04
Nov. 2019: 06 Rabiul Awwal 1441: Vol: 12, No: 53
INDIA
Mega Asian trade deal RCEP on track, says Thailand amid
India's concerns
Bangkok:Thailand
said on Monday that Asian countries had held conclusive talks on what could be
the world's biggest trade pact and there would be an announcement of success at
a summit in Bangkok despite doubts raised by India.Spurred in part by US-China
trade war, Southeast Asian countries hoped to announce at least provisional
agreement on the China-backed 16-nation Regional Comprehensive Economic
Partnership (RCEP) on Monday.But last minute demands raised by India meant
negotiations among ministers went late into the night alongside a summit of the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations(ASEAN) being held in Bangkok,
Thailand."Negotiation last night was conclusive," Commerce Minister
Jurin Laksanawisit said on Monday. "There will be an announcement together
on the success of RCEP agreement by the leaders later today. India is part of
this as well and will jointly make the announcement. The signing will be next
year."RCEP includes 10-member grouping of Southeast Asian nations, as well
as China, South Korea, Japan, India, Australia and New Zealand.At a separate
meeting, Thai PM Prayuth Chan-ocha said "We welcome the conclusion of RCEP
negotiation and (are) committed to sign RCEP agreement in 2020."Southeast
Asia's biggest country, Indonesia, had appealed to India on Sunday to remain
part of the agreement. New impetus to complete the deal has come from the
US-China trade war, which has helped knock regional economic growth to its
lowest in five years.But India has been worried about a potential flood of
Chinese imports and officials with knowledge of the negotiations said India had
raised last minute demands. PM Narendra Modi did not even mention RCEP in his
public comments after meetings in Bangkok on Sunday.The bloc would account for
a third of global gross domestic product and nearly half the world's
population. Thai government spokeswoman Narumon Pinyosinwat told reporters on
Sunday that a signing was still expected for Feb.Some countries have raised the
possibility of moving ahead without India.But one advantage for Southeast Asian
countries from having relative heavyweight India in the trade pact would be
less domination by China.Reuters
New Indian demands may stall RCEP deal
Congress to oppose peace agreement if it changes
geography of Manipur: Jairam Ramesh
Imphal:
Slamming Centre over alleged lack of transparency in the ongoing Naga peace
talks, ex union minister Jairam Ramesh has said that the Congress will oppose
any agreement, if it changes the geography of Manipur and any other
northeastern state.A 6-member Congress delegation arrived here on Sunday to
take stock of the situation in Manipur arising out of Naga peace talks and
gather the opinions of people and party leaders on NRC. "There is no
transparency regarding Naga peace talks on the part of the central government.
The progress in the ongoing Naga peace talks has not been disclosed,"
Ramesh told reporters at the Congress Bhawan here.Any accord which would change
the geography of any state of the northeast region, including Manipur, will be
opposed by Congress, he said. During the tenure of ex PM Rajiv Gandhi, the
Centre had signed Assam, Mizoram and Tripura accords "without changing the
geography of any state",senior Congress leader said. He was accompanied by
AICC general secretary Mukul Wasnik, former union minister of state Jitendra
Singh, MP Manickam Tagore, AICC secretary Ranjit Mukherjee and Mohammed Ali
Khan.PTI
J&K ISSUE
We diluted Article 370 twelve times without
controversy: Congress
Dehradun:Congress
has claimed it “diluted and abrogated” Article 370 that granted special status
to Jammu and Kashmir as many as 12 times without creating any
controversy.Addressing a press conference in Dehradun, Congress spokesman Pawan
Khera said, “Not once or twice, but the Congress party diluted article 370 as
many as 12 times, but without letting any controversy break out.” Khera said
the country’s affairs are run through dialogue and not through controversies. He
said Congress understands this fact but “the ruling BJP doesn’t” as its entire
politics is founded on controversies.Khera said the party’s stand on Article
370 has not changed at all but it is objecting to the way BJP government
annulled it. He also accused the BJP
government at the Centre of not implementing GST properly, saying it has resulted
in small businessmen, manufacturers and farmers driven to the verge of ruin
today. Alleging that the noteban imposed
by Narendra Modi government had caused the country’s economy to totter, he said
a similar noteban imposed during Indira Gandhi’s tenure as prime minister had
caused no harm to it. “There used to be
in circulation in those days Rs 10,000 notes, which were banned when Mrs Gandhi
was the PM but no one had to queue up outside banks nor was there any controversy,”
he said.PTI
J-K: Thousands of bunkers being constructed for
safety of citizens in villages near LoC
Rajouri:
As part of government schemes, large numbers of safety bunkers are being
constructed in different border areas which are in close proximity to LoC.An
official said that the construction of around 1200 such bunkers have been
completed while another 1000 structures are at various stages of construction.
