Page 833 - Politics
Macron sparks Turkish anger by meeting Syrian Kurds
French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday hosted representatives of the Kurdish-led force that defeated Islamic State (IS) extremists in Syria, drawing a sharp rebuke from Turkey's foreign ministry. Macron assured the Kurdish envoys of French support in their fight against the remaining jihadists, but Ankara accused the French leader of "seeking to confer artificial legitimacy on a faction of terrorist groups". "We condemn the reception by French President Emmanuel Macron of a delegation of so-called 'Syrian Democratic Forces' (SDF)," Turkish foreign ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said in the statement. In late March the US-backed SDF flushed out IS fighters from their last bastion in Syria but Kurdish-led force still warns that the jihadists remain a threat in places. The SDF is an umbrella Kurdish-Arab force dominated by Kurds from the People's Protection Units (YPG). It is regarded with huge distrust by neighbouring Turkey which sees the YPG as a terror group. Macron assured the ...
Democratic US presidential hopeful Warren pushes for Trump impeachment
Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren became the first presidential candidate Friday to call for the US House of Representatives to begin impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump, citing the findings of the Russian election interference probe. "The Mueller report lays out facts showing that a hostile foreign government attacked our 2016 election to help Donald Trump and Donald Trump welcomed that help," the Massachusetts lawmaker tweeted. "Once elected, Donald Trump obstructed the investigation into that attack." Her call came a day after the release of a redacted version of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report, outlining the findings of his 22-month investigation. The more than 400-page document said Trump's election campaign did not collude with Russian meddling efforts -- but found the president was happy to benefit from Russian dirty tricks and tried repeatedly to hamper Mueller's investigation. "That means the House should initiate impeachment proceedings against ..
PIL filed in Allahabad HC against Congress' NYAY scheme
A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed in Allahabad High Court on Friday against Congress' 'Nyuntam Aay Yojana' (NYAY) scheme mentioned in the party manifesto.Under the NYAY scheme or the minimum income guarantee scheme, Congress has promised that it will give Rs 72,000 per year to 20 per cent of India's poorest if the party emerged victorious in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.The petitioners have contended that such a poll promise amounted to bribery and that it violated the Representation of the People Act, 1951.The court has issued a notice to the Congress party seeking a reply within 10 days.The next hearing has been scheduled for May 13.Congress president Rahul Gandhi had said that the NYAY scheme would be a "surgical strike" against poverty and that it would not harm the country's economy.
Akhilesh calls Congress 'sabse dhokebaaz' party
Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav on Friday called Congress 'sabse dhokebaaz' (most betraying) party of the country."Congress desh ki sabse dhokebaaz party hai," Akhilesh said at a press conference here.His comment came after Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday reportedly said that SP and BSP leaders are afraid of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he has the CBI and Enforcement Directorate under him."Those Congress people who are saying that we are afraid of ED and CBI, we are in fact not afraid of any organisation. Congress itself got an investigation done on us. The person who filed the PIL belongs to Congress. Big leaders of Congress gave money to get PIL filed against Netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav) and our family. That person is still a part of Congress. When the investigation got over and the matter came up for review, that person joined hands with BJP," said Akhilesh."I want to make this clear that the person who filed PIL on Netaji, me and my wife Dimple has joined ...
BJP will get more seats than in 2014: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the BJP will win the Lok Sabha elections with full majority, and with more votes and seats than in 2014.
26/11 response would have averted Pulwama: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said Pulwama terror attack would not have happened if a strong reply was given after the terror attack in Mumbai in November 2008.
Trump speaks with Libya warlord Haftar: White House
President Donald Trump spoke this week with Khalifa Haftar, the Libyan warlord fighting to capture the capital Tripoli, the White House said Friday. Trump and Haftar spoke on Monday "to discuss ongoing counterterrorism efforts and the need to achieve peace and stability in Libya," according to the White House press office. The statement said that Trump "recognized Field Marshal Haftar's significant role in fighting terrorism and securing Libya's oil resources." In their phone call, "the two discussed a shared vision for Libya's transition to a stable, democratic political system." The White House did not say why it delayed giving news of the phone call. Haftar launched an offensive on April 4 to seize Tripoli, a move that threatened to plunge the north African country into even deeper turmoil. Haftar, seen by his allies Egypt and the United Arab Emirates as a bulwark against Islamists, has declared he wants to seize the capital, now controlled by a UN-recognized government and an ...
