NEWS
DIGEST, Afternoon
19 Nov. 2018:09 Rabiul-I 1440:
Vol: 11, No:58
INDIA
CBI feud: Modi govt minister was bribed, claims CBI DIG; accuses Doval of interventions
CBI feud took an unexpected turn today when
CBI DIG MK Sinha filed an application in the apex court and sought to expose a
number of top officials of the Modi govt including NSA Ajit Doval and Central
Vigilance Commissioner KV Chaudhary, for their alleged intervention in the
functioning of CBI.In his plea, CBI’s DIG MK Sinha has mentioned alleged
instances of intervention by National Security Advisor, MoS for Coal and Mines
Haribhai Chaudhary and Union Law Secretary Suresh Chandra. Sinha’s lawyer said
that there are some shocking details in the application. CJI Ranjan Gogoi
replied saying, “nothing shocks us.”On Oct.28, National Herald had reported
that “NSA Ajit Doval, on instructions from the PMO, had personally asked CBI
Director Alok Verma to withdraw his request to investigate the controversial ₹60,000
crore Rafale fighter jet deal, sources close to the benched CBI chief have
confirmed.” MK Sinha said that if contents of the statements made by
businessman Satish Sana are proved to be true it would “reflect very poorly on
our criminal justice delivery system in general and the CBI in
particular.”Satish Sana had accused CBI Special Director Asthana of corruption
in Moin Qureshi case. DIG MK Sinha said that the conspiracy in Qureshi case
hints at a much larger problem.MK Sinha was transferred to Nagpur in a midnight
move on Oct. 23.Here are some of the extracts from Sinha’s plea:On interference
in investigation“ The manner, timing and the speed with which overnight, in a
single stroke, the investigation team was disbanded without assigning any formal
reason, and all the main team members of the team were thrown out to remote
places in a punitive and stigmatic manner, itself portends very ominous
signals, not only for the professional career of investigating officers but
also the investigation of the entire case. It further reflects that how levers
of CBI is controlled by powerful persons just to fit it into their personal
objectives of exonerating or implicating certain individuals, irrespective of
the merit of the case.” “It is beyond the capability of any agency to do a fair
and just work in this case under the present circumstances unless benevolent
protection of Hon’ble Court is extended. Investigation was not allowed to take
its course and pace.The efforts of the agency to get evidences through secret
operations were negated. The persons involved were cautioned. Crucial evidence
could not be secured. Investigation, going forward, is certainly a daunting and
an uphill task. In fact, the Investigation of this case appears derailed and
doomed unless this Hon’ble Court pro-actively intervenes.”On NSA Ajit Doval “On
the morning of 16.10.2018, the accused Manoj Prasad (alleged middleman) was
intercepted at Delhi Airport on his arrival from Dubai and brought to CBI HQ.
