Evening NEWS
DIGEST
15
Nov.2017: 25 Safar 1439:Vol:9, No:48
Babri Masjid case: Sri Sri meets Yogi
Adityanath; Muslim, Hindu organisations raise objections on mediation
New Delhi: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar met UP CM Yogi
Adityanath in Lucknow on Wednesday, ahead of his visit to Ayodhya tomorrow. Art
of Living founder who is involved as a mediator in the Ram Mandir- Babri Masjid
dispute had earlier said that he has no agenda and that he would meet all the
parties involved in the dispute.In the “courtesy meeting” that lasted about 40
minutes at the CM’s residence, Ravi Shankar briefed Adityanath about his plan
to bring a mutual consensus over the long-simmering debate. “As far as Ayodhya
issue is concerned, Adityanath’s stand is very clear. The state Govt is not a party. We welcome any settlement and
will honour the decision of the court,” a senior state Govt official told PTI.“I am hopeful… I am not
disheartened. No one is opposed to amity. This is just a beginning, we will
talk to all,” Ravi Shankar said. He also said that his discussions with the CM included “everything about how can we bring
more peace in the nation, in the country, and the welfare of farmers and
cleanliness and many other issues”. He also said that he has got no proposals
from any side. “Neither I have given any proposal nor have I got it from
anyone,” he said. However, not many are happy with the Ravi Shankar’s
involvement in the issue. Various Muslim organizations have expressed their
reservations, saying that the spiritual guru should first disclose his plan. “It
is being said that Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is talking to all the stakeholders in
the case but he has not yet contacted the top leadership of the All India
Muslims Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) which is leading the Muslim side,” AIMPLB
general secretary Maulana Wali Rehmani told PTI. He also claimed, “About 12
years ago, Sri Sri had made a similar move and had concluded that the disputed
site be handed over to Hindus…what new formula he has found this time should be
disclosed.”The leaders also raised an objection to the statements made by Shia
Central Waqf Board chairman Wasim Rizvi. Rejecting Rizvi’s stand that a temple
should be built on the site, Rehmani said that the chairman of any board does
not have the power to hand over any disputed site to any party. “If Rizvi’s
logic is that Mir Baqi, who got the Babri mosque constructed, was a Shia then
also it (mosque) was made for all Muslims,” Rehmani said. Shia Personal Law
Board spokesman Maulana Yasoob Abbas said his board was with AIMPLB on the
matter. Babri Masjid Action Committee convenor Zafaryab Jilani, meanwhile, said
that while Rizvi might be the chairman of the Waqf Board, he had no standing in
the court of law. He also added that in case Ravi Shankar had any proposal
other than rejecting the claim of the Muslim side, the meeting of the executive
committee would be convened to discuss it. He also expressed his reservations
over the VHP’s objections to the mediation process. VHP spokesman Sharad Sharma
ruled out the need for any kind of dialogue over the Ram Temple row saying that
archaeological evidence in the matter was in favour of the Hindus and that the
courts go by proof. Indianexpress
Ayodhya row: Welcome your efforts but won't
give up claim on Babri Masjid land, Muslim bodies to Sri Sri
SC’s verdict in Ram Temple issue will be
‘binding’: UP Governor Ram Naik
Lucknow :UP Governor Ram Naik on Wednesday
said that the Supreme Court’s verdict in the impending Ram Temple issue would
be binding. He also expressed hope that ongoing efforts to resolve the issue
will bear fruits. “This (mediation) kind of effort is being made by those who
believe it will help resolve the issue at the earliest. I wish their efforts
bear fruit. But the apex court’s final verdict will be binding,” Naik said.The
governor made these comments on the meeting between Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and UP
CM Yogi Adityanath. indianexpress
Stakeholders Refuse Sri Sri, Shia Waqf Board's
Mediation in Babri Masjid case
Lucknow: The road to mutual consent of
stakeholders on the Ayodhya issue seems to have gotten more entangled after
mediation initiatives by Spiritual Guru, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, and Shia Waqf
Board Chairman, Waseem Rizvi. There were 21 original stakeholders in the Babri
Masjid case, but many have died. The recent initiatives by Sri Sri to initiate
a dialogue seems to have aggravated the already prickly topic. Although Sri Sri
has stated that his move is not politically motivated, stakeholder Dharmdas
remains sceptical. “Hearing in the case is soon going to start, and it will be
clear who is doing politics and who is creating obstacles in the construction
of Ram Temple,” he said.Ex-BJP MP, Ram Vilas Vedanti, who was associated with
the Ram temple movement, has refused to accept the mediation offered by Sri
Sri, saying, “Sri Sri’s mediation is not acceptable to us, regardless of what
he claims. The fight for Ram Janambhoomi was undertaken by Ram Janambhoomi Nyas
and VHP. These 2 parties should be invited for dialogue,” he said.On other
hand, All India Akhada Parishad Chief, Mahant Narendra Giri has also come
forward to mediate talks for mutual consent of the stakeholders. “Only if the
stakeholders are ready to talk, will something work out. Sri Sri is no saint,
he runs an NGO and that’s his work. Ram Temple issue is out of question for
him. He should concentrate on his NGO work,” Giri said.Reacting sharply to Waseem's
statement, Mohammad Iqbal, a party in the issue, said that Rizvi was of no
importance as he is not a stakeholder. He further accused Rizvi of politics and
entangling the issue further. “Whenever there will be talks, it’ll be between
stakeholders. Outsiders, like Waseem Rizvi, should stay and not complicate it
further,” said Iqbal.Another stakeholder, Haji Mehboob has also strongly
opposed Waseem Rizvi, questioning, “Who is Waseem Rizvi to speak on the issue?
What kind of negotiations is he talking about? Why should we or anyone speak to
him in this case? Only four to five stakeholders out of original 21 are still
alive. Rizvi is just trying to grab media attention.”.News18
Will talk to Sunni board: Akhara chief
Shia body slams Shia Waqf Board, says
mediation in Ayodhya dispute a publicity stunt
Lucknow: Shia Personal Law Board clarified that
the Board does not agree to the claims
made by the Shia Waqf Board. The Board has said that the recent claims made by
Shia Waqf Board Chairman Waseem Rizvi are a publicity stunt.All India Shia
Personal Law Board member, Maulana Yasoob Abbas said, “Settlement is good, but
how can you say that you are giving up the mosque land? A mosque is the house
of Allah and the All India Shia Personal Law Board is certainly not ready to
give up the mosque land. Board certainly does not agree to what Waseem Rizvi or
Shia Waqf Board has claimed.” Slamming the sudden mediation initiatives from
people who are not a party in the case, Shia Personal Law Board Member, Maulana
Abbas said,“Whenever Dec.6 approaches, people come up with several formulas out
of nowhere and then disappear as quickly.If the matter is not solved by the
Supreme Court this time, then again next year people will spring up with new
formulas of mediation. It is more of a publicity stunt than a noble
initiative.”News18
Indian Commandos Conduct First-ever Joint
Drill With Israeli Counterparts:haaretz
Indian Air Force commandos took part in joint
exercises with their Israeli counterparts on Monday – including the location
and rescue of soldiers who fell behind enemy lines – as part of the ongoing
“Blue Flag” drill, the largest air force exercise ever held in Israel.India
sent pilots and members of its Garud Commando Force – Indian Air Force’s
special forces unit established in 2003 after terror attacks on two airports –
to the two-week-long drill. Garud is the Indian equivalent of the Israel Air
Force’s Unit 669, which was founded in 1974.As well as locating soldiers,
rescuing them under fire and getting them home by helicopter, the two forces
also jointly drilled locating a pilot who had ejected over enemy territory,
rescuing him under fire and getting him home by helicopter.The Israeli
commandos also demonstrated navigation without technology, techniques for
survival in hostile territory, and “reading” the terrain during rescue
missions. 2 air forces also practiced aerial refueling. While the pilots were hosted at the Uvda air
base in southern Israel, the commandos of the Indian and Israeli forces held
their exercises at the Palmahim air base in central Israel. Over 70 aircraft
from 7 countries are participating in the Blue Flag drill, which began on
Nov.2. Air forces from Italy, France, US, Poland, Germany and Greece are also
taking part. This is the first time German or French aircraft have trained in
Israeli skies, and also first time India has joined the biannual exercise.