"Around 1200 workers have been completed. Around 1000 bunkers are at other
stages of construction. A total of 3131 bunkers are being constructed in the
region," DDC Rajouri Mohammed Aijaz Asad said.The people of the region
thanked the administration and expressed their gratitude to the government for
the construction of workers saying it will ensure their safety during the
firing by Pakistan.ANI
J&K to shift political detenues during winter
Srinagar::As
the winter sets in, the Jammu and Kashmir administration is looking for another
accommodation to lodge 34 political detenues, currently in Centaur Hotel in
Srinagar, as it lacks proper heating arrangements, officials said.The winter
chill has already started taking a toll on the health of the detenues that
include National Conference, PDP and People’s Conference leaders and prominent
social activists, as well as the security personnel guarding them.They have
been lodged at the hotel on the bank of Dal Lake since August 5.According to
the officials privy to the development, Centaur Hotel, owned by Indian Tourism
Development Corporation (ITDC), has submitted a bill of ₹2.65 crore to the Home
Department for 90 days of boarding and lodging of the detenues.The
administration has, however, rejected the claims of Centaur Hotel, and argued
that the facility was converted into a subsidiary jail on August 5 and
therefore, only the government rates would be paid.PTI
POLITICS
Maharashtra: Fadnavis heads to Delhi, Sena says
tying with NCP, Congress ‘in state interest’
Mumbai,
Pune :With talks with ally BJP stuck over chief ministership, the Shiv Sena
Sunday said joining hands with NCP, Congress and others to form a government was
“in the interest of Maharashtra”.Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said he would meet
the Maharashtra Governor on Monday. “I will ask him to invite the single
largest party and then give a chance to other parties,” Raut said, adding that
there would be a Sena CM and the oath-taking ceremony would take place at
Shivaji Park in Mumbai.The action is also set to move to Delhi, with incumbent
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis travelling to the Capital on
Monday to meet BJP chief and Home Minister Amit Shah. This will be his first
visit to Delhi since the election results, which gave BJP fewer seats than it
expected. Monday will see a meeting between NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Congress
president Sonia Gandhi in Delhi as well.Asked by mediapersons in Aurangabad if
the Sena would form the government alone or join other parties, Sena chief
Uddhav Thackeray Sunday said, “You will get to know in the coming days.”In his
column Rok Thok, published in Sena mouthpiece Saamana Sunday, Raut put forward
several scenarios of government formation, in none of which a BJP-led one
endured. “After BJP fails to prove its majority in the House, Shiv Sena can
stake claim to form the government. With the help of NCP, Congress and others,
the figure will go up to 170. Shiv Sena can have its own Chief Minister,” he
wrote. BJP and Sena together won 161 seats in the recent elections. The
half-way mark in the 288-seat House is 145. Saamna also carried a front page
story Sunday, headlined ‘At any cost, there should be no BJP government’, which
said the Congress and NCP had taken a decision to keep the BJP out of
power.Fadnavis told reporters he was going to Delhi to seek relief for farmers
hit by unseasonal rains from National Disaster Response Fund, which falls under
Shah’s ministry. However, sources said, the CM would discuss with BJP chief
strategies to bring the Sena on board, with delay in government formation
stretching embarrassingly.Admitting that the Sena, NCP and Congress were
parties with different ideologies, Raut wrote in his column, “The way Atal
Bihari Vajyapee ran his government, we will have to take it forward… This is in
the interest of Maharashtra.”Among Raut’s options for government formation in
the state, the first is the BJP coming to power keeping the Sena out. “BJP has 105
MLAs. It requires 40 more…Getting 40 more is looking impossible…,” he wrote.In
another development Sunday, NCP leader Ajit Pawar showed reporters a text
message from Raut on his phone. The message in Marathi simply said, “Namaskar
mi Sanjay Raut. Jai Maharashtra”. “This means I should call him. I will call
and check,” Ajit Pawar said.Sharad Pawar’s meeting with Sonia comes amidst
increasing clamour within NCP that it and the Congress align with the Sena to
keep BJP out. However, NCP and Congress seniors are wary that the Sena’s
outreach is no more than a ploy to drive a harder bargain with the BJP.
