Page 602 - Politics
North Korean media criticises US military over THAAD training
The North Korean media on Friday lashed out at the United States Forces Korea (USFK), a sub-unified command of US Indo-Pacific Command, over its recent military training involving an advanced missile defence system.The development came a day after the communist country fired long-range missiles into the East Sea.Referring to last month's Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) system training as a "military provocation," Korean Central Broadcasting Station, a state-controlled radio station for the North's domestic audience, urged the United States to stop all "hostile acts", Yonhap news agency reported.The remarks were made a day after North Korea conducted long-range missile drills under the supervision of leader Kim Jong-un. It was the country's second launch of projectiles since the firing of short-range projectiles off its east coast on Saturday, which Pyongyang had referred to as a "routine" and "self-defensive" drill."The US should clearly know that it can't earn anything ...
Sonia, Rahul Gandhi must apologise for Pitroda's 1984 riots remark : Prakash Javadekar
Slamming Congressman Sam Pitroda for his recent remark on the 1984 Sikh genocide, BJP's Prakash Javadekar demanded an apology from Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi for the comments."Enough is enough! Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi have to apologise to the nation for what Pitroda has said," the Union Minister said.Indian Overseas Congress chief, Pitroda, in response to the BJP's claim that instructions to "kill" Sikhs during 1984 riots had come from late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, said, "It (riots) happened in 1984, so what?"The statement sparked a controversy with the BJP hitting out at him, while Pitroda retorted by saying that the saffron party "twisted his words and distorted facts"."Today he said that Rahul and Rajiv Gandhi will never target any community. How he will explain the justification of genocide by Rajiv Gandhi when he said when 'big tree falls, earth trembles'? Is this not supporting genocide?" asked Javadekar.The BJP leader said Pitroda "shocked" the nation with his ...
Scrap 'Obamacare'? Maybe not all, says Trump administration
Scrap "Obamacare"? Well, maybe not all of it. The Trump administration is arguing in court that the entire Affordable Care Act should be struck down as unconstitutional. But at the same time, Justice Department lawyers recently suggested that federal judges could salvage its anti-fraud provisions, raising questions about keeping other parts as well. Serving up more mixed messages, President Donald Trump last week floated to a Democratic lawmaker that he'd like to revive her legislation shoring up the health law's insurance markets. "I was kind of stunned, but I said, look, I am willing to work with anyone," recalled the lawmaker, Sen. Patty Murray of Washington. Following questions from The Associated Press, the White House released a statement: "Obamacare remains unconstitutional but people deserve relief from all of its empty promises, so the Trump Administration is working within current law to reduce fraud and lower cost for all Americans." But analyst Timothy Jost says the ...
Gambhir-Atishi spat intensifies: AAP to file defamation case against ex-cricketer
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Friday said Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will file a defamation case against former cricketer and BJP candidate from East Delhi constituency Gautam Gambhir for allegedly circulating pamphlets with derogatory and casteist remarks against AAP leader Atishi Marlena.This comes a day after Gambhir sent a defamation notice to Atishi, Sisodia and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, demanding an unconditional apology over the "defamatory" comments against him.Speaking to ANI, Sisodia said, "The kind of language Gautam Gambhir has used in the paper is terrible (wahiyat). It is shameful to read it. How dare he speak against me, Arvind Kejriwal and Atishi Marlena? How is he filing a defamation case? We are the ones being defamed, we will file a defamation case against him. We will try to send a defamation notice to him today.""I advise Gautam Gambhir to see TV interviews of his party leaders and take the action which he has committed to do," he added.On Thursday, ...
Goa CM to shed portfolio load after end of election code
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has said he will distribute some of the portfolios held by him to his Cabinet colleagues after the model code of conduct (MCC) is lifted by the month-end. The MCC is in force in Goa since March 10 for the Lok Sabha elections and also four assembly bypolls. While voting for the two Lok Sabha seats and three assembly segments got over last month, the bypoll in the Panaji constituency is slated for May 19. The MCC, among other things, prohibits a government from announcing policy decisions. Sawant told PTI Thursday that the poll code will be withdrawn, tentatively on May 27, after which development works will pick up pace in the state. The Chief Minister said he has already conceptualised various plans for streamlining the administration and provide fillip to various sectors in the state. These plans will be executed once the MCC is lifted, said the BJP leader. Sawant took over as the Chief Minister after demise of Manohar Parrikar in ...