During the first few hours of his arrival at CBI HO, Manoj was garrulous and
arrogant, both at the same time, and in equal measure. He was interviewed by
the applicant and others. He tried his best to ward off the investigation by
dropping names of ‘high and mighty’ and mentioning his ‘top contacts’ to create
fear in our mind.“The relevant conversation of his initial outburst is being
placed on record here. As per Manoj Prasad, Dineshwar Prasad, father of Manoj
and Somesh, retired as Joint Secretary, R&AW and has close acquaintance
with the present NSA Ajit K Doval. This was one of the first things Manoj
claimed on being brought to CBI HQ and expressed complete surprise and anger as
to how CBI could pick him up, despite his close links with NSA Doval.“He
started bragging and claimed that his brother Somesh is very close to an
officer at Dubai (name withheld) and to Samant Goel, presently Special
Secretary, R&AW and he can get us ‘finished off’/ “kicked out’.“Manoj
taunted us that you people have no standing whatsoever and therefore should “stay
in limits” and let him free. He claimed that recently his brother Somesh and
Samant Goel, helped NSA Doval on an important personal matter. He further
claimed that India opted out of a contest from INTERPOL.Regarding genuineness
of this claim of Manoj, no attempt was made to verify the claim regarding the
NSA Shri Doval.” “Ultimately, the proposal seeking permission to search was put
on record by the IO on 22.10.2018. However, the same was not allowed and a
query was raised by Director as to why the searches are to be done.” nationalheraldindia
Minister accepted bribe, NSA Doval interfered
in Asthana case: CBI joint director’s petition in SC
NSA Ajit Doval interfered in Asthana probe,
stalled searches: CBI DIG to SC
CBI officer probing FIR against Asthana moves SC,
challenges transfer to Nagpur
CBI Director Verma files response to CVC
report after SC grants him additional time
New Delhi :CBI Director Alok Verma on Monday
submitted his response to the report by CVC, which is probing corruption
charges against him, after the Supreme Court granted him additional time to
make the submission. Earlier today, the apex court granted him additional time
till 4 pm to file his response, adding that it would not adjourn the next
hearing in the case on Tuesday. Gopal Sankaranarayanan, who had appeared on
behalf of Verma, had sought more time to file the response.indianexpress
Hope Urjit Patel and team ‘have a spine’, show
PM Modi his place: Rahul Gandhi on RBI Board meet
New Delhi :Ahead of RBI Central Board meeting
in Mumbai today, Congress president Rahul Gandhi hoped RBI Governor Urjit Patel
and his team “have a spine” and resist Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s alleged
attempts to “destroy” every independent institution in the country. Gandhi
said: “Modi and his coterie of cronies, continue to destroy every institution
they can get their hands on. Today, through his puppets at the #RBIBoardMeet he
will attempt to destroy RBI. I hope Patel and his team have a spine and show
him his place.”Today’s board meeting is crucial given the differences between
the RBI and Finance Ministry on several contentious issues including the
transfer of additional surplus from the central bank to the govt.It is learnt
that the government has sought a discussion on governance in the RBI and an
appropriate economic capital framework during today’s meeting. Both sides,
sources said, have covered considerable ground in addressing two issues:
ensuring relief and more credit to small and medium firms, and easing
restrictions on state-owned banks to boost lending.Indian Express
Amritsar grenade attack: Maybe Army Chief has
got it done to prove himself correct, says AAP MLA
Chandigarh:AAP MLA and former Leader of
Opposition in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, HS Phoolka, Sunday kicked up a
controversy with his statement over the grenade blast in Amritsar. “Army Chief
made a statement recently. Maybe he has got it done himself to prove his
statement correct. Maur Mandi blasts also took place during elections and these
were later found to have been orchestrated by Ram Rahim. These were backed by
the Congress. But the blame was laid at the door of Khalistanis. Therefore
there is no need to jump to any conclusions now before investigating this
fully,” Phoolka told television reporters when they sought his reaction to the
blast. AAP MLA said that no one should jump to any conclusions regarding the
blast and raised questions about it taking place when the general elections
were due in some months time.Army Chief Gen. Bipin Rawat on November 3 had said
that attempts were being made again through “external linkages” and “external
abetment” to revive insurgency in Assam and Punjab.Indian Express tried to
reach Phoolka on this issue but he did not respond to phone calls. However, in
a late night tweet, he clarified: “An inadvertent statement made standing on
road is being blown out of proportion. I have stated that history is evidence
of that fact that governments in the past have caused violence to further their
interest. Like in last year’s Maur blast..No one should reach a conclusion
without detailed impartial investigation.Even a moderate person like me who has
always been against Khalistan-think so.I regret statement that may have
purported to be against the Army Chief.” indianexpress
Purohit to get copy of photos, videos of
Malegaon blast site
Mumbai: A special NIA court here on Monday
directed that a copy of photographs and videos pertaining to the 2008 Malegoan
blast be provided to Lt. Col. Prasad Shrikant Purohit, who is one of the
accused in the case. Purohit, in an application filed last week, had asked the
special NIA court to give him copies of photographs and videos related to the
incident to prepare his defence. During the argument on Monday, the prosecution
objected to his plea, saying no other accused had asked for these documents and
that this was a delay tactic. However, special judge VS Padalkar directed the
court registrar to provide a copy of the photographs and videos of the incident
to Purohit. The matter was then adjourned till November 21. The photographs and
videos are part of the charge sheets submitted by the prosecution in the case.