Shiv Sena
leader Raut, senior party leaders to meet governor today over govt formation
BJP-JJP coalition govt in Haryana based on ‘selfish
interests’, won’t last long: Abhay Chautala
Chandigarh
: Dampening prospects of any truce in the feuding Chautala clan, INLD lone MLA
Abhay Chautala on Sunday accused his nephew Dushyant Chautala-led JJP of
forging post-poll alliance with the BJP out of “selfish interest” and claimed
the coalition government in Haryana will not last long.“They came together for
their selfish interests,” Abhay Singh Chautala told reporters on sidelines of
his party’s state executive meeting here.Haryana ex CM Om Prakash Chautala’s
younger son Abhay Chautala made the contentious remarks days after his elder
brother Ajaya Chautala, whose son Dushyant Chautala was sworn in as the state’s
deputy chief minister in BJP-led state government, met him, triggering hopes of
a truce in the clan.Ridiculing BJP-JJP alliance, Abhay Chautala said his
nephew-led party joined hands with the BJP after fiercely opposing each other
in the recent assembly polls.PTI
Karnataka Congress urges SC to take on record audio
clip of Yediyurappa in MLAs disqualification case
Karnataka Congress has requested the Supreme
Court hearing the MLA disqualification case to take on record a fresh audio
clip in which Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa is purportedly referring to rebel
MLAs.A Bench headed by Justice N.V. Ramana said it will consult Chief Justice
Ranjan Gogoi for constituting the Bench on Nov 5 to consider fresh material
given by Karnataka Congress.A purported audio clip of Yediyurappa expressing
anguish against leaders at a recent party meeting in Hubballi over their
opposition to giving tickets to disqualified Congress-JD(S) MLAs for the
December 5 Assembly bypolls in 15 constituencies had surfaced on Friday last.In
the audio, he is purportedly saying that the rebel Congress JD(S) MLAs, who
were later disqualified, were kept in Mumbai during the final days of the
coalition govt under BJP national president Amit Shah’s watch.PTI
OTHERS
No insulting posts on deities on social media till
Dec 28: Ayodhya order
Ayodhya:
Ahead of the Supreme Court’s verdict in the Babri Masjid case, the UP
government has issued a four-page directive disallowing people in Ayodhya
district to make any defamatory remark on deities on social media platforms
like Whatsapp, , Telegram and Instagram for 2months while restricting
electronic media from conducting debates in the district during this
period.Issued by Ayodhya district magistrate Anuj Kumar Jha on October 31, the
order will be in force till December 28 as part of Section 144 of the CrPC,
which has been imposed across the district. Violators will be booked under
Section 188 of IPC (disobedience to an order by public servant).“No attempt
should be allowed to make any insulting remarks on great personalities, deities
and gods on any social media platform such as Instagram, Twitter and Whatsapp.
