Page 747 - Politics
Trump rejects UN arms trade treaty
President Donald Trump announced Friday that the United States would not abide by a UN treaty aimed at regulating the global arms trade, calling it "misguided" and an encroachment on US sovereignty. Trump said the US Senate had never ratified the 2013 Arms Trade Treaty despite his predecessor Barack Obama having endorsed it, and said he would never ratify it. "We will never surrender American sovereignty to anyone," Trump said in a speech to the National Rifle Association in Indianapolis. "We will never allow foreign bureaucrats to trample on your Second Amendment freedom," he said, referring to the constitutional right to bear arms. "And that is why my administration will never ratify the UN arms trade treaty." "I am officially announcing today that the United States will be revoking the effect of America's signature from this badly misguided treatment (sic). We're taking our signature back." The treaty, which entered into effect in December 2014, seeks to regulate the flow of ...
Russia asks US to stop 'blackmail' after new Venezuela sanctions
Russia on Friday asked the United States to halt its "politics of blackmail" after Washington imposed sanctions on Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza in a bid to pressure President Nicolas Maduro to quit. "We exhort the United States to return to the realm of international law, end its politics of blackmail and stop provoking tensions in Venezuela from abroad," the foreign ministry said in a statement.
BJP to get mandate bigger than in 2014: Jaitley
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Friday said that the BJP would get a bigger mandate than in 2014 in the general elections and the "New India" is a positive India which does not accept the "negativism of Rahul, Arvind Kejriwal, Mamata Banerjee and TDP".
US agrees with Russia, China on pulling troops from Afghanistan
The United States on Friday agreed with rivals Russia on China on a goal of withdrawing foreign forces from Afghanistan, a key component of a peace deal being negotiated by Washington. Zalmay Khalilzad, the US envoy negotiating with the Taliban, met with Russian and Chinese representatives in Moscow as he seeks international consensus for his efforts to end the war. A joint statement by the three countries called for an "inclusive Afghan-led" peace process and outlined many of the key points expected to feature in an eventual deal. "The three sides call for an orderly and responsible withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan as part of the overall peace process," said the statement issued by the US State Department. They also said that the Taliban have made a "commitment" to fight the extremist Islamic State group and sever ties to Al-Qaeda. The Taliban have promised to "ensure the areas they control will not be used to threaten any other country," the statement said, calling on ..
Russia expected to target US 2020 vote to sow 'discord': FBI director
FBI Director Christopher Wray said Friday that he expects Russia to target the 2020 US presidential election with social media campaigns, fake news and propaganda in a bid to divide Americans and "pit us against each other." Wray, speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) in Washington, said that as in the 2016 election, Russia also sought to influence the 2018 US mid-terms and he expects more of the same next year. "What has continued pretty much unabated is the use of social media, fake news, propaganda, false personas etc to spin us up," he said. Russia's intelligence agencies are seeking to "pit us against each other, sow divisiveness, discord, undermine Americans' faith in democracy," Wray said. "That is not just an election cycle threat, it's pretty much a 365-days-a-year threat, and that has absolutely continued," Wray said. "We're very much viewing 2018 as just kind of a dress rehearsal for the big show in 2020," he said. Wray said that while Russia sought to ...
We have right to ask PM what happened to development model:
NCP chief Sharad Pawar said Friday night that Opposition parties and people have the right to ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi what happened to the development model promised by him and the BJP. He was addressing an election rally here for NCP candidate from Thane Anand Paranjpe. "You and I have the right to ask PM what happened to his development model," the NCP chief said. Modi won the last Lok Sabha elections by promising Gujarat-like development model for the country, but in the last five years he did not say anything about unemployment and the plight of small traders, labourers, Dalits and tribals, Pawar said. Instead, the prime minister was seeking votes in the name of country's security forces, he alleged. On Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray's jibe that Pawar fled from the "field" (by deciding not to contest from Madha as announced earlier), the NCP chief said he had won 14 elections during his career, and Thackeray should contest and win at least one.
PM defends Sadhvi Pragya contesting Lok Sabha polls
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday made a strong defence of Sadhvi Pragya Thakur, the prime accused in the Malegaon blast case, saying the BJP nominee from Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency was being "defamed" by the Congress which had also insulted Hinduism and its sages.
