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MEP party files writ petition against Karnataka govt in support of Bisi Oota Scheme workers

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All India Mahila Empowerment Party, which is supporting the protesting workers of the Bisi Oota Scheme has filed a writ petition against the govt of Karnataka, regarding the plight of the workers. The petition number is: 6926/2018 and is titled Nowhera Shaik vs State of Karnataka.

MEP said that the workers associated with the scheme are only paid Rs. 1000. The party has filed a PIL asking for a minimum wage of Rs. 15,000 per month and has also demanded that the govt workers permanent, among other benefits.

Last week MEP’s President Dr. Nowhera Shaikh had met the protesting Mid-Day Meal Scheme Workers and assured them of all the help.

UN envoy: Most dangerous moment in Syria in four years

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[AFP]

by Al Jazeera

The UN special envoy for Syria has given warning that violence in the country is the worst he has seen since taking the job four years ago.

Staffan de Mistura’s remarks on Wednesday came as the US and Russia again traded blame at the UN over the ongoing conflict.

“Civilians have been killed on a horrific scale – reports suggest more than 1,000 civilians in the first week of February alone,” he told the UN Security Council.

“I have been now four years as the special envoy. This is as violent and worrying and dangerous a moment as any that I have seen in my time of tenure so far.”

De Mistura mentioned all the countries now fighting in Syria, including the Turkish operation around Afrin and the Syrian government’s continued bombardment of Eastern Ghouta and Idlib.

He talked of developments in recent days, including the US attack on Assad’s forces near Deir Az Zor and Israeli air attacks in Syria including on Iranian targets. But both these operations were later defended by Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the UN.

“The United States will always reserve the right to act in self-defence. The [Syrian President Bashar al-Assad] regime has become a front for Iran, Hezbollah, and their allies to advance the irresponsible and dangerous agenda for the Middle East,” she told the Security Council.

She criticised Russia for failing to stop the Assad regime from bombing and gassing civilians, drawing a sharp response from Moscow’s permanent representative to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia.

Nebenzia said the US and its allies should use their influence over the opposition groups to prevent violence.

Meanwhile, the UN’s latest modest peace effort based on the outcome of a conference in the Russian city of Sochi seems now to be in doubt.

De Mistura wants to select members of a new committee to come up with a new constitution for Syria. But Syria’s ambassador at the UN rejected that.

“Participants of the conference did not lend any authority for Mr De Mistura to set up this committee,” said Bashar al-Jaafari, the Syrian diplomat.

Earlier on Wednesday, the first convoy of aid since November was delivered to Eastern Ghouta, a rebel-held enclave east of Damascus.

Diplomats point to a familiar and cynical pattern by the Syrian government. It is only when Syria is in the international spotlight, a small amount of aid is finally delivered

Aid also reached Deir Az Zor, which was liberated in November last year from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS).

Abdirahman Meygag, deputy director of the World Food Programme in Syria, told Al Jazeera from Damascus on Thursday that his team visited the city two days earlier for the first time since 2014.

“The majority of the city is uninhabitable, 80 percent of the city has been destroyed,” he said.

“We have seen that there is no electricity, the majority of people depend on generators. Water is not running. The sewage system is disfunctional.”

He also said thet the majority of the people depended on foreign assistance.

“For a year and a half the UN has been doing airdrop operations in Deir Az Zor city. We kept the people alive there. However, the city needs more than that and we are there to assist. We need to step up our operations.”

Former Minister B.T. Lalitha Naik joins All India Mahila Empowerment Party

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Writer, social activist and former minister for Kannada, Culture, and Department of Women & Child Welfare in the Government of Karnataka, B.T. Lalitha Naik has joined the newly launched All India Mahila Empowerment Party.

Naik, who has also served as an MLC (1986-1992) and MLA (1994-1999), said that she will work hard for the success of the party, under the leadership of party chief Dr. Nowhera Shaik.

Relentless India observe 5-1, South Africa aim consolation

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AFP PHOTO / Manjunath KIRAN /

Centurion: A historic series triumph sealed, India are expected to put their bench strength to test while a vanquished South Africa would aim for a consolatory win when the two sides square off in the sixth and final ODI, here tomorrow.

The Men in Blue have already won the six-match series with a 4-1 margin, after victories in Durban, Centurion, Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. Their only loss came at the rain-affected fourth ODI in Johannesburg.

With victory in the last game, India also confirmed their No.1 spot in the ICC ODI Rankings, taking over from South Africa who was sitting atop at the start of this series.