Besides, no installation of any idol of any deity will take place without
permission from the district administration,” says the order.The order says the
restrictions have been imposed in view of festivals and other events during
this period, which include Chhath Puja, Kartik Purnima, Panchkosi Parikrama,
Chaudhari Charan Singh’s birth anniversary, Guru Nanak Jayanti, Guru Teg
Bahadur Shahid Diwas, Eid-ul-Milad and Christmas.TOI
Ahead of Ayodhya verdict, Muslim groups stress on
peace, keep legal option open
New
Delhi :A clutch of Muslim organisations met on Friday and resolved to explore
all legal actions if the Ayodhya verdict of the Supreme Court is “not
satisfactory” but also stressed on the need to maintain peace and harmony “at
all costs”.There was general consensus in the meeting that the position of the
Supreme Court as the principal legal recourse must be respected and legal
remedies, such as review petition or any other option, could be explored.The
meeting was convened by Navaid Hamid, president of All India Muslim
Majlis-e-Mushawarat. It came a day after RSS leaders reached out to Muslim
organisations in a Paigam e Hubbal Watni (Conference of Nationalism) where they
asked the community to be vigilant against attempts to create “bhram, bhay,
bhadkaw (diversion, fear, provocation)” once the verdict is out.Wajahat
Habibullah, former chairman of National Commission for Minorities who was among
those who was present at the meet, said: “The leadership of different Muslim
groups and also Muslim clerics got together because a decision on the Babri
Masjid Ram Janmabhoomi dispute is expected any time now and the idea was to
enjoin that peace be maintained at all costs. Whatever campaigns have been
going on against the rise of communalism in the country can continue but there
should be at no point any recourse to violence.”“Whatever legal recourse would
have to be taken, would be taken, there would be no letup in that. But there
was a general consensus that the position of the Supreme Court as the principal
legal recourse must be respected and whatever legal recourses are available
after a verdict would be exercised but the public need not agitate itself on
the issue,” he said.Maulana Arshad Madani, president of Jamiat Ulama Hind, who
also attended the meet, said personally he is not in favour of further legal
action although a final call would have to be taken by all the parties and Jamiat
working committee. Among others who attended the meeting were Sadatullah
Hussaini, president Jamaat e Islami Hind, Maulana Asghar Imam Mehdi Salafi,
president All India Jamiat e Ahle Hadith and Maulana Ashraf Kichauchvi,
president of All India Mashaikh Board.indianexpress
Ayodhya land dispute case: NSA will be imposed if
needed, says UP DGP OP Singh ahead of verdict
Hardoi:
Ahead of the expected verdict in the Babri Masjid title suit by Supreme Court,
Uttar Pradesh DGP OP Singh said that the state police is ready and if needed
National Security Act (NSA) will be imposed on elements who attempt to disrupt
law and order."We are absolutely ready. Under no circumstances, anybody
will be allowed to take law in hand. Our Intelligence machinery is geared up.
If needed, NSA will be imposed on elements who attempt to disrupt law and
order," Singh said in UP on Sunday.ani
Cleared in terror case after 11 yrs, they brace for
new fight
Lucknow
: Acquitted after spending 11 years behind bars for 2008 attack on a CRPF camp
in Rampur, Mohammad Kausar and Gulab Khan say they are not sure if the court
order would prove enough to rid them of “terrorist” tag. Before they were
arrested, Kausar (48) ran an electronics shop near his house in Kunda area of
Pratapgarh while Khan (41) owned a welding shop at Baheri locality in Bareilly.
