Zimbabwe announced on Wednesday it would choose a new president and parliament on July 30, in the country's first electoral test since the removal of its autocratic former leader Robert Mugabe.

His successor, President Emmerson Mnangagwa, unveiled the date in the official Zimbabwe Government Gazette.

"Monday, the 30th day of July, 2018 (is) the day of the election to the office of President, the election of members of the National Assembly and election of councillors," Mnangagwa said in a proclamation.

Once a right-hand man to the 94-year-old Mugabe, Mnangagwa dramatically succeeded the veteran leader in November after nearly four-decades in charge when troops swarmed the streets and briefly seized key sites.

Mnangagwa, 75, will square off against the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party, now led by 40-year-old Nelson Chamisa following the death of Morgan Tsvangirai in February.

If no candidate receives a simple majority in the first round of the presidential election, a run-off will be held on September 8.

Elections under Mugabe were marred by corruption, intimidation and violence, but Mnangagwa has vowed to hold a free and fair vote.

The election will be the first to be monitored by Western observers in many years.

On Monday Harare and the European Union announced that observers from the bloc would monitor polls in the southern African country for the first time in 16 years.

The head of the last EU observer mission, Pierre Schori, was thrown out of Zimbabwe in 2002 on the eve of presidential elections that were condemned as flawed.

Following the high-profile spat, Zimbabwe barred the EU and other Western observers from sending further missions to monitor polls in the country as Mugabe grew more and more defiant of foreign criticism up until his downfall.

And in a further sign of Zimbabwe's growing efforts to mend fences with former foes following Mugabe's resignation, the country has applied to re-join the Commonwealth, the bloc of former British colonies said Monday.

Harare's membership was suspended in 2003 over the violent and graft-ridden elections the previous year.

Zimbabwe left the Commonwealth at the height of violent land seizures, when white farmers were evicted in favour of landless black people -- a policy that wrecked agriculture and triggered economic collapse.

Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland confirmed that the organisation would also send observers to the elections.

Mugabe sent shockwaves through the ruling ZANU-PF, the party he dominated for decades, when he recently posed with a retired general who will take on the government in this year's election.

Despite a slew of reformist pledges and announcements it is unclear whether Mnangagwa, who was a vital cog in the ZANU-PF party and helped Mugabe to hold onto power for 37 years, has won the support of ordinary Zimbabweans.

His successor, President Emmerson Mnangagwa, unveiled the date in the official Zimbabwe Government Gazette

Zimbabwe announced on Wednesday it would choose a new president and parliament on July 30, in the country's first electoral test since the removal of its autocratic former leader Robert Mugabe. His successor, President Emmerson Mnangagwa, unveiled the date in the official Zimbabwe Government Gazette. "Monday, the 30th day of July, 2018 (is) the day of the election to the office of President, the election of members of the National Assembly and election of councillors," Mnangagwa said in a proclamation. Once a right-hand man to the 94-year-old Mugabe, Mnangagwa dramatically succeeded the veteran leader in November after nearly four-decades in charge when troops swarmed the streets and briefly seized key sites. Mnangagwa, 75, will square off against the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party, now led by 40-year-old Nelson Chamisa following the death of Morgan Tsvangirai in February. If no candidate receives a simple majority in the first round of the presidential election, a run-off will be held on September 8. Elections under Mugabe were marred by corruption, intimidation and violence, but Mnangagwa has vowed to hold a free and fair vote. The election will be the first to be monitored by Western observers in many years. On Monday Harare and the European Union announced that observers from the bloc would monitor polls in the southern African country for the first time in 16 years. The head of the last EU observer mission, Pierre Schori, was thrown out of Zimbabwe in 2002 on the eve of presidential elections that were condemned as flawed. Following the high-profile spat, Zimbabwe barred the EU and other Western observers from sending further missions to monitor polls in the country as Mugabe grew more and more defiant of foreign criticism up until his downfall. And in a further sign of Zimbabwe's growing efforts to mend fences with former foes following Mugabe's resignation, the country has applied to re-join the Commonwealth, the bloc of former British colonies said Monday. Harare's membership was suspended in 2003 over the violent and graft-ridden elections the previous year. Zimbabwe left the Commonwealth at the height of violent land seizures, when white farmers were evicted in favour of landless black people -- a policy that wrecked agriculture and triggered economic collapse. Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland confirmed that the organisation would also send observers to the elections. Mugabe sent shockwaves through the ruling ZANU-PF, the party he dominated for decades, when he recently posed with a retired general who will take on the government in this year's election. Despite a slew of reformist pledges and announcements it is unclear whether Mnangagwa, who was a vital cog in the ZANU-PF party and helped Mugabe to hold onto power for 37 years, has won the support of ordinary Zimbabweans.

Zimbabwe to elect post-Mugabe president on July 30

Japan&nbspon Tuesday&nbspsaid it had detected what appeared to be a Chinese-flagged vessel, 350 km (218 miles) off Shanghai, conducting illegal transfers to a North Korean ship.

"Following a comprehensive assessment, the government of Japan strongly suspects that they conducted ship-to-ship transfers banned by UNSCR," Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a news release, referring to UN&nbspSecurity Council resolutions.

A Japanese P-3 maritime patrol plane detected the vessels, which lay alongside each other connected by hoses, on May 19, with one of the ships flying what seemed like a Chinese flag, it said.

China's Foreign Ministry said the information provided was "unclear" and it was hard to reach any definitive conclusions.

China has always fully enforced UN resolutions and if there is concrete proof of the resolutions being breached then China will handle it in accordance with the law, the ministry said in a statement sent to Reuters.

Japan's decision to voice its suspicion comes as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and US&nbspPresident Donald Trump prepared for what may be a breakthrough summit as early as next month.

Japan is urging the United States and other countries to stick to a strict imposition of UN&nbspsanctions on North Korea until it abandons the development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.

In April, the UN&nbspSecurity Council blacklisted dozens of ships and shipping companies over oil and coal smuggling by North Korea, including five based in China. The vessels are subject to a global port ban and must be deregistered.

China's Foreign Ministry said the information provided was "unclear" and it was hard to reach any definitive conclusions

Japan&nbspon Tuesday&nbspsaid it had detected what appeared to be a Chinese-flagged vessel, 350 km (218 miles) off Shanghai, conducting illegal transfers to a North Korean ship. "Following a comprehensive assessment, the government of Japan strongly suspects that they conducted ship-to-ship transfers banned by UNSCR," Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a news release, referring to UN&nbspSecurity Council resolutions. A Japanese P-3 maritime patrol plane detected the vessels, which lay alongside each other connected by hoses, on May 19, with one of the ships flying what seemed like a Chinese flag, it said. China's Foreign Ministry said the information provided was "unclear" and it was hard to reach any definitive conclusions. China has always fully enforced UN resolutions and if there is concrete proof of the resolutions being breached then China will handle it in accordance with the law, the ministry said in a statement sent to Reuters. Japan's decision to voice its suspicion comes as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and US&nbspPresident Donald Trump prepared for what may be a breakthrough summit as early as next month. Japan is urging the United States and other countries to stick to a strict imposition of UN&nbspsanctions on North Korea until it abandons the development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. In April, the UN&nbspSecurity Council blacklisted dozens of ships and shipping companies over oil and coal smuggling by North Korea, including five based in China. The vessels are subject to a global port ban and must be deregistered.

Japan says it detects apparent Chinese ship breaking North Korea sanctions

BSP chief Mayawati today announced changes in the party constitution, which bar her brother from continuing as its vice president while letting her remain the national president till she is too old for that responsibility.&nbsp;

Mayawati said she will continue to lead the Bahujan Samaj Party for the next 20 to 22 years, bluntly telling party leaders that nobody needed to dream of becoming the party president.&nbsp;

Addressing a meeting in Lucknow of party's national office bearers, she also announced major organisational changes and indicated that the BSP was willing to contest any coming election on its own if "respectable" seat-sharing arrangements could not be worked out.

Mayawati said she had made some minor changes in the BSP constitution last year to involve her younger brother into party work on the request of party leaders.

"It is unfortunate that there were reports in the media about the family being promoted in the organisation, like the Congress," she said.

"But my brother himself said he will work only as a common worker in the interest of the party," she added.

On the changes in the party constitution, she said that no close relative of the national president will hold any position in the party.

The new national president will be appointed only after the serving leader is unable to continue with field duties because of old age, she said.

Also, the new BSP national president will be appointed on the advice of the outgoing leader.

While mentioning the changes in the BSP constitution, she referred to the constitution during BSP founder Kanshi Ram's time, when relatives were not allowed party posts. This had upset some of Kanshi Ram's relatives, she recalled.

She told party leaders that though the BSP was discussing alliances with other parties for future elections, they should be prepared for any situation.

"Although talks are underway for poll alliances in Uttar Pradesh and other states, you have to remain prepared for facing any situation in your respective states at all levels," she said.

She said the stand of the party while entering into an alliance in any election has been to get a respectable share of the seats to contest. Otherwise, it sees fighting on its own as a better option, she said.

Mayawati, who was part of the show of unity among opposition parties at the swearing-in ceremony of Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, said after the debacle in that state the BJP government may advance the Lok Sabha elections.

The BSP chief appointed RS Kushwaha as the Uttar Pradesh unit president in place of Ram Achal Rajbhar, who is now the BSP national general secretary and made coordinator for three states.

Two senior leaders Vir Singh and Jai Prakash Singh were made national coordinators, a first for the party.

She told party leaders to strengthen the BSP base among the 'sarv samaj' and begin focusing on Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh where assembly elections will be held before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Mayawati warned them against any design to split the party vote among Dalits, Adivasi, Backwards, Muslim and other religious minorities.

Earlier in the day, she slammed the Narendra Modi government, celebrating four years in office, for its "historic failure" to address issues like welfare unemployment.

Mayawati said she will continue to lead the Bahujan Samaj Party for the next 20 to 22 years, bluntly telling party leaders that nobody needed to dream of becoming the party president.

BSP chief Mayawati today announced changes in the party constitution, which bar her brother from continuing as its vice president while letting her remain the national president till she is too old for that responsibility. Mayawati said she will continue to lead the Bahujan Samaj Party for the next 20 to 22 years, bluntly telling party leaders that nobody needed to dream of becoming the party president. Addressing a meeting in Lucknow of party's national office bearers, she also announced major organisational changes and indicated that the BSP was willing to contest any coming election on its own if "respectable" seat-sharing arrangements could not be worked out. Mayawati said she had made some minor changes in the BSP constitution last year to involve her younger brother into party work on the request of party leaders. "It is unfortunate that there were reports in the media about the family being promoted in the organisation, like the Congress," she said. "But my brother himself said he will work only as a common worker in the interest of the party," she added. On the changes in the party constitution, she said that no close relative of the national president will hold any position in the party. The new national president will be appointed only after the serving leader is unable to continue with field duties because of old age, she said. Also, the new BSP national president will be appointed on the advice of the outgoing leader. While mentioning the changes in the BSP constitution, she referred to the constitution during BSP founder Kanshi Ram's time, when relatives were not allowed party posts. This had upset some of Kanshi Ram's relatives, she recalled. She told party leaders that though the BSP was discussing alliances with other parties for future elections, they should be prepared for any situation. "Although talks are underway for poll alliances in Uttar Pradesh and other states, you have to remain prepared for facing any situation in your respective states at all levels," she said. She said the stand of the party while entering into an alliance in any election has been to get a respectable share of the seats to contest. Otherwise, it sees fighting on its own as a better option, she said. Mayawati, who was part of the show of unity among opposition parties at the swearing-in ceremony of Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, said after the debacle in that state the BJP government may advance the Lok Sabha elections. The BSP chief appointed RS Kushwaha as the Uttar Pradesh unit president in place of Ram Achal Rajbhar, who is now the BSP national general secretary and made coordinator for three states. Two senior leaders Vir Singh and Jai Prakash Singh were made national coordinators, a first for the party. She told party leaders to strengthen the BSP base among the 'sarv samaj' and begin focusing on Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh where assembly elections will be held before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Mayawati warned them against any design to split the party vote among Dalits, Adivasi, Backwards, Muslim and other religious minorities. Earlier in the day, she slammed the Narendra Modi government, celebrating four years in office, for its "historic failure" to address issues like welfare unemployment.

I will remain BSP president for next 20 years until I get old: Mayawati

President Donald Trump said today that he was "little surprised" at North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's "different attitude" after his <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/xi-jinping-and-north-koreas-kim-jong-un-met-in-china-reports-135511">second meeting</a> with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Xi and Kim met in the northeastern city of Dalian in an unannounced visit by the North Korean leader on May 8.

Trump said the meeting between the two leaders was not a great meeting as there has been a change in North Korea's attitude after that.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-kim-summit-could-be-delayed-138979">Trump says Kim summit could be delayed</a>

"I think that President Xi is a worl-class poker player. I probably maybe doing the same thing that he would do. But I will say this, there was a somewhat different attitude after that meeting, and I'm a little surprised," Trump told reporters at the White House.

"Now maybe nothing happened, I'm not blame anybody. But I'm just saying maybe nothing happened and maybe it did. But there was a different attitude by the North Korean folks after that meeting. So I don't think it was a great meeting," Trump said.

Nobody knew about the meeting and all of a sudden it was reported that he was in China a second time, he said.

"The first time everybody knew about, the second time was like a surprise. And I think things changed after that meeting. So I can't say that I'm happy about it," Trump said in presence of South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

He also asked Moon for his views on the Xi-Kim meeting.

"Now President Moon may have a different opinion, I'd like to have your opinion on that. What you thought of the second meeting with President Xi, what is your feeling? You may have an opinion," Trump asked.

"I don't want to get him in trouble, he lives next to China. You know, he's not too far away," he said. 
 
"The second meeting I think there was a little change in attitude from Kim Jong-un", he said.

"Hope that's not true, because I have a great relationship with President Xi. He's a friend of mine, he likes me, I like him. I mean that was two of the great days of my life being in China. I don't think anybody's ever been treated better in China in their history," he said.

"It was an incredible thing to see. We built a very good relationship, we speak a lot. But there was a difference when Kim Jong-un left China the second time. And I think they were dedicating an aircraft carrier that the United States paid for," Trump said.&nbsp;

'I think that President Xi is a world-class poker player. I probably maybe doing the same thing that he would do. But I will say this, there was a somewhat different attitude after that meeting, and I'm a little surprised,' Trump said

President Donald Trump said today that he was "little surprised" at North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's "different attitude" after his second meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Xi and Kim met in the northeastern city of Dalian in an unannounced visit by the North Korean leader on May 8. Trump said the meeting between the two leaders was not a great meeting as there has been a change in North Korea's attitude after that. Also read: Trump says Kim summit could be delayed "I think that President Xi is a worl-class poker player. I probably maybe doing the same thing that he would do. But I will say this, there was a somewhat different attitude after that meeting, and I'm a little surprised," Trump told reporters at the White House. "Now maybe nothing happened, I'm not blame anybody. But I'm just saying maybe nothing happened and maybe it did. But there was a different attitude by the North Korean folks after that meeting. So I don't think it was a great meeting," Trump said. Nobody knew about the meeting and all of a sudden it was reported that he was in China a second time, he said. "The first time everybody knew about, the second time was like a surprise. And I think things changed after that meeting. So I can't say that I'm happy about it," Trump said in presence of South Korean President Moon Jae-in. He also asked Moon for his views on the Xi-Kim meeting. "Now President Moon may have a different opinion, I'd like to have your opinion on that. What you thought of the second meeting with President Xi, what is your feeling? You may have an opinion," Trump asked. "I don't want to get him in trouble, he lives next to China. You know, he's not too far away," he said. "The second meeting I think there was a little change in attitude from Kim Jong-un", he said. "Hope that's not true, because I have a great relationship with President Xi. He's a friend of mine, he likes me, I like him. I mean that was two of the great days of my life being in China. I don't think anybody's ever been treated better in China in their history," he said. "It was an incredible thing to see. We built a very good relationship, we speak a lot. But there was a difference when Kim Jong-un left China the second time. And I think they were dedicating an aircraft carrier that the United States paid for," Trump said.

