US senators say they are more certain than ever after a private CIA briefing that the Saudi crown prince had a role in the murder of a journalist.

In a blistering attack, Senator Lindsey Graham said he had “high confidence” Mohammed bin Salman was complicit in the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, BBC reported.

The South Carolina Republican described the Saudi royal as “a wrecking ball”, “crazy” and “dangerous”.

The Saudis have charged 11 people but deny the crown prince was involved.

Members of the Senate’s Committee on Foreign Relations did not mince words after the briefing by CIA Director Gina Haspel on Tuesday.

“There is not a smoking gun – there is a smoking saw,” Graham said, referring to Khashoggi’s alleged dismemberment in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October.

The senator said he could not support Saudi Arabia’s involvement in the war in Yemen or arms sales to the Saudi government as long as the crown prince remained in power.

Senator Bob Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat, echoed those views.

He said the US must “send a clear and unequivocal message that such actions are not acceptable in the world’s stage”.

Another senator, Bob Corker, told reporters, using the crown prince’s initials: “I have zero question on my mind that the crown prince MBS ordered the killing.”

The Tennessee Republican added: “If he was in front of a jury, he would be convicted in 30 minutes. Guilty.”

Corker suggested that US President Donald Trump had condoned the murder of a journalist by refusing to condemn the Saudi crown prince.

Fellow Republican Senator Richard Shelby of Alabama said: “Now the question is, how do you separate the Saudi crown prince and his group from the nation?”

The Senate is planning to vote on a proposal to end US military support to the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen, after members of both parties advanced the resolution last week.

Senator Chris Murphy, who was not privy to Tuesday’s briefing, criticised the Trump administration.

“Not everything needs to be secret,” the Connecticut Democrat tweeted.

“If our government knows that Saudi leaders were involved in the murder of a US resident, why shouldn’t the public know this?”

The CIA has concluded Mohammed bin Salman “probably ordered” the killing of Khashoggi.

The spy agency has evidence he exchanged messages with Saud al-Qahtani, who allegedly oversaw the Saudi reporter’s murder.

The CIA director — who has reportedly heard an audio recording of the murder — did not attend a recent congressional briefing by cabinet members, dismaying lawmakers.

The White House denied having a hand in Ms Haspel’s conspicuous absence, and the CIA said no one had told Haspel not to attend.

At last week’s hearing, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defence Secretary James Mattis told senators there was no direct evidence of the crown prince’s involvement in Khashoggi’s death.

Trump has said the CIA findings on the crown prince were not conclusive.

On November 20, he said: “It could very well be that the crown prince had knowledge of this tragic event – maybe he did and maybe he didn’t.”

IANS

AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday advised Congress President Rahul Gandhi to shed his arrogance, and learn humility and modesty from his mother Sonia Gandhi.

“If you are dreaming of becoming the Prime Minister, shed your arrogance. It is my humble request that you learn humility and sincerity from your mother. She has proved that simplicity takes a person far in politics,” the Hyderabad MP said.

Owaisi was addressing election rallies of his All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) in the old city of Hyderabad on Tuesday night.

Dubbing Rahul Gandhi as younger brother of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Owaisi said the Congress President had nothing but still showing arrogance. “If this is your attitude, I will fight you throughout my life,” he said.

The MP took strong exception to Rahul Gandhi describing him as the ‘C’ team of Modi.

“I am the captain of Hyderabad team and you are captain of Janedharu team. You tried insulting me by calling me ‘C’ team. This reflects the mentality of your upper caste because Janedharu considers himself superior to others.”

Recalling that he supported Congress party for 12 years, Owaisi said Rahul should tell the people what secret deals he struck with his party.

Owaisi said though AIMIM was contesting only eight out of 119 Assembly seats in Telangana, all the leaders from Narendra Modi to BJP President Amit Shah to Rahul Gandhi to Telugu Desam Party (TDP) President Chandrababu Naidu were worried.

He alleged that all these leaders want to finish AIMIM as it had set an example in the entire country by becoming the voice of Muslims of Hyderabad and the symbol of their unity. “They want to eliminate the political identity of Muslims of Hyderabad,” he said.

