Evening NEWS
DIGEST
22 Jan.2018:04 Jamadiul-1 1439:Vol:9, No:104
INDIA
SC transfers pending PILs on Judge Loya's
death to itself; Bars other courts from hearing on it;Next hearing on Feb.2
The Supreme Court has assured to
dispassionately examine the circumstances surrounding the death of CBI judge BH
Loya and reach its own objective conclusion.The apex court called the
controversy surrounding the death a "serious issue" and urged for a
sense of objectivity.Addressing fears that the media may be gagged, CJI Dipak
Misra said the Supreme Court will "never gag the press."A 3-judge
Bench of CJI Misra and Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud transferred
two PILs on Loya's death, pending before the Bombay High Court, to itself. The
Bench restrained other HCs from entertaining any petitions in connection with
the death of Loya.Bench allowed both Maharashtra and the petitioners to place
documents, including ones accessed through RTI, before it in sealed covers. The
documents also contain statements made by two district judges, who went on to
be high court judges. These two judges were associated with Loya.The Bench
allowed Bombay Lawyers' Association, represented by senior advocate Dushyant
Dave, to file an intervention application. Senior advocate Indira Jaising was
also allowed to file an intervention application on behalf of certain social
activists."Let us look at the matter with a sense of objectivity. Of
course, it is a serious issue. We have the records before us. We will also look
at records which you say was obtained through RTI, so that we have a consistent
statement of what exactly happened. We cannot analyse merely on the basis of
media reports," Justice Chandrachud observed orally.The Bench took
exception to comments made by Dave about senior advocates Harish Salve and
Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Maharashtra govt.
Dave said Salve had earlier appeared for BJP president Amit Shah, who
was discharged as an accused in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh encounter case. This was
the very case Loya was hearing when he died in December 2014."We are
looking into the death of a judge. Please do not pass any comments about
persons appearing in the matter. To appear for or not, we all do according to
our conscience," Justice Chandrachud tried to calm tempers.The to-and-fro
between lawyers on both sides heightened when Mr. Salve requested the court
that the records given to lawyers in the case should not be shared outside.
Immediately, Ms. Jaising reacted by terming as an attempt to gag the media.
Dave also joined in to say that "an entire institution is trying to
protect one man".Salve explained that two serving judges have made
statements, which are part of the records of the case. Discussing these
statements in public would "embarass" them."How can anyone
discuss an issue which is sub judice?" Justice Khanwilkar asked."You
cannot stop the nation from discussing," Dave replied.Ms. Jaising said the
judges had made their statements as witnesses and there was no bar in a
discussion of their statements.At one point, when Dave raised his voice,
Justice Khanwilkar asked him why he was "provoked". But Dave
continued to say that "all this is to protect one man and one man only...
Amit Shah".The hearing also saw a visibly angry Chief Justice Misra
chastise Ms. Jaising for "drawing an inference" that the court is set
to pass an order to gag the media. The case was posted for hearing on Feb.2. thehindu
SC Decides To Hear Petitions Seeking Probe In
To Judge Loya’s Death, Orders Transfer Of Petitions Pending Before Bombay HC To
SC [Read Order]
Blow-by-blow fireworks in the SC Loya case
today: Dave vs Salve & Rohatgi • CJI vs Jaising
Man who petitioned SC wants independent
inquiry in Justice Loya’s death
New Delhi: Bandhuraj Lone, petitioner who is
seeking SIT probe in Justice Loya death case on Monday, said he hoped that the
former judge is served justice.While asserting that he has complete faith in
the Indian judicial system, Lone hoped for a favourable verdict.“We have kept
forward the circumstantial pieces of evidence in the Justice Loya death case. I
am hopeful that the decision will be in our favour. I believe justice will be
served to Justice Loya,” Lone said.“We demand an enquiry by an independent