Having won the series, India would like to carry on momentum, especially with the three-match T20I series to follow soon after. Yet, the visitors would also like to find a balance between going all out in a dead rubber and resting a few players keeping in mind a long overseas schedule later this year.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar has nearly played non-stop since the limited-overs leg of the tour of Sri Lanka, featuring in 19 ODIs and six T20Is as well as two Tests on this tour.

Jasprit Bumrah too has played 20 ODIs since that Lanka tour, along with eight T20Is and his workload has only increased given that he played through the Test series here as well. Some rest will do both of them some good especially ahead of the next contest.

Alternately, India’s second line of pace attack needs some attention. Since that Sri Lanka tour, the Men in Blue have played 20 ODIs and the Kumar-Bumrah duo has not featured together in only one of them — at Bengaluru against Australia.

One way to look at this is the splendid job they have done as the foremost new-ball pairing in limited-overs’ cricket.

The other way, of course, is that Team India is too dependent on them and should look to build back-up options, given the preparatory mode for the 2019 World Cup.

Mohammed Shami has only played three ODIs since the 2015 World Cup. Ever since he returned from injury, he has featured twice against West Indies (2017) and then once against Australia.

Shardul Thakur, the fourth pacer in this current squad, has only ever played in two ODIs. It suffices to say that India currently do not have a reliable second-choice pace attack and despite the success of Kumar-Bumrah combination, this aspect needs urgent attention.

The middle-order continues to be another area of focus. There has only been one half-century contributed from Nos. 4-7 in this series. After Ajinkya Rahane’s effort in Durban, only MS Dhoni came close at the Wanderers when he played the situation with 42 not out off 43 balls.

Shreyas Iyer has got starts in both the matches he has played but failed to capitalise. Rahane too has fizzled out since his comeback at No.4. Hardik Pandya has scored 26 runs in four innings in this ODI series. The slow nature of pitches is one of the reasons being attributed to this downturn.

With the top-order doing well and essentially eating out 30-35 overs in every game, the middle-order has been forced to bat in high gear most of the time.

It also needs to be mentioned that South Africa’s death bowling is seen to be their only high point of the series so far.

Either way, the Indian think-tank needs to pay more attention to their middle-order woes. Manish Pandey and Dinesh Karthik are in the squad yet it is tough to see both of them get a game here.

The Indian team opted not to train today, taking this pre-match day off, on what has been a long and hectic tour.

South Africa, on the other hand, would want to finish this ODI series on a high and take fresh guard for the Twenty20 International series, which gets underway on February 18.

A clutch of their first-choice bowlers have been rested ahead of Australia s tour here, and it is the last bow for the likes of Kagiso Rabada, Morne Morkel, Imran Tahir and Lungi Ngidi against India on this trip. They will be keen to make an impression.

It remains to be seen if the Supersport Park pitch plays any different from how it did in the previous game here, which India won by nine wickets in rampant fashion.

Teams (from):

India: Virat Kohli (capt), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Dinesh Karthik, Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni (wk), Hardik Pandya, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Shardul Thakur.

South Africa: Aiden Markram (capt), Hashim Amla, JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, David Miller, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Lungisani Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Khayelihle Zondo, Farhaan Behardien, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), AB de Villiers.

(PTI)

Yeddyurappa’s ‘chicken’ barb shows ‘sick mentality’ of the ‘nervous’ BJP: Shiv Sena

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Mumbai: Slamming Karnataka BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa over his remarks that Congress president Rahul Gandhi had consumed meat before visiting a temple Shiv Sena today said that discussing such issues during poll campaign shows the “sick mentality” of the “nervous” BJP. Three days back, Yeddyurappa had hit out at Rahul Gandhi for reportedly visiting a temple after eating “Javari chicken” during his tour of northern parts of the poll-bound state.

“Congress president Rahul Gandhi gave the BJP family sleepless nights in Gujarat. It looks as if the same is going to be repeated in the Karnataka (Assembly elections). Rahul Gandhi visited a number of temples in Gujarat and offered prayers there.

That time, the BJP criticised him severely, as it was worried about its own existence thinking what will happen if the Congress leader adopted Hindutva,” the Sena, in an editorial in its mouthpiece Saamana said. Gandhi, during his election, had stopped at Kanakagiri in Koppal district and visited the Kanakachala Laxmi-Narasimha temple.

The write-up also claimed that the Congress will corner the BJP in the upcoming Karnataka elections, similar to what they did last year ahead of the Gujarat polls by adopting “soft Hindutva”. “Now, election rallies are being held in Karnataka and there is an exchange of allegations between the BJP and the Congress.

