Page 292 - Politics
Trump tells UK to 'walk away' if it can't secure terms
US President Donald Trump has said the UK should walk away from the European Union (EU) without a deal if it cannot secure the terms it wants.
Amit Shah pays tribute at National Police Memorial
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday visited the National Police Memorial to pay tribute to the policemen who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty.The 54-year-old stalwart laid wreath at the memorial which is located in New Delhi's Chanakyapuri area.The memorial is spread over 6.12 acres and has a 30-foot tall heavy black granite central sculpture, a museum and a 'Wall of Valour' bearing the names of policemen who have died while serving the nation since Independence.Earlier on Saturday, the new entrant to the North Block, Shah took charge as Home Minister in the Modi government 2.0.Shortly after taking charge, Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a meeting with top officials of the ministry, followed by a call on him by Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satyapal Malik.
Guests aggressively turned away by Pak agencies from Indian mission-hosted Iftar party in Islamaba
Guests were aggressively turned away by Pakistani security officials from an Iftar party hosted by the Indian High Commission in Islamabad on Saturday and even calls were made to stop many of them from attending it, sources said.Indian envoy Ajay Bisaria told ANI on Sunday that "such intimidatory tactics" are "counter-productive" for bilateral relations."We apologise to all our guests who were aggressively turned away from our Iftar party last evening. Such intimidatory tactics are deeply disappointing. They not only violate basic norms of diplomatic conduct and civilised behaviour, but are also counter-productive for our bilateral relations," he said.Media reports claimed that additional scrutiny was thrust upon the guests attending the party by Pakistani security officials, who also forced many to return from the event."Pakistani agencies virtually laid a siege on Hotel Serena on Saturday, harassed, intimidated and turned back hundreds of guests," sources told ANI on Sunday."Before .
Japan PM to meet Iran's Khamenei to mediate with US: report
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will meet Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei later this month with Tokyo hoping to mediate between Washington and Tehran, a report said Sunday. As tensions intensify between Iran and Japan's key ally the United States, Abe has reportedly proposed serving as a go-between and is said to be weighing up a state visit to Iran. According to the Mainichi Shimbun report, Abe's planned meeting with influential Khamenei will be the first such talks between a Japanese premier and Tehran's supreme leader. US President Donald Trump said last week he remained open to talks with Tehran during his state visit to Tokyo, appearing to have given the green light to Abe's plan. Abe will also meet Iran's president Hassan Rouhani before meeting Khamenei during his tour to Iran from June 12 to 14, the newspaper said, citing unnamed government sources. Before Trump flew to Japan, the United States had announced it was sending 1,500 extra troops to the region, ...
MPs from Bundelkhand fail to get ministerial berths
Unlike eastern Uttar Pradesh which bagged a lion's share of ministerial berths in the Union Council of Ministers, MPs from Bundelkhand region of the state could not make it to the list of ministers. All the four parliamentary constituencies in Bundelkhand region of the state gave their electoral verdict in favour of the BJP. In Banda, BJP's RK Singh Patel defeated SP's Shyama Charan Gupta by a margin of over 58,000 votes, while in Hamirpur, it was Kunwar Pushpendra Singh Chandel of the BJP who emerged victorious defeating his nearest rival Dilip Kumar Singh of the BSP by more than 2.48 lakh votes. Jhansi witnessed Anurag Sharma of the BJP winning by a margin of over 3.65 lakh votes. In Jalaun, it was Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma of the BJP who defeated Ajay Singh (Pankaj) of the BSP by over 1.58 lakh votes. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, BJP stalwart Uma Bharti, who won from Jhansi, was made a Cabinet minister. Bundelkhand is a hilly region spread over Uttar Pradesh and Madhya ...
Tiananmen crackdown 'correct' policy: China defence minister
The 1989 crackdown on protesters in Beijing's Tiananmen Square was the correct policy, China's defence minister said Sunday. "That incident was a political turbulence and the central government took measures to stop the turbulence which is a correct policy," General Wei Fenghe told a regional security forum in Singapore. Speaking to fellow defence ministers, top military officers and academics from all over the world, Wei questioned why people still say that China "did not handle the incident properly". "The 30 years have proven that China has undergone major changes," he said, adding that because of the government's action "China has enjoyed stability and development". Beijing was the epicentre of student-led protests 30 years ago, with hundreds or possibly more than 1,000 killed by soldiers at the square on June 4, 1989.