Trump says Kim Jong Un's attitude changed after meeting China's Xi

By:&nbspConn Hallinan*

When Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for a presidential and parliamentary election on June 24 — jumping the gun by more than a year — the outcome seemed foreordained. After all, Turkey is under a state of emergency. Erdogan has imprisoned more than 50,000 of his opponents, dismissed 140,000 from their jobs, jailed a presidential candidate and launched an attack on Syria’s Kurds that is, unfortunately, popular with most Turks.

But Erdogan’s seemingly overwhelming strength isn’t as solid as it appears, and the moves the president is making to ensure a victory next month may come back to haunt him in the long run.

An economy headed for a fall

There’s a great deal at stake in the June vote. Based on the outcome of a referendum in 2017, Turkey will move from a parliamentary system to one based on a powerful executive presidency. But the referendum vote was very close, and there’s widespread suspicion that Erdogan’s narrow victory was fraudulent.

This time around, Turkey’s president is taking no chances. The electoral law has been taken out of the hands of the independent electoral commission and turned over to civil servants, whose employment is dependent on the government. The state of emergency will make campaigning by anyone but Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) and its ally, the National Action Party (MHP), problematic.

But Erdogan called for early elections not because he’s strong, but because he’s nervous about the AKP’s traditional strong suit: the economy. While growth is solid, unemployment is 11% (rising to 21% for youth), debts are piling up and inflation — 12% in 2017 — is eating away at standards of living.

The AKP’s 16-year run in power is based in no small part on raising income for most Turks. But wages fell 2% over the past year, and the lira plunged 7.5% in the last quarter, driving up the price of imported goods. Standard & Poor’s recently downgraded Turkish bonds to junk status.

Up until now, the government has managed to keep people happy by handing out low interest loans, pumping up the economy with subsidies and giving bonuses to pensioners. But the debt keeps rising, and investment — particularly the foreign variety — is lagging. The Turkish economy appears headed for a fall, and Erdogan wants to secure the presidency before that happens.

The Kurdish question

To avoid a runoff, Erdogan needs to win 50% of the vote, and most polls show him falling short, partly due to voter exhaustion with the endless state of emergency. But this also reflects fallout from the president’s war on the Kurds, domestic and foreign.

The AKP came to power in 2002 with a plan to end the long-running war with Turkey’s Kurdish minority. The government dampened its suppression of Kurdish language and culture, and called a truce in the military campaign against the Kurdish Workers Party.

But in 2015, the leftist, Kurdish-based People’s Democratic Party (HDP) broke through the 10% threshold to put deputies in parliament, denying the AKP a majority. Erdogan promptly declared war on the Kurds. Kurdish deputies were imprisoned, Kurdish mayors were dismissed, Kurdish language signs were removed, and the Turkish army demolished the centers of several majority-Kurdish cities.

Erdogan also forced a new election — widely seen as fraudulent — and reclaimed the AKP’s majority.

Ankara also turned a blind eye to tens of thousands of Islamic State (IS) and al-Qaeda fighters who crossed the Turkish border to attack the government of Bashar al-Assad and Syria’s Kurdish population. The move backfired badly. The Kurds — backed by American air power — defeated IS and al-Qaeda, and the Russians turned the tide in Assad’s favor.

Turkey’s subsequent invasion of Syria — operations Olive Branch and Euphrates Shield — is aimed at the Syrian Kurds and is supported by most Turks. But, no surprise, it’s alienated the Kurds, who make up between 18 and 20% of Turkey’s population.

The AKP has traditionally garnered a substantial number of Kurdish voters, in particular rural, conservative ones. But pollster Kadir Atalay says many Kurdish AKP supporters justifiably felt “deceived and abandoned” when Erdogan went after their communities following the 2015 election. Kurds have also been alienated by Erdogan’s alliance with the extreme right-wing nationalist MHP, which is violently anti-Kurdish.

According to Atalay, alienating the Kurds has cost the AKP about 4% of the voters. Considering that the AKP won 49.5% of the vote in the last national election, that figure is not insignificant.

The progressive HDP is trying hard to win over those Kurds. “The Kurds — even those who are not HDP supporters, will respond to the Afrin operation [i.e., the invasion of Syria], the removal of Kurdish language signs, and the imprisonment of [Kurdish] lawmakers,” HDP’s parliamentary whip Meral Danis Bestas told Al Monitor.

The HDP, whose imprisoned leader Selahatt Demirtas is running for president, calls for a “united stance” that poses “left-wing democracy” against “fascism.” The danger is that if the HDP fails to get at least 10% of the vote, its current seats will be taken over by the AKP.

An outside chance of failure

Erdogan has also alienated Turkey’s neighbors. He’s in a tense standoff with Greece over some tiny islands in the Aegean Sea. He’s at loggerheads with a number of European countries that have banned him from electioneering among their Turkish populations for the June 24 vote. And he’s railing against NATO for insulting Turkey. (He does have a point — a recent NATO exercise designated NATO member Turkey “the enemy.”)

However, Erdogan’s attacks on NATO and Europe are mostly posturing. He knows Turkish nationalists love to bash the European Union and NATO, and Erdogan needs those votes to go to him, not the newly formed Good Party — a split from the right-wing MHP — or the Islamist Felicity Party.

No one expects the opposition to pull off an upset, although the centrist and secular Republican People’s Party (CHP) has recently formed an alliance with the Good Party, Felicity and the Democratic Party to ensure that all pass the 10% threshold for putting deputies in parliament.

That electoral alliance excludes the leftist HDP, although it is doubtful the Kurdish-based party would find common ground with parties that supported the jailing of its lawmakers. Of the party’s 59 deputies, nine are in jail and 11 have been stripped of their seats.

There’s an outside chance that Erdogan could win the presidency but lose his majority in parliament. If the opposition does win, it has pledged to dump the new presidential system and return power to parliament.

Loaded Dice

The election will be held essentially under martial law, and Erdogan has loaded all the dice, marked every card and rigged every roulette wheel.

There are virtually no independent media left in the country, and there are rumors that the AKP and the MHP have recruited and armed “supporters” to intimidate the opposition. A disturbing number of guns have gone missing since the failed 2016 coup.

However, as Max Hoffman of the Center for American Progress notes, the election might not be a “slam dunk.” A run-off would weaken Erdogan just when he is preparing to take on a number of major problems other than the economy:

1) Turkey’s war with the Kurds has now spread into Syria and Iraq.

2) In Syria, Assad is likely to survive and Turkey will find it difficult — and expensive — to permanently occupy eastern Syria. Erdogan will also to have to deal with the thousands of Islamic State and al-Qaeda fighters now in southern Turkey.

3) Tensions are growing with Egypt over the Red Sea and Ankara’s new alliance with Sudan, which is at odds with Cairo over Nile River water rights.

4) There’s the strong possibility of a US confrontation with Iran, a nominal ally and important trading partner for Turkey.

5) There’s also the possibility — albeit a remote one — that Turkey will get into a dustup with Greece.

6) And last, there’s the rising price of oil — now over $70 a barrel — and the stress that will put on the already indebted Turkish economy.

The Turkish president may get his win next month, but when trouble comes, he won’t be able to foist it off on anyone. He will own it.

(Conn M. Hallinan is a columnist for Foreign Policy in Focus, "A Think Tank Without Walls," and an independent journalist.)

(This article was originally published on<a href="https://www.fairobserver.com/ "> Fair Observer</a>. Read the <a href="https://www.fairobserver.com/region/middle_east_north_africa/turkey-elections-june-recep-tayyip-erdogan-latest-news-32490/">original article</a>.)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

The Turkish president may get his win next month, but when trouble comes, he’ll own it

By: Conn Hallinan* When Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for a presidential and parliamentary election on June 24 — jumping the gun by more than a year — the outcome seemed foreordained. After all, Turkey is under a state of emergency. Erdogan has imprisoned more than 50,000 of his opponents, dismissed 140,000 from their jobs, jailed a presidential candidate and launched an attack on Syria’s Kurds that is, unfortunately, popular with most Turks. But Erdogan’s seemingly overwhelming strength isn’t as solid as it appears, and the moves the president is making to ensure a victory next month may come back to haunt him in the long run. An economy headed for a fall There’s a great deal at stake in the June vote. Based on the outcome of a referendum in 2017, Turkey will move from a parliamentary system to one based on a powerful executive presidency. But the referendum vote was very close, and there’s widespread suspicion that Erdogan’s narrow victory was fraudulent. This time around, Turkey’s president is taking no chances. The electoral law has been taken out of the hands of the independent electoral commission and turned over to civil servants, whose employment is dependent on the government. The state of emergency will make campaigning by anyone but Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) and its ally, the National Action Party (MHP), problematic. But Erdogan called for early elections not because he’s strong, but because he’s nervous about the AKP’s traditional strong suit: the economy. While growth is solid, unemployment is 11% (rising to 21% for youth), debts are piling up and inflation — 12% in 2017 — is eating away at standards of living. The AKP’s 16-year run in power is based in no small part on raising income for most Turks. But wages fell 2% over the past year, and the lira plunged 7.5% in the last quarter, driving up the price of imported goods. Standard & Poor’s recently downgraded Turkish bonds to junk status. Up until now, the government has managed to keep people happy by handing out low interest loans, pumping up the economy with subsidies and giving bonuses to pensioners. But the debt keeps rising, and investment — particularly the foreign variety — is lagging. The Turkish economy appears headed for a fall, and Erdogan wants to secure the presidency before that happens. The Kurdish question To avoid a runoff, Erdogan needs to win 50% of the vote, and most polls show him falling short, partly due to voter exhaustion with the endless state of emergency. But this also reflects fallout from the president’s war on the Kurds, domestic and foreign. The AKP came to power in 2002 with a plan to end the long-running war with Turkey’s Kurdish minority. The government dampened its suppression of Kurdish language and culture, and called a truce in the military campaign against the Kurdish Workers Party. But in 2015, the leftist, Kurdish-based People’s Democratic Party (HDP) broke through the 10% threshold to put deputies in parliament, denying the AKP a majority. Erdogan promptly declared war on the Kurds. Kurdish deputies were imprisoned, Kurdish mayors were dismissed, Kurdish language signs were removed, and the Turkish army demolished the centers of several majority-Kurdish cities. Erdogan also forced a new election — widely seen as fraudulent — and reclaimed the AKP’s majority. Ankara also turned a blind eye to tens of thousands of Islamic State (IS) and al-Qaeda fighters who crossed the Turkish border to attack the government of Bashar al-Assad and Syria’s Kurdish population. The move backfired badly. The Kurds — backed by American air power — defeated IS and al-Qaeda, and the Russians turned the tide in Assad’s favor. Turkey’s subsequent invasion of Syria — operations Olive Branch and Euphrates Shield — is aimed at the Syrian Kurds and is supported by most Turks. But, no surprise, it’s alienated the Kurds, who make up between 18 and 20% of Turkey’s population. The AKP has traditionally garnered a substantial number of Kurdish voters, in particular rural, conservative ones. But pollster Kadir Atalay says many Kurdish AKP supporters justifiably felt “deceived and abandoned” when Erdogan went after their communities following the 2015 election. Kurds have also been alienated by Erdogan’s alliance with the extreme right-wing nationalist MHP, which is violently anti-Kurdish. According to Atalay, alienating the Kurds has cost the AKP about 4% of the voters. Considering that the AKP won 49.5% of the vote in the last national election, that figure is not insignificant. The progressive HDP is trying hard to win over those Kurds. “The Kurds — even those who are not HDP supporters, will respond to the Afrin operation [i.e., the invasion of Syria], the removal of Kurdish language signs, and the imprisonment of [Kurdish] lawmakers,” HDP’s parliamentary whip Meral Danis Bestas told Al Monitor. The HDP, whose imprisoned leader Selahatt Demirtas is running for president, calls for a “united stance” that poses “left-wing democracy” against “fascism.” The danger is that if the HDP fails to get at least 10% of the vote, its current seats will be taken over by the AKP. An outside chance of failure Erdogan has also alienated Turkey’s neighbors. He’s in a tense standoff with Greece over some tiny islands in the Aegean Sea. He’s at loggerheads with a number of European countries that have banned him from electioneering among their Turkish populations for the June 24 vote. And he’s railing against NATO for insulting Turkey. (He does have a point — a recent NATO exercise designated NATO member Turkey “the enemy.”) However, Erdogan’s attacks on NATO and Europe are mostly posturing. He knows Turkish nationalists love to bash the European Union and NATO, and Erdogan needs those votes to go to him, not the newly formed Good Party — a split from the right-wing MHP — or the Islamist Felicity Party. No one expects the opposition to pull off an upset, although the centrist and secular Republican People’s Party (CHP) has recently formed an alliance with the Good Party, Felicity and the Democratic Party to ensure that all pass the 10% threshold for putting deputies in parliament. That electoral alliance excludes the leftist HDP, although it is doubtful the Kurdish-based party would find common ground with parties that supported the jailing of its lawmakers. Of the party’s 59 deputies, nine are in jail and 11 have been stripped of their seats. There’s an outside chance that Erdogan could win the presidency but lose his majority in parliament. If the opposition does win, it has pledged to dump the new presidential system and return power to parliament. Loaded Dice The election will be held essentially under martial law, and Erdogan has loaded all the dice, marked every card and rigged every roulette wheel. There are virtually no independent media left in the country, and there are rumors that the AKP and the MHP have recruited and armed “supporters” to intimidate the opposition. A disturbing number of guns have gone missing since the failed 2016 coup. However, as Max Hoffman of the Center for American Progress notes, the election might not be a “slam dunk.” A run-off would weaken Erdogan just when he is preparing to take on a number of major problems other than the economy: 1) Turkey’s war with the Kurds has now spread into Syria and Iraq. 2) In Syria, Assad is likely to survive and Turkey will find it difficult — and expensive — to permanently occupy eastern Syria. Erdogan will also to have to deal with the thousands of Islamic State and al-Qaeda fighters now in southern Turkey. 3) Tensions are growing with Egypt over the Red Sea and Ankara’s new alliance with Sudan, which is at odds with Cairo over Nile River water rights. 4) There’s the strong possibility of a US confrontation with Iran, a nominal ally and important trading partner for Turkey. 5) There’s also the possibility — albeit a remote one — that Turkey will get into a dustup with Greece. 6) And last, there’s the rising price of oil — now over $70 a barrel — and the stress that will put on the already indebted Turkish economy. The Turkish president may get his win next month, but when trouble comes, he won’t be able to foist it off on anyone. He will own it. (Conn M. Hallinan is a columnist for Foreign Policy in Focus, "A Think Tank Without Walls," and an independent journalist.) (This article was originally published on Fair Observer. Read the original article.) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Erdogan wants to be Turkey’s lone strongman

Actress Jennifer Aniston has been tapped to star as a fictional lesbian President of the United States in upcoming new political comedy `First Ladies`.

As reported by Variety, `One Mississippi` star Tig Notaro will be playing Aniston`s wife in the Netflix series.&nbsp;

The story of the show follows America`s first female president (Aniston as Kasey Nicholson) and her wife, the first lady (Notaro as Beverly). moving into the White House, to prove that behind every great woman. is another great woman.

On the silver screen, Aniston can be seen next in the Anne Fletcher movie `Dumplin`.&nbsp;

Jennifer Aniston has been tapped to star as a fictional lesbian President of the United States

Actress Jennifer Aniston has been tapped to star as a fictional lesbian President of the United States in upcoming new political comedy `First Ladies`. As reported by Variety, `One Mississippi` star Tig Notaro will be playing Aniston`s wife in the Netflix series. The story of the show follows America`s first female president (Aniston as Kasey Nicholson) and her wife, the first lady (Notaro as Beverly). moving into the White House, to prove that behind every great woman. is another great woman. On the silver screen, Aniston can be seen next in the Anne Fletcher movie `Dumplin`.

Jennifer Aniston to play lesbian President of US

Renowned journalist Rajat Sharma will contest for the post of Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) President.

