Page 2775 - Politics
Rocked by Trump's sanctions, Iranian oil exports drop further
LONDON (Reuters) - Iran's crude exports fell further in the first week of October, according to tanker data and an industry source, taking a major hit from U.S. sanctions and throwing a challenge to other OPEC oil producers as they seek to cover the shortfall.
J&K municipal polls peaceful, brisk polling in Jammu
Barring an incident of stone pelting in Srinagar, the municipal polls in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday took place peacefully after 13 long years, with Rajouri in Jammu region registering the highest turnout and Bandipora in the Kashmir Valley the lowest.
Sakshi Maharaj dares Rahul to contest poll against him
BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj has dared Congress president Rahul Gandhi to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha polls against him, saying he will leave politics if he defeats him. "I challenge Rahul Gandhi to contest the 2019 general elections against me (from Unnao). I will leave politics if he wins, but if he loses, he should leave (India) for Itay," the BJP MP told reporters here Sunday. The Unnao MP also attacked Gandhi for undertaking Mansarovar Yatra in early September this year, allegedly without maintaining "purity". "We are not opposing his yatra. Why will the BJP do so? But it is written in 'shastra' (scriptures) that purity is needed for such yatras (pilgrimage). He should have become pure before doing the yatra. No one enters a temple without (maintaining) purity. Darshan is not justified after having non-veg foods," said Sakshi Maharaj. "He sometimes wears 'topi' (skull cap) and then becomes 'Shiv Bhakt'..", he said taking a dig at Gandhi. The BJP MP said he would welcome if Samajwadi ...
Raj: Pak national apprehended along IB in Jaisalmer
A Pakistani national was apprehend by the Border Security Force (BSF) along the International Border (IB) here, police said Monday. Mohammad Iqbal (40) of Sialkot in Pakistan was detained Sunday night by BSF jawans near pillars 616 and 617 along the border, they said. He was handed over to police after preliminary interrogation. Iqbal will now be interrogated by security agencies, police said.
PM meets IPS probationers, exhorts them to work with dedication
About 100 probationers of 2017 batch of the Indian Police Service (IPS) called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday. Interacting with the probationers, Modi emphasised the importance of working with dedication, to perform with distinction the various roles and responsibilities that they would be looking after, according to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office. The prime minister recalled the sacrifices of over 33,000 police personnel who have laid down their lives while performing their duty. Subjects such as good governance, discipline and conduct, women empowerment and forensic science also came up for discussion, the statement added.
Facing graft charges, Kerala govt cancels nod for breweries
The Kerala government Monday cancelled the sanction accorded for setting up new breweries and a distillery in the state over which corruption charges have been levelled by the Congress-led UDF opposition. Days after rejecting the charges, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the government cancelled the sanction to avoid further "confusion" over the issue at a time when everybody had to stand united for rebuilding the state after the devastating floods. The CPI(M)-led LDF government's decision came hours after the United Democratic Front (UDF) announced a state-wide agitation over the issue, alleging "nepotism" and "corruption" in awarding sanction for the breweries and distillery. The UDF has alleged that corruption to the tune of crores of rupees had taken place in sanctioning the breweries and distillery, and demanded a comprehensive probe into it. However, the chief minister reiterated there was nothing wrong in sanctioning the new breweries and distillery, and accused the ...
TN CM rules out resignation of Ministers facing graft charges
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami on Monday ruled out seeking the resignation of his Ministers facing allegations of corruption.
Rafale deal to be a poll plank for Cong: Prithviraj Chavan
The Congress in Maharashtra has said the Rafale fighter deal will be a key election issue for the party and hit out at the NDA government over the rising prices of diesel and petrol. Senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan said the party will fight the upcoming assembly and Lok Sabha polls on Rafale and other issues of public interest. The main opposition party has alleged irregularities in the purchase of Rafale fighter jets from France, a charge vehemently denied by the BJP-led government. Addressing a public meeting at Bhaji Market ground here in North Maharashtra Sunday evening, he said the country's economic condition has become weak under the present government. The former Union minister said the government has earned crores of rupees through the rising prices of fuel, but has not provided any substantial relief to common people. The meeting was organised as part of the Congress' 'Jan Sangharsh Yatra' that arrived here Sunday. The opposition party launched the ...
