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Archives for September 2018

India reiterates commitment to Palestinian cause

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Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has reiterated India’s support to the Palestinian cause while asserting New Delhi’s backing for a two-state solution to the conflict in West Asia.

Speaking at a meeting of the Ministerial Committee of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) on Palestine here on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly Session on Wednesday, Sushma Swaraj recalled the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Palestine in February, the first by an Indian Prime Minister, and described it as a “historic occasion”.

“During the visit, the Prime Minister announced a substantial upscaling of our development partnership efforts in solidarity with the Palestinian people,” she said.

“India is investing in projects of healthcare, educational infrastructure, women empowerment and a printing press, in addition to other capacity building programmes.”

Sushma Swaraj said that development partnership projects in Palestine worth around $70 million are under implementation during the last five years.

“These include flagship projects like the super-specialty hospital in Beit Sahour and the India-Palestine Technology Park, which was inaugurated last year in Ramallah,” she stated.

She said that India’s longstanding friendship with Palestine is built around three core dimensions: solidarity with Palestinian people; steadfast support to the Palestinian cause; and development partnership to assist nation building and capacity building efforts.

Sushma Swaraj also mentioned India’s increasing of its contribution to the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine Refugees in the Near East from $1.25 million to $5 million annually.

“A negotiated two-state solution remains the only viable solution to the issue to bring sustainable peace and lasting security,” she said.

Calling for restraint and moderation from all sides, she stated: “The stagnation since the collapse of talks four years ago and the deterioration in the security situation continues to cause serious concern. We hope for an early resumption of talks between Israel and Palestine that can move towards finding out a comprehensive resolution of the issue.”

The NAM Ministerial Committee on Palestine was established under India’s Presidency during the Seventh NAM Summit in New Delhi in 1983.

(IANS)

Heavy rains disrupt normal life in Bengaluru

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Heavy rains continued to lash Bengaluru and surrounding districts in Karnataka, inundating several localities and disrupting normal life, authorities said on Thursday.

Over the last 24 hours, the city received rainfall of up to 6.6 cm, which flooded several arterial roads in the city disrupting vehicular movement, the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) said.

Heavy rains on Wednesday night flooded several city roads, in certain areas up to two feet, leading to massive traffic jams.

The southern suburbs of the city have been receiving intense rainfall since Sunday.

Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has directed the civic authority officials to be on high alert to avert any mishaps.

“Rain and winds could get stronger in the next two days. So people residing in the low-lying areas should be cautious,” a statement from Kumaraswamy’s office said.

Civic officials have been pumping out water from homes and clogged storm water drains.

“We have been receiving distress calls from people complaining about rain water entering homes,” an official from the civic body Helpline said.

Rains have also been lashing south interior districts of Mandya, Kodagu, Tumakuru and Ramanagara and the northern districts of Vijayapura, Raichur, Koppal and Yadgir.

Moderate to heavy rains are likely to continue over the next two days in Bengaluru and surrounding districts, according to the India Meteorological Department.

IANS

Modi government shunts Rafale whistle-blower: Congress

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The Congress on Thursday alleged that the Narendra Modi government has shunted a senior official, who indicated the loss in the Rafale jet deal, and rewarded his boss who overruled him, saying there were “perks of pleasing” that covered “corruption tracks.”

Party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala also said that the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government has paid 300 per cent more for the defence deal that was negotiated to purchase 36 fighter jets from France as compared to an earlier price offered by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government for 126 jets.

“The Modi government shunted the whistle-blower Joint Secretary (Air) who questioned the loss to government treasury by paying 300 per cent extra for 36 Rafale.

“Director General Smita Nagaraj, who overruled the joint secretary, was made a member of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). Perks of pleasing Modi government cover corruption tracks,” Surjewala said attaching an Indian Express report along with his tweet.

The newspaper report stated that nearly a month before the deal was signed in September 2016 by then Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and his French counterpart in New Delhi, then Joint Secretary and Acquisition Manager (Air) in the Ministry of Defence (MoD), who had been part of the Contract Negotiations Committee (CNC), raised questions about the benchmark price and put his objections on record.

The objections raised delayed the Cabinet note approving the deal and its signing, which only happened after his objections were “overruled” by another senior MoD official, Director General (Acquisition).

The government-to-government deal for 36 Rafale aircrafts was announced by Modi during his visit to Paris in April 2015. The proposal for the earlier 126 Rafale jets during the UPA’s regime was scrapped.