PTI
Malegaon blasts: Supreme Court asks Bombay
High Court to hear Purohit’s petition
SC to Look into Application for Making
Setalvad Co-Petitioner in Zakia Jafri’s Plea
New Delhi:The Supreme Court of India on Monday
agreed to look into a plea to make civil rights activist Teesta Setalvad
co-petitioner in Zakia Jafri case. Last week, Zakia, widow of slain former
Congress MP Ehsan Jafri, had challenged the Gujarat SIT’s clean chit to then
chief minister Narendra Modi and others in the 2002 riots case.On Monday, SIT
objected to social activist Teesta Setalvad being the second petitioner in the
Zakia Jafri’s plea, says news agency PTI. The SC said it will look into the
application for making Setalvad as co-petitioner in the case, tweeted @LiveLawIndia
quoting PTI. The SC deferred the hearing till Nov 26.On 13th November, Zakia
had filed a petition in the top court challenging the Gujarat High court order
upholding the clean chit to the then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and
others for the alleged larger conspiracy in the 2002 post-Godhra riots.Setalvad
has been working for justice to Gujarat riots victims for last 16 years.caravandaily
Riots: SC adjourns hearing on Jafri’s plea,
next hearing on Nov 26
Sabarimala protests LIVE: Travancore Devaswom
Board moves SC seeking time to implement verdict
Travancore Devasam Board, which manages the
Sabarimala shrine has moved the Supreme Court seeking more time to implement
its verdict allowing women of all ages entry into the temple.Following protests
by the Kerala BJP and RSS workers against the detention of several people at
the Sabarimala temple, the party’s youth wing, Yuvamorcha, will launch a
daylong state-wide agitation on Monday.“We have organised state-wide protest
against this emergency like situation in the state,” Yuvamorcha state president
Prakash Babu said.On late Sunday night, several BJP and RSS workers protested
outside the official residence of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan
protested against “police high handedness”. At least 72 pilgrims were arrested
shortly after midnight for carrying a ‘namajapa’ (prayer) protest outside
Sannidhanam. According to the police, these are activists from right wing
outfits who aim to create trouble outside the temple. The arrests were made as
protesters refused to follow instructions issued by the police to leave the
premises after the temple was closed. They have been charged for violating Sec
144 orders and interfering in the work of a police duty.indianexpress
Man who funded Palwal mosque had been to
Pakistan thrice:NIA
New Delhi :NIA investigations into a Palwal
mosque, allegedly built with funds received from the Hafiz Saeed-led LeT, have
found that the man who contributed the funds had travelled to Pakistan thrice
and was in touch with 2 LeT men in Pakistan and UAE. As reported first by
Indian Express on October 15, NIA had found that Nizamuddin resident Mohammed
Salman contributed Rs 70 lakh to the building of Khulafa-e-Rashideen mosque in
Palwal, Haryana. This money, according to NIA, had been allegedly received by
Salman from LeT’s front NGO Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF).The development
had alerted intelligence agencies which are now probing if LeT has designs of
creating influence or establishing sleeper cells by investing in religious
activities in India.“We have strong evidence to connect Salman with both the
money and Pakistan-based LeT operatives. There is electronic evidence in the
form of emails and chats where he is discussing about funds with Pakistani
nationals connected to FIF. There are two such communications in Pakistan and
Dubai.We have also found he travelled thrice to Pakistan,” an NIA officer said.
