Page 345 - Politics
Bangladeshi leader visits Japan to talk economy, partnership
Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is wooing Japan for aid, trade and investment in a visit that highlights cordial relations with the administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Hasina, who is beginning a third consecutive five-year term, arrived late Tuesday and is set to meet Abe and hold a joint news conference Wednesday. A dinner is also being held in her honour. The leaders will discuss the Bay of Bengal development project and strengthening economic and security partnerships, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry. Japan has been weary of the security and economic threat of neighboring China and has been courting other nations in Asia as well as the U.S. and Europe. This week alone, Abe is meeting with leaders of the Philippines, Cambodia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore and Laos in addition to Bangladesh. He just finished playing host to a four-day visit by President Donald Trump, which ended Tuesday. Hasina has visited five times before, as prime minister and ...
Papua New Guinea PM resigns, throwing gas deal into doubt
Papua New Guinea's embattled prime minister stepped down on Wednesday, capping a months-long political crisis and calling a multi-billion-dollar French and US-backed gas deal into question. Facing a string of cabinet resignations and a vote of no confidence he looked sure to lose, veteran leader Peter O'Neill told parliament he had handed his letter of resignation to the country's governor general. "I hereby tender my resignation as Prime Minister of the independent state of Papua New Guinea, effective immediately" read the letter that was obtained by AFP. O'Neill said he had decided to step down "in the interests of ongoing political stability in our country" citing the need for "economic confidence and social unity." For eight years O'Neill had led the rugged and ethnically diverse nation, which is home to over 800 languages. But he had been heavily criticised for endemic corruption and chronic underdevelopment, in a country that has increasingly become a venue for US-China ...
Those who did not like Tejaswi's leaderhip can quit RJD: Tej Pratap Yadav
Amid brewing discontent among party leaders after poll debacle, RJD leader Tej Pratap Yadav on Wednesday said those leaders who did not like Tejaswi Yadav's leadership can leave the party."We lost but we are now focusing what is coming ahead. The top brass of political parties in Bihar's Mahagathbandhan came together but I got the information that leaders could not come together and fight like one," Yadav told ANI after RJD drew blank in the Lok Sabha elections."Those who did not like Tejaswi's leadership can leave the party whether it is Mahagathbandhan or RJD. I am there for him as Lord Krishna," he said.Taking to Twitter, Yadav earlier tweeted, "Those who have any doubts on Tejaswi's leadership should leave the party."After RJD's defeat, Yadav had written a letter to Tejaswi and said, "Those who distributed tickets and contested elections should take the responsibility of the defeat."He had requested Tejaswi, who looked into the day-to-day affairs of RJD after his father, Lalu ...
Maldives ex-president elected parliament speaker
The Maldives' parliament has overwhelmingly voted the country's first democratically elected president as the speaker of the house. Mohamed Nasheed received 67 votes from among 87 members. His rival received 17 votes past midnight Tuesday. The speaker also has a role in the Judicial Services Commission that regulates the Supreme Court, and is third in line should the positions of the president and vice president become vacant. President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's Maldivian Democratic Party has swept the parliamentary elections, winning 65 out of 87 seats. Last year, Solih defeated strongman Yameen Abdul Gayoom in the presidential vote. The elections paved the way for Nasheed's return home after years in exile. Nasheed, a former pro-democracy activist was elected president of the Indian Ocean archipelago in 2008, ending a 30-year autocratic government. He resigned in 2012 amid public upheaval over his decision to arrest a senior judge. He lost the 2013 presidential election to Yameen, and
EU: France, Germany differ on Brussels' top job
France and Germany have disagreed on who should be the president of the blocs executive arm, the European Commission, as leaders from the bloc met here following parliamentary elections. The vote saw the big centrist blocs lose their majorities with Greens and nationalists gaining ground.
Time magazine in about-face now says 'Modi has united India'
Time magazine, which published a cover story before the Indian election calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi the "Divider in Chief", has in a quick about-face run report with a headline, "Modi Has United India Like No Prime Minister in Decades".
NE: BJP's upsurge foils Congress' upturn amid mixed performance by regional parties'
Local and regional parties have more or less retained their strength in the northeastern region in the recently-concluded Lok Sabha polls while among the two national parties, the BJP increased its members and the Congress significantly lost its strength in its erstwhile bastion.
