Guessing games were probably his favourite. Actor Rajinikanth has been playing one for over two decades now. When on May 15 he declared &ndash; once again &ndash; that God-willing he would join politics &ndash; the actor might have had his fans excited but most certainly left the ordinary people of Tamil Nadu exasperated.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>Rajinikanth&rsquo;s imminent entry into politics has kept doing rounds every time there was an election in the state.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Rajinikanth?s imminent entry into politics has kept doing rounds every time there was an election in the state." target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

Since 1996 when Rajinikanth had voiced his opinion against the &lsquo;autocratic&rsquo; Jayalalithaa regime and urged the electorate to vote it out of power, speculation about Rajinikanth&rsquo;s imminent entry into politics has kept doing rounds every time there was an election in the state. Even if the entry wouldn&rsquo;t happen, cadres hoped that Rajini would atleast lend his voice in favour or against a particular party indicating which way to go. So even when hashtag was a still new concept in Tamil Nadu, Rajinivoice was becoming a trend.

Whether the trend was in any way reflective of the larger public opinion in the state is anybody&rsquo;s guess. There has been a running dispute over the magic of Rajini voice in 1996. Some observers say that the voice worked only because it complemented the already-existing overwhelming sentiment against Jayalalithaa&rsquo;s misrule between 1991 to1996. The sentiment was so strong it led to split in Tamil Nadu Congress Committee when the party decided to align with Jayalalithaa. The newly launched Tamil Maanila Congress in alliance with the DMK swept the polls in 1996.

In 2004, Rajinikanth &lsquo;voiced&rsquo; his opinion yet again. This time it was against Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) which had earlier campaigned against his smoking scenes on screen. PMK was contesting in five Parliamentary constituencies and Rajinikanth not just gave his voice but exhorted his cadres to work in the five constituencies against the PMK. Ironically, PMK won in all the constituencies.

Despite the snub, Rajinikanth&rsquo;s voice or the absence of it, Rajinikanth&rsquo;s entry into politics or the indecisiveness of it has never failed to generate huge interest across the state. When Rajinikanth met his cadres in May, several Tamil channels went live with it and broke news about his &lsquo;hinting at entering politics.&rsquo; Only it was not the first time that he was dropping such a hint.

While he had always maintained that God-willing, he would &lsquo;don any role&rsquo; his ardent supporters think the time is just ripe for him to make his political entry.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>For over three decades, Jayalalithaa and Karunanidhi have dominated the Tamil Nadu&rsquo;s politics so emphatically that their absence has led the state&rsquo;s politics to chaos and in a state of flux.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text= For over three decades, Jayalalithaa and Karunanidhi have dominated the Tamil Nadu?s politics so emphatically that their absence has led the state?s politics to chaos and in a state of flux." target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

Many opine Rajinikanth could fill the political vacuum created by Jayalalithaa&rsquo;s death and M Karunanidhi&rsquo;s inactivity. For over three decades, Jayalalithaa and Karunanidhi have dominated the Tamil Nadu&rsquo;s politics so emphatically that their absence has led the state&rsquo;s politics to chaos and in a state of flux.

With the kind of charisma and following that Rajinikanth enjoys in the state, he could effortlessly step into their shoes. Or so they think. But there are others who think Rajinikanth has lost his chance in 1996 when the state was looking for a powerful alternative to Jayalalithaa. Rajinikanth might just have clicked if he had taken the plunge back then.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>It probably would not even matter that Rajinikanth might choose his own new outfit as long as&nbsp;he is willing to endorse the BJP in the State by way of alliances.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=It probably would not even matter that Rajinikanth might choose his own new outfit as long as?he is willing to endorse the BJP in the State by way of alliances." target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

But now, at least for the BJP, Rajinikanth could be their lucky charm to crack the tough Tamil Nadu nut. When the Modi wave swept the country in 2014 elections, Tamil Nadu gave just one representative to the Parliament. The party has since doubled up its efforts to gain a foothold in the state. The local BJP leaders hope that Raijnikanth&rsquo;s entry into politics will give BJP the much needed breakthrough in the state. It probably would not even matter that Rajinikanth might choose his own new outfit as long as&nbsp;he is willing to endorse the BJP in the state by way of alliances.

At the moment, Rajinikanth does seem inclined. Since May, the actor has been meeting leaders and personalities from different walks of life. When he met Ayya Kannu, the farmer who headed the Tamil Nadu farmer&rsquo;s protest at Jantar Mantar recently, Rajinikanth had apparently promised him to take up the issue of interlinking of rivers with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Several years ago, the actor had promised to make a donation of Rs 1 crore towards interlinking of rivers. For very evident reasons, it remains a promise on paper.

Rajinikanth had also met Hindu Makkal Katchi leader Arjun Sampath recently, giving greater room to speculations about his inching closer to the Hindutva brigade. At least two people Rajinikanth met recently including Sampath confirmed that he was seriously &lsquo;considering entry into politics.&rsquo; But when reporters raised a query recently, he sounded tired. He only had a terse one-line response to them: &ldquo;I do not want to discuss politics.&rdquo; This vacillation perhaps best defines Rajinikanth. Whether he will be able to break his over two decade long uncertainty to become BJP&rsquo;s face in the state is still a tall order. But for someone who has reached dizzying heights from being Kollywood&rsquo;s &lsquo;extra actor&rsquo;, it might not be all that impossible.

Rajini would don any role and politics is no exception

Guessing games were probably his favourite. Actor Rajinikanth has been playing one for over two decades now. When on May 15 he declared – once again – that God-willing he would join politics – the actor might have had his fans excited but most certainly left the ordinary people of Tamil Nadu exasperated. Rajinikanth’s imminent entry into politics has kept doing rounds every time there was an election in the state. × Since 1996 when Rajinikanth had voiced his opinion against the ‘autocratic’ Jayalalithaa regime and urged the electorate to vote it out of power, speculation about Rajinikanth’s imminent entry into politics has kept doing rounds every time there was an election in the state. Even if the entry wouldn’t happen, cadres hoped that Rajini would atleast lend his voice in favour or against a particular party indicating which way to go. So even when hashtag was a still new concept in Tamil Nadu, Rajinivoice was becoming a trend. Whether the trend was in any way reflective of the larger public opinion in the state is anybody’s guess. There has been a running dispute over the magic of Rajini voice in 1996. Some observers say that the voice worked only because it complemented the already-existing overwhelming sentiment against Jayalalithaa’s misrule between 1991 to1996. The sentiment was so strong it led to split in Tamil Nadu Congress Committee when the party decided to align with Jayalalithaa. The newly launched Tamil Maanila Congress in alliance with the DMK swept the polls in 1996. In 2004, Rajinikanth ‘voiced’ his opinion yet again. This time it was against Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) which had earlier campaigned against his smoking scenes on screen. PMK was contesting in five Parliamentary constituencies and Rajinikanth not just gave his voice but exhorted his cadres to work in the five constituencies against the PMK. Ironically, PMK won in all the constituencies. Despite the snub, Rajinikanth’s voice or the absence of it, Rajinikanth’s entry into politics or the indecisiveness of it has never failed to generate huge interest across the state. When Rajinikanth met his cadres in May, several Tamil channels went live with it and broke news about his ‘hinting at entering politics.’ Only it was not the first time that he was dropping such a hint. While he had always maintained that God-willing, he would ‘don any role’ his ardent supporters think the time is just ripe for him to make his political entry. For over three decades, Jayalalithaa and Karunanidhi have dominated the Tamil Nadu’s politics so emphatically that their absence has led the state’s politics to chaos and in a state of flux. × Many opine Rajinikanth could fill the political vacuum created by Jayalalithaa’s death and M Karunanidhi’s inactivity. For over three decades, Jayalalithaa and Karunanidhi have dominated the Tamil Nadu’s politics so emphatically that their absence has led the state’s politics to chaos and in a state of flux. With the kind of charisma and following that Rajinikanth enjoys in the state, he could effortlessly step into their shoes. Or so they think. But there are others who think Rajinikanth has lost his chance in 1996 when the state was looking for a powerful alternative to Jayalalithaa. Rajinikanth might just have clicked if he had taken the plunge back then. It probably would not even matter that Rajinikanth might choose his own new outfit as long as he is willing to endorse the BJP in the State by way of alliances. × But now, at least for the BJP, Rajinikanth could be their lucky charm to crack the tough Tamil Nadu nut. When the Modi wave swept the country in 2014 elections, Tamil Nadu gave just one representative to the Parliament. The party has since doubled up its efforts to gain a foothold in the state. The local BJP leaders hope that Raijnikanth’s entry into politics will give BJP the much needed breakthrough in the state. It probably would not even matter that Rajinikanth might choose his own new outfit as long as he is willing to endorse the BJP in the state by way of alliances. At the moment, Rajinikanth does seem inclined. Since May, the actor has been meeting leaders and personalities from different walks of life. When he met Ayya Kannu, the farmer who headed the Tamil Nadu farmer’s protest at Jantar Mantar recently, Rajinikanth had apparently promised him to take up the issue of interlinking of rivers with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Several years ago, the actor had promised to make a donation of Rs 1 crore towards interlinking of rivers. For very evident reasons, it remains a promise on paper. Rajinikanth had also met Hindu Makkal Katchi leader Arjun Sampath recently, giving greater room to speculations about his inching closer to the Hindutva brigade. At least two people Rajinikanth met recently including Sampath confirmed that he was seriously ‘considering entry into politics.’ But when reporters raised a query recently, he sounded tired. He only had a terse one-line response to them: “I do not want to discuss politics.” This vacillation perhaps best defines Rajinikanth. Whether he will be able to break his over two decade long uncertainty to become BJP’s face in the state is still a tall order. But for someone who has reached dizzying heights from being Kollywood’s ‘extra actor’, it might not be all that impossible.

Can superhero Rajinikanth be BJP?s lucky charm in Tamil Nadu?

The Saharanpur district authorities Friday&nbsp;refused permission to Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi to visit the strife-torn district.

Rahul was scheduled to visit tomorrow Shabbirpur village, where Dalit houses were torched on May 5.

&quot;Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi has not been given permission to visit Saharanpur,&quot; said Senior Superintendent of Police, Saharanpur, Bablu Kumar.