India takes part in first ever military drill
with Israel:MEMO
Alwar killing: Police notice triggers tension
in Umar Khan’s village
Bharatpur: Even as the family of dairy farmer
Umar Khan, who was shot dead in Alwar district last week while transporting
cows, is struggling to come to terms with his violent death, a police notice
demanding immediate consent for his postmortem has created a fresh spell of
fear and hostility in the small village.Situated at the Rajasthan-Haryana border,
95 km from Bharatpur, the Ghatmika village finds itself in the limelight
following the murder of its resident, Umar, 35, allegedly by a crowd of cow
vigilantes. His two companions, booked by the police in a cow smuggling case,
have not returned to the village since the November 10 assault for fear of
arrest.A notice served Wednesday by the Govindgarh police station on the family
demanded its consent for Umar’s autopsy, failing which the police would get it
conducted and bury the body after performing the rituals. A deadlock on the
post-mortem has been persisting in Jaipur with Umar’s relatives insisting on
the arrest of all culprits and a compensation of Rs.50 lakh.“We are at a loss
to decide what to do. My son was murdered for no fault [of his]. He had borrowed
₹15,000 from some acquaintances to buy a milch cow for his children, but was
mercilessly killed,”a wailing 80-year-old Shahabuddin, Umar’s father, said. The
family had 3 goats and it decided to purchase a cow for its dairy
occupation.The poor family has a small land holding of half bigha, which is
insufficient to serve its needs. Umar’s cousin Javed Khan said he had settled
for a cow instead of a buffalo, as the latter costs Rs.70,000, and the excess
milk could be sold after feeding the large family. “We never thought that transport
of cows for a bona fide purpose could be given the twist of cow smuggling,” he
said. thehindu
Alwar killing: Attackers gau rakshaks,
mutilated victim’s body, says police
Jaipur: 2 men arrested for assaulting 3
villagers who were transporting cows in Govindgarh area early on Friday — one
of them, Umar died in the attack — have identified themselves as “gau rakshaks”
and have confessed to the assault as well as mutilation of Umar’s body, Alwar
police said on Tuesday.Police also claimed that Umar and his two companions,
Tahir and Javed, were “habitual” cattle smugglers and were using a stolen
pick-up truck to transport cows.“We have arrested Ramveer Gujjar and Bhagwan Singh,
both in their thirties, who have confessed to the assault. They are residents
of villages which are near the village where the assault took place,” said
Alwar ASP Mool Singh Rana.“They told us that they had spotted an empty pick-up
truck passing through their villages, and suspected that it would return with
cows. They planned to waylay it if it returned with cows. When it did, they
first threw nails in its path, but the pick-up truck moved on for a few
metres,” said Rana.“Gau rakshaks claimed that the people in the pick-up truck
first fired at them, and so they returned fire. We have identified their four
accomplices and efforts are on to nab them,” said Rana, adding that the duo had
confessed that they had mutilated Ummar’s body and left it near the railway
tracks “to make it look like an accident.” indian eppress
Dairy Farmers Killing in Alwar: 2 arrested,
deceaseds family demands arrest of all culprits, compensation,job
Guj, Raj govts shying away from acting against
cow vigilantes:Sachin Pilot
Ahmedabad:Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin
Pilot accused BJP-led Govt s in his state and Gujarat of shying away from their
responsibility to take action against cow vigilantes and said such elements
were now terrorising the people. Speaking about a recent incident in Alwar
district of Rajasthan, where a man was shot dead allegedly by cow vigilantes,
Pilot claimed that Vasundhara Raje, the CM of the state, was in that district when the
incident took place. "Such incidents (involving cow vigilantes) are
surfacing on a regular basis, be it in Gujarat or Rajasthan. These incidents
are condemnable and I believe that those in the Govt are shying away from their
responsibility," he told mediapersons on his arrival at the airport here
today. PTI
Alwar SP protecting Gau Rakshaks by terming
‘Umar lynching’ as Meo Vs Gurjar- PUCL report
FIRs filed against Jamiat Ulema chief; Assam
Police examining ‘provocative speech’
Guwahati: As many as 3 FIRs have been lodged
in as many police stations in Assam against Maulana Syed Arshad Madani,
president of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, for making a statement amounting to
“promoting enmity between communities” in backdrop of updating of the National
Register of Citizens (NRC) in state.Confirming this Assam DGP Mukesh Sahay said
the police were examining various evidences including the original audio and
video recordings of a speech that Madani had reportedly made in a seminar in
New Delhi on Monday, and ‘appropriate action’ would be taken once the
allegations were proved true. “We are procuring the audio and video tapes of
Madani’s allegedly inflammatory speech,” DGP Sahay said.Reports in several
local newspaper and TV news channels here have quoted Jamiat chief Madani as
saying that a conspiracy was hatched in Assam to take away the citizenship of
Muslims and create another Myanmar.Assam Tribune quoted Madani as saying, “A
conspiracy is being hatched to take away the citizenship of the Muslims.”