The agency, however, has not been able to establish the financial trail completely
since the payments were made through hawala. indianexpress
Puja at Taj mosque: Local Muslims say they
won’t file police complaint for ‘sake of peace’
Agra: A day after three women activists of a
local right wing outfit performed puja at the 400-year-old mosque in the Taj
Mahal complex, local Muslims said they will not file a police complaint for the
sake of “peace in the area”.Taj Mahal Masjid Intezamiya Committee president Ibrahim
Hussain Zaidi told TOI, “We don’t want communal riots in the peaceful city of
the Taj. That is the reason why we are not filing any police complaint against
the women who performed puja at the mosque.” He, however, added that the entire
Muslim community was hurt with this deliberate attempt of the right wing groups
to disrupt communal harmony and the ASI’s “inaction”.Three women belonging to
Antarrashtriya Hindu Parishad, a local right-wing outfit, offered puja at the
mosque in the Taj Mahal complex on Saturday. The women lit ‘dhoop batti’ and
poured ‘ganga jal’ inside the premises as a video of the incident went viral on
social media.Later, the outfit’s district president, Meena Devi Diwakar, said,
“If Muslims are being allowed to offer namaz on all days, then even we can
offer puja at our Tejomahalaya (the term used for Taj Mahal by right wing
activists).” When contacted, ASI superintending archaeologist (Agra circle)
Vasant Swarankar said, “We had sent the ASI staff on the spot after we were
informed. But no dhoop or any other puja material was found on the spot.” He
added, “Local police has been informed of this and CISF has been asked to
provide the CCTV footage whose authenticity will be checked.” Meanwhile,
Congress city chief Haji Jamiluddin Qureshi said that the puja inside the Taj
Mahal mosque was a “well-planned and deliberate attempt to vitiate” the
peaceful atmosphere of the city. timesofindia
Bajrang Dal women allegedly hold ‘aarti’ in
Taj Mahal to protest namaz
AMU shows map of India without Jammu and
Kashmir; AMU PRO defends
Aligarh: At the campus of AMU, a map of India
minus the state of Jammu and Kashmir was displayed on a banner. The incident
sparked off a controversy, with university defending the drawing of the
erroneous map as a mistake committed inadvertently by the drama society for an
anti-partition drama which was supposed to take place at the
university."The poster was made by the drama society for an anti-partition
drama. As soon as the teacher-in-charge got the information, the university took
action. We pulled down the posters and postponed the drama," AMU PRO
Shafey Kidwai said. The university further said that the banners have nothing
to do with the politics of the country. However, the banners have been pulled
down ever since the controversy erupted. As per reports, the skewed maps were
also put up on the main gate of the university.
The posters were also doing rounds in the entire university campus. As
per reports, the map of India in the poster included parts of Pakistan while
the region of J&K was also depicted wrongly. PRO of AMU claimed that the
drama which was supposed to take place was based on Asghar Wajahat's 'Jis
Lahore Nai Dekhya...O Jamya Nai'.The play was written in 1989 and the drama is
about the brutal Partition of India that created Pakistan. It is purportedly
against communalism. The drama was to be staged at the university. The posters
were prepared by the society and when the teacher was informed of the error in
the posters, they were taken down," AMU PRO added. Times Now
Govt enhances Ayodhya case litigant Ansari's
security
Lucknow:Uttar Pradesh Government on Saturday
enhanced the security of Iqbal Ansari, a litigant in the Babri Masjid-Ram
Janmabhoomi case, after he apprehended threat to the life of minorities living
in Ayodhya in the coming days.Sources said the local administration in Ayodhya
provided a sub-inspector and four constables for extending the security of
Ansari. The security personnel will remain with him till further orders.Ansari
had said that a huge gathering would be witnessed at the 'dharma sabha' being
organised by Vishwa Hindu Parishad in Ayodhya on November 25 and it was
possible that a mob of people attending the conclave could attack the
minorities living in Ayodhya.He had asked the Government to ensure security and
safety of the minorities and also that the gathering in the name of 'dharma
sabha' would not involve in any kind of unlawful activity.dailypioneer
Citizenship bill: Most JPC members want to
keep non-Muslims from Bangladesh out
