Posts
Evening NEWS DIGEST
01 Dec. 2016: 30 Safar 1438: Vol: 8, No:50
INDIA: DEMONETISATION
Amendments to I-T laws: No tax on ancestral jewellery or purchase from disclosed income; Married lady allowed 500g gold, unmarried 250g
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/55725615.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
New Delhi: Amendments to the I-T laws do not seek to tax inherited gold and jewellery as also those items that are purchased through disclosed or agriculture income, the government said today. Dispelling rumours that jewellery would be covered under the amended law, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) said the government has not introduced any new provision regarding chargeability of tax on jewellery. "Jewellery/gold purchased out of disclosed income or out of exempted income like agricultural income or out of reasonable household savings or legally inherited which has been acquired out of explained sources is neither chargeable to tax under the existing provisions nor under the proposed amended provisions," CBDT said. During search operations, conducted by I-T Dept., there would be no seizure of gold jewellery and ornaments to the extent of 500 grams per married women, 250 gm per unmarried women as also 100 gm per male member of the family, it said. "Further, legitimate holding of jewellery up to any extent is fully protected," it added. PTI
No tax on gold or jewellery bought from disclosed income
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/No-tax-on-gold-or-jewellery-bought-from-disclosed-income/article16736459.ece?homepage=true
Married Women Allowed 500 Gram Gold, Unmarried Women 250 Gram, Clarifies Govt
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/55725615.cms?prtpage=1&utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
No seizure of gold jewellery up to 500g per married lady in Income Tax raids
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/gold-jewellery-married-lady-income-tax-raids-demonetisation/1/824321.html
Another u-turn: Old Rs 500 notes valid for fuel and air ticket purchase till Dec 2, not Dec 15
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/old-rs-500-notes-valid-till-dec-2-for-fuel-air-ticket-purchase/story-7pQzgUDCbMjjfi1xFGBS2L.html
The government has cut short the deadline of using old Rs 500 notes at petrol pumps and for buying airline tickets at airports till Dec. 2 instead of Dec. 15 announced earlier.With effect from Dec. 3, 2016, old Rs 500 notes cannot be used for purchase of petrol, diesel and gas at the stations operating under authorisation of public sector oil marketing companies and for buying airline tickets at airport counters, a government notification said.While junking old 500 and 1,000 rupee notes on Nov.8, the government had allowed their use for utility bill payments for 72 hours.This deadline was extended twice and when the last one was to expire on Nov.24, it amended it to state that only the old 500 rupee notes could be used for payment of utility bills like electricity and water, school fees, pre-paid mobile top-up, fuel purchase and airline ticket booking.While the old note will continue to be accepted for the other utility bill payments as well as at railway ticketing counters and counters of government or public sector undertaking buses for purchase of bus tickets till Dec. 15, it will be discontinued for purchase of fuel and airline tickets at airport counters.HT
Demonetisation: Fresh directive on old Rs 500 is another U-turn by Modi govt
http://www.firstpost.com/india/demonetisation-fresh-directive-on-old-rs-500-is-another-u-turn-by-modi-govt-3134296.html?google_editors_picks=true
As it happened: Long queues outside banks, ATMs as payday pangs continue
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/live-long-queues-outside-banks-atms-as-payday-pangs-continue/story-BmHkCgxhDKPZ9wYfhxsdgM.html
Tamil Nadu: Rs 20 lakh seized from BJP youth leader who backed demonetisation
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/twenty-lakh-rupees-seized-from-bjp-youth-leader-who-backed-demonetisation-4404197/
Chennai: “For the progress of my country, I am ready to stand in the queue,” read a Facebook post by JVR Arun, BJP’s youth wing secretary from Salem. Arun, 36, who had been actively campaigning for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his demonetisation drive, was arrested by Tamil Nadu Police with several bundles of currency notes worth Rs 20.55 lakh on Saturday. According to the police, there were 926 notes of Rs 2,000 denomination in the seized cash. “We intercepted his car and found a bag with a total of 926 pieces of Rs 2000, 1530 of Rs 100 and 1000 of Rs 50. We gave him enough time to produce proper details and bank accounts, but he could not explain the source the money. We seized the money and deposited in the district treasury. I-T Department is now probing the role of bank officials who sourced Rs 2000 currency notes,” said the officer.TOI
Modi to 'Amazonize' $400 billion in state bids across India:Bloomberg
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/policy/modi-to-amazonize-400-billion-in-state-bids-across-india/articleshow/55716822.cms?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ETFBMain
PM Narendra Modi plans to move all govt purchases, from paper clips to power plant turbines, to an Amazon-like online marketplace that could eventually be worth a fifth of the country’s $2 trillion economy. Modi’s govt, which on Nov. 8 announced a sudden decision to replace 86 percent of India’s cash in a bid to cut corruption and move to a cashless economy, has much riding on the new online market, which has already traded 390 million rupees since it began in August. "This provides India an opportunity for transformation,” said Rita Teaotia, top bureaucrat in India’s commerce ministry. "The transparency and competitiveness it has brought is very encouraging and so far we’ve seen that the govt’s savings are at least 10 percent on every transaction." The portal is expected to support trades worth 20 percent of India’s GDP once all state governments, state-owned companies, utilities, defense and railways come online, said Vishal Singh, additional director at National e-governance division, which set up the platform.But with only 20 percent Indians able to access the internet, the government -- India’s biggest employer -- faces the challenge of training staff across the country to use the digital marketplace. Departments as diverse as finance, municipal corporations, police, hospitals and post offices, some located in villages where regular power failures make internet access difficult, are expected to be involved. It is designed to leave a digital trail that will allow unprecedented openness in a nation ranked 76th on Transparency International’s 167-nation corruption index. Bureaucratic delays and corruption were cited as among the biggest obstacles to business in India by the World Bank’s 2014 Enterprise survey.