Like in Gujarat, Rahul Gandhi has been visiting mosques as well as temples in that state. This has angered the BJP’s chief ministerial face, BS Yeddyurappa, who accused Gandhi of visiting a temple after consuming meat,” the Uddhav Thackeray-led party said.

And though the Congress immediately issued a clarification saying that Rahul Gandhi had a vegetarian meal before visiting the temple, according to Shiv Sena, the whole incident only shows the new “low” that this election campaign has touched.

“Discussing such issues during the election campaign is a sign of sick mentality,” the Sena noted. The piece further read that one should not hurt people’s religious sentiments, and also should not see what others were eating. “Every religious place has its own customs and traditions. There are temples in Maharashtra where meat is offered to the deity…Raking up such issues in election campaigns displays a sick mentality.

Only they know what was there in Rahul Gandhi’s plate. But we are sure that it has turned the BJP nervous,” the party added. The Sena said that instead of thinking about whether former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was a vegetarian or not, it was important to note that she divided Pakistan. The Sena, in his mouth-piece, also hit out at Yeddyurappa over the violence at Karnataka border during his tenure as Karnataka chief minister.

“During ‘vegetarian’ Yedyurappa’s tenure as the chief minister, the blood of Marathi speaking people living in Karnataka’s border areas was shed after they were hit by violence. This violence is also a kind of non vegetarianism!” the Sena said. PTI MM NP MG.

(PTI)

Israeli police name Ratan Tata in case against Benjamin Netanyahu

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Jerusalem: The name of Ratan Tata figures in the Israeli police recommendations seeking to indict Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on graft charges, according to an Israeli media report, which was today dismissed by the Indian industrialist’s office as “grossly incorrect” in its references about him.

In the so-called Case 1000, in which Mr. Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, are suspected of receiving illicit gifts from billionaire benefactors, Israeli-born Hollywood producer Milchan and Australian resort owner James Packer, the Indian Industrialist is also said to be a part of a project that the Israeli leader tried to push forward to help Milchan.

“According to the police, the most glaring example of Netanyahu working against Israel’s interests to benefit Milchan was his efforts (to) promote a free trade zone on the Israel-Jordan border, a project the Hollywood producer sought to promote as part of his partnership with Indian Industrialist Ratan Naval Tata,” Ynetnews reported.

‘Huge profit’

The project, which police noted went against the recommendations of the defence establishment, would have generated Milchan and Tata “a huge profit,” but ended up being scrapped because it would’ve cost the state an unreasonable amount in security expenses, the news portal said.

Commenting on the news report, the Indian industrialist’s office on Wednesday told PTI that it’s “grossly incorrect in its references about Mr. Ratan N. Tata.”

Last year, the Israeli media reported that Mr. Tata “testified” before the Israeli police in connection to these allegation during his trip to Tel Aviv in the end of October-November on the sidelines of a business event.

A statement emailed to PTI by Mr. Tata’s office did not deny the meeting between him and the Israeli officials. But it said the reports in Israeli media on the contents of the meeting are “factually incorrect and appear to have been motivated.”

(IANS)

South African President Jacob Zuma resigns

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Johannesburg: South African President Jacob Zuma on Wednesday resigned from his office with immediate effect making the announcement in a televised address to the nation.

The 75-year-old has been under increasing pressure to give way to Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, the ANC’s new leader.

Zuma, who has been in power since 2009, faces numerous allegations of corruption.

His resignation came at the end of a long speech in which he said he disagreed with the way the ANC had acted towards him.

According to BBC, he said he did not fear a motion of no-confidence, adding: “I have served the people of South Africa to the best of my ability.”

Zuma also said that violence and division within the ANC had influenced his decision to step down.

“No life should be lost in my name and also the ANC should never be divided in my name. I have therefore come to the decision to resign as president of the republic with immediate effect,” he was quoted as saying.

“Even though I disagree with the decision of the leadership of my organisation, I have always been a disciplined member of the ANC.

“As I leave I will continue to serve the people of South Africa as well as the ANC, the organisation I have served… all of my life.”

Meanwhile, the ANC said Zuma’s resignation provided “certainty to the people of South Africa”.

Deputy Secretary General Jessie Duarte told reporters: “President Zuma remains a principled member of the ANC. The ANC wants to salute the outstanding contribution he has made.”

(IANS)

ED raids in Nirav Modi-PNB Rs 280 cr fraud PMLA case

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Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate Thursday conducted multiple searches in connection with a Rs 280 crore money laundering case against billionaire jewellery designer Nirav Modi and others following a complaint by Punjab National Bank.