Guwahati: Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC)
on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill will place the draft before it on Tuesday
with majority of members seeking an amendment to the preamble of the bill to
omit the word Bangladesh, which would not make non-Muslims from Bangladesh
eligible for citizenship. "We have no problem in giving citizenship to
non-Muslims coming from the other 2 countries - Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Granting citizenship to people from Bangladesh is a major issue in Assam and
West Bengal,"said a member of the committee.Section 2 of the amendment
bill brought by the Centre seeks to insert in the Citizenship Act of 1955 the
provision that 'persons belonging to minority communities, namely, Hindus, Sikhs,
Buddhists,Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and
Pakistan, who have been exempted by the Central Government by or under
Clause(c) of sub-section (2) of Section 3 of Passport (Entry into India) Act,
1920, or from the application of the provisions of the Foreigners Act, 1946 or
any order made thereunder, shall not be treated as illegal migrants for the
purposes of this Act.". "We have to see how the draft report is
adopted in the Nov.20 meeting. We have submitted our amendment and we are
looking at tabling the final report in Parliament in the coming winter session
next month," the member said. He added that opposition members of the
multi-party committee are aware of BJP's plans to bring in an ordinance to this
effect if JPC fails to table its report in the last session of this Lok Sabha.
"We have sought the opinion of the law ministry on the constitutional
validity of this bill and what we could gather from the ministry in private
discussions that it is not in favour of this bill. Even MHA and MEA do not seem
to be interested but they are part of the government and political decisions
overrule executive decisions," the member said. He added that the bill
would not last even a single day in court if challenged. "It violates the
Constitution by seeking to grant citizenship on the basis of religion," he
said. TOI
Minorities Front quits Rajasthan Assembly
polls, supports Congress
Jaipur: All India Minorities Front (AIMF) on
Sunday decided to withdraw the nominations of its candidates in the upcoming
Assembly polls in Rajasthan to help the "secular forces" defeat
"communal elements" led by BJP.At a meeting of the party's
Parliamentary Board chaired by National President SM Asif, it was felt that
fielding candidates may result in a division of secular votes. So, the party
decided to extend support to the Congress. AIMF chief appealed to the voters to
defeat "fundamentalist and communal forces".The party underlined that
minorities, SCs, STs and OBCs had suffered the most under BJP government. It
also cautioned the members of the SC and ST communities against the designs of
BJP that was aiming at splitting SC and ST votes in the reserved
constituencies.IANS
Rajasthan polls: Congress state minority
president Nizam Qureshi resigns, says party ignored minority community
Rajasthan polls: BJP MLA Gyan Dev Ahuja quits
party after he is denied ticket
Rajasthan BJP MLA Gyan Dev Ahuja, who claimed
in 2016 that 3,000 used condoms and 3,000 liquor bottles are found daily at
JNU, quit the saffron party on Sunday. Ahuja’s resignation came after his name
did not figure in the BJP’s second list for the Assembly elections in the
state.Ahuja told TOI that the distribution of tickets showed that there was
“clear dictatorship and favouritism” in the BJP. He said he would contest as an
independent from Sanganer constituency as “a large number of people have
gathered at my residence and urged me”. “I have sent my resignation to Madan
Lal Saini [BJP’s state president], and will file my nomination on Monday,”
Ahuja added.scroll.in
BJP Changes Challenger Against Pilot at 11th
Hour, Fields Its Lone Muslim Candidate Yoonus Khan
Jaipur: In a change of strategy, the BJP on
Monday fielded Transport Minister Yoonus Khan against Rajasthan Congress chief
and CM aspirant Sachin Pilot in the Muslim-dominated Tonk Assembly
constituency, replacing sitting MLA Ajit Singh Mehta.Mehta’s name had been
included in the in the first list issued on November 11.Khan is a sitting MLA
from Deedwana constituency of Nagaur district whose name was kept reserved by
the party till the last moment.BJP released its fifth list of six candidates on
Monday morning in which the party dropped two candidates, Mehta and Shankarlal
Kharadi, who were earlier given tickets from Tonk and Kherwara seats,