Leaked Rs 2,000 notes seem to have forced PM Modi hand; GDP set to be hit:Niti Aayog Vice-Chairman
http://www.financialexpress.com/economy/leaked-rs-2000-notes-seem-to-have-forced-pm-narendra-modi-hand-gdp-set-to-be-hit-says-arvind-panagariya/461661/
Demonetisation: Bank out of cash, daily wager waits to cremate wife
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/demonetisation-daily-wager-to-cremate-wife-bank-out-of-cash-4402382/
Noida:On Tuesday afternoon, 65-year-old Munni Lal, a daily wage worker, sat next to his wife’s body under a makeshift plastic tent at a JJ cluster in Noida, lighting incense sticks and waiting for his sons. Around 2 pm on Monday, his wife, 61-year-old Phoolmati Devi, had died at a hospital in Noida, a few months after being diagnosed with stomach cancer.“At 9 am, I took her to Dharamshila Hospital, which referred us to another private hospital. We took an auto and went there. She passed away at 2 pm. We had to pay Rs 600-700 in cash for things such as syringes, food and medicines,” said Lal.When Lal returned to his one-room home in Sector 9 on Monday evening, he did not have cash to pay for his wife’s last rites. So he went to the Bank of India branch in Sector 9, where his 30-year-old son has an account.“My two sons took a train from UP’s Gonda district but are yet to reach. One of my sons had Rs 16,000 in the account. I was at the bank for many hours, but the manager told me the branch does not have any money. I told them about my situation but no one listened,” Lal said.
Bengaluru: New currency notes worth Rs 4 crore seized by I-T dept
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/bengaluru-income-tax-raid-rs-4-crore-seized-4405135/
New Delhi: Income Tax department Thursday seized new currency notes worth Rs 4 crore from two individuals during a search operation in Bengaluru. I-T sleuths raided premises owned by an engineer and contractor and seized more than six kilos of gold and jewellery, including top-end sports cars like Lamborghini, news channel NDTV reported. indianexpress
Your 12-digit Aadhaar number could soon replace all card transactions
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/your-12-digit-aadhaar-number-could-soon-replace-all-card-transactions/articleshow/55725712.cms
Soon your 12-digit Aadhaar number could replace all card transactions as the government is gearing up to strengthen the Aadhaar enabled transactions as part of its drive to help India become a cashless economy. The move, which is part of an all-round approach towards enabling digital payments and is being driven by NITI Aayog, would also see government soon coming out with a clear-cut defined policy to disincentivise cash transactions in the country.ET
Demonetisation's rude shock: There may not be any black money: Sheenu Sharma
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/demonetisation-black-money-currency-notes-modi-rude-shock/1/824048.html
Demonetisation's rude shock: There may not be any black money
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/demonetisation-black-money-currency-notes-modi-rude-shock/1/824048.html
OTHERS
Suspected LeT bomb-maker Tunda acquitted in blast case
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/let-bomb-maker-abdul-karim-tunda-panipat-blast-case/1/824404.html
New Delhi:A court in Panipat today acquitted suspected LeT bomb maker Abdul Karim Tunda in the Panipat blast case due to lack of evidence.A resident of Pikhuwa in Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad district, Tunda was arrested by Delhi Police from India-Nepal border in 2013. CBI had charged him with organising LeT's major terror attacks outside Jammu and Kashmir.He is accused in 43 bomb blasts in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Delhi, Rohtak and Jalandhar in which over 20 persons were killed and over 400 injured.On April 23 last year, another Delhi court dropped charges against Tunda in connection with two separate blast cases - the Oct.28, 1997 blast in Karol Bagh and Oct.1, 1997 explosion in Sadar Bazar.Incidentally, Tunda, accused of masterminding over 40 bomb blasts in the country, was attacked by two inmates in a Karnal jail on Wednesday by two inmates.IndiaToday
Panipat blast accused acquitted by Delhi HC
http://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/panipat-blast-accused-abdul-karim-tunda-acquitted-by-delhi-hc-due-to-lack-fo-evidence/461395/
Bid on Tunda’s life in Karnal jail
http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/bid-on-tunda-s-life-in-karnal-jail/330568.html