Madani had even warned that one community would retaliate in the event of their
names being dropped from NRC, the paper said.The newspaper also quoted Madani
as saying that any attempt to sabotage the on-going NRC updating process in
Assam will create a situation like Myanmar.While Madani’s reported statement
has already triggered off widespread protests across Assam, CM Sonowal has taken a stand that his Govt would consider as enemies of the state those
trying to derail NRC updation process. AUIDF headed by Maulana Badruddin Ajmal
however has said that section of the media had misinterpreted what Madani had
said. “I have listened to audio recording of what Madani had said.He spoke in
Urdu and a section of the media have misinterpreted it,” AIUDF general
secretary Aminul Islam said. indianexpress
Assam mission to detect and deport illegal
immigrants ends up harassing Muslim personnel in security forces
Assam's relentless quest to banish illegal
citizens from the state has met with many an embarrassment as people belonging
to a particular community who have served the country's forces for years
together are not even spared. Worse, they are asked to prove their citizenship
irrespective of the tenure and organisation they served.As the state shares
porous borders with Bangladesh, illegal immigration remains an unsolved problem
so far. However, process differentiating actual citizens from the fake ones is
quite complex due to various reasons. Although the state has the Foreigners'
Tribunal to identify false citizens it is far from being a foolproof one and
often runs into controversies.Order notices to Samsul Hoque Ahmed and his wife
Nurjahan Ahmed from the Foreigners' Tribunal court in Barpeta asking the
addressees to prove citizenship surprised everyone. A shocked Ahmed who is a
resident of Balikuri locality under Kalgachia police station in Barpeta
district asked, "How a person, who has served IAF for 35 years of life,
can be suspected as a foreigner?" firstpost
Around 400 Arakan people take refuge in
Mizoram:Minister
No Rohingya Muslim refugee has entered the
state till date but around 400 people from conflict-torn Arakan in Myanmar have
taken refuge in Mizoram, state home minister R Lalzirliana told the Assembly on
Wednesday.Replying to a volley of questions from the opposition party members
during the question hour, he said the Govt has not received any report on Rohingyas
entering the state from Myanmar or Bangladesh.PTI
Rajasthan govt to HC: 2008 conversion bill
pending with Centre
Jaipur:Rajasthan high court on Tuesday
directed the state Govt to apprise it by
Nov.27 on the status of the Rajasthan Freedom of Religion Bill, 2008, which has
been sent to the Centre for approval. The bill, passed by the Rajasthan
assembly in 2008, aims at checking forceful religious conversions.A division
bench of justice G K Vyas and justice Manoj Kumar Garg that was hearing a
habeas corpus petition gave the direction after additional advocate general S K
Vyas informed court that the state had initiated the process of making a law on
religious conversions but the bill was pending before Govt of India.TOI
Man Hadiya married goes to cops, says he is
worried about her safety
Thiruvananthapuram:Muslim man who married
25-year-old Hadiya has approached the police to seek her safety. The young
woman, who was born Akhila Ashokan, has been asked to present herself in the
Supreme Court in Delhi to give her version of the story. Sheffin Jahan, 26, said
he was worried that the journey will take a toll on her health pose a risk to
her safety."Latest clips show that Hadiya's health has deteriorated... A
train journey to Delhi will take a toll on her and can risk her safety too. I
hope some provision for an air travel can be made," Mr Jahan told the
media after meeting Kerala's police chief Loknath Behera on Tuesday.NDTV
J&K: Govt removes child protection expert
without giving any reason
New Delhi:Only 17 days after J&K Govt
hired a child protection expert to calibrate its response to one of its most
serious challenges in Kashmir, he was removed without giving any reason. Hilal
Bhat had left his job at UNICEF after J&K Govt approached him to head its Integrated Child
Protection Scheme (ICPS). Govt move has upset Social Welfare Minister Sajad
Lone, who is in the cabinet in BJP’s quota and has brought new strain in the
coalition. “I have no idea. All I know is that it took me months to convince
him (Bhat) to leave UNICEF and work for our Govt at least for 18 months,’’ Lone said. “I was
hoping that he would roll out ICPS. And given that he is highly experienced in
child rights and protection, it will help us”. Lone said that he understood the
importance of addressing the issues linked to children, especially a well
organized Govt effort for their
protection. “That’s why we had brought a professional as Mission Director for
this project. Although the law is there
since 1998, nothing has been done till now. We are in the process of setting up
juvenile justice system and organize programmes specifically aimed at children.
The govt is committed to establish a vibrant child rights regime in the
State”.When contacted Bhat said: “I am surprised. The State is facing a major
challenge vis-a-vis our child. This is why I left a job at UNICEF. I wanted to
work here and help develop a system for protection and rights of the children”.
A Kashmir Administrative Service officer replaced Bhat. CM Mehbooba Mufti said that she has been apprised
of the matter. “We will sort this out soon,” she said. In fact, the work on
child rights and protection has especially become a top priority because of the
current situation in Kashmir. According to J&K Health department’s data, 1248
children below the age of 15 years were among 9010 people who were injured in
the first four months of the Govt crackdown to quell the massive protests that
were triggered by killing of Burhan Wani.Indian Express
Court frames money laundering charges against
Kashmir separatist Shabir Shah, Aslam Wani
New Delhi:A Delhi court on Wednesday framed
money laundering charges against Kashmiri separatist leader Shabir Shah and
alleged hawala dealer Mohammad Aslam Wani in a 2005 case of alleged terror
financing.Additional Sessions Judge Sidharth Sharma framed the charges to which
both the accused pleaded not guilty and claimed trial.The charge sheet also
named Wani, who is in judicial custody along with Shah.The central probe
agency, in the charge sheet filed under sections of the Prevention of Money
Laundering Act (PMLA), had furnished Shah’s statements where he has allegedly
told the investigators that he has “no source of income of his own” and that he
does “not file any Income Tax Return (ITR).” The probe agency had recorded the
statement of 36-year old Wani where he allegedly said that he came to Delhi
from Srinagar “at the directions of Shah” sometime in April, 2003 and that was
the first time he had met him. Wani was arrested by the ED on August 6 from
Srinagar. ED alleged that Wani was asked by Shah to “work for him (on a
commission basis) in collecting hawala money from Delhi and deliver to him at
Srinagar.”