The elections for the post will be held on June 30.&nbsp

As per reports, Sharma's team will consist of Rakesh Bansal, who will supposedly fight for the post of Vice President

Rajat's candidature is backed by former DDCA President Sneh Bansal, Narinder Batra --Treasurer and International Hockey Federation (FIH) and many others.&nbsp

The dates for the DDCA elections were declared yesterday by administrator Justice Vikramajit Sen.

He also announced that the polls will be held without the much-criticised proxy voting system.&nbsp

The proxy system of voting which has been considered by many as the root cause of corruption in DDCA has been done away with as Justice Sen released an 11-point model of code of conduct for election of members of the executive committee.&nbsp

The elections for the post will be held on June 30.

Renowned journalist Rajat Sharma will contest for the post of Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) President. The elections for the post will be held on June 30. As per reports, Sharma's team will consist of Rakesh Bansal, who will supposedly fight for the post of Vice President Rajat's candidature is backed by former DDCA President Sneh Bansal, Narinder Batra --Treasurer and International Hockey Federation (FIH) and many others. The dates for the DDCA elections were declared yesterday by administrator Justice Vikramajit Sen. He also announced that the polls will be held without the much-criticised proxy voting system. The proxy system of voting which has been considered by many as the root cause of corruption in DDCA has been done away with as Justice Sen released an 11-point model of code of conduct for election of members of the executive committee.

Journalist Rajat Sharma to contest for DDCA President's post

A knifeman shouting "Allahu akbar" was shot dead by police in central Paris late Saturday after he killed one person and injured four, prompting a terror probe.

The attack took place near the city's main opera house in an area full of bars, restaurants and theatres which were brimming on a weekend night.

French President Emmanuel Macron said: "France once again pays the price of blood."

Saturday's assault is the latest to strike a nation rocked by a series of jihadist attacks in the last three years that have killed more than 245 people.

Prosecutors cited witnesses as saying the man shouted "Allahu akbar" (God is greatest) as he went on the rampage, and added that a terror investigation had been launched.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility, according to the SITE monitoring group, but provided no corroborating proof.

"The executor of the stabbing operation in the city of Paris is a soldier of the Islamic State and the operation was carried out in response to the calls to target the coalition states," a "security source" told IS's official Amaq news agency, according to SITE.

The man, who has not yet been named, attacked five people with a knife, one of whom died, police said. Two were in serious condition and all the victims are in hospital.

A police source told AFP one officer tried to restrain the attacker with a taser but when that failed a colleague shot the man dead.

Interior Minister Gerard Collomb hailed in a tweet the "sang-froid and reaction of the police who neutralised the attacker".

Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, who visited police in the district where the attack took place, added: "France is determined not to give in to threats that the attackers hope will grind her (the country) down."

Scenes of panic 
The attack took place on Rue Monsigny in the 2nd arrondissement, an area that lies between the main opera house and the Louvre museum, two major tourist attractions. A large area was cordoned off where police, fire and rescue vehicles converged.

Shocked tourists and residents looked on from behind the security perimeter.

"I was on the cafe terrace, I heard three, four shots, it happened very fast," said 47-year-old Gloria.

"The bartenders told us to come inside very quickly. Then I went out to see what was going on, and then I saw a man on the ground," she added.

Another witness, who gave her first name Maxine, said panic spread as word got out that an attack was taking place.

"We saw someone coming out of a building who said he saw the assailant slaughter someone, so people took refuge in the bar," she said.

France has suffered a series of major Islamist attacks including the massacre at the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, the November 2015 attacks that killed 130 in Paris, and the 2016 Bastille Day truck attack in Nice that killed more than 80.

There have also been a string of less deadly but frequent attacks by lone wolf jihadists wielding knives or guns. Most of the attacks have either been claimed by the Islamic State group or been carried out in their name.

A state of emergency put in place just after the 2015 Paris attacks was lifted in October when Macron's centrist government passed a new law boosting the powers of security forces.

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen called for greater security measures after Saturday's attack.

"The French people will no longer be content with talk, they expect action," she said.

Thousands of French troops remain on the streets under an anti-terror operation known as Sentinelle, patrolling transport hubs, tourist hotspots and other sensitive sites.

The knifeman was shot dead by police. 'France once again pays the price of blood,' French President Emmanuel Macron said

A knifeman shouting "Allahu akbar" was shot dead by police in central Paris late Saturday after he killed one person and injured four, prompting a terror probe. The attack took place near the city's main opera house in an area full of bars, restaurants and theatres which were brimming on a weekend night. French President Emmanuel Macron said: "France once again pays the price of blood." Saturday's assault is the latest to strike a nation rocked by a series of jihadist attacks in the last three years that have killed more than 245 people. Prosecutors cited witnesses as saying the man shouted "Allahu akbar" (God is greatest) as he went on the rampage, and added that a terror investigation had been launched. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility, according to the SITE monitoring group, but provided no corroborating proof. "The executor of the stabbing operation in the city of Paris is a soldier of the Islamic State and the operation was carried out in response to the calls to target the coalition states," a "security source" told IS's official Amaq news agency, according to SITE. The man, who has not yet been named, attacked five people with a knife, one of whom died, police said. Two were in serious condition and all the victims are in hospital. A police source told AFP one officer tried to restrain the attacker with a taser but when that failed a colleague shot the man dead. Interior Minister Gerard Collomb hailed in a tweet the "sang-froid and reaction of the police who neutralised the attacker". Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, who visited police in the district where the attack took place, added: "France is determined not to give in to threats that the attackers hope will grind her (the country) down." Scenes of panic The attack took place on Rue Monsigny in the 2nd arrondissement, an area that lies between the main opera house and the Louvre museum, two major tourist attractions. A large area was cordoned off where police, fire and rescue vehicles converged. Shocked tourists and residents looked on from behind the security perimeter. "I was on the cafe terrace, I heard three, four shots, it happened very fast," said 47-year-old Gloria. "The bartenders told us to come inside very quickly. Then I went out to see what was going on, and then I saw a man on the ground," she added. Another witness, who gave her first name Maxine, said panic spread as word got out that an attack was taking place. "We saw someone coming out of a building who said he saw the assailant slaughter someone, so people took refuge in the bar," she said. France has suffered a series of major Islamist attacks including the massacre at the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, the November 2015 attacks that killed 130 in Paris, and the 2016 Bastille Day truck attack in Nice that killed more than 80. There have also been a string of less deadly but frequent attacks by lone wolf jihadists wielding knives or guns. Most of the attacks have either been claimed by the Islamic State group or been carried out in their name. A state of emergency put in place just after the 2015 Paris attacks was lifted in October when Macron's centrist government passed a new law boosting the powers of security forces. French far-right leader Marine Le Pen called for greater security measures after Saturday's attack. "The French people will no longer be content with talk, they expect action," she said. Thousands of French troops remain on the streets under an anti-terror operation known as Sentinelle, patrolling transport hubs, tourist hotspots and other sensitive sites.

One dead, 4 injured after knife attack in Paris. Islamic State claims responsibility

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday that making fake voter ID cards to win elections is a "tactic of Congress", and that "people should never forgive such a party".&nbsp;

Modi was referring to the close to 10,000 fake voter ID cards recovered from a flat in Bengaluru last night. The Congress has since alleged that the raid was stage-managed by the BJP and that the flat's owner and tenant are both BJP leaders.&nbsp;

"Making multiple fake voter ID cards to win elections is the tactic of Congress. People should never forgive such party. Fearing a crushing defeat, Congress is indulging in all kinds of malpractices," Modi said at an election rally in Chikkamagaluru.&nbsp;

He then went on to attack Congress President Rahul Gandhi.&nbsp;

"Throughout the day, a Congress leader thinks only about one thing — <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/is-rahul-gandhi-ready-to-be-pm-why-not-says-congress-president-135428">how to be the prime minister</a>? If this isn't arrogance, then what is?" Modi asked.&nbsp;

He then <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/can-rahul-gandhi-speak-for-15-minutes-pm-modi-at-karnataka-rally-133953">continued with his </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/can-rahul-gandhi-speak-for-15-minutes-pm-modi-at-karnataka-rally-133953">naamdaar</a> (dynast) versus kaamdaar (worker) jibe.&nbsp;

"The naamdaar of Congress keeps getting promoted even if he doesn't do anything," Modi said.&nbsp;

"He was made General Secretary of the party in 2007. He said he'll make a young team and bring new ideas. It has been 11 years and things are still what they used to be," he added.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Congress only wants to remain in power. In '78, Indira Ji came here, took your votes but never cared for people of this region. Congress never thought about welfare of people of Chikmagalur. Sonia Ji too contested from Bellari, but what happened to promises made here?: PM Modi <a href="https://t.co/Rm7xyS1CHf">pic.twitter.com/Rm7xyS1CHf</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/994137322730983424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 9, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Owner of the flat (in Jalahalli, where voter IDs were found) is Manjula Nanjamari, she was BJP corporator from '97-'02 & continues to be prominent leader of BJP. In last 24 hours she has been disowned by <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Karnataka?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Karnataka</a> BJP in-charge Prakash Javadekar: Randeep Surjewala, Congress <a href="https://t.co/ERcpBLYUUx">pic.twitter.com/ERcpBLYUUx</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/994172382204997633?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 9, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Last night raid was stage managed by BJP which is using huge amounts of cash & resources which are at BJP's disposal to influence voters & elections. It wasn't EC or police but BJP people who raided flat which belongs to BJP leader & the tenant is also a BJP leader: Anand Sharma <a href="https://t.co/NDLoAQqufE">pic.twitter.com/NDLoAQqufE</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/994127614766927877?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 9, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
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&nbsp;

Modi was referring to the close to 10,000 fake voter ID cards recovered from a flat in Bengaluru last night. The Congress has since alleged that the raid was stage-managed by the BJP and that the flat's owner and tenant are both BJP leaders

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday that making fake voter ID cards to win elections is a "tactic of Congress", and that "people should never forgive such a party". Modi was referring to the close to 10,000 fake voter ID cards recovered from a flat in Bengaluru last night. The Congress has since alleged that the raid was stage-managed by the BJP and that the flat's owner and tenant are both BJP leaders. "Making multiple fake voter ID cards to win elections is the tactic of Congress. People should never forgive such party. Fearing a crushing defeat, Congress is indulging in all kinds of malpractices," Modi said at an election rally in Chikkamagaluru. He then went on to attack Congress President Rahul Gandhi. "Throughout the day, a Congress leader thinks only about one thing — how to be the prime minister? If this isn't arrogance, then what is?" Modi asked. He then continued with his naamdaar (dynast) versus kaamdaar (worker) jibe. "The naamdaar of Congress keeps getting promoted even if he doesn't do anything," Modi said. "He was made General Secretary of the party in 2007. He said he'll make a young team and bring new ideas. It has been 11 years and things are still what they used to be," he added. Congress only wants to remain in power. In '78, Indira Ji came here, took your votes but never cared for people of this region. Congress never thought about welfare of people of Chikmagalur. Sonia Ji too contested from Bellari, but what happened to promises made here?: PM Modi pic.twitter.com/Rm7xyS1CHf — ANI (@ANI) May 9, 2018 × Owner of the flat (in Jalahalli, where voter IDs were found) is Manjula Nanjamari, she was BJP corporator from '97-'02 & continues to be prominent leader of BJP. In last 24 hours she has been disowned by #Karnataka BJP in-charge Prakash Javadekar: Randeep Surjewala, Congress pic.twitter.com/ERcpBLYUUx — ANI (@ANI) May 9, 2018 × Last night raid was stage managed by BJP which is using huge amounts of cash & resources which are at BJP's disposal to influence voters & elections. It wasn't EC or police but BJP people who raided flat which belongs to BJP leader & the tenant is also a BJP leader: Anand Sharma pic.twitter.com/NDLoAQqufE — ANI (@ANI) May 9, 2018 ×

Congress making fake voter IDs to avoid defeat: PM Modi in Karnataka

Putin has taken oath as the president of Russia for the fourth time at the St. Andrew Hall in the Kremlin Palace in a traditional ceremony.&nbsp;

Putin's fourth term comes after he won the presidential election in March, capturing 76 per cent votes.&nbsp;

He will now hold office for the next 6 years till 2024.

The grand ceremony began at around 12 pm (Russia time) with thousands in attendance at the Kremlin Palace, taking pictures and videos of the president.

Government members, State Duma deputies and senators, heads of the presidential administration, judges of the Constitutional Court, the diplomatic corps and other officials are obligatorily present at&nbsp;the ceremony

Putin's third inauguration took place on May 7, 2012.

About 3,000 people were invited to attend the ceremony, including members of the Russian government, State Duma lawmakers and members of the Federation Council.

<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jsZr2451TBg" width="560"></iframe>

&nbsp;

he grand ceremony began at around 12 pm (Russia time) with thousands in attendance at the Kremlin Palace, taking pictures and videos of the president

Putin has taken oath as the president of Russia for the fourth time at the St. Andrew Hall in the Kremlin Palace in a traditional ceremony. Putin's fourth term comes after he won the presidential election in March, capturing 76 per cent votes. He will now hold office for the next 6 years till 2024. The grand ceremony began at around 12 pm (Russia time) with thousands in attendance at the Kremlin Palace, taking pictures and videos of the president. Government members, State Duma deputies and senators, heads of the presidential administration, judges of the Constitutional Court, the diplomatic corps and other officials are obligatorily present at the ceremony Putin's third inauguration took place on May 7, 2012. About 3,000 people were invited to attend the ceremony, including members of the Russian government, State Duma lawmakers and members of the Federation Council.

Vladimir Putin sworn in as Russia president for 4th term

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and around 1,600 anti-Kremlin activists were detained by police on Saturday during street protests against Vladimir Putin ahead of his inauguration for a fourth term as president.

Navalny had called for demonstrations in more than 90 towns and cities across Russia against what he says is Putin's autocratic, tsar-like rule.

Before his detention, he briefly addressed supporters in central Moscow, leading them in chants of 'Down with the Tsar!".

"They said that this city belongs to Putin. Is that right?" Navalny asked his supporters. "Do you need a tsar?" he asked, eliciting a collective roar of "No!"

Putin won re-election overwhelmingly in March, extending his grip over Russia for six more years - a tenure of 24 years that would make him Moscow's longest-serving leader since Soviet dictator Josef Stalin.

Navalny, who was barred from running in the election on what he says was a false pretext, was detained soon after showing up on Moscow's Pushkin Square, where young people were chanting "Russia without Putin!" and "Putin is a Thief!".

Video footage showed five policemen hauling him to a waiting van by his arms and legs, a scene that was repeated dozens of times with his supporters.

Early on Sunday, shortly after midnight, Navalny said on social media he had been released from custody until a court appearance, which is expected to take place on May 11.

Navalny said he had been charged with organising an unsanctioned meeting and with disobeying the police.

"Apparently the order came down not to 'jail me before the (Putin) inauguration,'" wrote Navalny.

The penalty for the offences he is charged with could see him fined and jailed for up to 30 days.

'NOTHING WILL CHANGE'

Navalny, who has been detained and jailed numerous times for organising similar protests, said he was proud to have made it to the rally.

One protester in Moscow, wearing a rabbit's mask with the legend "Tsar of the Animals", said he was unsure what the protest would achieve.

"I have the feeling that people are gathering just to let off steam and that nothing will change," said the 31-year-old man called Alexander, who declined to give his surname.

OVD-Info, a rights organisation that monitors detentions, said it had received reports of police detaining 1,597 people across Russia, nearly half of them in Moscow. Images from the Moscow protest showed pro-Kremlin Cossacks beating protesters with leather whips.

A police spokesman said around 1,500 people had protested in Moscow, of whom around 300 had been detained, the Interfax news agency reported. Reuters reporters estimated the crowd numbered several thousand.

Protests also took place in the Far East, Siberia and St. Petersburg, where Interfax cited the police as saying around 200 people had been detained. In the city of Yekaterinburg, around 1,500 km (900 miles) east of Moscow, a Reuters reporter saw over 1,000 people protesting and shouting anti-Putin slogans.

FATHER OF THE NATION

Putin, 65, has been in power, either as president or prime minister, since 2000.