Karnal: Two Karnal jail inmates tried to strangle Syed Abdul Karim, alias Tunda, this morning but security personnel managed to save him.On the direction of Additional Session Judge VP Sirohi in Panipat, he was sent to Karnal jail last evening in connection with a bomb blast in a private bus in Panipat on Feb.1, 1997.Delhi-born Tunda (73) was taken to the trauma centre at Kalpana Chawla Government Medical College Hospital (KCGMCH) amid high security after the attack. As per the jail authorities, Tunda is fine and shifted back to the jail.Jail superindendent Sher Singh said the incident took place around 9 am when Tunda was taking tea with Amandeep of Panipat and Joginder of Jind. 2 jail inmates tried to strangle Tunda after a brawl, he said. However, timely intervention by duty officials saved Tunda, the jail superintendent said. tribuneindia
NIA gets custody of 3 held for ‘instigating youth to join IS’
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/zakir-naik-irf-islam-conversion-nia-custody-arshi-qureshi-rizwan-khan-kerala-youth-missing-4404048/
Mumbai: A Special court has granted to NIA custody of 3 men alleged to have ‘instigated’ 22 youths to join terror organisation Islamic State.3 are Maulana Haneef, a Kerala-based preacher, Arshi Qureshi, guest manager with Islamic Research Foundation and Rizwan Khan, who worked as a volunteer with Al-Birr Foundation. NIA, which took over the probe from the Mumbai police, told the court that it wanted to interrogate the 3.Advocate Sharif Sheikh, representing Haneef, said NIA had sought his custody after he filed a bail application. Sheikh also submitted a plea stating that there were apprehensions Haneef would be tortured and forced into a confession.Advocate Ishrat Khan, appearing for the other two accused, also opposed the NIA plea. Special Judge VV Patil allowed the plea, granting NIA custody till Dec.7.The three men were arrested on the basis of a complaint filed by Abdul Majid Abdul Kader, father of one of the youths who has allegedly joined IS.A special court in Mumbai will decide on the bail application of Areeb Majeed on Dec.8.Majeed had filed for bail in August, claiming that contrary to the prosecution’s claim that he had entered the country to carry out jihadi activity, his return was arranged for by high-ranking diplomatic officials. On Wednesday, as a rejoinder to the arguments put forth by the NIA, advocate Mubin Solkar representing Majeed said the agency had not carried out any investigation in Iraq, where Majeed is alleged to have carried out terror activities.indianexpress
Khalistan supporter admits conspiring to launch attacks in India
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/khalistan-supporter-admits-conspiring-to-launch-attacks-in-india/articleshow/55705005.cms
New York: A Khalistan supporter has admitted in a federal court that he conspired with terrorists to launch attacks in India to target a government official for assassination or maiming, according to officials. Balwinder Singh, Indian citizen holding a Green Card, made the admission before Federal Judge Larry R. Hicks in Reno, Nevada state, on Tuesday that he provided a co-conspirator with night vision goggles for the planned attack as a part of their terrorist conspiracy. Singh's conspiracy "was part of a movement to create an independent Sikh state in Punjab", according to a statement by the prosecutors. "Singh attempted to provide material support and resources to terrorists to create violence and disruption abroad," said acting Assistant Attorney General Mary McCord. IANS
US: India citizen in Nevada pleads guilty to plotting attacks
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/world/america/301116/us-india-citizen-in-nevada-pleads-guilty-to-terrorism-conspiracy.html
Indian Man In US Pleads Guilty To Planning Terror Attack, Assassination In India:PTI
http://www.ndtv.com/indians-abroad/indian-man-in-us-pleads-guilty-to-planning-terror-attack-assassination-in-india-1631992
Kashmir will be a ‘long war’, warns outgoing Northern Army chief DS Hooda
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/kashmir-will-be-a-long-war-warns-outgoing-northern-army-chief-ds-hooda/story-7hs34LVBBem3Bk5mmGb9RI.html?google_editors_picks=true
On his last day in office,Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General DS Hooda said he didn’t see an easy solution to end the Kashmir conflict, calling it a “long war” that would require a “long-term approach”.His comments are significant as government sources predict that the conflict with home-grown militants will end soon.A day after seven soldiers were killed in the Nagrota strike, Hooda said on Wednesday that the situation along the Line of Control was not cooling down anytime soon and the hinterland would also remain hot.He warned against calling “the first shot fired against a garrison” a security lapse, saying 100% success each time in preventing attacks reflected “little understanding of the battle the army is fighting”.HT
Dal Khalsa objects to SC ruling on national anthem
http://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/dal-khalsa-objects-to-sc-ruling-on-national-anthem/story-8emPabACvDEliL8LY1IcHN.html
