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Journalists body condemns the arrest of Philippine’s Maria Ressa

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Nasheman News : The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has condemned the arrest of Maria Ressa, the chief of news portal Rappler, who was arrested earlier on Wednesday in Manila for an alleged “cyber libel” case.

“Freedom of the press is an essential pillar of democracy and Human Rights. The arrest in the Philippines of Maria Ressa, founder and executive editor of the news website Rappler, is an alarming development,” CPJ said in a statement to the media

It also called on the government to “immediately release” the journalist and “drop all charges” against her, Efe news reported. Rappler’s investigative report linked Keng to alleged drug and human trafficking.

CPJ’s board chair Kathleen Carroll said that “the arrest of Maria Ressa is an outrage”, adding that “she should be freed immediately and the Philippines government needs to cease its multi-pronged attack on Rappler, its talented leader, and its brave staff”.

The organisation said on Wednesday the letter was launched after its board of directors, made up of influential journalists, approved an exceptional resolution in a meeting held at their New York headquarters.

Ressa was arrested in her office at the Rappler headquarters in Manila, for a story published in May 2012 about local businessman Wilfredo Keng.

The Justice Department of the Philippines filed charges of “cyber libel” against Rappler, Ressa, as the portal’s CEO, and investigative journalist Reynaldo Santos for the story published in 2012.

Three Justice Department prosecutors ruled in Keng’s favour in January even though Keng filed his complaint five years after the report was published, even though the statute of limitations established by Philippine law for a defamation charge is only one year.

Rappler has been very critical of the administration of Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte. However, this not the only case pending against Ressa.

Last November, an arrest warrant was issued against her on five charges of alleged tax evasion. Ressa had posted bail at the time and the case is still pending trial.

The Philippine President has made no secret of his hostility towards Rappler, accusing it of being financed by the CIA and banning its reporters from the presidential palace in February 2018.

Rituparna, Riya enter pre-quarters of senior badminton Nationals

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Nasheman News :  Former champion Rituparna Das of PSPB and top seed Riya Mookerjee of the Railways put on a brilliant display to book their berths in the pre-quarterfinals of the 83rd Senior National Badminton Championships here on Wednesday.

Also winning on Day 2 of India’s biggest domestic badminton event was former champion Sourabh Verma and 2017 runner-up Lakshya Sen, both of whom made it to the pre-quarters.

World No.57 Das, who was crowned the champion in 2017, needed only 24 minutes to breeze past Namita Pathania 21-10, 21-7. 

Riya, placed 114th in the world, staved off some stiff resistance from the ninth-seeded Gayatri Gopichand to win 21-17, 21-17.

The 14th seeded Sen continued his fine run from the Inter-Zonal competition with yet another facile 21-10, 21-10 victory over Bengal’s top seed Arintap Dasgupta. 

Verma, the winner of the Nationals in 2011 and 2017, was equally dominant in his 21-13, 21-14 triumph over Munawer Mohammed.

Harsheel Dani of Maharashtra was made to work hard by Kartikey. The World No.131 fought back from a game down to register a 16-21, 21-18, 21-8 win in 56 minutes.

Sixth seed Aryamann Tandon beat Madhya Pradesh’s Priyanshu Rajawat 21-15, 21-10 while fifth seed Rahul Yadav from Telangana emerged a 21-12, 21-11 winner over Jaswanth D.

In the women’s singles, 14th seeded Malvika Bansod caused an upset by ousting the seventh-seeded Shikha Gautam 21-11, 21-16 in a fourth-round encounter that lasted 33 minutes.

Fourth seed Vaidehi Choudhari faced no hassles in her 21-17, 21-13 dismissal of Kerala’s Aadya Variyath.

Maharashtra’s sixth-seeded rising star Vaishnavi Bhale too progressed, courtesy of a 21-19, 21-9 win over the 10th seeded Reshma Karthik. 

Maharashtra had a double delight on Day 2 of the Senior Nationals as the 15th seeded Neha Pandit showed her admirable fighting spirit in her 21-18, 20-22, 21-16 upset win over third seed Bhavya Rishi.