SKorean military: NKorea's latest launches were missiles
The US and South Korean militaries evaluated the two projectiles North Korea flew Thursday as short-range missiles, a South Korean military official said Friday, a day after the North's second launch in five days raised jitters about an unravelling detente between the Koreas and the future of nuclear negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang. The weapons flew 420 kilometers (260 miles) and 270 kilometers (167 miles), respectively, on an apogee of 45 to 50 kilometers (28 to 31 miles), according to Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff and Defense Ministry. The launches were seen as Pyongyang's brushback pitch toward Washington over deadlocked nuclear negotiations as they continue to struggle with mismatched demands in sanctions relief and disarmament. North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency said Friday that leader Kim Jong Un helped guide the weapons tests on Thursday and learned about "various long-range strike means," but the statement from the propaganda services didn't ...
Sen. Burr takes GOP fire over Trump Jr subpoena
Republicans lashed out Thursday at fellow GOP Sen. Richard Burr for his committee's subpoena of President Donald Trump's son, a move that suggested the Russia investigation is not "case closed," as some in the party insist. Trump said he was "very surprised" at the move. The revolt by some against the Senate intelligence committee chairman comes after The Associated Press and other news outlets reported it had called in Donald Trump Jr. to answer questions about his 2017 testimony as part of its probe into Russian election interference. The issue of re-calling Trump's son laid bare the conflict inside the president's party over whether probes involving Russian election meddling are still merited. It's the first known subpoena of a member of Trump's immediate family and a new sign that the Senate panel is continuing with its own two-year-long investigation, even after the release of special counsel Robert Mueller's report and Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's call ...
Former DMK MP dead
Former DMK MP, M Ramanathan died in the early hours of Friday due to age-related illness, party sources said here. He was 84. He is survived by his wife and three sons. Ramanathan represented Coimbatore West Assembly constituency in 1984 and 1989 and was also member of the 11th Lok Sabha in 1996, the party sources said.
US Navy chief to visit India next week
In the trend of India and the US intensifying naval links to protect maritime freedom in the Indo-Pacific region, the US Navy chief will visit India next week, four days after the Indian Navy ships concluded exercises with the US and its allies in the South China Sea.
JD-U not with Balyawi's demand that Nitish be PM
Bihars ruling JD-U on Friday distanced itself from the remarks of party leader Ghulam Rasool Balyawi, who demanded that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar be declared the NDA Prime Ministerial face as the BJP won't get a majority in the Lok Sabha.
US unveils strategy to detect and respond to health security threats globally
The US government has come up with a first of its kind strategy to prevent, detect and respond to threats from infectious diseases occurring naturally or accidentally, in an effort to help improve the world's ability to stop and contain deadly outbreaks before they spread between countries. The Global Health Security Strategy, unveiled on Thursday, defines the actions the administration will take by adopting a whole-of-government approach to health security and leveraging the strengths of different federal departments, agencies and funding streams, the White House said. Our National Security Strategy specifically identifies combatting biological threats and pandemics as a cornerstone of national security. Biological threats, like infectious disease outbreaks, are a national security priority for the United States government, a senior administration official told reporters after the strategy was released by the White House. The strategy outlines a coordinated US approach that focuses ..
N Korea says it fired long-range missiles under 'command' of Kim Jong-un
North Korea on Friday said it conducted long-range missile drills from the western military units under the command of 'Senior leader', apparently referring to Kim Jong-un.Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported the long-range tests a day after the communist state launched projectiles which were presumed to be two short-range missiles into the East Sea."The Senior leader, the commanding officer, had complied with the thermal training plan of several long-range hitting means and issued an order to commence thermal hitting training," the state-controlled news agency said."The leader presented important directional tasks to further strengthen and develop the ability of the Korean People's Army and Western Front Defence units to strike fire," it said."The leader, in accordance with the demands of the situation and the strategic intentions of the Party, will further strengthen the ability to carry out combat missions of the leading and western frontline defenders, and prepare for the ...
