Page 286 - Politics
Hindi not our mother tongue, don't enforce it on us: MNS
Joining ranks with the recent protests over the pan-India three language formula proposed in the draft National Education Policy 2019, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena on Sunday spoke against enforcement of Hindi asserting that it is not their mother tongue.The official Twitter handle of MNS, quoted state leader and spokesperson Anil Shidore as stating "Hindi is not our mother tongue, do not enforce it on us and incite us."On Friday, a huge controversy broke out in Tamil Nadu over the three language formula with political parties warning a language war over "attempts" to impose Hindi, even as the Centre stepped in to say that there was no intention to impose any language on anyone.However, as the controversy snowballed, the Centre dismissed apprehensions on the issue and said there was no move to impose any language on anyone."Only a report has been submitted on the new education policy. Government has not taken any decision on it. It has not even considered it and therefore the ...
2 bodies retrieved from boat off Libya's coast; 73 migrants rescued
Libyan coast guard retrieved two dead bodies on Sunday off country's western coast from a boat carrying more than 80 European-bound migrants.Of the remaining people on the boat found by a coast guard patrol some 14 kilometres off the coast Garrabulli town, as many as 73 were rescued, including 8 children. The search for the missing people is underway, reports Xinhua.In recent years, thousands of migrants have lost their lives after undertaking dangerous sea travel on overcrowded rubber boats in a bid to escape the turmoil in their own country.According to a recent report by the United Nations, more than 90,000 people have been displaced in Libya since April 2018 as a result of the armed conflict between Khalifa Haftar's army and UN-backed government forces in capital Tripoli.The country has been largely divided into two factions ever since the death of its dictator Muammar Gaddafi.The LNA-backed parliament controls the east of Libya, while the UN-backed interim Government of National .
China minister defends 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown
China has defended the crackdown on the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests in a rare public acknowledgement of events, ahead of the 30th anniversary of the pro-democracy demonstrations.
Syria: 14 killed after bomb-laden car detonates in Azaz
At least 14 people were killed and 28 others sustained injuries after an explosive-laden car detonated in Syria's northwestern city of Azaz on Sunday.A local source told Sputnik that the explosion took place at a crowded place in the central area of the city.The death toll in the incident is expected to rise.Further details are awaited.The incident has come a day after ten people lost their lives in a car bomb explosion at the command centre of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in the northern city of Raqqa.
Israeli strike hits airbase in Syria's Homs: state media
Syria on Sunday accused Israel of targeting an airbase in Homs province, in the second such attack in 24 hours. "Our air defences thwarted an Israeli aggression and destroyed two of the rockets that targeted the T-4 airbase," a military source told state news agency SANA. The remaining rockets "killed one soldier, wounded two others, and damaged an arms warehouse," the source added. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported five killed, including one Syrian soldier. It said the attack also destroyed a rocket warehouse. In addition to the Syrian army, Iranian fighters and Hezbollah paramilitary forces are also stationed at the airbase, according to the monitor. The attack comes hours after Israel announced that it had carried out strikes in Syria in response to rare rocket fire from the neighbouring country. The Observatory said 10 were killed, including Syrian soldiers and foreign fighters in the attack south of the capital. Israel has carried out hundreds of air .
Security forces, terrorists exchange fire in Shopian, 1 dead
An exchange of fire is currently underway between security forces and terrorists in the Molu-Chitragam area of Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district.One terrorist has been killed in an exchange of fire between security forces and terrorists in Molu-Chitragam area of Shopian district.The exchange of fire is currently underway.Further details are awaited.
Won't block Assange's extradition to US, says Jeremy Hunt
Britain's Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, who is widely considered a frontrunner to replace outgoing Theresa May, said on Sunday that he would not block the extradition of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange to the United States if he was chosen to lead the British Government.Responding to a question by CBS journalist Margaret Brennan on the matter, Hunt replied, "Well we would have to follow our own legal processes just as the U.S. has to follow its own legal processes. But do I think- would I want to stand in the way of Julian Assange facing justice? No, I would not."Assange is currently serving 50 weeks imprisonment sentence in UK's Belmarsh prison and the US is seeking his extradition on charges of conspiracy to hack into a classified government computer.Hunt's statement came at the heels of the reports that the US State Department would likely back down on plans to charge Assange for the infamous Vault 7 leak due to time constraints and concerns that the move could result in the ...
