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Refugees drown as boat sinks off Turkey

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Turkish media reports that 18 died and 14 were rescued after boat capsized in the Aegean Sea, between Turkey and Greece.

refugees

by Al Jazeera

At least 18 people have drowned after a refugee boat capsized off the Turkish coast near Bodrum, the Turkish Anadolu news agency reported.

The wooden boat carrying refugees, including Syrians and Iraqis, sank on Friday night as it travelled from Turkey’s coastal resort of Bodrum to Greece’s Kos Island.

According to the Bodrum Sea Rescue Society, coast guards retrieved the bodies, including those of children, who drowned.

The incident was the third attempted sea crossing to end in the deaths of refugees in the Aegean this week.

Less than 24 hours earlier, on Friday morning, eight Iraqi refugees, including five children, drowned after a boat sank off near Bodrum, Anadolu reported.

And on Wednesday, at least Syrian four refugees, including three babies, drowned as their boat sank off Bodrum.

The bodies of the dead refugees were taken to the Greek island of Leros and then to Rhodes for medical examination, according to the Anadolu report.

Kos and other Greek Islands are a few kilometres from the Turkish coast.

European border action

The European Commission said in a statement on Tuesday that it will adopt a set of measures to protect the EU’s external borders and manage migration more effectively.

The Commission proposed to establish a European border and coast guard to “ensure a strong and shared management of external borders to further increase security for European citizens”, the statement said.

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) says at least 45,255 refugees and migrants have arrived in the Greek islands from Turkey since the beginning of December.

Since January, at least 907,712 refugees and migrants made the journey to Europe, including 878,495 who have arrived by sea, the IOM said in a report earlier this month.

At least 3,563 people have gone missing or drowned trying to reach Europe, the IOM said in a report released in early December.

The UNHCR put the number of arrivals by sea at 956,683 and 3,625 reported missing or dead.

Don’t speak against India, Sharif tells his ministers

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Nawaz-Sharif

Islamabad: Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has stopped his ministers from giving anti-India statements so that the peace process is not hit, an official said.

A close aide to Sharif said on Friday that the ministers and senior officials had been asked not to issue any statement that could damage the peace process.

“There will be statements only that encourage the dialogue process rather than digging out the past. The PM has asked the close aides and cabinet members to promote peace,” The Nation quoted an official as saying.

He said Sharif was optimistic about better ties with India, which would benefit the whole region.

Sharif was annoyed by statements from India that New Delhi only wanted to discuss Pakistan occupied Kashmir in talks, but understands this is not Inidan government’s policy, the official added.

Sharif, the official said, wanted to give top priority to Kashmir, terrorism and trade when the two sides discuss peace.

Another official said Sharif and the military leadership were on the same page to make peace with India.

“There is no difference of opinion and both agree that there should be no compromise on the stated position on key issues,” he added.

An interaction between Sharif and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in Paris and subsequent meeting of the National Security Advisors in Bangkok set the pace for improvement in the bilateral ties.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj also visited Pakistan on December 8 to attend the Heart of Asia conference.

She met Sharif and his advisor on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz on the sidelines of the conference.

It is expected that Sharif and Modi will meet again in Switzerland in January. The two leaders will be together on January 20 to attend the 46th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos-Klosters.

India’s outgoing High Commissioner to Pakistan TCA Raghavan on Thursday said the relations between the two countries were heading towards betterment.

Analysts said it was a positive development that Pakistan and India agreed to resume comprehensive dialogue to resolve all outstanding issues.

(IANS)

HC quashes probe against Yeddyurappa, DK Shivkumar in land case

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Yeddyurappa, DK Shivkumar

Bengaluru: Karnataka High Court on Friday quashed the Lokayukta proceedings against BJP vice-president and former Chief Minister B.S Yeddyurappa and Energy minister D K Shivkumar.

Two separate complaints were filed by social activist T.J. Abraham and Kabbale Gowda, alleging that Shivkumar had purchased 4.2 acres of land at Benniganahalli from the original owner, despite it being acquired by the BDA, and had allegedly got it de-notified with the help of the then chief minister Yeddyurappa.

Following the complaints, Yeddyurappa and Shivkumar had filed petitions seeking quashing of the proceedings.

In a big relief, on Friday, Justice Anand Byrareddy, in his verdict pronounced that the allegations leveled against the petitioners did not constitute criminal acts.

(Agencies)

National Herald case: Sonia, Rahul appear in court, granted bail

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sonia-rahul-gandhi

New Delhi: Congress president Sonia Gandhi and party vice president Rahul Gandhi were granted bail in the National Herald case on Saturday by a court here.

They appeared in the court of Metropolitan Magistrate Loveleen in the Patiala House courts complex amid tight security.

A team of Special Protection Guard (SPG), Border Security Force, and anti-bomb squad has been deployed at the Patiala House court premise here.

A large number of Congress party workers gathered at the party’s headquarters to express solidarity with the two top leaders.

Sonia Gandhi had reportedly asked party leaders and supporters from other states not to throng the capital on Saturday.

