Page 613 - Politics
Israel to rename city square after Donald Trump on July 4
A square in the central Israeli city of Petah Tikvah will be officially renamed after United States President Donald Trump on July 4, the city's mayor has said.Earlier this week, Rami Greenberg said he has decided to name the square adjacent to the City Hall after Trump because of "his unqualified support for the State of Israel," the Times of Israel reported.The mayor added that he will invite the US ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, government ministers, and other renown public figures to attend the renaming ceremony.Last month, Netanyahu had said he would name a new community in the Golan Heights after the US President to thank him for recognising Israel's sovereignty over the area, which Israel captured from Syria during the Six-Day War in 1967 and annexed in 1981.The United States became the first country to recognise the Golan Heights as part of Israel on March 25.On April 23, in a video message posted on YouTube, Netanyahu had said, "After
'SP, BSP worked for development of their communities, not society'
BJP president Amit Shah on Thursday hit out at the chiefs of Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) stating that both the parties worked only for the holistic development of their communities and not the society."Bua-bhatija jodi (Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav) asks Prime Minister Narendra Modi what he did for Uttar Pradesh. I want to tell Akhilesh and Mayawati that they only worked for the development of their communities and not the society," Shah said in an election rally here. "We have ruled here only for five years but SP and BSP ruled here for 25 years. They should first speak about their work. When Sonia and Manmohan were at the Centre, they gave Rs 3,30,000 crore to Uttar Pradesh but Narendra Modi has given more than Rs 10,27,000 crore to the state," he said. Shah further said the biggest achievement of the BJP government so far in the state was to shut down all illegal butcher shops in order to save "gau mata". (cow). Taking a jibe at Congress president Rahul ...
Sealing may drive polling in New Delhi LS seat
The New Delhi Lok Sabha constituency may house all the Central government offices but local issues have played their role in the elections, with sealing being the burning one.
Bangladeshi IS fighter arrested after returning from Syria
A Saudi Arabia-born Bangladeshi, who returned to the country after fighting for the Islamic State (IS) in Syria, has been arrested by the counter-terrorism police for alleged plans to establish a caliphate in the Muslim-majority country. Born in Saudi Arabia to a Bangladeshi father and a Pakistani mother, 33-year-old Motaj Abdul Majid Kafiluddin Bepari was arrested by Dhaka Metropolitan Police's (DMP) Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit near a mosque in Dhaka's Uttara neighbourhood on May 5, the Dhaka Tribune reported. According to the first information report (FIR) of the case recorded under Anti-Terrorism Act with Uttara (West) police station, Motaj and five or six unnamed people were accused for planning sabotage with different militant organisations to establish caliphate by displacing the government. Dhaka launched a major crackdown against extremists following an attack by local outfit New Jamaat-ul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) on a cafe in the capital in 2016 ..
IAF chief BS Dhanoa to visit Srinagar air base today
Indian Air Force (IAF) chief BS Dhanoa is scheduled to visit Srinagar air base on Thursday to review the operational preparedness in the Kashmir valley.Srinagar air base was at the forefront in thwarting Pakistani aerial attack on February 27.On February 26, IAF launched an attack at terror camps of Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad in Balakot, less than two weeks after the Pulwama attack which claimed the lives of 40 CRPF personnel.The terror camps in Balakot, Chakothi and Muzaffarabad, capital of PoK, were struck by 12 Mirage 2000 jets with 1000 kg of explosives at around 3:30 am, IAF sources had said.Next day, Pakistan Air Force (PAF) had tried to retaliate by attempting to bomb Indian military installations in Jammu and Kashmir which was thwarted by IAF fighter jets.
Singapore outlaws fake news, allows govt to block, remove it
Singapore has passed a law criminalising publication of fake news and allowing the government to block and order the removal of such content. The Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Bill passed Wednesday night by a vote of 72-9, a lawmaker with the opposition Worker's Party, Daniel Goh, said on Facebook. The law bans falsehoods that are prejudicial to Singapore or likely to influence elections and requires service providers to remove such content or allows the government to block it. Offenders could face a jail term of up to 10 years and hefty fines. Opponents in Parliament said it gave government ministers too much power to determine what was false and broadly defined public interest. The Strait Times newspaper reported Law Minister K Shanmugam said the orders to correct or remove false content would mostly be directed at technology companies, rather than individuals who ran afoul of the law without intent. Human Rights Watch sharply criticized the law. It is a ...
