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Kairana bypoll win breaks RLD’s ‘zero’ spell in Parliament

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The RLD win in the Kairana Lok Sabha bypoll has broken the party’s ‘zero’ spell in Parliament and the state legislature, leading to workers celebrating their sole MP with the euphoric colours of Holi.

The victory of Rashtriya Lok Dal’s Tabassum Hasan in the Kairana by-election is of special significance for the party banking on the legacy of former prime minister Chaudhary Charan Singh.

RLD had no MP and its lone MLA Sahender Singh Ramala in Uttar Pradesh had switched to the BJP ahead of the Kairana bypoll, leaving the party high and dry in the country’s most populous state.

But the bypoll result, propelling Hasan, who was backed by the opposition, to parliament has infused new life in the RLD.

“Once the bypoll results were announced, the mood at the RLD’s office in Lucknow was upbeat, and party workers and leaders played Holi to celebrate the moment,” said state RLD chief Masood Ahmad.

“The victory of the RLD in Kairana is a victory for the mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) and also a victory for those who had reposed their faith in the ideology and policies of former prime minister Chaudhary Charan Singh,” he added.

The win comes after a dry run in the hustings.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, RLD candidates had to forfeit their deposits in six of the eight Lok Sabha seats they contested from Uttar Pradesh. The party managed to poll only 0.86 per cent of the total votes in the state.

The party’s performance was equally dismal in the 2017 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections — RLD contested 277 assembly seats but 266 of its candidates lost their deposits. Only one RLD candidate emerged victorious.

But he, too, left the RLD for BJP pastures a month ago on April 30.

“The lone RLD MLA joined BJP and is now a BJP MLA,” UP BJP general secretary Vidyasagar Sonkar told PTI.

Sahender Singh Ramala, who represented the RLD from Chhaprauli in Baghpat, joined the BJP at its office in Lucknow in the presence of Sonkar and state BJP chief Mahendra Nath Pandey.

“The said MLA was already expelled from the party for cross-voting in Rajya Sabha elections. It was proved that he was hand-in-glove with the BJP,” said senior RLD leader Anil Dubey.

Hasan is now an RLD MP in the Lok Sabha but the party does not have any representation in the Rajya Sabha or in the two houses of the state legislature, he said.

“But from here, we will assert ourselves very strongly for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections,” he asserted.

The tide could be turning, party leaders said.

According to state RLD chief Ahmad, farmers and youngsters were feeling duped by the wrong policies of the Centre and Uttar Pradesh governments.

“The bypolls to Kairana and Noorpur are also perceived as a victory of secular forces over the communal forces,” he said in a statement.

The state’s ruling BJP suffered a stunning electoral upset with joint opposition candidates posting victories in not just Kairana but also the Noorpur assembly constituency, which went to the Samajwadi Party.

“My victory has proved that the path of the united opposition is clear in 2019,” Tabassum Hasan said after the win.

The opposition victories follow the BJP defeats in the Lok Sabha by-elections in Gorakhpur and Phulpur in March, and come just a year before the general election.

Till Now, Why women empowerment in India could still be a distant dream

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Only a fifth of women who are working, decide on their own where to spend their earnings, finds the latest round of the NationalFamily Health Survey. A staggering sixty-one percent of working women say that such decisions are made jointly, while 17 percent say that it’s mostly the husband who makes such decisions. This situation appears to be unchanged over the past decade.

On the other hand, the survey finds that roughly two-thirds of women now participate in major household decisions such as women’s health care, major household purchases and visits to their friends and family. In fact, women’s participation rate has seen a marked improvement over the past decade.

In decisions regarding the major household purchase, the percentage of women involved has increased from 53 percent in 2005-06 to 73 percent in 2015-16. In the case of own health care, it has increased from 62 percent to 75 percent, while in the case of visits to friends and family, it has increased to 75 percent, from 61 percent earlier.

Perhaps, this is an outcome of rising incomes of women. The survey finds that the percentage of who earn almost as much as their husbands more than doubling from 20 percent in 2005-06 to 42 percent in 2015-16.