agency in the matter,”he added.ANI
Sohrabuddin case: Bombay HC to hear plea
against CBI's decision not to appeal against Amit Shah's discharge
Mumbai: Bombay High Court will tomorroe hear a
plea seeking a direction to CBI to challenge the discharge order of BJP
President Amit Shah in Sohrabuddin Shaikh ‘fake encounter’ case.A special CBI
court had December 30, 2014 order passed by a court here discharging the BJP
Chief Amit Shah in the case. The Bombay Lawyers Association, which has filed
the public interest litigation, has termed the CBI’s decision not to challenge
the decision as “illegal, arbitrary and malafide.” PIL urged the high court to
issue a direction to CBI to file a revision application challenging the
sessions court's order discharging Shah.The plea was on Monday mentioned before
a division bench of Justices S C Dharmadhikari and Bharti Dangre and the High
Court has agreed to hear the plea.Times Now
Chhattisgarh : Citing AAP case, Cong seeks
disqualification of 11 BJP MLAs
Raipur:Opposition Congress in Chhattisgarh
today demanded disqualification of 11 MLAs of the ruling BJP for
"holding" posts of parliamentary secretaries, within days of 20 AAP
MLAs in Delhi being disqualified in an "office of profit"
case."Action taken in Delhi has proved that the appointment of BJP MLAs in
Chhattisgarh to the posts of parliamentary secretaries is also
unconstitutional."Therefore, a similar action should be taken by the
Election Commission of India against these MLAs here for holding offices of
profit," Congress leader Mohammad Akbar told a press conference today.Akbar
said last year he had filed a petition in Chhattisgarh High Court seeking
quashing of the appointment of MLAs as parliamentary secretaries.He said he had
then written to the poll panel on the issue in the year 2016."In response
to my letter, in November 2016, ECI stated that it goes into the
disqualification of sitting MLAs only if a reference is made to it by the
Governor of the state concerned," Akbar said.Akbar, a former minister,
said he wrote to Chhattisgarh Governor Balramji Das Tandon after the EC's
response."However, even after over a year, the Governor did not refer the
matter to the ECI for further consideration," Akbar said, alleging that
the Governor was not discharging his Constitutional duty. He also accused the
Raman Singh Govt of violating the
Chhattisgarh HC order by not withdrawing all the facilities entitled to the
parliamentary secretaries on a par with state ministers.The high court, which
is yet to pass any order on Akbar's petition, had earlier directed the state Govt
to withdraw power of all parliamentary
secretaries.However, Akbar alleged that Govt withdrew only the financial power of
discretionary fund conferred upon parliamentary secretaries." Parliamentary
secretaries are still enjoying perks in the form of bungalows, cars and other
facilities like ministers," he alleged. He said BJP-led dispensation is
scared that disqualification of 11 MLAs will reduce them to a minority Govt .PTI
Disqualified MLAs: AAP to file fresh PIL in Delhi
HC
New Delhi: AAP MLAs have withdrawn a petition
they had filed in the Delhi High Court against Election Commission's
recommendation that they be disqualified for holding offices of profit. Party
sources said they will file a fresh petition after President Ram Nath Kovind
signed off on the disqualification of the 20 AAP MLAs. If the HC rejects AAP's
appeal, CM Arvind Kejriwal's party has said it will move the Supreme Court.MLAs
immediately moved the HC against the EC's recommendation, alleging that they
were not given an opportunity to defend themselves by the Election Commission.
The HC was to have heard that petition at 4 pm today. AAP MLAs withdrew the
earlier petition and will now file a fresh petition."President's order to
disqualify AAP MLAs is unconstitutional and dangerous for democracy," said
senior AAP leader Ashutosh. Parliamentary secretaries assist ministers with
their work. AAP insists that despite holding the post, its MLAs did not take
salary or perks and so they cannot be seen as having held offices of profit.If
courts do not stop the disqualification, by-elections will be held for the 20
seats. Even the loss of all 20 will not impact AAP's majority in the assembly.