Eighth seed Shruti Mundada and unseeded Deepshikha Singh advanced when their respective opponents, Vrushali Gummadi and Deepali Gupta, retired.

Seasoned campaigners Manu Attri and Maneesha K, seeded seventh at this tournament, showed the door to the mixed doubles top seeds Utkarsh Arora and Karishma Wadkar 21-19, 21-18 on their way to the quarter-finals.

Shlok Ramchandran and Mithula UK also joined them by prevailing over Sanjai Srivatsa D and Kavipriya S 21-17, 21-13.

The veteran men’s doubles team of V Diju and Rupesh Kumar KT also kept their impressive run going. Kumar, former South Asian Games gold medallist, and Diju, a former World No. 6 in mixed doubles, required just 20 minutes to dispatch Prince Chaturvedi and Sangram Chutia 21-15, 21-11 en route to the pre quarter-finals.

The top shuttlers, led by Saina Nehwal and P.V.Sindhu, will begin their challenge from Thursday. 

The top eight seeds in singles have been directly placed in the pre-quarters while the top four seeds in doubles will start from the quarters.


Indian shooters will shine at World Cup: Apurvi Chandela

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Nasheman News :  Expressing confidence ahead of the 2019 shooting World Cup, to be held at the Dr Karni Singh shooting range here from February 20, Commonwealth Games 2014 gold medallist Apurvi Chandela hopes the prestigious event will fetch India a number of Olympic quotas.

Shooters from around the world will be eyeing the 16 quota places on offer at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in eight events for men and women.

Speaking to media, Apurvi, who has already bagged an Olympic quota for India last year after finishing fourth at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup 2018 in Changwon, South Korea, said that as Indian shooters will be competing on their home turf this time, they will enjoy home advantage while simultaneously battling increased expectations.

“The advantage would be that we are getting a chance to train here (India). But of course it is the match day which matters the most,” the 26-year-old said.

“The other countries are also strong including us (India). So, we will try to do well and I hope more quotas come for the country for the 2020 Olympics,” she added.

Commenting on how home conditions will help her, Apurvi said: “I compete in the 10 metre air rifle event, which is held indoors. So conditions won’t matter much for me. But yes, it will matter in the 50 metres event because of the wind factor.

“But the way we are practising, I believe everything will be good for India,” she added.

The Jaipur-born shooter, who paired with Ravi Kumar for the 10 metre air rifle mixed team event and won a bronze medal at the 2018 Asian Games, also said her personal target will be to deliver her best and bring more medals for the country.

With the Tokyo Olympics nearly a year away, Apurvi said that as a team India looks strong with a mixture of youth and experience.

The ace shooter, however, said she won’t change her strategy or technique in the World Cup but might opt for a new kit in the Olympics.

“I haven’t changed my style or technique. I have been shooting consistently and getting good results and so I am satisfied,” she said.

Karnataka Assembly adjourned amid BJP protest

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Nasheman News : Karnataka Assembly Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar adjourned the House till 3 p.m. on Thursday amid protests by BJP legislators against the attack on its MLA’s residence in Hassan.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators walked towards the Speaker’s podium and raised slogans against the attack on Preetham Gowda’s residence by Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) workers in Hassan, about 180km from here.

JD-S workers had attacked Gowda’s house by pelting stones on Wednesday after he allegedly bad-mouthed its supremo H.D. Deve Gowda, who represents the district in Lok Sabha.

Hassan is Gowda clan’s home constituency.

BJP’s state unit president B.S. Yeddyurappa urged the Speaker for a thorough probe into the incident.

“We have submitted a letter to Governor Vajubhai Vala on the stone pelting issue. Our legislator (Preetham Gowda) and his family were threatened by the JD-S workers,” Yeddyurappa told the media earlier in the day.

Anti-government protests by the BJP have marred the state Budget Session, which began on February 6

Three sisters burnt alive in Amritsar house fire

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Nasheman News : Three women, all sisters, were burnt alive in a fire in their house in the walled city area here on Wednesday evening, police said.

Police is investigating the cause of the mysterious fire that charred the three sisters to death in Gali Mochian area near Hakima gate of the congested old city.

The victims were identified as Indu, 45, and her younger sisters Vandna and Preeti.