With their families having sold their shops as well as spent their savings
fighting their case, the two said it wouldn’t be easy for them to pick up the
pieces.On Saturday, a Rampur local court awarded death sentence to four
accused, including 2 Pakistani nationals, for 2008 attack, in which 7 CRPF
jawans and a rickshaw-puller were killed. A fifth accused was sentenced to
life. Khan and Kausar, who were accused of hiding weapons used in the crime at
their residences before the attack, were acquitted for want of evidence. Kausar
was arrested on Feb.9, more than a month after the attack, from his shop in
Pratapgarh, 486 km from Rampur. “A senior police officer asked me two-three
questions and then put me in a room. 2 days later, I was produced before a
court, which sent me to jail. In the 2-minute interaction with a senior police
officer,I maintained I was innocent,” Kausar said over the phone. Kausar, who
studied upto Class 9, said he worked for 10 years at an electronics shop in
Saudi Arabia before returning to India in 2005. After his arrest, he said,
there was no one in the family to run the shop he opened in Kunda and it was
shut down. “Because of financial crisis, my 3 children had to drop out of
school. My wife Salma Bano started stitching clothes for a living. Relatives
stopped coming to my house. To raise money to fight the case, family later sold
the shop.”Released from Bareilly Central Jail on Sunday, Kausar said he feared
that his ordeal was not over. “People don’t easily believe a person who has
spent over a decade in jail. The court has acquitted me but people will not
accept me as innocent. I have to fight once again to get their trust.” Khan
said his family was forced to shut the shop as none of them knew iron wielding
work. “Naajara started stitching clothes but that was only enough to arrange
food for the family. Even power connection to my house was snapped because of
non-payment of bills,”said Khan, ruing that his appeals that he was innocent
fell on deaf ears.Khan’s elder brother Kamal said his 3 children dropped out of
school as they couldn’t pay the fees. His brother-in-law Mohammad Shaheen said
every step in these 11 years had been a struggle. indianexpress
Gulab Khan acquittal: Muslims discriminated against
in terror cases, says Asaduddin Owaisi
New
Delhi: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has said that Muslims are incarcerated in
the terror-related cases "only to be acquitted" later on. Asaduddin
Owaisi's statement came 2 days after Gulab Khan, one of the accused in the 2008
Rampur CRPF camp attack case, was acquitted of his involvement in the case. Owaisi
said that Muslims are being discriminated against in the criminal justice
system regardless of the party in power."Muslims are incarcerated in
terror cases only to be acquitted after decades. We experience systemic
discrimination in the criminal justice system regardless of the party in power.
The double injustice here is not only to Gulab Khan but also to the victims of
Rampur attack," Owaisi said.AIMIM chief also asked if Gulab Khan would be
compensated for the "indignity he had to endure for 12 years. "Who
were the real culprits? Will Gulab Khan be compensated for the indignity that
he & his family had to endure?" he tweeted.india today
Home Ministry warns of ‘lone wolf’ attacks by IS
peratives: the hindu
Chennai:
A high alert has been issued to security forces across the country by central
intelligence agencies, warning of possible ‘lone wolf’ attacks by Islamic State
(IS) operatives targeting high-risk dignitaries in the run-up to the Republic
Day celebrations in January next year.A communication issued by the Ministry of
Home Affairs to all the States on Nov.1 stated that the overall security
scenario in the country remained a cause for concern on account of the threat
emanating from Pakistan and Afghanistan-Pakistan belt.Pakistan’s ISI continued
to provide infrastructural and other financial/logistical assistance to terror
groups, particularly Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad, operating in that
country, the note said.thehindu
Hyderabad : Spiritual leaders to strive for peace,
amity in society
Hyderabad:
In an attempt to bring closure different religious groups with the objective of
attaining religious harmony, the first meeting of 'Dharmik Jan Morcha' of
religious heads and spiritual leaders representing all major religious groups
expressed their commitment to work for peace and amity and for cementing the
bond of brotherhood with one another. Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) which was able
to bring Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Jain besides religious heads from Muslim
community held deliberations amongst the members of the Morcha. They are
planning a platform to be led by shri hari krishna vadalankar, arya samaj,
TridandiDevanatha Ramanuja Jeeyar Swami, RevFrDr Anthony Raj Thumma, the
executive secretary, Federation of Telugu Church, AP & Telangana, Swami
PurnaTej, mentor of Art of Living Foundation, Telangana, Sardar Nanak Singh
Nishter, Ambassador for Interfaith Harmony, Gurudwara Saheb, Gowliguda, and
Vinod Jain, president Shri Digamber Jain Sansthan, besides Moulana Hamid
Mohammed Khan, JIH State president. Speaking on the occasion, Jeeyar Swami said
that all religions teach peace even though they have different doctrines. While
welcoming the development, he felt that religious heads and spiritual leaders
coming to form a single platform was for the greater good of the society. Swami
PurnaTej hoped that this would not only develop brotherhood but also ease
religious understanding of each other. Sardar Indersingh of Gowliguda Gurudwara
held that the Sikh community always stood in the forefront in bridging the
communities and was ready to take part any of the activities for common good
being taken up by the Morcha. Dr Anthony
emphasised the need for religious tolerance, respect and acceptance amongst different
communities. Vinod Jain hoped that this initiative would prove to be an example
of unity in the coming days. Salim
Engineer, Vice Presdient JIH, said that this was part of the national
initiative in view of the existing scenario where attempts are being made to
develop schism among communities. He hoped that all the States like Telangana
would come up with similar programmes. Sadiq Ahmed and his team members who
worked to bring all on single platform and aides of religious heads were
present.thehansindia
In alert on Chhath Puja, Bihar district admn names
Muslims
Patna
:In an order to the local police and administration, Madhepura DM Navdeep
Shukla has warned against attempts by “mischievous elements from Muslim
community (to) cause tension” during ongoing Chhath festival.Frowning at the
order, the state home department said it would look into the issue. “It was
inadvertently phrased,” Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Amir Subhani, said.
