Page 988 - Politics
Guaido fuelling Venezuelan uprising against Maduro
The head of the opposition-controlled parliament and self-proclaimed president of Venezuela urged public sector workers to rebel against current ruler Nicolas Maduro, whom he accused of being a usurper.
EU pledges full support for Ireland as Brexit looms
The European Union's (EU) chief negotiator for Brexit Michel Barnier has said that Ireland has the "full support" of Brussels and emphasised that all community members "remain united" in their stance vis-a-vis the UK's departure from the bloc.
US bars entry to 16 Saudis over Khashoggi killing
The US State Department Monday barred entry to 16 Saudi nationals over what it described as their role in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi as the administration of Donald Trump continues to face harsh criticism over its handling of the affair. Dissident writer Khashoggi was killed and dismembered October 2 in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul by a team of 15 agents sent from Riyadh, sparking unprecedented international scrutiny of the kingdom's human rights record. But despite the fact that Saudi Arabia's powerful crown prince Mohammed bin Salman was named as "responsible" for the murder by the US Senate, who adopted their resolution after being briefed by the CIA, the US president has refused to publicly take a stand against the country's de facto ruler. Trump has instead emphasized that Riyadh is a major arms importer for the United States and an important regional ally against Iran. A statement by the State Department listed the 16 individuals and said that they had been ...
Israel election: PM Netanyahu seeks record fifth term
Israelis are set to vote in their country's most closely fought general election in years, media reported.
UN chief calls for immediate halt to Libya fighting
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday strongly condemned the military escalation near Tripoli and called for an immediate halt to the fighting in Libya. The appeal followed an air attack by the forces of commander Khalifa Haftar on the Mitiga airport east of the capital. Guterres "urges the immediate halt of all military operations in order to de-escalate the situation and prevent an all-out conflict," said a UN statement. He "strongly condemns the military escalation and ongoing fighting in and around Tripoli, including the aerial attack today by a Libyan National Army (LNA) aircraft against Mitiga airport." The air strike shut down Tripoli's only functioning airport as fighting raged around the capital and thousands fled. Haftar's self-styled LNA claimed Monday's air strike against the airport, with a spokesman saying the attack targeted a MiG-23 military plane and a helicopter. Haftar launched the offensive on Tripoli last week just as Guterres was in Libya to push for a .
US bars entry to 16 Saudis over Khashoggi killing
The United States on Monday (local time) barred the entry of at least 16 Saudi nationals into the country over their alleged involvement in the murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi last year.The 16 Saudis banned from entering the US are -- Saud al-Qahtani, Maher Mutreb, Salah Tubaigy, Meshal Albostani, Naif Alarifi, Mohammed Alzahrani, Mansour Abahussain, Khalid Alotaibi, Abdulaziz Alhawsawi, Waleed Alsehri, Thaar Alharbi, Fahad Albalawi, Badr Alotaibi, Mustafa Almadani, Saif Alqahtani and Turki Alsehri, according to a press release issued by the State Department."These designations are made under Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act of 2019 (Section 7031(c))," the statement said."Section 7031(c) provides that, in cases where the Secretary of State (Michael Pompeo) has credible information that officials of foreign governments have been involved in significant corruption or gross violations of human rights, ..
Libyan crisis escalates after air strike at Tripoli airport
As heavy fighting by rival forces escalated over the control of Tripoli, the self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) led by Field Marshal General Khalifa Haftar on Monday (local time) launched an air raid at the only functioning airport in the capital city.Commercial services at the Mitiga International Airport were suspended temporarily after the air attack, forcing hundreds of passengers to be evacuated, Al Jazeera reported.Authorities said that no casualties were reported following the air strike.Meanwhile, the United Nations' envoy to Libya, Ghassan Salame strongly condemned the air attack by the LNA, saying he is "deeply concerned" about the situation in the strife-torn North African nation."As such, this attack constitutes a serious violation of international humanitarian law which prohibits attacks against civilian infrastructure. I call on the member states to use their influence over the parties to stop further conflict and engage in immediate dialogue to reach a political ...