Backed by state TV and the ruling party, and credited with an approval rating of around 80 percent, he is lauded by supporters as a father-of-the-nation figure who has restored national pride and expanded Moscow’s global clout with interventions in Syria and Ukraine.

The authorities regard most of the protests as illegal, arguing that their time and place was not approved beforehand, and that the police have a duty to protect public order.

Putin has dismissed Navalny as a troublemaker bent on sowing chaos on behalf of Washington. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, a close Putin ally, has called Navalny a political charlatan.

Putin is due to be inaugurated on Monday in a Kremlin ceremony heavy on pomp.

With more than 56 million votes, almost 77 percent of the total, his March election win was his biggest ever and the largest by any post-Soviet Russian leader, something he and his allies say gave him an unequivocal mandate to govern.

European observers said there had been no real choice in the election, and complained of unfair pressure on critical voices. Critics like Navalny accuse Putin of overseeing a corrupt authoritarian system and of annexing Ukraine’s Crimea illegally in 2014, a move that isolated Russia internationally.

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and around 1,600 anti-Kremlin activists were detained by police

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and around 1,600 anti-Kremlin activists were detained by police on Saturday during street protests against Vladimir Putin ahead of his inauguration for a fourth term as president. Navalny had called for demonstrations in more than 90 towns and cities across Russia against what he says is Putin's autocratic, tsar-like rule. Before his detention, he briefly addressed supporters in central Moscow, leading them in chants of 'Down with the Tsar!". "They said that this city belongs to Putin. Is that right?" Navalny asked his supporters. "Do you need a tsar?" he asked, eliciting a collective roar of "No!" Putin won re-election overwhelmingly in March, extending his grip over Russia for six more years - a tenure of 24 years that would make him Moscow's longest-serving leader since Soviet dictator Josef Stalin. Navalny, who was barred from running in the election on what he says was a false pretext, was detained soon after showing up on Moscow's Pushkin Square, where young people were chanting "Russia without Putin!" and "Putin is a Thief!". Video footage showed five policemen hauling him to a waiting van by his arms and legs, a scene that was repeated dozens of times with his supporters. Early on Sunday, shortly after midnight, Navalny said on social media he had been released from custody until a court appearance, which is expected to take place on May 11. Navalny said he had been charged with organising an unsanctioned meeting and with disobeying the police. "Apparently the order came down not to 'jail me before the (Putin) inauguration,'" wrote Navalny. The penalty for the offences he is charged with could see him fined and jailed for up to 30 days. 'NOTHING WILL CHANGE' Navalny, who has been detained and jailed numerous times for organising similar protests, said he was proud to have made it to the rally. One protester in Moscow, wearing a rabbit's mask with the legend "Tsar of the Animals", said he was unsure what the protest would achieve. "I have the feeling that people are gathering just to let off steam and that nothing will change," said the 31-year-old man called Alexander, who declined to give his surname. OVD-Info, a rights organisation that monitors detentions, said it had received reports of police detaining 1,597 people across Russia, nearly half of them in Moscow. Images from the Moscow protest showed pro-Kremlin Cossacks beating protesters with leather whips. A police spokesman said around 1,500 people had protested in Moscow, of whom around 300 had been detained, the Interfax news agency reported. Reuters reporters estimated the crowd numbered several thousand. Protests also took place in the Far East, Siberia and St. Petersburg, where Interfax cited the police as saying around 200 people had been detained. In the city of Yekaterinburg, around 1,500 km (900 miles) east of Moscow, a Reuters reporter saw over 1,000 people protesting and shouting anti-Putin slogans. FATHER OF THE NATION Putin, 65, has been in power, either as president or prime minister, since 2000. Backed by state TV and the ruling party, and credited with an approval rating of around 80 percent, he is lauded by supporters as a father-of-the-nation figure who has restored national pride and expanded Moscow’s global clout with interventions in Syria and Ukraine. The authorities regard most of the protests as illegal, arguing that their time and place was not approved beforehand, and that the police have a duty to protect public order. Putin has dismissed Navalny as a troublemaker bent on sowing chaos on behalf of Washington. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, a close Putin ally, has called Navalny a political charlatan. Putin is due to be inaugurated on Monday in a Kremlin ceremony heavy on pomp. With more than 56 million votes, almost 77 percent of the total, his March election win was his biggest ever and the largest by any post-Soviet Russian leader, something he and his allies say gave him an unequivocal mandate to govern. European observers said there had been no real choice in the election, and complained of unfair pressure on critical voices. Critics like Navalny accuse Putin of overseeing a corrupt authoritarian system and of annexing Ukraine’s Crimea illegally in 2014, a move that isolated Russia internationally.

Russian opposition leader and activists held before Putin inauguration

An attorney for adult film star Stormy Daniels today alleged that President Donald Trump and his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani is now "making up" facts and have lost track of the truth.

Michael Avenatti represents Daniels who claims that she had an intimate relationship with Trump years before he was elected president.

And days before the 2016 presidential election, she says she received USD 130,000 from Trump's then personal attorney Michael Cohen to not go public about her relationship with the president.

In the last few days, Trump has acknowledged that he reimbursed Cohen for the USD 130,000 he paid to Daniels.

Avenatti said there is ample evidence to prove that Cohen approached Daniels before the election to keep her mouth shut. The money being given to Daniels was part of the campaign finance, he asserted, which has been denied by Giuliani who is now the personal attorney for Trump.

"There is a significant amount of evidence, there is no question that this had everything to do with the campaign. In fact, if you go back and replay that interview, and that will be done I'm confident, and if you look at the answers, you're going to find an inconsistency with what Rudy Giuliani just told you," Avenatti told ABC News in an interview.

"Early in the interview, he told you it has nothing to do with the campaign, later in the interview you asked him if there was going to be inconsistencies between Michael Cohen's testimony and Donald Trump and he equivocated. He basically said that well it may have had something to do with the campaign, but it also has to do with personal issues. There's no question this had everything to do with the campaign. You could look at the timing associated with the payment," he said.

Avenatti claimed that Trump and Giuliani are now making up things.

"It's an absolute unmitigated disaster for Rudy Giuliani and the president. It's a train wreck. I can't believe that that actually just happened. I mean what we witnessed by Rudy Giuliani may be one of the worst TV appearances by any attorney on behalf of a client in modern times," he said.

"He now expects the American people to believe that he doesn't really know the facts, that as to every key question you asked, he hasn't communicated with the president about it. I mean this guy's all over the map over the last 72 hours on some very simple facts that should be very straightforward," Avenatti said.

"I think it is obvious to the American people that this is a cover-up, that they are making it up as they go along, they don't know what to say because they've lost track of the truth," said the attorney for Daniels.

Avenatti said that Daniels did not approach Cohen, it was the other way round.

"My client was preparing to tell her story, my client did not approach Michael Cohen, did not have anyone approach Michael Cohen, Michael Cohen approached my client in her council in an effort to shut her up in the days before the election," he said, asserting that he can prove that.

"We have evidence that the president knew in the months at least following the campaign, of this payment, certainly knew it long before his statement on Air Force One in April of this year where he effectively stood there and lied to the American people about not knowing anything about this payment. And then, of course, Rudy Giuliani a few days ago goes out and contradicts that," he said.

And days before the 2016 presidential election, she says she received USD 130,000 from Trump's then personal attorney Michael Cohen to not go public about her relationship with the president.

An attorney for adult film star Stormy Daniels today alleged that President Donald Trump and his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani is now "making up" facts and have lost track of the truth. Michael Avenatti represents Daniels who claims that she had an intimate relationship with Trump years before he was elected president. And days before the 2016 presidential election, she says she received USD 130,000 from Trump's then personal attorney Michael Cohen to not go public about her relationship with the president. In the last few days, Trump has acknowledged that he reimbursed Cohen for the USD 130,000 he paid to Daniels. Avenatti said there is ample evidence to prove that Cohen approached Daniels before the election to keep her mouth shut. The money being given to Daniels was part of the campaign finance, he asserted, which has been denied by Giuliani who is now the personal attorney for Trump. "There is a significant amount of evidence, there is no question that this had everything to do with the campaign. In fact, if you go back and replay that interview, and that will be done I'm confident, and if you look at the answers, you're going to find an inconsistency with what Rudy Giuliani just told you," Avenatti told ABC News in an interview. "Early in the interview, he told you it has nothing to do with the campaign, later in the interview you asked him if there was going to be inconsistencies between Michael Cohen's testimony and Donald Trump and he equivocated. He basically said that well it may have had something to do with the campaign, but it also has to do with personal issues. There's no question this had everything to do with the campaign. You could look at the timing associated with the payment," he said. Avenatti claimed that Trump and Giuliani are now making up things. "It's an absolute unmitigated disaster for Rudy Giuliani and the president. It's a train wreck. I can't believe that that actually just happened. I mean what we witnessed by Rudy Giuliani may be one of the worst TV appearances by any attorney on behalf of a client in modern times," he said. "He now expects the American people to believe that he doesn't really know the facts, that as to every key question you asked, he hasn't communicated with the president about it. I mean this guy's all over the map over the last 72 hours on some very simple facts that should be very straightforward," Avenatti said. "I think it is obvious to the American people that this is a cover-up, that they are making it up as they go along, they don't know what to say because they've lost track of the truth," said the attorney for Daniels. Avenatti said that Daniels did not approach Cohen, it was the other way round. "My client was preparing to tell her story, my client did not approach Michael Cohen, did not have anyone approach Michael Cohen, Michael Cohen approached my client in her council in an effort to shut her up in the days before the election," he said, asserting that he can prove that. "We have evidence that the president knew in the months at least following the campaign, of this payment, certainly knew it long before his statement on Air Force One in April of this year where he effectively stood there and lied to the American people about not knowing anything about this payment. And then, of course, Rudy Giuliani a few days ago goes out and contradicts that," he said.

Attorney of adult film star accuses Trump team of cover-up

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday put forward Dmitry Medvedev for the post of prime minister, the Kremlin said in a statement on its website.

Medvedev, who had been prime minister since 2012, resigned earlier on Monday along with the rest of the government in line with procedure. Putin was on Monday sworn in for a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/vladimir-putin-to-take-oath-as-russia-president-for-4th-term-135148">fourth term</a>.

Medvedev's candidacy still has to be approved by the State Duma, or the lower house of parliament.

Medvedev, who had been prime minister since 2012, resigned earlier on Monday along with the rest of the government in line with procedure

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday put forward Dmitry Medvedev for the post of prime minister, the Kremlin said in a statement on its website. Medvedev, who had been prime minister since 2012, resigned earlier on Monday along with the rest of the government in line with procedure. Putin was on Monday sworn in for a fourth term. Medvedev's candidacy still has to be approved by the State Duma, or the lower house of parliament.

Russia's Putin taps Dmitry Medvedev for prime minister

President Hassan Rouhani hinted on Monday that Iran could remain in its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers even if the United States dropped out but Tehran would fiercely resist US&nbsppressure to limit its influence in the Middle East.

US&nbspPresident Donald Trump, a long-time critic of the deal reached between Iran and six powers in 2015 before he took office, has threatened to pull out by not extending sanctions waivers when they expire on May 12, unless European signatories of the accord fix what he calls its “flaws”.

Under the agreement with the United States, France, Germany, Britain, Russia and China, Iran strictly limited uranium enrichment capacity to satisfy the powers that it could not be used to develop atomic bombs. In exchange, Iran received relief from sanctions, most of which were rescinded in January 2016.

Rouhani said the Islamic Republic had been preparing for every possible scenario, including a deal without Washington - which would still include the other signatories that remain committed to it - or no deal at all.

"We are not worried about America's cruel decisions ... We are prepared for all scenarios and no change will occur in our lives next week," Rouhani said in a speech broadcast live on state TV.

"If we can get what we want from a deal without America, then Iran will continue to remain committed to the deal. What Iran wants is our interests to be guaranteed by its non-American signatories ... In that case, getting rid of America's mischievous presence will be fine for Iran."

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"If they want to make sure that we are not after a nuclear bomb, we have said repeatedly that we are not and we will not be," said Rouhani, who engineered the nuclear accord to ease Iran's isolation.

"But if they want to weaken Iran and limit its influence whether in the region or globally, Iran will fiercely resist."

Tehran has made repeated threats to walk away if Trump does, but several Iranian officials told Reuters last week that as long as Tehran was not excluded from the global financial and trading system, it could consider respecting the accord.

Diplomats say Tehran would rather the deal remain intact out of concern about a revival of domestic unrest over economic hardships that mounted over the years sanctions were in place.

EUROPEAN POWERS VOW TO UPHOLD DEAL

Britain, France and Germany remain committed to the accord and, in an effort to address U.S. complaints, want to open talks on Iran's ballistic missile programme, its nuclear activities beyond 2025 - when pivotal provisions of the deal expire - and its role in the wars in Syria and Yemen.

Whatever Trump decides, France, Britain and Germany will stick to the deal because it is the best way to stop Iran developing a nuclear bomb, French Foreign Minister Yean-Yves Le Drian said on Monday after meeting his German counterpart.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said the deal, which is being policed by U.N. nuclear inspectors, "makes the world safer", and would do everything possible to uphold it.

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, now in Washington for talks, said the deal had weaknesses but these could be remedied. "...At this moment Britain is working alongside the Trump administration and our French and German allies to ensure that they are," he said in a commentary in the New York Times.

"I am sure of one thing: every available alternative is worse. The wisest course would be to improve the handcuffs rather than break them."

Even if Trump rejects a possible remedy being worked out by U.S. and European officials and decides to bring back sanctions, the most drastic U.S. measures targeting Iran's oil sales will not immediately resume.

There are at least two avenues potentially offering more time for talks after May 12.

The agreement has a dispute resolution clause that provides at least 35 days to consider a claim that any party has violated its terms. That can be extended if all parties agree.

And if Trump restores the core U.S. sanctions, under U.S. law he must wait at least 180 days before reimposing penalties on banks of nations that do not slash purchases of Iranian oil.

Iran's clerical rulers have repeatedly ruled out reducing its sway across the region, as demanded by the United States and its European allies. Tehran says its missile capabilities are purely defensive and nuclear ambitions only civilian in nature.

The UN&nbspnuclear watchdog says it is maintaining the "world's most robust verification regime" in Iran and has repeatedly said Tehran is complying with the deal terms.