POK is not part of India: Farooq Abdullah
reiterates autonomy for Kashmir
New Delhi: Reiterating his earlier stand on Kashmir
issue, NC leader Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday said that India should give up on
the pursuit of acquiring Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) and merging it in its
territory."For how long will we keep shedding the blood of the innocent
people and keep saying that it (PoK) is our part? It is not owned by them
(India). Seventy years have passed. That is Pakistan, this is India. They
(India) haven't been able to acquire it in 70 years. Today, they say that it is
part of their territory," he said while addressing a gathering in
Uri.Abdullah has been advocating changing the LoC into an international border
and granting more autonomy to both— Kashmir and the POK as part of the solution
to the seven-decade old conflict. timesofindia
CBI submits report on missing JNU student
Najeeb, seeks in-camera proceedings
New Delhi: CBI has handed the Delhi High
Court, in a sealed cover, its status report in the disappearance of JNU student
Najeeb Ahmad. Underlining the “sensitive nature” of the matter, the counsel for
CBI, Nikhil Goel, requested the court for in-camera proceedings. He also
informed the court that the mobile phones of nine people had been seized and
sent to CFSL, which was yet to provide its report. The counsel said CBI’s plea
seeking consent from 9 people for a polygraph test was listed on Wednesday
before a Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court.CBI report was submitted to a
bench of Justice S Muralidhar and Justice I S Mehta. The report was then handed
to senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, counsel for Najeeb’s mother Fatima
Nafees.In its brief order, the bench said, “This court has heard the submission
of the learned counsel for the parties. The status report filed reflects the
further steps taken by CBI in the matter. Court doesn’t consider it appropriate
to discuss the details set out in the status report.” The matter is listed for
hearing Dec 21. indianexpress
Encounter Case: Ishrat mother opposes
discharge plea; ex-DGP PP Pandey involvement clear
Ahmedabad:Asserting that “she is a poor widow
who wants to bring the killers of her daughter to justice”, Shamima Kauser,
mother of Ishrat Jahan who was killed in an alleged fake encounter, filed a
reply in a special CBI court here on Tuesday, opposing the discharge
application moved by accused ex-DGP PP Pandey.Kauser said in reply that “accused
has concealed and misrepresented the case against him as disclosed by CBI. The
chargesheet dated 3.7.2013 discloses material that shows the clear involvement
of Accused No. 2 (Pandey) in the criminal conspiracy that culminated in the
fake encounter…”The reply, filed through advocate Salim Saiyed, alleged that
“the material in the charge sheet, prima facie, demonstrates that P P Pandey,
who was the JCP at the time of the extra-judicial killing, was a key actor in
the conspiracy to abduct the present respondent’s daughter, keep her in illegal
confinement and kill her.”She added in the reply that her daughter was “falsely
projected as…a terrorist” by Ahmedabad DCB. Pandey was then the joint
commissioner of police, DCB. The reply
alleged that “the present respondent’s young daughter (Ishrat) was murdered
following a conspiracy between high ranking police officers and others holding
powerful and influential positions in the state and wielding substantial
authority and clout.” “In such a situation, the respondent is naturally fearful
that she will be denied justice,” the reply claimed.It further said that even CBI
has opposed the discharge plea on the ground that “there is direct and
admissible evidence, which reveal(s) the overt role of Accused No. 2 in this
case.” “It is only due to the
determination of the present respondent to pursue justice and bring the killers
of her daughter to justice, that steps have been taken towards bringing the
powerful guilty men to book… It involves her right to complete justice.”Pandey
was chargesheeted by the CBI along with 6 others, including retired IPS officer
D G Vanzara, IPS officer GL Singhal, SP (retired) NK Amin and DSP (retired)
Tarun Barot. All the accused are out on bail. indianexpress
Mumbai attack: Producing Zabiuddin necessary,
court tells govt
Mumbai:Special court conducting the trial in
Nov.26, 2008, terror attack case has said producing accused Zabiuddin Ansari
before court is “necessary”. Ansari, who was arrested in 2012, is lodged in
solitary confinement at Arthur Road jail and is produced for trial through video-conference.On Tuesday, Special Judge
Govind A Sanap said the identity of the accused was one of the important issues
in the trial. “I personally feel that whenever a witness comes to court to give
evidence on identity of the accused, the personal production of the accused is
necessary,” the judge said. Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told the
court that the Govt had taken a decision
not to produce Ansari in court as he had a threat to his life.“The possibility
of serious repercussions and consequences on account of failure of production
of the accused in court to prove his identity could be very serious and may
arise in the future. In my view, the prosecution and Govt cannot afford to be very light on the issue.
They have to reconsider their decision to the above extent,” the court said.Due
to security concerns cited by the Maharashtra govt, Ansari is not physically
produced before court. Nikam submitted that Ansari had filed a plea before the
Bombay High Court, seeking to be produced before the court, which was rejected.
The court, however, said that was at a stage when the trial had not begun
against Ansari.On Tuesday, court resumed the trial against Ansari with the
deposition of a translator who had helped the Mumbai Police translate
documents, including a passport and an identity card belonging to Ansari.
Advocate Wahab Khan, who represents Ansari, sought further time to
cross-examine the witness, stating that he required to take instructions from
him by meeting him in jail. The court said since the translation was provided
to the defence on Tuesday, time sought by him could not be rejected, and made
further observations on the need to produce him before the court.indian express
Mahatma murder: SC told Apte’s identity mired
in doubt
New Delhi: Narayan Dattatraya Apte was hanged
for the murder of Mahatma Gandhi along with the main assassin, Nathuram Godse,
on Nov.15, 1949.On Wednesday, 68 years after that event, a petition in the
Supreme Court claims that the identity of Apte remains mired in doubt and seeks
reopening of the investigation into Gandhi’s assassination.Justice J.L. Kapur
Commission of Inquiry, set up in 1966 to unearth the entire conspiracy, had
reported Apte to have been in Indian Air Force.However, Manohar Parrikar as
Defence Minister on Jan.7, 2016, had informed Dr. Pankaj Phadnis, the
petitioner in the SC, that “no information related to Narayan Dattatraya Apte
being an Air Force officer could be found anywhere.”Dr. Phadnis, a researcher
and a trustee of Abhinav Bharat, Mumbai, who has raised questions about the
investigation into Gandhi’s murder suggesting whether it was one of the biggest
cover-ups in history, has annexed the letter received from Parrikar, now Goa CM,
in his petition.The petitioner has contended that such information establishes
the involvement of an alleged foreign hand in the assassination of the Father
of the Nation on Jan.30, 1948. Parrikar’s letter states: “I have got the matter
examined. I have been informed that the matter was referred to various agencies
within the Air Force, MoD History Division as well as to AA at HCI, UK with the
request to provide any information pertaining to Narayan Dattatraya Apte. All
the agencies have confirmed that they have not found any records pertaining to
Narayan Dattatraya Apte. History Division of MoD even liased with National
Archives, Central Secretariat Library and consulted private papers of Mahatma
Gandhi’s murder trial,” it said. The letter also said that Gazettes of India
(Air Branch) for the year 1943-46 were also searched but no information related
to him being an IAF officer “could be found anywhere.”While seeking reopening
of the probe into the Gandhi assassination case, Dr. Phadnis on the basis of
the Parrikar’s letter, has submitted to SC that “there is therefore reasonable
ground to believe that Apte was an operative of British Force 136, which can be
established only after further investigation.” SC has appointed senior advocate
Amarender Sharan as amicus curiae in the matter to examine the petition and
documents provided by Dr. Phadnis, who has also questioned ‘3-bullet theory’ in
the murder of Gandhi. thehindu
There should have been a single GST rate,
multiple changes prove Centre’s failure: Yashwant Sinha
BJP leader and former Finance Minister
Yashwant Sinha criticised the Centre on Tuesday, this time for introducing five
different slabs for the GST.“Most countries that adopted the GST have one
rate,” he said in an interview with The Hindu. “If that was difficult, then
they should have probably fixed two rates, one for State GST and one for
Central GST. I don’t know what kind of leadership was provided by Finance
Minister [Arun Jaitley] to GST Council that they went for 5 rates plus cesses,
which made it very complex.”Sinha accused Jaitley of not “applying his mind”
and said the reduction in GST rates for 178 items showed Govt’s failure. “Every
rollback is an admission of failure, and a massive rollback where you rollback
178 items at one go only proves the scale of the failure.”He said the Centre’s
publicity around its achievements was “unconnected with the reality of what was
happening on the ground, for instance the impact of demonetisation and GST”. He
added that he was worried about the BJP’s future, and the issues he had raised