Bablu Kumar replaced SSP Subhash Chandra Dubey, who was suspended on May 24 in the wake of clashes in the district.

BSP chief Mayawati had recently toured the village and lashed out at the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government for &quot;failing to maintain law and order&quot; in the state.

Saharanpur has witnessed widespread caste-based clashes this month.

Violence first broke out in Saharanpur about 40 days ago following a procession to mark Ambedkar Jayanti. On May 5, a person was killed and 15 people were injured in clashes between two communities.

About a dozen police vehicles were set ablaze and 12 policemen were injured on May 9.

On May 23, another person was shot dead and two others were wounded, following which the government suspended the SSP and district magistrate and transferred the divisional commissioner and the deputy inspector general of police.

The Centre has sent 400 anti-riot police personnel to Saharanpur to help the state restore peace in the region.

(PTI)

The Congress vice-president was scheduled to visit tomorrow Shabbirpur village, where Dalit houses were torched on May 5

The Saharanpur district authorities Friday refused permission to Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi to visit the strife-torn district. Rahul was scheduled to visit tomorrow Shabbirpur village, where Dalit houses were torched on May 5. "Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi has not been given permission to visit Saharanpur," said Senior Superintendent of Police, Saharanpur, Bablu Kumar. Bablu Kumar replaced SSP Subhash Chandra Dubey, who was suspended on May 24 in the wake of clashes in the district. BSP chief Mayawati had recently toured the village and lashed out at the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government for "failing to maintain law and order" in the state. Saharanpur has witnessed widespread caste-based clashes this month. Violence first broke out in Saharanpur about 40 days ago following a procession to mark Ambedkar Jayanti. On May 5, a person was killed and 15 people were injured in clashes between two communities. About a dozen police vehicles were set ablaze and 12 policemen were injured on May 9. On May 23, another person was shot dead and two others were wounded, following which the government suspended the SSP and district magistrate and transferred the divisional commissioner and the deputy inspector general of police. The Centre has sent 400 anti-riot police personnel to Saharanpur to help the state restore peace in the region. (PTI)

Rahul Gandhi denied permission to visit strife-torn Saharanpur

Having a face in the assembly elections in India is a basic necessity. Without this&nbsp;it becomes difficult for any political party to fight elections properly.

The BJP is repeating the mistake they made in Bihar&nbsp;by not projecting a chief ministerial candidate in Uttar Pradesh. Barring elections in Maharashtra, Haryana and Jharkhand post 2014, where candidate projection was not done, all other state elections were a referendum on the working ability of a face backed by fine ticket distribution and solid social base. Even the three states mentioned above saw massive caste consolidation because of long anti-incumbency, which allowed BJP to canvass without an overarching face.

In Maharashtra it became a case of Maratha versus&nbsp;non Maratha, in Haryana it was a case of Jat versus&nbsp;non Jat, and in Jharkhand tribal versus&nbsp;non tribal was the ruling sentiment allowing Punjabi-Khatri, ML Khattar to become chief minister in Haryana, Fadnavis, a Brahmin and Raghubar Das a non-tribal to becomes chief minister of Maharashtra and Jharkhand respectively. In Delhi, BJP did give a face but outsourced it from the opponent hence losing the upper hand against Arvind Kejriwal of AAP who looked far more credible.

Coming back to Uttar Pradesh, BJP has decided not to project a particular face despite RSS wanting one. The reason is simple. BJP after Kalyan Singh has not been able to produce a big OBC leader who could carry along upper caste with traditional BJP voters.

Despite the fact that Samajwadi Party is going through an existential crisis where father and son are fighting each other to control the party, Akhilesh Yadav has emerged as a popular face. BJP has faces in UP, but none enough to be projected as prospective candidate. BJP doesn&rsquo;t trust Varun Gandhi, and Home Minister Rajnath Singh has not been sent keeping in mind the OBC clout in the north Indian politics.

Despite remaining committed to soft Hindutva by sporting issues like exodus of majority community from villages and beef controversy, BJP neither has a pan UP face nor a substantive issue around which to&nbsp;consolidate&nbsp;different social segments. Same is the case with the Congress, which is a junior player in Uttar Pradesh.

This leaves Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav in the fray who can associate governance with a face. Mayawati despite being a mascot of fine law and order, has remained aloof from UP politics, hence not been able to generate the&nbsp;verve&nbsp;necessary before&nbsp;elections. But she cannot be ruled out. Her campaign style remains different from that of BJP, Congress and SP. Her silent campaign was a surprise for many naysayers, even in 2007.

Akhilesh Yadav on the other hand got rid of his anti-incumbency by&nbsp;taking a stand&nbsp;on the issues of governance and induction of tainted leaders against his father and uncle&rsquo;s wish. &nbsp;

Even the bitter critics of Samajwadi Party would concede that Akhilesh today is being perceived as a leader rather than a mere inheritor. Even Indira Gandhi could only establish her leadership in the party after asserting herself electorally and organisationally.

Many argue that BJP could repeat 2014 by harnessing a majority vote to make the Muslim vote irrelevant in the elections. There lies the difference. It was a mandate for the challenger Narendra Modi who had captured people&rsquo;s imagination as a righteous leader. UP voted for a person who would rule India, hence caste lines broke under the euphoria. The assembly election in Uttar Pradesh will be constrained by caste equations and alliances if possible in the remaining time.

Even during Ram Temple agitation, Kalyan Singh, a Lodh remained an important face of BJP in the state. So for the BJP in Uttar Pradesh and AAP in Punjab to campaign without a face is a high gamble. All elections in India at regional levels are being fought on faces. Whether it was Jaya or presently, Nitish, Mamta, Karunanidhi, Chandra Shekhar Rao, Shivraj Chauhan or Raman Singh, faces provide a connect with the masses.

The face as a marker of policy has evolved further because instead of ideology the face becomes the&nbsp;brand dominating the whole political discourse. This is one hard reality BJP will not be able to escape in Uttar Pradesh. People would like to know as to who will stay with them.&nbsp;This is the reason why Uttar Pradesh will see a direct fight between high profile Akhilesh Yadav, with or without a cycle against a low profile campaign of Mayawati.

People will vote the face they can trust, and Uttar Pradesh will decide that face very soon.

(WION)

A face becomes more than a marker of a politician's policy, it becomes the?brand dominating the whole political discourse

Having a face in the assembly elections in India is a basic necessity. Without this it becomes difficult for any political party to fight elections properly. The BJP is repeating the mistake they made in Bihar by not projecting a chief ministerial candidate in Uttar Pradesh. Barring elections in Maharashtra, Haryana and Jharkhand post 2014, where candidate projection was not done, all other state elections were a referendum on the working ability of a face backed by fine ticket distribution and solid social base. Even the three states mentioned above saw massive caste consolidation because of long anti-incumbency, which allowed BJP to canvass without an overarching face. In Maharashtra it became a case of Maratha versus non Maratha, in Haryana it was a case of Jat versus non Jat, and in Jharkhand tribal versus non tribal was the ruling sentiment allowing Punjabi-Khatri, ML Khattar to become chief minister in Haryana, Fadnavis, a Brahmin and Raghubar Das a non-tribal to becomes chief minister of Maharashtra and Jharkhand respectively. In Delhi, BJP did give a face but outsourced it from the opponent hence losing the upper hand against Arvind Kejriwal of AAP who looked far more credible. Coming back to Uttar Pradesh, BJP has decided not to project a particular face despite RSS wanting one. The reason is simple. BJP after Kalyan Singh has not been able to produce a big OBC leader who could carry along upper caste with traditional BJP voters. Despite the fact that Samajwadi Party is going through an existential crisis where father and son are fighting each other to control the party, Akhilesh Yadav has emerged as a popular face. BJP has faces in UP, but none enough to be projected as prospective candidate. BJP doesn’t trust Varun Gandhi, and Home Minister Rajnath Singh has not been sent keeping in mind the OBC clout in the north Indian politics. Despite remaining committed to soft Hindutva by sporting issues like exodus of majority community from villages and beef controversy, BJP neither has a pan UP face nor a substantive issue around which to consolidate different social segments. Same is the case with the Congress, which is a junior player in Uttar Pradesh. This leaves Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav in the fray who can associate governance with a face. Mayawati despite being a mascot of fine law and order, has remained aloof from UP politics, hence not been able to generate the verve necessary before elections. But she cannot be ruled out. Her campaign style remains different from that of BJP, Congress and SP. Her silent campaign was a surprise for many naysayers, even in 2007. Akhilesh Yadav on the other hand got rid of his anti-incumbency by taking a stand on the issues of governance and induction of tainted leaders against his father and uncle’s wish. Even the bitter critics of Samajwadi Party would concede that Akhilesh today is being perceived as a leader rather than a mere inheritor. Even Indira Gandhi could only establish her leadership in the party after asserting herself electorally and organisationally. Many argue that BJP could repeat 2014 by harnessing a majority vote to make the Muslim vote irrelevant in the elections. There lies the difference. It was a mandate for the challenger Narendra Modi who had captured people’s imagination as a righteous leader. UP voted for a person who would rule India, hence caste lines broke under the euphoria. The assembly election in Uttar Pradesh will be constrained by caste equations and alliances if possible in the remaining time. Even during Ram Temple agitation, Kalyan Singh, a Lodh remained an important face of BJP in the state. So for the BJP in Uttar Pradesh and AAP in Punjab to campaign without a face is a high gamble. All elections in India at regional levels are being fought on faces. Whether it was Jaya or presently, Nitish, Mamta, Karunanidhi, Chandra Shekhar Rao, Shivraj Chauhan or Raman Singh, faces provide a connect with the masses. The face as a marker of policy has evolved further because instead of ideology the face becomes the brand dominating the whole political discourse. This is one hard reality BJP will not be able to escape in Uttar Pradesh. People would like to know as to who will stay with them. This is the reason why Uttar Pradesh will see a direct fight between high profile Akhilesh Yadav, with or without a cycle against a low profile campaign of Mayawati. People will vote the face they can trust, and Uttar Pradesh will decide that face very soon. (WION)

In Indian politics, face matters

A 19-year-old British man has been charged for trying to grab a police officer&#39;s gun at a Donald Trump rally in Las Vegas in a bid to kill the Republican presidential nominee. 
 