Valley gives cold shoulder to J-K civic polls; 6% turnout till 1pm
About six per cent of the electorate voted in the first six hours of polling in 83 wards of urban local bodies in militancy-wracked Kashmir Valley, where elections are being held amid tight security, officials said Monday. Voting for the first of the four-phased elections in the Valley began at 7 am and will end at 4 pm. "Over 5,400 voters exercised their franchise till 1.00 pm at the 150 polling stations set up in the 83 wards across the Kashmir Valley where polling is going on today," an official said. Around 85,000 voters, including 40,800 women, are eligible to vote in the Valley. Of the 30,074 voters in three wards of Srinagar Municipal Corporation, 1,500 turned up to exercise their franchise at the heavily fortified polling stations. Polling was brisker in north Kashmir with more than 29 per cent of 4,700 voters casting their votes in the first two hours for Kupwara Municipal Committee, followed by 21 per cent in Handwara town, the official said. The poll percentage in ...
PMK demands fingerprint SI exam in Tamil also
PMK Monday claimed competitive examination for selecting fingerprint sub-inspectors of police in Tamil Nadu was proposed to be held only in English and demanded that it be conducted in Tamil also as had been the practice in the past. PMK founder leader S Ramadoss also demanded 20 per cent quota for Tamil medium aspirants. The Tamil Nadu Uniformed Services Recruitment Board has announced the examination will be conducted only in English, he claimed in a statement. "This is a betrayal of Tamil students and condemnable," he said adding till 2015, the examinations for selecting technical personnel and fingerprint sub inspectors were held in Tamil. Online applications were received till September 28 for selecting 202 fingerprint SIs and the TNUSRB had notified the recruitment on August 28. The date of competititve examination is yet to be announced. "Usurping" the rights of Tamil students is unacceptable, the PMK leader said and urged the government to take steps to hold the
Sabarimala stir a "deliberate" attempt to destroy Kerala's
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Monday criticised those agitating against his government's move to implement the Supreme Court verdict on entry of women of all ages into the Sabarimala temple, saying "deliberate" efforts were being made to destroy the state's unity and secular fabric. Asserting that his government was committed to protecting the religious beliefs and customs of different religions and places of worship, he said there was no question of succumbing to "politically motivated" efforts to create tension in the state. "The people of Kerala faced the recent unprecedented floods unitedly but deliberate efforts are now being made to destroy that unity, to destroy the secular fabric," he told reporters. Holding out an olive branch, Vijayan also made it clear that the government was prepared for talks with all concerned if they had anymisunderstandings over the state's stand on the issue. Meanwhile, joining the issue for the first time, Travancore Royal ...
Ex-Interpol chief accepted bribes, claims China
China has accused former chief of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) Meng Hongwei, who has been detained in the country, of accepting bribes.The allegations came after an urgent midnight Communist Party committee meeting was convened, wherein Chinese officials expressed "unanimous support" for the probe against Meng and pledged "absolute political loyalty" to Chinese President Xi Jinping and the party's top brass, South China Morning Post reported.As per a statement issued by the Ministry of Public Security, a task force will be constituted to question Meng's associates. It further noted that Meng's insistence on "doing things in his own way means he has only himself to blame for being placed under investigation".The Ministry also stated that there was no scope for any "negotiation or bargaining with the party."The Interpol on Sunday received the resignation of Hongwei, who was missing since over a week.A statement from Interpol confirmed that as per the ...
J-K municipal polls: Rajouri records highest voter turnout till 11 am
Rajouri witnessed highest voter turnout of 55 per cent in 59 wards till 11 am in the first phase of municipal elections in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday.Poonch was in the second position with 47 per cent voter turnout till 11 am, while Jammu, Kargil and Leh recorded 34, 33 and 26 per cent respectively.Anantnag witnessed just a 5 per cent turnout in four wards. Bandipora recorded an abysmal 2 per cent turnout in 16 wards followed by Budgam and Baramulla with 3 per cent voter turnout each.While Budgam has one polling station and one ward going to polls today, Baramulla has 35 polling stations and 15 wards."Proper security arrangements were made yesterday. The polling is going on smoothly. Mock poll has been conducted at all 584 polling stations. There were defaults in EVMs at four places. Those EVMs were immediately replaced. Voter turnout has been good so far and we expect it will keep getting better as the day progresses. Polling will be conducted till 4 pm," Jammu District Election ...
