down as state governor. Peter Ayodele Fayose pleaded not guilty to 11 counts of criminal breach of trust and theft totalling nearly USD 18 million. The Federal High Court in Lagos was told that Fayose, 57, and his company, Spotless Limited, took the cash to fund his 2014 campaign to become governor of the southwestern state of Ekiti. The case was adjourned until Wednesday and Fayose was remanded into the custody of Nigeria's main anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Fayose is one of the most prominent members of Nigeria's main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and tried to secure the ticket to run against Buhari at elections next year. He stepped down as governor on October 16 after a controversial election for his successor that was mired in claims of vote-buying by the ..

Cong loses yet another MLA ahead of Mizoram assembly poll

Congress MLA Hmingdailova Khiangte resigned from the membership of the Mizoram house on Monday becoming the fourth legislator of the ruling party to do so ahead of the November 28 state assembly poll. With the resignation, the Congress' strength in the 40-member house has come down to 30, while that of opposition Mizo National Front (MNF) stands at 6. Four seats are vacant. Mizoram is the only state in the north east under the Congress. Khiangte submitted his resignation to Speaker Hiphei at his official residence, Assembly secretariat sources said. When contacted Khiangte said that he would announce the reason behind his decision as well as the future course of action on Tuesday. Resignations from the Congress began when R Lalziriliana, the state home minister and second-in-command of Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla's council of ministers, stepped down as minister on September 14 protesting against the government's refusal to create a separate Saitual district comprising his home turf ..

Indian Army asks Pak to take back bodies of terrorists from LoC

The Indian Army has asked the Pakistani forces to take back the bodies of its armed intruders who were killed in a firing along the Line of Control (LoC) in Sunderbani sector of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday.Five to six Pakistani terrorists crossed the LoC and fired on an Indian Army patrol in Sunderbani sector of Jammu region. Three soldiers were killed and one suffered injuries in the unprovoked cross-border action by the terrorists. During the ensuing firefight, two terrorists were also killed.The intruders were wearing combat uniforms. However, their identity could not be ascertained. A stern warning has been conveyed to the Pakistani forces to restrain the terrorists operating from its soil.Since the Director-General of Military Operations talks on May 29, which was held at the behest of Pakistan, the Indian Army has been maintaining utmost restraint to uphold the ceasefire along the LoC despite regular provocative actions from across the border. The Pakistani forces, however, have

Exports will reach new high, says commerce secretary

: The Central government Monday expressed hope exports would touch an all-time high in 2018-19. Commerce secretary Anup Wadhawan underlined the commitment of the government to address concerns of labour- intensive leather and textiles sectors. "Our exports will reach a record figure both in rupee and US dollar terms," he told reporters here after an interactive session with exporters, but did not quantify the figure. He said the government would address the concerns such as easier availability of credit from banks and boosting schemes like the merchandise exports from India scheme, in the wake of the challenges in a global environment. The commerce secretary said the export scenario in the region, especially in Tamil Nadu, was healthy, and lauded exporters for their performance despite protectionism and unilateralism. "Despite the challenges, the exporters have been doing well over the last two-and-a-half years and we've since been having a steady growth," he said. On ..

Rafale deal will 'sink' Modi government: Ashok Gehlot

AICC general secretary and former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, saying the Rafale fighter jet deal will "sink" the Modi government. He claimed that Modi's popularity graph has come down and looking at the prime minister's previous speeches, the Congress does not even need to campaign because "things have been exposed now". "The Rafale deal will sink the Modi government," Gehlot said at a press conference here. He said the tender was "snatched" from the state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for manufacturing Rafale fighter jets and this was an "insult" to HAL employees. "When we visited the HAL office, we saw tears rolling downs from employees. Former employees too said that this was an insult to HAL," he said. He also attacked Modi on issues of price rise among others. "Inflation increased, rupee devalued and his promises fell flat. Compare the speeches of Modi made earlier and now, I assure that the Congress will not ...