According to a complaint filed in federal court in Nevada, Michael Sandford tried to disarm the officer at Saturday&#39;s rally at the Mystere Theatre in the Treasure Island Casino before being overpowered. 
 
It said that the young man told a Secret Service agent after his arrest that he had driven from California to Las Vegas &quot;to kill Trump,&quot; and had been to a range a day earlier to learn to shoot as he had never fired a gun before. 
 
&quot;Sandford acknowledged that he would likely only be able to fire one to two rounds and stated he was convinced he would be killed by law enforcement during his attempt on Trump&#39;s life,&quot; the complaint said. 
 
It added that Sandford told investigators he had purchased tickets for a rally in Phoenix, where he &quot;would try again to kill Trump&quot; in the event his plan in Las Vegas failed. 
 
Video of his arrest carried by US media show a skinny man with short brown hair and a grey T-shirt being escorted out of the rally by police officers with his hands behind his back. 
 
The prosecutor&#39;s office said Sandford was ordered held without bond, as he was considered dangerous and represented a flight risk. 
 
Britain&#39;s Foreign Office is &quot;providing assistance&quot; in the case, a spokesman said. 
 
&#39;Would try this again&#39; 
 
The complaint said Sandford had told investigators that he had been in the United States for about 18 months, and had lived in Hoboken, New Jersey, before traveling to California. 
 
&nbsp;Sandford told investigators that he had targeted officer Ameel Jacob&#39;s gun because it was in an unlocked position and would be the easiest way to gain access to a weapon at the rally where those attending had to go through metal detectors. 
 
&quot;Sandford further stated that if he were on the street tomorrow, he would try this again,&quot; according to the complaint. 
 
It said Sandford told the Secret Service that he had been plotting to kill Trump for about a year and finally decided to act on Saturday, as &quot;he finally felt confident to do it.&quot; 
 
His arrest comes amid one of the nastiest US presidential campaigns in recent history, dominated by violent rhetoric, with Trump lashing out at Mexicans, Muslims and other groups. 
 
The real estate billionaire enjoys Secret Service protection but also has his own private security detail that has been accused of using unnecessary force to remove people from events. 
 
A number of protesters have been arrested at his rallies where riot police are deployed in force and there have been mounting demonstrations during his campaign appearances in recent months. 
 
Sandford is due to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on July 5. He faces more than 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if found guilty on the charge of &quot;act of violence on restricted grounds.&quot; 
(AFP)

The man had apparently driven from California to Las Vegas to kill Trump and had visited a shooting range a day earlier to learn to shoot

A 19-year-old British man has been charged for trying to grab a police officer's gun at a Donald Trump rally in Las Vegas in a bid to kill the Republican presidential nominee. According to a complaint filed in federal court in Nevada, Michael Sandford tried to disarm the officer at Saturday's rally at the Mystere Theatre in the Treasure Island Casino before being overpowered. It said that the young man told a Secret Service agent after his arrest that he had driven from California to Las Vegas "to kill Trump," and had been to a range a day earlier to learn to shoot as he had never fired a gun before. "Sandford acknowledged that he would likely only be able to fire one to two rounds and stated he was convinced he would be killed by law enforcement during his attempt on Trump's life," the complaint said. It added that Sandford told investigators he had purchased tickets for a rally in Phoenix, where he "would try again to kill Trump" in the event his plan in Las Vegas failed. Video of his arrest carried by US media show a skinny man with short brown hair and a grey T-shirt being escorted out of the rally by police officers with his hands behind his back. The prosecutor's office said Sandford was ordered held without bond, as he was considered dangerous and represented a flight risk. Britain's Foreign Office is "providing assistance" in the case, a spokesman said. 'Would try this again' The complaint said Sandford had told investigators that he had been in the United States for about 18 months, and had lived in Hoboken, New Jersey, before traveling to California. Sandford told investigators that he had targeted officer Ameel Jacob's gun because it was in an unlocked position and would be the easiest way to gain access to a weapon at the rally where those attending had to go through metal detectors. "Sandford further stated that if he were on the street tomorrow, he would try this again," according to the complaint. It said Sandford told the Secret Service that he had been plotting to kill Trump for about a year and finally decided to act on Saturday, as "he finally felt confident to do it." His arrest comes amid one of the nastiest US presidential campaigns in recent history, dominated by violent rhetoric, with Trump lashing out at Mexicans, Muslims and other groups. The real estate billionaire enjoys Secret Service protection but also has his own private security detail that has been accused of using unnecessary force to remove people from events. A number of protesters have been arrested at his rallies where riot police are deployed in force and there have been mounting demonstrations during his campaign appearances in recent months. Sandford is due to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on July 5. He faces more than 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if found guilty on the charge of "act of violence on restricted grounds." (AFP)

19-year-old Briton tries to grab cop's gun and kill Trump, charged

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who has led a bloody war on drug suspects, today named over 30 politicians, officials and judges whom he linked to narcotics and warned them to surrender. 
 
Police and shadowy vigilantes have been blamed for killing over 800 drug suspects since Duterte&#39;s election on May 9. 
 
&quot;Due process has nothing to do with my mouth. There are no proceedings here, no lawyers,&quot; Duterte said in a pre-dawn speech just before he began naming the suspects.&nbsp;He listed seven judges and over 25 current or former congressmen, mayors and other local officials whom he alleged were involved in illegal drugs. 
 
Duterte ordered their security escorts withdrawn and cancelled their firearms permits, adding that they would face sanctions. 
 
&quot;If you show the slightest violence in the resistance, I will tell the police, &#39;Shoot them&#39;,&quot; he told reporters and soldiers in the southern city of Davao. 
 
Duterte, who has gained widespread domestic popularity for his outspokenness, conceded &quot;I might be wrong&quot; about the guilt of those he named. 
 
He said the military and police had compiled the list which he insisted was not coloured by politics or personal links, adding that some of those named were even his friends. 
 
Duterte&#39;s spokesman Martin Andanar later said that criminal cases would be filed against those named. 
 
&quot;The president is encouraging all of the persons of interest, the alleged drug lords and drug coddlers to come out in the open, to surrender themselves and submit themselves to thorough investigation,&quot; he told reporters. 
 
Some of those named have since come out in radio and television and denied their guilt. 
 
Duterte won election by vowing to wage a war on illegal drugs and other crime that would claim tens of thousands of lives.&nbsp;He has ordered police not to hesitate to kill and even urged ordinary citizens and communist guerrillas to join in the bloodshed. 
 
The country&#39;s largest broadcaster ABS-CBN has listed 852 drug suspects killed since Duterte&#39;s election. 
 
In his speech, Duterte scoffed at human rights groups opposed to the killings, saying they were free to protest. 
 
&quot;I do not care,&quot; he said. 
 
However the head of the influential Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines made an emotional appeal to the public to denounce the wave of drug killings. 
 
&quot;I am a human being. That is all it takes for me to stand up and say &#39;enough&#39;,&quot; archbishop socrates Villegas said in a message read at all Catholic masses in his archdiocese, located 160 kilometres north of Manila. 
 
He said the largely Catholic Philippines was becoming a &quot;killing fields nation&quot; for tolerating the violence. 
 
Despite criticism from foreign and local human rights organisations and even UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, surveys have shown Duterte enjoys wide public support. 
 
(AFP)

Duterte ordered their security escorts withdrawn and cancelled their firearms permits, adding that they would face sanctions

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who has led a bloody war on drug suspects, today named over 30 politicians, officials and judges whom he linked to narcotics and warned them to surrender. Police and shadowy vigilantes have been blamed for killing over 800 drug suspects since Duterte's election on May 9. "Due process has nothing to do with my mouth. There are no proceedings here, no lawyers," Duterte said in a pre-dawn speech just before he began naming the suspects. He listed seven judges and over 25 current or former congressmen, mayors and other local officials whom he alleged were involved in illegal drugs. Duterte ordered their security escorts withdrawn and cancelled their firearms permits, adding that they would face sanctions. "If you show the slightest violence in the resistance, I will tell the police, 'Shoot them'," he told reporters and soldiers in the southern city of Davao. Duterte, who has gained widespread domestic popularity for his outspokenness, conceded "I might be wrong" about the guilt of those he named. He said the military and police had compiled the list which he insisted was not coloured by politics or personal links, adding that some of those named were even his friends. Duterte's spokesman Martin Andanar later said that criminal cases would be filed against those named. "The president is encouraging all of the persons of interest, the alleged drug lords and drug coddlers to come out in the open, to surrender themselves and submit themselves to thorough investigation," he told reporters. Some of those named have since come out in radio and television and denied their guilt. Duterte won election by vowing to wage a war on illegal drugs and other crime that would claim tens of thousands of lives. He has ordered police not to hesitate to kill and even urged ordinary citizens and communist guerrillas to join in the bloodshed. The country's largest broadcaster ABS-CBN has listed 852 drug suspects killed since Duterte's election. In his speech, Duterte scoffed at human rights groups opposed to the killings, saying they were free to protest. "I do not care," he said. However the head of the influential Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines made an emotional appeal to the public to denounce the wave of drug killings. "I am a human being. That is all it takes for me to stand up and say 'enough'," archbishop socrates Villegas said in a message read at all Catholic masses in his archdiocese, located 160 kilometres north of Manila. He said the largely Catholic Philippines was becoming a "killing fields nation" for tolerating the violence. Despite criticism from foreign and local human rights organisations and even UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, surveys have shown Duterte enjoys wide public support. (AFP)

Philippine president identifies 30 officials linked to narcotics

The African National Congress (ANC) lost its grip on local government in Tshwane, home of the South African capital Pretoria, as results yesterday gave the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) a second big win in the ANC&#39;s worst election since the end of apartheid. 
 
The results of Wednesday&#39;s voting have reshaped the political landscape in South Africa, where the ANC has ruled virtually unopposed since it ended white-minority rule in 1994, led by Nelson Mandela. 
 
Unemployment, economic stagnation and scandals around President Jacob Zuma led voters to punish the ANC, changing the outlook for national elections in 2019 and potentially emboldening Zuma&#39;s rivals within the ANC to challenge him. 
 