The party has 65 seats in the 70-member assembly. If it is reduced to 46, it
will still have many more MLAs than the majority mark of 35.Deputy CM Manish
Sisodia tweeted an open letter to the people of Delhi today, stating, "Is
it justified to disqualify elected leaders in such an unconstitutional and
illegal way?Is it fair to force elections?Is this not dirty politics?"NDTV
Why the haste to disqualify 20 AAP MLAs: Shiv
Sena
MUMBAI: Shiv Sena raised questions over
"the haste" with which 20 MLAs of the ruling AP in Delhi were
disqualified for holding 'office of profit'. "This is an unprecedented
incident in which so many elected legislators have been disqualified in a
wholesale manner. Delhi CM Arvind
Kejriwal is facing a crisis, and that is because of the public campaign against
corruption and injustice," the Shiv Sena said. IANS
Hours before Modi's Davos pitch, World
Economic Forum rates India below Pak & China in inclusive development
India was today ranked at the 62nd place among
emerging economies on an Inclusive Development Index, much below China's 26th
position and Pakistan's 47th. Norway remains the world's most inclusive
advanced economy, while Lithuania again tops the list of emerging economies,
the World Economic Forum (WEF) said while releasing the yearly index here
before the start of its annual meeting, to be attended by several world leaders
including PM Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump. The index takes into
account the "living standards, environmental sustainability and protection
of future generations from further indebtedness", WEF said. It urged the
leaders to urgently move to a new model of inclusive growth and development,
saying reliance on GDP as a measure of economic achievement is fuelling
short-termism and inequality. India was ranked 60th among 79 developing
economies last year, as against China's 15th and Pakistan's 52nd position. 2018
index, which measures progress of 103 economies on three individual pillars --
growth and development; inclusion; and intergenerational equity -- has been
divided into 2 parts. The first part covers 29 advanced economies and second 74
emerging economies. Index has also classified the countries into 5
sub-categories in terms of the five-year trend of their overall Inclusive
Development Growth score -- receding, slowly receding, stable, slowly advancing
and advancing. Despite its low overall score, India is among the ten emerging
economies with 'advancing' trend. Only 2 advanced economies have shown
'advancing' trend. Among advanced economies, Norway is followed by Ireland,
Luxembourg, Switzerland and Denmark in top 5. Small European economies dominate
the top of the index, with Australia (9) the only non-European economy in the
top 10.Of G7 economies, Germany (12) ranks the highest. It is followed by
Canada (17), France (18), the UK (21), US(23),Japan(24) and Italy (27). The
top-5 most inclusive emerging economies are Lithuania,Hungary, Azerbaijan,
Latvia and Poland. Performance is mixed among BRICS economies, with Russian
Federation ranking 19th, followed by China (26), Brazil (37), India (62) and
South Africa (69). PTI
Indians’ trust in govt and media slips,
Trump’s US losing faith in institutions: Survey
Trust in govt, media and non-Govt al
organisations as institutions has dropped in India, says a survey released on
the eve of the World Economic Forum in Davos where PM Narendra Modi will speak about the country as
an investment destination.As many as 70% respondents said they trusted the Govt
, according to the annual Edelman Trust Barometer, a 5 percentage point drop
from last year. As many as 61% people said they trusted the media--compared to
66% last year. As many as 68% people said they trusted NGOs--compared to 71%
last year. As many as 74% said they trusted business--a number unchanged from
last year. India, with a loss of 13 percentage point, was among the six
countries with ‘extreme trust losses’ for the four institutes.The survey showed
overall trust in the four institutions fell sharpest in the United States than
in any of the 28 countries surveyed. Trust in the US Govt has plunged since President Donald Trump’s
first year in office.Trump has broken with presidential tradition and
repeatedly denounced the media and judiciary attacks his critics say risk
undermining public confidence in those institutions. Italy, Brazil, South
Africa and Colombia were the other countries with ‘extreme trust losses’.By
contrast, the country that saw the biggest trust gains among its own citizens
was China, after a year in which President Xi Jinping cemented his hold on
power at a triumphal party congress.hindustantimes
Dalits March in London Against Atrocities in
India
London:Dalit groups from across the UK have
called for the international community to take notice of extreme violence
against millions of Dalits and other minorities by Modi’s Hindutva govt.UK’s
key Dalit organisations came together for a large march bracing heavy rain on
Saturday to protest against the incarceration of over 7,000 Dalits in
Bhima-Koregaon, Maharashtra, who were picked up by the security forces after
