Evening NEWS
DIGEST
25
Oct.2017: 4 Safar 1439:Vol:9, No:29
Amid protests by BJP leaders, President Kovind
says Tipu Sultan among ‘formidable soldiers’, died heroic death fighting
British
President Ram Nath Kovind today hailed Tipu
Sultan, saying he died a heroic death fighting the British, remarks that came
in the backdrop of protests by BJP in Karnataka against the glorification of
the 18th century Mysore ruler.The remarks by the President in his address to
the joint session of Karnataka legislature amid the raging debate on Tipu Sultan’s
legacy sparked a war of words between the ruling Congress and opposition BJP.
The saffron party has opposed the Congress government's plans for 'Tipu
Jayanti' celebrations on his birth anniversary on Nov10.BJP alleged that the
state government has "misused" the office of the President by getting
Tipu's name mentioned in the speech while the Congress said the opposition
party should be "ashamed" for levelling this charge."Tipu Sultan
died a heroic death fighting the British. He was also a pioneer in the development
and use of Mysore rockets in warfare. This technology was later adopted by the
Europeans," Kovind said while noting that Karnataka is a land of
formidable soldiers.President's reference to Tipu Sultan came after he noted
the contributions of various historical figures of Karnataka.As the President
made the reference about Tipu Sultan in his speech to commemorate the diamond
jubilee of Vidhana Soudha, the seat of state legislature, Congress members
cheered by thumping of the desks.PTI
Tipu Sultan died historic death fighting
British, says President Kovind; BJP says Congress scripted speech
Demolish Humayun's Tomb to solve graveyard
problem in Delhi: Shia Waqf Board chief Waseem Rizvi
New Delhi:UP Shia Central Waqf Board has suggested
demolition of Humayun's Tomb and its conversion into a graveyard for Muslims.
In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Board president Waseem Rizvi
has said this would solve the grave problem being faced by the Muslims of Delhi
for burying the dead.All India Rabta-e-Masajid and Madaris-e-Islamia of Yamuna
Vihar, in letters to the UP Shia Central Waqf Board dated October 15, lamented
the paucity of space for graveyard in the national capital. They said the old
burial grounds had got filled up and there no space for building new ones
either.The two organisations have requested the UP Shia Waqf Board to provide
land for burial ground in the neighbouring state close to the Delhi
border.Board said it examined the cities in UP close to the Delhi border but
found that there was no land available with it for the purpose. However, it
said, the problem concerning the Muslims living in Delhi was really serious and
required to be solved in public interest.The Board has suggested to the PM to
demolish the Humayun's Tomb situated in the Nizamuddin area of the national
capital and convert it into a burial ground.Giving the reasons behind its
proposal, Rizvi said the Humayun's Tomb is spread in an area of 35 acres.