While Indu was married and living in Amritsar, her sisters were unmarried and had shifted with her recently from Delhi.

Amritsar’s Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police J.S. Walia told media that the incident was being investigated for all three angles – accident, suicide or murder.

Forensic experts were called to collect samples from the spot.

Foul play has also not been ruled out. The house was found locked from inside.

Local residents said that that the fire brigade and police took time to reach the spot and the fire had spread by that time.


4 ‘rebel’ Congress MLAs attend Karnataka assembly session

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Four ‘rebel’ Congress legislators, who defied the party whip to absent themselves from the budget session since February 6, came to the assembly on Wednesday and were seen sitting on the treasury benches.

“All our four legislators — Ramesh Jarkiholi, Umesh Jadhav, B Nagendra and Mahesh Kumatalli – returned to Bengaluru on Tuesday night and attended the session today (Wednesday), sitting along with our party members,” a Congress leader told media.

Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Siddaramaiah had on Monday petitioned Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar to disqualify the four under the anti-defection law for skipping the session for five days since February 6 in defiance of the whip and two notices served on January 18 and February 8.

“The legislators’ return is timely, as the assembly is set to debate the budget (presented on February 8) and vote for passing it,” said the Congress leader.

Denying that they were in touch with BJP to join the party, the legislators said they would not resign from the assembly or the party.

“As I had written to Siddaramaiah in response to his February 8 notice. I could not attend the session since February 6 as I was indisposed and in hospital,” said Kumatalli.

Chincholi legislator Jadav told reporters outside the assembly building that he could not come to Bengaluru for the session till Tuesday as he was pre-occupied with constituency work.

Though the rebels responded to the notice Siddaramaiah served on them for skipping the session till Tuesday, the latter earlier said the unanimous opinion of the CLP was for legal action against them under the anti-detection law, as sufficient opportunity was given to them to fall in line.

In the 225-member Assembly, including one nominated from the Anglo-India community, the Congress has 80, including the Speaker, the Janata Dal-Secular 37, the BJP 104 and remaining are an Independent and one each from the Bahujan Samaj Party and regional outfit KPJP.

Janardhana Reddy’s house attached by Govt

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Former BJP minister G Janardhana Reddy’s tony residence near Basaveshwara Circle has been attached by the government, in connection with the Ambidant Marketing Pvt Ltd cheating case, in which Reddy was arrested last year.

The Central Crime Branch (CCB) police had invoked the Karnataka Protection of Interest of Depositors in Financial Establishments Act, and sought information from the public about movable and immovable assets belonging to the accused. As per the Act, properties belonging to the accused who default on return of deposits can be attached, auctioned and the money returned to the depositors.

As Janardhana Reddy is also an accused in the case, the CCB had investigated the properties in his name. “We had information about his properties, and most of them were registered in his name, and had already been attached by the CBI and ED in his old cases. Only his residence ‘Parijatha’, next to Chalukya Hotel, was found fit to be attached. Procedures have been completed and Reddy’s house is attached. It is valued at `5 crore,” a senior CCB officer said.

Beside Reddy’s house, property worth Rs 40 crore belonging to Syed Farid Ahmed, the proprietor of Ambidant Marketing Pvt Ltd, has also been attached by the agencies, along with other accused persons. It may be recalled that CCB police had arrested Janardhana Reddy in November last year, on charges of receiving D20 crore from Farid Ahmed, promising to help him in a case registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The CCB, which has completed the probe, is ready with the chargesheet along with the list of properties attached. Sources said, they will submit it to court once the budget session ends on Friday. “As there are chances that political parties would take up the issue in the Legislative Assembly or Council if the chargesheet is filed now, as Reddy is an accused, we have been directed to submit it to the court only on Friday or later,” a CCB official said.

Lok Sabha passed 205 Bills in five years: Sumitra Mahajan

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Nasheman News :Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Wednesday expressed her satisfaction over the performance of the 16th Lok Sabha, as its sitting came to an end on the last day of the Budget Session, saying the House passed 205 of the 219 Bills introduced during the entire period.

In her valedictory speech, she said that in the last five years since June 2014, the House had a total of 331 sittings of 1,612 hours, out of which 422 hours went in vain due to disruptions.