There has also been a marked improvement in a women’s freedom to move around. According to the survey, in 2005-06 only a third of women in the age group of 15-49 were allowed to go alone to the market, health facility and to places outside the village. By comparison, in 2015-16, the same is estimated at 41 percent.

But attitudes towards wife beating have not changed much since 2005-06, nor has there been a change in the percentage of women who say that women can refuse sex to their husband.

On the health side, there has been a marked decline in the use of tobacco across both sexes according to the latest round of the NFHS.

While 10.8 percent of women in the age group of 15-49 used to use tobacco in 2005-06, this has dropped to 6.8 percent in 2015-16. Interestingly, in urban areas, it is lower at 4.4 percent, while in rural areas it is higher at 8.1 percent. For men, the comparable estimates are 57 percent in 2005-06 and 44.5 percent in 2015-16.

In the case of alcohol, the decline is of a much lower magnitude. The percentage of women consuming alcohol has declined from 2.2 percent in 2005-06 to 1.2 percent in 2015-16, while for men the comparable estimates are 31.9 percent and 29.2 percent.

PTI

UN Security Council rejects US draft resolution on Gaza

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The United States has voted against a Kuwait-drafted United Nations Security Council resolution calling for the protection of Palestinian civilians while being the only country to back its own measure condemning Hamas for the recent violence in the Gaza Strip.

More than 120 Palestinians have been killed and thousands wounded by Israeli forces during weeks-long peaceful protests in the besieged Gaza Strip near the fence with Israel. Among the victims have been medical professionals and journalists.

Ten countries, including Russia and France, voted in favor of the Kuwait-sponsored resolution on Friday.

Four others – Britain Poland, the Netherlands, and Ethiopia – abstained, while the US, a major ally of Israel, was the only country to vote against it.

The resolution, which was revised three times and said to have been “watered down”, previously called for international protection for Palestinian people.

The final draft called for “the consideration of measures to guarantee the safety and protection of the Palestinian civilian population in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including in the Gaza Strip”.
Nikki Haley, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said ahead of the vote.

Life in Gaza: Palestinians’ struggle to survive
US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley described the resolution as “grossly one-sided” as she pinned the blame on much of Palestinians’ suffering on the Hamas movement, which runs the Strip.

In a statement later on Friday, Hanan Ashrawi, Palestinian Liberation Organization executive committee member, said the US had once again demonstrated its “blind loyalty to Israel and tried to absolve it of any wrongdoing despite its egregious violations, deliberate massacres and willful killings and war crimes.

“With its veto, the United States is once again attempting to justify the lawlessness and cruelty of Israel’s military occupation, while providing Israel with legal and political cover to pursue its assault on the Palestinian people and on international law and international humanitarian law.”

‘Humiliating vote’
The US was in turn the only country to vote in favour of a revised draft-resolution it submitted subsequent to the Kuwait-sponsored initiative.

The second vote saw 11 countries abstaining and three rejecting it.

The US version had omitted references to Israeli use of force and protecting Palestinians.

It instead demanded that Hamas and other Palestinian groups cease “all violent provocative actions” in Gaza.

Al Jazeera’s James Bays, reporting from the UN headquarters in New York, said the US diplomatic efforts “seemed to have backfired”.

“I don’t know when there was last a resolution put to the Security Council that only got one vote in favour,” said Bays.

“It seems a very humiliating vote for the US, and one that is very starkly showing the divisions around the Security Council table on this issue,” he added.

“The US was not able to muster the support from its normal US allies, they are not coming to their support on this issue. Even though some of them did not support the Kuwait resolution – they abstained because they thought there wasn’t enough language criticising Hamas – they certainly didn’t support the US version of things.”

Hawaii volcano lava destroys over 80 homes

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More than 80 homes have been destroyed by the Kilauea volcano eruption in Hawaii in the four weeks since lava began flowing, a top official said.

The number of homes swallowed by the lava flowing from fissures has jumped to at least 87, up the from the 77 reported destroyed Thursday, Hawaii Civil Defence spokesman Talmadge Mango said Friday.