The Supreme Court’s verdict making mandatory for the cinema viewers to stand up as mark of respect during the national anthem before the start of a film in every theatre, has not gone down well with radical Sikh outfit Dal Khalsa.Party chief HS Cheema and ex-chief HS Dhami said in a joint statement that the apex court’s order was “tantamount to belittling the freedom to hold independent belief system”.“This order is surely going to be used to impose a specific brand of nationalism on those who don’t subscribe to Hindutva ideology and also serve as a means to curb freedom of expression”, they said, asserting that their outfit would not abide by it.”A person goes to cinema for entertainment and not to display his patriotism”, they added. They wondered how citizens of other countries be forced to show their loyalty towards anthem of India. HT
Ram Gopal Varma raises voice against SC verdict on playing national anthem in theatres
http://www.ibtimes.co.in/ram-gopal-varma-raises-voice-against-sc-verdict-playing-national-anthem-theatres-706483
Disabled fear being targeted after National Anthem diktat
http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2016/dec/01/disabled-in-bengal-fear-being-targeted-after-national-anthem-diktat-1544590.html
Arvind Swamy questions SC’s decision to play national anthem in cinema
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/Arvind-Swamy-questions-SCs-decision-to-play-national-anthemin-cinema/articleshow/55720817.cms
Supreme Court's National Anthem order mocks judicial process, Constitution:By Alok Prasanna Kumar
http://www.firstpost.com/india/supreme-courts-national-anthem-order-mocks-judicial-process-constitution-3134204.html?google_editors_picks=true
Will offer namaz at Babri site on demolition anniversary, says Jamat Raza-e-Mustafa
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bareilly/Will-offer-namaz-at-Babri-site-on-demolition-anniv-says-Muslim-outfit/articleshow/55712125.cms
Bareilly: A Bareilly-based social and religious organisation, All India Jamat Raza-e-Mustafa, has announced that its members will go to Ayodhya on Dec.6, 24th anniversary of Babri demolition, and offer namaz at the disputed structure, fuelling possibility of tension in the high-security area.Maulana Shahabudeen Razvi, general secretary of All India Jamat Raza-e-Mustafa, said, "It has been 24 years when Babri mosque was demolished in gross violation of our constitutional rights, but justice still eludes us. We have decided that members of our organisation will go to Ayodhya on Dec.6. We will offer namaz at the premises and pray that a mosque is constructed here soon.""We intend to maintain peace and communal harmony. Nearly 50 of us will leave on motorbikes from Bareilly, offer prayers at Ayodhya and come back," he added. Notably, SC through its various orders has restrained religious activities on the acquired land of Babri Masjid and Ram Janmabhoomi. Only the chief priest Acharya Satyender Das, appointed by the court, is authorised to perform the daily puja at the disputed shrine.Maulana Shahmat Raza Khan, another leader of this organisation, said, "Muslims will observe Dec.6 as Black Day and will also close their shops to mark their protest. We will pray that Babri mosque is constructed so that all people can offer prayer there."TOI
Islamic banking a way to break taboo, pay dividends
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Islamic-banking-a-way-to-break-taboo-pay-dividends/articleshow/55714474.cms?from=mdr
New Delhi: Tuba Noman is a doctoral scholar at Jamia Millia Islamia University. Ever since the demonetisation exercise began, she has seen her friends and family in a conundrum over the demonetised notes in their possession. Under Shariah law, any transaction that involves interest, or Riba, is considered illegal. Therefore, Noman's grandmother, and many others like her, never had a bank account. "People like my grandmother view the modern banking system with much suspicion because of religious reasons. She chose to keep all her savings at home. But after demonetisation, we had to rush her to the bank and open an account for her," said Noman.That's a positive thing. Prof Jawed Ahmed Khan of Jamia's Centre for Western Studies said the move would compel Muslims to come out and put money in bank accounts. "This will have a positive impact on the society and they could use banks, but only if they have the option of Islamic banking," Khan said.There are many Muslims who have bank accounts, but they don't put their money in fixed deposits as the interests accrued are high. "People have savings bank account where they don't accept the interest from the bank," said H Abdur Raqeeb, convener of Indian Centre for Islamic Finance.Raqeeb and his organisation have been lobbying for 15 years to bring Islamic finance into the country. TOI
