Page 515 - Politics
Polls open in climate-dominated Aussie election
Polls opened Saturday in Australia's nail-biter election, a race that may be the first anywhere decided on climate policy. Around 17 million people are expected to cast their ballots across the vast island-continent, as final surveys predicted a centre-left Labor victory. Prime Minister Scott Morrison's conservative Liberals had closed a yawning gap on the opposition upstarts, but differences over climate may prove the difference. A season of record floods, wildfires and droughts has brought the issue front and centre in the campaign. Labor has pledged ambitious targets for renewable energy, while the Liberals said they would not risk the coal-fuelled economy's health to make the air cleaner. Final polls show the vote is going down to the wire, with Labor ahead roughly 51-49. But compulsory voting and a complex system of ranking candidates mean an upset is possible. There are growing signs the Liberals' stance on climate may be politically unsustainable. In rural areas, climate-hit ...
Polls open in climate-dominated Aussie election
Polls opened Saturday in Australia's nail-biter election, a race that may be the first anywhere decided on climate policy. Around 17 million people are expected to cast their ballots across the vast island-continent, as final surveys predicted a centre-left Labor victory. Prime Minister Scott Morrison's conservative Liberals had closed a yawning gap on the opposition upstarts, but differences over climate may prove the difference. A season of record floods, wildfires and droughts has brought the issue front and centre in the campaign. Labor has pledged ambitious targets for renewable energy, while the Liberals said they would not risk the coal-fuelled economy's health to make the air cleaner. Final polls show the vote is going down to the wire, with Labor ahead roughly 51-49. But compulsory voting and a complex system of ranking candidates mean an upset is possible. There are growing signs the Liberals' stance on climate may be politically unsustainable. In rural areas, climate-hit ...
Polls open in climate-dominated Aussie election
Polls opened Saturday in Australia's nail-biter election, a race that may be the first anywhere decided on climate policy. Around 17 million people are expected to cast their ballots across the vast island-continent, as final surveys predicted a centre-left Labor victory. Prime Minister Scott Morrison's conservative Liberals had closed a yawning gap on the opposition upstarts, but differences over climate may prove the difference. A season of record floods, wildfires and droughts has brought the issue front and centre in the campaign. Labor has pledged ambitious targets for renewable energy, while the Liberals said they would not risk the coal-fuelled economy's health to make the air cleaner. Final polls show the vote is going down to the wire, with Labor ahead roughly 51-49. But compulsory voting and a complex system of ranking candidates mean an upset is possible. There are growing signs the Liberals' stance on climate may be politically unsustainable. In rural areas, climate-hit ...
EC orders repolling in one booth in West Bengal
The Election Commission has ordered repolling in one polling booth in West Bengal's Bankura parliamentary constituency on May 19, an official said.
Key powers urge immediate resumption of Sudan talks: US
Major international powers during talks Friday in Washington urged Sudan's military rulers and protesters to resume suspended negotiations on the country's future immediately, the United States said. Representatives from the UN, African Union and European powers "called for an immediate resumption of talks" between the two sides, said Tibor Nagy, the US assistant secretary of state for Africa. They called on the protesters and the Transitional Military Council to "reach an agreement ASAP on an interim government that is truly civilian-led and reflects the will of the Sudanese people," Nagy tweeted. "We also expressed concern about the recent violence directed by security forces against protesters, and agreed to call for the TMC to allow peaceful protests and hold accountable those responsible for recent violence," he wrote. The talks in Washington included representatives of the United Nations, African Union and European Union. Countries involved were Britain, France, Germany and ...
Syria air defences intercept Israeli projectiles: state media
Syrian air defence batteries on Friday intercepted projectiles coming from Israel and downed a number of them, the official news agency SANA reported. "Our air defence systems intercepted luminous objects coming from the occupied territories (Israel) and downed several of them," SANA said quoting a military source, after earlier reporting a "loud explosion" around the capital Damascus.
Missouri, latest US state to restrict abortion
The Missouri House passed a bill on Friday banning abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, making it the latest US state to pass restrictions on ending a pregnancy. The bill, overwhelmingly approved by the Republican-led legislature and expected to be signed by the Midwestern state's Republican governor, would ban abortions from about eight weeks of pregnancy. Doctors who perform abortions could be subject to prison sentences of between five and 15 years. Republican-led legislatures in several US states have recently passed bills restricting abortion access in a bid to eventually challenge the 1973 US Supreme Court ruling legalizing the practice. Abortion opponents are hoping the moves will prompt the nation's highest court, which now has a conservative majority, to overturn its landmark decision in the case known as Roe vs Wade. The Republican-dominated legislature in the southern state of Alabama passed legislation this week that places a near-total ban on ending a pregnancy, .