"It is not a religious place. It will be considered as a graveyard because
of the grave present there."He further said the Mughals had come from
various countries to loot India. "These Mughals snatched away the kingdoms
from the kings, looted them and became the rulers. They extorted the hard-earned
earnings of the people by imposing lagans for several generations."Mughals
caused immense harm to India's old culture and traditions. According to
historians, the Mughals demolished more than 3,000 temples by misusing their
power and rule," he said.Board went on to allege that the Mughal kings
were neither propagators of Islam nor they were efficient rulers. "That is
the reason why their grand graves cannot be the national heritage," he
said. Board has suggested that Humayun's Tomb should be removed from the list
of national heritage, demolished and converted into a graveyard for the
Muslims. indiatoday
BJP trying to pit Shias against Sunnis by
merging waqf boards: Barelvi clerics
Bareilly: Prominent clerics of the Barelvi
sect on Tuesday accused the BJP government in UP of "trying to drive a
wedge between Shia and Sunni communities" with the proposal to merge the
Waqf boards of the two groups.This comes days after a state minister had said
that a proposal to merge the Waqf boards of both the factions was on the
cards.Taking exception to the proposed move, a few senior clerics told TOI that
by merging the boards, the BJP "was conspiring" to create differences
among Sunnis and Shias and it may bring both the sects "at
loggerheads."Spokesperson of Dargah Aala Hazrat, Mufti Mohammed Salim
Noori, said, "There are different set of rules that govern Shia and Sunni
Waqf properties. It appears that BJP wants to create friction between Shias and
Sunnis as merging of the Waqf boards will lead to disputes, like appointment of
caretaker for the properties. The state has been following the old system for
decades and it should be retained."Mohammad Ehsan Raza Khan, caretaker of
Dargah Aala Hazrat, also cited similar reasons. "Shias and Sunnis go to
separate mosques. Their graveyards are also separate. The move will create
disputes. The work of the government is to resolve problems, not to create
them," he said.Opposing the merger, Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi, national
general secretary of Jamat Raza-e-Mustafa, an influential organization of
Barelvi sect, added:"Sunnis comprise biggest chunk of population, while
population of Shias is not much. So let the boards remain separate."TOI
Gujarat polls:Voting in 2 phases on Dec.9, 14;
results on Dec.18
New Delhi:Gujarat Assembly polls will be held
in two phases — Dec.9 and 14 — and the results will be declared on Dec.18, 2017
the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced on Wednesday, bringing into
immediate effect the model code of conduct. Addressing a press conference,
Chief Election Commissioner AK Joti said VVPAT machines will be used in all
constituencies to ensure transparency. He also announced a ceiling expenditure
of Rs 28 lakh for each candidate contesting the polls. The tenure of the state
Assembly is set to expire on Jan.22, 2018.The first phase of polling will be
held in 19 districts and 89 constituencies. Candidates have to file their
nominations for this phase by November 21, while the last day for withdrawal of
candidature is Nov.24. For the second phase —
13 districts and 93 constituencies — the last date for nominations is
Nov.27, and withdrawal is Nov.20. The results to both phases will be declared
on Dec.18.The poll body will set up 50,128 polling booths across the state.
Further, the poll body will set up CCTV cameras at sensitive areas along the
border to ensure polls are carried out smoothly. indianexpress
Arrest warrant against Hardik Patel in 2015
MLA office ransacking case
New Delhi:A Visnagar court in Gujarat’s
Mehsana district on Wednesday issued an arrest warrant against Patidar leader
Hardik Patel in connection with the alleged ransacking of the office of an MLA
in 2015. Hardik’s lawyer had sought exemption for his appearance but the plea
was rejected by the court.A case was booked against Patel and 17 others for
creating a ruckus in the office of Visnagar MLA Rishikesh Patel during the
protest rally of Patidar community demanding reservation under OBC quota for
their community. The warrant incidentally comes on a day when the Election
Commission announced the dates for the upcoming Gujarat polls.Hardik Patel, who
is the convener of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS), was supposed to meet
Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi earlier this week but the meeting was
cancelled for unknown reasons. He has been offered a poll-ticket by the
Congress though he is ineligible to contest as he is still not 25.
