Page 750 - Politics
British opposition leader to boycott Trump dinner
Britain's main opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn on Friday declined an invitation to a banquet with Donald Trump when the US president visits in June, accusing him of using "racist and misogynist rhetoric". Prime Minister "Theresa May should not be rolling out the red carpet for a state visit," Corbyn, a veteran left-winger and pacifist, said in a statement. Trump "rips up vital international treaties, backs climate change denial and uses racist and misogynist rhetoric," Corbyn said, although he added that he would welcome a meeting with Trump during the June 3-5 visit. Corbyn said it was "disappointing that the prime minister has again opted to kowtow to this US administration". House of Commons speaker John Bercow, who has ruled out allowing Trump to address parliament, and Vince Cable, leader of the opposition Liberal Democrats, have already declined the invitation to the dinner. State dinners for visiting heads of state are usually held at Buckingham Palace and are lavish ...
Biden makes Trump 'look very young,' US president says
President Donald Trump opened a fresh line of attack Friday against his leading White House rival Joe Biden, saying the 76-year-old Democrat is "making me look very young" and vibrant by comparison. "I'm the youngest person. I am a young, vibrant man," a smiling Trump, age 72, told reporters at the White House when asked how old is too old to serve as commander in chief. "I look at Joe, I don't know about him," he said of Biden, who launched his 2020 presidential bid Thursday with direct attacks on Trump's character and controversial performance in office. "I would never say anyone is too old, but I know they're all making me look very young both in terms of age and I think in terms of energy." When Trump was asked how he would beat Biden, whose working-class appeal could help him win back states like Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin that Trump snatched from Democrats in 2016, the president was succinct: "I think we beat him easily." Trump is the oldest-ever US president, but he ..
US imposes sanctions on Venezuelan foreign minister
The United States on Friday imposed sanctions on Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza as it tries to ramp up pressure to remove President Nicolas Maduro. The United States "will continue to target corrupt Maduro insiders, including those tasked with conducting diplomacy and carrying out justice on behalf of this illegitimate regime," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement.
CPI(ML) lambasts BJP over Sadhvi Pragya, Giriraj
The Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist)-Liberation on Friday flayed the BJP for fielding Sadhvi Pragya in the general elections and charged the party with having helped the Hindu extremist leader in securing bail on the basis of a false claim of illness. Addressing a press conference here, CPI(ML)-Liberation secretary general Dipankar Bhattacharya said the BJP has no other strategy except polarization of voters by triggering communal frenzy. Sadhvi Pragya Thakur has been a symbol of the Sangh brand of terrorism. Her getting a party ticket from Bhopal has to be seen in this light. She sought bail with the false claim of illness. Her claim of having suffered from cancer is also being disputed, the ultra- Left leader said referring to the Sadhvis claim that she was cured of the deadly ailment with the help of a therapy that involved the use of gau mutra (cow urine). Many medical experts have come out with statements rubbishing the Sadhvis claims and adding that ...
Pragya was tortured to brand Hindus as terrorists: BJP leader
BJP general secretary Kailash Vijaywargiya claimed Friday that during the UPA regime, people such as Pragya Singh Thakur were tortured in an attempt to prove that Hindus were terrorists. Thakur, an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, is the BJP's candidate from Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency. "The kind of allegations and oppression Sadhvi Pragya faced is rarely seen in our history after Independence. The torment she faced has deeply affected her," Vijaywargiya told reporters here. Pragya and others were subjected to torture, especially at the instance of people like Digvijay Singh (her Congress rival in Bhopal constituency) and (then Union minister) P Chidambaram, to "prove Hindus as terrorists"," he said. The court rejected charges related to Hindu terrorism levelled during the Congress regime, he claimed. "People's court is the biggest court. I feel this Bhopal Lok Sabha election would be about whether the Hindus are a terrorist community or not," the BJP leader ...
BJP was 'very scared' of possibility of Priyanka fighting from Varanasi: Cong
The Congress Friday hit back at Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for his jibe at Priyanka Gandhi Vadra not contesting from Varanasi, saying it shows that the BJP was scared over the possibility of her being fielded from the temple town in Uttar Pradesh. The Congress on Thursday fielded Ajay Rai from Varanasi to take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ending speculation on a possible blockbuster electoral duel between Priyanka Gandhi and Modi. "The finance minister is angry, the prime minister is dejected. He expressed his desperation today. This atmosphere of dejection is prevailing in the BJP," Congress spokesperson Rajeev Shukla said. On Jaitley's remarks, he said it shows that they were "very scared that what if she comes". "If you remember she had made it clear from the first day that she wants to fight from Varanasi, but that the decision will be taken by the Congress president. It was the decision of the party high command and the Congress president," Shukla said. Taking a swipe at ..