IANS

Vyapam case: FIR ordered against Digvijay, Kamal Nath, Scindia

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A Special Court here has ordered an FIR against Congress leaders Digvijay Singh, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Kamal Nath and Vyapam scam whistleblower Prashant Pandey on a petition filed by BJP’s legal cell advocate Santosh Sharma.

Judge Suresh Singh, late on Wednesday, ordered Shyamla Hills Police Station to lodge a First Information Report (FIR) against the four and furnish a detailed report on the matter by November 13.

The court order has come on the BJP activist’s petition which alleged that the Congress leaders had submitted forged documents in connection with the Vyapam case. They were also accused of trying to mislead and manipulate the Supreme Court and the High Court.

It may be recalled that Digvijay had filed a petition in a Bhopal court and attached a 27,000-page chargesheet with it in connection with the Vyapam case. The next hearing on the matter is due.

The Vyapam scam pertains to college admissions and government recruitments and involves several politicians, businessmen and officials, in Madhya Pradesh.

Imposters were employed to write papers, exam hall seating arrangements were manipulated and forged answer sheets were supplied by bribing officials.

(IANS)

Nifty below 11,000-mark, Sensex down 230 points ahead of F&O expiry

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The key Indian equity indices traded on a negative note during the afternoon session on Thursday, reversing all the initial gains, with the NSE Nifty50 falling below the psychological level of 11,000 points.

Investors turned cautious ahead of the September futures and options (F&O) contracts expiry.

The indices, however, opened in the green as the rupee appreciated earlier after the government raised the import duty on 19 non-essential items on Wednesday in order to arrest its fall and to curb the widening current account deficit.

Almost all the sectors were under selling pressure led by finance, banking and healthcare stocks. However, IT stocks gained due to a weakening rupee. At 1.34 p.m., rupee traded around 72.72 per US dollar, against the previous close of 72.61.

Index-wise, the NSE Nifty50 traded at 10,965.45 points (1.34 p.m.), lower by 88.35 points or 0.80 per cent from the previous close.

The BSE Sensex, which had opened at 36,691.93 points, traded at 36,308.70 points, down 233.57 points or 0.64 per cent from the previous close of 36,542.27 points.

So far, it has touched an intra-day high of 36,711.62 points and a low of 36,255.73.

(IANS)

Bollywood Buzz

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Anushka Sharma Reveals Her Love For Chanderi In Sui Dhaaga – Made In India

Anushka Sharma plays a sincere, ambitious embroiderer from the heartland of India in Yash Raj Film’s entertainer Sui Dhaaga – Made in India releasing tomorrow.

Anushka’s character in the film Sui Dhaaga – Made In India becomes self-reliant by using her talent of embroidering & makes a name for herself in her community along with her husband, Mauji, who is a tailor.

Together from being unemployed, they become success stories by putting their skills to good use.

While prepping for her role as Mamta in the film, Anushka Sharma was deeply moved with the skills, dreams & aspirations of the weavers & the artisans from rural India.

“Anushka was shooting in Chanderi for Sui Dhaaga – Made In India and one day she requested the team to set up a meeting with the local weavers. Chanderi weavers are known the world over & their skill is admired & raved. Anushka met up with some of the weavers & heard their life stories which were truly inspirational.”

Anushka then expressed her fascination for Chanderi sarees & requested them to bring their collections. She spent a couple of hours with them looking through their designs & to their huge surprise, she bought around 35 Chanderi sarees from them! She shopped for her family, took some for gifting. She also bought a lot for herself. In her own way, Anushka would be spreading the life stories of these talented weavers with her immediate family & friends. She has also taken down all their phone numbers for future.”

Sui Dhaaga – Made In India brings together National Award winning producer-director combo of Maneesh Sharma & Sharat Katariya after their blockbuster Dum Laga Ke Haisha. The film is a special salute to the inherent entrepreneurial spirit that the youths of India & our local artisans have.

A film about finding love & respect through self-reliance, Varun Dhawan is paired opposite Anushka Sharma who plays an embroiderer in the film. Both champion actors, Varun Dhawan & Anushka Sharma have been paired for the 1st time ever and are definitely the most-awaited on-screen jodis of the year 2018.

Yash Raj Films’ entertainer Sui Dhaaga – Made in India is all set to release on 28th Sept this year, just before Gandhi Jayanti.

