Evening NEWS DIGEST
10 Aug 2017: 17 Zulqida 1438: Vol: 8, No:253
INDIA
All 10 accused acquitted in 2005 Hyderabad blast case
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/all-accused-acquitted-in-hyderabad-suicide-blast-case-4790723/
Hyderabad: A court has acquitted all the 10 accused in a case relating to a suicide bomb blast at a police building here in 2005. Metropolitan Sessions Court acquitted them due to lack of evidence. A Home Guard was killed and another injured when a suicide bomber from Bangladesh blew himself up at the Task Force office in the high-security Begumpet area on Oct.12, 2005. A SIT claimed that Harkatul Jihad-e-Islami (HUJI) of Bangladesh was involved in the blast. The suicide bomber was identified as HUJI activist Dalin. SIT arrested Mohammed Abdul Zahid, Abdul Kaleem, Shakeel, Syed Haji, Ajmal Ali Khan, Azmat Ali, Mahmood Baroodwala, Shaik Abdul Khaja, Nafees Biswas and Bilaluddin, a Bangladeshi citizen, and filed chargesheets against them.SIT also claimed that the masterminds behind the attack, Mohammed Abdul Shahid alias Bilal and Gulam Yazdani, were killed in Pakistan and New Delhi respectively. Abdul Azeem, counsel for the accused, told reporters that the court acquitted the accused as the prosecution failed to provide evidence.The defence counsel said the prosecution’s case was entirely dependent on the confession statements made before the SIT and circumstantial evidence. He said the police arrested the accused without any proof against them.IANS
10 suspects in 2005 Hyderabad bombing acquitted
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/10-suspects-in-2005-hyderabad-suicide-bombing-acquitted/story-flI02EQzHjVARjq3WhFDdO.html
SC wants NIA involved in conversion of Hindu girl, her marriage to a Muslim, annulled by Kerala HC
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/sc-wants-nia-input-on-kerala-love-jihad-case/article19464138.ece?homepage=true
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has ordered the Kerala police to hand over to NIA the probe records of a case concerning the alleged conversion and radicalisation of a Hindu girl, and her marriage to a Muslim.A Bench led by Chief Justice of India J.S. Khehar said the NIA had to get involved to gauge whether this was an “isolated case” or part of a radicalisation trend in the southern State, threatening national security.When the lawyer for Shafin Jahan protested the move, the court promptly recorded its “impression” that he “does not desire the correct and independent view of the controversy”.“Why do you doubt the NIA? You think they are some kind of an external agency? We are not asking them to investigate. We only want them to have the case records so that they will give us a complete picture. If they [NIA] have an input in this case, we want to hear it,” Chief Justice Khehar orally addressed Jahan’s lawyer, advocate Haris Beeran. Beeran said the case is scheduled for hearing on August 16, when the court is anyway supposed to see the records for itself and decide whether the girl should be produced before it. He requested the court to wait till August 16, hear both sides and then decide whether it would be necessary to involve the NIA.“Why do you doubt the Kerala police? The social media and the press are portraying this as a 'love jihad' case. This whole case has been blown out of proportion,” Beeran submitted.“Who said ‘love jihad’? We are not concerned with catchphrases. We have to look into the facts of the case and not concern ourselves with catchphrases. If the NIA says there is no issue, then it is alright. But we have to see whether there is an issue of national security involved,” Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, the puisne judge on the Bench, replied. Additional Solicitor General Maninder Singh had moved the court in the morning for a judicial order directing the Kerala police to hand over the case records to the NIA. On August 4, the Supreme Court said it would decide the actual truth behind the two conflicting images about the 24-year-old woman in question.Her husband, Shafin Jahan, said she was an independent and devout woman who converted to Islam on her own volition and much before their wedding. Mr. Jahan has approached the Supreme Court with a request to order the girl’s father to produce her in court.Jahan claimed that her father was holding her in illegal confinement after the Kerala HC, on May 24, “arbitrarily” annulled their marriage, condemning it as “love jihad”.the hindu
Muslim man’s marriage annulment: SC asks Kerala Police to assist NIA in submitting report
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/muslim-mans-marriage-annulment-sc-asks-kerala-police-to-assist-nia-in-submitting-report/
NIA moves SC for order to probe Muslim man’s marriage
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/nia-moves-sc-for-order-to-probe-muslim-mans-marriage-matter-4790388/
: NIA today moved the Supreme Court seeking an order to probe various aspects of the plea of a Muslim man whose marriage with a Hindu woman was annulled by the Kerala High Court that described the case as an instance of ‘love jehad’.Additional Solicitor General Maninder Singh, appearing for the probe agency, told the court that NIA will have to collect documents and other materials from the state police and would require a specific order for conducting probe.PTI
Is Taj Mahal mausoleum or Shiva temple? CIC tells Govt to clarify
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/is-the-taj-mahal-a-mausoleum-or-a-shiva-temple-cic-tells-Govt -to-clarify/story-bYyd6mFUmFbrIjOJnbP9CI.html
Agra: Central Information Commission has directed the Union culture ministry to clarify its stand on whether the Taj Mahal is a mausoleum built by Shahjahan or a Shiva temple gifted to the Mughal emperor by a Rajput king.The question, forwarded as an alternative narrative of history by some claiming to be historians and the subject of various court cases, reached the CIC through an RTI plea and is now at the culture ministry’s door.In a recent order, Information Commissioner Sridhar Acharyulu said the ministry should put to rest the controversy and clarify doubts about the history of the white marbled mausoleum, considered one of the wonders of the world. Acharyulu recommended that the ministry give information on its stand on the cases related to the provenance of the Taj Mahal, and on the frequent claims based on historian P N Oak and advocate Yogesh Saxena’s writings.He noted that some cases in courts, including the Supreme Court, were dismissed while some were pending.Acharyulu said the Archaeological Survey of India, being a party in some cases, must be holding counters (affidavits) filed on its behalf and by the culture ministry. hindustantimes
Hindutva push:Anti-conversion bills in Manipur, Assam next? Business Standard
http://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/hindutva-push-anti-conversion-bills-in-manipur-and-assam-next-117081000406_1.html
After the BJP ruled Jharkhand drafted an anti-conversion bill, some other states inNorth-East where the BJP has comfortable majorities to ensure their passage and pliable govts to oversee their implementation may follow suit.RSS had in the past flagged issues regarding coercive conversions in Manipur and Assam. A senior RSS functionary based in Nagpur said, “Forcible religious conversion cannot be tolerated wherever it is happening in the country. More efforts need to made in this direction and we will continue to do what we have been doing in the past. Jharkhand Govt’s anti-conversion bill is a step in the right direction.”RSS fears regarding Manipur in particular stem from ground reports sent by its functionaries in addition to the rise in population of other religions in the state in comparison to Hindus. More specifically, there seems to be an air of concern regarding the growth of Christian population in Manipur. The Christian population in Manipur has increased by 60% since the dawn of this century. The Muslim population in the state has grown by almost 30% since 2001. In comparison, the growth rate of Hindus has been around 19% in the state.The growth rate of Christian population in Manipur seems to have accelerated since the beginning of the 21st century. Between 1991-2001, growth of Christian population in the state was 18%. This was slower than the previous decade. In 1981-1991, the Christian population in the state had risen 49%. Growth of Manipur’s population in 2001-11 was 24.5% while the Christian population the state ballooned by 60% during the same period. This has given Hindutva outfits the ammunition to whip up passions by claiming that large scale proselytisation is underway in Manipur.A similar situation seems to be unfolding in Assam where communal tensions between indigenous Ahoms and Bangladeshi Muslim immigrants have been a recurring feature over decades. Even in Assam, Christian population has grown by 18% since 2001.