Russia says UN chemical weapons watchog is 'off track'
Russia's UN ambassador charged Friday that the UN's chemical weapons watchdog had been hijacked by politics and its mandate derailed after Moscow put forward a draft Security Council resolution on the OPCW. Western diplomats fear the proposed Russian measure is aimed at weakening the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), which has been at the forefront of efforts to shed light on chemical attacks in Syria. "We are trying to get the OPCW back on track because it (has) slided off the track and now it is so politicised," Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told reporters. "It was always a technical organ where consensus prevailed, and now we see that it is completely politicised, with politicised agenda from various parties." "We want the OPCW to get back to where it was before," he said. The draft text, seen by AFP, notes "with concern the continuing politicisation of the work of the OPCW" which "significantly reduces the efficiency of the organisation's activities." The .
Campaigning ends for 2 Assembly bypolls in Karnataka
Hectic campaigning for the May 19 by-elections in Karnataka's two Assembly segments ended on Friday evening, an official said.
AIADMK MP briefly stopped at Chennai airport for carrying Rs 25 lakh in cash
The Income Tax Department briefly stopped a sitting MP from Tamil Nadu at the airport here as he was carrying Rs 25 lakh in cash, officials said. He was allowed to go after questioning. The parliamentarian, V Elumalai of the AIADMK, is seeking re-election from his Arani Lok Sabha seat. "After ascertaining that the cash was withdrawn from his bank account in Delhi and it was meant for personal purposes, the cash was not seized," a senior tax official said.
WB: EC orders re-polling in Bankura's Saltora, Chhatarkanali villages
The Election Commission (EC) on Friday ordered re-polling in Saltora and Chhatarkanali villages of Bankura Lok Sabha constituency on May 19.Bankura seat went to polls on May 12.Elections to 33 seats have taken place in West Bengal in the first six phases of elections.The remaining nine seats will go to polls on May 19 in the last round with counting of votes set to take place on May 23.
Congress dismantled the idea of Modi: Rahul
Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Friday said that the partry has "dismantled the idea of Prime Minister Narendra Modi" which was there in 2014 as the party managed to play the role of an effective opposition.
TRS, Cong locked in direct contest in T'gana Council bypoll
The ruling TRS and main opposition Congress in Telangana are locked in a direct contest in the bypolls to be held on May 31 to fill three vacancies in state Legislative Council. The office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) released the final list of nominees in the bypolls to be held for the three Local Authorities' Constituencies. P Mahender Reddy (TRS) and Komari Pratap Reddy (Congress) are in the fray in Ranga Reddy constituency. Tera Chinnapa Reddy (TRS) and Komatireddy Laxmi (Congress) are the candidates in fray in Nalgonda. E Venkatram Reddy (Congress) and Pochampally Srinivas Reddy (TRS) would cross swords in Warangal. Three independents are also in fray in the Warangal Local Authorities' Constituency. The bypolls are necessitated in view of resignations by sitting members in December last.
Ready to lead coalition if given a chance: Cong
The Congress Friday said it is committed to constituting a progressive and secular government and ready to lead a coalition, a day after its senior leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said the party is not averse to supporting a regional leader for the Prime Minister's post even if it emerges as the single largest party. As part of its efforts to bring together opposition parties, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi has asked her trusted leaders to convene a meeting soon after the Lok Sabha election results are announced on May 23, sources said. "My party high command has already made it clear that the Congress is not averse to making a prime minister from any regional party," Azad had told reporters in Shimla on Thursday. However, in a change of tone on Friday, he said, "It is not true that the Congress will not claim the Prime Minister's post. The Congress is the biggest and oldest party and it should be given a chance if a government has to run for five years." Asked about Azad's comments, Congress ..
Chandrababu Naidu meets Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu met his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal at the latter's residence here on Friday, two days ahead of the conclusion of Lok Sabha elections.The two leaders reportedly discussed the latest political developments in view of the Lok Sabha elections during the meeting that was also attended by Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.Earlier in the day, Naidu had Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora regarding re-polling in five polling stations under Chittoor parliamentary constituency in Andhra Pradesh on May 19.After his meeting with Arora, the TDP chief termed EC a 'biased body' which gave "controversial and pro-government decisions"."EC's decisions are pro-establishment, pro-government. And also if you see for the last many days they are supporting the government," Naidu told reporters here.He had "strongly opposed" the EC's decision to hold repolling at five booths and termed it a "partial one-sided and undemocratic" decision.On .