Israel confirms attacked Syria over rockets fired at Mount Hermon
The Israeli military confirmed Sunday it had attacked Syrian military positions in response to rockets fired from Syria at Mount Hermon in the occupied Golan Heights. A statement from the military said it held the Syrian regime accountable "for every action taken against Israel," with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterating Israel's policy to "respond forcefully to any aggression against us." Two rockets were fired at Mount Hermon late Saturday, with the army saying on Sunday that one of them was "located within Israeli territory." In response the army attacked "two Syrian artillery batteries, a number of observation and intelligence posts on the Golan Heights, and an SA-2 aerial defense battery," the Sunday statement said. "During the strikes, an Israeli aerial defense system was activated due to Syrian anti-aircraft shooting. None of the rockets exploded in Israel." Netanyahu said he had ordered the attack following the rockets. "We won't tolerate fire at our territory," he ...
Activists commemorate Tiananmen at Chinese embassy in US
Dozens of activists rallied in front of the Chinese embassy in Washington on Saturday to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the crackdown on the Tiananmen Square protests in Beijing. Holding aloft banners and battery-powered candles, about 50 activists including Chinese political dissidents spoke of their hopes for democracy after the failure of the 1989 student protests that ended when the military intervened. "I feel that people around the world are getting more and more impatient with the communist regime. And I feel that people start to realise that they can no longer tolerate this regime," said Wei Jingsheng, chairman of the Oversea Chinese Democracy Coalition. The protests by students and workers demanding democratic changes and the eradication of corruption ended on June 4, 1989 when soldiers and tanks chased and killed demonstrators and onlookers in the streets leading to Tiananmen Square. The government still keeps a lid on what really happened and the number of dead. But ..
China defence minister says Huawei not a military company
Huawei is not a military company despite its founder Ren Zhengfei's previous career in the army, China's Defence Minister General Wei Fenghe said Sunday, amid growing US-China tensions over trade and technology in which the Chinese telecom giant has been a main target. The US placed Huawei on an "entity list" on grounds of national security on May 16, a move that curbs its access to US-made components it needs for its equipment. The Department of Commerce alleged that Huawei was engaged in activities that are contrary to US national security or foreign policy interest. The Trump administration later issued a 90-day reprieve on its ban on dealing with Huawei, saying breathing space was needed to allow for software updates and other contractual obligations. "Huawei is not a military company. Do not think that because the head of Huawei used to serve in the military, then the company that he built is part of the military," General Wei said while speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in ...
From 1989 to '1984': Generation Tiananmen lament China's descent
Thirty years after they fled the bullets and tanks, Tiananmen exiles say their dream of returning to a democratic China are more distant than ever as their homeland descends further into authoritarianism and state surveillance. Zhou Fengsuo has always erred on the side of optimism. Five years ago, to mark the 25th anniversary of Beijing's deadly crackdown, he took advantage of a 72-hour transit visa to sneak back into China on his American passport. It was an act that would be unthinkable now. Under President Xi Jinping, China has returned to a level of oppression not seen since the Mao era, its security apparatus bolstered by cutting edge technology and the party's ability to silence critics virtually unchallenged. "There is no reason to be optimistic for China now if you look at what's happening," said Zhou, a former student leader who was number five on Beijing's 'Most Wanted' list in the aftermath of the crackdown and who now lives in the United States. "It's darkening day by ...
Libya: 18 injured after two explosions rock Derna
Around 18 people were injured after two bomb-laden cars exploded near the headquarters of the Libyan National Army (LNA) here, according to local media reports on Sunday.This comes as more than 90,000 people have been displaced ever since the armed conflict between Khalifa Haftar-led army and UN-backed government broke out in Tripoli on April 12.Fighting broke out after the Khalifa Haftar-led LNA launched their offensive to retake Tripoli, which is controlled by forces backed by the UN-backed interim government known as the Government of National Accord (GNA), according to Sputnik.Libya 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 GNA governs Libya's western region from Tripoli.While the US government has primarily backed the GNA which is led by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, American diplomats and military officers have maintained contacts with Russia backed ..
Syria says Israeli attacks kill 3 soldiers, wound 7
Israel attacked Syrian military positions in the country's south early Sunday, killing three soldiers and wounding seven others, Syria's state-run media reported. State news agency SANA quoted an unnamed military official as saying the attacks struck military positions in the southern region of Quneitra, near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. They also caused material damage, it said. An Israeli military spokesman confirmed on Twitter that Israel targeted several military positions in Syria. He said the targets included two artillery batteries, several observation and intelligence posts and an SA2 air defense unit. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition's war monitor, said Israeli warplanes struck positions and an arms depot of Iranian troops and Lebanon's Hezbollah fighters. The attacks came hours after the Israeli military said two projectiles were fired from Syria toward the Golan Heights. The Israeli military said Saturday there were no reports of ..