The report of mounting damage followed a mandatory evacuation order issued on Thursday night for a portion of the Leilani Estates subdivision in the midst of “vigorous lava eruptions” threatening homes, CNN quoted the Civil Defence Agency as saying.

Residents were advised to evacuate by Friday afternoon. Emergency responders have no plans to rescue anyone from the evacuated areas past the deadline.

“They are being asked to leave. Period,” county spokeswoman Janet Snyder told reporters.

Four weeks have passed since the first eruption rocked Hawaii’s Big Island and lava continues oozing from volcanic fissures.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the lava from the Kilauea volcano has covered an area of 5.5 square miles — that’s four times as big as New York’s Central Park.

Fissure 8 remains the most active, the USGS said, sending “persistent fountains” of lava as high as 260 feet into the air.

Lava lobes from Fissure 8 were advancing 100 yards an hour, the USGS said.

“This is the hottest lava we’ve seen during this eruption,” Wendy Stovall, a scientist with USGS told CNN. “Lava can’t get hotter than where we are.”

Besides the lava, there’s also the danger of “vog”, or volcanic smog.

In addition to volcanic particles that can cause eye, skin and respiratory irritation, residents were warned to be on the lookout for sharp, thin strands of volcanic glass fibres known as “Pele’s hair”, a reference to the Hawaiian goddess of fire.

The Civil Defence Agency warned it could cause injury if it got in residents’ eyes or was breathed in.

Dinesh Karthik Replaces Injured Wriddhiman Saha for Historic Bengaluru Test : India And Afghanistan Test

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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced that wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha has been ruled out of the historic Test against Afghanistan that is scheduled to be played in Bengaluru, starting June 14.

Dinesh Karthik — who last played in the longest format of the game against Bangladesh in 2010 — has been called in as a replacement for injured Saha.

“Wriddhiman Saha has been ruled out of the one-off Test against Afghanistan to be held in Bengaluru from the 14th of June, 2018. Saha suffered an injury to his right thumb while playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL Qualifier 2 against Kolkata Knight Riders on 25th May 2018 at the Eden Gardens,” the BCCI statement read.

“He was under observation by the medical staff of the BCCI and the management has decided to give him adequate rest before the start of the England Test series. Saha’s recovery period is expected to be around five to six weeks,” the statement added.

Karthik has only played 23 Tests for India till date, in which he has scored 1000 runs, including one century and seven half-centuries. However, it must be mentioned that Karthik was a surprise success when he played Test cricket in England in 2007, where he slammed three half-centuries — 60 at Lord’s, 77 at Nottingham and 91 at the Oval.

Karthik has gone from strength to strength since returning to the Indian set-up last year. The swashbuckling wicket-keeper’s last-over heroics in the Nidahas Trophy final helped India clinch the trophy against Bangladesh in March.

EC to go by law regarding preponing of elections

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Amid reports of the possibility of preponing the Lok Sabha elections, Chief Election Commissioner of India Om Prakash Rawat on Saturday said the commission would abide by the law and can issue a notification for election to any house “not before six months” of the expiry of that house.

“Law says the Election Commission can issue notification for election to any house not before six months before the expiry of that house. That is the legal binding on the Election Commission,” he said at an interactive session organised by the Merchants’ Chamber of Commerce (MCC).

Rawat also said the Commission is the authority to decide the schedule for elections.

When asked whether the Commission has received any suggestion regarding preponing of the 2019 General Election, he said: “Absolutely not. The Election Commission will go by the law. I have explained the law… If the law requires that within six months you have to hold elections, you have to hold.

“Responding to a query on the idea of simultaneous elections. The Election Commission was asked about this idea in 2015. The commission gave all the suggestions to the government. It requires changes in constitution and also changes in law. Logistic support will also be required. We gave suggestion to the government. After that, we are not aware (of it). Recently, law commission met the Election Commission.”

Ruling out any possibility of bringing back ballot papers for elections, he said, since July 2017, the commission conveyed in an all party meeting that all elections henceforth would be conducted with EVMs coupled with VVPATs.

“There is absolutely nothing about the integrity of the system… However, time and again there are eruptions on this, we clarify the issue,” he said.