Official sources said the agency sleuths swooped down on at least ten premises of entities involved in the case early morning.

The premises raided by the ED here include Modis residence in Kurla, his jewellery boutique in Kala Ghoda area, three company locations in Bandra and Lower Parel, three premises in Surat in Gujarat and Modis showrooms in Chanakyapuri and Defence Colony in Delhi.

The ED had filed a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after going through a CBI FIR registered early this month.

It is understood that the ED also went through the PNB complaint that was made out against Modi and others.

The agency, they said, would probe if the allegedly defrauded bank funds were laundered and these proceeds of crime were subsequently used by the accused to create illegal assets and black money.

The CBI had booked Modi, his brother, wife and a business partner for allegedly cheating PNB of over Rs 280.70 crore in 2017.

The CBI had also raided the residence of Modi, his brother Nishal, wife Ami and Mehul Chinubhai Choksi, all partners of Diamond R US, Solar Exports and Stellar Diamonds and two bank officials — Gokulnath Shetty (now retired) and Manoj Kharat, who were also named in the FIR as accused.

Modi (46), who had figured in the Forbes list of richest Indians, was booked by the CBI for cheating after PNB sent a complaint to it alleging that the jewellery firm owner, his brother, wife and Choksi entered into a criminal conspiracy with the officials of the bank and cheated it, causing a “wrongful loss”.

“The public servants committed abuse of official position to cause pecuniary advantage to Diamond R US, Solar Exports, Stellar Diamonds and a wrongful loss of Rs 280.70 crore to Punjab National Bank during 2017,” the CBI FIR has alleged.

The bank had also alleged in the complaint that a fraudulent issuance of Letters of Undertakings (LOU) took place on January 16, 2018 for and on behalf of the accused firms, which approached the bank and presented a set of import documents to the branch with a request to allow buyers credit for making payment to overseas suppliers.

Yesterday, the CBI received two fresh complaints from PNB allegedly against Modi and a jewellery company alleging fraudulent transactions worth about Rs 11,400 crore.

(PTI)

Cauvery water dispute: Supreme Court to deliver verdict on February 16

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The Supreme Court is expected to deliver its verdict in the decades-old Cauvery water dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka on Friday.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A.M. Khanwilkar and D.Y. Chandrachud is likely to pronounce the verdict on the appeals filed by Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala against the 2007 award of the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal (CWDT) on sharing of water.

The top court had reserved its verdict on September 20, 2017 on the appeals filed by the three states.

In January, the court had said that any forum could touch the matter relating to the Cauvery basin only after it gave the verdict.

The water dispute, a bone of contention mainly between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu for decades, has many a time witnessed violent protests in both sides.

(Agencies)

Mamata wants PNB fraud probed, FRDI Bill scrapped

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Express photo by Sumit Malhotra

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday demanded a thorough investigation into the fraudulent transactions worth $1.8 billion in Punjab National Bank and said she would not let the Central government off the hook until the people’s money is secured.

Banerjee said she has written to the Finance Ministry to scrap the proposed Financial Resolution and Deposit Insurance (FRDI) Bill.

“Today people are shocked to see what has happened in the Punjab National Bank in Mumbai. There has been a scam of Rs 11,000 crore. This is the money of common people. Who took away the money? Who ate it up?” she asked during a public meeting in Jhargram district.

“Offenders will run away after stealing the money but what will happen to the common man? Scams like this must be investigated. The security of people’s money must be ensured. We will not let them (the Central government) off the hook until that happens,” she said.

PNB, the second largest public sector bank in India, detected some fraudulent and unauthorised transactions (messages) at $1,771.69 million (around Rs 11,515 crore) in one of its branches in Mumbai for the benefit of a few select account holders.

The fraud was detected on Wednesday in the PNB’s Brady House Branch in south Mumbai, which is its second-biggest lending branch in the country. A CBI probe has been initiated into the matter and 10 employees of the bank have been placed under suspension.

Accusing the Centre of trying to take away the people’s money deposited in the banks with its FRDI Bill, Banerjee said she has written two “strong letters” to the Finance Ministry demanding the withdrawal of the bill.

“We asked the government to withdraw the bill as they are trying take away the money of the common people. This must not happen. The finance minister acknowledged my letter but then sent a reply through a state minister saying the bill would not impact anything,” the Trinamool Congress supremo said.

“Today I have written one more strong letter before coming here demanding the withdrawal of FRDI bill. Eating up the money of common man will not be allowed.”

(IANS)

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