Page 380 - Politics
In Asia, Trump finds more than ever he's among friends
In Europe, Donald Trump's relationships with leaders range from lukewarm to hostile. But in Asia, more than ever, the US president is finding that he's among friends. At a time that Trump is ramping up pressure on China, he has built warm relationships elsewhere in Asia and has recently seen surprise electoral triumphs by key partners. Japan is rolling out the red carpet for Trump, who will become the first foreign leader to meet newly enthroned Emperor Naruhito. Trump will bond with conservative Prime Minister Shinzo Abe over sumo wrestling and, weather permitting, their latest rounds of golf. Trump's trip comes on the heels of India's election in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a Hindu nationalist who has enthusiastically built ties with Washington, won an unexpectedly strong new mandate, as well as Australia's polls, where Prime Minister Scott Morrison stunned pundits by beating back a challenge from the Labor Party, whose promises included a "more considered" approach to ...
EU votes as far right seeks blow to Macron
Slovaks and Latvians cast their ballots in EU elections on Saturday as the far right hoped to clinch major gains and deny a pro-Europe victory to French President Emmanuel Macron. Polls were open in Malta, Slovakia and Latvia, with most of the bloc's 28 member states -- including big players Germany, France and Italy -- to vote on Sunday, with turnout expected to be low. Polling has shown for months that eurosceptics and the anti-immigration far right could make big gains in the vote, which will also help determine who replaces Jean-Claude Juncker as head of the European Commission as well as other top jobs. More than 400 million people are eligible to elect 751 members of the European Parliament, with the first official results to be announced late Sunday once voting in all EU countries is over. France's staunchly pro-European Macron has a big stake in the outcome, hoping to see his centrist Republique en Marche make a strong showing and shake-up EU politics in a direct challenge to .
CWC rejects resignation, but Rahul insists on stepping down (2nd Lead)
The Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Saturday rejected offer by party President Rahul Gandhi to resign in the wake of the debacle in the Lok Sabha elections but he has been insisting that his resignation is accepted and has not withdrawn his offer to quit.
Poll effect: Mamata offers to quit as CM, party rejects
Trinamool Congress president Mamata Banerjee Saturday offered to quit as chief minister of West Bengal following her party's drubbing in the Lok Sabha polls, but the TMC rejected it. Addressing her first press conference after the election results were declared, she accused the BJP of polarising people on religious lines to garner votes in West Bengal and wondered if some "sort of setting or foreign power" played a role in such a huge victory of the saffron party. West Bengal witnessed a saffron surge on Thursday as the BJP inflicted a deadly blow to ruling Trinamool Congress by winning 18 of the total 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state. The TMC won 22 seats, down from 34 in 2014. "I wanted to resign from the post of chief minister. The chair is nothing for me. But, the party rejected it. I don't need the chair, but the chair needs me," said Banerjee after an hour-long meeting with all candidates and senior leaders of the party. Claiming that her government has fulfilled all the ...
Sudan military council chief visits Egypt
The head of Sudan's ruling military council arrived in Cairo Saturday, an airport official said, the general's first foreign trip since taking power after the April ouster of president Omar al-Bashir. General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan's visit to Egypt comes after Sudanese protest leaders announced a two-day strike from Tuesday as talks with the military over installing civilian rule remain suspended. The umbrella protest movement is at odds with the generals over whether the transitional body to rule Sudan should be headed by a military or civilian figure. Egypt, whose President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi currently chairs the African Union, backs Sudan's military council and has urged African nations to allow it "more time" for a handover to civilian rule.
PM warns newly elected MPs to desist from giving controversial 'sound bytes'
Giving tips to newly-elected MPs of his party and coaltion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday warned them against making controversial statements."When Lal Krishna Advani was the party president, he used to say beware of "chapas" and "dikhas" (getting into print or electronic media). If we can get rid of the desire to see ourselves in newspapers and on television, then we can protect a lot," Modi said while addressing the meeting of the newly-elected MPs and other NDA leaders in parliament's central hall."I see that some people are restless till they don't issue a "message to the nation". People in the media are also aware that there are six 'models (namoone)' and they will there outside the gates since morning hoping that he will say something after coming out. We are blamed for things which we are not responsible for," said Modi invoking laughter from the audience.He also urged the newly elected MPs to not get lured by the temptation of giving 'sound bytes' to the TV ...