clashes and riots earlier this month. Dalits had gathered to celebrate the
historic Jan.1, 1818 event when a few hundred Dalit soldiers had defeated the
massive Peshwa Army. As Dalits gathered to celebrate, upper caste Marathas,
supported by the security forces, attacked the participants violently, killing
one and injuring and maiming hundreds.At the London demonstration to show
solidarity with the victims, the Dalit organisations were supported by
progressive groups, including South Asia Solidarity Movement, demanding the
release of prisoners and an end to attacks on women and activists. The
protestors said that the continuing incarceration of Dalit Leader
Chandrashekhar Azad was illegal and unjustified. The rally at Parliament
Square, Westminster, marched towards the Indian High Commission and throughout
the way protesters chanted slogans against the atrocities being committed
against Dalits, Muslims and Sikhs. At Indian High Commission, no official
received memorandum from the protesters which was pasted at door of the High
Commission. Renowned activist Amrit Wilson told that Muslims were facing
“genocide-like situation” in India and there was no one to speak up for them.
She said that now Dalits were facing the same situation. “International
community must take notice of what’s happening in India. It’s a scandal that
needs to be exposed.”Caravan News
Talaq Bill will have an adverse effect on families:
Azad
Kozhikode: Triple talaq bill will have a
negative effect on Muslim families, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam
Nabi Azad said.“We have welcomed the Supreme Court verdict, but the Bill
formulated by the BJP govt is irrational. When all the laws related to family
relationships are under the civil law, the Bill terming triple talaq as a
punitive offence will make it come under criminal law,” he said. “Bill put
forth by the Union Govt proposes a sentence of three years for the defaulter.
At the same time, it also asks the offender to give financial assistance to his
wife and family. How is this possible?”He slammed both CPM and BJP for
allegedly instigating political violence in the state. “What CPM and BJP
practice here is emulated by BJP at Centre,” he said. Congress state unit is
all set to face the upcoming polls, he said.
Delhi Police arrest Abdul Subhan Qureshi in
Gujarat blasts case
The Delhi Police on Monday arrested Abdul
Subhan Qureshi, wanted in the Gujarat’s serial blasts case. Qureshi was
arrested after a brief exchange of fire, NDTV reported.At least 56 people were
killed in the serial blasts on July 26, 2008. Qureshi was listed in NIA’s
most-wanted list, according to the HT. The police believe Qureshi is also the
founder of Indian Mujahideen. He was closely linked to the banned SIMI. “Abdul
Subhan Qureshi was living in Nepal with forged documents,” DCP(Special Cell)
Pramod Kushwaha told reporters. scroll
Charge sheet filed against suspect Zeeshan
New Delhi: Delhi Police filed a charge sheet
against Zeeshan Ali, deported from Saudi Arabia in August last year, in a case
of making provocative speeches to recruit Indian youths and establishing a base
for the terror outfit.Additional Sessions Judge Sidharth Sharma posted the
matter for Feb. 2 when it will decide on the point of taking cognisance of the
document filed by the police.Ali's name, along with that of 11 others, was disclosed
by Syed Anzar Shah and 4 others -- Mohd Asif, Zafar Masood, Mohd Abdul Rehman
and Abdul Sami -- arrested in the case earlier.PTI
AMUSU wants PMO to clarify findings on missing
Kashmiri researcher Wani
Agra: AMU Students’ Union (AMUSU) has written
to PM Narendra Modi demanding “clarity” on the disappearance of research
scholar Mannan Wani, last seen on campus on Jan2. He was said to have joined Hizbul
Mujahideen and photographs of him with guns had turned up at his family’s house
in Kashmir.The letter signed by AMUSU president Maskoor Ahmad Usmani read, “PMO
should clarify, with evidence, whether Wani has actually joined the terror
group or has been picked up by intelligence and security agencies to be
tortured because he is a Kashmiri.”Usmani said that after Wani’s disappearance
many agencies of Govt and UP Police
officers had searched his room and had taken away many of his belongings. He
said,“Various Govt agencies have submitted their reports to higher authorities
stating that Wani has joined Hizbul Mujahideen. AMUSU and the entire student
community at the university are very anxious to know the truth. There is
neither any news about his whereabouts nor any claims about his detention by
the police.” “Since AMU is one of the most reputed central universities, it is
imperative to know whether Wani has indeed joined the terror outfit or has been
abducted by intelligence agencies. AMU is a secular institution, as students
from all religions and from every corner of the country study here,” Usmani
added.The letter to the PM read, “We are pained to note that Wani is among the
enrolled Indian students but was treated as a separate entity by being declared
as a Kashmiri. Don’t forget that the valley of Kashmir is also a part of India.