President Hassan Rouhani hinted on Monday that Iran could remain in its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers even if the United States dropped out but Tehran would fiercely resist US pressure to limit its influence in the Middle East

President Hassan Rouhani hinted on Monday that Iran could remain in its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers even if the United States dropped out but Tehran would fiercely resist US&nbsppressure to limit its influence in the Middle East. US&nbspPresident Donald Trump, a long-time critic of the deal reached between Iran and six powers in 2015 before he took office, has threatened to pull out by not extending sanctions waivers when they expire on May 12, unless European signatories of the accord fix what he calls its “flaws”. Under the agreement with the United States, France, Germany, Britain, Russia and China, Iran strictly limited uranium enrichment capacity to satisfy the powers that it could not be used to develop atomic bombs. In exchange, Iran received relief from sanctions, most of which were rescinded in January 2016. Rouhani said the Islamic Republic had been preparing for every possible scenario, including a deal without Washington - which would still include the other signatories that remain committed to it - or no deal at all. "We are not worried about America's cruel decisions ... We are prepared for all scenarios and no change will occur in our lives next week," Rouhani said in a speech broadcast live on state TV. "If we can get what we want from a deal without America, then Iran will continue to remain committed to the deal. What Iran wants is our interests to be guaranteed by its non-American signatories ... In that case, getting rid of America's mischievous presence will be fine for Iran." If they want to make sure that we are not after a nuclear bomb, we have said repeatedly that we are not and we will not be,' said Rouhani, who engineered the nuclear accord to ease Iran's isolation × "If they want to make sure that we are not after a nuclear bomb, we have said repeatedly that we are not and we will not be," said Rouhani, who engineered the nuclear accord to ease Iran's isolation. "But if they want to weaken Iran and limit its influence whether in the region or globally, Iran will fiercely resist." Tehran has made repeated threats to walk away if Trump does, but several Iranian officials told Reuters last week that as long as Tehran was not excluded from the global financial and trading system, it could consider respecting the accord. Diplomats say Tehran would rather the deal remain intact out of concern about a revival of domestic unrest over economic hardships that mounted over the years sanctions were in place. EUROPEAN POWERS VOW TO UPHOLD DEAL Britain, France and Germany remain committed to the accord and, in an effort to address U.S. complaints, want to open talks on Iran's ballistic missile programme, its nuclear activities beyond 2025 - when pivotal provisions of the deal expire - and its role in the wars in Syria and Yemen. Whatever Trump decides, France, Britain and Germany will stick to the deal because it is the best way to stop Iran developing a nuclear bomb, French Foreign Minister Yean-Yves Le Drian said on Monday after meeting his German counterpart. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said the deal, which is being policed by U.N. nuclear inspectors, "makes the world safer", and would do everything possible to uphold it. British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, now in Washington for talks, said the deal had weaknesses but these could be remedied. "...At this moment Britain is working alongside the Trump administration and our French and German allies to ensure that they are," he said in a commentary in the New York Times. "I am sure of one thing: every available alternative is worse. The wisest course would be to improve the handcuffs rather than break them." Even if Trump rejects a possible remedy being worked out by U.S. and European officials and decides to bring back sanctions, the most drastic U.S. measures targeting Iran's oil sales will not immediately resume. There are at least two avenues potentially offering more time for talks after May 12. The agreement has a dispute resolution clause that provides at least 35 days to consider a claim that any party has violated its terms. That can be extended if all parties agree. And if Trump restores the core U.S. sanctions, under U.S. law he must wait at least 180 days before reimposing penalties on banks of nations that do not slash purchases of Iranian oil. Iran's clerical rulers have repeatedly ruled out reducing its sway across the region, as demanded by the United States and its European allies. Tehran says its missile capabilities are purely defensive and nuclear ambitions only civilian in nature. The UN&nbspnuclear watchdog says it is maintaining the "world's most robust verification regime" in Iran and has repeatedly said Tehran is complying with the deal terms.

Iran says could remain in nuclear deal if its interests guaranteed: State TV

Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President Narinder Batra on Saturday stirred a controversy by saying that politicians should lead the various national sports federations (NSF).

The comments came despite the growing chorus of replacing politicians with sportspersons to lead the various federations.

Batra further added that lawmakers at the helm is "good for Indian sports".

"Sixty out of the 66 medals India won in the CWG were by players from NSFs being headed by politicians. Badminton, table tennis, wrestling, weightlifting, shooting to name a few are headed by politicians and they are giving medals to the country," Batra said at a felicitation function of the badminton players who have won medals at the CWG.

"Politicians heading NSFs are not bad but they are actually good for Indian sports," he added.

Batra also said that country should aim to win double-digit medals at the Tokyo Olympics and around 25 at the 2024 games in Paris.

The IOA president feels that a good show will then help them gain public support in its bid to host the 2032 Summer Games. 
&nbsp;

The comments came despite the growing chorus of replacing politicians with sportspersons

Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President Narinder Batra on Saturday stirred a controversy by saying that politicians should lead the various national sports federations (NSF). The comments came despite the growing chorus of replacing politicians with sportspersons to lead the various federations. Batra further added that lawmakers at the helm is "good for Indian sports". "Sixty out of the 66 medals India won in the CWG were by players from NSFs being headed by politicians. Badminton, table tennis, wrestling, weightlifting, shooting to name a few are headed by politicians and they are giving medals to the country," Batra said at a felicitation function of the badminton players who have won medals at the CWG. "Politicians heading NSFs are not bad but they are actually good for Indian sports," he added. Batra also said that country should aim to win double-digit medals at the Tokyo Olympics and around 25 at the 2024 games in Paris. The IOA president feels that a good show will then help them gain public support in its bid to host the 2032 Summer Games.

Politicians should head national sports federations, says IOA chief

Brazilian football chief President Marco Polo Del Nero has been banned from football for life by FIFA's ethics committee for bribery, the global soccer body said on Friday.

FIFA said that Del Nero had been investigated over "schemes in which he received bribes in exchange for his role in awarding contracts to companies for the media and marketing rights to various football tournaments."

In doing so, he violated ethics rules on bribery, offering and accepting gifts, loyalty, conflict of interest and general rules of conduct, FIFA said.

Del Nero, a former member of FIFA's executive committee, could not immediately be reached for comment although he has previously denied wrongdoing.

He was among several dozen soccer officials and sports marketing executives indicted in the United States in 2015 in a corruption scandal that sparked the biggest crisis in FIFA’s history.

Brazil does not allow the extradition of its own citizens and Del Nero had remained as president of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) until the FIFA provisionally suspended him in December.

Brazilian football chief President Marco Polo Del Nero has been banned from football for life by FIFA's ethics committee for bribery, the global soccer body

Brazilian football chief President Marco Polo Del Nero has been banned from football for life by FIFA's ethics committee for bribery, the global soccer body said on Friday. FIFA said that Del Nero had been investigated over "schemes in which he received bribes in exchange for his role in awarding contracts to companies for the media and marketing rights to various football tournaments." In doing so, he violated ethics rules on bribery, offering and accepting gifts, loyalty, conflict of interest and general rules of conduct, FIFA said. Del Nero, a former member of FIFA's executive committee, could not immediately be reached for comment although he has previously denied wrongdoing. He was among several dozen soccer officials and sports marketing executives indicted in the United States in 2015 in a corruption scandal that sparked the biggest crisis in FIFA’s history. Brazil does not allow the extradition of its own citizens and Del Nero had remained as president of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) until the FIFA provisionally suspended him in December.

Brazilian football boss Del Nero gets life ban

President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit the UK on July 13, the White House said Thursday, and he is expected to meet UK Prime Minister Theresa May.&nbsp

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters that the date has been set.

It will mark his first visit to Britain since his 2016 election triumph.

British Ambassador to the USA Kim Darroch also tweeted confirmation of the visit on Thursday afternoon.

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Delighted that President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> will visit the UK on 13 July and hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister May.
— Kim Darroch (@KimDarroch) <a href="https://twitter.com/KimDarroch/status/989529614249873408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp

British Ambassador to the USA Kim Darroch also tweeted confirmation of the visit on Thursday afternoon.

President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit the UK on July 13, the White House said Thursday, and he is expected to meet UK Prime Minister Theresa May. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters that the date has been set. It will mark his first visit to Britain since his 2016 election triumph. British Ambassador to the USA Kim Darroch also tweeted confirmation of the visit on Thursday afternoon. Delighted that President @realDonaldTrump will visit the UK on 13 July and hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister May. — Kim Darroch (@KimDarroch) April 26, 2018 ×

US President Donald Trump to visit the UK on July 13

After much procrastination, Congress appointed senior Congress MP and former Union Minister Kamal Nath as the PCC chief of Madhya Pradesh on Thursday. Congress has been out of power in the state from 2003 onwards. Its biggest problem in the state is a plethora of leaders and dwindling cadre. The seniormost leader today is Kamal Nath who joined politics in the 1970's and was a close aide of Sanjay Gandhi.

Kamal Nath told WION, "The challenge is to build the party. The challenge lies in giving a new dimension to the state and tell a new growth story and for this Congress must form the government.”

When asked as to what he intends to do with the multiple leaders, Kamal Nath said, "I’m friends with everyone. My relationship with most of the leaders is good and I get along with everyone.”

The fact of the matter is that Congress MP Jyotiraditya Scindhia was also very keen to become the PCC chief of Madhya Pradesh. There is no doubt that he is a popular young leader but within Congress, no one can match Kamal Nath's organisational muscle. Congress also faces a fund crunch and understands that Kamal Nath can help organise the elections better.

Even former chief minister Digvijay Singh was more disposed towards Kamal Nath. There is also the fact that the Congress did not make Kamal Nath leader of the Congress Party in the Lok Sabha, because of caste considerations, despite his seniority.

There is a very popular saying about Kamal Nath in the Congress, told to me by a very senior leader. The senior leader told me, "If Kamal Nath is your friend, then he might save you from God once. But if he is your enemy, then even God may not be able to save you.”

For now Jyotiraditya Scindhia will have to be content with the position of head of the Congress Campaign Committee for Madhya Pradesh. Former union minister Arun Yadav, who was MP PCC chief so far, meanwhile will have to wait to be rehabilitated in Delhi.&nbsp;

Jyotiraditya Scindia has been made Congress campaign chief for the upcoming elections

After much procrastination, Congress appointed senior Congress MP and former Union Minister Kamal Nath as the PCC chief of Madhya Pradesh on Thursday. Congress has been out of power in the state from 2003 onwards. Its biggest problem in the state is a plethora of leaders and dwindling cadre. The seniormost leader today is Kamal Nath who joined politics in the 1970's and was a close aide of Sanjay Gandhi. Kamal Nath told WION, "The challenge is to build the party. The challenge lies in giving a new dimension to the state and tell a new growth story and for this Congress must form the government.” When asked as to what he intends to do with the multiple leaders, Kamal Nath said, "I’m friends with everyone. My relationship with most of the leaders is good and I get along with everyone.” The fact of the matter is that Congress MP Jyotiraditya Scindhia was also very keen to become the PCC chief of Madhya Pradesh. There is no doubt that he is a popular young leader but within Congress, no one can match Kamal Nath's organisational muscle. Congress also faces a fund crunch and understands that Kamal Nath can help organise the elections better. Even former chief minister Digvijay Singh was more disposed towards Kamal Nath. There is also the fact that the Congress did not make Kamal Nath leader of the Congress Party in the Lok Sabha, because of caste considerations, despite his seniority. There is a very popular saying about Kamal Nath in the Congress, told to me by a very senior leader. The senior leader told me, "If Kamal Nath is your friend, then he might save you from God once. But if he is your enemy, then even God may not be able to save you.” For now Jyotiraditya Scindhia will have to be content with the position of head of the Congress Campaign Committee for Madhya Pradesh. Former union minister Arun Yadav, who was MP PCC chief so far, meanwhile will have to wait to be rehabilitated in Delhi.

With MP going to polls this year, Kamal Nath takes over as state Congress chief

After much procrastination, Congress appointed senior Congress MP and former Union Minister Kamal Nath as the PCC chief of Madhya Pradesh on Thursday. Congress has been out of power in the state from 2003 onwards. Its biggest problem in the state is a plethora of leaders and dwindling cadre. The seniormost leader today is Kamal Nath who joined politics in the 1970's and was a close aide of Sanjay Gandhi.

Kamal Nath told WION, "The challenge is to build the party. The challenge lies in giving a new dimension to the state and tell a new growth story and for this Congress must form the government.”

When asked as to what he intends to do with the multiple leaders, Kamal Nath said, "I’m friends with everyone. My relationship with most of the leaders is good and I get along with everyone.”

The fact of the matter is that Congress MP Jyotiraditya Scindhia was also very keen to become the PCC chief of Madhya Pradesh. There is no doubt that he is a popular young leader but within Congress, no one can match Kamal Nath's organisational muscle. Congress also faces a fund crunch and understands that Kamal Nath can help organise the elections better.

Even former chief minister Digvijay Singh was more disposed towards Kamal Nath. There is also the fact that the Congress did not make Kamal Nath leader of the Congress Party in the Lok Sabha, because of caste considerations, despite his seniority.

There is a very popular saying about Kamal Nath in the Congress, told to me by a very senior leader. The senior leader told me, "If Kamal Nath is your friend, then he might save you from God once. But if he is your enemy, then even God may not be able to save you.”

For now Jyotiraditya Scindhia will have to be content with the position of head of the Congress Campaign Committee for Madhya Pradesh. Former union minister Arun Yadav, who was MP PCC chief so far, meanwhile will have to wait to be rehabilitated in Delhi.&nbsp

Jyotiraditya Scindia has been made Congress campaign chief for the upcoming elections. MP goes to the polls in 2018

I'm friends with everyone: Kamal Nath takes over as MP Congress chief

President&nbsp;Ram Nath Kovind promulgated the ordinance to amend the POCSO act today, a day after it was <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/union-cabinet-approves-death-penalty-for-rape-of-children-under-12-131823">cleared by the Union Cabinet</a>.

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The ordinance will&nbsp;allow courts to award death penalty to those convicted of raping children up to 12 years of age.

The Union Cabinet on Saturday approved an ordinance to allow courts to award death penalty to those convicted of raping children up to 12 years of age.

Official sources said that the criminal law amendment ordinance seeks to amend the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Evidence Act, the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act to introduce a new provision to sentence convicts of such crimes punishment of death.

The move comes against the backdrop of the alleged rape and murder of girls in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua and Gujarat's Surat district recently.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/death-for-raping-children-what-the-ordinance-says-131971">Death for raping children — What the ordinance says</a>

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/president-promulgates-fugitive-economic-offenders-ordinance-131972">President promulgates fugitive economic offenders ordinance</a>

New fast-track courts will be set up to deal with such cases and special forensic kits for rape cases will be given to all police stations and hospitals in the long term, according to the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance 2018.

All cases of rape has to be mandatorily completed within two months. A six-month time limit for the disposal of appeals in rape cases has also been prescribed.

It stipulates stringent punishment for perpetrators of rape, particularly of girls below 16 and 12 years.&nbsp;

Death sentence has been provided for rapists of girls under 12 years, with the minimum jail term being 20 years which may go up to life in prison.

The minimum punishment in case of rape of women has been increased from rigorous imprisonment of seven years to 10 years, extendable to life imprisonment,

In case of rape of a girl under 16 years, the minimum punishment has been increased from 10 years to 20 years, extendable to imprisonment for rest of life, which means jail term till the convict's "natural life".

The punishment for gangrape of a girl below 16 years will invariably be imprisonment for the rest of life of the convict, the officials said.

There will also be no provision for anticipatory bail for a person accused of rape or gang rape of a girl under 16 years.&nbsp;

The President last night also promulgated Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance that will allow the government to confiscate properties and assets of loan defaulters who flee the country.

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President <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RamNathKovind?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RamNathKovind</a> promulgates the ordinance to amend POCSO act(death sentence to those found guilty of raping a child below 12 years of age) <a href="https://t.co/AryWHQy4Mt">pic.twitter.com/AryWHQy4Mt</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/987924224152043521?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2018</a></blockquote>
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(With inputs from PTI)

The ordinance will allow courts to award death penalty to those convicted of raping children up to 12 years of age

President Ram Nath Kovind promulgated the ordinance to amend the POCSO act today, a day after it was cleared by the Union Cabinet. × The ordinance will allow courts to award death penalty to those convicted of raping children up to 12 years of age. The Union Cabinet on Saturday approved an ordinance to allow courts to award death penalty to those convicted of raping children up to 12 years of age. Official sources said that the criminal law amendment ordinance seeks to amend the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Evidence Act, the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act to introduce a new provision to sentence convicts of such crimes punishment of death. The move comes against the backdrop of the alleged rape and murder of girls in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua and Gujarat's Surat district recently. Also read: Death for raping children — What the ordinance says Also read: President promulgates fugitive economic offenders ordinance New fast-track courts will be set up to deal with such cases and special forensic kits for rape cases will be given to all police stations and hospitals in the long term, according to the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance 2018. All cases of rape has to be mandatorily completed within two months. A six-month time limit for the disposal of appeals in rape cases has also been prescribed. It stipulates stringent punishment for perpetrators of rape, particularly of girls below 16 and 12 years. Death sentence has been provided for rapists of girls under 12 years, with the minimum jail term being 20 years which may go up to life in prison. The minimum punishment in case of rape of women has been increased from rigorous imprisonment of seven years to 10 years, extendable to life imprisonment, In case of rape of a girl under 16 years, the minimum punishment has been increased from 10 years to 20 years, extendable to imprisonment for rest of life, which means jail term till the convict's "natural life". The punishment for gangrape of a girl below 16 years will invariably be imprisonment for the rest of life of the convict, the officials said. There will also be no provision for anticipatory bail for a person accused of rape or gang rape of a girl under 16 years. The President last night also promulgated Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance that will allow the government to confiscate properties and assets of loan defaulters who flee the country. President #RamNathKovind promulgates the ordinance to amend POCSO act(death sentence to those found guilty of raping a child below 12 years of age) pic.twitter.com/AryWHQy4Mt — ANI (@ANI) April 22, 2018 × (With inputs from PTI)

Death penalty to child rapists: President promulgates the ordinance to amend POCSO Act

Congress President Rahul Gandhi launched his "Save the Constitution" campaign on Monday.&nbsp;

The campaign, launched from Delhi's Talkatora stadium, is meant to highlight the plight of the Dalits in the country.&nbsp;

As expected, Rahul launched a broadside against PM Modi and his government at Talkatora.&nbsp;

"Just give me 15 minutess with Modiji. I will talk about Rafale and Nirav Modi and Modiii won't be able to stand. Everyone knows that Rafale is a corrupt deal and how Nirav Modi took away 30,000 crore and ran away, and how his friend is keeping silent."&nbsp;

"The Constitution saves our rights. The institutions in our country, whether it is EC, Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, Vidhan Sabha, IIT, IIM have been given to us by our constitution. Without the Constitution, nothing was possible," Rahul added.&nbsp;

"Modiji doesn't want anyone from his party to speak. He just want to do his Mann ki Baat," Rahul said. Adding, "An eight-year-old girl gets raped, a girl is raped in Unnao, but Modiji keeps silent about his MLA."&nbsp;

"India knows PM Modi has interest in just one thing, and it is PM Modiji," Rahul said.&nbsp;

He continued his attack, saying, "PM Modiji will come up with a new slogan. New slogan will be just 'Beti Bachao', beti padhao bhool jao. &nbsp;And who do the girls needs to be saved from... from BJP MLAs."

