Page 752 - Politics
No money paid to N Korea for Otto Warmbier: Trump
US President Donald Trump on Friday said that no money was paid to North Korea for the release of US student Otto Warmbier, who was detained by the reclusive state while on a college trip there in 2016."No money was paid to North Korea for Otto Warmbier, not two million dollars, not anything else. This is not the Obama administration that paid 1.8 billion dollars for four hostages or gave five terrorist hostages plus, who soon went back to the battle, for traitor Sgt. Bergdahl!" Trump tweeted.Quoting a 'Chief Hostage Negotiator, USA,' Trump added: "President Donald J. Trump is the greatest hostage negotiator that I know of in the history of the United States. 20 hostages, many in impossible circumstances, have been released in the last two years. No money was paid."This comes after reports of North Korea slapping a USD two million medical bill on the United States for Warmbier emerged in American news outlets on Thursday.The Washington Post alleged that the US had signed a pledge to ..
Union Minister Prasad, R.K. Singh file nomination
Two high-profile Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders -- Union Ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad and Raj Kumar Singh -- on Friday filed their nomination papers from Bihar.
'Early starter' Jagir Kaur sees no contest from political opponents
The declaration of her candidature by the Shiromani Akali Dal from this rural parliamentary seat of Punjab may have come as a surprise for Jagir Kaur, but she sees no contest from her political rivals and exudes confidence of a major victory. Interestingly, her candidature was announced by the SAD much before the Lok Sabha poll schedule was out. "I had not broached the subject (of my candidature) with any senior leader. It was as much a surprise to me as to anyone else," Kaur (64) told PTI. It is her maiden Lok Sabha election. The SAD nominee is also the first woman to be elected for the second time as the president of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC). Kaur, however, has been labelled a "parachute candidate" by her political competitors as she had contested the state assembly polls from Bholath segment in Kapurthala in the past. She said an early decision on her candidature from Khadoor Sahib has worked in her favour. "My name was announced more than a month ago ...
AIADMK seeks action against 3 pro-TTV MLAs for 'anti-party' activities
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 TTV Dhinakaran. 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 anti-defection law. The 18 were disqualified for revolting against Chief Minister K Palaniswami in August 2017, after he merged the faction led by him with the group headed by then rebel leader O Panneerselvam, now the state deputy chief minister. "I have submitted a petition with the speaker against Prabu, Rathinasabapathy and Kalaiselvan for ..
What did 5 generations of your family do for poor except giving slogans? Shah asks Rahul
BJP president Amit Shah on Friday targeted Rahul Gandhi over the proposed minimum income scheme, Nyay, wondering what five generations of the Congress chief's family did for the poor "except giving slogans". "Rahul baba is touring the country and talking about giving 'justice'. Rahul baba, five generations of your family have ruled the country for 55 years. What have they done except giving slogans to the poor of the country?" Shah said at a rally in Rajasthan's Jalore. Gandhi had announced that Rs 72,000 would be given as minimum income annually to poor families, benefiting around 25 crore people, if the Congress comes to power in the Lok Sabha polls. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief said he was addressing the people here after visiting 259 different locations and one common thing he found was the "tremendous support in favour" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in "all directions" of the country. "I have visited the east, west, north and south of the country and only one slogan ..
PM did nothing for water scarce Bundelkhand, BJP will be ousted from power: SP-BSP
The SP and the BSP Friday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "doing nothing" for Uttar Pradesh's "thirsty" Bundelkhand region and claimed that people will bid goodbye to those chanting 'NaMo, NaMo'. The Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) are fighting the Lok Sabha elections in an alliance in the state. While SP chief Akhilesh Yadav dubbed Yogi Adityanath as "baba chief minister" and attacked Modi on the Budelkhand issue in a rally in Jhansi, BSP supremo Mayawati in Jalaun said the BJP will be ousted and no drama is going to help them. "Sometime ago the prime minister had come here and told a story about the Kutch region in Gujarat which faced water problem and said life there has changed...the reality (here) is that he has done nothing for thirsty Bundelkhand," Yadav said. "Have you all forgotten about the promises made in the 2014 elections...I want to ask the people of Jhansi and nearby places as to what change has come in your ...
Congress has no idea of issues faced by poor: Yogi Adityanath
The Congress party had no idea of the struggles faced by the poor people of the country as their money from the scams used to be deposited in Swiss banks, said Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday."Congress has no idea of the issues faced by the poor people. What the poverty-stricken felt when they got their bank account opened is something they will never understand. How could they when their (Congress leaders) money from all the scams used to be deposited in Swiss banks since decades," said Adityanath.The Uttar Pradesh chief minister went on to add that the Congress had accepted in its manifesto that if it comes to power in the centre it will give freedom to Naxalite and terrorists."Congress has accepted in its manifesto that if it comes to power it will give freedom to Naxals and terrorists, it has also said that it will revoke the special powers granted to the Armed Forces in Jammu and Kashmir," he said.The UP CM also added that the BJP was all set to win Amethi .