Rahul unveils Cong vision:kisan budget,law to prevent farmers
Congress President Rahul Gandhi Friday accused BJP of betraying farmers and unveiled his party's future vision for cultivators for whom it would introudce a separate "kisan budget" besides enacting a law to save farmers from being jailed for failure to repay farm loans. Mounting a blistering attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gandhi said if the BJP-led government can waive huge debts of industrialists, why should the distressed farmers be punished?. "A new law will be brought if Congress is voted to power. It will ensure that no farmer is sent to jail for being unable to repay agriculture loan," Gandhi said at an election rally in this coastal Odisha town. Similarly, a separate budget for the farm sector and the farming community will be introduced which will be presented before the general budget, the Congress chief said, describing the proposed 'kisan budget' as 'historic'. "We will introduce a special kisan budget which will give a detailed account of the income
Trinamool approaches CEO over 'BJP' initial on EVM
West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress on Friday approached the Election Commission (EC) alleging "BJP" was written under the party's symbol during commissioning of electronic voting machines (EVMs) in Barrackpore parliamentary constituency due to which the process had to be stopped.
Only 18 out of the total 164 candidates fighting LS polls in Delhi are women
Only 18 out of the total 164 candidates fighting the Lok Sabha election in Delhi are women, putting their share at a dismal nearly 9 per cent. Each of the major political parties -- Congress, BJP and Aam Aadmi Party -- has fielded only one woman candidate in Delhi, which goes to polls on May 12. In 2014, 150 candidates contested the Lok Sabha polls from the national capital, of which 13 were women. Out of them, only one, Meenakshi Lekhi of the BJP, got elected. In 2009, out of 160 candidates, 18 women contested and only one got elected. The Congress has fielded its veteran leader and former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit. The BJP and the AAP have named lawyer-politician Lekhi and Atishi Marlena respectively. Nominations of 173 candidates were found valid for the Lok Sabha polls in Delhi and on Friday, nine candidates withdrew their nomination. As many as 349 candidates had filed nominations from April 16 till Tuesday, the last date to file the papers. In Delhi, there are over ...
Macron tax cuts to help 15 million, but 'yellow vests' continue fight
France's finance minister promised Friday that some 15 million households would benefit from tax cuts announced by President Emmanuel Macron, but the move did little to calm tempers among "yellow vest" protesters. In a major address on Thursday night, the French leader promised a new round of tax cuts worth 5 billion euros (USD 5.5 billion) as part of a raft of measures in answer to five months of anti-government street protests over the high cost of living. But the speech, which was billed as a turning point for Macron's troubled presidency, sparked a mixed reaction on Friday and failed to win over those whose weekly protests had triggered the crisis. "The yellow vest movement has to keep going," said Thierry-Paul Valette, co-founder of the "Yellow Vest Citizens" group, saying Macron had "missed a crucial opportunity" to meet with those who had been protesting since mid-November. "From our five months of demonstrations, he learnt nothing... He didn't provide any political ...
Nath, Gehlot busy promoting sons, have no time for people: PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday hit out at Congress president Rahul Gandhi and party's Chief Ministers in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, saying they are busy promoting their families at the cost of people. Addressing an election rally here, he said these Congress leaders are not concerned about the children of common citizens of the country. Targeting Gandhi, Modi once again described him as a 'naamdar' (dynast). "There is a naamdar (Gandhi) in Delhi and in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh the Congress Chief Ministers are busy in making careers of their sons. "When you ask in Rajasthan where is the chief minister and you get to know that he is in Jodhpur to ensure victory for his son. "In Madhya Pradesh also when you ask where is the CM and you come to know that he is busy handling his son (campaign) in Chhindwara," the prime minister said. He said these Congress Chief Ministers are not at all concerned about the sons of common citizens. "When they are busy handling their .
Trump says he welcomes Russia, China 'helping us' on N Korea
US President Donald Trump said Friday he welcomes the roles of Russia and China in negotiating with North Korea over its nuclear arsenal. "I appreciate that Russia and China are helping us," he told reporters at the White House. Russian President Vladimir Putin held a first summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Thursday in a move seen as a response to the failure of a Kim-Trump meeting in Hanoi in February, where talks broke down without any agreement. Trump indicated that he does not see China and Russia as rivals in the struggle to influence North Korea and that they are all on the same page. "China is helping us because I think they want to. They don't need nuclear weapons right next to their country," Trump said. "I think we're doing very well with North Korea. A lot of progress is being made," he added. "I appreciated President Putin's statement yesterday. He wants to see it done also. I think there is a lot of excitement for getting a deal done with North Korea.