Mumbai civic body clears proposal to make singing of Vande Mataram compulsory in Municipal schools
http://www.timesnownews.com/india/video/mumbai-singing-of-vande-mataram-compulsory-in-bmc-run-schools-mumbai/71423
Mumbai: In a controversial move, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has cleared a proposal to make the singing of the national song Vande Mataram compulsory in all civic schools in Mumbai. The civic body has also cleared a proposal to make the singing of Vande Mataram mandatory before every civic committee meeting in BMC.The proposal was put forth by a BJP corporator Sandeep Patel and was cleared without any discussion or any debate on it.This proposal comes shortly after the Madras High Court made it mandatory for Govt offices, private entities, schools and industries in Tamil Nadu to sing Vande Mataram. The move, however, has created a fresh controversy, with MLAs in Maharashtra questioning the move."Nowhere in the Constitution is it written that we have to sing this. Under Article 23, 24 and 25, everyone has right to practice their own religion. This proposal will hurt sentiments of the community. What were the Muslim corporators doing when this was happening, do they know that our religion does not allow praying to the land?" AIMIM MLA Waris Pathan said, speaking to Times Now. Majeed Memon of the NCP also questioned the BMC's proposal, stating that it was a "mischievous move" to promote hatred between the communities."This kind of a proposal is not new. BMC has been mulling this proposal for a while, There is some mischief that is being played to promote hatred between communities and nothing more," Memon told Times Now. The Madras High Court had ruled that the national song should be mandatorily sung in schools across Tamil Nadu at least twice a week. As per the order, private and Govt schools in the southern state should ensure that their students sing the national song at least twice a week preferably on Monday and Friday, reports the wire agency.However, the court order stated that if a person does not sing it or if an organisation is unable to play it, they wouldn't be forced or compelled to do so provided they gave valid reasons. Times Now
‘Vande Mataram’ to be Compulsory in BMC Run Schools, Notice of Motion Sent to Maharashtra Govt
http://www.india.com/news/india/vande-mataram-to-be-compulsory-in-bmc-run-schools-notice-of-motion-sent-to-maharashtra-Govt -2391837/
Some Mumbai Muslim clerics want national flag to be flown from masjids, madrasas on Aug 15: hindustantimes
http://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai-news/mumbai-s-muslim-clerics-want-national-flag-to-be-flown-from-masjids-madrasas-on-aug-15/story-DoMRvLqL6iYjibWRDIhbKO.html
Mumbai: Muslim clerics in Mumbai have asked young members of the community to celebrate Independence Day by hoisting the national flag at masjids and madrasas (religious schools).“Muslims played a pivotal role in the battle for independent India. Youth should not forget their contribution,” said Maulana Syed Moinuddin Ashraf, popularly called Moin Miya, from Sunni Jama Masjid and founder of Maharashtra Muslim Front.A meeting of Ulemas (Muslim scholars) was held to discuss preparations for Independence Day celebrations on Tuesday. Religious leaders urged the Ulemas to spread the message of patriotism among young Muslims. Ulema bodies will meet once more to plan further arrangements next week.
CHINA- PAK & J&K
Doklam standoff: China steps up troops in vicinity, PLA analysts say Beijing will make no ‘compromise’
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/doklam-china-india-sikkim-bhutan-pla-doka-la-beijing-4790579/
New Delhi: As the India-China standoff at Doklam plateau in Sikkim sector enters its seventh week, a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) analyst on Thursday opined that Beijing will make no ‘compromise’ on ending the row. The analysts also said that New Delhi has ‘misjudged’ China’s resolve by sending troops to what it claims to be China’s territory. A senior PLA analyst Senior Colonel Zhao Xiaozhou was quoted by PTI as saying: “China so far has not used the world ‘invasion’. We have only used words like ‘trespass’ or ‘incursion’ and that is the goodwill of China.” Director at Centre on China-American Defence Relations of Academy of Military Science, Xiaozhou said: “We hope for the best but we — the Chinese Govt and the military — do not have any room to make any compromise on the matter. So for the well-being of the two peoples and the amity of the 2 countries, India must withdraw unconditionally.” Analysts comments come a day after it was revealed that China has stepped up its troop presence in the vicinity of the standoff site at the trijunction with Bhutan. The standoff, which is now seven weeks in the making, has prompted an increased Chinese troops’ presence at a distance of around one kilometre from Dolam plateau, north of Doka La post. This is where the Chinese have pitched around 80 tents for the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers. Number of Chinese troops in the vicinity is estimated to be less than 800. Besides, 300 soldiers are also deployed at the standoff site, facing at least 350 Indian soldiers who have pitched tents in the area. Separately, Army has also advanced its schedule for Operational Alert for units of 33 Corps looking after Sikkim’s border with China. Indian express
Doklam standoff: At least 53 people, a bulldozer from Indian side still in Chinese territory, claims China
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/doklam-china-india-sikkim-bhutan-4790308/
As the standoff between Indian and Chinese troops continues in the Doklam area of Sikkim sector for the seventh straight week, the Chinese Foreign Ministry told state-run Global Times that at least ’53 people and a bulldozer from the Indian side remain in Chinese territory as of Monday’. In a statement to the state-run publication, the ministry said:“India should withdraw its troops and equipment. Regardless of how many Indian troops have trespassed into and stayed in Chinese territory, they have gravely infringed on China’s sovereignty.”indianexpress
China’s latest: What if we enter Kashmir or Kalapani in Uttarakhand
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-china-doklam-standoff-kashmir-kalapani-uttarakhand-4788490/
Beijing:Rejecting India’s suggestion for a simultaneous withdrawal of troops to end the standoff at Doklam, China on Tuesday upped the ante, wondering what New Delhi would do if it “enters” Kalapani region in Uttarakhand or Kashmir. India and China have been locked in a face-off in the Doklam area of the Sikkim sector for 50 days after Indian troops stopped the Chinese Army from building a road in the area.China claimed it was constructing the road within their territory and has been demanding immediate pull-out of the Indian troops from the disputed Doklam plateau. Bhutan says Doklam belongs to it but China claims the area belongs to it and says Thimphu has no dispute with Beijing over it.“Even if there is only one Indian soldier, even for a day it is still a violation of our sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Wang Wenli, Deputy DG of Boundary and Ocean Affairs of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said. Wang was briefing an Indian media delegation, whose visit was sponsored by state-run All China Journalists Association (ACJA), on China’s stand on Doklam standoff. “It is impossible to have a dialogue with India at this time. Our people will think our Govt is incompetent.”“Until the Indian side withdraws from the Chinese territory, there will be no substantive talks between us,” she said, while reiterating Beijing’s stand that the only way to end the present crisis on the border was the withdrawal of Indian troops from Doklam. Needling India, she raised the Kashmir issue and also referred to the Kalapani dispute between India and Nepal. “We think it is not doable for the Indian side to use tri-junction as an excuse,” she said, referring to Indian External Affairs Ministry’s assertion that the road building at the China, India and Bhutan tri-junction in the strategic narrow Chicken’s Neck area changes status quo.PTI