Hyderabad: Governor orders handover of AP govt buildings to Telangana
Governor ESL Narasimhan on Sunday issued orders to re-allocate buildings, given to the Andhra Pradesh State government for its offices in Hyderabad, back to the Telangana State government.At the time of United Andhra Pradesh state's bifurcation, government buildings in Hyderabad were allocated equally between the Telangana and AP state governments. Since the entire Andhra Pradesh government is functioning from its capital Amaravati, the official buildings allocated for it were lying vacant.However, AP state government is paying electricity bills, other maintenance costs for the buildings though it was not utilising them. Against this backdrop, the Telangana State Cabinet on Sunday urged the Governor to re-allocate the office buildings given to the AP State government.The Telangana state cabinet has also requested the Governor to allocate one building for the AP state government for setting up its police wing and another building for its other offices. The Telangana State cabinet has ..
Indian-Americans welcome Jaishankar's appointment as India's External Affairs Minister
Several Indian-Americans in Texas have welcomed the appointment of S Jaishankar as the External Affairs Minister, saying he was instrumental in negotiating India's civil nuclear agreement with the US. The 64-year-old former foreign secretary's appointment to the key post is seen as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's attempt to add further strategic heft to India's external engagement. "Houston was the first city he visited when he was appointed India's Ambassador to the US in 2013," Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston (IACCGH) Founding Secretary/Executive Director Jagdip Ahluwalia said. During his trip, Jaishankar had said that Houston has a special relationship with India as its trade with the country is about USD 8 billion, more than some countries, he said. "The Chamber looks forward to welcoming him back to Houston on the Chamber's 20th anniversary this year," said Chamber President Swapan Dhairyawan. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, in his first official ...
Athawale urges TRS, YSRCP to join NDA
Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale has appealed to the TRS and YSR Congress Party to join the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre in the interest of the people of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Iran rules out talks unless US changes 'general behaviour and actions'
Tehran on Sunday ruled out the possibility of talks between the two countries unless the US changes its "general behaviour and actions."This came in response to a statement by US Secretary of State Michael R Pompeo that Washington is willing to negotiate with Iran "with no preconditions".At a press conference here, Abbas Mousavi, the spokesperson for Iranian foreign ministry, said that the criterion required for the talks to take place is the "change of the general behaviour and actions of the United States of America regarding the Iranian nation.""The Islamic Republic of Iran ignores word games and the use of new languages to express secret aims," Mousavi was cited as saying by The Times of Israel.In a statement that could be read as an apparent softening of his previous stance on Iranian conflict, Pompeo on Sunday had said at a press conference in Switzerland, that Washington is "prepared to engage in a conversation with no preconditions."However, he added, "The American effort to ..
Qatar rejects Mecca talks outcome
Qatar's foreign minister said on Sunday that Doha rejected the outcome of the recent Mecca talks on mounting regional tensions with Iran as it had not been properly consulted. Saudi Arabia hosted three summits in the holy city over the weekend critical of Iran after King Salman warned that "terrorist" attacks in the Gulf region could imperil global energy supplies. "The statements of the Gulf and Arab summits were ready in advance and we were not consulted on them," Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani told the Al-Araby broadcaster. "Qatar has reservations on the Arab and Gulf summits because some of their terms are contrary to Doha's foreign policy." Tehran has strongly denied involvement in recent attacks on oil infrastructure and regional shipping -- incidents that prompted Riyadh to convene the three crisis summits. In a tweet just before the start of the summit, the king vowed to confront "aggressive threats and subversive activities". Qatar is the subject of a two-year Saudi-led ...
Canada Tory MP slammed for reading Christchurch manifesto into record
A Canadian Conservative MP has been booted from a parliamentary committee after reading into the public record an excerpt from the Christchurch shooter's manifesto while berating a Muslim witness. Opposition Tory leader Andrew Scheer -- the main rival to unseat Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in upcoming elections -- said in a Twitter message late Saturday that MP Michael Cooper "will no longer sit on the justice committee" as a consequence of his remarks. "Reading the name and quoting the words of the Christchurch shooter, especially when directed at a Muslim witness during a parliamentary hearing, is insensitive and unacceptable," Scheer said. Ahead of the New Zealand mosque attacks that left 51 Muslim worshippers dead, the shooter, Brenton Tarrant, had posted a rambling manifesto on social media in which he described himself as a white supremacist out to avenge attacks in Europe perpetrated by Muslims. Breaking with New Zealand-led efforts to suppress the declaration, Cooper .