Owaisi pointed out how the Muslims in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal suffer were suffering due to lack of any party to strive to safeguard their interests.

On Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s remark that if BJP comes to power Owaisi will have to flee Hyderabad, the AIMIM leader reiterated that he is neither going to flee nor he is afraid of such threats.

Owaisi said Yogi’s threat was an insult to 17 crore Muslims of India as this amounts to projecting them as second class citizens.

The Hyderabad MP said the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister should first take care of his state. “In your state ‘gaurakshaks’ killed a police officer by shooting him in his head. Why are you coming here? You will get nothing here,” he added.

IANS

 The Enforcement Directorate has attached Rs 117.09-crore movable and immovable properties of Prakash Industries in connection with its ongoing probe against it in allocation of Fatehpur coal block in Chhattisgarh in 2008, the agency said on Tuesday.

The ED said the proceeds of the crime had been “generated and used in the continuous expansion related to manufacturing activities” therefore the properties were attached under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).”

The ED said: “Prakash Industries filed false declaration with the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) on November 17, 2007 intimating the allocation of coal block. The coal block was actually allocated on February 6, 2008 jointly to Prakash Industries and SKS Ispat Power Ltd.”

As a result of filing false declaration, the shares of Prakash Industries recorded an astronomical rise in their value, the ED said.

“At one point of time on April 2, 2007, the share price was Rs 31 per share whereas it was Rs 351 per share on January 4, 2008. The company in order to encash the artificially created rise in their share value, issued 62,50,000 preferential shares on premium of Rs 180 per share and sold these shares to five selected companies. In this process, the firm generated Rs 118.75 crore in the form of share capital,” the ED said.

The ED started a probe after filing a case on August 30, 2014 based on a Central Bureau of Investigation’s FIR that followed allegation the firm had applied for allocation of coal block on January 12, 2007 to the Coal Ministry as per the advertisement dated November 13, 2006.

The application was found to be containing false net-worth details and on the basis of such misrepresentation, the company got allocated Fatehpur coal block on February 6, 2008, which was de-allocated in 2014, the ED said.

 With 21 lakh e-visas issued this year till November 3, electronic visas now constitute around 40 per cent of the total number of visas issued to foreigners, Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba said on Tuesday.

“The number of e-visas issued has seen a tremendous growth during the last four years from 5.17 lakh in 2015 to 21 lakh this year till November 30,” Gauba said while addressing a conference “Streamlining of India’s Visa Regime” here.

“The number of visas issued through e-visa system is now approximately 40 per cent of the total number of visas issued and the figure is soon expected to cross the 50 per cent mark, which is an indication of its popularity. Our e-visa regime is one of the best in the world,” he said.

The Home Secretary said in order to facilitate arrival and stay of foreign travellers into the country, the government is working on creating a simple and hassle-free visa regime.

He said the e-visa facility now covers 166 countries and foreigners can obtain online visa within 72 hours for travel related to tourism, business, health, medical and conference purposes.

He said India had the potential to become a global education and tourism hub but there is a need for change in the mindset at the ground level to make foreigners feel welcome in the country.

DMK President M.K. Stalin on Tuesday demanded registration of criminal cases against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami, officials of Election Commission, state police and also the person who filed a petition seeking cancellation of the FIR registered in the R.K. Nagar cash-for-vote case.

Stalin also demanded registration of a First Information Report (FIR) on the basis of the documents provided by the Income Tax (IT) department. The Election Commission itself had recommended that the case be probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

On Monday, the Tamil Nadu government informed a two-member bench of the Madras High Court that a single judge bench of the high court had quashed in March the FIR registered against unnamed persons for alleged distribution of cash to the voters of R.K. Nagar assembly constituency.

On April 7, 2017, a couple of days before the bypoll in R.K. Nagar constituency, the IT department raided the house of state Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar and seized documents that showed alleged distribution of huge cash to voters in the constituency. The documents also contained the names of Palaniswami and other ministers.

Subsequently, the bypoll was postponed.

Stalin said the details of the seizure were given to the Election Commission by the IT department. The poll body wrote to the Chennai Police Commissioner to register a case.