KCR reaffirms support for special category status to Andhra Pradesh
Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao reaffirmed support for special category status to Andhra Pradesh while claiming that his counterpart Chandrababu Naidu is going to lose the forthcoming elections and is "abusing" him every day."Our MPs have spoken in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha in support of giving special category status to Andhra Pradesh. Even now we have the same stand. After winning seats in the elections, our MPs will offer support in bringing special category status to Andhra Pradesh," he said while addressing a rally here on Monday.The demand to bring Andhra Pradesh under the Special Category gained momentum after the region split into two states. Telangana, which is India's youngest state, was carved out of Andhra in 2014. Andhra Pradesh's capital Hyderabad, also a rising IT hub with the majority of jobs, was also shifted to Telangana.At present, as many as 11 states- Assam, Jammu and Kashmir, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Tripura, ..
Amid Brexit chaos, Angela Merkel to meet Theresa May
Amid the Brexit crisis, German Chancellor Angela Merkel is set to meet British Prime Minister Theresa May in Berlin on April 9.Confirming the development, German government spokesperson Steffen Seibert said that Merkel will receive May in the Chancellory on Tuesday, where the two leaders are expected to hold talks on a short delay to the Brexit process, Anadolu News Agency reported.After negotiations in Berlin, May is expected to visit Paris and meet with French President Emmanuel Macron.May will pay another visit to Brussels on April 10 to meet EU leaders at a special summit. The British Prime Minister will attempt to seek a short extension to delay the Brexit process to June 30.Unless the EU is in favour of the delay, the UK is due to leave the EU without a deal on April 12. Several business tycoons and economists have warned of chaos in the case of no-deal Brexit.No resolution seems to be in sight for the UK as the British Parliament had earlier rejected a "no-deal Brexit" ...
Congress irked at cancellation of Rahul-Priyanka rallies, threaten to complain to EC
Shamli (Uttar Pradesh) [India], April 9 (ANI): After the cancellation of election rallies of Congress president Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in western Uttar Pradesh, party leaders have accused the district administration of favoring the ruling dispensation of the state while asserting that they will approach the Election Commission in this regard.Congress candidate from Kairana Lok Sabha constituency Harinder Malik told ANI, "The rally has been postponed and if there is a weather clearance from the district administration, the rally will happen later. We will take this issue to the election commission. If weather was not fine then how did Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath do his rallies? If we talk about aerial distance, even his rally venue is just a few kilometers away."The programmes of Rahul and Priyanka, scheduled to be held on Monday at three places, were canceled due to bad weather.Rahul and Priyanka were expected to address three rallies jointly in Shamli, ..
French MPs approve digital tax, defying US ire
French lawmakers on Monday approved a new tax on digital giants such as Facebook and Apple that has angered the United States, with Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire boasting that France was proud to be in the vanguard of such a move. The United States has urged its NATO ally to drop the plan, with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warning last week that it would hurt both the American firms and the French citizens who use the platforms. The measure was approved by 55 votes against four in the National Assembly, with five abstentions. It will then be put to vote in the Senate, or upper house, before becoming law. The legislation, dubbed "Gafa" after Google, Amazon, Facebook and Apple, comes amid rising public outrage at the minimal tax paid by some of the world's richest firms. "France is honoured to be leading on such subjects," Le Maire told parliament before the vote, saying that the draft constituted a "step... towards a fairer and more efficient taxation for the 21st ...
May forced to delay Brexit to avoid no deal as MPs pass law
Proposals to force British Prime Minister Theresa May to delay the date of Brexit -- again -- on Monday were approved by both the House of Lords and House of Commons.
British MPs pass law to block no-deal Brexit
British MPs on Monday passed a new law aimed at preventing a no-deal Brexit this week by obliging the government to ask EU leaders for a delay. The law has been rushed through both chambers of parliament over the past week and was opposed by the government, which has said it could limit its room for negotiation with the European Union. "This is a huge dog's dinner," Andrea Leadsom, who represents the government in parliament, told MPs. "I fundamentally object to it on the grounds that it is totally unconventional," she said. The law was passed on the initiative of MPs, subverting the normal order in which parliament debates and passes government-proposed legislation. As a result of the law, the government now must put forward a motion in parliament on Tuesday setting out the delay that it will request at an EU summit on Wednesday. MPs will be allowed to vote on this and make their own suggestions as to the length of the delay. It allows the government to seek any extension from May 22
Trump urges Uganda to find kidnappers of freed American tourist
US President Donald Trump on Monday (local time) urged Uganda to find the kidnappers who abducted American tourist Kimberly Sue Endicott and her tourist guide in Uganda earlier this month.He said that the perpetrators should be "quickly" brought to justice."Uganda must find the kidnappers of the American Tourist and guide before people will feel safe in going there. Bring them to justice openly and quickly!" Trump tweeted.On April 2, Endicott and her Congolese tour guide Jean-Paul Mirenge Remezo were abducted at gunpoint by an armed gang while on a game drive at the Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda.The duo was held captive for five days and the abductors had demanded a ransom of USD 500,000 for their release.Endicott and her guide were found unharmed in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ugandan government spokesperson Ofwono Opondo had said on Sunday.He added that the suspected kidnappers fled the scene of the rescue after security personnel moved in the region.A spokesperson ..