We request that Wani be traced and the investigation agencies submit their
inquiry report regarding his disappearance as soon as possible, along with
unshakable evidence either that he has become a part of the banned terrorist
organisation or has just been picked up as a subject to be tortured on the
ground that he is from Kashmir.”TOI
‘He was never in hiding’: Arrest of
businessman Bilal Kawa in Red Fort terror case, causes anger in Kashmir
On Jan.10, a joint team of the Gujarat ATS and
Delhi Police’s Special Cell arrested a 37-year-old Kashmiri, Bilal Ahmad Kawa,
shortly after he landed at the New Delhi airport.The police said that Kawa had
been declared a “proclaimed offender” for his alleged role in financing the
terror attack on New Delhi’s Red Fort in 2000. Gujarat ATS said that Kawa “was
on the run from law enforcement agencies”, a claim his family contests.In J&K,
news of his arrest led to an uproar in the Assembly, with Opposition parties
demanding his release. “If you are not afraid of Delhi then why you are silent
on detention of Bilal Kawa?” National Conference legislator Ali Sagar said in Lower
House on Jan.16. “Till date the Supreme Court has released several youth after
they were proved innocent.”The state Govt finally said that it would collect
information about Kawa’s arrest. According to news reports, the J&K police
informed the Chief Judicial Magistrate in Srinagar that they had never received
any summons or notices relating to Kawa. Officials of the Special Cell refused
to comment on why no action had been taken against Kawa in the last 17 years. scroll
Union Minister Hegde now Likens Dalits to Dogs
New Delhi: Union minister Ananthkumar Hegde,
who made headlines in December last year for his comments about the
constitution, has once again managed to put his foot in his mouth by reportedly
comparing Dalit protestors with dogs.The minister was on his way to a job fair
in Ballari, Karnataka on Saturday when a group of Dalit protestors blocked his
convoy and raised slogans protesting his comments about secularism and changing
the constitution. They also accused him of being anti-Dalit. Later at the fair,while
mentioning the protests, Hegde said, “We are stubborn people. When dogs bark on
the road, we don’t care.”Hegde is minister of state for skill development and
entrepreneurship in the Modi Govt at the centre.After the programme, Dalit
protestors staged a demonstration and, waving black scarves, shouted slogans
against Hegde. Some persons were taken into custody by the police when they
tried to block the minister’s convoy, The Hindu reported.THE WIRE
Aadhaar authentication must be made mandatory
for voting, says new CEC Om Prakash Rawat
The newly elected CEC Om Prakash Rawat on
Sunday said he supports the government's decision of Aadhaar to be linked with
voter's Identity.According to an ET report, Rawat said that the Aadhaar-linking
to the voter's identity will only be foolproof if the voter confirms his or her
identity before entering the polling booth to get acess to an EVM through
biometrics."I support linking Aadhaar to the voters' identity. Biometrics
should establish the identity before a voter enters into a polling booth and
gets access to an EVM. The identification will then be foolproof," Rawat
said. dnaindia
Jamaat-E-Islami Hind convinces elderly Mumbai couple
to abandon suicide plans citing Islamic teachings
Mumbai: President of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind
Maharashtra, Engineer Taufeeq Aslam Khan, PR secretary Abdul Hafeez Farooqui
and secretary for social services Mazhar Farooq paid a courtesy visit on
Saturday to the elderly couple who wrote to the President to seek permission to
end their life and convinced them to abandon their suicide plans.Narayan Lawate
(88) and his wife Mrs. Iravati Lawate (78), a resident of Charni Road, Mumbai
have made a heart-wrenching plea to President Ram Nath Kovind seeking
permission for active euthanasia or “assisted suicide” as they feel they are of
no use to society or themselves. The couple said that they were tired of living
and did not see any purpose to their lives, given their old age. Surviving on