BJP writes to EC seeking action against Mamata Banerjee for MCC violation
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday wrote to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) seeking prompt action against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, alleging that she violated the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) by asking her party workers to resort to violence to ensure Trinamool Congress (TMC) victory in the elections.The letter written by BJP to the CEO reads, "In an election meeting at Seuri (Bhirbhum PC) held on 25 April 2019; Smt Mamata Banerjee had advised her followers to conduct elections with intimidations and threats. This was a serious violation of MCC, where the Chief Minister of the State and the Chairperson of Trinamool Congress Party was instigating her workers to take the course of violence in the election."The letter also mentions the need for Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) to be deployed in all booths for the elections which are to be held in the fourth phase in WB since violence in the third phase of elections had led to the death of a voter.The letter ...
Rahul's PM dream won't be realised: Himachal CM
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Friday said that Congress President Rahul Gandhi's dream of becoming the Prime Minister would not be realised this year as the people had made up their minds to support an experienced and capable leader.
No progress on Syrian constitutional committee at talks in Kazakhstan
Two-day talks on Syria backed by Iran, Russia and Turkey concluded in Kazakhstan Friday without notable progress on forming a constitutional committee to drive a political settlement in the war-wrecked country. A joint statement released by the three co-sponsors said the meeting had broached the issue of the constitutional committee with the United Nations' Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen. However further talks in Geneva would be needed, it added. The parties were committed to "the establishment and the convening of the Constitutional Committee at the earliest in Geneva, holding the next round of consultations in Geneva and to support the Special Envoy's effort," the statement said. The constitutional committee is of particular interest to the UN which favours a Syrian-led resolution to the conflict. In comments after the end of the first day of talks on Thursday, Russia's chief negotiator Aleksandr Lavrentyev said that "several unclear issues" were slowing the formation of a ..
BJP sets up panel to look into spat between MLAs
Taking a serious note of the ongoing public spat between its two MLAs from Haridwar in Uttarakhand, the BJP on Friday set up a committee to look into the issue. Pradesh BJP president Ajay Bhatt constituted a three-member committee to probe the continuing war of words between Khanpur MLA Kunwar Pranav Singh Champion and Jhabreda legislator Desraj Karnawal, state party media head Devendra Bhasin said. The panel has been asked to submit its report to the party at the earliest so as to take further action in the matter, he said. Bhasin said the committee will be headed by party general secretary and MLA Khajan Das and senior party leaders Vishwas Dabur and Kuldeep Kumar will be its members. The two MLAs have been casting aspersions on each other in public for over a fortnight prompting Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat to intervene last week. The duo was summoned by the chief minister to his residence last week and made it up with each other on Rawat's advice but the truce proved ...
Congress moves EC against Kejriwal
The Congress on Friday approached the Delhi Election Commission and filed a complaint against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal accusing him of giving communal and provocative statement in a bid to attract voters on communal lines and demanded the poll panel to bar him from campaigning.
Sudan protesters keep up campaign for civilian rule
Thousands of Sudanese protesters performed the weekly Muslim prayers outside army headquarters on Friday, a day after vast crowd of demonstrators flooded Khartoum to demand the military rulers cede power. Protesters have massed outside the army complex in central Khartoum since April 6, initially to demand the overthrow of longtime leader Omar al-Bashir. But since his ouster by the army on April 11, the protesters have kept up their sit-in, demanding that the military council that took over hand power to a civilian administration. Despite international support for the protesters, the 10-member council has so far resisted, although three of its members resigned on Wednesday under pressure from the street. The resignations triggered jubilation among the protesters, who massed in their tens of thousands on Thursday in response to a call from their leaders for a "million-strong" march. Despite the scorching heat, the protesters were back in numbers on Friday, an AFP correspondent ...
Rahul Gandhi only alternative to BJP: Raj Babbar
Exuding confidence that the Congress will return to power after the elections, senior leader Raj Babbar on Friday asserted that party president Rahul Gandhi was the only alternative to the BJP. Accusing the Trinamool Congress of aiding the BJP's growth in Bengal, Babbar said the Mamata Banerjee-led party has resorted to violence as it was afraid that free and fair polls might result in its defeat. "The Congress will return to power in the Lok Sabha elections. Rahul Gandhi is the only alternative to the BJP in the country," Babbar, who is also president of the Uttar Pradesh unit of the grand old party, told reporters. Criticising the ruling party in the state, he said, "The TMC is afraid of free and fair polls. That is why it has resorted to violence. It is shameful that the party doesn't have any respect for democratic norms." Babbar also referred to a recent interview of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to question the TMC's anti-BJP stand. In a televised interview on ...