had to be addressed if the party wanted a bigger mandate in 2019 than it
received in 2014 general polls. scroll
Every roll back is admission of failure: Sinha
says on GST
Demonetisation has caused a loss of Rs 3.75
lakh crore, economy standing on one leg: Sinha
GST hurt textile industry in election bound
Gujarat:traders
Surat:An unusual hush has fallen over the
bustling textile markets of Surat. Previously, travellers would find it
impossible to negotiate the maze of streets crowded with mini trucks and
labourers with bundles heaped on their heads. Now, the textile hub in the heart
of Gujarat’s richest city is lackluster even as markets slowly open after a
Diwali break.“We used to produce four crore metres of synthetic cloth in Surat
every day. It has come down to 2.5 crore metres,” says Sanjay Jagnani who heads
the local textile traders association.Jagnani is among thousands of disgruntled
textile traders in the economic capital of the western state who say problems
in the uniform tax system, GST, hamstrung their business and hurt their profit
margins.This resentment is focus of a high-decibel campaign for the assembly
elections as BJP tries to placate its traditional vote bank and the Congress
tries to cash in on the anger and initial signs of anti-incumbency.Surat is home
to around 65,000 traders, mostly Patidars, who have supported the BJP for
generations but resorted to violent agitations two years ago to demand quotas
in jobs and education.The annual turnover of the textile industry is around
~400 crore and it employs more than a million people. Traders say they were not
badly affected by the Govt ’s shock recall of high-value banknotes last year
because they mostly deal in credit. It was the problems in GST that hit them
hard.Traders say the tax rate of 5% is not the problem but that the process
bogs them down. They claim small traders will be the worst hit. There’s an
alternative school of thought, though:that before GST, at least some small
traders were not paying tax (or at least, all the tax they had to).HT
Stopped my speech when i heard azaan:Gujarat
CM
New Delhi: While talking about how BJP's idea
of secularism was different from what he called Congress's "politics of
appeasement", Gujarat CM Vijay
Rupani revealed that during an election rally earlier this year, he stopped his
speech in the middle when he heard the sound of azaan from a nearby mosque. He
resumed his speech, Rupani said, when the azaan ended."During Gujarat
Gaurav Yatra, I was addressing a rally. When I was giving my speech, I heard
the sound of azaan coming from a mosque nearby. I decided to stop my speech in
the middle for a bit. I only resumed when the azaan ended. That is the
philosophy of BJP – Justice for all, appeasement of none. Congress's idea of
secularism is only appeasement. Even Muslims have seen that Congress has done
nothing for their benefit. I am certain that Muslim brothers and sisters will
vote for BJP in Gujarat like they did in UP Assembly elections," Rupani
said.News18
Kerala Minister Chandy resigns over land
encroachment charges, third minister to quit Kerala cabinet in over a year
Kochi: After days of speculation, Kerala
Transport Minister and NCP leader Thomas Chandy, facing land encroachment
charges, has submitted his resignation from the cabinet. Chandy, the richest
legislator in the state, is the third minister in CM Pinarayi Vijayan’s cabinet to step down in the
last 16 months.Chandy’s resignation letter was handed over to CM Vijayan by NCP
state president TP Peethambaran Master. The letter has been forwarded to
Governor P Sathasivam, the CM told
reporters.Chandy, the MLA from Kuttanad in Alappuzha district, is accused of
violating wetland rules by encroaching a section of a lake to construct an
approach road and parking facilities for the Lake Palace resort, that he owns
with a relative. Alappuzha district collector TV Anupama had submitted a
report, alleging gross violation of conservation norms, to the revenue
department.On Tuesday, a division bench of the Kerala High Court had dismissed
Chandy’s petition seeking quashing of the collector’s report. The HC asked
Chandy how he could petition against the Govt when he was a part of the cabinet and told him
to approach the collector’s office. indianexpress
Muslim bodies in Rajasthan join ‘ban
Padmavati’ call:TOI
Jaipur: Muslim bodies in Rajasthan have
extended support to Rajput bodies demanding a ban on the release of
'Padmavati'. Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) Rajasthan Chapter has said that any
attempt to distort history and disrespect religious and historical figures
should be dealt with 'treason' charges. "Until Rajput community, who is
well versed with the historical narrative of the fall of Chittorgarh in 1303
CE, clears the movie it should not be released," Iqbal Siddiqui, state
media secretary, JIH, Rajasthan, said.He drew a parallel by stating that
Muslims protesting against the likes of Salman Rushdie and Taslima Nasreen is
purely based on the same logic - hurting of sentiments. The most prominent
Muslim body of Mewar region (Chittor is part of the Mewar region) Muslim
Mahasangh, which has over one lakh members, has already approached the
protesting bodies to include them in the protests. "I am not a historian,
but I believe that if Rajputs, with whom we are living for 500 years, are
objecting then it becomes our moral responsibility to support them. Rani
Padmini is a pride of Mewar and like Hakim Khan Suri (military strategist, who
attained martyrdom in the battle of Haldighati, we are committed to stand with
Rajputs of Mewar for cause," said Multani, convenor of Muslim
Mahasangh.The mahasabha considers Maharana Pratap as one of its role models and
celebrates his jayanti every year.Muslims on ground zero (Chittor) have also
jumped into the bandwagon. A body of Muslim lawyers in Chittorgarh has decided
to join the protestors' call for the closing fort on Friday. imesofindia
Saifee Burhani Trust acquires Dawood Ibrahim’s
3 assets auctioned in Mumbai
Mumbai: Saifee Burhani Upliftment Trust (SBUT)
has acquired all the 3 properties of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim put up
for auction on Tuesday.SBUT, which was among a dozen bidders in the public
auction held by the finance ministry under the Smugglers and Foreign Exchange
Manipulators (Forfeiture of Property) Act (SAFEMA), had placed the highest bids
through sealed tenders, sources said.Hindu Mahasabha that had expressed
intentions to participate in the bid failed to deposit the earnest money and
was disqualified. According to sources, while 2-storey Shabnam Guesthouse in
Bhendi Bazar was auctioned for Rs 3.053 crores, Dawood’s ancestral property –
Damarwala building at Pakmodia street – was sold for Rs 3.53 crores. Hotel
Raunaq Afroz was bid for Rs 4.53 crores.“The highest bidder would now require
to deposit 25% of the bidding amount within 30 days and the total amount within
90 days,” said P Selvaganesh, Competent Authority, SAFEMA. indianexpress
Deoband grieves as Maulana Aslam Qasmi is laid
to rest
Maulana Qasmi, great-grandson of Maulana Qasim
Nanotavi, who was 80 years old, was buried in the Qasmi graveyard near the
Deoband. After his demise, Deoband is in great shock. Until his last days,
Maulana Qasmi had been working as Nazim in the Darul Uloom Waqf, which was
established by his great-grandfather. Born in 1937, Maulana Qasmi always held a
high and respectable stature in Deoband fraternity due to his behaviour and
dialogue with others.According to those who participated, Qasmi’s funeral was attended by thousands of people, including
non-Muslims who attended Maulana Qasmi’s janaza in heavy numbers. Qasmi was
famous for authoring several books, which are still being read in Deoband and
other scholarly circles. Having a good command over Arabic and Persian, Maulana
Qasmi has a great command of the English language. He used this excellence in
his in propagating the idea of Darul Uloom Deoband to western countries.He also
travelled to European countries like France, England, Italy, Germany and US as
well as Canada with his literature. He was well known to establish an
interrelation between Qur’an and Science through his writings.TCN
WORLD
Zimbabwe army takes control but denies coup: aljazeera
Zimbabwe's military has seized state TV and
blocked off access to Govt offices in
the capital Harare.In a televised address early on Wednesday morning, military
spokesperson, Major General SB Moyo, said the army was seeking to "pacify
a degenerating, social, and economic situation" in the country. Moyo
denied that the army was carrying out a coup against President Robert Mugabe's Govt
and said the leader and his family were "safe and sound and their safety
is guaranteed". "We are only targeting criminals around him who are
committing crimes that are causing social and economic suffering in the
country, in order to bring them to justice" he said, as tanks surrounded
parliamentary and presidential buildings.Army spokesperson said that once the
military's objectives have been achieved, the situation in the country would
return to normal, before urging Zimbabweans to continue with their lives as
usual.Moyo also called on political parties to "discourage" their
members from turning to violence."To the youth, we call upon you to
realise that the future of the country is yours, do not be enticed by the dirty
coins of silver, be disciplined and remain committed to the ethos and values of
this great nation."Overnight, the Zimbabwean paper The Herald, which leans
towards Mugabe, ran with headline: "Zanu-PF unfazed by Chiwenga",
referring to the army general leading the takeover.On Nov.14 Zanu-PF accused
the army chief of "treasonable conduct" after he challenged Mugabe
over the sacking of vice president.Al Jazeera's Haru Mutasa, reporting from
Harare, said that while Mugabe has long ruled southern African state, there was
precedent for his removal from within the party's history.