Hansraj Ahir writes to Maha CM seeking CBI enquiry into rape of tribal girls
Union Minister of State, Home Affairs, Hansraj Ahir on Friday wrote to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis requesting a CBI enquiry into the alleged "multiple cases of rape of minor tribal girls residing in a tribal hostel run by Infant Jesus Education Society" in Chandrapur, Maharashtra.The minister requested the Chief Minister to "enquire" about the delay in registration of FIR in the case.Ahir in his letter said that these girls were allegedly drugged and sexually abused by staff of tribal school/hostel run by the said society.Requesting the CM to consider recommending a CBI enquiry in the case, Ahir said, "There is a lot of dissatisfaction among the people of my constituency and people are clamouring for CBI enquiry in the case. Several media clippings are enclosed for your perusal.""It has also been brought to my notice that there was undue delay in registering FIR in the case and no action was taken for a week from April 6 to April 12," Ahir complained in the letter.
500 policemen exercise their franchise via postal ballots in Mayurbhanj
More than 500 policemen deployed in election duty exercised their franchise for the ongoing Lok Sabha polls through postal ballot system here on Friday.Cops were given an opportunity to cast their votes at Reserve police field as per Election Commission guidelines. More than 500 police personnel were able to cast their votes by the order of Returning Officer.After postal voting, the security personnel will return to their places of duty for the last phase of the elections scheduled to be held on April 29.In the last phase of elections in the state, 9 assembly seats and one Lok Sabha seat will go to polls.Counting of votes will take place on May 23.
Punjabi singer Daler Mehndi joins BJP (2nd Lead)
After Hans Raj Hans and actor Sunny Deol, Punjabi singer Daler Mehndi on Friday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, adding more star power to the ruling party in election season.
'Nyay' will jump-start economy hit by noteban, GST: Rahul
Congress chief Rahul Gandhi Friday said the minimum income guarantee scheme the party has envisaged will put the country's economy back on track after it was allegedly hurt by the Centre's noteban and GST moves. Addressing a poll rally here in Ahmednagar district, Gandhi hit out at the Narendra Modi government over what he called the "highest" unemployment rate in the country in 45 years, particularly in the backdrop of the ruling BJP's 2014 pre-poll promise of providing two crore jobs a year. He assured that the 22 lakh vacant posts in government services will be filled within a year if his party is voted to power in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. Gandhi said under the minimum income guarantee scheme, which the Congress has named as 'Nyay', Rs 72,000 per annum (or Rs 3.60 lakh in five years) would be disbursed to each of the country's poor, 25 crore in total (or 5 crore families). The Nyuntam Aay Yojana (Nyay), an anti-poverty programme, is part of the Congress's ...
Cong lodges complaint against Sadhvi Pragya for allegedly seeking votes in the name of Army
Madhya Pradesh's Congress unit on Friday filed a complaint against BJP Lok Sabha candidate Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, alleging that she asked for votes in the name of the Army.Addressing a gathering in Bhopal earlier today, Thakur had said, "... no one can become traitor, no one can insult army men so make BJP win. BJP can maintain self-respect. It can destroy the country's enemies through surgical strike.""During an election rally in Bairagarh, Bhopal BJP candidate Sadhvi Pragya Thakur in her address said that people should vote for BJP so that the army men will not be insulted," the party stated in its letter to the state's Chief Electoral Officer while urging the poll body to take necessary steps.Congress also alleged that BJP has been continuously asking for votes in the name of the Army even after the EC warned parties in this regard.Earlier in the day, Thakur also sought monetary help from people to fund her election expenses."I am a hermit and begging you. I will contest ...
AIADMK seeks action against 3 MLAs for anti-party moves
The chief whip of the ruling AIADMK S. Rajendran and state Law Minister C.V. Shanmugam on Friday met Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker P. Dhanapal and submitted a petition to take appropriate action against three legislators for indulging in anti-party activities.