Bihar DGP Gupteshwar Pandey said the “tone of the order should have been
changed”.In the order, dated Oct 31, DM has said: “Water deposit in lanes
through which Chhath Puja devotees cross, especially through Muslim
settlements… overflowing drain water running through (these) roads causes
tension. At times, dismantling of ghat structure because of the crowd also
causes problems. Incidents of eve-teasing of relatives and acquaintances of
devotees by mischievous elements from Muslim community cause tension. Passing
objectionable remarks on Chhath devotees and their relatives causes law and
order problems”.indianexpress
UP: Trailer crushes 2 madrassa students, teacher to
death
Allahabad:
2 madrassa students and their teacher were killed by a speeding trailer near
Mandhata bus stand road on Prayagraj-Ayodhya highway under Mandhata police
station of Pratapgarh district on Sunday morning. The deceased have been
identified as Mohammad Farhad (14) of Raniganj, Mohammad Shahwan (16) of
Pratapgarh and their teacher Shan Mohammad (25) of Khiri.Inspector (Mandhata)
Sanjay Yadav told TOI that the incident took place around 8 am. The teacher,
along with their students, was standing with a bike near Mandhata bus stand
road. They were about to leave for Darapur Madrassa in Pratapgarh when a
speeding trailer knocked them down. All three of them died on the spot. The
driver of the trailer managed to escape.TOI
EPF funds diversion rocks Yogi government, 2 held
Lucknow:Two
former executives of Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited have been arrested
on the charge of illegally investing Rs 2,631 crore of Employees Provident Fund
money, and with a company that is being investigated for alleged fraud and
terror links.Sudhanshu Dwivedi, ex finance director of the corporation, and
Praveen Kumar Gupta, former general manager (finance), are accused of investing
the money with Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Limited between March 24,
2017, and Dec.31,2018, police sources said.If correct, this would mean the
diversion of EPF funds — which a union leader termed a “scam” — began 5 days
after Yogi Adityanath govnt took charge. Adityanath has recommended a CBI
probe. One of his ministers sought to deflect blame, saying the investment of
EPF money was a policy decision taken by the previous Akhilesh Yadav government
that some officials later implemented without informing their superiors.telegraphindia
UP: Impersonation FIR against Muslim youth to be reviewed
Lucknow:
Police will review charges against a Muslim youth who was booked and arrested
for impersonation in Bareilly because he dressed up as Hanuman. Mohammed
Naseem, 19, said to be a behrupiya who lives off alms, was picked up and sent
to jail for cheating and impersonation based on the complaint of some Bajrang
Dal members on Friday.ADG of police (Bareilly zone) Avinash Chandra told TOI
that if Naseem were indeed an artist who donned disguise for a living, the
charges against him would be reviewed.Chandra also conceded that the station
house officer of Subash Nagar police station in Bareilly might have succumbed
to pressure of local residents and registered the case.TOI
Women in Mosques: Why not allow them entry, argues
a new book
New
Delhi:Within a week of the Supreme Court seeking response of the Centre on a
PIL which sought entry of Muslim women in all mosques of the country,
journalist and author Ziya Us Salam argues Quran does not discriminate against
women and at 59 places, it asks men and women to establish prayers.Last Friday,
a bench comprising CJI Ranjan Gogoi and justices S A Bobde and S A Nazeer
issued notice to the Union Law and Justice Ministry and Minority Affairs
Ministry on the plea seeking entry of women in mosques.UNI
India air pollution at 'unbearable levels':Delhi CM
Air
pollution in the north of India has "reached unbearable levels," the
capital Delhi's Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal says. In many areas of Delhi air
quality deteriorated into the "hazardous" category, with the
potential to cause respiratory illnesses.Low visibility caused more than 30