China has taken provocative steps in Doklam: US lawmaker
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/china-has-taken-provocative-steps-in-doklam-us-lawmaker/article19463113.ece?homepage=true
Washington: Expressing concern over the Sikkim standoff between India and China, an influential US lawmaker has accused Beijing of taking provocative steps that have resulted in the escalation of tensions between the two Asian giants.“I’m very concerned about what is happening on Doklam Plateau. I believe that China has taken certain provocative steps that have escalated into the current standoff on the plateau,” Raja Krishnamoorthi, Congressman from Illinois, said. Krishnamoorthi (44) just returned from a short trip to India during which he met PM Narendra Modi this week and had a discussion on a wide range of issues. PTI
Bhutan rejects Beijing's claim that Doklam belongs to China
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/bhutan-rejects-beijings-claim-that-doklam-belongs-to-china/articleshow/60001311.cms
Govt of Bhutan has refuted Chinese foreign ministry claims about Thimpu telling Beijing that the trilateral border stand-off area in Doklam in the Sikkim sector is not Bhutan's territory.A top Chinese diplomat Wang Wenli had claimed that Bhutan had conveyed to Beijing through diplomatic channels that the area of the standoff is not its territory.Wang, who is the deputy director general of the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs in China's foreign ministry, reportedly conveyed this information to a visiting Indian media delegation on Wednesday.She, however,did not provide any evidence to back her claim, which has been strongly denied by Bhutan.TOI
Sanskrit Textbook in MP says India Beat China in 1962 war
http://www.huffingtonpost.in/2017/08/10/sanskrit-textbook-in-rajasthan-says-that-india-beat-china-in-the_a_23073103/?utm_hp_ref=in-homepage
Turning history on its head, the Sanskrit textbook for class VIII distributed in several CBSE-affiliated schools in Madhya Pradesh says that India won the 1962 war against China, The TOI reported.The passage appears in the Sanskrit textbook "Sukritika Volume-3" in chapter eight, which is about the achievements of the country's first PM Jawaharlal Nehru. "What famously came to be known as Sino-India war of 1962 was won by India against China," the book says according to the report. "During Jawaharlal Nehru's tenure as PM, China waged war against India in the year 1962. With efforts of Nehru, India defeated China."1962 India-China war, which began on 20 Oct.1962, ended a month later on 21 November after China declared a ceasefire. It has gone down in history as a decisive victory for China. huffingtonpost
Mehbooba Mufti meets Governor Vohra, discusses Art 35A, other issues
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/cm-mehbooba-mufti-meets-governor-n-n-vohra-discusses-art-35a-other-issues-4791033/
Srinagar : J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti has called on Governor N N Vohra here and discussed legal challenges to Article 35A of the Constitution and several other issues, an official said. She met the Governor at the Raj Bhavan and briefed him about her party’s views and the discussions she had had with leaders of various political parties regarding the challenge to Article 35A, an official spokesman said.Article 35A gives special status to the state and has been challenged in the Supreme Court. It empowers the J&K legislature to define the state’s “permanent residents” and their special rights and privileges.PTI
Article 370 created separatist psyche, time to say goodbye to it: J-K BJP spokesperson
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/article-370-created-separatist-psyche-time-to-say-goodbye-to-it-j-k-bjp-spokesperson/story-fsff0BMXE1ygnSV0uhh6YN.html
Jammu: Blaming Article 370 of the Constitution for creation of a “separatist emotion”, the J&K unit of the BJP said on Thursday that the time has come for the people of the state to say goodbye to it and also Article 35 A.Both these articles, instead of being beneficial to the people of the state, have done a great damage and hamper progress and development, claimed J-K BJP spokesperson Virender Gupta.“ Time has come when the people of J&K should say goodbye to Article 370 and ask the Govt of India to revoke Article 35 A,” he said. Article 370 grants special status to J&K while Article 35 A empowers the state legislature to define permanent citizens.“The prevailing situation in the Valley shows that Article 370 has created a separatist psyche and acts as a breeding ground for separatist emotion”, Gupta said.PTI
Kashmiri Pandits in Jammu threatening mass resignations after govt asked to rejoin their duties in Kashmir valley
http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/why-kashmiri-pandits-are-refusing-to-return-to-their-jobs-in-valley-1735645
Jammu: Sonia Bhat, a Govt teacher in Kashmir, left the valley and came to Jammu days after Burhan Wani was killed last year.Kashmiri Pandit who migrated from the valley in the early nineties and had returned only seven years ago after she got a Govt job says more than day-to-day problems, it is the security concerns that are most worrying."The situation since last year is a clear indication that there is a threat in Kashmir, people are coming on the roads and there is stone pelting, we can't go to Kashmir in such an atmosphere," she tells NDTV. Kashmiri Pandits in Jammu are protesting and threatening mass resignations after the Govt asked them to rejoin their duties in Kashmir valley.Govt had given 3,000 jobs to Kashmiri Pandits in the valley under the PM 's special package for settling them in Kashmir. Most Kashmiri Pandit employees left the valley last year after a long spell of unrest following the encounter of Burhan Wani. Now, 500 of them are refusing to return. "The ongoing proxy war in Kashmir is against India and nationalist forces, why are you forcing us to go back to Kashmir in such an atmosphere," said RK Bhat, President Youth All India Kashmiri Samaj. Govt says Pandit employees can only be moved to safe locations within the valley and everything will be done to ensure their safety but there is no question of giving in to the demands of transferring Pandits out of the valley. Govt has given a 15-day ultimatum to Pandit employees to return to duties."There is no way that their jobs can continue while they remain outside Kashmir, they will have to come back, I do sympathise with them, if they have any concern we will address it... we will keep them in and around Srinagar," said Altaf Bukhari, J&K Education Minister. NDTV
NIA seeks details of Hurriyat chief Syed Ali Shah Geelani's daughter who never existed
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-nia-seeks-details-of-geelani-s-daughter-who-never-existed-2524788