Will Convert to Buddhism if BJP's Mindset Towards
Backwards Doesn't Change: Mayawati
Azamgarh: BSP chief Mayawati has attacked BJP
claiming it should change its mindset towards the Dalits, Tribals and backward
classes or else she would be forced to convert to Buddhism like Bhimrao
Ambedkar."I throw an open challenge to BJP to change its casteist and
communal mindset towards Dalits, Adivasis, Backwards and also those who have
changed their religion or else I will also have to take a decision towards
changing my religion to Buddhism," she said at a party rally here. Recalling
Ambedkar, she said that after witnessing discrimination in the 'varna
vyawastha' (caste system) in Hinduism, he had called on the Shankaracharyas and
seers to modify it. Since it was not done, Ambedkar, a little before his death,
converted to Buddhism in Nagpur along with his followers, she said.The BSP
chief said that she too is giving an opportunity to the Shankaracharyas,
religious leaders and people associated with the BJP to change their thinking or
else she too will convert to Buddhism at the right time along with crores of
supporters.Accusing BJP of taking the "casteist agenda" of the RSS
forward, she blamed it for the suicide of Rohith Vemula in Hyderabad and the
Una case of Gujarat where some Dalits were assaulted resulting in outrage and
protests. Charging the BJP with fielding a Dalit associated with the RSS as the
presidential candidate to garner votes, she said that because of this, Congress
and other opposition parties had also fielded a Dalit candidate.PTI
Ram temple construction to start in Ayodhya:
Ex-BJP MP
Lucknow:Former BJP MP Ram Vilas Vedanti on
Tuesday said work towards the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya in Uttar
Pradesh will begin before Dec.6 this year.Vedanti, also a senior member of the
Ram Janmabhoomi Nyaas, said this would be done most likely through legislation
by the BJP-led NDA government, paving the way for a grand Ram temple.Babri
Masjid-Ram Janambhoomi matter is before the Supreme Court, and no construction
can be carried out at the disputed site till judgement is delivered. Vedanti is
an accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case and is being heard by a special
court under the directions of Supreme Court.He also said electoral victories in
many states (in future) would also add to the BJP's strength in Rajya Sabha and
thereafter, it would be easy for the ruling coalition to go ahead with the
construction of the Ram temple.IANS
Govt extends deadline to link Aadhaar with
welfare schemes till March 31, 2018
New Delhi:The government has extended to March
31 the deadline for linking the 12-digit Aadhaar identity number to various
welfare schemes, the Supreme Court was told on Wednesday.The government also
told the court that those without the biometric number would not be denied
benefits and no coercive action would be taken against those who don’t have
Aadhaar.The court will on October 30 hear the government on mandatory linking
of bank accounts and mobile phones, a directive that has been challenged in the
court.The deadline for linking bank accounts is December 31 and for mobiles
February 28. hindustantimes
Centre to SC: Deadline to link Aadhaar with
schemes extended
Coal on move, 25 tonnes a minute, is choking
Goa, more is on the way: indianexpress
Panjim:Nearly 25 million tonnes of coal —
evenly spread across a standard football field, this toxic black mountain will
rise almost 3 km into the sky. That is the amount that will be unloaded each
year at the Mormugao Port Trust by 2020, just 3 years away. By 2030, official
records attest, this is slated to double — up to 51.6 million tonnes each
year.In 2016-17, 12.75 million tonnes of coal was unloaded at the port and
carried across Goa to power stations and refineries in Karnataka and beyond. By
a clutch of importers, the biggest ones being JSW Steel Ltd and the Adani
Group. And Vedanta — together they are The Big Three — which currently imports
coal for its pig iron plant in Goa, is set to ramp up an additional 1.2 million
tons of anthracite, 2.6 million tonnes of coking coal and 2.1 million tonnes of
thermal coal for its proposed steel plant in Karnataka’s Bellary.Over a 4-month-long
investigation, The Indian Express found that coal that arrives at the port
takes three key routes, road, rail and river (see map below), that slice deep
wounds in the ecological heart of the state.
Activists rally against controversial
Rajasthan ordinance, demand withdrawal
Jaipur: Not satisfied with Rajasthan
government referring the controversial Criminal laws (Rajasthan Amendment )
Bill to the Select Committee of the Assembly, civil rights activists in Jaipur
today are demanding its complete withdrawal.Scores of activists including
Kavita Srivastava of the PUCL, Nikhil Dey of the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan
(MKSS), Salim Engineer of the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind among others came together
for a protest rally. The activists are raising doubts over the govt's
intentions and are demanding complete withdrawal of the contentious bill.