Govt pension, they said that they have no children and say their siblings are
also no more, are of the view that keeping them alive against their wishes is a
“waste of the country’s scarce resources as well as theirs”.The JIH team
explained to them that life and death are predestined and there is an eternal
life after our death. Khan reassured them that you are not alone, we are with
you and we will take care of you. When asked why they are showing so much
concern, Khan said that all men are children of Adam and Eve and hence we are
family. Prophet Muhammad has also taught us to be kind and helpful to the
needy. Such an act would please God and make us eligible of His mercy.The
couple was so overwhelmed with these Islamic teachings and the gesture of JIH
team that they dropped their idea of committing suicide and promised them that
they would live the life that God has ordained for them. They said that many
people had come to visit them but nobody had told them about these reassuring
things.theshahab
Bhopal Medical college’s new building opposed
as Muslims stake claim: freepressjournal
Bhopal: The administration of Gandhi Medical
College is facing stiff challenge from the religious leaders who have opposed
construction of college’s new building near intensive care unit on the campus.
The leaders of Muslim community said that there can be no construction as the
land belongs to a mosque. During Ramzan last year, the situation had become so
tense that the construction was stopped and public works dept requested district
administration to resolve the conflict with Muslim community leaders. Though 6
months have passed after the conflict, the construction has yet to begin. Dr
Sanjay Jain, PRO of GMC, said that the issue should be resolved as early as
possible through talks between Muslim community leader and district
administration so that construction of main block of the new building can be
re-started.
WORLD
'Relentless' shelling as Turkey intensifies
Afrin push
Turkish army has intensified an offensive
against Syrian Kurdish positions in the enclave of Afrin, as President Recep
Tayyip Erdogan said there would be no "stepping back" in Ankara's
operation, now in its third day.Anadolu, Turkey's state-run news agency,
reported on Monday that Turkish forces continued to shell Kurdish-held areas in
northwestern Syria in support of Free Syrian Army (FSA) forces, who are on the
ground in Afrin fighting alongside Turkish troops. Al Jazeera's Stefanie
Dekker, reporting from the Turkish-Syrian border near Afrin, said that "relentless,
heavy shelling and artillery fire" could be heard kilometres away from the
centre of the operation. Turkish jets also hit targets at Afrin's Bursaya
Mountain, which holds "strategic importance" for the Kurdish
fighters, Anadolu said.Turkey claims Kurdish forces are using Bursaya to target
civilians in the Turkish province of Kilis.Ground forces also advanced east of
Afrin, in Syria's Azaz district, according to Anadolu.Meanwhile, YPG fighters
claimed they were able to repel the advance of Ankara-backed FSA forces and
Turkish troops in 4 villages in two districts of Afrin. Ankara says its
"Olive Branch" operation is aimed at ousting the Kurdish People's
Protection Units (YPG), which it brands as "terrorists", and create a
so-called "safe zone" 30km deep to protect its border.France has
called for a UN Security Council meeting later on Monday to discuss
developments in flashpoint areas in war-torn Syria, including the Turkish
operation.Earlier on Monday, Erdogan said the Turkish army was determined to
press ahead with its push, saying that "there is no stepping back from
Afrin". Afrin residents told Al Jazeera's Dekker that while some women and
children had fled to Aleppo, many others remained holed up in city.On Sunday,
the YPG reported that 6 civilians and 3 fighters had been killed. On the
Turkish side, one person was reportedly killed and two others injured in the
province of Hatay on Monday, following a cross-border YPG attack, according to
Anadolu.A soldier was also reportedly injured, but there were no reports of any