NDA delegation meets President Kovind, stakes claim to form govt
An NDA delegation led by BJP president Amit Shah called on President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday and staked claim to form the government.The delegation comprised SAD chief Parkash Singh Badal, Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, Sushma Swaraj, and Ram Vilas Paswan, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, AIADMK leader K. Palaniswami, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and his Nagaland counterpart Neiphiu Rio.Modi, who steered the NDA coalition to a massive victory in the Lok Sabha elections, was unanimously elected the leader of the BJP parliamentary party and the NDA parliamentary party to head the new government once again.He was elected at a combined meeting of the newly elected MPs of BJP and the NDA coalition at the Central Hall of Parliament by 353 MPs by raising their hands amidst cheers of 'Modi, Modi, Modi' and applause.The proposal to elect him as the leader of the BJP parliamentary party was formally proposed by Shah and later ...
Tgana govt releases draft block-chain policy
The Telangana government has released a draft block-chain policy under the overall IT policy, focussing on attracting firms and encouraging startups working in the field, a government official said Saturday. Block-chain is a very relevant technology. (There are) many areas where this technology is proving to be a real game-changer, a government official told PTI. The main features of the policy include how to attract firms working on block-chain to Telangana, encouraging start-ups in block-chain in the state and the technology's use in government processes whereever there was scope, he said. The draft policy has been posted on the internet, inviting comments, suggestions from all stakeholders, he said. The useful suggestions would be incorporated in the final policy, he added.
Modi reaches out to minorities
Elected NDA leader again to serve a second term, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday sought to reach out to minorities saying there will be no discrimination against anyone on the basis of caste, sect and religion and gave a new slogan of "trust towards all".Addressing newly-elected members of Parliament belonging to BJP and other allies in the NDA in the Central Hall of Parliament after his election, he said his government would work for 130 crore people, including those who voted for the NDA and those who did not vote for his party and the coalition.In a 90-minute speech heard with rapt attention which encompassed the work during his first term and the goals for the next term, Modi said that his government would move forward on its attack against poverty.In an attempt to reach out to minorities, Modi said political parties in the past played deceit on minorities who were used for vote bank politics."They were kept in illusion, climate of fear and insecurity. They were misled by
TR Ballu nominated DMK parliamentary party leader
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) principal secretary and Member of Parliament from Sriperumbudur constituency TR Ballu was on Saturday elected as DMK parliamentary party's leader.Balu, a five-time MP and former Union minister, was chosen as their leader in a meeting of newly-elected parliamentarians chaired by DMK Chief MK Stalin.According to sources, in the meeting, the strategy for the first session of Lok Sabha was also decided.Thoothukudi MP M. Kanimozhi, who is also the women's wing secretary of the DMK, was appointed as the party's deputy leader of the party in the parliament.According to DMK's announcement, former telecom minister and MP A Raja will be DMK's chief whip in the Lok Sabha.DMK MP Tiruchi Siva was elected as the parliamentary leader for Rajya Sabha and T.K.S. Elangovan was appointed as the chief whip in Rajya Sabha.Stalin, who contested his first major elections after his father and party patriarch M Karunanidhi's death last year, vindicated himself by winning 37 out
Sinha, Ahir, Puri among 6 Modi ministers who lost polls
Prime Minister Narendra Modi secured another five-year term after winning a landslide general election victory with the BJP bagging 303 seats on its own but despite a wave in his favour, six of his ministers lost their seats.
Rahul's offers to resign as Cong chief after poll debacle, CWC unanimously rejects
Taking total responsibility for the Lok Sabha poll debacle, Rahul Gandhi on Saturday offered to resign as Congress president, which the Congress Working Committee (CWC) unanimously rejected and authorised him to overhaul and restructure the party at all levels. The crucial meeting of Congress's highest decision-making body deliberated for almost four hours upon reasons behind the party's defeat with various leaders urging Rahul Gandhi to continue to provide leadership. Sources said Gandhi put forth his resignation before the committee, asking it to elect a new president. The sources added the Congress chief did not give any speech and asked the CWC to chose a new leader from outside his family. Top leaders asked him not to resign, with some even getting emotional while convincing him to continue. Congress stalwarts including party general secretaries, chief ministers and former ministers, unanimously rejected his offer to resign and reposed faith in his leadership. The CWC asked him ..