New Delhi:NIA probing terror funding in J&K, while questioning Hurriyat chief Syed Ali Shah Geelani sons — Naseem and Nayeem, sought details of Chasfida, claiming to be their elder sister but interestingly never existed.Geelani brothers were grilled at the NIA headquarters here on Wednesday, along with DSP Faheem Ali, who was deployed with Hurriyat Conference leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, and advocate Devinder Singh Behl, a close aide of SAS Geelani, for the second consecutive day.The brothers, who reached the NIA office, gave entire details of their properties and also refuted the agency's claims that their family owns property worth Rs 150 crore. They also refuted the allegation of being involved in terror funding, sources said.NIA sought details of Chasfida, claiming her to be their elder sister, and surprisingly stated that a two-storeyed building in Bagh-eMehtab in Srinagar is owned by her. Over this, the brothers stated that "no such person exists either dead or alive in their family".NIA has sought details of 9 properties and 4 vehicles owned by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, 6 properties owned by Nayeem, the elder son of Geelani, 2 properties owned by Naseem and five properties and a car owned by Geelani's son-in-law Altaf Ahamd Shah.As per the queries sought by NIA, SAS Geelani bungalow in Sopore, J&K is owned by elder son and his wife. About office-cum-residence in Rehmatabad colony, Geelani stated that it belongs to Milli trust and his wife is not a trustee as claimed by NIA. About 2-storeyed house in Bulbul Bagh in Barzulla, Geelani stated that the property of Jamaat-e-Islami and not of him or his son. Further, a school named Unique Public School in Dooru in Srinagar is run by Falah-e-Millat Trust and that Naseem is not a member of the trust.About a flat in Delhi's Khirki Extension, Geelani said the flat is not of his. About house in Bemia in Srinagar, Geelani replied to NIA that the property does not belong to him and about 100 to 150 kanal land in Singhpora Pattan, he replied that no such land exists in his name of his family members. About four vehicles, Geelani said it belong to Tehreek-e-Hurriyat. DNA India
56 criminal cases registered against Geelani in 31 years
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/56-criminal-cases-registered-against-separatist-leader-syed-ali-shah-geelani-over-three-decades/story-9pC5kQN4CTJyVbZgfjvdgN.html
New Delhi: J&K police registered 56 criminal cases against separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani in the last 31 years but probe is yet to be completed in 49 of them. The state police managed to file a formal charge sheet in court only in two cases but they also remain under trial.As NIA funding probe against Geelani, his two sons and a son-in-law and other separatists gathers steam, HT analysed the earlier cases registered against the Hurriyat leader. hindustantimes
OTHERS
Democracy can turn into tyranny if there's no criticism: Hamid Ansari
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/democracy-can-turn-into-tyranny-if-theres-no-criticism-says-hamid-ansari/articleshow/60002885.cms
New Delhi:Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari on Thursday said a democracy could degenerate into a tyranny if free and frank criticism of Govt policies was not allowed. On the last day of his decade-long tenure as the Vice-President of India and Upper House chairman, Ansari also stressed that Rajya Sabha was the creation of the Constitution that portrays Indian diversity.In his farewell speech, he extensively quoted ex-Vice-President S Radhakrishnan and said "a democracy is likely to degenerate into a tyranny if it does not allow the opposition groups to criticise fairly, freely and frankly the policies of the Govt ."Ansari said while the members "have every right to criticise, their right of criticism should not degenerate into wilful hampering and obstruction of the work of Parliament.All groups, therefore, have their rights and their responsibilities". He also said that "a democracy is distinguished by the protection it gives to minorities....But at the same time the minorities have also their responsibilities."Ansari, who has been instrumental in the decision that laws should not be passed amid din, said there should be a calibrated restraint on hasty legislation.PTI
Rajya Sabha bids farewell to Ansari, Yechury
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/parliament-updates-rajya-sabha-bids-farewell-to-ansari/article19462703.ece?homepage=true
Minority issues being used for political purposes, says Venkaiah Naidu after Hamid Ansari talks about Muslims ‘uneasiness’
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/venkaiah-naidu-vice-president-minorities-muslim-democracy-tolerance-hamid-ansari-4790633/
New Delhi: A day before assuming office, Vice-President elect M Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday said that people were trying to use minority issues for political benefits. “Indian ethos is of mutual respect for each other. People try to use minority issues for political purposes,” he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. The former union minister also asserted that India is the most tolerant country .“India is the most tolerant country…Unfortunately, some people are trying to blow it out of proportion and trying to defame India, raising it to national forum,” he said adding that the country “is the best model of secularism.” Naidu’s comments came after outgoing Vice-President Hamid Ansari said the Muslims of the country were experiencing a sense of “uneasiness and insecurity.” Ansari interview: ‘Idea’ of India being challenged with a certain frequency which makes me uncomfortable. indian express
BJP leaders slam Hamid Ansari for 'Muslim unease' comment
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/bjp-leaders-slam-hamid-ansari-for-muslim-unease-comment/articleshow/60001324.cms
New Delhi: Some BJP leaders have taken exception to outgoing vice president Hamid Ansari's comment that "a feeling of unease, a sense of insecurity is creeping in" among the country's Muslims."(There is) no better country than India for Muslims and no better friend than Hindus," said BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain.Hussain was reacting to comments Ansari made during an interview with Rajya Sabha TV. Ansari was asked if the recent spate of lynching and violence by cow vigilantes was making country's Muslim community apprehensive. Ansari's comment didn't go down well with another BJP leader either. Priti Gandhi, who's a national executive member of the party, in a tweet, asked Ansari if he feels uneasy despite her "Hindu majority nation" placing him "at the pinnacle of power" for 10 years.TOI
Right-wing brigade launch vile attack on Hamid Ansari for his comments on Muslims
http://www.jantakareporter.com/india/right-wing-brigade-launch-vile-attack-hamid-ansari-comments-muslims/141950/
Observing you I saw mannerisms of a career diplomat: PM Modi praises outgoing V-C Ansari
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/vice-president-hamid-ansari-narendra-modi-rajya-sabha-4790258/
New Delhi: PM Narendra Modi praised outgoing Vice-President and chairman of Rajya Sabha Hamid Ansari in the Upper House. In a statement in Rajya Sabha, PM Modi said, “Hamid Ansari ji leaves with great memories, his contribution has been important. You have been a career diplomat, what it means I got to know when I became PM, observing you I saw mannerisms of career diplomat.” “Your diplomatic insights were invaluable, especially when I discussed with you before and after my bilateral visits,” added Modi. indianexpress
PM Modi, MPs laud Hamid Ansari's role as RS Chairman
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/pm-modi-mps-laud-hamid-ansaris-role-as-rajya-sabha-chairman/articleshow/60001320.cms
Invoking Urdu couplet, Manmohan Singh wishes Hamid Ansari good health, long life
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/invoking-urdu-couplet-manmohan-singh-wishes-hamid-ansari-good-health-long-life-4790486/
Top Shia clerics body against Shia Waqf Board's stand on Babri Masjid
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/shia-clerics-against-shia-waqf-boards-stand-on-babri-masjid/articleshow/59992355.cms