2002 riots convict gets furlough despite violating parole conditions earlier
http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/2002-riots-convict-gets-furlough-despite-violating-parole-conditions-earlier-1632386
Ahmedabad: Convicted for his involvement in the killing of 97 people during one of the worst post-Godhra riot case of 2002, Suresh Richard has been granted furlough for 2 weeks by Sabarmati Jail authorities, despite having violated parole conditions in the past.The prison authorities granted furlough to Richard last Saturday. He was convicted along with 31 others including former minister Maya Kodnani in the Naroda Patiya massacre case. ndtv
Gujarat grants furlough to convict with history of violence – but fails to inform police about this
http://scroll.in/article/822971/gujarat-grants-parole-to-convict-with-history-of-violence-but-fails-to-inform-police-about-this
Cabinet nods inclusion, amendments in central list of OBC
http://twocircles.net/2016nov30/1480530051.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Twocirclesnet-IndianMuslim+%28TwoCircles.net+-+Indian+Muslim+News%29#.WEAqlxp97IU
New Delhi: Union Cabinet on Wednesday gave its approval to notify inclusion/amendments in the Central List of OBC, notified in respect of states of Assam, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, MP, J&K and Uttarakhand.According an official release, on recommendation of National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC), a total of 2,479 entries for inclusion, including the synonyms, sub-castes, etc., in Central List of OBC were notified in 25 States and 6 UTs.IANS
UP: Locals in Shahjahanpur district torch bus after it hits mosque structure
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/locals-in-shahjahanpur-district-torch-bus-after-it-hits-mosque-structure-4404087/
Lucknow;Locals in Shahjahanpur district torched a bus and clashed with police in Sadar Bazaar police station area, injuring several officers, after bus hit the pillar of a mosque on Wednesday. The incident occurred when a homeguard was driving an UP State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) to Reserve Police Lines campus. The vehicle had been seized by traffic policemen on Tuesday after its driver was unable to produce the required documents, according to SHO of Sadar Bazaar police station Harish Rajput. Police arrested 6 rioters after lodging a case of attack on police and indulging in rioting. The police also arrested the homeguard, who was driving the bus, for rash driving. indian express
Mumbai: NCP leaders, 7 others booked for rioting
http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-ncp-leaders-seven-others-booked-for-rioting-2278565
A day after a scuffle broke out between two factions of NCP at a party meeting held in Deonar, NCP leaders Nawab Malik and Sanjay Dina-Patil and seven others were on Wednesday booked under attempted murder and rioting charges. The police have registered cross-complaints from both sides involved in the scuffle.DNA
Uniform Civil Code necessary for nation’s integrity: RSS
http://www.kaumudi.com/innerpage1.php?newsid=85518
Thiruvananthapuram: RSS Akhila Bharathiya Sahasambarka Pramukh Arun Kumar has said Uniform Civil Code is necessary for the integrity of the nation. He was speaking at a discussion on Uniform Civil Code here today. “In 1930, Karachi Congress conference had passed a resolution, making a demand for uniform civil code. In 1937, Maharashtra assembly had also passed a bill for this. Following this, a commission was formed with B N Rao as its chairman and it gave a report in 1944, favouring the uniform civil code. The Constitution drafting committee was also not against Uniform Civil Code but they just said it was not time yet to implement it. The code should be applicable to marriage, divorce and heirship. In all other cases there exists a general rule and therefore, there is no need to make it into a big controversy. The main issue is gender-based discrimination,” he said. kaumudi
Delhi HC quashes ban on 344 fixed dose combination medicines
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/delhi-hc-quashes-ban-on-344-fixed-dose-combination-medicines-4404479/
New Delhi:In a blow to the Centre, its decision to ban 344 fixed dose combination (FDC) medicines, including well known brands like Corex cough syrup, Vicks Action 500 extra and several anti-diabetes medication, was on Thursday set aside by the Delhi High Court which said the step was taken in a “haphazard manner”. Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw allowed 454 petitions moved by various pharma and healthcare majors, like Pfizer, Glenmark, Procter and Gamble and Cipla, challenging the government’s March 10 notification banning the FDCs, saying the decision was taken by the Centre without following procedure prescribed in the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.PTI