"India's reputation around the world has been destroyed by Modiji. &nbsp;Rapes, attrocities against Dalits, attacks on minorities is why India is now being talked about. The Congress built India's reputation in 70 years and Modiji has destroyed that reputation in four years."

"We defend the press. Even if you attack us, we defend you and this is the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/dont-give-the-media-too-much-masala-pm-modi-advices-party-members--132079">difference between them and us</a>. Congress belongs to the weaker section, women, shopkeepers," Rahul continued.&nbsp;

"The Congress party gave India its constitution and protected it. BJP and RSS people won't be able to touch the contitution ever. We won't let it happen and in the upcoming elections, people will tell Narendra Modji their Mann ki Baat."&nbsp;

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In his book 'Karmayog', PM Modi justifies manual scavenging by calling it a 'spiritual experience' for the Valmiki community. This speaks volumes about his anti-Dalit mindset: Rahul Gandhi, Congress President in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Delhi?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Delhi</a> <a href="https://t.co/yvmNvRY4x5">pic.twitter.com/yvmNvRY4x5</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/988320179804393472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2018</a></blockquote>
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BJP President Amit Shah responded to Rahul's attack.&nbsp;

"If there is one party that has destroyed the spirit of our Constitution, it is the Congress. They do not want rule of democracy but they want rule of dynasty. Hence this is a farce of a movement by their President," he tweeted.&nbsp; 
​​

"Our institutions which are an outcome of our Constitution today need to be saved from the onslaught of the Congress Party. The Congress Party has spared no institution and is attacking the EC, Supreme Court, Army for petty political gains," Shah added.&nbsp;

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By repeatedly saying the Congress made the Constitution, <a href="https://twitter.com/RahulGandhi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RahulGandhi</a> is carrying forward his family tradition of insulting Dr. Ambedkar. The Nehru-Gandhi family insulted him when he was alive and his humiliating him even more now. Shameful and petty.
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmitShah/status/988331663255064576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Congress President Rahul Gandhi launched yet another diatribe against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government on Monday while launching his 'Save the Constitution' campaign to highlight the plight of Dalits in the country

Congress President Rahul Gandhi launched his "Save the Constitution" campaign on Monday. The campaign, launched from Delhi's Talkatora stadium, is meant to highlight the plight of the Dalits in the country. As expected, Rahul launched a broadside against PM Modi and his government at Talkatora. "Just give me 15 minutess with Modiji. I will talk about Rafale and Nirav Modi and Modiii won't be able to stand. Everyone knows that Rafale is a corrupt deal and how Nirav Modi took away 30,000 crore and ran away, and how his friend is keeping silent." "The Constitution saves our rights. The institutions in our country, whether it is EC, Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, Vidhan Sabha, IIT, IIM have been given to us by our constitution. Without the Constitution, nothing was possible," Rahul added. "Modiji doesn't want anyone from his party to speak. He just want to do his Mann ki Baat," Rahul said. Adding, "An eight-year-old girl gets raped, a girl is raped in Unnao, but Modiji keeps silent about his MLA." "India knows PM Modi has interest in just one thing, and it is PM Modiji," Rahul said. He continued his attack, saying, "PM Modiji will come up with a new slogan. New slogan will be just 'Beti Bachao', beti padhao bhool jao. And who do the girls needs to be saved from... from BJP MLAs." "India's reputation around the world has been destroyed by Modiji. Rapes, attrocities against Dalits, attacks on minorities is why India is now being talked about. The Congress built India's reputation in 70 years and Modiji has destroyed that reputation in four years." "We defend the press. Even if you attack us, we defend you and this is the difference between them and us. Congress belongs to the weaker section, women, shopkeepers," Rahul continued. "The Congress party gave India its constitution and protected it. BJP and RSS people won't be able to touch the contitution ever. We won't let it happen and in the upcoming elections, people will tell Narendra Modji their Mann ki Baat." In his book 'Karmayog', PM Modi justifies manual scavenging by calling it a 'spiritual experience' for the Valmiki community. This speaks volumes about his anti-Dalit mindset: Rahul Gandhi, Congress President in #Delhi pic.twitter.com/yvmNvRY4x5 — ANI (@ANI) April 23, 2018 × BJP President Amit Shah responded to Rahul's attack. "If there is one party that has destroyed the spirit of our Constitution, it is the Congress. They do not want rule of democracy but they want rule of dynasty. Hence this is a farce of a movement by their President," he tweeted. "Our institutions which are an outcome of our Constitution today need to be saved from the onslaught of the Congress Party. The Congress Party has spared no institution and is attacking the EC, Supreme Court, Army for petty political gains," Shah added. By repeatedly saying the Congress made the Constitution, @RahulGandhi is carrying forward his family tradition of insulting Dr. Ambedkar. The Nehru-Gandhi family insulted him when he was alive and his humiliating him even more now. Shameful and petty. — Amit Shah (@AmitShah) April 23, 2018 ×

Congress built India's reputation over 70 years, Modi destroyed it in 4: Rahul

President Ram Nath Kovind last night promulgated Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance that will allow the government to confiscate properties and assets of loan defaulters who flee the country.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/death-for-raping-children-what-the-ordinance-says-131971">Death for raping children: What the ordinance says</a>

The president promulgated the Ordinance within hours of it being cleared by the Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 12, but could not be taken up for discussion and passage due to the logjam in Parliament over various issues.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/govt-unveils-new-fugitive-economic-offenders-bill-34440">Govt unveils new Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill</a>

The ordinance seeks to confiscate properties of economic offenders like diamond merchant Nirav Modi, who have left the country to avoid facing criminal prosecution.

The provisions of the ordinance will apply for economic offenders who refuse to return, persons against whom an arrest warrant has been issued for a scheduled offence as well as willful bank loan defaulters with outstanding of over Rs 100 crore.

It provides for confiscating assets even without a conviction and paying off lenders by selling off the fugitive's properties.

Such economic offenders will be tried under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The ordinance defines a fugitive economic offender as a person against whom an arrest warrant has been issued for committing an offence like counterfeiting government stamps or currency, cheque dishonour for insufficiency of funds, money laundering, and transactions defrauding creditors.

A fugitive economic offender is one who has left the country to avoid facing prosecution or refuses to return to face prosecution.&nbsp

According to the ordinance, a director or deputy director (appointed under the PMLA, 2002) may file an application before a special court (designated under the 2002 Act) to declare a person as a fugitive economic offender.

The application will contain the reasons to believe that an individual is a fugitive economic offender.

Besides, the application will have information about his whereabouts, a list of properties believed to be proceeds of a crime for which confiscation is sought, a list of benami properties or foreign properties for which confiscation is sought, and a list of persons having an interest in these properties.

Upon receiving the application, the special court will issue a notice to the individual, requiring him to appear at a specified place within six weeks. If the person appears at the specified place, the special court will terminate its proceedings under the provisions of the Bill.

Any property belonging to the fugitive economic offender may provisionally be attached without the prior permission of the special court, provided that an application is filed before the court within 30 days.

Appeals against the orders of the special court will lie before the High Court.

The president promulgated the Ordinance within hours of it being cleared by the Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi

President Ram Nath Kovind last night promulgated Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance that will allow the government to confiscate properties and assets of loan defaulters who flee the country. Also read: Death for raping children: What the ordinance says The president promulgated the Ordinance within hours of it being cleared by the Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 12, but could not be taken up for discussion and passage due to the logjam in Parliament over various issues. Also read: Govt unveils new Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill The ordinance seeks to confiscate properties of economic offenders like diamond merchant Nirav Modi, who have left the country to avoid facing criminal prosecution. The provisions of the ordinance will apply for economic offenders who refuse to return, persons against whom an arrest warrant has been issued for a scheduled offence as well as willful bank loan defaulters with outstanding of over Rs 100 crore. It provides for confiscating assets even without a conviction and paying off lenders by selling off the fugitive's properties. Such economic offenders will be tried under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The ordinance defines a fugitive economic offender as a person against whom an arrest warrant has been issued for committing an offence like counterfeiting government stamps or currency, cheque dishonour for insufficiency of funds, money laundering, and transactions defrauding creditors. A fugitive economic offender is one who has left the country to avoid facing prosecution or refuses to return to face prosecution. According to the ordinance, a director or deputy director (appointed under the PMLA, 2002) may file an application before a special court (designated under the 2002 Act) to declare a person as a fugitive economic offender. The application will contain the reasons to believe that an individual is a fugitive economic offender. Besides, the application will have information about his whereabouts, a list of properties believed to be proceeds of a crime for which confiscation is sought, a list of benami properties or foreign properties for which confiscation is sought, and a list of persons having an interest in these properties. Upon receiving the application, the special court will issue a notice to the individual, requiring him to appear at a specified place within six weeks. If the person appears at the specified place, the special court will terminate its proceedings under the provisions of the Bill. Any property belonging to the fugitive economic offender may provisionally be attached without the prior permission of the special court, provided that an application is filed before the court within 30 days. Appeals against the orders of the special court will lie before the High Court.

President promulgates fugitive economic offenders ordinance

Union Minister Santosh Gangwar on Saturday said that rampant incidents of rape in the country are unfortunate, but sometimes they cannot be prevented.

The statement came in response to the intense outrage across the country over the gangrape and murder of a minor girl in Kathua and the rape of a 17-year-old girl in Unnao allegedly by a BJP MLA.

"Such incidents (rape cases) are unfortunate, but sometimes cannot be prevented," Gangwar told media.

Asserting that Central Government is actively taking action against such incidents, he said that hue and cry should not be created if one or two such incidents rake up in a big country like India.

The minister's statement comes amid an outrage over Kathua and Unnao rape cases that have taken the country by a storm.

In the wake of these incidents, the Union Cabinet on Saturday approved the amendment in the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act putting a stamp on the death penalty for the rapists of children below 12 years of age.

(With inputs from ANI)

The government on Saturday approved the promulgation of the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018, which allowed courts to award death penalty to those convicted of raping children below 12 years of age.

Union Minister Santosh Gangwar on Saturday said that rampant incidents of rape in the country are unfortunate, but sometimes they cannot be prevented. The statement came in response to the intense outrage across the country over the gangrape and murder of a minor girl in Kathua and the rape of a 17-year-old girl in Unnao allegedly by a BJP MLA. "Such incidents (rape cases) are unfortunate, but sometimes cannot be prevented," Gangwar told media. Asserting that Central Government is actively taking action against such incidents, he said that hue and cry should not be created if one or two such incidents rake up in a big country like India. The minister's statement comes amid an outrage over Kathua and Unnao rape cases that have taken the country by a storm. In the wake of these incidents, the Union Cabinet on Saturday approved the amendment in the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act putting a stamp on the death penalty for the rapists of children below 12 years of age. (With inputs from ANI)

Do not make an issue out of one or two rapes in a country as big as India: Santosh Gangwar

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday assured the people of Amethi that in 15 years the constituency will be as developed as Singapore and California.

Addressing a gathering after inaugurating a school here in his parliamentary constituency, the Congress chief also accused the Centre and state government for halting the progress of the state by taking away the big projects.

"After 10-15 years, when people would mention Singapore and California, they will also mention Amethi in the same breath," Rahul said.

He further said Amethi will become world famous education hub soon and nobody can stop this from happening.

The Gandhi scion is on a three-day visit to the family's pocket borough constituency of Amethi and Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh. His mother and former Congress president Sonia Gandhi are the Member of Parliament from Raebareli.

Taking a swipe at PM Modi on the cash crunch crisis, Gandhi said: “Desh ki puri Janta ko line mein lagaya… Apke job se 500 ka note cheena, Nirav Modi Ji ke Jeb mein dala. Pradhan Mantri ek shabda nahi kehte. Parliament mein khare hone se darte hain… (People were forced to stand in queues. Rs 500 notes were snatched from you and put in Nirav Modi’s pocket. Prime Minister does not say a word… He is afraid of facing Parliament).”

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a>: Congress President Rahul Gandhi says 'After 10-15 years when people mention Singapore and California, they will also mention Amethi in the same breath' (17.4.18) <a href="https://t.co/Y1lDhye8zC">pic.twitter.com/Y1lDhye8zC</a>
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/986448278102388737?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 18, 2018</a></blockquote>
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(With inputs from ANI)

Congress president Rahul Gandhi is on a three-day visit to Amethi and his mother Sonia Gandhi's constituency Rae Bareli.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday assured the people of Amethi that in 15 years the constituency will be as developed as Singapore and California. Addressing a gathering after inaugurating a school here in his parliamentary constituency, the Congress chief also accused the Centre and state government for halting the progress of the state by taking away the big projects. "After 10-15 years, when people would mention Singapore and California, they will also mention Amethi in the same breath," Rahul said. He further said Amethi will become world famous education hub soon and nobody can stop this from happening. The Gandhi scion is on a three-day visit to the family's pocket borough constituency of Amethi and Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh. His mother and former Congress president Sonia Gandhi are the Member of Parliament from Raebareli. Taking a swipe at PM Modi on the cash crunch crisis, Gandhi said: “Desh ki puri Janta ko line mein lagaya… Apke job se 500 ka note cheena, Nirav Modi Ji ke Jeb mein dala. Pradhan Mantri ek shabda nahi kehte. Parliament mein khare hone se darte hain… (People were forced to stand in queues. Rs 500 notes were snatched from you and put in Nirav Modi’s pocket. Prime Minister does not say a word… He is afraid of facing Parliament).” #WATCH: Congress President Rahul Gandhi says 'After 10-15 years when people mention Singapore and California, they will also mention Amethi in the same breath' (17.4.18) pic.twitter.com/Y1lDhye8zC — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) April 18, 2018 × (With inputs from ANI)

Watch: In 15 years, Amethi will be like Singapore, California, says Rahul Gandhi

U.S. Secretary of State nominee and CIA Director Mike Pompeo made a secret visit to North Korea over the Easter weekend and met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to discuss a planned summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, U.S. officials said on Tuesday.

Pompeo's trip made him the most senior U.S. official ever known to have met with Kim and provided the strongest sign yet to Trump's willingness to become the first serving U.S. president ever to meet a North Korean leader.

Pompeo's conversations fueled Trump’s belief that productive negotiations were possible with North Korea over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, but far from guaranteed, according to a U.S. senior official briefed on the trip.

