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Archives for April 2017

Oppn approaches President, alleges voices of dissent being muzzled

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pranab-mukherjee

New Delhi: Major opposition parties today met President Pranab Mukherjee and put forth their concern over recent incidents of violence, including attacks by cow vigilantes, and efforts to “muzzle voices of dissent”.

A delegation of leaders of various political parties, led by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi, called on the President at the Rashtrapati Bhavan and sought his urgent intervention “to ensure the rule of law” in the country.

They presented a memorandum to him listing their various concerns and urged the President to ensure that constitutional democracy and fundamental rights of citizens are protected.

After the delegation met the President, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said “an environment of fear and insecurity is prevailing in the country and voices of dissent are being muzzled”.

“We have requested the President for his urgent intervention to protect India’s constitutional democracy and safeguard the fundamental rights of citizens to ensure the rule of law in this country,” he told reporters. The delegation also raised issues of alleged EVM tampering during their meeting.

(PTI)

BJP Yuva Morcha leader offers Rs 11 lakh for Mamata Banerjee’s head

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Yogesh Varshney

Agra: A leader of BJP’s youth wing, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), on Tuesday announced a reward of Rs 11 lakh “for cutting off the head” of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee following a lathicharge in Suri, Birbhum district, to disperse a rally raising slogans of “Jai Sri Ram” on Hanuman Jayanti.

Yogesh Varshney, former mandal president of BJYM in Aligarh, said the lathicharge was “unfortunate”, as people were brutally beaten up. He said the victims of the lathicharge were not from any political party but simple devotees.

He accused that the Mamata Banerjee government of appeasing Muslims while targeting Hindus. Varshney said the prize of Rs 11 lakh on West Bengal’s CM head was his way of expressing anger at the incident.

In Birbhum, Suri police on Sunday had told the organisers of Bir Hanuman Jayanti that it would not allow holding of any rally or meeting at Suri on Tuesday. The organisers asked the police to allow the rally after assuring that they would not carry arms. However, the police did not budge from its stand.

(Agencies)

Mehnaaz Nadiadwala all set to launch her book, ‘It’s a Girl: Dialogues with a Princess’

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Mehnaaz Nadiadwala

Dr Mehnaaz Nadiadwala, who was born and raised in one of the top families of Bollywood, is all set to launch her new book, ‘It’s a Girl: Dialogues with a Princess’, published by Notion Press.

Dr Mehnaaz Nadiadwala is a received the Mother Teresa Award on 21 January 2016 from the governor of Sikkim, Chaudhary Randhir Singh, for her contribution in social services and education toward the less fortunate. She also received an excellence award as rising film presenter and a doctorate in strategic management with a specialization in cultural and global issues from her highness of Mysore, Pramoda Devi. Out of all the top awards she received between 2013 and 2014, was one of the governor’s special awards for her overall performance. In addition to this, was the Bharath Excellence Award for her outstanding services, achievements and contributions, at the seminar of Economic Growth and National Unity at New Delhi. She has also been a rotary president of district 3190, heading fundraisers for various causes like heart surgery, children with HIV and women with breast cancer.

She is currently the Vice President of IWFCI India and is the incoming assistant governor of District 3190.

US to Russia: Abandon Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad

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Tillerson says ‘Assad family reign coming to end’ as he heads to Moscow after talks with G7 ministers on Syrian war.

assad-putin

by Al Jazeera

The US secretary of state has said he hopes Russia will abandon its support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad because actions such as last week’s chemical attack have stripped him of all legitimacy.

Rex Tillerson made the remarks at the conclusion on Tuesday in Italy of a meeting of foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) and “like-minded” countries.

“It is clear to us the reign of the Assad family is coming to an end,” he said shortly before leaving the Tuscan city of Lucca for Moscow.

“We hope that the Russian government concludes that they have aligned themselves with an unreliable partner in Bashar al-Assad.”

A British proposal to slap extra sanctions on Syrian and Russian military officials, however, failed to win the support of the G7, Angelino Alfano, Italy’s foreign minister, said.

Alfano, who chaired Tuesday’s talks, said: “At this time there is no consensus for further new sanctions as an effective tool for reaching the objective that we have set ourselves.”

He also said that Russia should not be “pushed into a corner” over Syria, but that it should put pressure on Assad to stop the use of chemical weapons, and should join the international push for peace in Syria.

The Syrian government has denied it was behind the April 4 attack in the town of Khan Sheikhoun.

Russia has also rejected the accusations that Assad used chemical arms against his own people while stating that it will not cut its ties with him.

Assad has been locked in a six-year-old civil war that has devastated Syria and displaced half its population.