Lucknow: National level body of clerics, Majlis-e-Ulama-e-Hind has discredited the affidavit filed by UP Shia Centre Waqf Board that favoured shifting of the Babri Masjid to a different location, as a ploy to create rift between Shias and Sunnis. The clerics also said that the Board's said affidavit has no 'legal or religious basis' and does not hold true for the entire Shia population.The body also requested both Shias and Sunnis to not pay attention to the Shia Waqf Board's suggestions on the Babri Masjid issue. "The affidavit is nothing but to create a rift between the two communities and has no religious or legal sanctions. A mosque is not owned by anyone and the board is merely its caretaker. A mosque has no Shia or Sunni character either and is for the worship of Allah. Only its caretaker can be Shia or Sunni," said general secretary, Maulana Kalbe Jawad. The body also claimed that the Board's stand was only done by its chairperson to gain majoritarian sympathy and is not the opinion of the whole community,TOI
Missing student Najeeb’s kin, JNUSU stage stir outside CBI office
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/missing-student-najeeb-ahmads-kin-jnusu-stage-stir-outside-cbi-office-4789661/
New Delhi:Fatima Nafees, the mother of missing JNU student Najeeb Ahmad, on Wednesday took part in a sit-in protest in front of CBI HQRS here, demanding that the central investigation agency find her son. The family members of Najeeb, along with JNU Students’ Union (JNUSU), had organised the protest after the Delhi High Court yesterday pulled up CBI for not making any headway in the case of the student’s disappearance.“Find my son, I don’t want any reasons,” Nafees said and wondered why Govt was “so scared” to take action in the case. The court had reprimanded the CBI, saying it had placed on record the same status report submitted earlier, and added that the case had not been transferred to the central probe agency “for fun”.The protesters also threatened to block all the gates of the CBI office and hold such demonstrations every day till the whereabouts of Najeeb were known. “We were happy when the case was transferred to CBI. But shockingly, same report was submitted yesterday. CBI is making a mockery of the system.We will be protesting again and again till Najeeb is found,” said Khalid Saifi, a family friend.Some protesters demanded that they be allowed to probe the case if the investigating agencies were “scared of something”. “Let us do the investigation if you are not able to do so or are scared of something. We will find Najeeb,” a JNU student said in his speech.Some told PTI that they still could not understand why ABVP, students’ wing of BJP, “targeted” a fresher like Najeeb. JNUSU president Mohit Kumar Pandey accused the CBI of “not being independent” and “receiving orders from the home minister”.“We are only asking the CBI to carry out its institutional responsibilities and nothing else,” he said. Ex-JNUSU vice president Shehla Rashid asked the probe agency to look into “all the aspects” of the case. Umar Khalid, a member of Bhagat Singh Ambedkar Students’ Organisation of the JNU, alleged that the entire Govt machinery was being “used for political reasons”. “It is really scary that right from a small office in a university to the NIA and CBI are being used for political reasons. If this goes on, we have no idea where we are headed,”he said. Syed Azharuddin, the national secretary of the Students Islamic Organisation of India, alleged that there were “attempts to suppress the issues related to the minority community”. “Najeeb’s case and the talks of withdrawing the minority status of Jamia Millia Islamia indicate attempts to suppress the (minority) community.CBI should act independently,” he said.PTI
They are students, not criminals: Delhi HC asks police to stay away from JNU campus
http://www.jantakareporter.com/india/delhi-police-jnu/141876/
Delhi High Court has asked the police to keep away from the JNU campus unless there is any evidence of disruption of law and order or in case of varsity seeking its assistance.The high court further said that the university is not a place where police is warranted. “They are students, not criminals,” it said, adding that the police will only enter the varsity campus if assistance is sought by JNU administration or after examining the appropriate evidence. Justice Vibhu Bakhru said this while disposing of the JNU administration’s plea for police protection for the varsity officials so that they can enter the administrative block at the time of protests by the students.Janta Ka Reporter
Govt firm on deporting 40,000 Rohingya Muslims
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/rohingy-muslim-india-myanmar-deportation/1/1023213.html
New Delhi:Responding to a question in Parliament on Wednesday, Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju said that the Govt was firm on deporting about 40,000 Rohingya Muslims from the country.As per Govt estimates, Rohingya's population has increased four times in the country in the last two years. In 2015, their population was estimated to have been 10,500, as per Kiren Rijiju reply in the Lok Sabha given two years ago.In a written response, the Home Ministry informed the Rajya Sabha that central Govt has directed the concerned state Govt s to set up task force at district levels to identify and deport the illegally staying foreign nationals.indiatoday
Bombay HC: No basis to file terror charge against IS accused Areeb Majeed
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/hc-no-basis-to-file-terror-charge-against-is-accused/articleshow/59996210.cms
Mumbai: Bombay high court has dismissed an appeal filed by NIA against a special court order for not charging Areeb Majeed as a member of Islamic State (IS).The HC appeared to have found no material that Areeb was even a member of a terrorist gang or terrorist association. NIA had moved the HC after the trial court, while framing charges, dropped one, under section 20 of UAPA against him.Mubin Solkar, counsel for Areeb, argued that all through the stand of NIA was that he had gone and joined the IS and hence as a member of the then ISIL, he had committed an offence of terrorist acts. However, Solkar pointed out that the acts attributed to Areeb in 2014 were prior to the organisation being declared as a terror outfit. After the special court accepted Solkar's argument and refused to frame charges against him under UAPA for being an alleged member of IS, NIA came to the HC. Solkar argued that it was for the first time, in the appeal, that NIA contended that Areeb and three others had formed their own "terrorist association" and hence attracted the offence under UAPA which punishes a person with life imprisonment. But Solkar pointing to draft charges submitted by NIA said they had accused him of being a member of IS and not of forming a separate terror outfit. timesofindia
After Marathas, Muslim MLAs ask for reservation
http://www.asianage.com/metros/mumbai/100817/after-marathas-muslim-mlas-ask-for-reservation.html
Mumbai: After state Govt’s assurance to Maratha community about reservations, Muslim MLAs in the Assembly reminded the Govt that 5% reservation was given to them by the previous Congress-NCP Govt and the high court has given its nod for it. However, BJP-led Govt has not implemented it. opposition Congress-NCP members termed it as “hypocrisy” and walked out of the House. In the reply, CM Devendra Fadnavis expressed its helplessness to implement the reservation.Along with 16% reservation for Maratha community given by the earlier Congress-NCP Govt in 2014, Muslims also got 5% quota in education and jobs. However, the matter went to the court and was stayed. However, the court gave the nod for 5% quota for Muslims in education, which was never implemented by the BJP-led Govt after coming to power.CM Devendra Fadnavis said that the Govt would speed up the process for Maratha reservation after which Samajwadi Party Abu Azmi spoke in the Assembly. “Muslim reservation was given by law, and the high court sustained it. But the BJP led Govt did not implement it,” Congress MLA Naseem Khan said. MIM MLA Imtiyaz Jalil said, “Do you want that we should also come up with a similar morcha? HC said that 5% reservation in education for Muslim community was justifiable. Why the state Govt is hesitating to implement it?” Asian Age