Parrikar meets Hasina; discuss measures to strengthen military ties
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/manohar-parrikar-meets-bangladesh-pm-sheikh-hasina-4404928/
Dhaka:Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar called on Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, on Thursday and discussed measures to strengthen military and security ties between the two countries. Parrikar, the first Indian defence minister to visit Bangladesh in the last 45 years, met Hasina, who holds the defence portfolio in the cabinet, for about 30 minutes. Parrikar, who arrived here on Wednesday on a two-day visit leading an 11-member high-powered delegation, yesterday met President Abdul Hamid who assured India that it has “zero tolerance” policy against terrorism and sought expanded military ties.pti
FBI, NTRO fail to retrieve data from Uri GPS:TOI
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/FBI-NTRO-fail-to-retrieve-data-from-Uri-GPS/articleshow/55717155.cms
New Delhi: Hope of retracing the route taken by the Uri fidayeen from Pakistan has dimmed with the US agency FBI as well as NTRO, which specialises in technical surveillance, failing to retrieve any data from the GPS set recovered from the attackers." GPS set was badly burnt in the encounter. NIA first sent it to NTRO for analysis, which despite its best efforts failed to recover details of locations entered but later deleted by the fidayeen. It then passed on the set to FBI, which had advanced capabilities, but it is learnt that the US agency too failed to retrieve the data," a senior officer of the security establishment told TOI.
Reliance Jio Offer: All Services Free Till March 31
http://gadgets.ndtv.com/telecom/news/reliance-jio-happy-new-year-offer-free-voice-calls-data-till-march-31-2017-1632636
At an event on Thursday, Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani said that the free services under Reliance Jio Welcome Offer have been extended till March 31 as part of its Jio Happy New Year Offer, among other announcements related to the telecom venture.NDTV
World
Aleppo could witness one of the worst massacres since World War 2, France warns
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/russia-aleppo-syria-putin-liberation-claims-as-residents-flee-slow-descent-into-hell-a7445641.html
Aleppo is experiencing a "descent into hell" amid warnings the city could witness one of the biggest massacres since the Second World War as President Assad's troops continue their brutal offensive on the city.After 4 months of siege and a bombing campaign which has brought rebel-held east Aleppo to its knees, civilians are fleeing across the frontline in their thousands to escape President Bashar al-Assad’s attempts to crush the city’s rebels for good.A sweeping advance by Russian-backed Syrian army and allied militias has displaced thousands of people, UN said on Tuesday, leaving residents unsure where to turn to for safety as the frontline fighting rapidly moves and rebels struggle to maintain control of key neighbourhoods. The true figure once those who have fled to government areas is included is likely to be much higher. On Wednesday, UNSC will hold an emergency meeting in New York to discuss the humanitarian crisis. Ahead of that meeting, French UN ambassador, Francois Delattre, warned: "France and its partners cannot remain silent in the face of what could be one of the biggest massacres of civilian population since World War II". independent
Syria opposition creates ‘Army of Aleppo’ to fight Assad regime
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20161201-syria-opposition-creates-army-of-aleppo-to-fight-assad-regime/
All the armed Syrian opposition factions in the besieged districts of opposition-held eastern Aleppo have decided to dissolve their individual organisations, and will now instead reform as a newly created “Army of Aleppo”, opposition forces have declared.The announcement means that there no longer exists a multitude of different factions in Aleppo who opposed the continued rule of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, and their unification comes following gains the Assad regime have made over the past week.The creation of the Army of Aleppo comes after the first major territorial upset suffered by the Syrian opposition in the divided northern city since 2012. Using barrel bombs laced with chemical agents, the Assad regime has advanced into a number of neighbourhoods in eastern Aleppo, previously inaccessible to them.Although the opposition has previously united their command structures, notably leading to a brief breaking of the regime’s siege on eastern Aleppo, this is the first time that they have completely unified as a single entity.The unification comes at the request of the people of Aleppo who live under opposition control but fear what may happen to them by a vengeful Assad regime should eastern districts fall.The collapse of the opposition frontline in Aleppo has led to concerns that regime forces and allied Shia militias from Lebanon, Iraq and Afghanistan may commit a sectarian massacre on an unprecedented scale. Meanwhile, the president of the Aleppo local council issued calls pleading for the Syrian regime assault to pause and for a corridor to be created to allow civilians wishing to flee the violence in Syria’s largest city safe passage. middleeastmonitor
