Putin meet will be easiest stop on European tour: Trump
Washington, July 11 : US President Donald Trump has said the July 16 meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Helsinki could be the easiest stop on his European tour, during which he will also meet America's historic allies.
"So I have NATO, I have the UK, which is in somewhat turmoil, and I have Putin. Frankly, Putin may be the easiest of them all. Who would think? Who would think?" Trump said on Tuesday just before boarding the presidential aircraft Air Force One for his flight to Brussels, Efe news reported.
Trump arrives on Tuesday night in Brussels to take part in a two-day NATO summit before heading to the UK, and will wrap up his trip on July 16 when he meets with the Russian President in Helsinki.
Asked whether Putin is a friend or enemy, Trump replied the Russian President is "a competitor".
The meeting in Helsinki will be the first bilateral summit of the leaders of the two great powers, and will take place amid tensions between Moscow and Washington.
"I think that getting along with Russia, getting along with China, getting along with others is a good thing, not a bad thing," Trump added before leaving for Europe.
On his trip, Trump must strike a balance between promoting a thaw with Russia and not undermining relations with America's NATO allies, in an atmosphere of US-EU tension over trade.
He will also visit the UK at a time when the government of Prime Minister Theresa May faces another political crisis following the resignation of two of her principal ministers, both critics of her Brexit plan to negotiate a smooth withdrawal from the European Union.
In that regard, Trump spoke about one of the ministers who resigned, and who until this Monday was the UK's Foreign Minister, Boris Johnson, whom he called "a friend".
"Boris Johnson is a friend of mine. He's been very, very nice to me and very supportive. And maybe we'll speak to him when I get over there," he said.
"It's going to be an interesting time in the UK, and it's certainly going to be an interesting time with NATO. But we will work it out, and all countries will be happy," Trump said.
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Two FIRs lodged against Mithun Chakraborty for 'provocative' speech
Kolkata, Nov 6: Two FIRs have been lodged against actor-turned-politician Mithun Chakraborty for allegedly making provocative statements during a BJP event in Salt Lake area near Kolkata last month, police said on Wednesday.
The complaints pertain to Chakraborty's speech on October 27 at the Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre (EZCC) in Salt Lake, during a BJP programme attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who was in Kolkata to launch the party's West Bengal membership drive.
The first FIR was filed at the Bidhannagar South police station based on a complaint by an individual, while the second was lodged at Bowbazar police station.
"We have started an investigation into the case," a senior officer of Bidhannagar police said.
Shah was also present at the programme, which was organised to kick off the West Bengal leg of the BJP's membership drive. Shah had also felicitated Chakraborty for being honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award this year.
Although Chakraborty was unavailable for comment, BJP state president and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar described the FIRs a result of "vendetta politics.".
Majumdar alleged that the TMC government "has once again used the police to unfairly target well-known actor and senior BJP leader Mithun Chakraborty".
He accused the chief minister of employing such tactics "to serve political interests" and claimed that the state government's actions were part of an ongoing attempt to discredit political opponents.
"There is nothing provocative in his speech. These are nothing but attempts to intimidate him by using police as a political tool," he said.
TMC leader Kunal Ghosh dubbed the BJP's allegations as baseless.
"The allegations of political vendetta are baseless. He shouldn't have made such provocative remarks. The law will take its own course," he said.
Chakraborty, who received India's highest film honour, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, earlier this year, had asserted on October 27 that the 'masnad' (throne) of West Bengal would belong to the BJP after the 2026 assembly elections, promising to do whatever it takes to achieve the goal.
While speaking at the programme, Chakraborty, a BJP leader, said, "In 2026, the 'masnad' will be ours, and we will do everything to achieve the goal."
In an apparent reference to TMC MLA Humayun Kabir's communal remarks aimed at BJP workers during the Lok Sabha elections, Chakraborty had allegedly made provocative remarks.
Chakraborty cautioned that no one should attempt to intimidate saffron party voters into abstaining from voting in the next assembly elections.
He called upon the booth-level workers of his party to resist any such attempts.