“Returning to pseudo-attempts to resolve the crisis by repeating mantras that Assad must step down cannot help sort things out,” Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for Russian President Vladimir Putin, said on Monday.

The same day, Boris Johnson, UK’s foreign minister, praised last week’s US missile strike on a Syrian airbase as a “game changer”, and said that support for Assad “was toxifying the reputation of Russia” and suggested that sanctions could be imposed on Russia if it refused to change course.

However, Lina Khatib, head of the Middle East and North Africa programme at Chatham House, says it is questionable whether sanctions would have any effect on Syria.

“We know that sanctions alone will not make much of a difference,” she said, speaking to Al Jazeera from London on Tuesday.

“We have seen sanctions against Ukraine, and they didn’t achieve much. So, the only way forward is a dialogue with Russia.

“Rex Tillerson’s visit to Russia is not going to be a game changer. It is a start but we know that after this visit, Russia is not going to declare it has severed its ties with the Assad regime. What will make a difference is if Russia sees that there is the political will on part of the United States.”

Khatib said if the US took this opportunity to show that regime change or political transition was a serious priority and that the administration was willing to engage in political action in order to make it happen, it would cause Western countries to rally behind the US.

“This will be what will bring Russia to the negotiating table as [the Russians] have so far only paid lip service to political change,” she said.

EC announces re-poll in Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency

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(AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

(AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Re-polling will be held in 38 polling stations under the Srinagar parliamentary constituency on April 13, the Election Commission said on Tuesday, according to PTI. The Lok Sabha constituency, where bye-polls were held on April 9, saw large-scale violence in which eight protestors died and a very low turnout of 7.14%.

The bye-poll in Anantnag constituency, which was to be held on April 12, has already been postponed to May 25. The People’s Democratic Party has fielded Tasadduq Mufti, the brother of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, from Anantnag.

The Union Home Ministry had advised the Election Commission against conducting bye-elections for the Srinagar and Anantnag seats this month. Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi had issued a letter right after the polling dates were announced on March 10, saying that the atmosphere in the state was not conducive for elections and asked the poll monitoring body to delay it for a few months.

(Agencies)

Think of damage to bilateral ties before executing Jadhav: Sushma to Pak

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Sushma Swaraj

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday said that former Indian Naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, who was given a death sentence by a Pakistani military court, is a victim of Pakistan’s attempts to deflect attention from the country sponsoring terrorism.

“There is no evidence of wrongdoing by Jadhav. If anything, he is the victim of a plan that seeks to cast aspersions on India to deflect international attention from Pakistan’s well-known record of sponsoring and supporting terrorism,” Swaraj said in an identical statement in both Houses of Parliament.

“Under these circumstances, we have no choice but to regard the sentence, if carried out, as an act of pre-meditated murder,” she said, adding that the sentence by the Pakistani Military Court was based on “concocted charges”.

“Let me state clearly that the government and the people of India would view very seriously the possibility that an innocent Indian citizen is facing death sentence in Pakistan without due process and in violation of basic norms of law, justice and international relations,” she warned.

“I would caution the Pakistan government to consider the consequences for our bilateral relationship if they proceed on this matter,” Swaraj said categorically in a hard-worded statement.

She said the process adopted by the Pakistani military court to award the death sentence “tells us a lot about the farcical nature of the alleged proceedings which have led to indefensible verdict against an innocent kidnapped Indian.”

Replying to a suggestion by Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, Swaraj said the government will not only ensure that Jadhav is provided with the best of lawyers in the Supreme Court of Pakistan, but will take up it with the President of Pakistan also.

“Whatever is necessary, we will do,” she said, adding that Jadhav was “not only the son of his parents, but is the son of India.”

Swaraj said Jadhav was doing business in Iran and was kidnapped and taken to Pakistan. “The exact circumstances are unclear and can only be ascertained if we have consular access to him”, which has been denied by the Pakistani authorities.

“It is extraordinary that yesterday, a decision is suddenly announced awarding a death sentence in this case when previous exchanges with India iteslf underlines the insufficiency of evidence,” the Minister said.

Earlier in the Lok Sabha, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the government will do everything possible to get justice for Jadhav.

While condemning the action, Singh said that Pakistan had ignored all norms of law and justice.

“The government strongly condemns it. All norms of law and justice were ignored. I want to assure the House that the government will do everything possible to get justice for Jadhav. He will get justice,” he said.

(PTI)

Indian expat in UAE sacked for abusing journalist Rana Ayyub on social media

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Rana Ayyub

Dubai: A UAE-based company has sacked an Indian employee here for abusing a fellow Indian on the social media and for posting offensive posts against Islam on Facebook, a media report said.