"Yes, because what is the intent? Had they really been affected by the
people's voice which was against this bill totally, they would have withdrawn
it. She had the powers to withdraw it. Sending to the Select Committee means
you have kept the agenda open. So, that is not acceptable," Kavita
Srivastava of the PUCL told India Today.Even though the bill has been referred
to the Select Committee, it was mentioned that the ordinance is still in place."We
have come to tell her squarely, that we know you are a feudal madam who likes
to jail people. This is not the first time that you have brought in such
provisions. You have brought it in the Rajasthan Land Acquisition Act also
where you had threatened three years' jail to a farmer and six months jail to
an activist..." Srivastava
added.India Today
58 academics from top institutions named as
sexual harassers in Facebook post; JNU, DU, FTII feature in list
Chennai: A Facebook post by a woman lawyer
inviting others to name academics who have sexually harassed their students
went viral on Tuesday, with 58 professors listed by name and the institution
they serve at.The list includes several prominent academics from some of
India’s premier academic institutions. Among them are 12 professors at Jadavpur
University, nine at Delhi University, 3 each from FTII and SRFTI, two professors
at JNU, and one of them is a leading
political theorist from the Centre for Studies in Social Sciences.Besides
these, 31 others working at Oxford University, St. Xavier's College, Kolkata,
University of California Santa Cruz, Ambedkar University Delhi, EFLU -
Hyderabad, Christ University have also been named. Raya Sarkar, whose Facebook
profile describes her as an "an attorney interested in prisoner's rights,
reproductive rights and anti-caste jurisprudence", posted the invitation
at 12.25 am on Oct.24 and asked others to add the name of their sexual
harassers to the list. Sarkar's post, “If anyone knows of academics who have
sexually harassed/were sexually predatory to them or have seen it first hand PM
me and I'll add them to the list." The post immediately hit a chord and by
10.26 pm of the same day, there were 58 names of academics listed. newindianexpress
3 Men From Kannur Arrested For ISIS Links:
Police
3 men
from north Kerala stopped from going to Syria 4 months back were arrested today
for links to ISIS.The men, all in the mid-twenties, had been on the radar of
the police ever since they were turned back from Turkey four months ago. Kannur
police said they were headed to Syria to join the terror organization when they
were deported.Over the next few months, the police closely tracked their online
activities.3have been identified by the police as Mithilaj KC, 26, Abdul Razak
KV, 24, and Rasheed MV, 27. ndtv
Sangh outfit favours appointment of
non-brahmin priests in temples
As Kerala created waves with the appointment
of non-Brahmins as priests in state shrines, Sangh outfit Wednesday said it
favoured the appointment of all “qualified” persons irrespective of caste as
priests in all temples, including the famed Lord Ayyappa temple. Hindu Aikya
Vedi, a state-based right-wing outfit, said anybody knowledgeable with regard
to ‘pooja’ and ‘tantra’ as prescribed by the tradition, is eligible to enter
the sanctum sanctorum of shrines and perform rituals.PTI
J&K dialogue: This is the beginning… talks
the best option, there is no other way, says Mehbooba Mufti
New
Delhi:J&K XM Mehbooba Mufti has said that by appointing a representative to
hold talks in Kashmir, the central government has finally taken an important
step towards reconciliation.“It is exactly what we always wanted,’’ Mehbooba
Mufti told The Indian Express in an exclusive interview, a day after Union Home
Minister Rajnath Singh named Dineshwar Sharma, ex-Director of IB, as its
special representative.“This is the beginning of a political process. Centre
has finally taken a very serious step forward. There has been a lot of
discussion within the government about it. There has been lot of preparation.
When Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) spoke on Independence Day, the message was
clear that he wants reconciliation, a process of rapprochement, to be the
mainstay of the government’s Kashmir policy. I knew that they were looking for
a credible face since Aug. The appointment of this interlocutor, a retired
officer whom we know very well, is part of that process of reconciliation… it
is an important move forward”.“Unlike most such processes earlier, Govt of
India has taken ownership of this initiative. Unlike the interlocutors sent
here by UPA govt, this interlocutor is the official representative of the
Government of India. He has been given a Cabinet Secretary rank and, thus, the
government is owning it up officially. Unlike the previous interlocutors
(during UPA rule), he will speak on behalf of the Government of India and his
report will be the government’s own report,’’ she said. indianexpress
Sohrabuddin ‘fake’ encounter: Court frames
charges against 16
Mumbai: A special court framed charges against
16 accused in the alleged fake encounter of Sohrabuddin Sheikh.On Tuesday, each
of the 16 men were present in court and pleaded not guilty to the charges
including murder, criminal conspiracy and destruction of evidence. Special CBI
prosecutor BP Raju opened the case Tuesday and pointed out the role played by
each accused based on the statements of witnesses and documents from the
chargesheet. The court will decide on the framing of charges against seven persons
on the next hearing. The other accused are Mukesh Kumar, Narainsinh Harisinh,
Himanshu Singh Rao, Shyam Singh Charan, Ajay Kumar Parmar, Santram Sharma,
Vijay Kumar Rathod, Ghattamaneni Rao,Narayan Chauhan, Yudhvirsingh Chauhan,
Kartarsingh Jat, Jethusingh Solanki, Kiransingh Chauhan and Karansingh Sisodia. indianexpress
Tillerson calls India 'emerging leader in
region' during meeting with Sushma Swaraj
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on
Wednesday said that India was the "emerging leader in the region" during
his maiden visit to the country. Tillerson made the statement while holding a
joint press conference with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in New
Delhi. Tillerson also said that India is crucial to the US' Afghanistan
strategy. "India is a natural partner in our fight against
terrorism," he said.The top leaders discussed a wide range of topics
during their meeting, ranging from US-India relations to Pakistan harbouring
terrorist organisations on its soil.Swaraj said that Tillerson recognised India's
role in the development of the region, and announced that India, US and
Afghanistan will hold a trilateral meet in December. ibtimes
Biker Sana Iqbal’s death in car crash: Mother
alleges pre-planned murder
Hyderabad:A day after cross-country woman
motorcycle rider Sana Iqbal died in a car crash, her mother today alleged that
it was a “pre-planned murder” which the deceased’s husband was trying to
portray as an accident. The police, to whom Iqbal’s mother has complained
alleging that the incident was a pre-planned murder, however, maintained it was
a road accident. 29-year-old Iqbal, who undertook a solo expedition to raise
awareness about suicide and depression, died while her husband, Abdul Nadeem,
suffered injuries in the car crash in the early hours yesterday when they were
heading home in Tolichowki area here, according to the police.“Yesterday, he
(Iqbal’s husband) planned it in such (a way) that…and gave it a turn as an
accident. But, it was a pre-planned, well organised and a cold-blooded murder,”
Iqbal’s mother alleged.PTI
WORLD
Qatar commits to Kuwait's mediation on Gulf
crisis
Qatar has reiterated its readiness for
dialogue to solve the GCC crisis and called on its citizens and media outlets
to refrain from attacking "Gulf symbols".A statement by Qatar's
foreign ministry on Tuesday was in response to a call by the Kuwaiti emir,
Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, for all sides to de-escalate the ongoing Gulf
crisis.The statement said Doha "hailed the appeal" made by the
Kuwaiti leader and did not seek to "escalate the situation". "In
line with the approach laid down by HH the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad
al-Thani in his address to the people of Qatar on 21 July 2017, calls upon
citizens, residents and all media in Qatar to avoid slipping into the abuse of
Gulf symbols," the statement read.