India needs both development and security (Column: Spy's Eye)
The sweeping victory of Narendra Modi and his party in this General Election - that went far beyond any conventional poll arithmetic - was transformational in the sense that for the first time the Indians at the grass roots level believed that the promise made by a leadership earlier had been sincerely pursued by it. Prime Minister Modi had post- 2014 called for 'sabka saath sabka vikas' and declared that he would put the 'nation first' in handling the issues of governance. The development schemes that he announced aimed at benefiting the common man regardless of rural-urban distinctions and what is truly modernistic - using the power of technology as a great equaliser.
Muslim Trinamool MLA's inclusion sparks discontent in Bengal BJP
There is rising discontent in the West Bengal BJP against the induction of Trinamool Congress' Labhpur legislator Monirul Islam, with a key district level functionary even threatening to quit with his supporters if the leadership did not show the door to the MLA.
Syrian air defence fires at 'enemy missiles' in Damascus: state media
The Syrian army's anti-aircraft defence was activated Sunday against "enemy missiles" fired from Israel at "positions" in southwest Damascus, the official Sana news agency quoted a military source as saying. "At dawn Sunday, enemy air targets arrived from the occupied Golan", the military source said. "Our air defence blocked and shot down these enemy missiles which targeted our positions in southwest Damascus.
Syria: 10 killed after bomb-laden car detonates in Raqqa
At least 10 people were killed and 20 others sustained injuries after an explosion-laden car detonated in Syria's northern city of Raqqa on Saturday.The incident occurred at a command centre of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).The blast claimed lives of five SDF commanders, reports Xinhua.The incident was preceded by an explosion in a landmine located in Basel Street in the central part of the city.Further details into both the developments are awaited.Raqqa used to be a stronghold of Islamic State (IS) until 2017. According to a report by Sputnik, the city fell into the hands of the Syrian opposition forces in 2013 and was then captured by the IS group, that proclaimed the city as its de facto capital.In 2016, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) backed by the US-led coalition launched a campaign to win the city back from the terrorists.The operation culminated in the 2017 Battle of Raqqa, which eventually allowed the SDF to gain control over the city.A recent
Iran may hold talks if US shows respect, follows rules: Rouhani
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has indicated that Iran could agree to hold talks if the United States shows respect and follows international rules, but said Tehran would not be coerced into negotiations.
In new electronic time, no idea what's happening in polls: TS Singh Deo on LS debacle
Chhattisgarh minister and senior Congress leader TS Singh Deo on Saturday questioned BJP's mammoth victory in the recent general elections, stating that even the winning party wasn't expecting such results and was unaware of how they managed to win.Speaking to reporters here, Deo said, "We discussed many issues but couldn't shortlist any which may seem like a cause of defeat. People were of the view that for the first time, even BJP workers did not burn crackers after their win. They weren't even expecting these results. No sweets were distributed and despite getting 300 seats, BJP's celebration wasn't as it used to be before. When even they don't know how they won, how would we know?"Deo also spoke against the usage of electronic voting machines (EVMs) in the election and said, "After results, it is useless to discuss this, although I personally believe that the EVM has become very controversial. Japan, Germany, US have left it, why are we still using it ?"Taking a jibe on the usage .
Trump urges UK to be 'very careful' over Huawei and 5G
US president Donald Trump urged Britain to be "very careful" about involving Chinese tech giant Huawei in its new 5G network, in an interview published Saturday ahead of his state visit to London. Asked about reports that Britain is planning to give the firm a limited role, Trump told the Sunday Times newspaper: "Well, you have other alternatives and we have to be very careful from the standpoint of national security." He added: "You know we have a very important intelligence gathering group, that we work very closely with your country (Britain) and so you have to be very careful." The US has long voiced suspicions that Huawei is controlled by the Chinese government and thus a global security threat -- charges strongly denied by the firm and by Beijing. Prime Minister Theresa May's government has insisted a decision has not yet been made on Huawei's involvement in building a 5G network in Britain. Trump said he believed "things will all work out, you'll see". In a wide-ranging ...
Trump urges UK to be 'very careful' over Huawei and 5G
US president Donald Trump urged Britain to be "very careful" about involving Chinese tech giant Huawei in its new 5G network, in an interview published Saturday ahead of his state visit to London. Asked about reports that Britain is planning to give the firm a limited role, Trump told the Sunday Times newspaper: "Well, you have other alternatives and we have to be very careful from the standpoint of national security." He added: "You know we have a very important intelligence gathering group, that we work very closely with your country (Britain) and so you have to be very careful." The US has long voiced suspicions that Huawei is controlled by the Chinese government and thus a global security threat -- charges strongly denied by the firm and by Beijing. Prime Minister Theresa May's government has insisted a decision has not yet been made on Huawei's involvement in building a 5G network in Britain. Trump said he believed "things will all work out, you'll see". In a wide-ranging ...