Rana Ayyub, a well-known investigative journalist based in New Delhi, exposed the vulgar messages on Twitter sent to her by the man, following which some of her followers reported the matter to the management of the UAE company where the Indian worked.

The 31-year-old employee from Kerala was identified as B.B. He joined Alpha Paint in Dubai, a sister company of National Paints in Sharjah, in 2015, the Gulf News reported on Monday.

Ayyub posted a screenshot of the message one day last week, saying: “Just a sample of the filth I receive on my Facebook page. Time to name and shame this pervert.”

Under the United Arab Emirates (UAE) cybercrime law, any form of misuse of a computer, smart device or an electronic network could fetch the violator, if found guilty, a lengthy jail term and/or a heavy fine.

The company said it terminated the expat’s contract and will pay for his tickets and his rights according to the UAE labour law.

The man’s visa was cancelled on Monday and he was set to be deported, said the daily.

Ayyub told Gulf News that she will be filing a police case against the accused in New Delhi.

(IANS)

US strike group heads towards Korean Peninsula

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Third Fleet says USS Carl Vinson making its way to the Western Pacific Ocean following North Korean ‘provocations’.

The Carl Vinson strike group includes an aircraft carrier [Erik De Castro/Reuters]

The Carl Vinson strike group includes an aircraft carrier [Erik De Castro/Reuters]

by Al Jazeera

The Pentagon says a group of US warships is headed to the western Pacific Ocean to provide a physical presence near the Korean Peninsula.

The strike group, called Carl Vinson, includes an aircraft carrier and will make its way from Singapore towards the Korean Peninsula.

The development comes in response to North Korea’s “reckless, irresponsible” conduct, a US navy official said, referring to recent missile tests.

“US Pacific Command ordered the Carl Vinson Strike Group north as a prudent measure to maintain readiness and presence in the Western Pacific,” Commander Dave Benham, spokesperson at US Pacific Command, told AFP news agency.

“The number one threat in the region continues to be North Korea, due to its reckless, irresponsible and destabilising programme of missile tests and pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability.”

In a statement late on Saturday, the US navy’s Third Fleet said the strike group had been directed to sail north, but it did not specify the destination.

The military vessels will operate in the western Pacific rather than making previously planned port visits to Australia, it said.

Deployed from San Diego to the western Pacific since January 5, the Carl Vinson strike group has participated in numerous exercises with the Japan Maritime Self Defence Force and Republic of Korea Navy, various maritime security initiatives, and routine patrol operations in the South China Sea.

The US decision comes close on the heels of a US missile strike on Syria that was widely interpreted as putting North Korea on notice over its refusal to abandon its nuclear ambitions.

Missile quest

Earlier this month, North Korea tested a liquid-fuelled Scud missile which only travelled a fraction of its range.

This year North Korean officials, including leader Kim Jong-un, have repeatedly indicated that an intercontinental ballistic missile test or something similar could be coming, possibly as soon as April 15, the 105th birthday of North Korea’s founding president and celebrated annually as the Day of the Sun.

North Korea is on a quest to develop a long-range missile capable of hitting the US mainland with a nuclear warhead, and has so far staged five nuclear tests, two of them last year.

Expert satellite imagery analysis suggests it could well be preparing for a sixth, with US intelligence officials warning that North Korea could be less than two years away from developing a nuclear warhead that could reach the continental US.

Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Florida, where Trump urged his counterpart to do more to curb North Korea’s nuclear programme.

Trump’s national security aides have completed a review of US options to try to curb North Korea’s nuclear and missile programmes.

These include economic and military measures but lean more towards sanctions and increased pressure on China to restrain North Korea.

In February the North simultaneously fired four ballistic missiles off its east coast, three of which fell provocatively close to Japan, in what it said was a drill for an attack on US bases in the neighbouring Asian country.

Last August North Korea also successfully test-fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile 500km towards Japan, far exceeding any previous sub-launched tests, in what Kim described as the “greatest success”.

Fortis Hospital successfully conducts 9 live Minimally Invasive Spine Surgeries (MISS) in Bangalore

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3-D broadcast of the session was a part of workshop being conducted to educate young surgeons on the techniques of it and how it will benefit the mankind

Fortis Malar Hospital

Bangalore: Fortis Hospitals, Bangalore, today participated in a relay live surgery workshop, MIS Live CAD 2017, for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery (MISS). The event was organised by Minimal Invasive Spine Surgery Society of India (MISSI) at Fortis Hospitals, Bannerghatta Road, and the 3D-live surgery was broadcasted at Hotel JW Marriot on April 8th 2017. The three-day workshop (April 7-9) highlighted the latest surgical technologies and best clinical practices in treatment of back and neck pain.