Govt should fulfil its promise of constructing Ram temple at Ayodhya: Shankaracharya Swaroopanand
Shankaracharya Swaroopanand on Sunday said the government should fulfil its promise of constructing a Ram temple at Ayodhya. "The government should fulfil its promise that hitherto could not be translated into reality," he told reporters in Vrindavan. "Since the matter is pending before the apex court, we expect the decision to come shortly and construction of temple should start," Swaroopanand said. He said Mughal emperor Babar had never visited Ayodhya and there was never a mosque at the site of Lord Ram. Targeting the BJP, Swaroopanand said, "There is lot of difference between Ram of the BJP and Ram of seers." "The Ram of BJP is an ideal human being, while we worship our Ram," he added. Swaroopanand said the BJP "misled" the people on nationalism while issues like unemployment and development were "sidelined" in the Lok Sabha elections. "The government should focus on issues like ban on bovine export, withdrawal of Article 370 from Kashmir, making holy rivers pollution free, etc.,"
US-S.Korea military exercises not 'necessary': Pentagon chief
The resumption of major US-South Korea joint military exercises is not "necessary", Pentagon chief Patrick Shanahan told reporters Sunday, despite stalled negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang. Washington regularly conducted large-scale military manoeuvers with the South Korean army until the first meeting of US President Donald Trump with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un last year. They were suspended at Trump's request to facilitate dialogue with Pyongyang and replaced by more limited exercises, but negotiations on the North Korean nuclear program have since stalled. Asked on Sunday whether the exercises would resume, Shanahan replied: "I don't think it is necessary." The acting secretary of defence added that the US forces in South Korea were already "prepared if diplomacy fails" with the North. "I am confident that we have the readiness that we are required to have, the operational forces and the posture," Shanahan said while flying to Seoul for the third leg of his ...
JDU, BJP leaders skip each other's 'Iftar' parties in Patna
Hours after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expanded his Council of Ministers on Sunday, BJP and JDU leaders skipped the 'iftar' party hosted by each other.As usual, JDU had organised an 'iftar' party at Haj Bhavan. However, no BJP leader was present on the occasion, sources said. RJD ally and former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi did participate in the 'iftar.'BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi also organised an 'iftar' party in which no JDU leader was present.RJD leader and former Chief Minister Rabri Devi also hosted an 'iftar' party at her residence here. Several leaders of the grand-alliance including Jitan Ram Manjhi and Shivanand Tiwari attended the event.Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expanded his Council of Ministers on Sunday, with the inclusion of eight new faces from the JDU.Ashok Chaudhary, Shyam Rajak, Laxmeshwar Prasad, Bhima Bharati, Ram Sevak Singh, Sanjay Jha, Neeraj Kumar and Narendra Narayan Yadav were administered the oath of office and secrecy
Jaishankar rules out imposition of Hindi in states
Amid raging controversy over the draft national education policy, which favours making teaching of Hindi compulsory up to class 8, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, here on Sunday, reiterated the government's stand that it respected all languages and no language would be "imposed".
Guv orders reallocation of AP govt buildings to T'gana
In a significant development, Governor E S L Narasimhan Sunday ordered re-allocation of all government buildings here that were earmarked for Andhra Pradesh at the time of its bifurcation in 2014, to Telangana government. Since the AP government was functioning from its capital Amaravati, the official buildings allocated to it were lying vacant, an official release said. Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Governor Narasimhan issued orders reallocating the buildings to the newly carved out state in accordance with the provisions of AP Reorganisation Act, 2014 following the consent given by the Chief Ministers of the two neighbouring states, it said. At the time of bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, government buildings in Hyderabad were allocated equally to the two state governments. However, the AP government was paying electricity bills and other maintenance costs of the buildings though it was not utilising them. The order was issued as per Section 8 of the APRA, 2014, after ...
Commence Ram Temple construction now, Swamy urges PM
Senior BJP leader and former Union Minister Subramanian Swamy has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to commence construction of Ram Temple at Ayodhya and declare Ram Setu as a national monument.
Mahatma tweet: Pawar for exemplary action against IAS officer
NCP president Sharad Pawar Sunday demanded "exemplary" action against IAS officer Nidhi Choudhari for her controversial tweet on Mahatma Gandhi. In a letter addressed to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Pawar said, "If the government doesn't take action it would be deemed that its policy and intention has reached its lowest ebb". In the tweet, which has since been deleted, BMC Deputy Municipal Commissioner Nidhi Choudhari had called for removal of Mahatma Gandhi's statues from across the world and his images from the Indian currency notes. She also "thanked" the Mahatma's assassin Nathuram Godse for 30.1.1948. After a row erupted, the officer clarified the tweet was "sarcastic" and that it was "misinterpreted". "A government official in a progressive state like Maharashtra making such insulting comments against Mahatma Gandhi, and the state government turning a blind eye to it is a serious matter," Pawar said. Her comments were not only condemnable but were ..