New Delhi: The Rs 1,000 note may stage a comeback but with enhanced security features and it will also be smaller in size than the demonetised notes.

“They (Rs 1,000 notes) will come in a new design with enhanced security features to check counterfeiting,” a source said. The new notes will come in a new colour and may also be Braille-friendly.

Earlier, the government had said it would take a few months to bring back the Rs 1,000 note. “The work is in progress. It is in fact being expedited because people are facing difficulty with the Rs 2,000 note,” the source said, adding that the Rs 2,000 note will be phased out but no decision has been taken so far. Meanwhile, the Reserve Bank of India may lift restrictions on cash withdrawal from banks and ATMs. But this may not happen before the end of March.

(Agencies)

Guwahati: Assam today as the state was celebrating Republic Day amid tight security.

Bombs were detonated in Charaidow, Sibsagar, Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts, police said.

There was, however, no report of any casualty or damage to property in the blasts.
The improvised explosive devices (IED) were of low intensity and exploded to register the presence of the militant outfit, police said.

In Dibrugarh town, blast took place just 500 metres away from Chowkidingi Parade ground where the national flag was being unfurled at an official function.

Due to high security in the area, the militants threw the bomb into a drain near a tea garden where it went off, police said.

In Charaidow district, IEDs were exploded near a petrol pump at Dholbagan and at Bihu Bor. In neighbouring Sibsagar, two blasts took place at Lengibor and Majpani.

In Tinsukia district, the insurgents detonated two IEDs – one inside an empty water tank at Sisimi village and another near Dhola bridge in Sukan pukhuri area, the police said.

Tight security measures were in place for Republic Day, with patrolling by police and para-military forces in the vulnerable areas and at vital installations.

(PTI)

New Delhi: Seeking to boost security collaboration, India and the United Arab Emirates today inked two pacts to enable cooperation in the areas of cyberspace, armaments, defence industries and transfer of technology. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and Mohammed Al Bawardi, UAE’s Minister of State for Defence, exchanged Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the field of defence industry.

The agreement aims to establish cooperation in the identified fields of defence manufacturing and technology, including through studies, research, development, innovation and cooperation between public and private sector institutions of the two nations. Under this MoU, the two sides will also collaborate in areas of armaments, defence industries and transfer of technology.

The second MoU exchanged between Parrikar and Shaikh Khalid bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy National Security Adviser and Chairman of the State Security Department, UAE, was aimed at technology development and cooperation in cyberspace. It is noteworthy that in May last year, Parrikar’s visit to the Gulf country focused on widening conversation with the UAE military on defence and security issues.

Possibilities of Indian defence manufacturers selling military equipment to the UAE were also explored during Parrikar’s visit. Parrikar had also inked an MoU on the Mutual Protection of Classified Information. Bilateral defence interaction between India and the UAE has been witnessing a steady growth.

There have been regular high level exchanges at the level of service chiefs, functional level exchanges and military education exchanges between the countries. The ships of the navies of both countries have regularly made port calls enhancing bilateral defence cooperation. India and UAE also hold an ‘Annual Defence Dialogue’ to discuss the security and defence cooperation issues between the two countries.

(Agencies)

Srinagar: Ten soldiers were killed as two avalanches hit Gurez Sector of Kashmir, an army official said today.

An avalanche hit an army camp in Gurez sector of Bandipora district near the Line of Control last evening in which several soldiers were trapped, the army official said.

He said rescue operations were launched and seven soldiers including a Junior Commissioned Officer were saved. “Bodies of three soldiers were retrieved his morning,” he said.

The official said another avalanche hit a patrol party which was on its way to a post in Gurez sector last evening. “Rescue teams have so far retrieved seven bodies from the spot of the incident,” the official said.

Yesterday, an officer was killed an avalanche at Sonamarg in central Kashmir Ganderbal district while four members of a family died in another avalanche in Gurez sector yesterday.

Authorities have issued a high danger avalanche warning in hilly parts of snow-bound Kashmir valley in view of fresh snowfall which has been going on intermittently for past three days.

(Agencies)

Nasheman Weekly, the country’s largest selling Urdu weekly today completes 55 years of glorious publication, establishing a new benchmark in Urdu journalism.

Founded in 1962 by the late Usman Asad, Nasheman currently has a circulation of over 1.20 lac; a feat hardly matched by any other Urdu publication in India.

Nasheman, an Urdu word for ‘nest’, garnered a legendary status among our readers from the very onset. With popular weekly columns like ‘Thapdakhen’ (slaps or smacks), the paper depicts the prevalent social and political conditions of the times in the most starkest terms. Such is Nasheman’s popularity, that it is bought by one, sold to another for double the price, and then sold again to triple the price.

The paper is circulated not only in India but also abroad, copies of it are shipped to UAE, Saudi Arabia and many other countries.

Under the founder’s son, Rizwan Asad’s current editorship, we have remained true to our essence. We still are the staunchest critique of socio-political inequities, we still are the largest selling Urdu weekly in the country.

The year 2014, also saw Nasheman venture into the world of online journalism, with the daily online English edition, which explores news and analysis from an independent, alternative perspective. We would be also starting a print edition in English in the coming months.

On our editor’s behalf, we would like to thank all our readers, staff members and everyone of those, who have been part of this soulful journey.

Panaji: A probe was ordered on Wednesday into the foiled jailbreak bid at South Goa’s Sada sub-jail late on Tuesday, in which one inmate died, a senior officer said.

Several people, including jail guards, were injured during the attempted escape, the officer added.

Speaking to reporters Additional Inspector General of Police Siddhivinayak Naik said: “Yes, a probe has been ordered into the incident.”

Deputy Superintendent of Police Lawrence D’Souza said inmate Vinayak Korbatkar died due to severe stab injuries which he received in the melee.

“He was declared dead on arrival at a hospital,” the officer said.

Korbatkar was involved in the stabbing of another criminal, Ashpak Bengre, earlier in 2017.

South Goa Collector Swapnil Naik told reporters that the incident happened on the eve of shifting prisoners to the newly constructed Colvale Central jail, 15 km north of Panaji.

“The escape attempt took place after a fight broke out between two groups in the jail. They later attacked our jail guards and tried to escape from the main gate. But they were stopped by police,” Naik said.

Late on Tuesday night, 45 prisoners and undertrials attempted to escape from the sub-jail, located 40 km from Panaji, after assaulting jail guards. The sub-jail is under repair.

Nine prisoners and four guards were treated for minor injuries at a government-run facility.

(IANS)