Cong's Adhir Ranjan apologises to Derek O'Brien for calling him 'foreigner'
New Delhi, Jan 26: Senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Friday apologised to Trinamool Congress' Derek O'Brien for calling him a "foreigner".
The Congress leader called Derek O'Brien to apologise to him and also posted on X that "I conveyed my regrets to MR DEREK O'BRIEN for a word inadvertently uttered by me on him as FOREIGNER".
Sources said the TMC leader accepted the apology.
While speaking to the reporters on Thursday night in Siliguri, Chowdhury had said, "Derek O'Brien is a foreigner, he knows a lot of things. Ask him."
The statement came after Derek O'Brien blamed him for seat-sharing talks between the two parties not going through in West Bengal.
"Three reasons for the alliance not working in Bengal Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury," O'Brien told reporters in Delhi on Thursday.
Chowdhury's comment drew flak on social media.
"How is this inclusiveness? I know @derekobrienmp and to question his nationality is really showing how intelligent this man is! Sadly such men are at the helm of decision making," Tipra Motha chairman Pradyot Manikya said in a post on X.
O'Brien said the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) had many detractors but only two -- the BJP and Chowdhury -- have repeatedly spoken out against the bloc.
O'Brien had on Thursday alleged that Chowdhury was working at the behest of the BJP.
I conveyed my regrets to MR DEREK O'BRIEN for an word inadvertently uttered by me on him as FOREIGNER.
— Adhir Chowdhury (@adhirrcinc) January 26, 2024
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Trump says he ‘hasn’t even thought about’ continuing Iran ceasefire
Washington: US President Donald Trump has said he has not yet considered whether he would continue the ceasefire involving Iran, while also claiming the United States holds the advantage in negotiations.
Speaking to reporters, Trump said he was prepared to make a deal with “whoever is running the show” in Iran.
“They are fighting with each other, there’s tremendous infighting. They’re probably fighting for leadership in many cases. I think they’re fighting not to be leader because we knocked out two levels of leaders,” he said.
Trump added, “When they want they can call me. We have all the cards, we’ve won everything.”
Referring to ongoing negotiations, he said, “They gave us a paper that should’ve been better. And, interestingly, immediately when I cancelled it [envoy trip to Pakistan], within 10 minutes we got a new paper that was much better.”
“We talked about they will not have a nuclear weapon, very simple … They offered a lot, but not enough,” he added.
When asked whether he would continue the ceasefire, Trump replied, “I haven’t even thought about it.”
The remarks come as uncertainty remains over the future of the temporary truce and broader negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