Kranti March: After CM Fadnavis announces sops for Marathas, Muslim leaders bat for education quota
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-kranti-march-after-cm-fadnavis-announces-sops-for-marathas-muslim-leaders-bat-for-education-quota-2524459
Maratha Kranti Mook Morcha: Muslim groups support rally
http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/maratha-kranti-mook-morcha-muslim-groups-support-rally-4789885/
Mumbai: Muslim groups too extended their support to Maratha Kranti Morcha in Mumbai on Wednesday. Different Muslim groups put up benches at Byculla, Nagpada and CSMT where they provided food and water to the participants of the Morcha. K Sayyed, a volunteer of one such organisation, Jamiat Ulama-e-Maharashtra, said, “Like Marathas, we too are fighting for reservation which we have been denied. It is inspiring to see Marathas to come out in such large numbers and without any political backing. Their rallies across the state have become a source of inspiration for us. Hence, we supported them in their cause with whatever little we could offer in the form of water and food.”Muslim Reservation Kruti Samiti has been looking at working with the Maratha Kranti Morcha who are seeking reservation in govt jobs as well as colleges. Various Muslim groups have been trying to participate in the Maratha Kranti Morchas since 2016.Among them, a prominent group near Azad Maidan was an association from Thane,Chhatrapati Shivaji Muslim Brigade. Along with demanding reservation, they seek to clarify the misconception against Shivaji’s “hate for Muslims”.“For years, we have been witnessing a wrong portrayal of Chhatrapati Shivaji as only a Hindu king. We would like to clarify that 35% of the security guards of Shivaji were Muslims which means he trusted us enough to keep our people by his side,”Amjad Khan, co-ordinator of group, said. They also spoke against the communalisation of politics and misrepresentation of Muslims at various levels by govt.
BJP minister’s group used our papers to get loans for themselves, allege farmers in Maharashtra
http://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai-news/bjp-minister-used-our-papers-to-get-loans-for-themselves-allege-farmers-in-maharashtra/story-jjlxeLLKlSHbOqvXTkCv0H_amp.html
After state housing minister Prakash Mehta faced graft allegations, another BJP minister Subhash Deshmukh is in a spot. Solapur-based Lokmangal Group, a conglomerate, which was founded by the state cooperation minister, has been accused of misusing farmers’ documents to take loans in their names.A handful of farmers in the district have alleged that two subsidiaries of the Lokmangal Group — Lokmangal Agro Industries Pvt Limited and Lokmangal Sugar Ethanol & Cogeneration India Ltd — used documents of farmers without their permission to obtain loans in their names from banks. Farmers and activists staged a protest in Solapur against the group on Monday.Despite several attempts, Deshmukh could not be reached for comment. His son Manish, a director of Lokmangal Agro Industries, also did not respond to several calls and text messages from HT.Last month, Gajanan Birajdar, a farmer from Solapur’s Kusur taluka, filed a complaint with the Lokayukta, alleging that Lokmangal Sugar and the Union Bank of India committed a financial fraud by misusing his documents. He alleged that the company got a loan of Rs3 lakh in his name.Birajdar said Lokmangal Bank had loaned him a small amount and he was a member of Lokmangal Sugar, which is why the group had his documents. Farmer wrote in the letter, a copy of which is with HT, “I have never been to the Union Bank of India’s Kasarvadi branch in Pune. I have never demanded or taken a loan from this bank. But when I went to other banks in Solapur to get a loan, a private bank checked my credit ratings. That is when I found out that I was a debtor to the Union Bank of India.”Along with the Lokayukta, farmer also addressed the letter to the director general of police, the Reserve Bank of India and the Solapur district collector. He added that when he inquired about the loan, Lokmangal Sugar repaid it with interest and the bank sent him a letter saying there were no dues in his name.Birajdar wrote that senior authorities of Lokmangal requested him to keep silent on the issue and also tried to put political pressure on him.Speaking to HT, Birajdar said, “From my point of view, the matter is over. Lokmangal used my documents and took a loan in my name. I questioned the authorities and they repaid the loan. I only complained so that this doesn’t happen again to anyone else.”Similarly, Mahadev Bapu Maske, a farm labourer from Indapur village in Barshi taluka of Solapur received a letter from Dena Bank on July 23 , saying he has defaulted on a loan of Rs15 lakh taken from Lokmangal Agro Industries.HT
Grand Alliance was forged for 5 years, trust of 11 crore people has broken: Sharad Yadav
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/grand-alliance-was-forged-for-5-years-trust-of-11-crore-people-has-broken-sharad-yadav/
New Delhi:JD(U) Rajya Sabha MP Sharad Yadav, who is headed for a showdown with party chief and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, on Thursday said he will undertake a yatra in the state and talk to the people as part of his 3-day ‘Jan Samvad’ programme. The mass contact programme will take place in 10 districts of Bihar. This interaction, according to Sharad Yadav, is aimed at ‘seeking a way out’. Speaking to ANI on the breaking up of the Grand Alliance, comprising RJD, JD(U) and Congress, Yadav said, “The Grand Alliance was forged for five years, trust of 11 crore people has broken)” Sharad Yadav, who founded JD(U), stated on Wednesday that Grand Alliance was “a kind of an agreement with people” of Bihar.indianexpress
Sound of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ should replace azaan from mosques: Bihar BJP chief
http://www.siasat.com/news/sound-bharat-mata-ki-jai-replace-azaan-mosques-bihar-bjp-chief-1221943/
Patna: Bihar BJP President Nityanand Rai has triggered a controversy when he said “sound of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ should replace Azaan from mosques and sounds of bells from churches”. Later he took U-turn and asserted he did not say so. Soon after the function began on Tuesday, Nitayanand Rai, who is also the BJP MP from Hajipur Lok Sabha seat, said the sound of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” and “Vande Matram” should come from mosque and church in place of Azaan and bell. However, after realizing he has made a controversial statement, Rai corrected himself before the media and said: “I told that sound of Bharat Mata Ki Jai and Vande Matram should come from mosque and church and did not mean in place of Azaan and bell.”In the same function, Bihar Minister Vinod Kumar Singh called mediapersons, who did not shout “Bharat Mata ki Jai” during a BJP function, supporters of Pakistan.Vinod Kumar Singh, who is the Minister of Mines and Geology from BJP quota in the JDU-BJP Govt led by Nitish Kumar, asked all people to join him in loudly shouting “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” before ending the Sankalp Sammelan of the BJP here to honour all the 12 ministers of the party.However, when the mediapersons present in the function did not shout “Bharat Mata Ki Jai”, he expressed his displeasure and anger over it.“You are first sons of Bharat Mata then mediapersons. If you did not join me to loudly shout ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’, are you supporters of Pakistan Mata,” Singh said.RJD spokespersons Bhai Virender and Shakti Yadav strongly reacted against both minister Vinod Singh and BJP leader Nitayanand Rai. “They have exposed their real agenda”. siasat
Cannot make the use of paper trails with EVMs mandatory, Centre tells Supreme Court
https://scroll.in/latest/846689/cannot-make-the-use-of-paper-trails-with-evms-mandatory-centre-tells-supreme-court