Karna IAS officer to challenge EC order recommending action
A day after getting relief from CAT against the Election Commission's order suspending him, Karnataka cadre IAS officer Mohammed Mohsin has decided to take up another legal battle against the EC for recommending disciplinary action against him to the state government. The Central Administrative Tribunal bench here Thursday had stayed the EC order suspending Mohsin for checking Prime Minister Narendra Modi's helicopter in Odisha, where he was deployed as general observer, in "violation" of norms for dealing with SPG protectees and sent back to the state. Hours after the CAT stayed the suspension, the EC revoked its order, but recommended to the Karnataka government to initiate disciplinary action against Mohsin and debarred him from election duty until further orders. The officer said in a press release that he would seek a legal remedy against the Commission's decision. "In the night of 25 April, 2019, the commission has issued an order, inter alia, revoking the said ...
J&K CEO withdraws directive on state Assembly polls
The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday withdrew an earlier order regarding appointment of nodal officers for Assembly elections in the state.
HC pulls up Delhi government on NFSA implementation
The Delhi High Court on Friday pulled up the state government for its lackadaisical approach on the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and asked the concerned senior official of the Food Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department to appear before it on May 9, the next date fixed for the hearing.
Modi only PM since 1996 who has been unable to conduct assembly elections in J-K on time: Omar
National Conference leader Omar Abdullah Friday hit out at Narendra Modi, saying he is the only Prime Minister since 1996 who has been "unable" to conduct assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir on time. "Modi ji cements his status as the ONLY Prime Minister since 1996 unable to conduct elections on time in J&K. Remember this the next time you fete him as the strongest PM in living memory!" he tweeted. The former chief minister was reacting after the election authorities in Jammu and Kashmir Friday withdrew an order within hours after they had asked the district election officers to submit information about district level nodal officers for 2019 assembly elections in the state within two days. The order had given rise to speculations that assembly polls in the state, which is currently under President's Rule, might be held soon after the Lok Sabha elections. Jammu and Kashmir was placed under Governor's Rule, as provided by the Constitution of the state, on June 19, 2018, after ...
Kannauj: Ahead of Modi's rally, Akhilesh holds road show
A day ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's public meeting in Kannauj, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav and his wife Dimple Yadav on Friday held an eight-km-long road show in the city.
CEO says he was functioning strictly under norms
: Andhra Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Gopal Krishna Dwivedi, who has been accused by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu's of 'exceeding his jurisdiction' in implementing the Model Code of Conduct, asserted Friday that he was functioning strictly as per norms. "I will not react to what the Chief Minister wrote in the letter (to the Chief Election Commissioner). I will only implement the instructions issued by the CEC," Dwivedi told reporters here. The Chief Minister had written to the CEC Sunil Arora, alleging that the CEO was "exceeding his jurisdiction" in the name of implementing the Model Code of Conduct (for elections). Naidu, in particular, took exception to the bar being imposed on holding official review meetings and contended that the ECI has "no authority" to bar an elected government from discharging its legitimate duties entrusted by the Constitution of India. "I am not taking my own decisions. I am strictly going by the book and implementing the CECs ...
We fire shells if Pak fires bullets, Cong plays Ilu-Ilu with terrorists: Shah
BJP president Amit Shah Friday said his party's policy is to reply with a bombshell if Pakistan fires a bullet, while the Congress just plays 'Ilu-Ilu' with terrorists. Shah borrowed the phrase from a Bollywood song Ilu is an abbreviation for 'I love you' at an election rally in Jalore, where he claimed that Congress president Rahul Gandhi was "disappointed" when the Indian Air Force struck a terror camp in Pakistan. Rahul Baba, you do Ili-Ilu with terrorists. We don't do that. Our policy is very clear, he said. Wahan se goli ayegi to yahan se gola jayega (If a bullet comes here, a shell lands there), he said. Shah claimed there was disappointment at Rahul Gandhi's office when the IAF struck at Balakot in Pakistan after a terror strike in Kashmir. The day when the entire country was cheering, distributing sweets, there was disappointment at two places. One, in Pakistan and the other, in Rahul Gandhi and company's office, he said. He targeted the Congress over the call in the Valley .
BJP councilor Sunita Kangra elected new mayor of SDMC
BJP councilor Sunita Kangra was unanimously elected as the mayor of South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) in the general house meeting of the civic body on Friday. The BJP-ruled municipal corporation also unanimously elected party councilor Raj Dutt Gahlot as the new deputy mayor. Kangra, councilor from Madipur ward, said her priorities are cleanliness, education and parking facilities for the residents of South Delhi. Outgoing mayor Narendra Chawla, Bhupendra Gupta (both from the BJP) and Vedpal of the Congress were elected as members of SDMC's standing committee, said a senior officer of the civic body. Five nominations were filled for the three vacant posts of standing committee members. AAP councilor Abdul Wajid Khan and BJP councilor Col (retired) B K Obroi had withdrawn their names, the officer said.