Zimbabwean President Mugabe under house arrest
as Army seizes power:AFP
Saad Hariri to return to Lebanon in coming
days: aljazeera
Saad Hariri, the Lebanese leader at the centre
of a diplomatic row in the Middle East over his unexpected resignation as PM ,
has said he will return from Saudi Arabia in the coming days.The announcement
came in the form of a tweet on a day he met the visiting head of Lebanon's
Maronite Christian Church in Riyadh, Patriarch Beshara al-Rai.Lebanese
officials have said Hariri, a Sunni Muslim politician and longtime ally of
Saudi Arabia, is probably under either house arrest or in temporary detention
in Riyadh.Rai is the first Lebanese public figure to visit Saudi since Hariri
announced his resignation in a televised speech from Riyadh more than a week
ago.Dubai-based Al Arabiya TV quoted Rai as saying after the meeting in Riyadh
that Hariri would return home as soon as possible.Rai was also quoted as
expressing his support for Hariri's reasons for resigning.Besides Hariri, Rai held
talks on the second day of his visit to the kingdom with the Saudi King Salman,
and the heir apparent, Mohammed bin Salman, at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh.
Turkey's President Erdogan meets Qatar's Emir
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has
held talks with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Doha.During his
visit, Erdogan discussed regional developments and bilateral ties with Sheikh
Tamim, a month after a meeting between the two leaders in the Turkish capital,
Ankara.This is the Turkish leader's second visit to the Gulf country since the
start of a major diplomatic crisis in the region more than five months
ago.Erdogan arrived in the Qatari capital on Tuesday to attend the third
meeting of Turkey-Qatar Supreme Strategic Committee to be held on
Wednesday.Accompanied by Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, his wife and Chief
of General Staff General Hulusi Akar among other delegates, Erdogan was
welcomed at the Hamad International Airport by Qatar's Defence Minister Khalid
bin Mohammad Al Attiyah, Turkey’s Ambassador to Doha Fikret Ozer and other
officials. Aljazeera
ASEAN summit silence on Rohingya 'an absolute
travesty'
Manila:After 2 days of ceremonious meetings,
Southeast Asian leaders missed bullseye in talks about 2 major human rights
issues affecting their region:Myanmar's handling of the Rohingya crisis and
Philippines' bloody campaign against illegal drug traffickers. Philippines
President Rodrigo Duterte spared his Myanmar counterpart, de facto leader Aung
San Suu Kyi, from having to explain or account for the plight of the 600,000
Rohingya who have been forced to flee the country to Bangladesh.Duterte's
spokesman said 2 of the 10 ASEAN leaders brought up the Rohingya issue at their
plenary meeting on Monday, and that Suu Kyi assured the group that the crisis
was being addressed.The spokesman also said that Suu Kyi agreed to accept
humanitarian assistance for Rohingya, which Myanmar had earlier been accused of
restricting.In the penultimate draft of Duterte's "Chairman’s
Statement" - a document issued by the host leader to sum up the results of
the group's discussions - ASEAN leaders briefly tackled Rohingya situation as a
matter of "disaster resiliency". The document's segment on human
rights tackled neither the Rohingya crisis nor the drug war."It's an
absolute travesty," Richard Heydarian, a geopolitical analyst from De La
Salle University in Manila said of the group's silence on the Rohingya."I
think this is the worst thing that could happen to ASEAN because next to Syria,
Rohingya crisis is the biggest humanitarian crisis that we're facing right now
in the 21st century," he said. aljazeera
50,000 Yemeni children will die by end of the
year: NGO
Disease and famine struck Yemen will see some
50,000 Yemeni children dead by the end of the year, NGO Save the Children told
the Telegraph.“These deaths are as senseless as they are preventable. They mean
more than a hundred mothers grieving for the death of a child, day after day,”
Tamer Kirolos, director at Save Children, said.Some 40,000 children are
estimated to have already died from malnutrition.The calculations were
predicted before the Saudi-led coalition closed air, land and sea ports in
Yemen restricting imports to the country. This was in response to a missile
executed by the Iranian-backed Houthi armed group towards Riyadh airport early
this month. middleeastmonitor
Saudi alliance bombs Sanaa airport, blocking
aid access
Yemen's Houthi rebels have accused the
Saudi-led coalition of bombing the country's main international airport,
destroying a navigation station that is critical to receiving already limited
aid shipments.Houthi officials told Al Jazeera 2 air strikes targeted Sanaa's
international airport in the rebel-held capital early on Tuesday, making it
unusable for aid flights and further complicating humanitarian efforts into the
country."This attack is intended to cause maximum damage and deprive
millions of Yemenis from receiving life-saving food and medicines,"
Mohammed, a Houthi official who declined to give his surname, said.Saudi-led
coalition forced the closure of Sanaa airport in August 2016 to all but a few
UN aid flights. aljazeera
Saudi storms home of detained preacher Salman
Al-Ouda
Saudi security forces on Monday stormed the
house of preacher, Salman Al-Ouda, who has been detained since 10 Sept.Salman’s
son, Abdullah, said on his official Twitter account that security forces
entered the house without a court order or legal procedures.Officers searched
his father’s office and took two books from Abdullah’s library because “they
believed it to be my father’s library”.Saudi authorities have been cracking
down on clerics, intellectuals and activists. HRW described the campaign of
arrests as part of ongoing human rights abuses in the country.About a month and
a half after Al-Ouda was arrested, Saudi authorities prevented his children
from leaving the Kingdom. Middle east monitor
Kurdistan govt declares support for ‘united
Iraq’
Kurdistan Regional Govt (KRG) announced its
respect for the Iraqi Federal Court ruling which stressed Iraq’s unity.“We
respect the interpretation of the Supreme Court for Article 1 of the Constitution.