"Qatar has a strong belief in the fairness of its position in this
crisis and its adherence to dialogue based on mutual respect, on the basis of
its principles and values," it added. Aljazeera
Former adviser to Trump: Riyadh summit
triggered siege on Qatar
US President Donald Trump’s visit to Saudi
Arabia last May triggered the siege on Qatar according to one of Trump’s
closest advisers.Steve Bannon, the former White House strategist claimed,
during an appearance at a Hudson Institute conference on Monday titled “Facing
Violent Extremism: Qatar, Iran and the Muslim Brotherhood”, that Trump’s visit
to Riyadh was the main cause for the regional escalation against Qatar.He said
Saudi Arabia and its allies had become much more aggressive about fighting
terrorism in the months since Trump’s visit. “They’ve had a fundamental change
since that summit,” Bannon explained. Bannon was invited to give the keynote
address at the privately funded event hosted by the Hudson Institute, which is
well-known for taking an extreme pro-Israeli position and having closeties with
UAE Ambassador to Washington, Yusuf Al-Otaiba.A report in the McClatchy news
bureau said that shortly after Bannon resigned from his post at the White
House, the UAE hired a company close to Bannon to help in its anti-Qatar
campaign. middleeastmonitor
Iraqi Kurds propose to freeze referendum
results
Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) has
expressed readiness to freeze the results of a recent referendum to secede from
Iraq, as tensions mount between Erbil and Baghdad.The KRG said in a statement
on Wednesday that its leadership was prepared to declare an "immediate
ceasefire and halt all military operations in the Kurdistan region".People
in the semi-autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq voted to secede on
September 25 in a referendum, amid rising tensions and international
opposition. KRG said on Wednesday it would "freeze the results of [the]
referendum" in an attempt to foster dialogue between Erbil and Baghdad.The
announcement comes amid Baghdad's military buildup in the Kurdish region and
mounting international pressure on the KRG leadership to back down."As
Iraq and Kurdistan are faced with grave and dangerous circumstances, we are all
obliged to act responsibly in order to prevent further violence and clashes
between Iraqi and Peshmerga forces," the KRG statement said.Aljazeera
Iran reopens border crossing with Iraq’s
Kurdish region
Iran on Wednesday reopened a border crossing
with northern Iraq’s Kurdish region after a 10-day closure, according to the
Iranian consulate in Erbil. In a statement, the consulate said the Bashmaq
crossing was reopened to people and trade. Iranian authorities had shut the
terminal in mid-October upon a request from the Iraqi government amid tension
between Baghdad and Erbil over last month’s illegitimate referendum for
regional Kurdish independence.
Palestinian minors arrested by Israel 'suffer
abuse'
Mohammed, 14, was with his friends riding
horses in a park in Jerusalem's Old City when the Yassam, a special patrol unit
of the Israeli police, arrived at the scene.Sound grenades were fired at the
teenagers. One landed near Mohammed's feet. He picked up a rock and threw it in
the direction of the notorious riot police, whose excessive force against
Palestinians has been well-documented.Unbeknownst to Mohammed, Yassam had been
surveilling him and had also taken photos. Later, on his way back home, the boy
was arrested by Israeli security forces on Saladin Street. He was handcuffed,
taken to an interrogation centre, and was questioned without the presence of a
lawyer or his parents.Little did he know then, in mid-Sept.2016, that his
ordeal through the Israeli military court system had just begun."They
called me after he was interrogated," Salwa, Mohammed's mother, told Al
Jazeera."He spent the night in jail and was due in court the next day. He
was imprisoned for a further two weeks and in that period he had another court
appearance that was postponed 4 or 5 times."More than a year later,
Mohammed is still under house arrest.He is one of the hundreds of Palestinian
minors in the occupied territories that are arrested by Israel on a yearly
basis. The most common charge levelled against them is stone throwing, which
under Israeli military law can carry a sentence of up to 20 years in jail.Al
Jazeera
No room for militias in Gaza:Abbas
Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud
Abbas said on Monday that he does not want “militias” in the blockaded Gaza
Strip, which the Palestinian militant group Hamas handed it over to the
Palestinian Accord Government a couple of weeks ago.In an interview with
China’s official Xinhua news agency, Abbas said that the Palestinian leadership
“does not want to repeat the unsuccessful model of allowing militias to operate
in Gaza,” referring to Hezbollah and Lebanon.“There must be one authority [in
Gaza]: one law and one gun,” Abbas said. “There is no room for the presence of
militias.”After it signed the agreement to concede its control over the Strip
to the Fatah-dominated PA, Hamas has stressed that it did not discuss the issue
of its arms with Fatah or Egypt the broker of the handover agreement. It
reiterated it would never disarm.AP
Anything Hamas requests will be given:Iranian
FM
The advisor to the Iranian foreign minister,
Sheikh Hussein Al-Islam, has said the relationship between the Islamic Republic
of Iran and Hamas is excellent and has become stronger and more solid.“Anything
Hamas requests from Iran will be given. This is our duty,” Sheikh Al-Islam said
in an exclusive interview with Shehab News Agency.“All of Iran’s doors are open
to Hamas which represents the first line of defence for the Palestinian
resistance,” he said.Commenting on Israel’s demand that Hamas sever ties with
Iran as a precondition to accept Palestinian reconciliation, Sheikh Al-Islam
said that “Israel wants to destroy Hamas because it is a resistance movement,
not because of its relationship with Iran”. Middleeastmonitor
Israel secretly using US law firm to fight BDS
Israel has secretly been using a US law firm
in order to fight the Boycott Divestment Sanctions (BDS) movement in Europe,
North America, and elsewhere, according to Haaretz.The Israeli goverment has
paid Sidley Austin, a Chicago-based firm, hundreds of thousands of dollars over
the past two years, to manage court proceedings, prepare legal evaluations and
handle activities deemed “extremely sensitive” by the Justice Ministry and the
Strategic Affairs Ministry.Strategic Affairs Ministry is primarily in charge of
Israel’s fight against BDS movement, and is also involved in gathering
intelligence and attacking individuals and organisations that encouraged other
businesses to back the boycott.The documents obtained by Haaretz from the Justice
Ministry withheld the specific services the Israeli government required from
the firm, prompting suspicions that lawyers were also hired to prepare lawsuits
against those supporting BDS activities. middleeastmonitor
Syria: 397 civilians under siege starve to
death in eastern Ghouta
Syrian regime has trapped 400,000 civilians in
eastern Ghouta on the outskirts of Damascus since October 2012, the Syrian
Network for Human Rights said yesterday, noting that 397 civilians so far have
starved to death.The rights group said that 206 children among the civilians
perished due to the severe lack of food and medicine, in addition to 67
women.In a report the network said that the Syrian regime imposed a partial
siege on Al-Gouta in October 2012 and tightened it in Oct.2013.“At the
beginning of 2015 some food was smuggled into Al-Ghouta through Al-Wafideen
Refugee Camp after a deal between the regime and the armed opposition groups,”
the network said.It added: “Some food was smuggled through tunnels linked to
eastern Ghouta neighbourhoods with Al-Qaboun, Barza and Tishreen in Damascus.” middleeastmonitor
Swiss formalize intermediary role between
Saudi, Iran
GENEVA:Swiss government says it has finalized
agreements with Iran and Saudi Arabia to represent each other’s interests in
their respective capitals, after the two countries broke off diplomatic ties
last year.The government says Switzerland’s executive body “gave the green
light” Wednesday to the “protecting power mandate” between the two Middle
Eastern countries. The arrangement was also formalized separately in Riyadh and
Tehran.Saudi Arabia and Iran broke off diplomatic ties in Jan.2016 after Saudi
Arabia executed a leading Shiite cleric. Protesters in Iran attacked the Saudi
Embassy in Tehran.Switzerland, a proudly neutral Alpine country, has often
played the role of go-between for countries at odds with one another, such as
between the United States and Cuba, and the US and Iran.AP
At a forgotten Pakistan port, China paves a
new Silk Road
GWADAR: Remote and impoverished, Pakistan's