The insider versus outsider at 12 Tuglak Lane
A mood of despair prevails in the Congress headquarters at 24 Akbar Road. More than anything else, it is Rahul Gandhi's inner circle, an elite coterie of outsiders, which is being silently opposed by the rank and file of the party.
Civilian toll mounts as Syria regime pounds jihadist bastion
Nine children were among at least 21 civilians killed in regime attacks on Syria's northwest, a jihadist stronghold that has come under intensified bombardment in the past month, a monitor said. The strikes, some of which hit a hospital, followed two days of increased bombing by Damascus and its Russian ally on jihadist-dominated Idlib province and parts of neighbouring regions. Regime bombardment on the area Sunday and Monday killed a total of 31 civilians, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Tuesday's strikes on a busy street in the village of Kafr Halab, on the western edge of Aleppo province, killed at least nine civilians, according to the monitor. An AFP photographer said the bodies of the victims were torn apart and several stores lining the side of the road were destroyed. The street was crowded with people out and about before breaking the daytime fast observed by Muslims during the holy month of Ramadan. A hospital in the Idlib town of ...
Kushner visits Middle East to press US peace plan
US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner is visiting the Middle East, the White House has said, signalling a fresh push on a long promised but yet to be delivered peace plan for the region. The trip comes amid a flurry of other administration moves to shore up alliances with Arab allies against Iran and the deployment of warships and bombers to the region. Kushner is accompanied by Jason Greenblatt, Trump's special representative for international negotiations, and Brian Hook, the special US representative for Iran, the White House said on Tuesday. They "will travel from May 27 to May 31 to Rabat, Amman and Jerusalem," a White House official said on condition of anonymity. The pair shared an iftar dinner - the traditional meal to break the daily fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan - with Morocco's King Mohammed VI, Crown Prince Moulay Hassan and Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita. "Thank you to His Majesty for a special evening and for sharing your wisdom," ...
J-K: 2 detained near military station in Ratnuchak
Army detained late on Tuesday, two people for moving in a suspicious manner near the military station in Ratnuchak, Jammu.More details are currently awaited.In December last year, a possible terror attack at the Ratnuchak military station was foiled by alert Army Jawans.Army guards noticed some suspicious moment and spotted two suspects approaching the Army gate. The gun battle ensued after the Army guards stopped the suspects. However, the suspects managed to flee the spot.
Naveen Patnaik to be sworn in as Odisha CM, for record 5th time
Chief minister-designate Naveen Patnaik is set to take oath on Wednesday as the chief minister of Odisha, for the fifth consecutive time.Along with him, a 20-member Council of Ministers will also be sworn in.Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal had on Sunday invited Chief Minister and BJD president Patnaik to form the next government in the state. The Governor appointed 11 Cabinet ministers and nine Ministers of State on the recommendation of the chief minister.The 72-year-old BJD supremo Patnaik, one of the longest-serving chief ministers, managed to retain the state for the fifth consecutive term in the recently concluded Lok Sabha election in the state.The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled to be held at 10.30 am at the Exhibition Ground in Bhubaneswar, the Governor's office said in a press statement. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other political leaders have been invited to the ceremony.The Cabinet Ministers who will take oath are Ranendra Pratap Swain, Bikram Keshari Arukha, Naba ...
CPI(M) delegation meets Tripura CM over post-poll violence
A six-member delegation of the Tripura CPI(M) under the leadership of former state chief minister and Opposition leader Manik Sarkar on Tuesday met Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb at his official residence and submitted a memorandum demanding his immediate intervention to stop all post-poll violence and maintain peace in the state.Sarkar later thanked Deb for keeping their request to meet at a short notice."After there were protests from all corners, we felt that no more attacks will take place but since the declaration of the election results till today there have been several organised attacks. The government should immediately take measures to stop all these attacks. Steps should be taken against all those involved in these attacks," Sarkar told media here."We have noticed that CPI(M) offices, leaders and cadres are the main targets of these attacks. Ex MPs, MLAs and former MLAs beside representative of various elected bodies were also attacked and all this has come out in the ...