An FIR was registered only on the orders of the Madras High Court and after securing the permission of the Magistrate. The FIR did not contain the names Vijayabaskar, Palaniswami and other state ministers.

The DMK candidate N. Marudhu Ganesh and two others had filed a case to transfer the probe to CBI in 2017.

Stalin alleged that the state government had concealed from the single judge the fact that the FIR was registered after Magistrate’s permission and also a case is pending with the division bench.

PMK founder S. Ramadoss said the quashing of the FIR is nothing but murder of justice and shows that the government can blindfold of judiciary and bury any case.

Ramadoss also demanded that the probe be handed over to the CBI.

IANS

An audio-clip containing a purported conversation between a confidant of a former Ballari BJP MP and a Dubai-based businessman has triggered allegations of attempts being made by the saffron party to topple the Congress-JD(S) coalition government in Karnataka.

In the audio, which has gone viral, the confidant is heard saying at least 10 to 11 lawmakers from the Congress and JD(S) were ready to switch sides with specific names being mentioned.

“They have been offered Rs 20 crore to Rs 25 crore and ministership. By the second week, it has to happen,” the confidant is heard purportedly saying in the audio.

Subsequently, another video surfaced showing Belagavi strongman and Congress MLA Satish Jarkiholi visiting a resort in Belagavi, triggering speculation about a possible move to keep the dissident MLAs there.

When asked, Jarkiholi denied having any plans to shift loyalties though he conceded that there were at least seven to eight dissidents in Congress, not 25 as has been assumed.

“There are not 25 dissidents. Hardly there are seven to eight people but I am not among them. From the beginning I have been saying I will stay here only (in Congress),” Jarkiholi said.

The Congress MLA insisted that the party must address the grouse of the seven-eight MLAs though he admitted that even if the dissidents left the party, nothing will happen to the government.

Regarding his name featuring in the audio, Jarkiholi said such audio clips have been doing the rounds.

There were many clips doing the rounds where there are messages “calling people to come here and there and also that ‘we will make you a minister and give you money.”

“There is nothing new in it. It’s quite natural that attempts were made (to pull down the government). Nobody from our side will go there (in BJP). There are some dissidents but they will also not go away from the party,” Jarkiholi said.

When asked about his resort visit, Jarkiholi said, “We are looking for a resort for our future plans. We want to take our MLAs there – not for defection but just for the purpose of taking them around.”

Former Karnataka chief minister and the convener of theCongress-JD(S) coordination committee Siddaramaiah hit out at the BJP for its alleged attempts to dislodge the government.
“These people are trying to come to power through unethical means from day one. Already they failed once. Now they (BJP) are trying again by investing money,” Siddaramaiah claimed.

Flaying the BJP, Siddaramaiah said, “Where will they get the money if they are saying that they will pay Rs 25 crore (to each MLA)? Whose money it is? It is corrupt money.

Aren’t they ashamed for trying to topple the government? This government will continue despite their attempts,” Siddaramaiah said.

BJP general secretary N Ravi Kumar termed the audio “bogus” and said the Congress and JD(S) have been depending upon creating such “fictitious audios” for their survival.

The BJP spokesperson slammed Siddaramaiah for talking about corruption when he has not yet explained from where he got the expensive Hublot watch when he was the chief minister.

Embroiled in a controversy over the diamond-studded Hublot watch in March 2016, Siddaramaiah had handed it over to the assembly speaker, asking him to make it a state asset.

PTI

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday accused the Congress of making the “mistake” of letting Kartarpur Sahib – the final resting place of Guru Nanak Dev – go to Pakistan during partition due to its “scramble for power” post-independence.

The party overlooked the sentiments of millions of Sikhs attached with the holy place, he said addressing a public meeting in poll-bound Rajasthan.

Modi said that the Congress, during its 70 years of rule in the country, could not arrange for people to worship at Karatpur and he was fortunate that the job of building the Kartarpur corridor fell to his lot.