Congress leaders have alleged a “political vendetta” for the National Herald cheating and misappropriation case involving the Gandhis.

“Its a political vendetta. We will fight the legal battle in accordance with law. We have complete respect for the judicial process,” said Congress spokesman R.S. Surjewala.

Another Congress leader and senior advocate Abhishek Manu Shinghvi said: “We have faith in the judiciary, all legal options including bail are available. We will proceed to court in a serious and dignified manner. No reason for hype.”

The court had ordered Sonia and Rahul Gandhi to appear on Saturday in connection with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy’s complaint in the National Herald case.

On June 26 last year, the trial court issued summons to the Congress leaders on Swamy’s complaint about “cheating” in the acquisition of Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) by Young India Ltd (YIL), a firm in which Sonia Gandhi and her son each own a 38 percent stake.

The Delhi High Court last week dismissed the plea of the Gandhis to quash the summons issued to them by a trial court.

(IANS)

UN adopts resolution to cut off ISIL funding

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The Security Council passed a resolution to disrupt all funding sources for ISIL in its first finance ministers meeting.

ISIL gets their money from ransom payments and other criminal activities [AP]

ISIL gets their money from ransom payments and other criminal activities [AP]

by Al Jazeera

The United Nations Security Council has unanimously adopted a resolution to cut off all sources of funding for the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq (ISIL) and other groups it classifies as terrorist organisations.

In its first meeting at the finance ministers’ level on Thursday, the 15 member states stepped up their efforts to disrupt money supply for ISIL, including preventing access to ransom payments.

The Council called for “enhanced actions, from closing financial system loopholes to stopping the abuse of charitable causes, as well as updating the existing ISIL and al-Qaeda Sanctions List”.

The UN calls ISIL a splinter group of al-Qaeda and stresses that “any individual, group, undertaking, or entity supporting ISIL or al-Qaeda” is subject to UN sanctions, including an asset freeze, travel ban and arms embargo.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told the Council at the start of the debate on Thursday that ISIL has been far too quick and successful in attaining resources for their violent and deadly acts.

“As Daesh (another name for ISIL) and other terrorist groups disseminate their hateful propaganda and ratchet up murderous attacks, we must join forces to prevent them from acquiring and deploying resources to do further harm,” he stressed.

Ban called for increased international cooperation in sharing information and expertise, especially in stopping the illegal trade of cultural artefacts, and closer cooperation with the private and charitable sectors to identify suspected transactions, the UN press release released on Thursday said.

The Council also called on members to be prepared to detect any diversion of explosives, raw materials and components that can be used to manufacture improvised explosive devices or unconventional weapons.

The US said earlier this month that ISIL has made up to $1.5bn from looting banks in Iraq and Syria and through black market oil sales.

Kejriwal’s fresh salvo, claims CBI told to target Opposition

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CBI-Kejriwal

New Delhi: The confrontation between Delhi’s ruling AAP and the Centre Friday intensified with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal making fresh allegations that CBI has been asked to “target” the opposition and “finish those who don’t fall in line”.

Kejriwal’s latest salvo came a day after he demanded that Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley be removed from the Cabinet for alleged corruption in Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA) which he had headed for 14 years till 2013.

Jaitley had rejected the allegations calling it was a propaganda technique of Kejriwal to deflect attention when he himself was in the “dock”.

Kejriwal today tweeted, “A CBI officer told me yesterday that CBI has been asked to target all opposition parties and finish those who don’t fall in line.”

The AAP chief once again chose the social media route to level the charges. He had virtually live-tweeted the CBI raid at his Principal Secretary Rajendra Kumar’s office in the Delhi Secretariat on Tuesday.

Kejriwal had said Jaitley’s assertion that AAP’s allegations against him are “unsubstantiated and non-specific” could not be treated as “gospel truth” as the charges against him were “very, very serious”.

(Agencies)

Bajrang Dal workers protest Dilwale’s screening in Bihar

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Dilwale

Patna: Bajrang Dal activists in Bihar on Friday protested against the release of Shah Rukh Khan starrer “Dilwale” and stopped the film’s screening at two theatres, police said.

Angered by Shah Rukh’s statement on intolerance in the country, they shouted slogans and opposed the screening in Araria and Patna districts.

At one of the theatres, the activists burnt an effigy of Shah Rukh and threatened to take their protest to different places in the coming days.

(Agencies)

 

DDCA row: AAP poses 5 questions to Jaitley

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arun jaitley

New Delhi: The AAP today put “five specific” questions to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley relating to its allegations of corruption in Delhi’s cricket body DDCA under his watch and accused him of giving “vague” response to the charges.

Calling Jaitley a “master of half truth and beautiful lies”, AAP leader Ashutosh made certain fresh allegations against the Finance Minister and said his comments that there was no specific charges against him was “misleading”.

Jaitley has strongly rejected the allegations calling them a propaganda technique of Kejriwal to deflect attention when he himself was in the “dock” following a CBI raid in Delhi Secretariat.