Pondy CM urged to seek CBI probe into charges against Bedi

Puducherry Chief Minister's parliamentary secretary K Lakshminarayanan and government whip R K R Anandaraman Monday urged Narayanasamy to demand a CBI probe into the mobilisation of funds from private companies by Lt Governor Kiran Bedi, to desilt water bodies here. Jointly addressing reporters here, Lakshminarayanan and Anandaram alleged that Bedi has been 'misusing' her position and authority by seeking funds from the companies under the corporate social responsibility (CSR) scheme. They claimed that there was a committee with guidelines set up by the Centre to mobilise funds under the CSR but Bedi ignored the panel and allegedly set up a desk in her office to contact the private organisations for funds. "Misusing the authority itself is a clear case of corrupt practice and irregularities," they said. How many water bodies have been identified for desilting?, how much money has been raised and who the contractors were to press into service earthmovers for the ...

Belgium chooses Lockheed's F-35 to replace F-16 jets - Belga

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Belgium has chosen Lockheed-Martin's F-35 jets rather than the Eurofighter Typhoon as a replacement for its ageing F-16s, Belgian national news agency Belga said, citing government sources.

Imran Khan calls for dialogue to resolve Kashmir issue

India should move to resolve the Kashmir issue through dialogue, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said Monday. His remarks came a day after six civilians were killed after an explosive went off at an encounter site in Kulgam district of South Kashmir. "Strongly condemn the new cycle of killings of innocent Kashmiris....by Indian security forces," Khan tweeted. "It is time India realise it must move to resolve the Kashmir dispute through dialogue in accordance with the UN SC resolutions & the wishes of the Kashmiri people," he said. Three militants were killed Sunday in an encounter with security forces in Kulgam district, while six civilians lost their lives in a blast following the gunfight there. It is not the first time Khan has spoken about Kashmir. In September, New Delhi called off a meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan, citing killings of Indian security personnel by Pakistan-based entities and the release of Pakistani postage stamps "glorifying a ..

Commuters inconvenienced as petrol pumps remain shut

Commuters in Delhi have been facing trouble after nearly 400 petrol pumps shut their shops to demand a cut in excise duty on fuel."I cannot even switch to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) because even that is also not in my affordable limits," said Ravi, a resident of Delhi.Earlier this month, after the central government announced a cut of Rs 2.50 per litre in fuel prices, several Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled states decided to give an additional concession of Rs 2.50 in the prices of petrol and diesel.Despite mounting attack from the opposition, the Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government didn't slash the rates, much to the ire of commuters and filling sttaion owners.Delhi Petrol Dealers Association (DPDA), in a statement, said, "The central government had slashed the rate of petrol and diesel by Rs 2.50 per litre each on September 4. This was followed by a reduction of VAT by various states including neighbouring Haryana and Uttar Pradesh bringing relief to their residents."The association

Congress ridicules BJP for 'remembering Bose, Ambedkar 70 years after Independence'

The Congress on Monday slammed the BJP for trying to appropriate the Freedom Movement icons, ridiculing the saffron party for remembering stalwarts such as Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel, B.R. Ambedkar and Subhash Chandra Bose 70 years after India's Independence.

BJP refers to rape case against Kerala Congress leaders to attack Gandhi

The BJP Monday seized on the registration of a rape case against Congress leader and former Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy to attack the opposition party, saying its president Rahul Gandhi should now stop mocking the Narendra Modi government's "Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao" scheme. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi said Chandy and former Union minister K C Venugopal, also an accused in the case, were Gandhi's "friends" and the Congress should answer questions on such a serious charge against its leaders, instead of targeting the ruling party's functionaries. She also referred to a "Sukanya case", alleging that it was against Gandhi, and other cases involving Congress leaders. Targeting Gandhi for his attack on the Centre's "Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao" scheme, Lekhi said it had led to an improvement in the sex ratio in many states. The Crime Branch of the Kerala Police has registered cases against Chandy and Venugopal, who is an MP, on a complaint of sexual ...

Germany urges joint European stance on Saudi arms exports

European nations should take a joint stance on whether to halt arms exports to Saudi Arabia over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier said Monday. He reiterated Chancellor Angela Merkel's statement from Sunday, saying Berlin "at this stage will not approve further arms exports because we want to know what happened", adding that "all explanations so far have been unsatisfactory". But Altmaier, a close Merkel confidant, stressed that "there won't be any positive effects if only we halt exports and then other countries fill the gap". "Only when all European nations are in agreement will this make an impression on Riyadh," he said, speaking on public broadcaster ARD. Merkel had said Sunday that "when it comes to our already limited arms exports ... they cannot take place in the current situation". Germany last month approved 416 million euros (USD 480 million) worth of arms exports to Saudi Arabia for 2018. In the past, German military exports .