Turkish military fatalities.Meanwhile US-backed SDF said today it was studying
the possibility of sending reinforcements to the Afrin region to fight the
Turkish and FSA forces. aljazeera
Turkish Armed Forces, FSA capture Mt. Barsaya
in Afrin
Azaz:Turkish Armed Forces and FSA today
captured the strategically important Mt. Barsaya in Afrin, Syria. PYD/PKK had
been using the mountain -- which overlooks Syria’s Azaz district and the
Turkish province of Kilis -- to attack civilians with howitzers and
missiles.Separately, the villages of Sheikh Badi, Marso and Haftar were also
captured in northern Syria’s Bulbul district.Anadolu
Turkey rejects Syria operation limited to
Afrin
Ankara:Turkey has rejected claims that the
operation on the Syrian border will be limited to Afrin, Foreign Ministry
sources said Monday.The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to
restrictions on talking to the media, said Turkey has never made such a
commitment to Russia.Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said last week, Turkey
may expand its operations in northern Syria to Manbij city and east of the Euphrates
River after Afrin has been cleared.“Turkey’s precautions against YPG/PKK cannot
be limited to only Afrin. There is also Manbij and east of the Euphrates
River,” Cavusoglu said in Vancouver, Canada.Anadolu
Syrian regime takes Abu al-Duhur airport in Idlib
Syrian regime forces and Iran-backed militia
fighters on Monday captured the opposition-held Abu al-Duhur military airport
in the northern Idlib province, according to local sources. The airport fell to regime forces and their
allies with the help of Russian warplanes, the sources said on condition of
anonymity for security concerns. Anadolu
US Vice President Mike Pence in Israel visit
US Vice President Mike Pence is in Israel for
talks with PM Benjamin Netanyahu.The
visit on Monday is being boycotted by Palestinians angry at the US decision
last month to name Jerusalem as Israel's capital.Pence is the most senior
American official to visit Jerusalem since Washington also announced it would
move its embassy in Israel there. aljazeera
Gaza under commercial strike amid worsening
conditions
A general strike has been called for by the
private sector in the Gaza Strip to protest worsening living conditions amid
the ongoing blockade, which is threatening to collapse the enclave's economy.In
a statement published last week, the Gaza Businessmen Association (Arabic)
announced that the strike in commercial and economic institutions would start
from 8am and last for six hours on Monday."This urgent appeal comes as a
last resort, after the catastrophic economic and living conditions of the Gaza
Strip reached the point of zero," the statement said.The statement pointed
out the economy has reached an "unprecedented level of
decline".aljazeera
Report: Slovenia to recognise Palestine as a
state next month, others may follow
A report by Israel’s Channel 10 has claimed
that Slovenia may recognise Palestine as a state next month, with Luxembourg,
Ireland and Belgium considering taking same step.According to the report,
Slovenian Parliament Speaker Milan Brglez told Palestinian Ambassador Salah Abdel-Shafi
last month that Slovenia’s recognition of a Palestinian state was purely a
question of timing.Channel 10 report said that the Slovenian Govt decided to move ahead on plans to recognize a
Palestinian state a week ago.A vote on recognition is expected “to be held by
the Slovenian parliament’s foreign affairs committee on Jan. 31, followed by a
vote of the full parliament in Feb”. The Slovenian ambassador in Tel Aviv,
Barbara Sušnik, “told Times of Israel that the issue of recognizing Palestinian
statehood has been pending in the country’s parliament since 2014, and is only
now coming to a vote”. Slovenia’s legislative branch, not its executive, “has
the last word on foreign policy matters such as recognizing states”. “Sušnik
said it was difficult to predict how the parliamentarians would vote, but
hinted that there was a good chance they would seek to assert the Palestinians’
right to self-determination”. Middleeastmonitor