Saving some pride, the ANC won in Johannesburg, South Africa&#39;s economic and financial hub, taking 45 per cent of the vote to the DA&#39;s 38 per cent, but will have to form a coalition to govern. 
 
Wins in Tshwane and in Nelson Mandela Bay, which includes the manufacturing hub Port Elizabeth, are a watershed for the DA, which also held Cape Town, a municipality that it has controlled since 2006. 
 
Last year it elected its first black leader, Mmusi Maimane, as it tries to shake off an image of a party mainly serving white interests. 
 
&quot;It signals to everyone that the tide in our country is turning,&quot; Maimane told reporters on yesterday. 
 
The ANC still won the most votes overall&nbsp;and was working to form coalitions in the municipalities where it lost its majority. 
 
&quot;We are into negotiations as we speak,&quot; said Paul Mashatile, the ANC chairman in Gauteng province, which includes Tshwane and Johannesburg. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s quite clear that our people, our traditional supporters, are still with us but maybe not too many people came out to vote so we need to go back and find out why.&quot; 
 
The DA will also need to form coalitions to govern in both Tshwane and Nelson Mandela Bay. 
 
In his first public remarks since the vote&#39;s outcome, Zuma said South Africa was a &quot;democracy where differences of political opinion and diverse political preferences are allowed to flourish&quot;. 
 
Mismanagement 
 
The ANC has lost support among voters who feel their lives have not improved, and the opposition has accused Zuma of mismanaging the economy. Millions of urban voters are now looking beyond its liberation struggle credentials and focusing on an economy teetering on the edge of a recession. 
 
Zuma rattled investors in December by changing finance ministers twice in a week, sending the rand plummeting. The currency has since recovered and received a boost from the lack of violence during the local elections. 
 
The president survived an impeachment vote in April after the Constitutional Court said he had broken the law by ignoring an order to repay some of $16 million in state funds spent on renovating his private home. Zuma has since said he will repay some of the money, as ordered by the court. 
 
&quot;The ANC may just become a rural party,&quot; said William Gumede, head of the Democracy Works Foundation think-tank. 
 
The radical leftist Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party led by Julius Malema, Zuma&#39;s one-time protege but now arch-foe, came a distant third in the local elections, with about 10 percent of the vote. 
 
Malema has drawn support with promises to nationalise banks and land and redistribute among poor black people wealth still mostly in white hands - policies that both the DA and the ANC have not found palatable. 
 
With the ANC and DA both seeking to rule in Johannesburg and Tshwane, the EFF could be courted where coalitions are needed. 
 
Malema has not revealed who he would back, saying: &quot;If anyone comes to us, we&#39;ll talk.&quot; 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

President Jacob Zuma's mismanagement and scandals have led voters to punish the ANC, emboldening rivals Democratic Alliance

The African National Congress (ANC) lost its grip on local government in Tshwane, home of the South African capital Pretoria, as results yesterday gave the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) a second big win in the ANC's worst election since the end of apartheid. The results of Wednesday's voting have reshaped the political landscape in South Africa, where the ANC has ruled virtually unopposed since it ended white-minority rule in 1994, led by Nelson Mandela. Unemployment, economic stagnation and scandals around President Jacob Zuma led voters to punish the ANC, changing the outlook for national elections in 2019 and potentially emboldening Zuma's rivals within the ANC to challenge him. Saving some pride, the ANC won in Johannesburg, South Africa's economic and financial hub, taking 45 per cent of the vote to the DA's 38 per cent, but will have to form a coalition to govern. Wins in Tshwane and in Nelson Mandela Bay, which includes the manufacturing hub Port Elizabeth, are a watershed for the DA, which also held Cape Town, a municipality that it has controlled since 2006. Last year it elected its first black leader, Mmusi Maimane, as it tries to shake off an image of a party mainly serving white interests. "It signals to everyone that the tide in our country is turning," Maimane told reporters on yesterday. The ANC still won the most votes overall and was working to form coalitions in the municipalities where it lost its majority. "We are into negotiations as we speak," said Paul Mashatile, the ANC chairman in Gauteng province, which includes Tshwane and Johannesburg. "It's quite clear that our people, our traditional supporters, are still with us but maybe not too many people came out to vote so we need to go back and find out why." The DA will also need to form coalitions to govern in both Tshwane and Nelson Mandela Bay. In his first public remarks since the vote's outcome, Zuma said South Africa was a "democracy where differences of political opinion and diverse political preferences are allowed to flourish". Mismanagement The ANC has lost support among voters who feel their lives have not improved, and the opposition has accused Zuma of mismanaging the economy. Millions of urban voters are now looking beyond its liberation struggle credentials and focusing on an economy teetering on the edge of a recession. Zuma rattled investors in December by changing finance ministers twice in a week, sending the rand plummeting. The currency has since recovered and received a boost from the lack of violence during the local elections. The president survived an impeachment vote in April after the Constitutional Court said he had broken the law by ignoring an order to repay some of $16 million in state funds spent on renovating his private home. Zuma has since said he will repay some of the money, as ordered by the court. "The ANC may just become a rural party," said William Gumede, head of the Democracy Works Foundation think-tank. The radical leftist Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party led by Julius Malema, Zuma's one-time protege but now arch-foe, came a distant third in the local elections, with about 10 percent of the vote. Malema has drawn support with promises to nationalise banks and land and redistribute among poor black people wealth still mostly in white hands - policies that both the DA and the ANC have not found palatable. With the ANC and DA both seeking to rule in Johannesburg and Tshwane, the EFF could be courted where coalitions are needed. Malema has not revealed who he would back, saying: "If anyone comes to us, we'll talk." (Reuters)

South Africa's ANC suffers worst election since taking power

Venezuela&#39;s opposition gathered enough signatures to proceed with efforts to call a referendum on removing President Nicolas Maduro, electoral authorities said Monday, without setting a date for the next step. 
 
The head of the National Electoral Council (CNE), Tibisay Lucena, told a press conference Maduro&#39;s opponents had cleared the threshold of 200,000 valid signatures on a petition demanding the leftist leader face a recall referendum. 
 
The opposition blames Maduro for an economic implosion that has seen food shortages, hyperinflation, violence and looting erupt in the once-booming oil giant. 
 
The council did not set a date for the next stage of the lengthy recall process, in which the opposition must collect four million signatures in just three days. 
 
In a boost to the Maduro camp&#39;s claims of rampant fraud, Lucena said the authorities had detected more than 1,000 apparently falsified signatures. 
 
The opposition submitted 1.8 million signatures in May calling for Maduro to face a recall, 1.3 million of which were accepted by the council. 
 
Signatories then had to show up at electoral offices to validate their identity with fingerprint scans. 
 
The threshold was one per cent of the electorate, or roughly 200,000 signatures which the opposition cleared. 
 
&quot;The certification will be granted by the (CNE) secretariat,&quot; Lucena said. 
 
That enables the main opposition coalition, the Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD), to formally request a recall vote. 
 
However, Lucena said more than 1,000 fingerprint scans did not correspond with the signatory&#39;s identity, more than 400 were repeats and nearly 200 people tried to register more than once. 
 
&quot;The electoral authority will ask the state prosecutor&#39;s office to investigate the potential usurpation of identity committed by some citizens,&quot; she said. 
 
A recent poll found 64 per cent of Venezuelans would vote to remove Maduro. 
 
But to get there, the opposition first has to collect another four million signatures in three days, at a yet-to-be-decided time. 
 
To win the ensuing recall referendum, Maduro&#39;s opponents would need more votes than he won the presidency with in 2013 around 7.5 million. 
 
Time appears to be on the president&#39;s side. 
 
His allies have an arsenal of possible delaying strategies. They have filed more than 8,000 legal challenges against the recall petition and called on the electoral authorities to ban MUD for alleged fraud. 
 
The opposition is racing to force a referendum by January 10, the cutoff date to trigger new elections four years into the president&#39;s six-year term. 
 
After that date, a successful recall vote would simply transfer power to Maduro&#39;s hand-picked vice-president.US Secretary of State John Kerry urged Venezuela not to stall. 
 
&quot;The Venezuelan constitution guarantees Venezuelans the right to have their voices heard through the referendum process. And we call on Venezuela`s authorities to allow this process to go forward in a timely and a fair manner, and not to play a game of delay,&quot; he said in Washington. 
 
MUD, a motley coalition of opposition parties, accuses the electoral authority of being in bed with Maduro. 
 
They are hoping pressure from Venezuelans desperate over the collapsing economy will force the government&#39;s hand. 
But MUD has struggled to rally mass protests. 
 
Many Venezuelans are too busy standing in line for scarce food and basic goods. 
 
Maduro has declared a state of emergency and given his military sweeping powers over food production and distribution. 
 
Venezuela has sunk into crisis as global prices for its main export, oil, have collapsed. 
 
Its economy is facing its third year of deep recession this year. Its inflation rate is the highest in the world, forecast to top 700 per cent this year. 
 
The economic tailspin is threatening 17 years of socialist rule under Maduro and his late predecessor, Hugo Chavez. 
 
The opposition won legislative elections in December, only to find its power stymied by the Supreme Court, which it says is also in Maduro&#39;s pocket. 
 