The visit, a second U.S. official said, was arranged by South Korean intelligence chief Suh Hoon with his North Korean counterpart, Kim Yong Chol, and was intended to assess whether Kim was prepared to hold serious talks.&nbsp;

Pompeo, one of Trump's most trusted advisers, returned to report that it was worth continuing to pursue the possibility of a summit, but added that no site had been selected from lists of options, and consequently no logistical arrangements had been made so far, the second official said. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity.

Trump said earlier on Tuesday the United States was engaged in direct talks at "extremely high levels" with North Korea to try to set up a summit between him and Kim.

He sowed some confusion by suggesting he had been speaking to Kim directly, but later clarified by saying: "Let's leave it a little bit short of the highest level."

Spokeswoman Sarah Sanders added: "The president said the administration has had talks at the highest levels and added that they were not with him directly.”

Asked about Pompeo, she said: “The administration does not comment on the CIA director’s travel.”

Pompeo told his Senate confirmation hearing for the post of secretary of state this week he was optimistic a course could be set at a Trump-Kim summit for a diplomatic outcome with North Korea, but added that no one was under any illusion that a comprehensive deal could be reached at that meeting.

Pompeo said the aim of the summit would be “an agreement ... such that the North Korean leadership will step away from its efforts to hold America at risk with nuclear weapons” and that Pyongyang should not expect rewards until it takes irreversible steps.

Pompeo's trip made him the most senior U.S. official to visit North Korea since then-intelligence chief James Clapper in 2014.

The news came after Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe opened two days of talks at the president's Mar-a-Lago retreat in Palm Beach, Florida.

Trump said he believed there was a lot of goodwill in the diplomatic push with North Korea, but added it was possible the summit - first proposed in March and which the president said could take place in late May or early June - may not happen.

Efforts to arrange the unprecedented meeting have helped ease tensions over Pyongyang's development of nuclear missiles capable of hitting the United States. Kim has agreed to discuss denuclearization, according to U.S. and South Korean officials.

"I really believe there’s a lot of goodwill a lot of good things are happening," Trump told reporters.

"As I always say, we’ll see what happens, because ultimately it’s the end result that matters, not the fact that we’re thinking about having a meeting or having a meeting."

MEETING SITE?

Trump, who has exchanged bellicose threats with Kim in the past year, said U.S. officials were looking at five locations for a meeting. Asked if any of those were in the United States, Trump replied: "No."

A U.S. official said sites in Southeast Asia and Europe were among those under discussion. Kim has rarely left North Korea.

Speculation has centered on a range of sites including Pyongyang, the demilitarized zone between the Koreas, Stockholm, Geneva and Mongolia.

Talks between Trump and Abe are largely focused on the prospective summit as Japan seeks a U.S. commitment that any denuclearization deal with Kim will include not just long-range missiles but those that could be aimed at Japan.

Reflecting the closeness of their ties, the Trump-Abe meetings included a walk around the carefully manicured grounds of the beachfront club and dinner on the patio with their wives. A round of golf was planned for Wednesday.

"For the North Korean issue, I’d like to underscore the importance of achieving the complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization, as well as the abandonment of missile programs of North Korea," Abe told Trump.

Abe also obtained an agreement from Trump to bring up the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea, a highly emotive issue for the Japanese.

'IT'S POSSIBLE THINGS WON'T GO WELL'

Trump stressed that he and Abe were united.

"Japan and ourselves are locked, and we are very unified on the subject of North Korea," he said.

Trump said it was possible diplomatic efforts to arrange a Kim summit would fall short and if it did not happen, the United States and its allies would maintain pressure on Pyongyang through sanctions.

"It’s possible things won’t go well and we won’t have the meetings and we’ll just continue to go on this very strong path we have taken," he said.

Trump also backed efforts between South Korea and the North aimed at ending a state of war that has existed between the two countries since 1953.

"People don’t realize the Korean War has not ended. It’s going on right now. And they are discussing an end to the war. Subject to a deal, they have my blessing and they do have my blessing to discuss that," he said.

TRADE AGENDA

Trump and Abe could use a successful summit to give themselves a political boost at home. Trump has been hounded by controversies linked to an investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election, and Abe is struggling with declining popularity because of scandals over suspected cronyism.

Trump has forged close ties with Abe during his 15 months in power and the two have bonded over rounds of golf during Abe's last visit to Florida more than a year ago and Trump's visit to Tokyo last November.

Japan fears Trump will try to link vital security matters with touchy trade topics. Tokyo is eager to avoid being pushed into talks on a two-way free trade agreement aimed not only at market access but at currency policies, something South Korea recently accepted when it renegotiated a trade deal with the United States.

Another irritant on trade is that Japan has not been given an exemption to tariffs on steel and aluminum exports to the United States, unlike the European Union, Canada and Mexico.

Pompeo travelled over the Easter weekend to discuss a planned summit with US President Donald Trump, who had said earlier that the US was talking to North Korea at 'extremely high levels'

U.S. Secretary of State nominee and CIA Director Mike Pompeo made a secret visit to North Korea over the Easter weekend and met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to discuss a planned summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, U.S. officials said on Tuesday. Pompeo's trip made him the most senior U.S. official ever known to have met with Kim and provided the strongest sign yet to Trump's willingness to become the first serving U.S. president ever to meet a North Korean leader. Pompeo's conversations fueled Trump’s belief that productive negotiations were possible with North Korea over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, but far from guaranteed, according to a U.S. senior official briefed on the trip. The visit, a second U.S. official said, was arranged by South Korean intelligence chief Suh Hoon with his North Korean counterpart, Kim Yong Chol, and was intended to assess whether Kim was prepared to hold serious talks. Pompeo, one of Trump's most trusted advisers, returned to report that it was worth continuing to pursue the possibility of a summit, but added that no site had been selected from lists of options, and consequently no logistical arrangements had been made so far, the second official said. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity. Trump said earlier on Tuesday the United States was engaged in direct talks at "extremely high levels" with North Korea to try to set up a summit between him and Kim. He sowed some confusion by suggesting he had been speaking to Kim directly, but later clarified by saying: "Let's leave it a little bit short of the highest level." Spokeswoman Sarah Sanders added: "The president said the administration has had talks at the highest levels and added that they were not with him directly.” Asked about Pompeo, she said: “The administration does not comment on the CIA director’s travel.” Pompeo told his Senate confirmation hearing for the post of secretary of state this week he was optimistic a course could be set at a Trump-Kim summit for a diplomatic outcome with North Korea, but added that no one was under any illusion that a comprehensive deal could be reached at that meeting. Pompeo said the aim of the summit would be “an agreement ... such that the North Korean leadership will step away from its efforts to hold America at risk with nuclear weapons” and that Pyongyang should not expect rewards until it takes irreversible steps. Pompeo's trip made him the most senior U.S. official to visit North Korea since then-intelligence chief James Clapper in 2014. The news came after Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe opened two days of talks at the president's Mar-a-Lago retreat in Palm Beach, Florida. Trump said he believed there was a lot of goodwill in the diplomatic push with North Korea, but added it was possible the summit - first proposed in March and which the president said could take place in late May or early June - may not happen. Efforts to arrange the unprecedented meeting have helped ease tensions over Pyongyang's development of nuclear missiles capable of hitting the United States. Kim has agreed to discuss denuclearization, according to U.S. and South Korean officials. "I really believe there’s a lot of goodwill a lot of good things are happening," Trump told reporters. "As I always say, we’ll see what happens, because ultimately it’s the end result that matters, not the fact that we’re thinking about having a meeting or having a meeting." MEETING SITE? Trump, who has exchanged bellicose threats with Kim in the past year, said U.S. officials were looking at five locations for a meeting. Asked if any of those were in the United States, Trump replied: "No." A U.S. official said sites in Southeast Asia and Europe were among those under discussion. Kim has rarely left North Korea. Speculation has centered on a range of sites including Pyongyang, the demilitarized zone between the Koreas, Stockholm, Geneva and Mongolia. Talks between Trump and Abe are largely focused on the prospective summit as Japan seeks a U.S. commitment that any denuclearization deal with Kim will include not just long-range missiles but those that could be aimed at Japan. Reflecting the closeness of their ties, the Trump-Abe meetings included a walk around the carefully manicured grounds of the beachfront club and dinner on the patio with their wives. A round of golf was planned for Wednesday. "For the North Korean issue, I’d like to underscore the importance of achieving the complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization, as well as the abandonment of missile programs of North Korea," Abe told Trump. Abe also obtained an agreement from Trump to bring up the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea, a highly emotive issue for the Japanese. 'IT'S POSSIBLE THINGS WON'T GO WELL' Trump stressed that he and Abe were united. "Japan and ourselves are locked, and we are very unified on the subject of North Korea," he said. Trump said it was possible diplomatic efforts to arrange a Kim summit would fall short and if it did not happen, the United States and its allies would maintain pressure on Pyongyang through sanctions. "It’s possible things won’t go well and we won’t have the meetings and we’ll just continue to go on this very strong path we have taken," he said. Trump also backed efforts between South Korea and the North aimed at ending a state of war that has existed between the two countries since 1953. "People don’t realize the Korean War has not ended. It’s going on right now. And they are discussing an end to the war. Subject to a deal, they have my blessing and they do have my blessing to discuss that," he said. TRADE AGENDA Trump and Abe could use a successful summit to give themselves a political boost at home. Trump has been hounded by controversies linked to an investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election, and Abe is struggling with declining popularity because of scandals over suspected cronyism. Trump has forged close ties with Abe during his 15 months in power and the two have bonded over rounds of golf during Abe's last visit to Florida more than a year ago and Trump's visit to Tokyo last November. Japan fears Trump will try to link vital security matters with touchy trade topics. Tokyo is eager to avoid being pushed into talks on a two-way free trade agreement aimed not only at market access but at currency policies, something South Korea recently accepted when it renegotiated a trade deal with the United States. Another irritant on trade is that Japan has not been given an exemption to tariffs on steel and aluminum exports to the United States, unlike the European Union, Canada and Mexico.

CIA chief made secret visit to North Korea and met Kim Jong-Un: US officials

Myanmar's new president said on Tuesday over 8,000 prisoners will be freed in an amnesty, a move the government said would bring about humanitarian support amid the country's political reforms after decades of military rule.

The presidential pardon, signed by newly-elected President Win Myint, said the move was aimed to bring peace as part of celebrations of the Myanmar new year. It did not specify when the amnesty would take place.

"To bring peace and pleasure to people's heart, and for the sake of humanitarian support, 8,490 prisoners from respective prisons will be given the pardon," the Presidential Office said in a statement.

Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi has made ending near-perpetual civil war to bring national reconciliation her top priority. Her ruling National League for Democracy took office in 2016 amid sky-high expectations of greater freedoms after nearly half a century of military rule.

Two Reuters reporters jailed in Myanmar were not included in the amnesty, according to Min Tun Soe, spokesman of Myanmar Prisons Department, citing ongoing legal proceedings.

A court in Yangon has been holding preliminary hearings since January to decide whether the pair will be charged under the colonial-era Officials Secrets Act, which carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.

Over 6,000 prisoners who were sentenced under drug-related charges would be included in the pardon, according to a Facebook post by government spokesman Zaw Htay.

Nearly 2,000 members of Myanmar's military and police force, who were jailed under the Military Act or Police Disciplinary Act, would be freed, Zaw Htay wrote. He did not elaborate.

He said a total of 36 prisoners on a rights watchdog list, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners' (AAPP), were also included in the amnesty.

Hundreds of political prisoners have been released from Myanmar's jails in amnesties in recent years, including dozens freed in April 2016, days after Nobel laureate Suu Kyi's party took power following nearly 50 years of military rule.

Myanmar's constitution obliges Suu Kyi's civilian government to share power with the powerful military, which controls key cabinet posts including law and order and security.

"We submitted a list of 44 political prisoners and now 36 are released...This amnesty is very good news and we welcome and support it," said AAPP's Myanmar representative Aung Myo Kyaw.

"But there should not be a single political prisoner in a democratic country," he said. "It will be better if remaining political prisoners and also those who are still facing charges were pardoned."

Suu Kyi, who spent years under house arrest, has said that releasing the remaining political prisoners was a top priority.

Prior to Tuesday's pardon, there were 240 political activists jailed or awaiting trial in Myanmar, according to AAPP.

Suu Kyi has struggled to rebut criticism over slower economic growth and the stuttering peace process. Her government also faces mounting international condemnation for a military operation against Rohingya Muslims that has sent nearly 700,000 members of the minority community fleeing to Bangladesh.

The government said the move would bring about humanitarian support amid the country's political reforms after decades of military rule

Myanmar's new president said on Tuesday over 8,000 prisoners will be freed in an amnesty, a move the government said would bring about humanitarian support amid the country's political reforms after decades of military rule. The presidential pardon, signed by newly-elected President Win Myint, said the move was aimed to bring peace as part of celebrations of the Myanmar new year. It did not specify when the amnesty would take place. "To bring peace and pleasure to people's heart, and for the sake of humanitarian support, 8,490 prisoners from respective prisons will be given the pardon," the Presidential Office said in a statement. Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi has made ending near-perpetual civil war to bring national reconciliation her top priority. Her ruling National League for Democracy took office in 2016 amid sky-high expectations of greater freedoms after nearly half a century of military rule. Two Reuters reporters jailed in Myanmar were not included in the amnesty, according to Min Tun Soe, spokesman of Myanmar Prisons Department, citing ongoing legal proceedings. A court in Yangon has been holding preliminary hearings since January to decide whether the pair will be charged under the colonial-era Officials Secrets Act, which carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison. Over 6,000 prisoners who were sentenced under drug-related charges would be included in the pardon, according to a Facebook post by government spokesman Zaw Htay. Nearly 2,000 members of Myanmar's military and police force, who were jailed under the Military Act or Police Disciplinary Act, would be freed, Zaw Htay wrote. He did not elaborate. He said a total of 36 prisoners on a rights watchdog list, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners' (AAPP), were also included in the amnesty. Hundreds of political prisoners have been released from Myanmar's jails in amnesties in recent years, including dozens freed in April 2016, days after Nobel laureate Suu Kyi's party took power following nearly 50 years of military rule. Myanmar's constitution obliges Suu Kyi's civilian government to share power with the powerful military, which controls key cabinet posts including law and order and security. "We submitted a list of 44 political prisoners and now 36 are released...This amnesty is very good news and we welcome and support it," said AAPP's Myanmar representative Aung Myo Kyaw. "But there should not be a single political prisoner in a democratic country," he said. "It will be better if remaining political prisoners and also those who are still facing charges were pardoned." Suu Kyi, who spent years under house arrest, has said that releasing the remaining political prisoners was a top priority. Prior to Tuesday's pardon, there were 240 political activists jailed or awaiting trial in Myanmar, according to AAPP. Suu Kyi has struggled to rebut criticism over slower economic growth and the stuttering peace process. Her government also faces mounting international condemnation for a military operation against Rohingya Muslims that has sent nearly 700,000 members of the minority community fleeing to Bangladesh.

Myanmar to free over 8,000 prisoners in new-year amnesty

Sri Lanka's Joint Opposition has accused President Maithripala Sirisena of "betraying" not only them but also his own party and allies after Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe comfortably won a no-trust motion.

Wickremesinghe, 68, who leads a national unity government in alliance with Sirisena's Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), received 122 votes against the motion while 76 favoured the motion to oust him.

Banking on votes of legislators of Sirisena's Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), former President Mahinda Rajapaksa-led Joint Opposition moved the motion, accusing Wickremesinghe of financial mismanagement and his failure to tackle anti-Muslim riots last month in the central Kandy district.'

Only 19 out of Sirisena's 40 plus MPs voted while 22 of them remain absent in the House, helping the Sri Lankan Prime Minister to sail through.

"President Sirisena's habit of betrayal proven again at the no-confidence motion. First, he encouraged SLFP members to support it and then backs off. He has betrayed both the SLFP and the UNP," Rajpaksha's legislator son Namal Rajapaksa tweeted last night.