Alka Lamba again removed from AAP's MLA group
AAP's disgruntled Chandni Chowk MLA Alka Lamba on Saturday claimed that she has been removed again from the party's MLA WhatsApp group which includes party chief Arvind Kejriwal. Lamba claimed that she was removed from the group after praising Naveen Patnaik for winning a fifth term as chief minister of Odisha, a move which, she said, did not go down well with the AAP leadership. Sharing screenshots of the WhatsApp group on Twitter, which purportedly shows that she was removed by AAP's North East Delhi candidate Dilip Pandey, she lashed out at Kejriwal and asked why she was being held responsible for the party's crushing loss in the Lok Sabha elections. Pandey did not respond on the matter. Hinting at Kejriwal, Lamba said action should be taken against those who took all the decisions sitting in a closed room. "I have always been telling the party what you (Kejriwal) are telling them now. I am sometimes added to the group, sometimes removed. It would have been better if a meeting was .
Gonda family names newborn son 'Narendra Modi'
With celebrations being witnessed across the country following Narendra Modi led BJP's euphoric win in the Lok Sabha elections, a family here has named their newborn son after the Prime Minister to commemorate his thumping victory.Speaking to ANI, the newborn's grandfather Mohammad Idrish said, "He has been named Narendra Modi because, on the day he was born, Modi was winning with bumper votes. After he was born his mother called his father in Dubai, who asked whether Narendra Modi is leading. He then asked for his son to be named Narendra Modi"The infant's mother Menaj Begum also hailed the governance of the Narendra Modi government and expressed hope of being benefited by the next government's schemes."I want my son to do good work like Modi ji and become as successful as him. Modi is doing great work and we hope that in this second term we will get benefitted by the central government's scheme," she said.Prime Minister Modi, who steered the NDA coalition to a massive victory in the
"Protective constitutional provision obstructing development
A constitutional provision that guarantees protective rights to the Nagas has turned out to be a "stumbling block" for the development process in Nagaland, an advisor to the state government said on Saturday. Landowners do not allow development activities in their land without compensation, but seek government help for damages caused by natural disasters, Dr Neikiesalie Nicky Kire, also an MLA, said at a programme here. "Using the provisions of Article 371(A), landowners do not allow the government to carry on with development activities in their land and seek higher rates of compensation," said Kire, an advisor to the state's rural development department. Art 371(A) deals with special provisions with respect to Nagaland. It states that no act of Parliament with respect to religious or social practices of the Nagas, Naga customary law and procedure, administration of civil and criminal justice involving decisions according to Naga customary law, ownership and transfer ..
Guj Cong dubs Surat fire incident as murder, asks CM to quit
Gujarat Congress president Amit Chavda Saturday visited Surat to meet the bereaved kin of 22 students who were killed in a massive fire in a commercial complex in the city's Sarthana area, and claimed it was not an accident but "murder due to negligence of the administration". Congress leader Hardik Patel too termed the incident as "murder" and demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. Apart from Chavda, leader of the opposition in the state Assembly, Paresh Dhanani also visited the city Saturday morning and took part in the last rites of the deceased students. On Friday afternoon, a blaze in the four-storeyed Takshashila Enclave killed 22 students of a coaching institute imparting art and craft training. While most were charred to death, some lost their lives after jumping off the higher floors to escape the fire, police said. "The administration regularises risky construction in existing buildings in the name of impact fee. Due to corruption, 22 ...
We will now begin a new journey to build a new India: Modi
All set for a second term as prime minister, Narendra Modi on Saturday said his government will now begin "a new journey to build a new India with new energy" and asked newly elected MPs of the NDA to work without any discrimination, including on the basis of faith and castes. In his over 75-minute address after being elected the leader of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, Modi also stressed on the need to win over the trust of minorities, saying they were made to live in "fear" and "exploited" during elections for vote-bank politics, apparently a dig at the opposition parties. He invoked the spirit of 1857 struggle for freedom, saying all communities had then joined hands for independence and a similar movement should be started for good governance now. "We stand for those who trusted us and also for those whose trust we have to win over," he said. Modi also gave several directions to the MPs, including to not give media statements merely for publicity and shun the "VIP ...
Governor invites Jagan to form government in Andhra
Andhra Pradesh Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan on Saturday invited YSR Congress Party leader Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy to form the government after the newly elected legislators of the party unanimously elected him as the leader.
S. African President Ramaphosa takes oath of office
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was sworn in on Saturday as the nation celebrated Africa Day.
2019 government elected on the basis of performance: Amit Shah
BJP President Amit Shah on Saturday said the air strike in Pakistan's Balakot in response to the Pulwama terror attack was a reply to those who had dismissed the cross-LoC surgical strike of September 2016 as fluke.