Will decide on alliance with BJP once dates are known: Palaniswami
After meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami on Monday said a decision on an alliance between the ruling AIADMK and BJP for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls will be taken after elections are announced.
Normal life affected in valley due to strike called by separatists against local bodies' polls
Normal life was hit in the Kashmir Valley Monday due to a strike called by the separatists against the holding of the local bodies' polls, the first phase of which began Monday morning across the state. Shops, business establishments, private offices and fuel stations remained closed here in the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said. They added that public transport was off the roads, while a few private cars, taxis and autorickshaws were seen plying in some areas of the city. Similar reports of shutdown were received from the other district headquarters of the valley, the officials said. They added that while there were no restrictions anywhere in the valley, security personnel were deployed in strength in the vulnerable areas to maintain law and order. The separatists, under the banner of the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), had called for a shutdown on Monday against the holding of the local bodies' polls in the state. The JRL -- comprising Syed Ali Shah Geelani, ...
Brazil's far-right candidate wins first round of presidential election
Far-right Congressman Jair Bolsonaro pulled off a thumping win in the first round of Brazil's presidential election but fell short of the majority required to avoid a second round runoff, the Supreme Electoral Tribunal has announced.
Valley gives cold shoulder to J-K civic polls; 6% turnout till 1 PM
Over six per cent of the electorate turned out to cast their votes on Monday in the 83 wards of urban local bodies in Kashmir during the first six hours of polling in the first of the four-phased elections in the valley amidst tight security arrangements, an official said. "Over 5,400 voters have exercised their franchise till 1.00 pm at the 150 polling stations set up in the 83 wards across the Kashmir Valley where polling is going on today," the official said. Around 85,000 voters including 40,800 women are eligible to vote in the valley. Out of 30,074 voters in three wards of Srinagar Municipal Corporation, 1,500 have turned up at fortified polling stations. Polling was brisk in north Kashmir as more than 29 per cent of 4700 voters cast their votes in the first two hours for Kupwara Municipal Committee, followed by 21 per cent in Handwara town, the official said. The poll percentage in Bandipora, Baramulla, Anantnag and Budgam municipal areas was around five per cent. The polling, .
Hong Kong journalist group protests FT editor's visa denial
Hong Kong journalist groups have expressed dismay over the government's refusal to renew a work visa for a Financial Times editor. Representatives from the Hong Kong Foreign Correspondents' Club, Hong Kong Journalists Association and other journalism advocacy groups gathered at the Central Government Offices on Monday and handed a letter of protest to a Hong Kong Government representative. "We are shocked and deeply concerned over the decision by the Hong Kong authorities to refuse a work visa renewal for Victor Mallet, Asia News Editor for the Financial Times," said Chris Yeung of the Hong Kong Journalists Association. He said the denial of a visa to Mallet "sets a terrible precedent for Hong Kong's reputation as a place where the rule of law applies and where freedom of speech is protected by law." China has defended its decision to deny a new work visa for Mallet, who is vice president of the Foreign Correspondent's Club. Authorities have criticized the club for hosting a talk in ..
Pak ex-PMs Nawaz, Abbasi appear before Lahore Court in treason case linked to Mumbai attack
Former Pakistan premiers Nawaz Sharif and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, along with a prominent journalist, appeared before the Lahore High Court on Monday for hearing on a petition seeking treason proceedings against them in a case related to the 2008 Mumbai terror attack. Journalist Cyril Almeida, Assistant Editor for the Dawn newspaper is also a respondent in the case being heard by a three-member bench headed by Justice Mazahar Ali Naqvi, The Express Tribune reported. In the last hearing, Almeida was put on 'Exit Control List' and issued non-bailable warrants for his arrest for not attending previous court proceedings. The petition was filed against Nawaz for defaming the country through an interview on the Mumbai terror attack and against Abbasi for supporting the former prime minister's stance and sharing minutes of the National Security Council's (NSC) meeting in violation of his oath, the report said. The petition contended that Nawaz had not only disclosed sensitive secrets but also ..
J&K municipal polls: Brisk polling in Jammu, subdued in valley
Brisk voting was seen in almost all the wards in Jammu region with Rajouri registering the highest votes on Monday while Srinagar in the valley saw the lowest as a shutdown-call led to subdued polling in the municipal elections that are taking place after 13 years in Jammu and Kashmir.