Congress rule gives boost to corruption, inflation and high taxation: PM Modi
Congress rule gives a boost to corruption, inflation and high taxation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday.Addressing an election rally here, the Prime Minister said, "Whenever Congress party comes to power, three things increase - corruption, inflation and high taxation. In 2014, inflation was an issue but today even our opponents are not talking about it."PM Modi claimed that his government has taken stringent action against corruption."Due to stringent actions against corruption, some people are in jail and some are out on bail. You voted for me in 2014, I took "naamdars" to jail, vote for me in 2019 and I will put them inside (jail)," said PM Modi.He also accused the Congress party and its leaders of insulting the middle class by allegedly calling them "selfish" and "greedy"."Congress calls you (middle class) greedy and selfish. Is not this an insult to you? Look at their "Dhakosla Patra". They have not mentioned anything about the middle class. Congress wants to burden ..
Modi slams Kamal Nath, Congress over 'Tughlaq Road scam'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched a scathing attack on Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath and the Congress party over the recovery of crores of rupees in income tax raids, saying that within six months of coming to power they gave birth to the massive "Tughlaq Road scam".
Shatrughan Sinha bats for NYAY, takes dig at BJP
The people of the country are curious about Nyuntam Aay Yojana (NYAY), said Congress leader Shatrughan Sinha here on Friday, while expressing hope that the scheme will be implemented if his party is voted to power in the Lok Sabha elections.Sinha, who joined the Congress after the BJP denied ticket to him to contest the poll from Patna Sahib constituency in Bihar, said: "It is fine when they (BJP) do something. If our leaders come up with some ideas, they are not able to digest these.""The Congress government has waived the loan of farmers in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh. People are curious about NYAY scheme now," he said while campaigning for Chief Minister Kamal Nath's son Nakul Nath, who is contesting the election from here this time."Our one-man show and two men army say that it is not possible and NYAY can never be implemented. The Congress party is making promises which are in the interest of people and nation," said Sinha, who served as a minister in Atal Bihar ..
15 candidates file nominations today for LS polls in HP
Fifteen candidates filed their nomination papers on Friday for the seventh phase of Lok Sabha polls in Himachal Pradesh scheduled to be held on May 19. With this, as many as 39 candidates have filed nominations for the four seats of Himachal Pradesh -- Mandi, Kangra, Hamirpur and Shimla -- so far, an official said. Former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal's son and sitting MP Anurag Singh Thakur (44) filed his nomination as BJP candidate for Hamirpur in the presence of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur. Anurag Thakur has won the Lok Sabha elections from Hamirpur thrice in a row. Parveen Sharma (61) filed his papers as Anurag Thakur's covering candidate. Ram Singh Shukla (66) of the Bahujan Mukti Party and independent candidates Ashish Kumar (38) and Ashok Kumar (55) filed nominations from Hamirpur, the official said. Dharamshala MLA and BJP candidate Kishan Kapoor (67) and independent candidate Narinder Singh Pathania filed their nominations from Kangra. Brigadier Khushal Chand Thakur (64)
IADMK seeks action against 3 pro-TTV MLAs for 'anti-party'
The ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu Friday approached Assembly Speaker P Dhanapal for "due legal action" against three of its MLAs for alleged anti-party activities in the backdrop of them siding with rival leader and AMMK chief T T V Dhinakaran. DMK quickly condemned the move, terming it as an action taken by the AIADMK as it feared the government would lose its majority as it was 'facing a drubbing' in the bypolls to the 18 assembly seats The party said it would move a no-confidence motion against the Speaker if he did not act dispassioanately in the matter. Chief Government Whip S Rajendran submitted a petition to the Speaker, seeking action against MLAs A Prabu (Kallakurichi), E Rathinasabapathy (Aranthangi) and V T Kalaiselvan (Vriddhachalam). The move has sparked speculation about another round of disqualification of the ruling party legislators after Dhanapal had stripped 18 pro-Dhinakaran AIADMK MLAs of their assembly membership in September 2017 under the ...
BJP leader joins AAP in Delhi
Bharatiya Janata Party leader Krishan Kumar Sehrwat, having an active political life of 20 years as the member of the saffron party, on Friday joined the Aam Aadmi Party
Bengal child rights panel approaches CEO
The West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights (WBCPCR) has approached the Election Commission seeking removal of Bharatiya Janata Party's campaign videos featuring children, an official said on Friday.