(AFP)

According to National Electoral Council, Maduro's opponents had cleared 200,000 valid signatures to call referendum

Venezuela's opposition gathered enough signatures to proceed with efforts to call a referendum on removing President Nicolas Maduro, electoral authorities said Monday, without setting a date for the next step. The head of the National Electoral Council (CNE), Tibisay Lucena, told a press conference Maduro's opponents had cleared the threshold of 200,000 valid signatures on a petition demanding the leftist leader face a recall referendum. The opposition blames Maduro for an economic implosion that has seen food shortages, hyperinflation, violence and looting erupt in the once-booming oil giant. The council did not set a date for the next stage of the lengthy recall process, in which the opposition must collect four million signatures in just three days. In a boost to the Maduro camp's claims of rampant fraud, Lucena said the authorities had detected more than 1,000 apparently falsified signatures. The opposition submitted 1.8 million signatures in May calling for Maduro to face a recall, 1.3 million of which were accepted by the council. Signatories then had to show up at electoral offices to validate their identity with fingerprint scans. The threshold was one per cent of the electorate, or roughly 200,000 signatures which the opposition cleared. "The certification will be granted by the (CNE) secretariat," Lucena said. That enables the main opposition coalition, the Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD), to formally request a recall vote. However, Lucena said more than 1,000 fingerprint scans did not correspond with the signatory's identity, more than 400 were repeats and nearly 200 people tried to register more than once. "The electoral authority will ask the state prosecutor's office to investigate the potential usurpation of identity committed by some citizens," she said. A recent poll found 64 per cent of Venezuelans would vote to remove Maduro. But to get there, the opposition first has to collect another four million signatures in three days, at a yet-to-be-decided time. To win the ensuing recall referendum, Maduro's opponents would need more votes than he won the presidency with in 2013 around 7.5 million. Time appears to be on the president's side. His allies have an arsenal of possible delaying strategies. They have filed more than 8,000 legal challenges against the recall petition and called on the electoral authorities to ban MUD for alleged fraud. The opposition is racing to force a referendum by January 10, the cutoff date to trigger new elections four years into the president's six-year term. After that date, a successful recall vote would simply transfer power to Maduro's hand-picked vice-president.US Secretary of State John Kerry urged Venezuela not to stall. "The Venezuelan constitution guarantees Venezuelans the right to have their voices heard through the referendum process. And we call on Venezuela`s authorities to allow this process to go forward in a timely and a fair manner, and not to play a game of delay," he said in Washington. MUD, a motley coalition of opposition parties, accuses the electoral authority of being in bed with Maduro. They are hoping pressure from Venezuelans desperate over the collapsing economy will force the government's hand. But MUD has struggled to rally mass protests. Many Venezuelans are too busy standing in line for scarce food and basic goods. Maduro has declared a state of emergency and given his military sweeping powers over food production and distribution. Venezuela has sunk into crisis as global prices for its main export, oil, have collapsed. Its economy is facing its third year of deep recession this year. Its inflation rate is the highest in the world, forecast to top 700 per cent this year. The economic tailspin is threatening 17 years of socialist rule under Maduro and his late predecessor, Hugo Chavez. The opposition won legislative elections in December, only to find its power stymied by the Supreme Court, which it says is also in Maduro's pocket. (AFP)

Venezuela recall clears hurdle, but no date for next step

French President Francois Hollande yesterday rejected opposition calls to further harden anti-terrorism legislation after the country&#39;s second jihadist attack in two weeks. 
 
&quot;Restricting our freedoms will not make the fight against terrorism more effective,&quot; he said, adding that changes made to legislation already gave authorities sufficient &quot;capacity to act&quot;. 
 
He was speaking after two jihadists attacked a church in a Normandy town, killing an elderly Catholic priest by slitting his throat, and severely injuring another person. 
 
Hollande&#39;s predecessor and opposition chief Nicolas Sarkozy earlier called for the government to &quot;thoroughly change the strategy of our counterattack.&quot; 
 
&quot;Our enemy has no taboos, no limits, no morals, no borders,&quot; he said, asking the government to adopt proposals made by his right-wing Republicans party. 
 
The opposition wants anyone suspect of being radicalised to be placed in detention and to prevent convicted terrorists from being released from prison after having served time, if they are still considered dangerous. 
 
The Republicans also wants to make it a criminal offence to have spent time in the &quot;field of terrorist operations&quot;, namely Syria and Iraq. 
 
However those returning from jihad are already charges with criminal conspiracy with a terrorist enterprise. 
 
&quot;The government is using all human and material means to fight this threat, with a mobilisation of police, gendarmes and soldiers never before seen in the Fifth Republic,&quot; said Hollande. 
 
The president has urged unity in a country poisoned by bitter political blame-trading over security failings after a Tunisian national mowed down a crowd celebrating Bastille Day on July 14, killing 84. 
 
&quot;What the terrorists want is to divide us, separate us, to tear us apart. We must avoid one-upmanship, arguments, conflation, suspicions,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;This war will be long. Our democracy is the target, and it will be our shield. Let us stand together. We will win this war.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

The opposition wants anyone suspect of being radicalised to be placed in detention and to prevent convicted terrorists from being released

French President Francois Hollande yesterday rejected opposition calls to further harden anti-terrorism legislation after the country's second jihadist attack in two weeks. "Restricting our freedoms will not make the fight against terrorism more effective," he said, adding that changes made to legislation already gave authorities sufficient "capacity to act". He was speaking after two jihadists attacked a church in a Normandy town, killing an elderly Catholic priest by slitting his throat, and severely injuring another person. Hollande's predecessor and opposition chief Nicolas Sarkozy earlier called for the government to "thoroughly change the strategy of our counterattack." "Our enemy has no taboos, no limits, no morals, no borders," he said, asking the government to adopt proposals made by his right-wing Republicans party. The opposition wants anyone suspect of being radicalised to be placed in detention and to prevent convicted terrorists from being released from prison after having served time, if they are still considered dangerous. The Republicans also wants to make it a criminal offence to have spent time in the "field of terrorist operations", namely Syria and Iraq. However those returning from jihad are already charges with criminal conspiracy with a terrorist enterprise. "The government is using all human and material means to fight this threat, with a mobilisation of police, gendarmes and soldiers never before seen in the Fifth Republic," said Hollande. The president has urged unity in a country poisoned by bitter political blame-trading over security failings after a Tunisian national mowed down a crowd celebrating Bastille Day on July 14, killing 84. "What the terrorists want is to divide us, separate us, to tear us apart. We must avoid one-upmanship, arguments, conflation, suspicions," he said. "This war will be long. Our democracy is the target, and it will be our shield. Let us stand together. We will win this war." (AFP)

Hollande rejects opposition calls to harden terror laws

Citibank plans to close the account Venezuela uses to make international payments, President Nicolas Maduro said on Monday, accusing the US-based bank of a &quot;financial blockade&quot;. 
 
&quot;Citibank, with no warning or communication, says that it is going to close the Central Bank and Bank Of Venezuela account. That is what you call a financial blockade,&quot; the embattled president said in televised remarks. 
 
He said the move amounted to an &quot;inquisition&quot; by US President Barack Obama&#39;s administration.&nbsp;Maduro said his South American nation, a major oil producer, uses the account to make payments &quot;within 24 hours, to other accounts in the United States and worldwide&quot;. 
 
Maduro&#39;s socialist government has often claimed that US &quot;right wing&quot; interests and local business elites were trying to blockade his state-led economy and prevent Venezuela&#39;s access to international credit. 
 
&quot;Do you think they are going to stop us by putting in place a financial blockade? No, ladies and gentlemen, nobody stops Venezuela. With Citibank or without it, we are moving forward. With Kimberly or without, we are moving.&quot; 
 
Venezuela&#39;s government said just hours earlier that it would take over operations at facilities where US consumer goods giant Kimberly-Clark just shut down, citing unworkable economic conditions.&nbsp;The American company announced on Saturday it would cease production, saying that it was impossible to get enough hard currency to buy raw materials, and that inflation was surging. 
 
&quot;We are going to sign, at the workers&#39; request... to authorise immediate occupation of the workplace known as Kimberly-Clark de Venezuela... by its workers,&quot; Labor Minister Oswaldo Vera said at the facility&#39;s plant in the central city of Maracay. 
 
The country&#39;s economy has been hard hit by the plunging value of its main export, oil. Analysts also criticise its state-led economy of gross mismanagement leading to shortages of toilet paper, diapers and food. 
 
Vera signed the document to loud cheers and&nbsp;he said machines would be back in operation within hours.&nbsp;In a sign of Maduro&#39;s concern at mounting social unrest, the president on Thursday replaced the head of the National Guard.&nbsp; 
 
The Venezuelan opposition launched efforts to remove the president after winning control of the legislature in January.&nbsp;But Maduro has challenged his rivals through the Supreme Court, which they accuse him of controlling. 
 
(AFP)

He accuses the US-based bank of a 'financial blockade', says the move amounts to an 'inquisition' by the Obama administration

Citibank plans to close the account Venezuela uses to make international payments, President Nicolas Maduro said on Monday, accusing the US-based bank of a "financial blockade". "Citibank, with no warning or communication, says that it is going to close the Central Bank and Bank Of Venezuela account. That is what you call a financial blockade," the embattled president said in televised remarks. He said the move amounted to an "inquisition" by US President Barack Obama's administration. Maduro said his South American nation, a major oil producer, uses the account to make payments "within 24 hours, to other accounts in the United States and worldwide". Maduro's socialist government has often claimed that US "right wing" interests and local business elites were trying to blockade his state-led economy and prevent Venezuela's access to international credit. "Do you think they are going to stop us by putting in place a financial blockade? No, ladies and gentlemen, nobody stops Venezuela. With Citibank or without it, we are moving forward. With Kimberly or without, we are moving." Venezuela's government said just hours earlier that it would take over operations at facilities where US consumer goods giant Kimberly-Clark just shut down, citing unworkable economic conditions. The American company announced on Saturday it would cease production, saying that it was impossible to get enough hard currency to buy raw materials, and that inflation was surging. "We are going to sign, at the workers' request... to authorise immediate occupation of the workplace known as Kimberly-Clark de Venezuela... by its workers," Labor Minister Oswaldo Vera said at the facility's plant in the central city of Maracay. The country's economy has been hard hit by the plunging value of its main export, oil. Analysts also criticise its state-led economy of gross mismanagement leading to shortages of toilet paper, diapers and food. Vera signed the document to loud cheers and he said machines would be back in operation within hours. In a sign of Maduro's concern at mounting social unrest, the president on Thursday replaced the head of the National Guard. The Venezuelan opposition launched efforts to remove the president after winning control of the legislature in January. But Maduro has challenged his rivals through the Supreme Court, which they accuse him of controlling. (AFP)

Venezuela President: Citibank planning to close account used to make international payments

Bernie Sanders upstart US presidential campaign may be headed to defeat, but his goals of reining in Wall Street, ending big money in politics and eradicating income inequality were the big winners in the Democratic race. 
 
Sanders, who started as a little-known long-shot, pushed the party and established front-runner Hillary Clinton sharply to the left during a long primary battle. 
 