flights to be diverted on Sunday.Rules have now gone into effect allowing only
cars with odd or even number plates to drive on given days.The initiative is
aimed at getting more vehicles off the road in an effort to curb air
pollution.Schools in Delhi have been ordered to close until Tuesday, and
construction has been halted.BBC
Odd-even rule kicks in as pollution in Delhi
remains severe
The
odd-even road rationing scheme, an anti-pollution measure, kicked in from 8 am
on Monday in the city, with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal urging people to
follow it for the sake of their family and kids.Under the scheme, apart from
exempted categories, only those non-transport four-wheeled vehicles will ply on
the roads which have registration numbers ending with an even digit.The overall
Air Quality Index (AQI) of city at 7:30 am stood at 439, which falls in the
"severe" category. An AQI between 0-50 is considered 'good', 51-100
'satisfactory', 101-200 'moderate', 201-300 'poor', 301-400 'very poor' and
401-500 'severe'. An AQI above 500 falls in the 'severe plus'
category."Namaste Delhi, odd-even is starting from today to reduce
pollution. Please do follow it for yourself, your family, kids and your breath.
Share cars. It will strengthen friendship, form relations, save petrol and
pollution," Kejriwal said in an early morning tweet in Hindi.Violations of
the odd-even rule will invite a fine of Rs 4,000.Over 600 teams of Delhi
Traffic Police and transport and revenue departments have been deployed for a
strict implementation of the scheme across the city.nationalheraldindia
WORLD
Iraqi protesters attack Iran consulate in Karbala
Dozens
of protesters in Iraq attacked the Iranian consulate in the Shia holy city of
Karbala on Sunday night, scaling the concrete barriers surrounding the
building, bringing down an Iranian flag and replacing it with the Iraqi flag,
witnesses said.Security forces fired in the air to disperse the protesters who
threw stones and burned tires around the building on a street corner in Karbala
south of Baghdad.There were no immediate reports of casualties in the incident,
which comes amid ongoing protests in the capital Baghdad and majority-Shia
provinces in the south. The witnesses spoke to AP on condition of anonymity
because of security concerns.There have been reports of the government
authorities deploying police in the area.The protests are directed at a
post-war political system and a class of elite leaders that Iraqis accuse of
pillaging the country's wealth while the country grows poorer.But protesters
have also directed their rage at neighbouring Iran and the powerful Iraqi Shia
militias tied to it.The anti-government protests in Karbala, Baghdad and cities
across southern Iraq have often turned violent, with security forces opening
fire and protesters torching government buildings and headquarters of
Iran-backed militias. More than 250 people have been killed in the security
crackdown following the protests. Feisal Istrabadi, a former Iraqi ambassador
to UN and director of the Center for the Study of the Middle East at Indiana
University, warned that more crackdowns could happen. Istrabadi said that is is
"nearly impossible" for the current leaders in Iraq to quell the
ongoing protests.aljazeera
Thousands gather on Beirut's streets for
anti-government protest
Tens
of thousands of Lebanese protested on Sunday to keep up a nationwide street
movement that has brought down the government, hours after a smaller rally of
thousands was held to support the embattled president. Unprecedented
cross-sectarian demonstrations have gripped Lebanon since Oct.17, demanding a
complete overhaul of a political system deemed inefficient and corrupt.On
Sunday evening, thousands of protesters streamed into the main square carrying
Lebanese flags and a flurry of inventive slogans on placards, an AFP
correspondent said."Revolution," they cried to the rhythm of
electronic beats in Martyrs' Square."All of them means all of them,"
they chanted, calling for political leaders from all sectarian stripes to step
down.They also called for a general strike on Monday to pressure political