Syria’s Aleppo faces acute bread shortage
http://www.worldbulletin.net/todays-news/181011/syrias-aleppo-faces-acute-bread-shortage
Saudis furious after Egyptian diplomat says Assad should remain
https://www.alaraby.co.uk/english/news/2016/12/1/saudis-furious-after-egyptian-diplomat-says-assad-should-remain
The Egyptian Arab League chief has said that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad could stay in power, a position that has further angered Saudi Arabia.Former Egyptian foreign minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said on Monday that the Syrian strongman could stay in power if the Syrian people agreed, prompting Saudi Arabia to reportedly call for him to step down."I mean if the people elect him he can run in elections, however, there first must be a ceasefire and acceptance of his presence as a part of a reconciliation deal because it is highly likely that groups would refuse to work with him," Aboul Gheit told Egyptian talk show host Ahmad Moussa.His position is a departure from many Gulf and Western powers who have repeatedly called on the embattled Syrian leader to step down.Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi recently expressed support for the Syrian military during a recently aired interview with Portuguese state media.His government had been supported by billions of dollars in aid from Saudi Arabia, but ties appear to have cooled between the two countries amid disagreements over Syria.Egyptian and Saudi sources told The New Arab on Thursday that Aboul Gheit's comments on Assad remaining in power have angered Saudi officials and prompted them to send an "angry letter" to the General Secretariat of the Arab League."Riyadh hinted in the letter that it could stop funding Arab League activities and demanded that Aboul Gheit's position be reconsidered," the sources said.The New Arab
Moscow seeks answers after Erdogan vows to oust Assad
https://www.alaraby.co.uk/english/news/2016/12/1/moscow-demands-answers-after-erdogan-vows-to-oust-assad
Kremlin on Wednesday demanded an explanation after Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said Ankara intervened in the Syria conflict solely to topple President Bashar al-Assad.Turkish forces are pressing on with a 3-month operation inside Syria in support of anti-Assad forces, while Russia is the chief ally of the Syrian president in the conflict that has claimed more than 300,000 lives since 2011.At the same time, Turkey and Russia have also been working hard to improve relations after clinching a reconciliation deal in June to repair ties brought to a historic low by Turkey's shooting down of a Russian jet in Nov.2015. Erdogan had said at a meeting in Istanbul on Tuesday: "We went in there to put an end to the rule of the tyrant Assad who carries out state terror, not for anything else."His comments came as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is due to meet Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu in the Turkish resort of Alanya on Thursday.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists he hoped that "clarification will come shortly from ourTurkish partners". Peskov said Erdogan's comment "is not in harmony with previous statements" and "not in harmony with our understanding of the situation".Alaraby.co.uk
157 Israeli settlers storm third holiest site in Islam
https://english.palinfo.com/news/2016/12/1/157-Israeli-fanatics-storm-third-holiest-site-in-Islam
O.Jerusalem(PIC):At least 157 Israeli fanatic settlers on Thursday morning stormed the holy al-Aqsa Mosque via the Maghareba Gate.The break-in was carried out under a tight shield by the Israeli special units and rapid intervention cops, who cordoned off the plazas of the Mosque so as to set the stage for the break-in.The occupation police closed the Maghareba Gate after 119 settlers, 36 students, and two intelligence officers broke into the site.Israeli fanatics performed provocative rituals while the peaceful Muslim worshipers kept chanting “Allahu Akbar” in protest at the sacrilegious assault.At the same time, a number of Muslim women are still prohibited from entering the holy site to perform their prayers due to a ban slapped by the Israeli occupation authorities a few months earlier.