For the workshop, Dr. Deshpande V Rajakumar, Director, Department of Neurosurgery, Fortis Hospitals and Organising Chairman, Minimal Invasive Spine Surgery Society of India (MISSI), brought together the team of National and International Surgeons who performed and witnessed live surgeries.

Dr. Deshpande V Rajakumar shares, “Minimal Invasive Spine Surgery is going to be the future of global spine surgery. The workshop was conducted to educate young surgeons in both basic and advanced technologies that could help them understand various dynamics of MISS. The live demonstration of techniques helps doctors to learn and adopt MISS which would further help patients get the latest advanced level treatment.”

He further added, “There is tremendous interest in young and mid-level surgeons to learn the nuances of this technique. Having been an early adapter of this technique for about 14 years, I believe that it is the right time to expose them to MISS.”

The doctor is actively involved in developing new endoscopic approaches to brain and spine diseases, Dr. Deshpande has taken this initiative of creating a platform for knowledge sharing and training.

Over 100 surgeons had registered for the session and 9 patients were treated with advanced Minimal Invasive Spine technique.

IPL-10: Pune aim to mend ways vs Daredevils

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(Photo: IANS)

(Photo: IANS)

Pune: Rising Pune Supergiant will have an opportunity to get back to the winning ways when the Steve Smith-led franchise takes on Delhi Daredevils (DD) in an Indian Premier League (IPL) 2017 match here on Tuesday.

Pune had a mixed start to their current IPL campaign, handsomely winning their opener against Mumbai Indians before going down to Kings XI Punjab in their second match.

Delhi, on the other hand, will have their task cut out after having narrowly lost their maiden tie against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by 15 runs.

The Daredevils lacked the spark in their batting having failed to chase 158 against RCB, with youngster Rishabh Pant emerging the lone bright spot for the side, scoring 57 runs, two days after losing his father.

The top order comprising the domestic trio of Aditya Tare, Karun Nair and Sanju Samson fumbled while opener Sam Billings failed to provide the fiery start expected from him.

All-rounders Carlos Brathwaite and Chris Morris, too flunked with the willow, when the team needed them the most.

Pune however, will have to be cautious dealing with the Daredevils’ bowling, which is spoilt for choice in the pace department.

Led by the experienced Zaheer Khan, Daredevils bowlers were right on their money against RCB. Both Zaheer (2/31), Morris (3/21) and Pat Cummins (1/29) were impressive with the new ball, while domestic season’s highest wicket taker, left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem (1/13) shone in the middle overs.

With South African quick Kasigo Rabada and Mohammed Shami warming the bench, the side looks a formidable unit against any opposition.

On the other hand, the hosts will bank on their batting prowess to take them home. With the likes of in-form skipper Steve Smith, Ajinkya Rahane, Ben Stokes, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Manoj Tiwary in their ranks, batting is considered the strongest aspect for the Pune side.

Rahane, Smith and Stokes have been amongst the runs in the first two matches but they will be worried about the form of opener Mayank Agarwal and Dhoni in particular.

The home side’s bowlers, meanwhile, will still be licking their wounds after the onslaught from the Kings XI duo of Glenn Maxwell and David Miller.

While Pune can boast of South African leg-spinner Imran Tahir’s brilliance in the middle overs, their main headache will be the opening and the death overs with the likes of Ashoke Dinda, Daniel Christian and Stokes (the costliest buy of this year’s IPL), being hammered all over the park.

Teams:

Rising Pune Supergiant: Steve Smith (Captain), Mahendra Singh Dhoni (WK), Ajinkya Rahane, Ben Stokes, Faf du Plessis, Usman Khawaja, Manoj Tiwary, Mayank Agarwal, Ankit Sharma, Baba Aparajith, Ankush Bains, Rajat Bhatia, Deepak Chahar, Rahul Chahar, Daniel Christian, Ashok Dinda, Lockie Ferguson, Jaskaran Singh, Saurabh Kumar, Milind Tandon, Jaydev Unadkat, Adam Zampa.

Delhi Daredevils: Zaheer Khan (Captain), Mohammad Shami, Shahbaz Nadeem, Jayant Yadav, Amit Mishra, Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson, Karun Nair, Rishabh Pant (WK), CV Milind, Khaleel Ahmed, Pratyush Singh, Murugan Ashwin, Aditya Tare, Shashank Singh, Ankit Bawne, Navdeep Saini, Corey Anderson, Angelo Mathews, Pat Cummins, Kagiso Rabada, Chris Morris, Carlos Brathwaite, Sam Billings, Ben Hilfenhaus.

(IANS)

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