leaders.The protest, the biggest since Tuesday when supporters of the powerful
Hezbollah movement broke up the protest camp, followed a rally earlier in the
day by supporters of Lebanon's president, held to counter anti-government
protests that have paralysed the country for more than two weeks. President Michel Aoun has been among the main
targets of mass protests that aim to sweep from power Lebanon's entire
sectarian and political elite.Prime Minister Saad Hariri resigned last week,
meeting a key demand of the protesters, but will stay on in the role of
caretaker prime minister until a new government is formed. aljazeera
Israeli official says prisoner swap deal with Hamas
‘progressing’
Israel’s
negotiations on a prisoners’ exchange deal with Hamas are “progressing,”
Israeli government’s coordinator for prisoners and missing persons, Yaron Blum,
announced.“Israeli citizens and Hamas hostages, Avera Mengistu and Hisham
Al-Sayed, had crossed the Gaza border and been returned home,” Blum told Reshet
Bet.Blum’s remarks came following comments by the mother of a kidnapped
soldier, Hadar Goldin, on Israel’s Channel 12 on Saturday, in which she accused
the Israeli government of “neglecting its detained citizens in Gaza.”Goldin,
along with Oron Shaaul, went missing during the Israeli attack on Gaza, which
was launched on 8 July 2014 and had lasted until 26 August of the same year. In
April 2016, Hamas said it was holding four Israeli soldiers in custody. In a
similar context, the Israeli government announced the loss of two soldiers
during the Gaza aggression. Still, the local security ministry later said that
they were killed in a fight that involved Palestinian fighters and Israeli
soldiers.MEMO
Israel arrests Palestine’s Jerusalem affairs
minister for 3rd time this year
Israeli
forces on Sunday arrested Palestine’s Jerusalem Affairs Minister Fadi al-Hadami
, reported Anadolu Agency via a local source.Police forces and intelligence
agents raided al-Hadami ‘s home in Jerusalem and took him into custody, the
source said on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the
media.It remains unclear why the minister was arrested.There was no comment
from Israeli authorities on the report.Hadami was detained by Israeli forces in
September for questioning before being later released. Prior to that, he was
detained by Israeli forces in June of this year.middleeastmonitor
Saudi Aramco kick-starts what could be world's
biggest IPO, offers scant details: Reuters
Saudi
Arabia's giant state oil company finally kick-started its initial public
offering (IPO) on Sunday, announcing its intention to float on the domestic
bourse in what could be the world's biggest listing as kingdom seeks to
diversify its economy away from oil.But in its long-awaited announcement,
Aramco, the world's most profitable company, offered few specifics on the
number of shares to be sold, pricing or the date for a launch. Bankers have
told the Saudi government that investors will likely value the company at
around $1.5 trillion, below the $2 trillion valuation touted by Crown Prince
Mohammed bin Salman when he first floated the idea of an IPO nearly four years
ago.Aramco also did not mention what measures it has taken to beef up security
following unprecedented attacks on its oil plants in Sept.
Flash:
NEWS, views and Articles
After Depositors, PMC Scandal’s Second Potential
Victim is Trust in India’s Financial System :K.T. Jagannathan
Watch | Kashmir Valley: Train services remain
suspended months after abrogation of Art.370
How Arakan mosque symbolising Muslim-Buddhist unity
was destroyed to rewrite Myanmar history :Habiburahman, Sophie Ansel
Delhi's Urdu Heritage Festival Is a Heartfelt
Attempt to Reach New Audiences:Mahtab Alam
RCEP explainer: Why Modi government is wary of
joining the world’s largest trading bloc:Shoaib Daniyal
On the loose: Never one story:Single perspective
narratives are confusing for students:Leher Kala
Unanswered Questions for Govt, WhatsApp, NSO Over
Pegasus Snooping
Compiled and edited by
Anwarulhaq (Released at: 2:02 PM)
You may also open this
link:
0 comments:
Post a Comment