Along the way, the 74-year-old US senator from Vermont energized young and progressive voters and prepared the ground for what his allies predict will be a lasting influence on the party. 
 
Clinton, one of the best-known political figures in the United States, clinched the Democratic Party&#39;s nomination in a last round of state nominating contests on Tuesday. But even before her victory, Sanders began taking steps to turn his newfound political influence into an enduring progressive movement. 
 
In the last few weeks, he has lent his influence and fundraising power to progressive congressional and state legislative candidates who share his agenda, urging his supporters around the country to donate to their campaigns. 
 
Sanders also appointed prominent activists to the panel writing the issues platform for the party&#39;s convention in July, ensuring a strong voice in the process. 
 
His convention delegates will push for changes to party primary rules, including letting independents vote in primaries and reducing the influence of superdelegates, the hundreds of party elites who can support any candidate regardless of voting in their constituencies, and who in this primary season have largely backed Clinton. 
 
&quot;I do think we are going to see real changes in the Democratic Party going forward because of Bernie. The future of the party is with the people supporting Sanders,&quot; said Charles Chamberlain, executive director of Democracy for America, a liberal Vermont-based group that rose from Howard Dean&#39;s failed 2004 presidential bid and endorsed Sanders this time. 
 
&quot;He has proven the power of this message,&quot; Chamberlain said. 
 
During the campaign, Sanders forced Clinton to tack left repeatedly on issues ranging from her support for a higher minimum wage to her opposition to the Asian trade pact and Keystone XL oil pipeline. 
 
Sanders&#39; progressive allies said those shifts by Clinton will be helpful in the November 8 election against presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump, who has touted an anti-trade and pro-jobs economic agenda, and for Democrats in their efforts to recapture a majority in the US Senate. 
 
&quot;When the story of the 2016 election is told, a major part of it will be that Bernie Sanders helped the Democratic Party turn up the volume on economic populism issues,&quot; said Adam Green, co-founder of the liberal Progressive Change Campaign Committee. 
 
&#39;FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHTS&#39; 
 
If Democrats win back the Senate in the November election, Sanders will be in line for either the chairmanship of the Budget Committee or the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions committee, both powerful platforms to advance his ideas. 
 
Chamberlain said Sanders would create a formidable one-two punch in the Senate with Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts senator who has been the leader of the party&#39;s progressive wing. 
 
&quot;Bernie Sanders is going to fight all the good fights,&quot; he said. &quot;With Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren we&#39;re going to see a Senate team that will be very powerful.&quot; 
 
Sanders&#39; investment in the next generation of progressive politicians, meanwhile, is aimed at spawning a new generation of liberals who back his agenda. 
 
He has sent emails to his grassroots fundraising list urging his donors to back six insurgent congressional candidates and eight statehouse candidates who echo his economic message, sparking a flood of donations to their campaigns. More endorsements are expected. 
 
&quot;Our movement is so powerful that we can change congressional elections overnight. Let&#39;s keep going,&quot; Sanders said on Tuesday in an email to supporters asking them to support two more candidates for Congress - Eric Kingson in New York and Paul Clements in Michigan. 
 
Justin Bamberg, a first-term state representative from South Carolina, said he received about $70,000 in small-dollar donations after Sanders sent an email to his supporters backing Bamberg. In Bamberg&#39;s first campaign, he raised $21,000 during the entire cycle, he said. 
 
&quot;They don&#39;t know me from Adam, but they believe in Senator Sanders, and because of that they believe in the people that Senator Sanders has supported,&quot; Bamberg said, adding he was also getting calls offering to volunteer on his behalf. 
 
Terry Alexander, a South Carolina state representative backed by Sanders, said he also had received about $70,000 in donations after the Sanders email. The money freed him from worrying about raising funds, giving him more time to focus on meeting voters, he said. 
 
&quot;It has made a difference in how people see my candidacy, it&#39;s created a lot of enthusiasm and a tremendous boost in fundraising,&quot; he said.

Bernie Sanders' goals of reining in Wall Street, ending big money in politics and eradicating income inequality should have a lasting impact on generations of young American voters

Bernie Sanders upstart US presidential campaign may be headed to defeat, but his goals of reining in Wall Street, ending big money in politics and eradicating income inequality were the big winners in the Democratic race. Sanders, who started as a little-known long-shot, pushed the party and established front-runner Hillary Clinton sharply to the left during a long primary battle. Along the way, the 74-year-old US senator from Vermont energized young and progressive voters and prepared the ground for what his allies predict will be a lasting influence on the party. Clinton, one of the best-known political figures in the United States, clinched the Democratic Party's nomination in a last round of state nominating contests on Tuesday. But even before her victory, Sanders began taking steps to turn his newfound political influence into an enduring progressive movement. In the last few weeks, he has lent his influence and fundraising power to progressive congressional and state legislative candidates who share his agenda, urging his supporters around the country to donate to their campaigns. Sanders also appointed prominent activists to the panel writing the issues platform for the party's convention in July, ensuring a strong voice in the process. His convention delegates will push for changes to party primary rules, including letting independents vote in primaries and reducing the influence of superdelegates, the hundreds of party elites who can support any candidate regardless of voting in their constituencies, and who in this primary season have largely backed Clinton. "I do think we are going to see real changes in the Democratic Party going forward because of Bernie. The future of the party is with the people supporting Sanders," said Charles Chamberlain, executive director of Democracy for America, a liberal Vermont-based group that rose from Howard Dean's failed 2004 presidential bid and endorsed Sanders this time. "He has proven the power of this message," Chamberlain said. During the campaign, Sanders forced Clinton to tack left repeatedly on issues ranging from her support for a higher minimum wage to her opposition to the Asian trade pact and Keystone XL oil pipeline. Sanders' progressive allies said those shifts by Clinton will be helpful in the November 8 election against presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump, who has touted an anti-trade and pro-jobs economic agenda, and for Democrats in their efforts to recapture a majority in the US Senate. "When the story of the 2016 election is told, a major part of it will be that Bernie Sanders helped the Democratic Party turn up the volume on economic populism issues," said Adam Green, co-founder of the liberal Progressive Change Campaign Committee. 'FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHTS' If Democrats win back the Senate in the November election, Sanders will be in line for either the chairmanship of the Budget Committee or the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions committee, both powerful platforms to advance his ideas. Chamberlain said Sanders would create a formidable one-two punch in the Senate with Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts senator who has been the leader of the party's progressive wing. "Bernie Sanders is going to fight all the good fights," he said. "With Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren we're going to see a Senate team that will be very powerful." Sanders' investment in the next generation of progressive politicians, meanwhile, is aimed at spawning a new generation of liberals who back his agenda. He has sent emails to his grassroots fundraising list urging his donors to back six insurgent congressional candidates and eight statehouse candidates who echo his economic message, sparking a flood of donations to their campaigns. More endorsements are expected. "Our movement is so powerful that we can change congressional elections overnight. Let's keep going," Sanders said on Tuesday in an email to supporters asking them to support two more candidates for Congress - Eric Kingson in New York and Paul Clements in Michigan. Justin Bamberg, a first-term state representative from South Carolina, said he received about $70,000 in small-dollar donations after Sanders sent an email to his supporters backing Bamberg. In Bamberg's first campaign, he raised $21,000 during the entire cycle, he said. "They don't know me from Adam, but they believe in Senator Sanders, and because of that they believe in the people that Senator Sanders has supported," Bamberg said, adding he was also getting calls offering to volunteer on his behalf. Terry Alexander, a South Carolina state representative backed by Sanders, said he also had received about $70,000 in donations after the Sanders email. The money freed him from worrying about raising funds, giving him more time to focus on meeting voters, he said. "It has made a difference in how people see my candidacy, it's created a lot of enthusiasm and a tremendous boost in fundraising," he said.

Sanders plants seeds for a lasting progressive movement

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy announced plans to quit his role as head of France&#39;s Les Republicains party on Saturday, setting up a potential bid to become head of state for a second time. 
 
Supporters of Les Republicains and other Right and Centre-Right parties will vote in November to decide who will be their candidate in the 2017 presidential election. 
 
The winner will face the far-right National Front&#39;s Marine Le Pen and a Socialist candidate, likely to be President Francois Hollande. 
 
Sarkozy would not be able to run in those presidential primaries if he remained head of the party. He would need to resign two weeks before the application deadline on September 9. 
 
&quot;This national council will be my last one as president of Les Republicains,&quot; he told a party meeting, calling for a fair contest and no acrimony between the potential nominees. 
 
&quot;This primary will be a time of competition between some strong personalities, between people of significant talent,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;When the right goes into battle it has a front on the left and a front on the extreme right. That is why it is unacceptable that we should attack each other.&quot; 
 
For much of this year, Centre-Right rival Alain Juppe has outpaced Sarkozy in opinion polls, but the man who was president between 2007 and 2012 is making a comeback among party supporters, a recent survey showed, a sign the battle could be more open than many thought. 
 
(Reuters)

The former president is making a comeback among party supporters, a recent survey showed

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy announced plans to quit his role as head of France's Les Republicains party on Saturday, setting up a potential bid to become head of state for a second time. Supporters of Les Republicains and other Right and Centre-Right parties will vote in November to decide who will be their candidate in the 2017 presidential election. The winner will face the far-right National Front's Marine Le Pen and a Socialist candidate, likely to be President Francois Hollande. Sarkozy would not be able to run in those presidential primaries if he remained head of the party. He would need to resign two weeks before the application deadline on September 9. "This national council will be my last one as president of Les Republicains," he told a party meeting, calling for a fair contest and no acrimony between the potential nominees. "This primary will be a time of competition between some strong personalities, between people of significant talent," he said. "When the right goes into battle it has a front on the left and a front on the extreme right. That is why it is unacceptable that we should attack each other." For much of this year, Centre-Right rival Alain Juppe has outpaced Sarkozy in opinion polls, but the man who was president between 2007 and 2012 is making a comeback among party supporters, a recent survey showed, a sign the battle could be more open than many thought. (Reuters)

Sarkozy sets up French presidential bid by quitting party role

Top US diplomat John Kerry will fly to Brussels and London on Monday for talks with Washington&#39;s key allies in the aftermath of Britain&#39;s vote to leave the European Union. 
 