Chandigarh amends notification to exempt Sikh women from wearing helmet

Following pressure from the Sikh community and organizations, the Chandigarh Administration has amended its notification and allowed Sikh women to be exempt from wearing helmets while driving two-wheelers.

Armistice Day centenary to highlight the role of Indian soldiers in World War I

India's involvement in the World War I will be highlighted by commemorative events to mark the centenary of the Armistice Day next month with new research bringing out the human and social angles of the participation of soldiers from the sub-continent in the conflict that shaped the history of the world.

EU urges US, Russia to "dialogue to preserve" nuclear treaty

The European Commission on Monday urged the United States and Russia to continue talks to "preserve" a nuclear weapons treaty after President Donald Trump said Washington was withdrawing from the deal. "The US and the Russian federation need to remain in a constructive dialogue to preserve this treaty and ensure it is fully and verifiably implemented," spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic told reporters.

Report: Calls made to Saudi prince's office day writer slain

A member of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's entourage made four calls to the royal's office from the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul the day Jamal Khashoggi was killed there, a pro-government Turkish newspaper reported Monday. The report comes just a day before Prince Mohammed's high-profile investment summit is to begin in Riyadh and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has promises that details of Khashoggi's killing "will be revealed in all its nakedness." That yet again adds to the pressure Saudi Arabia faces over the slaying of the Washington Post columnist. The kingdom's claim on Saturday that Khashoggi died in a "fistfight" met international skepticism and allegations of a cover-up to absolve the 33-year-old crown prince of direct responsibility. Turkish media reports and officials maintain that a 15-member Saudi team flew to Istanbul on Oct. 2, knowing Khashoggi would arrive for a document he needed to get married. Once he was inside the diplomatic mission, the Saudis ..

Kremlin concerned over Trump's decision to leave arms treaty

The Kremlin says it is concerned about U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from a landmark nuclear weapons treaty. Trump announced on Saturday that the United States would walk away from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty that the U.S. and the Soviet Union signed in 1987 in a major step to ease Cold War tensions. Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, told reporters on Monday that Putin is denying Trump's allegations that Russia has violated terms of the treaty. Peskov says the US withdrawal from the treaty would "make the world a more dangerous place." The Kremlin's comments came as U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton began his visit to Russia on Monday. Peskov said Russian officials are anxious to hear Bolton's explanations for Trump's decision.

Saudi says no plans for embargo despite Khashoggi row

Saudi Arabia said Monday it had no plans to repeat its harsh 1973 oil embargo, even as relations with the West sour following the killing of Saudi critic Jamal Khashoggi. Riyadh, long the world's biggest oil producer, hiked prices sharply during the 1973 Yom Kippur War, setting off a wave of inflation that plunged developed economies into years of crisis. Saudi Oil Minister Khaled al-Faleh told the TASS news agency that "there is no intention" of repeating the events of 1973. "Saudi Arabia is a completely responsible country. For decades, we have used our oil (production) policy as a responsible economic tool and we have kept it apart from politics," Faleh was quoted as telling TASS in an interview in Riyadh. "If oil prices were to rise too much, that would slow the global economy and set off a global recession. "Saudi Arabia has been coherent in its policy. We work to stabilise global markets and to facilitate global economic growth," he added. Riyadh's changing accounts of what ...

Pak reopens vital Afghan border crossings for trade

After remaining closed for over two days due to parliamentary polls in Afghanistan, Pakistan has reopened the friendship gate at the Afghan border in Chaman, the shut down of which caused a loss of Rs 100 crore to the country, according to media reports. US-led NATO military coalition in Afghanistan import vital supplies, including fuel, through the friendship gate, in the landlocked country. Another crossing point -- the Torkham border in Peshawar -- was also reopened on Sunday, ending the two-and-a-half days of closure of the supply lines between the two countries. The two crossing points with Afghanistan in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan had been closed for security reasons on Kabul's request as parliamentary elections were being held in Afghanistan, the Express Tribune reported. Now that the elections have ended, the borders have been reopened. The suspension of transit trade due to the closure of Torkham border has caused a Rs 1 billion (Rs 100 crore) loss to the national ...