Re-polling at 13 booths in Tamil Nadu on May 19
The Election Commission has ordered re-polling in 13 booths in Tamil Nadu during the seventh and last phase of Lok Sabha polls on May 19, alongside the Assembly by-polls.Tamil Nadu, which has 38 Parliamentary constituencies, went to polls during the second phase of polling on April 18.Re-polling will be held in eight polling stations in Dharmapuri, two in Theni and one each in Cuddalore, Tiruvallur, and Erode.Speaking to media on Thursday, the state's Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo, said, "Re-poll to be held in 13 polling stations in the state, where Lok Sabha elections were held on April 18. Re-poll will be conducted on May 19 in 8 polling stations in Dharmapuri, 2 in Theni and 1 each in Cuddalore, Tiruvallur and Erode."Earlier, Sahoo had recommended the EC to conduct re-polling in 10 polling stations in the state including eight polling stations falling under the Lok Sabha segment of Dharmapuri and one booth under Tiruvallur Parliamentary constituency. He had also ...
Discontent sweeping Jangalmahal, likely to push BJP ahead of TMC
In the former Maoist stronghold of Jangalmahal in West Bengal, it is the substantial votebank of the Left Front, along with that of the far-Left parties, which is likely to push the BJP ahead of the TMC in the 2019 general election. Once a formidable fort of the Left, Jhargram and Medinipur seats in Jangalmahal were won by Trinamool Congress in 2014. But discontent with the ruling party in West Bengal is again sweeping the region. Several people PTI spoke to alleged only those who are associated with the TMC get benefits of the programmes run by the Centre and the West Bengal government. Others said the state government is apathetic to them and this has led to a shift in the loyalty of voters as the Left has reduced itself to a minor player in the Lok Sabha election. The shift towards the BJP has become more pronounced in the past two years. In Jhargram, BJP has won all former Maoist strongholds in recent polls. It won Lalgarh, Belpahari, Jamboni, Gopiballavpur, Nayagram and Sankrail .
North Korea fires new projectiles
Just a few days after testing multiple short-range projectiles, North Korea on Thursday fired fresh unidentified projectiles in the eastern direction from the Sino-ri area, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).Quoting the military, Yonhap News Agency reported that the latest projectiles were fired at around 4:30 pm (local time) today.This comes just five days after North Korea fired multiple short-range projectiles into the East Sea from Wonsan.Sino-ri is where North Korea has a base of medium-range Nodong missiles, Yonhap also reported. The distance covered by the projectiles is not known.The firing comes at a time when officials from US -- including Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun -- and Japan are in South Korea to discuss ways to resume stalled denuclearisation talks with Pyongyang.
Defence experts seek probe into PM's statement about Gandhi family using warship for family vacation
Defence analysts have varying views on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's claim that INS Virat was used as a "personal taxi" by former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and his family in 1987.Hemant Mahajan, a defence expert has called for an investigation into the allegations made by Prime Minister Modi about Rajiv Gandhi, the late father of Congress president Rahul Gandhi."If Prime Minister Modi has made such an allegation then it calls for an investigation because INS Virat is a battleship and cost billions of dollars to the country. Operating the ship also involved huge cost, so it cannot be used as a private vehicle including the ruling class," Mahajan told ANI.During an election rally in New Delhi, the prime minister said that the Gandhi family compromised national security as Indian Navy personnel were stationed in Lakshdweep in service of late Rajiv Gandhi and his family."The Navy does not permit families to come on board. So if such a thing has happened it should be investigated. In ...
Ex-president Zail Singh's son-in-law joins BJP
Sarvant Singh Channy, the son-in-law of former president Giani Zail Singh, joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday in the presence of senior leaders of the saffron party, including Union minister Nitin Gadkari. A former Punjab-cadre IAS officer, Channy served as the Chief Information Commissioner of Punjab from September, 2014 to May 3, 2019. He also served as the secretary of Punjab's Home department.
Locals not to pay toll tax on Srinagar-Jammu highway: Governor
Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik said on Thursday that locals will be exempted from paying toll tax at the toll plaza on the Srinagar-Jammu highway in Anantnag district.