At the same time, we affirm our belief that this should be the basis for
initiating a comprehensive national dialogue to resolve disputes by applying
all constitutional articles,” KRG said.Iraqi Federal Court confirmed last week
that there is no provision in the Iraqi Constitution that permits secession of
any of the country’s components. The govt added that it is committed to “always
seeking to resolve differences between federal and regional authorities in
constitutional and legal manners …and welcomes all initiatives in this
direction.”
Russian security agency detains 69 members of
Tablighi Jamaat
Moscow: Russia's top domestic security agency
says it has detained 69 suspected members of an outlawed Islamic group during a
raid near Moscow.Federal Security Service (FSB), said the suspects belonged to
Tablighi Jamaat, a global Sunni Islamic missionary movement that has been
banned in Russia as an extremist group. FSB said it detained the suspected
group members during today's raid and confiscated the group's literature.It
said natives of formerly Soviet Central Asian nations led the Moscow cell of
the group.The raid follows a series of arrests of suspects accused of
involvement in radical and extremist Islamic groups in Russia. outlookindia
US Congress told how Russia ‘weaponised’ this
photo of ‘Muslim woman’ aftermath Westminster Bridge attack
THE photo was flashed in front of the world’s
social media users in the immediate aftermath of the London Westminster Bridge
terror attack.It showed a woman with smartphone in hand — and a hijab about her
head — striding past a group of civilians attempting to assist a severely
wounded victim.It was taken in the moments immediately after Khalid Masood had
ploughed his vehicle into pedestrians walking over Westminster Bridge before
dashing into the Houses of Parliament where he was shot dead.The text was
angry:“Muslim woman pays no mind to the terror attack, casually walks by a
dying man while checking phone. #PrayForLondon”.The originating @SouthLoneStar
account proudly declared itself to be a patriot of the US and Texas.The tweet
was recirculated widely, including by traditional media outlets.But now we know
both elements of this social media post were false.Twitter has exposed “Texas
Lone Star” as being a Russian bot — one of thousands of accounts designed
specifically to seed misinformation and discontent into social media and drive
a wedge through Western society.
Russian trolls behind Twitter campaign against
Muslim woman caught in Westminster terror attack
Russia posts image as ‘proof’ of US helping
IS; It turns out to be a video game:AFP
Moscow: Russia’s defence ministry on Tuesday
posted images it said proved the US was aiding the Islamic State in the Middle
East, but social media users pointed out they included a still from a video
game.The ministry’s official account said the black-and-white images were taken
on Nov.9 near the Syria-Iraq border and provided “irrefutable proof that the US
is providing cover to IS combat units”.But the monitor Conflict Intelligence
Team (CIT), along with a number of social media users, was quick to compare one
of the images with an identical still from the wargame “AC-130 Gunship
Simulator: Special Ops Squadron”.Other images posted to Twitter appeared to be
taken from videos released by Baghdad’s Ministry of Defence in 2016, showing
Iraqi Air Force bombing jihadists near Fallujah, CIT said.AFP was able to
compare the images in the emailed defence ministry statement with the images of
the video game on YouTube and confirm the resemblance.The images were later
deleted from the ministry of defence’s Twitter and Facebook accounts, and the
ministry said several hours later that there has been a “mistake”, publishing a
different set of pictures, calling them “irrefutable proof” of US aid of
IS.“The defence ministry is looking into a civilian employee of one of the
departments who attached photos to the defence ministry’s statement by
mistake,” a new statement was quoted by Russian agencies as saying. Military
stood by its allegations, saying “the refusal of US command to inflict strikes
on ISIL convoys on Nov.9 is an established fact recorded in the transcript of
conversations”. hindustantimes
Russia used hundreds of fake accounts to tweet
about Brexit:data shows
Turkey ‘appalled’ by US stance on Daesh
withdrawal from Raqqa
Turkey has said it was appalled by the
approach of the US Department of Defense towards an agreement between the
Syrian Kurdish YPG militia and Daesh to withdraw Daesh militants from the
Syrian city of Raqqa.Last month, a YPG militia spokesman said that Syrian Daesh
fighters were set to abandon Raqqa in a withdrawal agreed with US-backed Syrian
militias.On Sunday, a report by BBC said some 4,000 Daesh militants, including
hundreds of foreign nationals, had been evacuated from Raqqa as part of the
agreement and spread across Syria and as far as Turkey.“Seeing that statements
from the spokespeople of the international coalition against Daesh and US Dept
of Defence have not denied the existence of the given agreement, but to the
contrary said they ‘respected’ it is appalling,” Turkey’s Foreign Ministry
said.The ministry said the withdrawal of Daesh militants from Raqqa was
“extremely troubling”, and added that it was a development that “should be
noted”. Middleeastmonitor
Iranian General leading anti-Daesh fight in
Syria
Commander of Quds Force affiliated with Iranian
Revolutionary Guards Corps, General Qasem Soleimani, is directly supervising military
operations which aim at tightening control over the strategic city of
Al-Bukamal located in the far east of Syria, sources have said. Sources stated
that Soleimani had been in Iraqi-Syrian border region for days, leading the
military operations on the south-eastern side of Al-Bukamal. He is still there
directly commanding the support operation of the Popular Mobilisation Forces,
Fatemiyoun Division and Hezbollah fighters.Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces,
which support Syrian Armed Forces in its operations to restore Al-Bukamal, set
up a camp on Syrian-Iraqi border and will remain there until the city is
liberated from Daesh. middleeastmonitor
US security delegation in Israel to discuss
Syria and Iran
A US security delegation arrived in Tel Aviv
on Tuesday to discuss issues related to Syria and Iran with Israeli
counterparts, Quds Press has reported. The American officials are from the
National Security Council.“US Govt delegations routinely visit Israel to
coordinate on a wide range of issues,” a spokesperson for US Embassy in Tel
Aviv explained. “During this visit, US officials will meet with Israeli
counterparts to discuss regional security issues, including Syria.”According to
Quds Press, Israeli Govt has voiced its
objections to the joint US, Russian and Jordanian ceasefire in the south of
Syria. It noted Israeli radio reports about Tel Aviv’s “disappointment” at the
agreement, which removes militants 20 kilometres from the Golan
Heights.Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said that the Israeli PM has told Russian President Vladimir Putin that
Israel would not be committed to this ceasefire deal. “Israel will continue to
look out for its security interests in any situation,” a brief statement
declared, without pointing out how and when Netanyahu spoke to Putin. middleeastmonitor
Orthodox Church rejects reasons for sale of
Palestinian land to Israel
Orthodox Central Council in Jordan and
Palestine rejected all Patriarchal justifications regarding the sale of
Palestinian land to the Israeli occupation, and considered that “all lands
throughout the Patriarchate in Jordan and historic Palestine are one unit and
all of them constitute an endowment which is not entitled to any disposition”.A