“We can understand the lure of power but I am surprised how in such greed balance is lost, what mistakes are made. Such mistakes are being made to this day. When India got its independence in 1947, when it was partitioned, such was the hurry to get into the seat of power they could not see that after the partition, done on the basis of religion, Muslims wanted a new nation … and made such mistakes that Kartarpur Sahib, the seat of Guru Nanak Dev’s learning and his final resting place, went to Pakistan.

“Had they had even a little sensitivity and wisdom about what place Guru Nanak Dev holds in the hearts and minds of the Indian people, our Kartarpur, a mere three kilometres away, would not have been taken away from us,” he said.

“The Congress remained in power for 70 years, battles were fought, battles were won also. Tall claims were made. But it could not make arrangement for one to worship at the Guru Nanak Devji’s resting place.

“It’s my good fortune that the job of constructing Kartarpur corridor came to my lot,” he added.

The proposed corridor will link Gurdwara Sahib Kartarpur to Dera Baba Nanak in Indian Punjab. Guru Nanak Dev spent the last 18 years of his life at Kartarpur Sahib.

The Prime Minister accused the Congress of indulging in a number of scams during its previous two terms and thanked people for voting for him.

“Take out any newspaper from five years back. Recall their headlines: ‘coal scam’, ‘lost this many crores’, ‘2G scam’. Was it not the case? ‘Submarine scam’, news of only theft and scams. Scams were only things that were there in newspapers,” Modi said.

“Today, it’s been five years, did you get to come across any such news since? What made all this possible. It was your vote.”

IANS

 Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday said war is not a solution to the Kashmir issue, which can be resolved through talks.

In an interview to a group of television journalists in Islamabad, Mr Khan said unless there was a dialogue, various options on resolution of Kashmir cannot be discussed.

When asked about the formula to resolve the Kashmir issue, Mr Khan said there were two or three solutions, which have been in discussions.

He, however, refused to share more details, saying it was “too early to talk about them”.

Mr Khan claimed he was informed by late prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and former foreign minister Natwar Singh during a conference that Kashmir would have been resolved if the BJP had not lost the 2004 Lok Sabha elections.

“It shows that there is a solution of Kashmir and both countries were close to resolve it,” the Pakistani prime minister insisted.

Ruling out the possibility of any war with India, he said two nuclear armed countries would not fight because “there are always unintended consequences”.

Asserting that Pakistan was serious to develop peaceful ties with all its neighbours, Mr Khan claimed India was not ready to hold talks with the country due to the upcoming general elections.

Replying to a query on his views on the military’s role in shaping of foreign policy in every country, including the US, he said, “Advice from the establishment is taken in those issues where security situation is involved.”

Mr Khan said the Pakistan Army and his government “are on the same page” and his decisions are “backed” by the military.

PTI

 Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Tuesday blamed the Uttar Pradesh government for the violence in Bulandshahr which claimed two lives, saying the “lawlessness” in the state was a result of its “faulty and wrong policies”.

In a statement, the four-time Chief Minister said that government was now faced with the same mobocracy it inculcated to make political gains over the past many years.

She said Monday’s Bulandshahr mob violence, in which a police officer and a young man were shot dead, reflected that the state government had lost grip on rightwing Hindu cadres which earlier targeted only Dalits, backward castes and Muslims.

Mayawati said that announcing financial assistance to the victims’ families was not enough and sought assurance from the Adityanath government that such incidents won’t be repeated in the future.

The violence broke out after the recovery of some animal carcasses that right-wing groups claimed were of cows.

Inspector S.K. Singh was shot in the head in the violence. A young man was also killed.

Singh was attacked by a mob when he tried to clear the traffic jam caused by the vigilantes carrying the carcasses on tractor trolleys and blocking a busy road.

IANS

As many as six persons died and eight others were severely injured in a road accident on Tuesday morning near Gokhak Hirenandi village.

The deceased are identified as Yellavva Khandre (60), Paravva Khandre(30)  Anasuya Nayak (28), Nilavva (40), Bhimaseppa Poojary (38), and Mahadeva (30) all residents of Savdathi Taluk.

Reportedly, they were returning home after attending a relatives funeral when a sugarcane-laden tractor collided into their Bolero car.

PTI