SC rejects plea for Constitution Bench on Ayodhya dispute

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The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a plea for referring the Ramjanambhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute to a larger Constitutional Bench and decided that a newly set up three-judge bench will hear the case from October 29.

“No case has been made out to refer the case to the Constitution Bench,” Justice Ashok Bhushan said reading out the judgement on behalf of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and on his own behalf.

However, Justice Abdul Nazeer wanted the case to be referred to a bigger Constitution Bench.

(IANS)

1,000 still stranded in Himachal, rescue enters Day 3

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With the weather clearing up on Thursday search and rescue operation for over 1,000 people, mostly tourists, began early in the Himachal Pradesh hills for the third day.
Two Chetak helicopters additionally deployed along with three the Indian Air Force’s sped up the rescue in the Lahaul Valley in the Middle Himalayas. The rescue operation started at 7 a.m., an official said.

Nearly 500 people were still reported to be stuck in Suraj Tal lake and Zingzing Bar areas along Keylong-Leh road.

Over 300 labourers of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), a wing of the Ministry of Defence, involved in construction of roads in forward areas have also been stranded since September 22 following incessant rains that lead to a number of landslides severing road links.

The BRO is making every effort to provide food items and medicines to those still stuck but have somehow been reached.

So far a total of 898 persons have been rescued to safety till Wednesday and they included 12 foreigners, Additional Chief Secretary Manisha Nanda said here.

“Over 700 people have been rescued by road via the Rohtang tunnel in the past two days. We expect to rescue another 200 by road on Thursday,” a senior government functionary monitoring the rescue operation told IANS.

Nanda said packets of eatables have been air dropped at Kunzam Pass.

Most people who got stuck at the Baralacha Pass were travelling to and from Manali to Leh in Jammu and Kashmir.

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Wednesday apprised Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the state suffered losses totalling approximately Rs 1,250 crore due to the heavy rains.

Modi has assured the state of all possible central assistance.

Early snowfall in the higher reaches, cloud burst and heavy rains devastated large parts of the state from September 22 to 24. Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti were the worst affected.

Heavy snowfall on the Rohtang Pass (13,050 ft) has cut off the Lahaul and Spiti Valleys affecting a large number of tourists and hampering water and electricity supply. They have been stranded at number of isolated locations.

The BRO has been clearing the snow from various roads on a war footing. Some stretches had over eight feet of snow.

(IANS)

Maldives’ President-elect invites Modi to attend oath-taking

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The Maldives’ President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has invited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend his oath-taking ceremony in November.

Solih’s spokesperson Mariya Ahmed Didi said on Wednesday that Modi was invited to the ceremony during a telephonic conversation between the two sides following Solih’s victory in the presidential elections on Sunday, The Edition reported.

Solih, the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party’s candidate, emerged victorious over incumbent President Abdulla Yameen. He will be sworn in on November 17 and his term is expected to continue until 2023.

India welcomed the election result and both sides agreed to work closely to strengthen bilateral relations.

The spokesperson said Modi had also invited Solih to make an official visit to India, which was accepted by the latter.

The atoll nation’s relations with India grew strained during Yameen’s rule, with tensions peaking after India criticized Male’s refusal to enforce a Supreme Court ruling quashing the convictions of nine opposition figures, among them former President Mohamed Nasheed.

(IANS)

Just two days for BBMP polls.

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With just two days to go for the election of the new mayor, Congress leaders are divided over the party candidate.

As per the notification issued by the urban development department, the Mayor’s post has been reserved for a woman (general). Gangambike Mallikarjun (Jayanagar- Lingayat) and Sowmya Shivakumar (Shantinagar- OBC) are in the race for the mayor post.

Gangambike is supported by the Congress heavyweights including Ramalinga Reddy, Shamanur Shivashankarappa etc. She is playing the lingayat card stating that since last 45 years no lingayat has become the city mayor.

But Sowmya with the support for DCM G Parameshwar and Shantinagar MLA Haris is also posing tough competition. A meeting convened by KPCC president Dinesh Gundurao with the corporators and the leaders failed to yield a result.

“The issue has been referred to former CM Siddaramaiah who will take a final decision in this regard,” said sources.

The JDS is also yet to announce its Deputy mayor candidate. Meanwhile, the BJP is likely to field its candidates for both the posts with the support of a few independent corporators.

PTI

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