Speaking on electoral bonds, he said the Commission is gathering facts and information to crystallise its view on this.

“As soon as we complete this, we will be communicating to government and will put its views on public domain,” Rawat added.

Congress to name new Kerala chief next week

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Senior leaders from the Congress in Kerala have been summoned to Delhi to meet party President Rahul Gandhi next week to decide the new state chief.

A top Congress leader told IANS that they will meet Gandhi on June 6 and 7.

Former Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala, present party President M.M. Hassan, among others, are expected to meet the Congress President.

The meeting assumes significance after the massive election debacle that the party suffered in the Chengannur bye-election, which the CPI-M candidate won.

Among the front runners for the post of the state President are Lok Sabha member Mullapally Ramachandran, former state Minister and previous Lok Sabha member from Kannur, K.Sudhakaran, present Lok Sabha members K.V. Thomas and Kodikunnil Suresh.

Another post likely to be discussed is of the United Democratic Front Convenor which is presently held by Congress leader P.P. Thankachen.

Congress signals willingness to field common candidates against BJP

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ith a combined opposition having defeated the BJP in Uttar Pradesh’s Kairana Lok Sabha and some other bypolls, the Congress has decided to step up efforts to prevent division of anti-BJP votes by seeking to identify the strongest candidate in each seat in the forthcoming electoral contests.

Party sources said the informal talks are underway to find a common ground with opposition parties even as the party has embarked on the process to identify candidates in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.

According to the sources, committees are likely to be formed in every state to identify the strongest candidate of the united opposition in each constituency in forthcoming elections and the strategy will differ from state to state.

A party leader said the Congress has to be more “accomodative” in seat sharing.

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said the main objective in the upcoming elections will be to prevent vote division of the anti-BJP votes.

“There is no one-size-fits all approach at all. There is no blanket approach at all. The basic objective remains the same whether it is this part or that part of the country.

“Whether you call it a formal alliance or strategic seat adjustment, or you call it understandings, the basic objective everywhere, whether it is bi-polar states or triangular or quadrangular states, is to prevent vote division of the anti-BJP votes. This is what the BJP is terrified about,” he said.

“This is what you have seen in every election from Uttar Pradesh to Karnataka or any other states. BJP has benefitted from division of votes. But how we will do it, what we will do, you will find it on a state-to-state basis.

“You may find state X may differ from state Y, but it will be achieving that one single object of prevention of vote division,” he added.

On Samajwadi Party saying the opposition parties should field a common candidate against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Varanasi in 2019 election, Singhvi said: “Too early days as yet, but I do not see any reason to doubt the principle and the spirit to what has been said.”

“I do not want to go in to the details. It is early but you must read the spirit. I think it is the spirit. I am not talking about the names. I am talking spirit behind it,” he added.

Kumaraswamy seeks Infosys’ Murthy’s expertise in improving infra

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In a surprise development, Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Friday called on software major Infosys’ co-founder N.R. Narayana Murthy and sought his expertise in improving the city’s woeful infrastructure.

“I went to Murthy’s house in the city and sought his guidance on forming an expert committee to study Bengaluru’s infrastructure issues, including waste management,” said Kumaraswamy in a statement here.

The committee, to be headed by the Chief Minister, will meet once in two months to review the progress on infrastructure development and smart waste management.

“Murthy will submit the report on the infrastructure development of Bengaluru, waste disposal system and what more the state government has to do for the next phase of the IT industry growth,” said the statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office.

Appreciating Kumaraswamy for seeking his help, Murthy said he would submit the plan in two months with suggestions.

“I have been following Kumaraswamy’s activities even before he became Chief Minister for the second time a week ago. I appreciate his concern for the welfare of society, especially farmers, as evident from his visit to Israel to learn about farming techniques that could be replicated in the state,” said Murthy in the statement.

He also advised the Chief Minister to involve the non-government organisations in the development of the city, its infrastructure, civic amenities and facilities.

Infosys and its rival Wipro are the iconic brands that have put Bengaluru on the world map by setting up the largest software development centres and hiring thousands of techies to write codes for global corporations.

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