Gwadar port at first glance seems an unlikely crown jewel in a
multi-billion-dollar development project with China+ aimed at constructing a
21st century Silk Road.Situated on a barren peninsula in the Arabian Sea,
Gwadar, or the "gate of the wind", owes its fortuitous selection as
Pakistan's next economic hub to its strategic location near the Strait of
Hormuz.The city is set to become the bridgehead for the China-Pakistan Economic
Corridor (CPEC), a $54 billion project launched in 2013 linking western China
to the Indian Ocean via Pakistan.The corridor is one of the largest projects in
Beijing's "One Belt One Road" initiative, comprising a network of
roads and sea routes involving 65 countries.Chinese-financed initiative aims to
connect the country with Africa, Asia and Europe through a vast network of
ports, railways, roads and industrial parks.But for Pakistan, participating in
the project presents an enormous challenge in a country plagued by weak
institutions, endemic corruption and a range of insurgencies in areas slated to
host the corridor."This port is going to help Pakistan make linkages with
neighbouring countries. The entire nation will be getting benefits out of
Gwadar," Dostain Khan Jamaldini, chairman of the Gwadar Port Authority,
told reporters.But "the first beneficiaries of this port will be the
people of Gwadar".The subject of economic dividends is extremely sensitive
in resource-rich Balochistan - one of Pakistan's poorest and most violent
provinces, where separatist insurgencies have been waged for decades.AFP
US Top Court Dismisses Hawaii’s Challenge to
Trump Travel Ban
Washington:US Supreme Court formally dropped
plans to hear the last remaining challenge to an earlier version of President
Donald Trump‘s travel ban targeting several Muslim-majority countries and a ban
on refugees, but a fight over the legality of his latest restrictions still
could reach the nine justices.The high court said it will not hear the case
brought by Hawaii over the bans, which have expired and been replaced with
revised policies. Trump‘s 120-day ban on refugees ended on Tuesday and is set
to be replaced by a new set of restrictions.Two lower courts have blocked
Trump‘s new ban targeting people from eight countries, Trump‘s third set of
travel restrictions, and the issue could find its way back to the Supreme Court
on appeal.Reuters
US refugee ban ends, but 'enhanced vetting'
implemented
The US will temporarily delay processing for
refugees from 11 "high-risk" nations, the White House has announced,
as a 120-day ban on refugees entering the country came to an end. US President
Donald Trump signed a new executive order on Tuesday that directs government
agencies to resume US refugee programme, but according to the Dept of Homeland
Security (DHS), a 90-day review period for those arriving from "11
countries previously identified as posing a higher risk to the United
States" will be put in place.The order also said that new "enhanced
vetting" procedures will be implemented for all refugees.DHS officials
declined to reveal the countries that are considered "high risk", but
said in a statement that "admissions for applicants from those 11
high-risk countries will move forward on a case-by-case basis" during the
review period. The resumption of the refugee programme came as the 120-day ban
on refugees ended on Tuesday.In the latest executive order, Trump announced new
"enhanced vetting" procedures for refugees entering the US.Acting
Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine Duke said in a statement that "these
new, standardised screening measures provide an opportunity for the US to
welcome those in need into our country, while ensuring a safer, more secure
homeland." Aljazeera
Taliban fighters storm Afghan army post, kill
9: official
KABUL:Afghan officials say Taliban fighters
have stormed a security post, killing nine soldiers in a western
province.Spokesman for the governor of Farah province, Mohammad Naser Mehri
said today the militants stormed a security post killing nine soldiers and
wounding four other soldiers.The attack took place last night in Pusht Road district.The
intense, four-hour gun battle included the use of artillery against the
army.Mr. Mehri says Afghan war planes were deployed and 17 Taliban fighters
were killed.PTI
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Anwarulhaq (Released at: 7:51 PM)
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