respectively.Party gave ticket to Nanala Aahri from Kherwara in place of
Shankarlal.news18
After quota for Marathas, what about Muslims,
Dhangars, asks Opp
Mumbai:Opposition Congress and NCP on Sunday
set an aggressive tone for the winter session of the Maharashtra Legislature
beginning here on Monday, by rooting for reservations to Muslims, Dhangars,
Lingayats and other socio-economic backward communities along the lines of
Marathas and a compensation of Rs 50,000 per hectare to drought-affected
farmers in the State. On a day when CM Devendra Fadnavis announced that his Govt
would grant reservations to Marathas in jobs and education under a new
Socio-Economic Backward Class (SEBC) category, the Opposition parties gave
foretaste of their belligerent mood by boycotting the customary tea hosted by
Fadnavis on the eve of the winter session of the State Legislature.Addressing a
news conference after a joint meeting of the group leaders of various
Opposition parties held a day ahead of the start of the winter session of the
State Legislature, leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly Radhakrishna
Vikhe-Patil dubbed the BJP-Shiv Sena Government in the state as the “Thug of
Maharashtra” which had failed to fulfil all its promises during the last four
years of its rule. “Chief Minister has asked the Maratha community to prepare
themselves for celebrations on December 1 (over grant of reservations). While
we are for the State Government according reservations, what about the
reservations for Muslims, Dhangars, Lingayats and other socio-econ0mic backward
communities?,” Vikhe-Patil asked.dailypioneer
Elgaar Parishad case: Activist Varavara Rao
taken to hospital after complaints of breathing difficulties
A day after he was sent to police custody,
writer and poet Varavara Rao was taken to Sassoon Hospital in Pune on Monday after
he complained of difficulty in breathing, news agency ANI reported.Earlier, a
Pune court on Sunday sent Rao to police custody till November 26 in connection
with the Elgaar Parishad case. The activist was taken into custody after the
duration of his house arrest granted by the Hyderabad High court ended.Read |
Activist Varavara Rao sent to police custody till Nov.26. indianexpress
UP: 20-year-old thrashed, burnt to death for
dowry
Pilibhit: In a shocking incident, a
20-year-old Muslim woman was allegedly thrashed and then burnt to death by her
husband over dowry dispute in ward number 6 of Puranpur city under Puranpur
Kotwali police station at 3 PM on Saturday. The woman was rushed to the local
community health center by her neighbours. Sonam Bi, who had sustained 80
percent burn injuries, was then referred to a private hospital. She was again
referred to a higher medical facility in Bareilly. However, despite all
attempts to save her, Sonam succumbed to burns before she could be taken to
Bareilly.A written complaint in the matter was filed to police by Sonam’s
father Sitar Shah on Sunday afternoon. According to a complaint filed by her
father, Sonam’s husband and in-laws had harassed her for failing to fulfill
their demand for a motorbike in dowry.Sitar Shah, a resident of ward number 6
in Puranpur city, had married his daughter, Sonam Bi, to Sartaj Shah in village
Dhaka under the same police station on Sept.18 last year.TOI
UP Madrassa student stabbed following
altercation
Muzaffarnagar: A Madrassa student was
seriously injured after he was stabbed by a fellow student following an
altercation between them, a police official said on Sunday.The incident
occurred on Saturday.The victim has been rushed to the hospital and is stated
to be in a serious condition.One of the accused has been taken into police
custody and an investigation is underway, the official said. Newindianexpress/PTI
WORLD
All GCC countries to attend Riyadh summit:
Kuwaiti minister
All member countries of the Gulf Cooperation
Council (GCC), which includes Qatar, are expected to attend its next summit in
the Saudi capital, Riyadh, according to Kuwait's Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled
Al-Jarallah."I am optimistic that the level of representation is expected
to be high and reflects the keenness of GCC leaders to maintain this pioneering
experience," the minister said in press statements carried by Kuwaiti news
agency KUNA.Jarallah said the summit, scheduled to be held in December, offers
a ray of hope in reviving efforts to resolve more than one-year-old Gulf
dispute.Kuwait has been mediating between Qatar and Saudi-led bloc, which
imposed a land, sea and air blockade on the country last year.In June 2017,
Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, along with non-GCC member Egypt, cut off all
diplomatic relations with Qatar.The four nations accused Qatar of supporting
"terrorism" and "extremism" - allegations that Doha has
repeatedly denied, calling the boycott a challenge to its sovereignty. GCC is a
political and economic alliance of 6 countries in the Arabian Peninsula:
Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.aljazeera
Jamal Khashoggi case: Germany imposes
Schengen-wide entry ban on 18 Saudis
Germany's foreign minister says Berlin has
banned 18 Saudi nationals from entering Europe's border-free Schengen zone
because they are believed to be connected to the killing of journalist Jamal
Khashoggi. Heiko Maas told reporters in Brussels that Germany issued the ban
for 26-nation zone in close coordination with France, which is part of the
Schengen area, and Britain, which is not.He says "as before, there are
more questions than answers in this case, with the crime itself and who is
behind it".Maas says 18 are Saudis who are "allegedly connected to
this crime" but gave no further information.In Berlin, his office said
they can't release the names due to German privacy protections.aljazeera
Houthis ready for ceasefire if Saudi-UAE
alliance wants 'peace'
A senior leader from Yemen's Houthi rebels
says his group will halt all rocket and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia and the UAE,
and is ready to institute a ceasefire - if Saudi-UAE alliance battling his
movement is prepared to do the same."We are willing to freeze and stop
military operations on all fronts to reach a just and honorable peace if they
really want peace for the Yemeni people," Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, the head
of the group's Supreme Revolutionary Committee, said in a statement on
Twitter.Al-Houthi called on the group's forces to refrain from carrying out
attacks and said in a gesture of goodwill, the movement would halt all missile
and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, UAE and their Yemeni allies.aljazeera
Israel: Embattled Netanyahu warns of
'irresponsible' snap vote
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has urged his
coalition partners not to bring down the government, saying holding snap
elections now would be "irresponsible". Netanyahu made the remarks in
a TV statement on Sunday, after meeting Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon, a key
coalition partner.The meeting was seen as a last attempt to prevent the
collapse of the coalition - which currently has a one-seat majority in
parliament - but ended with no conclusion. Netanyahu's government was thrown
into crisis earlier this week when hardline Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman
resigned over a ceasefire agreement with Hamas, group administering the
besieged Gaza Strip. Naming himself as defence chief, Netanyahu said in his
televised address that "there is no place for politics or personal
considerations" when it comes to Israel's security.aljazeera
Key Israel minister slams Netanyahu, but won't
quit govt
Israeli Education Minister Naftali Bennett has
said he will keep his party in government, making an early election less
likely.In a dramatic press conference on Monday, Bennett, who heads the
far-right, pro-settler Jewish Home party, slammed the record of Israeli PM
Benjamin Netanyahu, but stopped short of resigning."Something bad is
happening to us from within," said Bennett. "For quite a few years,
including the last decade of the government headed by Netanyahu, that the state
of Israel stopped winning.""I tell the prime minister here: we are
withdrawing right now all of our political demands and will stand to help you
in this great mission of getting Israel to win again," he said.aljazeera
Dozens of human rights activists, lawyers
arrested by Egypt: HRW
Egyptian authorities have arrested at least 40
human rights advocates, lawyers and political activists within the last 30 days
and held them in "undisclosed locations", Human Rights Watch has
said."Many of those arrested were people who provided humanitarian and
legal support to families of political detainees,"HRW said, calling on the
govt to reveal their whereabouts."Egyptian security agencies' repression
now extends to disappearing those brave men and women who have been trying to
protect the disappeared," said Michael Page, HRW deputy director for the
Middle East and North Africa region."Government apparently wants to quash
what remains of Egyptian civil society."Rights group spoke with a lawyer
and three activists who had been "in direct touch" with the families