US officials travelling to Rome with the secretary of state told reporters on the flight that two stops had been added to his European itinerary at the last moment. 
 
&quot;Tomorrow we&#39;ll go to Brussels and then on to London,&quot; one official said. 
 
Washington was dismayed last week when British voters chose to leave the European Union, a decision that triggered global economic uncertainty and fears other EU members will follow suit. 
 
President Barack Obama had made clear his concern about the Brexit referendum, and now US officials are scrambling to try to stop the political crisis harming Western unity. 
 
Kerry arrived in Rome today on a planned visit to have lunch with Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni and a working dinner with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 
 
But officials on his flight said that on Monday he would fly on to the EU headquarters in Brussels for crisis talks with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini. 
 
Mogherini had been expected to meet Kerry in Rome today, but she was busy dealing with the fallout of the dramatic vote, which stunned European and world leaders. 
 
From Brussels Kerry will continue to London to see Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond and other officials from outgoing British Prime Minister David Cameron`s government. 
 
The two senior diplomats are expected to hold a joint news conference before Kerry leaves to return to Washington. 
 
Obama and Kerry have been at pains to insist the vaunted &quot;special relationship&quot; between Washington and London will survive what US officials view as the Brexit debacle.But Washington foreign policy experts are all but unanimous in assessing that the White House will increasingly turn to core EU allies to defend its interests on the continent. 
 
Obama himself, on a visit to London last month, warned British voters that their nation would go &quot;to the back of the queue&quot; for a US trade deal if they voted &quot;out.&quot; 
 
US officials are also keen to help London`s divorce from Brussels go through smoothly without further inflicting further damage on skittish world financial markets. 
 
But they, like many EU capitals, are also concerned not to allow Brexit to serve as an inspiration for eurosceptic forces in other members such as Italy or The Netherlands. 
 
The London visit will be the first by a senior US official since Thursday`s dramatic referendum, when voters demanded Britain leave the world`s richest trading bloc.&nbsp; 
 
Kerry&#39;s trip had originally been planned as an opportunity to meet Netanyahu and discuss regional security and the stalled Israel-Palestinian peace process. 
 
But US officials played down the chance of any concrete progress, insisting that the pair meet regularly and that no new initiative would be on the table.&nbsp; 
 
(AFP)

London visit will be the first by John Kerry after the referendum when voters demanded Britain leave the world's richest trading bloc

Top US diplomat John Kerry will fly to Brussels and London on Monday for talks with Washington's key allies in the aftermath of Britain's vote to leave the European Union. US officials travelling to Rome with the secretary of state told reporters on the flight that two stops had been added to his European itinerary at the last moment. "Tomorrow we'll go to Brussels and then on to London," one official said. Washington was dismayed last week when British voters chose to leave the European Union, a decision that triggered global economic uncertainty and fears other EU members will follow suit. President Barack Obama had made clear his concern about the Brexit referendum, and now US officials are scrambling to try to stop the political crisis harming Western unity. Kerry arrived in Rome today on a planned visit to have lunch with Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni and a working dinner with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. But officials on his flight said that on Monday he would fly on to the EU headquarters in Brussels for crisis talks with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini. Mogherini had been expected to meet Kerry in Rome today, but she was busy dealing with the fallout of the dramatic vote, which stunned European and world leaders. From Brussels Kerry will continue to London to see Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond and other officials from outgoing British Prime Minister David Cameron`s government. The two senior diplomats are expected to hold a joint news conference before Kerry leaves to return to Washington. Obama and Kerry have been at pains to insist the vaunted "special relationship" between Washington and London will survive what US officials view as the Brexit debacle.But Washington foreign policy experts are all but unanimous in assessing that the White House will increasingly turn to core EU allies to defend its interests on the continent. Obama himself, on a visit to London last month, warned British voters that their nation would go "to the back of the queue" for a US trade deal if they voted "out." US officials are also keen to help London`s divorce from Brussels go through smoothly without further inflicting further damage on skittish world financial markets. But they, like many EU capitals, are also concerned not to allow Brexit to serve as an inspiration for eurosceptic forces in other members such as Italy or The Netherlands. The London visit will be the first by a senior US official since Thursday`s dramatic referendum, when voters demanded Britain leave the world`s richest trading bloc. Kerry's trip had originally been planned as an opportunity to meet Netanyahu and discuss regional security and the stalled Israel-Palestinian peace process. But US officials played down the chance of any concrete progress, insisting that the pair meet regularly and that no new initiative would be on the table. (AFP)

Top US envoy Kerry heads to Britain amid Brexit crisis

Seven members of Britain&#39;s opposition Labour Party said on Sunday they had withdrawn support for the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn, plunging the party into crisis in the wake of Britain&#39;s vote to leave the European Union. 
 
Corbyn sacked Hilary Benn as Labour&#39;s foreign policy chief today after he said he had lost confidence in the leadership. Gloria de Piero, Heidi Alexander, Lucy Powell and Ian Murray all announced they were withdrawing support and stepping down from Corbyn&#39;s &#39;shadow cabinet&#39;. 
 
Sky News television reported that Lilian Greenwood and Kerry Mccarthy had also resigned. 
 
Several said in statements that they doubted Corbyn&#39;s ability to lead the party to victory in the country&#39;s next parliamentary election. 
 
A vote must take place within months after Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron announced on Friday he would step down by October after Britain voted to leave the European Union. 
 
(Reuters)

Gloria de Piero, Heidi Alexander, Lucy Powell and Ian Murray announced they were withdrawing support and resigning from shadow cabinet

Seven members of Britain's opposition Labour Party said on Sunday they had withdrawn support for the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn, plunging the party into crisis in the wake of Britain's vote to leave the European Union. Corbyn sacked Hilary Benn as Labour's foreign policy chief today after he said he had lost confidence in the leadership. Gloria de Piero, Heidi Alexander, Lucy Powell and Ian Murray all announced they were withdrawing support and stepping down from Corbyn's 'shadow cabinet'. Sky News television reported that Lilian Greenwood and Kerry Mccarthy had also resigned. Several said in statements that they doubted Corbyn's ability to lead the party to victory in the country's next parliamentary election. A vote must take place within months after Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron announced on Friday he would step down by October after Britain voted to leave the European Union. (Reuters)

Seven of Labour withdraw support from Corbyn

The head of Malaysia&#39;s anti-graft body will step down on August 1, the agency said on Thursday, more than two years before the scheduled end of a term that included an investigation of Prime Minister Najib Razak. 
 
The revelations of the investigation, first reported by the Wall Street Journal last year, have shaken investors in Southeast Asia&#39;s third-biggest economy and dented confidence in Najib&#39;s ruling coalition. 
 
Abu Kassim Mohamed, the chief commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), asked for his contract to be terminated earlier than expected, the agency said in a statement. 
 
&quot;There was no pressure from any parties towards the decision made by Abu Kassim to shorten his contract,&quot; it said, dismissing speculation in domestic media that pressure from the Prime Minister&#39;s office might have prompted the resignation. 
 
The Prime Minister&#39;s office did not immediately respond to a request from Reuters seeking comment. 
 
Under Abu Kassim, who took on his role in the beginning of 2010, the anti-graft body began investigations into allegations of graft and financial mismanagement at state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and the transfer of 2.6 billion Ringgit ($647.09 million) to Najib&#39;s bank accounts. 
 
Malaysia&#39;s attorney-general cleared Najib of any criminal offences or corruption in January. Najib has denied any wrongdoing and said he did not take any money for personal gain. 
 
Abu Kassim&#39;s contract was to have run until December 4, 2018, the anti-graft body said, adding that the request to cut short his tenure followed an offer to be a visiting expert at the International Anti-Corruption Academy in Austria. 
 
&quot;The request was made after I got the opportunity to improve Malaysia and MACC&#39;s name and international standing,&quot; Abu Kassim told reporters, adding that he will stay in the civil service until mandatory retirement in 2020. 
 
A second vacancy is coming up as his deputy, Shukri Abdull, will retire on October 3, Abu Kassim added, in a video of the news conference released by the agency. 
 
Najib was widely criticised last year after the government replaced Attorney General Abdul Gani Patail, who had led investigations into 1MDB, with Mohamed Apandi Ali. It cited Patail&#39;s failing health for the change ahead of his retirement. 
 
($1 = 4.0180 ringgit) 
 
(Reuters)

Abu Kassim Mohamed, the chief commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, will vacate the post on August 1

The head of Malaysia's anti-graft body will step down on August 1, the agency said on Thursday, more than two years before the scheduled end of a term that included an investigation of Prime Minister Najib Razak. The revelations of the investigation, first reported by the Wall Street Journal last year, have shaken investors in Southeast Asia's third-biggest economy and dented confidence in Najib's ruling coalition. Abu Kassim Mohamed, the chief commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), asked for his contract to be terminated earlier than expected, the agency said in a statement. "There was no pressure from any parties towards the decision made by Abu Kassim to shorten his contract," it said, dismissing speculation in domestic media that pressure from the Prime Minister's office might have prompted the resignation. The Prime Minister's office did not immediately respond to a request from Reuters seeking comment. Under Abu Kassim, who took on his role in the beginning of 2010, the anti-graft body began investigations into allegations of graft and financial mismanagement at state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and the transfer of 2.6 billion Ringgit ($647.09 million) to Najib's bank accounts. Malaysia's attorney-general cleared Najib of any criminal offences or corruption in January. Najib has denied any wrongdoing and said he did not take any money for personal gain. Abu Kassim's contract was to have run until December 4, 2018, the anti-graft body said, adding that the request to cut short his tenure followed an offer to be a visiting expert at the International Anti-Corruption Academy in Austria. "The request was made after I got the opportunity to improve Malaysia and MACC's name and international standing," Abu Kassim told reporters, adding that he will stay in the civil service until mandatory retirement in 2020. A second vacancy is coming up as his deputy, Shukri Abdull, will retire on October 3, Abu Kassim added, in a video of the news conference released by the agency. Najib was widely criticised last year after the government replaced Attorney General Abdul Gani Patail, who had led investigations into 1MDB, with Mohamed Apandi Ali. It cited Patail's failing health for the change ahead of his retirement. ($1 = 4.0180 ringgit) (Reuters)

Malaysia's anti-graft panel chief to step down

The President of Mexico&#39;s ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, announced his resignation on Monday, two weeks after the party of President Enrique Pena Nieto suffered a humiliating defeat in regional elections. 
 