Israeli tank, aircraft hit Gaza after cross-border fire: army
Israel on Friday struck Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip with tank and aircraft fire after troops were shot at on the Israeli side of the border, the army said. The Israeli military said in a statement that "no injuries to soldiers were reported" after its troops came under fire. Palestinian security sources in Hamas-ruled Gaza told AFP that the Israeli strikes hit Hamas military observation posts at three locations along the frontier. They said there were no reports of Palestinian casualties. Palestinians in Gaza have for more than a year gathered at least weekly along the border for often-violent protests, calling on Israel to end its blockade of the enclave. The Israeli statement did not say if there were mass protests taking place at the time of Friday's incident. The Palestinian health ministry in Gaza later said in a statement that 15 people were wounded by Israeli fire during border demonstrations, including "two paramedics and one journalist". It gave no further information. At
Powerful Emirati crown prince entangled by Mueller report
One of the most powerful leaders in the United Arab Emirates has found himself entangled in special counsel Robert Mueller's report on U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian interference in America's 2016 election. Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, believed to be the Emirates' day-to-day ruler, is the only world leader included in Mueller's cast-of-characters index near the end of the 448-page report. His inclusion, stemming from his mysterious role in a 2017 meeting between a Trump associate and a Russian middleman for Vladimir Putin in the Seychelles, stands out from otherwise glancing references to the wider Mideast. But left unsaid or possibly redacted is what motivated the UAE, a federation of seven sheikhdoms on the Arabian Peninsula, to insert itself as a middleman in contacts between Trump's campaign and Russia. However, the report's release comes as the UAE backs Trump's maximalist policies against Iran and as Emirati officials have been on a ...
Pompeo says US will take 'tough action' on Russian meddling
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo vowed Friday the United States would keep taking "tough action" on Russia after Special Counsel Robert Mueller revealed widespread attempts by Moscow to help elect President Donald Trump. A day after Mueller's 400-page report was released publicly, Pompeo said that the Trump administration had raised interference in the 2016 election during each meeting with Russia. "We will make very clear to them that this is unacceptable behavior," Pompeo told a news conference after talks with the Japanese foreign and defense ministers. "We will take tough actions which raise the cost for Russian malign activities. And we will continue to do that," he said. Pompeo said that the United States would also keep pressing to stop Russia from intervening in other elections around the world. Trump has spoken of a fondness for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has openly said he favored the populist mogul to his Democratic rival in the 2016 election, former secretary of ..
Bengal situation akin to what Pandits faced in Kashmir: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday attacked the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal, saying the state is witnessing violence as was seen in Kashmir in the eighties against Kashmiri Pandits and that the situation has to be taken seriously.
Modi govt like leech sucking common man's blood, claims Sidhu
Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu Friday said the NDA government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi was like a "leech" that was sucking the common man's blood. Speaking to reporters at Rajiv Bhawan, the Congress' state headquarters, here, Sidhu also said public sector firms and banks had suffered massive losses in the past five years due to the wrong policies of the Centre. "It is written in the Vedas that a government should be like a bhawra (beetle) which sucks nectar from flowers but still it blooms. The Modi government has become a leech that is sucking the blood of the common man. The common man can't even stand," the cricketer-turned-politician said. "Public sector companies and banks have suffered massive losses under NDA rule in the last five years due to its wrong policies. The profits of a few capitalists had increased under the Modi government while public sector firms and banks are sinking," he alleged. He said the Centre had increased excise duty on petrol
Modi to address rally in Bengal's Buniyadpur on Saturday
Continuing his campaign blitz in West Bengal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a public rally in this town of northern West Bengal's South Dinajpur district on Saturday, in a bid to give a further fillip to the BJP's Lok Sabha polls prospects in the state.