Mahajan was elected as Speaker on June 6, 2014 after Prime Minister Narendra Modi took over the reins.

She thanked the members for their cooperation in smooth conduct of the House and also expressed her regret, if her words or rulings hurt their sentiments.

She also asked all the members to impartially introspect whether they lived up to the expectations of people whom they represented.

“In the last session of the 16th Lok Sabha, it is time that we introspect whether we have lived up to the expectation of the people during the last five years. What we have achieved and what still needs to be done. We should do an impartial analysis,” Mahajan said wishing good luck to the members for the ensuing general elections.

She said the major legislations passed in the Lok Sabha include Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Bill, 2015; Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Bill, 2015; Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016; Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Amendment Bill, 2016; Constitution (One Hundred and First Amendment) Bill, 2016 regarding introduction of the Goods and Services Tax. 

The other Bills include Integrated Goods and Services Tax Bill, 2017; Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Bill, 2016; Mental Healthcare Bill, 2017; Constitution (One Hundred and Second Amendment) Bill, 2018 regarding constitution of the National Commission for Backward Classes under the newly inserted article 338 B of the Constitution; Fugitive Economic Offender Bill, 2018; Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Bill, 2018 and the Constitution (One Hundred and Third Amendment) Bill. 

Puducherry CM protests outside Kiran Bedi’s residence

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Nasheman News : Puducherry Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy on Wednesday staged a protest against Lt. Governor Kiran Bedi outside her official residence.

On her part, Bedi on Wednesday evening wrote to Narayanasamy inviting him for a meeting on February 21.

Wearing a black shirt and black dhoti, Narayanasamy sat outside the Raj Nivas to protest her preventing the implementation of his government’s welfare schemes.

He was joined by his ministerial colleagues and DMK lawmakers.

Narayansamy also accused Bedi of interfering in the day-to-day activities of the government.

His protest came after Bedi hit the road two days ago and advised two-wheeler owners to wear helmets.

While Bedi wanted the helmet rule for two-wheeler riders to be implemented at one go, Narayanasamy wanted the implementation in phases.

In a tweet, Bedi said: “Sad to see when a CM sends a letter to Lt Governor and within a week demands a reply by force of a ‘dharna’/ blockade of Raj Nivas. Also makes unfounded allegations, misleading people in Puducherry. He openly dares violation of MV Act on wearing of helmets to prevent fatal accidents.”

Bedi, in her letter to Narayanasamy, said: “All matters you had mentioned in the letter need an examination for a considered response. Needless to say none of the issues are pending at Raj Nivas (as being alleged). Besides you never said in your letter that unless you get a reply by February 13th. you and your colleagues shall come and sit on a dharna outside.”

“However, I invite you for a detailed discussion on your matters on February 21 at 10 a.m. Please confirm,” Bedi said.

BJP supporters body-shame Priyanka Gandhi

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Nasheman News : Priyanka Gandhi, Congress General Secretary, who is close to achieve two lakh followers on Twitter in two days, has been targeted through body shaming on the Facebook by proclaimed BJP supporters. She logged in to Twitter on Monday.

K. S. Bedi, ex-President of advertising agency Rediffusion DY&R, just one of them, has posted in the past 24 hours several pictures of Priyanka Gandhi with captions that highlight her body weight.

Sample this: Three cheers! One for each chin. Prosperity shrieks.

Many users liked the post and made remarks on similar lines.

“Will someone please tell Indira Gandhi (read Priyanka Gandhi) that not all the unaccounted money needs to be spent on food and drink,” reads another of his posts. 

One user called her “P. (Pee) Gandhi Vadera”.

Bedi even justified his fat-shamming posts when some users objected to his way of fighting the Congress, ahead of the general election.

“Have yet to encounter anyone who has either not poked fun at the obesity of Amit Shah and Irani (Smriti Irani) or liked a post doing that,” reads another post.

“What happens to genteel India when someone makes similar comments on the three chins of the current Indira Gandhi! Han han wohi who pays 31K as rent for a government bunglow worth a rental of 5 lacs. Yes, yes, the one whose husband is one of India’s richest landlords,” it added.

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