Palestinian envoy decries Israeli ‘apartheid’, as UN urges action
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20161130-palestinian-envoy-decries-israeli-apartheid-as-un-urges-action/
Palestinian Ambassador to UN, Riyad Mansour, condemned Israeli policies he described as “entrenching a one-state reality of an apartheid nature”, in remarks to mark the annual International Day of Solidarity with Palestinian People. Mansour also specifically singled out the failure of the UN Security Council “to uphold its Charter duties and implement its resolutions” in relation to Palestine. middleeastmonitor
Lebanon’s wall of shame should be torn down:YvonneRidley
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20161130-lebanons-wall-of-shame-should-be-torn-down/?platform=hootsuite
Arab Spring: sequel? UN report predicts another uprising
https://www.alaraby.co.uk/english/news/2016/12/1/arab-spring-the-sequel-un-report-predicts-another-uprising?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=sf
Disenchanted and frustrated Arab youths are on the verge of another uprising, a UN report has warned.High unemployment, poverty, exclusion and violence since the 2011 Arab Spring are fuelling another urgent need for reform, as an increasing state crackdown on dissent fails to pay attention to its causes."Youth are not the only population group to bear the brunt of failed policies; nor do they alone suffer the effects of war and conflict," said the Arab Human Development Report, released this week."However, unless current trends are shifted, youth in Arab countries stand to inherit stagnant, violent, or otherwise failed societies that few of their number had a hand in making, and they are the ones who will have to rebuild these societies." Before the 2011 revolutions which toppled 4 despotic leaders, 4 countries were mired in armed conflict. Now that figure stands at 11.By 2020, almost 3 out of 4 Arabs could be "living in countries vulnerable to conflict", the report predicts.The Arab youth population (aged 15-29) has reached 105 million, with unemployment, poverty and marginalisation among them growing fast.The youth unemployment rate, at 30 percent, stands at more than twice the world's average of 14%. Almost half of young Arab women looking for jobs are unsuccessful, compared to a global average of 16 percent.However the younger generation are now more connected than ever with the rest of the world through social media and are likely to have different views and sense of identity to senior citizens. "Disgruntled" young Arabs "may prefer more direct, more violent means", the report says, "especially if they are convinced that existing mechanisms for participation and accountability are useless".The New Arab
Suu Kyi calls for 'peace and reconciliation' in Burma yet still refuses to address Rohingya Muslim 'genocide'
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/aung-san-suu-kyi-burma-rohingya-muslims-crimes-against-humanity-a7447706.html?cmpid=facebook-post
Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi has vowed to work towards "peace and national reconciliation" but has refused to address accusations Rohingya Muslims in her country may be the victims of crimes against humanity. Ms Suu Kyi gave no specific details on how her government intends to resolve the violence and discrimination the long-persecuted Muslim minority face."We do not want our country to be unstable. But we've had a long history of disunity within our nation," she said, addressing senior business representatives in Singapore. "So national reconciliation is unavoidably important for us. It's not a matter of choice. It's unavoidable." independent
Trump's Coming Witch Hunt Against Political Islam:Eli Lake, Bloomberg columnist,
https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2016-11-30/trump-s-coming-witch-hunt-against-political-islam
Horrifying letter threatening Muslims with genocide sent to more mosques across America
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/donald-trump-mosques-muslim-more-holocaust-letters-nationwide-us-police-investigation-hate-crime-a7449301.html
Several more mosques across the US have reported receiving a hate-filled letter from California that warns Muslims to leave the country or face genocide. The identical letters postmarked from the Los Angeles area have now shown up at mosques throughout California and in Ohio, Michigan, Rhode Island, Indiana, Colorado and Georgia. Los Angeles police have been investigating the letters addressed to “the children of Satan” as a hate incident, but not a crime because it does not contain a specific threat. independent
Trump offers to help Pakistan, calls PM Sharif ‘terrific guy’
http://www.livemint.com/Politics/GeLOgsA9DnMQdYvnOUWx6N/Donald-Trump-offers-to-help-Pakistan-calls-PM-Sharif-a-ter.html
Islamabad: US president-elect Donald Trump offered to help solve Pakistan’s problems and praised PM Nawaz Sharif as a “terrific guy” in the first call between the two men, the Pakistani leader’s office said.Historical allies in the region, Islamabad and Washington have seen relations sour in recent years over US accusations that Pakistan shelters Islamist militants, a charge denied by the South Asian nation.Sharif’s office said late on Wednesday the Pakistani PM called Trump to congratulate him on his victory and issued a read out of the call. Trump’s team confirmed the two men talked and issued a brief statement.Reuters
UK: Muslim families sending children to Catholic schools
http://www.bbc.com/news/education-38157812
More than 26,000 Muslim pupils are enrolled in Catholic schools in England and Wales.For the first time an annual census of Catholic schools has collected information on the number of pupils from other religions.The biggest group of non-Catholic pupils are from other Christian denominations - but almost a tenth are from Muslim families.BBC
Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released at: 8:51 PM)