Addressing a press conferencehere, Ashutosh accused DDCA of allowing private firm 21st Century to sub-lease 10 corporate boxes at Feroz Shah Kotla stadium and claimed the firm owned by a friend of Jaitley was extended financial benefit to the tune of over Rs 5 crore for the deal.

The AAP leader asked Jaitley to clarify who were members of the 21st Century and whether it had any of his kin.

The AAP leader also accused Jaitley of putting pressure on ONGC to give an amount of Rs 5 crore to Hockey India and sought to know what was the reason behind it.

Alleging huge financial bungling in reconstruction of the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium, the AAP leader said although public sector entity EPIL was paid Rs 57 crore for the project the remaining Rs 57 crore out of the total expenditure of Rs 114 crore was distributed among nine companies.

“The registered address, e-mail and directors of these companies were same. Did Jaitley know about these companies and is it not corruption,” asked the AAP leader.

On Jaitley’s comments that the SFIO report had absolved him, Ashutosh said the Finance Minister hid the fact that punishment for offences mentioned by the central agency included imprisonment.

“We had raised specific questions and Jaitley gave vague answers. That is why we are coming out with five specific questions for him,” AAP leader Sanjay Singh said.

The AAP leaders also asked Jaitley to tell about his relationship with Hockey India chief Narendra Batra.

They said Delhi Government last month had set up committee to probe irregularities in DDCA after getting a communication in this regard from Union Sports Ministry. They said Home Ministry had communicated to Sports Ministry about irregularities in DDCA following which it wrote to Delhi Government.

Following a CBI raid in Delhi Secretariat in connection with charges against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s Principal Secretary Rajendra Kumar, AAP has been claiming that the Central agency carried out the searches to target the AAP chief and was looking for a file relating to graft in DDCA.

Since then, the party has been demanding resignation of Jaitley from the Union Cabinet.

(PTI)

Dec 16 gangrape: Delhi HC refuses to stop juvenile’s release

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Delhi-gang-rape-juvenile

New Delhi: Decks were cleared for the release on Sunday of the juvenile convict in the horrific December 16, 2012 gangrape case with the Delhi High Court today refusing to intervene, saying he cannot be stopped from walking free under the existing provisions of law.

The convict, now 20-year-old, is expected to walk out of the reformation home on December 20, at the end of his three- year jail term unless there is a stay from the Supreme Court.

Brushing aside the public outcry against his release, a high court bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath directed the Juvenile Justice Board to interact with the convict, his parents and concerned officials of Department of Women and Child Development regarding his “rehabilitation and social mainstreaming”.

The bench said BJP leader Subramanian Swamy’s plea seeking stay on the release of juvenile convict cannot be allowed as the statutory and existing law was coming in its way.

“Having regard to the fact that the maximum stay that can be directed in the Special Home under Section 15(1) of the Juvenile Justice Act is three years and that the convict would be completing the period of three years by December 20, 2015, there cannot be any direction to continue his stay in the special home beyond December 20. Hence, we decline to issue any direction as prayed by the petitioner,” the bench said while allowing the convict to walk free.

Six persons, including the juvenile, had brutally assaulted and raped a 23-year-old girl in a moving bus in south Delhi on December 16, 2012. The victim had died in a Singapore hospital on December 29, 2012.

Mukesh, Vinay, Pawan and Akshay were awarded death penalty by trial court in the gang rape and murder case which was later confirmed by Delhi High Court. Their appeals are pending before the Supreme Court.

Accused Ram Singh had allegedly committed suicide in Tihar Jail on March 11, 2013, and proceedings against him were abated following his death.

(Agencies)

Karnataka outplay Kerala by 9 wickets in Vijay Hazare

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Vijay Hazare

Bengaluru: Karnataka leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal bagged a five-wicket haul to help the defending champions pack Kerala for 49 runs and register a nine-wicket win in their Group B Vijay Hazare cricket match, here today.

Electing to bat at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, the Kerala batting line-up fell like a pack of cards in 22 overs against a disciplined Karnataka bowling attack.

Pace spearhead and captain R Vinay Kumar started the opposition fall by bagging a couple of wickets as left-arm bowler Sreenath Aravind also picked two scalps.

But Gopal soon took over to rattle the middle and the lower-order in no time.

Opener Nikhilesh Surendran (11) and skipper Sachin Baby (12) were the only two batsmen to get into double figures as the innings saw four ducks in all.

Coming into bat, Karnataka top-order wasted little time in chasing down the score in 5.5 overs. Mayank Agarwal (5) was out early, but Lokesh Rahul (19) and Karun Nair (24) made sure that there were no hiccups in the remaining chase.

Karnataka have registered three wins in five matches.

Brief Scores:

Kerala 49 all out in 22 overs (Nikhilesh Surendran 11, Sachin Baby 12; Chreyas Goapl 5-19)

Karnataka 51/1 in 5.5 overs (Lokesh Rahul 19 not out, Karun Nair 24 not out; Unnikrishnan Manukrishnan 1-27).

(Agencies)

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