Pompeo postpones Greenland trip; likely to return early to Washington
US Secretary of State Michael R Pompeo has abruptly postponed his visit to Greenland as he needs to return to Washington early, the US Department of State said on Thursday."Secretary Pompeo must postpone his visit to Greenland due to a need for the secretary to be in Washington, DC, today," State Department spokeswoman Mortgan Ortagus said in a statement cited by Sputnik.Pompeo was scheduled to visit Greenland on Thursday and hold talks with Prime Minister Kim Kilsen after visiting London a day before.Earlier, the State Department had announced that Pompeo would visit Finland, Germany, Great Britain, and Greenland from May 5 to 9.However, on Tuesday he cancelled his trip to Berlin because of "problems in the field of international security."Instead, after meeting British Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt in London on Wednesday, Pompeo made an unannounced visit to Iraq and held talks with Prime Minister Adil Abd al-Mahdi, President Barham Salih and other senior officials in his four-hour ...
My brother didn't apply for farm loan waiver: Shivraj counters Rahul's claim
A day after Congress chief Rahul Gandhi claimed that farm loans of former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's kin got waived under the Kamal Nath government, Chouhan hit back at the Congress chief saying his kin had not filed an application for a loan waiver.Speaking to media here, Chouhan alleged that farmers were being betrayed in the name of a loan-waiver. He also claimed that Gandhi doesn't give due respect to Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath."Rahul Gandhi had said that even my brother's farm loan has been waived off. In application forms that were presented before Panchayat in Jait, it is written that my brother Rohit hasn't even filled application for farm loan waiver," he said."It was stated in the Congress 'vachan-patra' that loans upto Rs 2 lakhs of all the farmers taken from cooperative and national banks would be waived off. It was stated that all the previous and ongoing loans would be waived off. But Congress betrayed farmers and their order regarding the loan .
Thailand's main opposition secures most seats
Thailand's main opposition party has won more seats than anyone else in the country's parliament in the first election that took place since a military coup five years ago, according to official figures released on Thursday.
Modi says Trinamool running mafia raj in coal mines, Mamata hits back
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday accused the West Bengal government of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of establishing mafia raj in coal mines and depriving mine workers of their remuneration.
N. Korea fires unidentified projectiles: Seoul
North Korea on Thursday fired unidentified projectiles from an area where one of its missile bases is located, just five days after launching a barrage of projectiles into the East Sea, South Korea's military said.
From veterans to first-timers, Delhi candidates seek to harness maximum out of social media
From highlighting poll manifesto to attacking opponents, social media is being used widely by candidates from all three major political parties in the fray in election as much as to achieve greater connect with voters. It is seemingly a triangular contest on all seven seats in Delhi and Facebook, Twitter and Instagram platforms are coming as handy tools by party candidates to project their agenda. The BJP, Congress and the AAP, all three major parties are going all-out on the social media with polling round the corner on May 12. From veteran Congress leader Sheila Dikshit to new entrants like Gautam Gambhir and boxer Vijender Singh, almost everyone in the reckoning is trying to harness maximum political advantage out of the digital platform. Olympian pugilist Vijender, who is making his political debut with this election, has been fielded by Congress from South Delhi up against sitting BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri and AAP's Raghav Chadha. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi held an ...
Tejashwi claims Modi will end reservation for OBCs
Bihar's Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav on Thursday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will end the reservation for other backward classes (OBCs).
Taiwan breaks ground on submarine shipyard to counter China
Taiwan broke ground Thursday on a shipyard to produce submarines to counter China's growing military threat. The self-governing island's President Tsai Ing-wen presided over a ceremony in the southern port city of Kaohsiung, saying submarines were an effective way to deter a foe from surrounding the island by sea. "We must have concept and thinking of asymmetric warfare," Tsai said, referring to the military concept where a smaller opponent can hold off a larger one using specialized strategies and tactics. China, which claims Taiwan as its territory to be annexed for force if necessary, operates a growing navy that boasts some 75 submarines, including latest generation homebuilt vessels. Taiwan operates just four aged submarines but pressure from China has prevented it from buying more abroad. Plans call for the shipyard to produce eight diesel craft, with the first due for completion in 2025. Taiwan relies on the U.S. for much of its defense needs, but the U.S. now only produces ...