Youssef Nada tells Anan, Brotherhood will vote
you as president if you purge the police
In a personal letter that does not represent
the position of the Muslim Brotherhood Youssef Nada, ex-foreign relations
commissioner of the organisation, said that the Brotherhood might agree to vote
for the former Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, Lieutenant Sami Anan, if he
commits to 6 conditions. Nada, one of the organisation’s historic icons who
does not currently hold a formal position in the group, said that his letter, a
copy of which was received by Anadolu news agency, was sent to “Colonel Sami
Anan after announcing his intention to run for president of our beloved
Egypt”.“We read your announcement stating your nomination for president for the
purpose of reforming and repairing the damages caused by the current Govt,
including violence, debt, a loss of security, and the sale of our land and
wealth,” said the letter.Nada added, “I say to you, Anan, without any
hesitation, that Brotherhood will remain with the national consensus and will
agree to elect you as president after considering several issues”. middleeastmonitor
Egyptian media accuses Sami Anan of working
with Muslim Brotherhood
Egyptian TV channels have accused Lieutenant
General Sami Hafez Anan, a candidate in the 2018 Egyptian presidential
elections, of forming an “alliance with the Muslim Brotherhood”. Sami Anan was
the commander of the Air Defence Forces, before being appointed during the rule
of President Hosni Mubarak as Chief of Staff of the Egyptian Armed Forces. He
supported the 2013 coup and was dismissed by the ousted president, Mohamed
Morsi, in August 2012.After he announced on Friday that he will run for the
presidential elections, talk shows, TV presenters, and guests accused Anan of
conspiring against the revolution of January 25 and cooperating with the Muslim
Brotherhood.Media personality Mohammed El-Gheity has attacked Anan and the
spokesman of his campaign Hazem Hosni and accused Hazem of “hostility against
the Egyptian army, and underestimating the achievements of Abdel Fattah
Al-Sisi”.middleeastmonitor
UN official: Too early for Rohingya return
Humanitarian conditions in camps hosting
Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh are set to worsen in the next few months, a
human rights investigator has told Al Jazeera, while also raising concerns
about a plan to repatriate the fleeing minority back to Myanmar.In an interview
from Balukhali refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Yanghee Lee, a UN special
rapporteur who was banned from visiting Myanmar, said that with Bangladesh's
monsoon season approaching, the crammed camps "will be witnessing
landslides and we may see a huge number of casualties".Al Jazeera
Richest 1% corner 82% of global wealth:Oxfam
report
London: As PM Narendra Modi and other world
leaders gather at the Swiss resort of Davos for the World Economic Forum, an
Oxford-based anti-poverty charity has reported that last year, 82% of the
global wealth went to the richest 1% of the population.Titled Reward Work, Not
Wealth, the Oxfam report on global economic trends, which was released on
Monday, said that the 3.7 billion people who make up the poorest half across
the world saw their wealth flatline, while the biggest gains were made by
billionaires.According to the report, roughly a third of billionaire wealth is
derived from inheritance, and over the next 20 years, 500 of the world’s
richest people will hand over $2.4 trillion to their heirs – a sum that is
larger than India’s GDP.The wealth of billionaires is estimated to have risen
by an average of 13% a year between 2006 and 2015 — six times faster than the
wages of ordinary workers. It takes just four days for a CEO of one of the
world’s five biggest fashion retailers to earn as much as a Bangladeshi garment
worker will earn in her entire lifetime, it said.HT
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#JudgeLoya: Salve, Dave face off in explosive
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‘Where do you get your energy from?’: A list
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