Will tender resignation drafted by Kejriwal if proven guilty: Gautam Gambhir
A day after AAP candidate from Delhi East Atishi accused her BJP opponent Gautam Gambhir of circulating pamphlets with derogatory and casteist remarks against her, the latter asserted that if proven guilty, he would request AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal to draft his resignation letter, which he will tender publicly.Speaking to ANI, Gambhir said he would retire from politics the day allegations against him are proven."If he has proof, then he must bring it today. My resignation would be written by Arvind Kejriwal and I will sign it publicly," said Gambhir. "If they have proof I am ready to take retirement from politics today itself. I will take retirement on May 23 if they come with proof but what if he doesn't turn up with proof? Will he resign as Delhi Chief Minister and retire from politics?" he asked.Gambhir went on to say that it is because of people like Kejriwal that "good" people don't enter politics."You know why good people avoid entering politics? It is because of people like
Polling underway in rural local body polls in Telangana
: The second phase of polling in elections for Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies (ZPTC) and Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituencies (MPTC) got underway in Telangana Friday. The election is being held for 179 ZPTCs, for which 805 candidates, including 162 independents, are in the fray. Officials said in the second phase, polling is being held for 1,850 MPTCs. A total of 6,146 candidates are in the fray. The elections began at 7 a.m and will go on till 5 p.m while in Left Wing Extremism (LWE)-affected areas, it will conclude at 4 p.m, the State Election Commission had said. Unanimous elections had earlier been held for 63 MPTCs and one ZPTC seat. The Telangana State Election Commission had last month released the election schedule for 5,817 MPTCs and 539 ZPTCs and announced that the first phase polls would held on May 6, the second on May 10 and the third on May 14. Around 1.56 crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in the elections to two upper ...
Trump says N. Korea not 'ready to negotiate'
US President Donald Trump has downplayed the prospect of achieving a diplomatic breakthrough with North Korea hours after Pyongyang launched its second suspected missile launch in less than a week.
An election of possibilities in Bihar (Comment)
The ongoing Lok Sabha election in Bihar is unique in the sense that no previous election whether of the assembly or a general election can be taken as reference while analysing electoral prospects of the parties in the state. Let's get into the details and try to see why it is so.
Russians may have leverage over Trump: Ex-FBI Director
Former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director James Comey has said that it was possible that the Russians have leverage over US President Donald Trump, the media reported.
US tariffs on Chinese goods to increase after no deal reached
US tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods will increase on Friday after a pivotal round of trade talks between Washington and Beijing failed to produce an agreement to forestall the higher levies and to end a tit-for-tat trade war.
BJP twisting my words on anti-Sikh riots to hide their failures: Pitroda
Indian Overseas Congress chief Sam Pitroda hit out at BJP for "twisting his words and distorting facts" to "hide their failures", while reaffirming that he had acknowledged the pain of Sikhs during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.The clarification came a day after Pitroda, when asked about BJP's claim that instructions to "kill" in 1984 had come from late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, said, "It (riots) happened in 1984, so what?""I have noticed how BJP is again twisting three words from my interview to distort facts, divide us and hide their failures. Sad that they have nothing positive to offer. I acknowledged the pain of my Sikh brothers and sisters during difficult times in 1984 and deeply feel for the atrocities that happened. But these are things from past that are not really relevant to this election which is all about what did Modi government do for the last five years," Pitroda tweeted on Friday.He went on to say that BJP is attacking Congress with such "lies" as it has no vision to ..
US warns Iran of 'swift, decisive' response in case of provocative behaviour
The US has warned Iran of a "swift and decisive" response in case of any attacks by Tehran or its proxies of any identity against American interests or citizens. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's statement came a day after US President Donald Trump imposed tougher-than-ever sanctions on Iran's iron, steel, aluminum and copper sectors, a move aimed at stopping Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and intercontinental ballistic missiles and to counter its "malign influence" in the Middle East. Pompeo, in a strongly-worded statement said: "The regime in Tehran should understand that any attacks by them or their proxies of any identity against US interests or citizens will be answered with a swift and decisive US response". "Our restraint to this point should not be mistaken by Iran for a lack of resolve. To date the regime's default option has been violence, and we appeal to those in Tehran who see a path to a prosperous future through de-escalation to modify the regime's behaviour," he