MNM seeks calling off of May 19 Sulur bypoll
The Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) Friday sought calling off the Sulur bypoll scheduled on May 19 after authorities denied permission for party chief Kamal Hassan to campaign there. The party said permission was denied citing law and order issues and that many petitions had been sent, requesting denial of permission for the campaign, MNM General Secretary A Arunachalam said in a petition to the Election Commission of India. Earlier, the Coimbatore police had denied permission to Haasan following a furore over his 'free India's first extremist was a Hindu' remarks, due to which Haasan could not undertake campaigning on Friday. Arunachalam said permission had been sought for the campaign today and that MNM had been orally informed it would be granted. "Much to our dismay, on May 16 the relevant authority has passed an order, denying permission for our president to campaign on the requested day (may 17) when all arrangements for the campaign were already done, based one the ...
Chandrababu Naidu to meet Rahul in Delhi, Akhilesh, Mayawati in Lucknow on Saturday
As the Lok Sabha election reaches its last leg, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu is slated to meet Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday here, and will fly to Lucknow later in the day to meet Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati.The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief is also likely to meet NCP leader Sharad Pawar, CPI secretary general Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy, and Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD) leader Sharad Yadav.On Friday, Naidu met Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora regarding re-elections at five polling stations that fall under Chittoor parliamentary constituency in Andhra Pradesh on May 19.Accusing the Election Commission of being a "biased body" that takes "pro-government decisions," Naidu, while speaking to reporters here, had said, "It is unfortunate that we are fighting against the EC. In Andhra Pradesh, they ordered re-polling in five polling stations.""I do not want re-polling. I want the EC to be
EC okay with PM visit to Himalayan shrines
The Election Commission is learnt to have given its nod to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's proposed visit to Kedarnath and Badrinath shrines in Uttarakhand beginning Saturday while "reminding" the prime minister's office that the model code of conduct is still in force. The prime minister's office is learnt to have sought the views of the Election Commission on the two-day official visit of Modi to Uttarakhand. As it is an official visit, the Commission has only "reminded" the PMO that the model code of conduct which came into force on March 10 with the declaration of Lok Sabha polls, is still in force, sources aware of the development said. The last and seventh phase of Lok Sabha polls is on May 19. "The visit is official so it can be undertaken. But the office of the PM has been reminded that the poll code is still in force," a source said without elaborating. Modi will undertake a two-day visit to Uttarakhand beginning May 18. While he will be in Kedarnath Saturday, he will visit ...
Jaypee Infra insolvency: Homebuyers welcome NCLAT annulling creditors' voting on NBCC bid
Homebuyers on Friday described as "positive" the NCLAT's decision to annul voting by creditors on NBCC's bid to acquire debt-laden Jaypee Infratech as bankers will now not be able to reject the offer. Hearing a plea by IDBI Bank, a three-member bench of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) headed by Chairman Justice S J Mukhopadhaya annulled the ongoing voting process. The bench also allowed nine homebuyers' associations representing around 5,000 buyers to file an intervention application. NCLAT said banks can renegotiate the offer made by state-run NBCC till May 30 and the voting process can start May 31 onwards. Reacting to this development, a homebuyers association office bearer Ashish Rustagi said the NCLAT order confirmed its support in favour of homebuyers. "The judges have asked the IDBI Bank that they have to vote in support of resolution for homebuyers. The CoC (Committee of Creditors) cannot fail the resolution in case banks vote negative. In the latter case, .
After 'Godse is Patriot' row, Cong changes Twitter, FB profile image to Mahatma Gandhi
The Congress on Friday changed the profile picture on the party's Facebook and Twitter handle to that of Mahatma Gandhi. The move comes in the wake of a raging controversy over BJP leader Pragya Singh Thakur's remarks in support of Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse.[{3819352c-e5aa-45a1-b420-05ffbe6096b8:intradmin/FB_Congress.JPG}]Thakur had on Thursday sparked outrage that cut across party lines after she called Godse a "patriot".When questioned about actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan's remark that India's first terrorist was a Hindu (in reference to Godse), she said, "Nathuram Godse was a 'deshbhakt', is a 'deshbhakt' and will remain a 'deshbhakt'."Thakur had later apologised for her remark.Earlier in the day, Congress president Rahul Gandhi took potshots at BJP and RSS and said they are "God-Se Lovers" and not "God-ke-Lovers", in a reference to remarks by Thakur and two other BJP leaders in support of Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Godse."I finally got it. The BJP and the ...