Centre has opposed a batch of petitions in the Supreme Court that called for making the use of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trails with EVMs mandatory during elections. Govt said VVPATs cannot be used as backup options for EVMs.“EVMs are reliable and tamper proof, therefore VVPAT units must be considered a backup and an additional measure to ensure transparency in the electoral process,” Law Ministry said in its affidavit.Centre said voters cannot have the right to decide how votes can be cast. “This sphere must necessarily be left to the autonomous expert body, namely the Election Commission of India,” it said, adding that VVPAT machines have a shelf life of 15 years and their replacement will be expensive. “...Any petition seeking a mandatory direction in bringing in VVPAT is liable to be rejected outright.” scroll
Chartered Accountants' apex body ICAI Revises Syllabus; Topics On CSR, GST, Islamic Finance Added
http://www.ndtv.com/education/icai-revises-syllabus-for-ca-chartered-accountants-topics-on-csr-gst-islamic-finance-added-1735034
New Delhi: After more than a decade, chartered accountants' apex body ICAI has introduced revised syllabus for students with major revisions. Chartered accountants' body the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) has revised its education and training system by including several contemporary topics including GST and Corporate social responsibility (CSR), Parliament was informed today."The curriculum of Chartered Accountants courses has been recently revised by ICAI," Minister of State for Corporate Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha. Also, chapters have been introduced on Islamic finance, start-up finance, small and medium enterprise (SME) in the revised CA syllabus. NDTV
I would not have approved of note ban: Bimal Jalan
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/59984992.cms?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ETTWMain&utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
New Delhi: Though demonetisation had some positives, ex-RBI Governor Bimal Jalan says he would not have approved it had he been at the helm of the country's central bank. There is need to tackle the problem of black money at the root and see whether taxes are high, he feels. "On balance, if a rupee has been guaranteed by the Govt of India and issued by RBI, I should not demonetise it unless there is a crisis," Jalan told IANS in an interview ahead of the release of his book 'India: Priorities for the future' on Wednesday. IANS
Is sex with minor wife rape? SC to examine issue
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/is-sex-with-minor-wife-rape-sc-to-examine-issue/articleshow/59996411.cms
New Delhi: Can sexual intercourse between a man and his minor wife be termed an offence? The Supreme Court decided to examine the issue on Wednesday to protect the interest of brides who might be younger than 18, legal age of marriage, despite the law prohibiting such a union.A bench of Justice Madan B Lokur and Justice Deepak Gupta also expressed reservations whether the judiciary could "create an offence" in the law book when the Parliament had refused to recognise marital rape.The court's decision comes in the context of instances of girls in the age group of 15 to 18 being married off even though the incidence has declined in recent years. It is this category, rather than younger girls, that may be the focus of the court's attention. timesofindia
Visa waiver scheme: Indians can stay for up to 60 days in Qatar
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/visa-waiver-scheme-indians-can-stay-for-up-to-60-days-in-qatar/articleshow/60003716.cms
New Delhi: Indians and nationals of 46 other countries can now stay for up to 60 days in Qatar without getting a prior visa. Qatar Airways on Thursday spelt out the fine print of Qatar's policy of doing away with prior visa requirements for citizens of 80 countries that was announced on Wednesday. 80 countries have been divided into two parts with different stay periods, 60 days and 90 days, under its new visa-free scheme.TOI
HC quashes bail plea of Ajmer sex scandal accused
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/hc-quashes-bail-plea-of-ajmer-sex-scandal-accused/articleshow/59993865.cms
Jaipur: Rajasthan High Court has dismissed the bail plea of one of the main accused in the infamous sex CD scandal of Ajmer.The single bench of Justice BL Sharma dismissed the bail plea of Salim Chisti. The petitioner claimed that he was been in Jail since Jan.2012 while the prosecution has not been able to produce the witnesses in the case.According to the prosecution, a gang befriended over 100 schoolgirls and sexually exploited them. They photographed the girls in compromising positions, using the images to blackmail the victims.30 victims were identified in the investigations; out of these, only about a dozen filed cases, and ten later backed out. Only two victims pursued the case.The first judgment came in 1998, after 6 years of proceedings. The Ajmer District court convicted eight suspects and sentenced them to life imprisonment while two are still absconding. timesofindia
Art of immortalising: RSS icon Deendayal holds sway in BJP states
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/rss-icon-deendayal-upadhyaya-holds-sway-in-bjp-ruled-states/story-HiqE8PLTd1LfZLixi5dd4N.html
New Delhi:India is celebrating the birth centenary of Deendayal Upadhyaya and the former leader of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh — the ruling BJP predecessor — has grown omnipresent in a short time.Towns, railway stations, ports, projects and schemes have either already been renamed or are in the process of being named after Upadhyaya, the Jana Sangh’s most important leader until his death under mysterious circumstances in 1968. He was found dead at Mughalsarai in UP while travelling in a train.The new BJP-led Govt of UP has already changed the name of Mughalsarai railway station to Deendayal Upadhyaya station. PM Narendra Modi has suggested that the Gujarat port of Kandla also be renamed after the late leader. hindustantimes
WORLD
Jerusalem for sale: Christians fight transfer of church land to Israeli settlers: middleeasteye
http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/schism-jerusalem-palestinian-christians-pledge-fight-sale-church-lands-1390795373
Palestinian Christians have pledged to fight against the sale of church land in East Jerusalem to Israeli settlers amid a dispute that has roiled the Greek Orthodox church.Church members told MEE that protest action and, if necessary, occupation of the sites were the last options available to prevent the transfer of 3 properties in East Jerusalem’s Old City from going ahead, after a court ruled the sale was legal.A Jerusalem district court ruled last week that the controversial 2004 deal, which had faced allegations of bribery and fraud, was legal.Ateret Cohanim, a far-right Israeli settler group that aims to create a Jewish majority in the Old City, are the buyers of the three properties. Their involvement caused intense anger among Palestinians when news of the deal broke in 2005.Current church Patriarch Theophilos III has sought to distance himself from the deal, which was signed during the reign of his predecessor Irenaios. Irenaios was deposed from his position and demoted to the rank of monk when the deal was revealed in 2005. In an advert published in Palestinian Al-Quds newspaper, Patriarch Theophilos condemned the court's decision and pledged to appeal it. He will “exert all the efforts and legal and financial means to cancel this deal”, it said. However, the ad has failed to placate the church’s angry worshippers, the majority of whom are Palestinian Arabs and are unhappy over Greek dominance of their church. “All the orthodox churches in world are national ones,” Alif Sabbagh, a member of the Central Orthodox Council in Israel, told MEE.