statement issued by the Orthodox Council said that “all deals and transactions
that took place, including the deals of Rahavi, Talbiyeh, Qaysariya, Tiberias,
Jaffa, and others are invalid because this causes the loss of land and the
displacement of Christians from Jerusalem. This is what the Zionists want.”The
announcement came following a church meeting in Amman on Monday in the presence
of the president of the Central Council, the president of the Orthodox
Association, the heads of National Orthodox Institutions, and members of the
Central Council in Jordan. middleeastmonitor
2 more Palestinian schools under threat of
destruction by Israeli authorities
2 new Palestinian schools in the occupied West
Bank, funded by European govts, are under threat of destruction and seizure,
according to Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).An Israeli court has already
ordered students not to attend class in one of them, the NGO says.Built over
the last year with European funding, the schools in Wadi as-Seeq and Al Muntar
serve Palestinian Bedouin communities who have long suffered neglect and
discrimination at the hands of Israeli occupation authorities.Many of the
families served by the schools have “already suffered destruction of their
property over many years”, NRC states. middleeastmonitor
UAE, Turkey sign $20m bomb deal
UAE signed a deal with Turkish Makina ve Kimya
Endüstrisi (MKE) to purchase MK-82 and MK-84 bombs, an official with the UAE
defence ministry said yesterday.The agreement was signed during the third day
of the Dubai International Airshow 2017.Major General Ishaq Al-Baloushi, head
of Defence Manufacturing and Capabilities Development at the Ministry of
Defence, said in a press statement that the deal was worth 74.29 million
dirhams ($20.2 million).UAE Defence Ministry said on Monday that the value of
its military deals increased to 9.79 billion dirhams ($2.67 billion) on the
second day of the Dubai International Airshow. middleeastmonitor
Richest 1% of people now own half the world's
wealth
The richest 1 % of people in the world now own half of the
planet's wealth, according to a new report that highlights breathtaking levels
of global inequality.The study reveals how the super-rich have profited from
the aftermath of the 2008 global financial crisis, seeing their proportion of
the world's wealth increase from 42.5 % in the midst of the crisis to 50.1% now.According to the Credit Suisse Global
Wealth Report, the top 1% are now worth
a total of £106 trillion - around eight times more than the size of the US
economy. The wealthiest 10% of people,
meanwhile, own 87.8% of global
wealth."The downward trend reversed after 2008 and the share of the top 1 %
has been on an upward path ever since,
passing the 2000 level in 2013 and achieving new peaks every year
thereafter," the report says.The Independent
Morsi tells lawyer of threats to his life
Ousted Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi has
told his lawyer of threats to his life, Anadolu reported on Tuesday. Morsi made
the disclosure during his lawyer’s secret visit to the prison where the former
President is being held.According to Anadolu, Cairo Criminal Court has decided
that Morsi should have a monthly medical examination. This is the first time
that he has been allowed to have such an examination since he was sentenced.
The court also allowed Morsi’s defence team to meet him for the first time in a
visit that was kept secret from the media. No details were provided to
journalists.In June, reported Anadolu, Morsi is said to have fainted twice and
fallen into a full diabetic coma but he did not receive any proper medical
treatment. The former President’s son, Ahmed, said that his father had asked
for a meeting with his defence team in order to inform them such “threats to
his life”.Although Anadolu got no response to its request for a comment from
the Egyptian authorities, it noted that govt in Cairo always claims that it
offers proper treatment for inmates.middle east monitor
Pak court issues arrest warrant against
finance minister in graft case
Islamabad:A Pakistani anti-corruption court
today issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against embattled Finance Minister
Ishaq Dar after he failed to appear for several court hearings in a graft case
linked to the Panama Papers scandal.Dar, who has been charged with amassing
wealth beyond his known sources of income, has missed several court hearings
conducted by the anti-graft agency NAB, prompting a judge to issue a
non-bailable arrest warrant.Accountability Court also dismissed Dar's petition
for exemption from hearings.udge Mohammad Bashir asked 67-year-old Dar's guarantor,
Ahmad Ali Qudoosi, when the finance minister is expected to appear in court. In
response, Qudoosi said Dar will fully recover in three to six weeks and will
attend hearing after that. However, the court was not satisfied and issued a
non-bailable warrant against him. The hearing was then adjourned until Nov.21.
On July 28, a 5-member Supreme Court bench had ordered NAB to file 3 cases
against Sharif and one against Dar, on petitions filed by PTI'ss Imran Khan,
Jamaat-i-Islami Pakistan's Sirajul Haq and Awami Muslim League s Sheikh Rashid
Ahmed.PTI
Bangladesh
Jamaat leaders won’t participate in next polls:Election Commissioner
Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukdar has said
that the marked leaders of Bangladesh
Jamaat-e-Islami will not be allowed to participate in the upcoming
eleventh parliamentary elections. Election Commissioner said this in response
to a question from journalists at his office at Agargaon in the capital on
Tuesday afternoon.“The registration of Jamaat-e-Islami has been cancelled due
to a High Court order. Many of them have been tried for war crimes. We will not
accept those who are marked Jamaat leaders in the elections”, he said.He also
said, “If any of the Jamaat leaders
wants to participate in the polls as a separate candidate, then in the meeting
of the Election Commission, we will take a decision by analyzing the
matter. All of Jamaat leaders are not
marked. Those who are marked will not be allowed to participate in the
polls.businessnews24bd
With Chabahar, Afghanistan is no longer
dependent on Pakistan: Abdullah
Washington:Afghanistan would no longer depend
on Pakistan for transit trade with the opening of the strategic Chabahar Port,
a top Afghan leader has said.Chabahar Port, located in the Sistan-Balochistan
province on the energy-rich Persian Gulf nation’s southern coast, lies outside
the Persian Gulf and is easily accessed from India’s western coast, bypassing
Pakistan.The port is likely to ramp up trade between India, Afghanistan and
Iran in the wake of Pakistan denying transit access to New Delhi for trade with
the two countries.India has been closely working with Afghanistan to create
alternate and reliable access routes, bypassing Pakistan.“Afghanistan used to
rely only on one transit road, which was through Karachi. That is not case
anymore. [Now] its [also] through Chabahar,” Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah
Abdullah said.As per the agreement signed between India and Iran in May last
year, India is to equip and operate 2 berths in Chabahar Port Phase-I with
capital investment of $85.21 million and annual revenue expenditure of $22.95
million on a 10-year lease.PI
FLASH: VIEWS & NEWS
Citizens or Aliens? Assam’s Muslim Women Hang
by a Gossamer Thread:Chandan Nandy
Monumental failure: Govt in denial, but
demonetisation has met none of its stated, and shifting, objectives: Bhalchandra
Mungekar ex-MP
NHRC must live up to its mandate in letter and
spirit:Mathew Jacob, coordinator of HRDA
9% of Indians under 35 learn they have
diabetes every year. Know the early signs: Indian express
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