PM Modi, Amit Shah hold extensive discussion for around 5 hours
Two days before his swearing-in ceremony, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah on Tuesday held an extensive meeting that lasted for around five hours.According to sources, both the leaders are believed to have discussed the shape of the government, which will be sworn in on Thursday, May 30 and the formation of the new council of ministers.Speculations are rife on the future role of Shah inside and outside the BJP.It is believed that Shah, who played a crucial role in the BJP's return to power with a sweeping majority, may join the government. However, Shah himself has always evaded an answer to this stating that he is not in the know of the matter.According to sources, around 60 to 66 new ministers could be sworn-in on May 30. It will include some new faces and states like West Bengal, Telangana and Odisha, in which the party has done well, and are expected to have a good number in the council of ministers.Sources also indicate that key members from the previous .
Iran ready to talk to Gulf countries amid tension with US
Iran is ready to engage in a dialogue with the Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), to address the issue of escalating tensions with the United States in the Arabian Gulf, authorities said on Tuesday.The remarks by Abbas Araqchi, Iran's deputy foreign minister came on his visit to Qatar where he met foreign minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Doha.Qatar's foreign ministry, in a statement cited by Al Jazeera, said both sides "expressed their concern about escalations and problems in the region."Tensions have risen between Iran, on one side, along with the US and its Gulf allies, on the other. Washington, earlier this month, deployed a carrier strike group and bombers in the Arabian Gulf and announced plans to deploy additional 1,500 troops to the region, prompting fears of a conflict.Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump's National Security Adviser John Bolton arrived in the UAE on Tuesday before talks scheduled for Wednesday."Just .
India must renew efforts to gain UNSC permanent seat: VP Naidu
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday called for renewed efforts by India to gain permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council.Interacting with the Officer Trainees of the 2018 Batch of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Bhutanese Diplomats here, the Vice President referred to the growing prominence of India on the world stage and underscored the need for enhancing support from world nations and building a sustained dialogue in favour of UNSC reforms."During the last five years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has significantly and remarkably raised the visibility and standing of India. India has emerged as the fastest growing economy with global powers acknowledging India's growth story," Naidu said.The Vice President also stressed the need to build a consensus for expansion and democratisation of a number of multilateral fora to ensure representation to a number of other emerging nations."We must renew our efforts to gain permanent membership of the UN Security ...
Trump on Japan trip continues scathing remarks on Biden
United States President Donald Trump hasn't yet stopped talking about his presidential contender Joe Biden. Even during his four-day state visit to Japan, the President told reporters that he agreed with a scathing article published by the North Korean state media that claimed Biden is a "low-IQ individual".Last week, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) published an article targeting top Democratic presidential contender Joe Biden. Among other insults, the commentary called the former vice president "a fool of low IQ" and listed off a series of embarrassing moments in his life, like the time Biden fell asleep during a 2011 speech by then-President Barack Obama, or how in 1987 he admitted to plagiarising in school, CNN reports.On Sunday, Trump tweeted, "North Korea fired off some small weapons, which disturbed some of my people, and others, but not me.""I have confidence that Chairman Kim will keep his promise to me, & also smiled when he called Swampman Joe Biden a ..
US will work closely with "great ally" India: Trump administration
India is a "great ally" of America and the US will continue to work closely with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Trump administration has said, asserting that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was looking forward to have a "robust discussion" with his Indian counterpart on a wide range of issues. State Department Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus told reporters during an off-camera news conference here on Tuesday that the US was confident in the fairness and integrity of the just-concluded general elections in India. The Trump administration, including President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and Pompeo, congratulated Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party on the spectacular electoral victory in the Lok Sabha elections whose results were declared on May 23. "We, of course, will work closely with Modi, as we have many times," Ortagus told reporters in response to a question. "We're confident in the fairness and integrity of the elections, and I think that Secretary Pompeo will have a ...
Brexit a 'vaccine' against anti-EU propaganda: Tusk
Terming Europe a "winner" in the European Parliament elections, EU Commission President Donald Tusk said Brexit has acted as a "vaccine" against Euroskepticism.
Expect the unexpected from Modi in Camelot 2.0 (IANS Special)
With a gargantuan majority at his disposal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a huge gene pool to choose from and reward as he goes about appointing members to his new Camelot. However, with PM Modi, no one can second-guess him. At the same time, speculation is rife in Delhi's political circles on the composition of the new Cabinet.