Manlio Fabio Beltrones, a former governor and veteran federal lawmaker, announced his decision to step down after the PRI won only five of the dozen governors races up for grabs in the June 5 vote. It previously held nine of them. 
 
The results were far worse for the centrist party than most polls had forecast. 
 
The PRI&#39;s losses included two oil-rich strongholds in the Gulf of Mexico, Veracruz and neighboring Tamaulipas, both of which have been plagued by gang violence for years, as well as Quintana Roo, home to Mexico&#39;s top tourist destination Cancun. All three states have been run by the PRI for over eight decades. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s time for a necessary pause,&quot; Beltrones told a news conference at the PRI&#39;s Mexico City headquarters. 
 
&quot;This is a responsible decision that opens space for an internal debate and allows our party to freely decide the best path forward,&quot; he said. 
 
Beltrones, 63, is still seen as a possible presidential contender for the PRI in 2018. Pena Nieto is not allowed by law to seek a second six-year term. 
 
In a poll published Monday by daily newspaper El Financiero, Beltrones was tied for second with 10 per cent among PRI voters, trailing Interior Minister Miguel Angel Osorio Chong, who had 32 per cent support. 
(Reuters)

Manlio Fabio Beltrones announced his decision after the PRI won only five of the dozen governors races up for grabs in the June 5 vote

The President of Mexico's ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, announced his resignation on Monday, two weeks after the party of President Enrique Pena Nieto suffered a humiliating defeat in regional elections. Manlio Fabio Beltrones, a former governor and veteran federal lawmaker, announced his decision to step down after the PRI won only five of the dozen governors races up for grabs in the June 5 vote. It previously held nine of them. The results were far worse for the centrist party than most polls had forecast. The PRI's losses included two oil-rich strongholds in the Gulf of Mexico, Veracruz and neighboring Tamaulipas, both of which have been plagued by gang violence for years, as well as Quintana Roo, home to Mexico's top tourist destination Cancun. All three states have been run by the PRI for over eight decades. "It's time for a necessary pause," Beltrones told a news conference at the PRI's Mexico City headquarters. "This is a responsible decision that opens space for an internal debate and allows our party to freely decide the best path forward," he said. Beltrones, 63, is still seen as a possible presidential contender for the PRI in 2018. Pena Nieto is not allowed by law to seek a second six-year term. In a poll published Monday by daily newspaper El Financiero, Beltrones was tied for second with 10 per cent among PRI voters, trailing Interior Minister Miguel Angel Osorio Chong, who had 32 per cent support. (Reuters)

Head of Mexico's ruling party resigns after electoral drubbing

Brazil&#39;s interim President Michel Temer dismissed graft allegations against him as dishonest and reckless, pledging in a national address on Thursday that his government would not be distracted from fiscal reforms aimed at reviving the economy. 
 
Temer said it was &quot;irresponsible, ridiculous, mendacious and criminal&quot; to suggest, as former Petrobras executive Sergio Machado did in plea bargain testimony, that he had sought campaign funds for his party from a graft scheme at the state-run oil company. 
 
The testimony, made public by the Supreme Court on Wednesday, was the first direct link between Temer and the sweeping corruption probe that has thrown Brazil&#39;s politics into chaos and deepened its worst recession in decades. 
 
&quot;I say it again, when an idea as flippant as this comes out, it embarrasses or can embarrass the government&#39;s activity. But I want to say here, to register, loud and clear, nothing will embarrass our intentions, our mission, our task during the period in which I am in front of the presidency of the republic, with an extraordinary economic team, with a foreign affairs team which is equally as extraordinary, and a very adequate ministry. Nothing will impede us from continuing to work for the good of Brazil and the Brazilian people,&quot; said Temer in Brasilia on Thursday. 
 
The highly charged plea bargain implicating Temer and two dozen other elected officials, many of them senior members of his ruling coalition, stole the thunder from a landmark fiscal reform revealed the same day. 
 
Machado&#39;s plea deal included allegations that Temer had sought campaign funds for his party&#39;s 2012 Sao Paulo mayoral candidate from the graft scheme at Petrobras, the biggest ever uncovered in Brazil. 
 
The accusations provide more fodder for suspended President Dilma Rousseff and her allies, who accuse Temer and his party of&nbsp;&nbsp;mounting the impeachment process against her in order to distract from their own roles in the corruption scandal. Rousseff faces a trial in the Senate on unrelated charges of breaking budget rules. 
 
(Reuters)

The testimony by Petrobras executive Sergio Machado has thrown Brazil's politics into chaos and deepened its worst recession in decades

Brazil's interim President Michel Temer dismissed graft allegations against him as dishonest and reckless, pledging in a national address on Thursday that his government would not be distracted from fiscal reforms aimed at reviving the economy. Temer said it was "irresponsible, ridiculous, mendacious and criminal" to suggest, as former Petrobras executive Sergio Machado did in plea bargain testimony, that he had sought campaign funds for his party from a graft scheme at the state-run oil company. The testimony, made public by the Supreme Court on Wednesday, was the first direct link between Temer and the sweeping corruption probe that has thrown Brazil's politics into chaos and deepened its worst recession in decades. "I say it again, when an idea as flippant as this comes out, it embarrasses or can embarrass the government's activity. But I want to say here, to register, loud and clear, nothing will embarrass our intentions, our mission, our task during the period in which I am in front of the presidency of the republic, with an extraordinary economic team, with a foreign affairs team which is equally as extraordinary, and a very adequate ministry. Nothing will impede us from continuing to work for the good of Brazil and the Brazilian people," said Temer in Brasilia on Thursday. The highly charged plea bargain implicating Temer and two dozen other elected officials, many of them senior members of his ruling coalition, stole the thunder from a landmark fiscal reform revealed the same day. Machado's plea deal included allegations that Temer had sought campaign funds for his party's 2012 Sao Paulo mayoral candidate from the graft scheme at Petrobras, the biggest ever uncovered in Brazil. The accusations provide more fodder for suspended President Dilma Rousseff and her allies, who accuse Temer and his party of mounting the impeachment process against her in order to distract from their own roles in the corruption scandal. Rousseff faces a trial in the Senate on unrelated charges of breaking budget rules. (Reuters)

Brazil's Temer denies alleged link to Petrobras scandal

Thailand on Wednesday jailed a country singer and political activist for 7-1/2 years, on grounds of insulting the monarchy in a public speech made three years ago. 
 
The conviction swells a list of prosecutions pushed by Thailand`s military - the self-designated protectors of the monarchy - after it seized power in a coup two years ago. 
 
The junta has a zero-tolerance approach to criticism of the monarchy, making use of a draconian lese-majeste law that prescribes a prison term of up to 15 years for each offence. 
 
Thanat Thanawatcharanon, known by his stage name of Tom Dundee, gave waiting media the thumbs-up as he arrived at court on Wednesday, wearing an orange prison uniform. 
 
&quot;The sentence is much longer than we expected,&quot; said his lawyer, Saovalux Po-Ngam. &quot;We can lodge an appeal within a month but have to discuss first whether we will. In my personal view, the law should be scrapped, because the sentences are too long.&quot; 
 
Sentences for royal insults have become increasingly harsh under the junta, and one offender was jailed for a record 30 years in 2015. 
Thanat, who has been in prison since his arrest in 2014, had previously denied the charges but confessed in a sudden about-face in court on Monday. 
 
Confessing to a lese-majeste crime is routine practice in Thailand, where the accused often plead guilty in hopes of a more lenient sentence. 
 
Prosecutors said Thanat made defamatory comments against the monarchy during a 2013 speech to `red shirt` activists at a political rally in the capital, Bangkok. 
 
He was arrested and charged in July 2014, following pressure by an ultra royalist group on Thailand`s Department of Special Investigation to prosecute Thanat. 
 
For much of the past decade, Thailand has been divided along political lines between the mostly rural-based red shirt movement and the royalist-military establishment in the capital and south. 
 
Ailing King Bhumibol Adulyadej, 88, is revered by Thais who see him as a keystone of Thailand`s identity.

Thailand on Wednesday jailed a country singer and political activist for 7-1/2 years, on grounds of insulting the monarchy in a public speech made three years ago.

Thailand on Wednesday jailed a country singer and political activist for 7-1/2 years, on grounds of insulting the monarchy in a public speech made three years ago. The conviction swells a list of prosecutions pushed by Thailand`s military - the self-designated protectors of the monarchy - after it seized power in a coup two years ago. The junta has a zero-tolerance approach to criticism of the monarchy, making use of a draconian lese-majeste law that prescribes a prison term of up to 15 years for each offence. Thanat Thanawatcharanon, known by his stage name of Tom Dundee, gave waiting media the thumbs-up as he arrived at court on Wednesday, wearing an orange prison uniform. "The sentence is much longer than we expected," said his lawyer, Saovalux Po-Ngam. "We can lodge an appeal within a month but have to discuss first whether we will. In my personal view, the law should be scrapped, because the sentences are too long." Sentences for royal insults have become increasingly harsh under the junta, and one offender was jailed for a record 30 years in 2015. Thanat, who has been in prison since his arrest in 2014, had previously denied the charges but confessed in a sudden about-face in court on Monday. Confessing to a lese-majeste crime is routine practice in Thailand, where the accused often plead guilty in hopes of a more lenient sentence. Prosecutors said Thanat made defamatory comments against the monarchy during a 2013 speech to `red shirt` activists at a political rally in the capital, Bangkok. He was arrested and charged in July 2014, following pressure by an ultra royalist group on Thailand`s Department of Special Investigation to prosecute Thanat. For much of the past decade, Thailand has been divided along political lines between the mostly rural-based red shirt movement and the royalist-military establishment in the capital and south. Ailing King Bhumibol Adulyadej, 88, is revered by Thais who see him as a keystone of Thailand`s identity.

Thailand jails country singer for seven years in royal insult case

politics

Politics, News on Politics, stories on Politics, articles on Politics, Politics stories at Wion, Politics news, Politics latest news