Wickremesinghe also got the help of Tamil and Muslim minority parties. 
"Sirisena must take the responsibility for preventing the end of the Prime Minister's political journey," a senior opposition leader Prasanna Ranatunga said.

According to the final vote tally, even if legislators of Sirisena and Rajapaksa-led parties had voted for the motion, Wickremesinghe would still had sailed through as no member from his UNP broke ranks.

The 19 ministers, who had voted against Wickremesinghe, have asked that they be allowed to continue in the cabinet despite their lack of confidence in the unity government.

The UNP backbenchers, however, signed a petition addressed to Sirisena to sack the SLFP dissenters in the cabinet.

Wickremesinghe has no power to remove ministers. It can only be done either by Sirisena or through a no-confidence motion in Parliament.

"The conspirators who undermined the government during the last 3 years must be sacked," a UNP legislator Hesha Withanage said.

After winning the trust vote last night, Wickremesinghe said the government would venture in a new journey with all those who supported.

"We have lost some but we can move forward with the rest." He was hoping to meet Sirisena soon to discuss the future of the government and to preserve the mandate received by Sirisena in January 2015 for implementing reform.&nbsp;

Wickremesinghe received 122 votes against the motion while 76 favoured the motion to oust him

Sri Lanka's Joint Opposition has accused President Maithripala Sirisena of "betraying" not only them but also his own party and allies after Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe comfortably won a no-trust motion. Wickremesinghe, 68, who leads a national unity government in alliance with Sirisena's Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), received 122 votes against the motion while 76 favoured the motion to oust him. Banking on votes of legislators of Sirisena's Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), former President Mahinda Rajapaksa-led Joint Opposition moved the motion, accusing Wickremesinghe of financial mismanagement and his failure to tackle anti-Muslim riots last month in the central Kandy district.' Only 19 out of Sirisena's 40 plus MPs voted while 22 of them remain absent in the House, helping the Sri Lankan Prime Minister to sail through. "President Sirisena's habit of betrayal proven again at the no-confidence motion. First, he encouraged SLFP members to support it and then backs off. He has betrayed both the SLFP and the UNP," Rajpaksha's legislator son Namal Rajapaksa tweeted last night. Wickremesinghe also got the help of Tamil and Muslim minority parties. "Sirisena must take the responsibility for preventing the end of the Prime Minister's political journey," a senior opposition leader Prasanna Ranatunga said. According to the final vote tally, even if legislators of Sirisena and Rajapaksa-led parties had voted for the motion, Wickremesinghe would still had sailed through as no member from his UNP broke ranks. The 19 ministers, who had voted against Wickremesinghe, have asked that they be allowed to continue in the cabinet despite their lack of confidence in the unity government. The UNP backbenchers, however, signed a petition addressed to Sirisena to sack the SLFP dissenters in the cabinet. Wickremesinghe has no power to remove ministers. It can only be done either by Sirisena or through a no-confidence motion in Parliament. "The conspirators who undermined the government during the last 3 years must be sacked," a UNP legislator Hesha Withanage said. After winning the trust vote last night, Wickremesinghe said the government would venture in a new journey with all those who supported. "We have lost some but we can move forward with the rest." He was hoping to meet Sirisena soon to discuss the future of the government and to preserve the mandate received by Sirisena in January 2015 for implementing reform.

Lanka Prez under attack from Opposition over no-trust motion defeat

Amid mounting NPAs or bad loans in the banking sector, President Ram Nath Kovind Thursday said honest-tax payers suffer due to wilful and criminal default on a bank loan.

The number of wilful defaulters, who did not repay loans to public sector banks (PSBs) despite the capacity to do so, rose to 9,063 at the end of December 2017.

The amount involved in such defaults for PSBs is reported to be Rs 1,10,050 crore.

Delivering the keynote address at the Ficci Ladies Organisation’s (FLO) annual meeting here, the President said that genuine business failures can happen. “But when there is a wilful and criminal default on a bank loan, then it is families of our fellows Indians that suffer. The innocent citizen loses out, and ultimately the honest tax-payer bears the burden.”

Last month, the finance ministry informed Parliament that bad loans or non-performing assents (NPAs) in the banking sector have been rising steadily for the past eight years and in case of state-run banks it crossed Rs 7.77 lakh crore at December-end 2017.

Besides the NPA problem, the banking sector has also been hit by scams, with the most glaring one seen in the state-owned Punjab National Bank.

The bank has been defrauded of over USD 2 billion allegedly by billionaire jewellery designer Nirav Modi and associates.

The President further said that under MUDRA scheme, about 117 million loans have been sanctioned and close to 88 million of them have gone to women entrepreneurs.

“And as of December 2017, the number of NPAs in the MUDRA scheme is less than 8 per cent of the loans sanctioned,” he said.

Referring to Stand-Up India initiative launched in April 2016 to encourage entrepreneurship among women, SCs and STs, Kovind said that about 45,000 loans have been disbursed, mainly to sole proprietors.

Almost 39,000 of these have gone to women – an overwhelming proportion, he said.

The finance ministry informed Parliament that bad loans or NPAs in the banking sector have been rising steadily for the past eight years and in case of state-run banks it crossed Rs 7.77 lakh crore at December-end 2017.

Amid mounting NPAs or bad loans in the banking sector, President Ram Nath Kovind Thursday said honest-tax payers suffer due to wilful and criminal default on a bank loan. The number of wilful defaulters, who did not repay loans to public sector banks (PSBs) despite the capacity to do so, rose to 9,063 at the end of December 2017. The amount involved in such defaults for PSBs is reported to be Rs 1,10,050 crore. Delivering the keynote address at the Ficci Ladies Organisation’s (FLO) annual meeting here, the President said that genuine business failures can happen. “But when there is a wilful and criminal default on a bank loan, then it is families of our fellows Indians that suffer. The innocent citizen loses out, and ultimately the honest tax-payer bears the burden.” Last month, the finance ministry informed Parliament that bad loans or non-performing assents (NPAs) in the banking sector have been rising steadily for the past eight years and in case of state-run banks it crossed Rs 7.77 lakh crore at December-end 2017. Besides the NPA problem, the banking sector has also been hit by scams, with the most glaring one seen in the state-owned Punjab National Bank. The bank has been defrauded of over USD 2 billion allegedly by billionaire jewellery designer Nirav Modi and associates. The President further said that under MUDRA scheme, about 117 million loans have been sanctioned and close to 88 million of them have gone to women entrepreneurs. “And as of December 2017, the number of NPAs in the MUDRA scheme is less than 8 per cent of the loans sanctioned,” he said. Referring to Stand-Up India initiative launched in April 2016 to encourage entrepreneurship among women, SCs and STs, Kovind said that about 45,000 loans have been disbursed, mainly to sole proprietors. Almost 39,000 of these have gone to women – an overwhelming proportion, he said.

Honest citizens ultimately bear burden of bank defaults: President

Former Indian cricket team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was conferred with the Padma Bhushan award on Monday by President Ram Nath Kovind.&nbsp 
&nbsp 
The delighted cricketer revealed his level of excitement on receiving the country's third-highest civilian award in his army uniform.&nbsp

Dhoni, who holds the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel of Indian Army, walked like an army man to collect his award from the President.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> Billiards player Pankaj Advani and Cricketer MS Dhoni conferred with Padma Bhushan by President Ram Nath Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhawan in Delhi <a href="https://t.co/XgPTHWsxBl">pic.twitter.com/XgPTHWsxBl</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/980795356161150976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The CSK captain took to his Twitter handle and thanked the soldiers, men and women, and their families for their sacrifices.

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An honour to get the Padma Bhushan and receiving it in Uniform increases the excitement ten… <a href="https://t.co/VyvTd0gEQg">https://t.co/VyvTd0gEQg</a>
— Mahendra Singh Dhoni (@msdhoni) <a href="https://twitter.com/msdhoni/status/981057947034898432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2018</a></blockquote>
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"An honour to get the Padma Bhushan and receiving it in Uniform increases the excitement ten folds. Thanks to all the Men and Women in Uniform and their families for the Sacrifices they make so that all of us could enjoy our Constitutional Rights. Jai Hind," he wrote on his Instagram account also.

Coincidentally, Dhoni received the honour on the same day when he guided India to its second ICC World Cup triumph seven years ago.

The 36-year old is regarded as the most successful Indian captain as he is the only skipper to win all the ICC trophies- ICC Cricket World Cup, World Twenty20 and the Champions Trophy.

After cricket legend Kapil Dev, Dhoni is the only Indian cricketer to receive this award.&nbsp

The CSK captain took to his Twitter handle and thanked the soldiers

Former Indian cricket team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was conferred with the Padma Bhushan award on Monday by President Ram Nath Kovind. The delighted cricketer revealed his level of excitement on receiving the country's third-highest civilian award in his army uniform. Dhoni, who holds the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel of Indian Army, walked like an army man to collect his award from the President. #WATCH Billiards player Pankaj Advani and Cricketer MS Dhoni conferred with Padma Bhushan by President Ram Nath Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhawan in Delhi pic.twitter.com/XgPTHWsxBl — ANI (@ANI) April 2, 2018 × The CSK captain took to his Twitter handle and thanked the soldiers, men and women, and their families for their sacrifices. An honour to get the Padma Bhushan and receiving it in Uniform increases the excitement ten… https://t.co/VyvTd0gEQg — Mahendra Singh Dhoni (@msdhoni) April 3, 2018 × "An honour to get the Padma Bhushan and receiving it in Uniform increases the excitement ten folds. Thanks to all the Men and Women in Uniform and their families for the Sacrifices they make so that all of us could enjoy our Constitutional Rights. Jai Hind," he wrote on his Instagram account also. Coincidentally, Dhoni received the honour on the same day when he guided India to its second ICC World Cup triumph seven years ago. The 36-year old is regarded as the most successful Indian captain as he is the only skipper to win all the ICC trophies- ICC Cricket World Cup, World Twenty20 and the Champions Trophy. After cricket legend Kapil Dev, Dhoni is the only Indian cricketer to receive this award.

'Thank you defence forces': MS Dhoni on receiving Padma Bhushan

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has been re-elected for a second term with over 97 per cent of valid votes, the National Election Authority (NEA) said today.

In a televised press conference, NEA chairman Lasheen Ibrahim said that turnout was 41.05 per cent of the 60 million registered voters.

Ibrahim said that Sisi won 97.08 per cent of valid votes in the three-day presidential election. His sole challenger, the little-known centrist politician and al Ghad party chief, Moussa Mostafa Moussa won 2.92 per cent of valid votes.

Sisi won 21,835,378 votes, while Moussa won 656,534 votes, he added.

About 60 million people were eligible to vote in the election which was held in 13,687 polling stations across the country and under the supervision of 18,678 judges from various judicial bodies and authorities.

Sisi, the then army chief, overthrew Islamist president Mohammed Morsi in 2013 following mass protests against his rule.

Morsi was Egypt's first democratically elected president following the 2011 overthrow of longtime president Hosni Mubarak during the Arab Spring uprisings.

Sisi was elected for a four-year presidential term in 2014. The first presidential term of 63-year-old Field Marshal will officially end on June 7.

Last week, Sisi posted photos of voters participating in the polls and praised them on facebook for the huge turnout.

"The voice of the masses of Egyptians will remain a witness - no doubt - that the will of our nation is prevailing with a force that does not know weakness," Sisi had said.

"The scenes of the Egyptians outside the polling stations will remain a matter of honour and pride for me and hard evidence of the greatness of our nation," he added.&nbsp

In a televised press conference, NEA chairman Lasheen Ibrahim said that turnout was 41.05 per cent of the 60 million registered voters

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has been re-elected for a second term with over 97 per cent of valid votes, the National Election Authority (NEA) said today. In a televised press conference, NEA chairman Lasheen Ibrahim said that turnout was 41.05 per cent of the 60 million registered voters. Ibrahim said that Sisi won 97.08 per cent of valid votes in the three-day presidential election. His sole challenger, the little-known centrist politician and al Ghad party chief, Moussa Mostafa Moussa won 2.92 per cent of valid votes. Sisi won 21,835,378 votes, while Moussa won 656,534 votes, he added. About 60 million people were eligible to vote in the election which was held in 13,687 polling stations across the country and under the supervision of 18,678 judges from various judicial bodies and authorities. Sisi, the then army chief, overthrew Islamist president Mohammed Morsi in 2013 following mass protests against his rule. Morsi was Egypt's first democratically elected president following the 2011 overthrow of longtime president Hosni Mubarak during the Arab Spring uprisings. Sisi was elected for a four-year presidential term in 2014. The first presidential term of 63-year-old Field Marshal will officially end on June 7. Last week, Sisi posted photos of voters participating in the polls and praised them on facebook for the huge turnout. "The voice of the masses of Egyptians will remain a witness - no doubt - that the will of our nation is prevailing with a force that does not know weakness," Sisi had said. "The scenes of the Egyptians outside the polling stations will remain a matter of honour and pride for me and hard evidence of the greatness of our nation," he added.

Egypt's President Sisi re-elected with 97.08% of valid votes

Nepal has stepped into a new era of political stability and economic development following the successful holding of the local, provincial and federal elections, President Bidya Devi Bhandari said today.

Nepal concluded the three phase of provincial, local and parliamentary elections as part of its efforts to implement the new Constitution that was promulgated in September 2015.

The new government led by Left parties under Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli convened its first Parliament session on March 5 after the Himalayan nation successfully held landmark provincial and federal elections.

While making her first address to a joint meeting of Parliament -- House of Representatives and National Assembly -- Bhandari said the significant phase of the Constitution implementation has been over following the successful holding of parliamentary and provincial elections.

This was Bhandari's first address in the Parliament after being re-elected as the head of state for the second time on March 14. 
The CPN-UML has 121 members, the NC has 63, and the CPN-MC has 53 while the Federal Socialist Forum Nepal has 17 and the Rashtriya Janata Party Nepal has 16 members.

The successful conclusion of elections has brought an end to the protracted political transition and uncertainty and induced rays of hope for prosperity, she said.

Bhandari underlined the need for cooperation with the neighbouring countries for the prosperity and development of the country.

She expressed hope that Nepal will be free from corruption and called on all to join hands to put an end to corruption prevalent in the country. She also called for a violence-free society, stating that the country should not involve in any kind of violence under any pretext.

Stating that Nepal was listed in the least-developed countries due to the weak governance and administrations, she said that from now onwards, the country should head towards the path of economic development at a faster pace.

As a large number of youths are going abroad in search of employment, it is high time for the government to address their expectations for the development of the country, the president added.

This was Bhandari's first address in the Parliament after being re-elected as the head of state for the second time on March 14.

Nepal has stepped into a new era of political stability and economic development following the successful holding of the local, provincial and federal elections, President Bidya Devi Bhandari said today. Nepal concluded the three phase of provincial, local and parliamentary elections as part of its efforts to implement the new Constitution that was promulgated in September 2015. The new government led by Left parties under Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli convened its first Parliament session on March 5 after the Himalayan nation successfully held landmark provincial and federal elections. While making her first address to a joint meeting of Parliament -- House of Representatives and National Assembly -- Bhandari said the significant phase of the Constitution implementation has been over following the successful holding of parliamentary and provincial elections. This was Bhandari's first address in the Parliament after being re-elected as the head of state for the second time on March 14. The CPN-UML has 121 members, the NC has 63, and the CPN-MC has 53 while the Federal Socialist Forum Nepal has 17 and the Rashtriya Janata Party Nepal has 16 members. The successful conclusion of elections has brought an end to the protracted political transition and uncertainty and induced rays of hope for prosperity, she said. Bhandari underlined the need for cooperation with the neighbouring countries for the prosperity and development of the country. She expressed hope that Nepal will be free from corruption and called on all to join hands to put an end to corruption prevalent in the country. She also called for a violence-free society, stating that the country should not involve in any kind of violence under any pretext. Stating that Nepal was listed in the least-developed countries due to the weak governance and administrations, she said that from now onwards, the country should head towards the path of economic development at a faster pace. As a large number of youths are going abroad in search of employment, it is high time for the government to address their expectations for the development of the country, the president added.

Nepal govt needs to focus on development, says President Bidya Devi Bhandari

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