Rahul Gandhi showing signs of desperation: Jaitley
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Friday said Congress President Rahul Gandhi is showing signs of desperation as the "fake" narratives built by him over the Rafale jet deal and loan waivers to business houses have evaporated. In a Facebook post, Jaitley said the desperation reached a peak when Gandhi offered four Lok Sabha seats in Delhi to the Aam Aadmi Party without realising that its chief Arvind Kejriwal was "playing games" with the Congress. "He (Gandhi) displayed the desperation of a loser," Jaitley said. The minister further claimed that going by the euphoric reaction on the ground, the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) would get a larger mandate in the ongoing general elections than what it had received in 2014. "Rahul Gandhi, in the last one year, built up a fake narrative on Rafale and loan waiver to business houses, which was contrary to the truth. The fake issues evaporated and now strike no chord in the electorate," he said. The "desperation of Gandhi was at a climax" when the ...
PM Modi has bank balance of Rs 4,143, FD of over Rs 1.27 crore
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a bank balance of Rs 4,143 and fixed deposit (FD) of Rs 1,27,81,574, as per details mentioned by him in his affidavit submitted to the Returning Officer (RO) here on Friday.The Prime Minister doesn't own any motor vehicle and hasn't taken any loans as of now. The PM's investment in the National Savings Certificates stands at Rs 7,61,466 while his life insurance policy investment stands at Rs 1,90, 347.The valuation of gold - four gold rings -- in possession with Prime Minister Modi stands at Rs 1,13,800. He does not own any agriculture or non-agricultural land. He does not possess any commercial property as well.The PM owns one residential property in Gandhinagar, the current value of which stands at Rs 1,10,00,000. He has no dues left with any government department. His sources of income are from salary and the interest from banks.The Prime Minister has mentioned Jashodaben as his spouse's name. His highest qualification is mentioned as Master of Arts
After gruelling power battle, Naidu, Jagan chilling out
With nearly a month to go for the election results, top politicians in Andhra Pradesh are headed to different tourism destinations for a much-needed break after weeks of gruelling campaigning under the sun and in dust.
Trump set to meet Japanese PM at White House today
US President Donald Trump and Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe are expected to discuss issues including North Korea during their summit at the White House here on Friday (local time).A White House official told NHK that the summit will be an important opportunity for the two countries to coordinate future actions, including consultations with South Korea and North Korea's complete denuclearisation.The meeting comes a day after the maiden summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Vladivostok on Thursday.US Ambassador to Japan, William Hagerty, told reporters that Abe and Trump may also discuss the issue of Japanese nationals who have been allegedly abducted by North Korea.The two sides recently opened talks aimed at signing a new trade deal, in the run-up to the Trump-Abe meeting in Washington. This comes after Trump pulled the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a 12-nation pact that Abe had negotiated with former US ...
J-K Governor bats for holding state assembly elections in November
Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satyapal Malik on Friday opposed the proposal to hold assembly elections in June and instead urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to hold elections in November.The state administration cited Ramzan, tourist season, and Bakerwal migration as reasons for advancing the polls to November this year.Announcing seven-phased Lok Sabha election schedule on March 10, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora had said that elections for Jammu and Kashmir assembly would not be conducted along with the parliamentary elections.In June 2018, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had withdrawn support to the PDP government, led by Mehbooba Mufti in the 87-member state assembly.Since the fall of the coalition government, the state has been under the President's rule.
Yeddyurappa predicts defeat of senior Congress leaders in
State BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa Friday predicted the defeat of top leaders of the ruling Congress-JD(S) alliance, including former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, senior Congress leaders Veerappa Moily and Mallikarjun Kharge in the Lok Sabha polls. Signalling possible political instability in the state after the Lok Sabha poll results, the former Chief Minister said differences between Congress and JD(S) wouldincrease after the results are out on May 23. "I have been saying this with confidence that we will win more than 300 seats across the country this time. InKarnataka, we will win at least 22 (out of 28) Lok Sabha seats. I'm saying this with confidence," Yeddyurappa said. Addressing party MLAs, MPs and leaders meeting in the backdrop of bypolls to Chincholi and Kundgol assemblyseats on May 19, he said "the atmosphere is in our favour to an extent that Veerappa Moily has already lost against our candidate; in Kolar also K H Muniyappa will lose against our candidate ...