Such statement should never be made: Fadnavis on Pragya's
BJP candidate and Malegaon blast accused Pragya Singh Thakur should not have made her controversial statement on slain ATS chief Hemant Karkare, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis said Friday evening. Thakur is under fire for saying that Karkare died in the 26/11 terror attack because she had cursed him for 'torturing' her when he probed the Malegaon blast case as then chief of the state Anti-Terrorism Squad. "Late Mr Karkare was a very brave and upright police officer and will be revered as a martyr forever. Sadhvi Pragya's remark is personal opinion and we don't support it," Fadanvis said. "She has also apologised and said that it (the statement) was made out of personal pain. However I feel that such statement should never be made," the chief minister said. Thakur, who is contesting Lok Sabha election from Bhopal on BJP ticket, was arrested in the 2008 Malegaon blast case and later got bail. She is facing trial in the case.
Pak Cabinet rejig: Imran Khan says captain has to change batting order to win matches
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday defended his Cabinet reshuffle and announced to make more changes, saying in order to win matches, a captain sometimes has to change the batting order. The first Cabinet shake-up just after eight months in government saw the resignation of finance minister and Khan's confidante Asad Umar and changes in the portfolios of several ministers. The changes were termed by the Opposition as a testimony of the failure of the government which, they alleged, could not control price rise. Prime Minister Khan, addressing a gathering in Orakzai, said that he has changed the batting order and also brought in some new players. "In order to win the match, a captain has to sometimes change the batting order and even introduce new players," he said, using cricket analogy. "I have done the same and I will do again as the purpose is to win," he said. Khan also warned the chief ministers of Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa to improve after criticism at the performance of ...
I-T raids happening as per law, not part of political vendetta: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday said the recent Income Tax raids on certain politicians were not part of "political vendetta" and things were happening as per the law. Modi also defended the decision to field Malegaon blast accused Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur from the Bhopal Lok Sabha seat, saying she is a "symbol" for those who described Hindus as terrorists. She will give a tough fight to the Congress there, he said. Thakur is pitted against senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh from the seat in Madhya Pradesh. "The decision (to field Thakur) is a befitting reply to individuals who linked a whole religion and culture to terror, the prime minister said taking a jibe at the Congress over saffron terror remarks. In an interview to Times Now news channel, Modi said the Income Tax raids were happening as per the law and were not part of any "political vendetta". He said the raids have all yielded proof of corruption, including siphoning of money from schemes meant for the most ...
Formed alliance because we want PM who can attack Pak: Uddhav
Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said Friday that he formed a fresh alliance with the BJP because his party wanted a prime minister who has the courage to attack Pakistan. The Sena, which frequently attacked its alliance partner BJP in the last four and a half years, nevertheless chose to form alliance with the saffron party again ahead of the 2019 general elections. Addressing a campaign rally here for Sena candidate Chandrakant Khaire, Thackeray referred to the criticism he faced for doing a U-turn on not going with the BJP, and said, "We wanted a prime minister who could attack Pakistan by entering its home. That is why we formed this alliance. "I have formed alliance with the BJP (also) for the welfare of Marathwada and Maharashtra," he added. The Congress does not want abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution which gives a special status to Jammu and Kashmir, Thackeray said, and added that his party wants that every law applicable to rest of India should also ..
Fielding Pragya a reply to those who called Hindu civilisation terrorirst: PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that fielding of Pragya Singh Thakur, an accused in the Malegaon blast case, as BJP candidate from Bhopal was a symbolic answer to all those who labeled the rich Hindu civilization as "terrorist" and asserted that "this symbol will prove costly for the Congress".
Priyanka slams Modi government over OROP (3rd Lead)
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Friday accused the Narendra Modi government of politicising the Armed Forces by calling the one rank one pension (OROP) a favour to them.
Priyanka Chaturvedi's joining Shiv Sena quite an 'ideological leap':Omar
National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah Friday said former Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi's joining the Shiv Sena was quite an "ideological leap". Chaturvedi resigned from the Congress Friday and later joined the Shiv Sena in Mumbai.She was miffed at the reinstatement of some party workers in Uttar Pradesh who had threatened and misbehaved with her during her press conference in Mathura a few days ago. "From left of centre to the far right this is quite an ideological leap. Personally I can think of at least one other party I'd have rather seen her represent but good luck to @priyankac19 all the same," the NC leader wrote on Twitter. Earlier, Abdullah had said that Chaturvedi was an asset for the Congress party. "It's a pity @priyankac19 will not be seen defending the Congress on our TV screens any longer. She was an asset to the party & a fearless advocate for the party & its leadership. "To have lost her to selfish personal interests would have been no ...