of those arrested. One source told HRW that as many as 80 people had been
arrested, but the rights group said it could verify only 40 names.aljazeera
Turkey academic jailed after raids on
professors, activists
A court in Turkey has jailed an Istanbul
academic pending trial following raids on professors and activists deemed to
have links to an imprisoned prominent financier of civil society activities.US
and the European Union had expressed concern over Friday's detentions, which
targeted academics and activists said to have ties to philanthropist and
businessman Osman Kavala. Turkish prosecutors had issued arrest warrants for 20
people, with 14 suspects rounded up in the raids. Twelve of the suspects were
released after giving testimony to police, while one was still being questioned,
according to state media.However, Yigit Aksakoglu, a staff member of Istanbul's
private Bilgi University who specialises in education research, was remanded in
custody before trial, Turkish media reported.aljazeera
Known Bangladesh Jamaat affiliates seek
nominations from BNP-led alliance, as independents: Dhaka tribune
Men with Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami ties have
collected nomination papers from BNP to contest the upcoming general election
in two northern districts, after the Election Commission said anyone, even men
or women from unregistered parties, can run for office with another party’s
ticket or as independent candidates.Last week, the commission’s Secretary
Helaluddin Ahmed said persons affiliated with the political party
Jamaat-e-Islami, which has lost its registration, can contest in the upcoming
election as independent candidates or with another party’s nomination. “Even
they can run with the symbol of any registered party, provided that they get
the nomination from that party. A registered party can give anyone their
nomination,” he said.“So if a registered party wants, they can give their
nomination to the members of an unregistered party as well,” Helaluddin
added.Quoting Jamaat sources, our correspondent in Bogra reported that the
party is fully prepared to field candidates in at least three constituencies of
the district.If BNP wants to field its own candidates in those constituencies,
Jamaat will still a launch full-scale election campaign in at least two
constituencies with independent candidates, the sources added.dhakatribune
Powerful sheikh steps aside from IOC after
forgery charge
Geneva:World sport power broker Sheikh Ahmad
al-Fahad al-Sabah said he was “temporarily” stepping aside from his
International Olympic Committee duties on Monday after the Kuwaiti was charged
with forgery in Switzerland.The Kuwaiti, one of the most influential figures in
international sport, said he “strenuously denies any wrongdoing”, calling the
allegations “maliciously motivated by political factions within Kuwait.”Sheikh
Ahmad said he would put his work with the IOC on hold until he had been
investigated by the body's ethics commission.“Sheikh Ahmad has today decided to
step aside temporarily from his roles and responsibilities as an IOC member and
chairman of Olympic Solidarity Commission, pending the outcome of an IOC Ethics
Commission hearing,”said a statement from his office.AFP
Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn arrested in
corruption case: Report
Nissan Motor Co Ltd’s chairman, Carlos Ghosn,
has been arrested in a corruption case, the Yomiuri daily said on its website
on Monday. The Japanese automaker said that Ghosn had used company money for
personal use and that it had been investigating possible improper practices of
Ghosn and Representative Director Greg Kelly for several months.The news comes
as a shock in Japan where Ghosn, a rare foreign top executive, is well regarded
for having turned Nissan around from near bankruptcy. Ghosn is also chairman
and chief executive of France’s Renault.The Japanese automaker, Nissan Motor Co
Ltd, said that based on a whistleblower report, it had been investigating
possible improper practices of Ghosn and Representative Director Greg Kelly for
several months, and that it was fully cooperating with investigators.Reuters
FLASH: VIEWS &
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Friction is good, but RBI-government
relationship needs to be managed:Haseeb A Drabu
Claim that Shehla Rashid siphoned off funds
collected for Kathua rape victim is fake news: Pooja Chaudhuri, AltNews.com
Worse Than Emergency Situation Prevails Under
Modi Govt, Says Arun Shourie
Raghuram Rajan: Explaining bank NPAs - Part I
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