TN CM announces probe into Karunanidhi's death, accuses Stalin of keeping him under house arrest
Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Monday announced that his government is ready to probe the death of former DMK chief M Karunanidhi while accusing his son MK Stalin of keeping him under house arrest for two years."Tamil Nadu government will probe M Karunanidhi's death. I got the information from senior most DMK leaders, DMK officials, and a complaint that Karunanidhi was unable to speak for two years. Why he was unable to speak? If he were given good treatment, M.K Stalin would not become the president of DMK. That's why he was kept as a prisoner for two years at home by M.K Stalin," he said."Stalin purposefully, with selfish motives, didn't take him for better treatment. In order to become the DMK president, Stalin has made his father a house prisoner. But as long as he was under house arrest, Karunanidhi didn't announce that Stalin is the president of the party," added Palaniswami.Karunanidhi, who was Tamil Nadu's longest-serving chief minister, breathed his last in August .
PM the chairman of factory of lies, J-K acceded not merged with India: Owaisi
Calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi chairman of the 'factory of lies', All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday said the BJP's promise of repealing Article 370 cannot happen under the current constitutional framework.Addressing a public rally, Owaisi said, "Narendra Modi is the chairman of the factory of lies and it is child's play to invent lies. They(BJP) cannot give jobs but is only spreading lies. They say they will abolish article 370 and 35 A. But I am telling them that as per Indian constitution they cannot do it. They ran the government with Mehbooba Mufti but could not do anything about 370"."There has been accession of Jammu and Kashmir and it hasn't merged with India. Hence the promise made in BJP manifesto is nothing but fake", he said.Owaisi also attacked the Prime Minister on the issues of love jihad and mob-lynching and said, "We need a Prime Minister who supports the weak and poor, who can provide employment, who understands .
Hyderabad: 7 held, Rs 8cr cash seized; BJP cries conspiracy
Telangana Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) cried conspiracy after police seized cash worth Rs 8 crore and detained seven persons, including the party's accountant Gopi.Speaking to ANI, Viswaprasad, DCP, Central Zone, said the Task Force and police, on the basis of credible input, intercepted a car on Monday afternoon at Himayatnagar in which two persons - Pradeep Reddy and Guda Shankar - were found in possession of Rs 2 crore.During interrogation, the two persons revealed that the money was handed over by Nandiraju Gopi at Indian Bank, Narayanguda branch. "They also disclosed that some more money was available with Gopi. Police seized Rs 6 crore cash from Gopi and also nabbed five more persons," Viswaprasad added.The police official said while the cash was legally withdrawn from BJP's account by Dr. Laxman, the party's state president, Election Commission guidelines state that cash seized over Rs 10 lakh should be handed over to the Income Tax Department.So the seized cash has been handed
Iran blacklists US forces in West Asia as 'terrorist group'
Iran's Supreme National Security Council on Monday announced US Central Command forces in West Asia as "terrorist group," the official IRNA news agency reported.
PM the chairman of factory of lies, J-K accessed not merged with India: Owaisi
Calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi chairman of the 'factory of lies', All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday said the BJP's promise of repealing Article 370 cannot happen under the current constitutional framework.Addressing a public rally, Owaisi said, "Narendra Modi is the chairman of the factory of lies and it is child's play to invent lies. They(BJP) cannot give jobs but is only spreading lies. They say they will abolish article 370 and 35 A. But I am telling them that as per Indian constitution they cannot do it. They ran the government with Mehbooba Mufti but could not do anything about 370"."There has been accession of Jammu and Kashmir and it hasn't merged with India. Hence the promise made in BJP manifesto is nothing but fake", he said.Owaisi also attacked the Prime Minister on the issues of love jihad and mob-lynching and said, "We need a Prime Minister who supports the weak and poor, who can provide employment, who understands .
BJP president Amit Shah meets party veterans M M Joshi, L K Advani
Shah's meeting with the two leaders came days after they were not given poll tickets
 "BJP president Amit Shah meets party veterans M M Joshi, L K Advani")