Nearly 200 refugees 'thrown' into Yemen sea, 50 missing
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/08/200-refugees-thrown-yemen-sea-50-missing-170810104006798.html
More refugees and migrants have been "deliberately drowned" by human smugglers for the second time in 24 hours off the coast of Yemen, according to the United Nation's migration agency. Patrol teams from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) found in the south of Yemen at least 5 bodies on Thursday morning, and are still searching for at least 50 more who remain missing. "It is indeed a very dramatic situation," Laurent de Boeck, the agency's Yemen chief of mission, told Al Jazeera from Brussels on Thursday."They were in a boat with smugglers, who dropped them at sea before arriving at the shores. Some people have disappeared. But others were actually buried by their friends on the beaches."De Boeck said the incident was reported by some of the survivors, whom he described as "exhausted and under shock"."This situation is new," he said, adding that "it is the first time" that his agency documented people being forced out of the boats by smugglers before reaching the shores.De Boeck said that the civil war in Yemen and the collapse of the state have allowed "criminal networks to act freely", endangering many refugees and migrants."The control of the border is indeed not a priority in a country in war," he said. "Yemen, for more than two years now, is in civil war with a lot of displaced population." aljazeera
Israeli forces damage documents in Al-Aqsa Mosque raid
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20170810-israeli-forces-damage-documents-in-al-aqsa-mosque-raid/
The specialist technical committee formed by the Islamic Waqf Department in Jerusalem has said that none of the historical documents preserved in the different libraries of Al-Aqsa Mosque have been lost, Quds Press reported yesterday. However, the committee reiterated that Israeli forces caused damage to some of the documents and facilities in the libraries, including the chemicals and other materials used for maintaining the documents.The committee issued the initial findings of its evaluation work in a report that covered the time period 14-27 July. middleeastmonitor
29 Tonnes of Explosive Materials Destroyed in Gaza since ‘Cast Lead’ attack by Israel
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20170810-29-tonnes-of-explosive-materials-destroyed-in-gaza-since-cast-lead-attack-by-israel/
The representative of Japan to the Palestinian Authority, Ambassador Takeshi Okubo, and the Director of the United Nations Mine Action Service in Palestine has concluded a Japanese-funded project to remove explosive remnants form the 2014 war in Gaza Strip.According to UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), stated in a press release on Wednesday that the project was effectively carried out in Gaza Cit, and included an awareness campaign on the dangers of explosive remnants and a photos exhibition. According to the statement, Japan enabled the United Nations Mine Action Service to clear up the last known and accessible unexploded bomb in Gaza, through its support of a multi-donor project in April 2017. middleeastmonitor
Breakthrough signs on Kuwaiti-American moves to launch dialogue between Qatar and blockading countries
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20170810-breakthrough-signs-on-kuwaiti-american-guarantees-to-launch-dialogue-between-qatar-and-embargo-countries/
Kuwait’s First Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah and Acting Minister of Information, Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, delivered a letter to Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, that included the latest developments on the regional and international arenas and issues of common concern.The Kuwait News Agency did not reveal the content of the Kuwaiti letter to the Emir of Qatar, which follows a tour by the Emir of Kuwait in the region in an attempt to resolve the Gulf crisis.In the meantime, Al-Rai newspaper quoted, Kuwaiti diplomatic sources who talked about potential “breakthrough signs” in light of the positivity surrounding the five visits by the envoy of Prince Sabah Al-Ahmad to Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Oman, the UAE and Bahrain in the past 48 hours.The newspaper sources pointed out that the atmosphere of the meetings was “very positive” and that Kuwait is keen to fix issues and build on the common points in order to launch a direct dialogue between Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt on the one hand and Qatar on the other hand, noting Kuwait’s keenness to maintain the Gulf as a unified entity in the face of the challenges in the region.
Dozens dead in central Syria as IS battles regime push: Monitor
http://www.newindianexpress.com/world/2017/aug/10/dozens-dead-in-central-syria-as-islamic-state-battles-regime-push-monitor-1640951.html
beirut:Dozens of regime forces and jihadists have been killed in central Syria as the Islamic State group strives to hold off a regime advance there, a monitor said Wednesday. With Russian backing, Syria's army has been waging a months-long offensive to recapture the vast desert region that stretches from the country's centre to the Iraqi and Jordanian borders. It has captured swathes of territory from IS in the central province of Homs, but the jihadists have ramped up their counter-offensives there.Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said IS had dispatched at least 5 suicide car bombs and had laid mines throughout several frontline towns in Homs.At least 39 Govt forces were killed and another 25 wounded since Tuesday, Britain-based Observatory said."The regime has spread itself across a long frontline, and now Daesh (IS) is intensifying its counter-attacks," said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman.According to Abdel Rahman, 30 IS fighters were also killed over the past 24 hours in clashes with regime fighters and in Russian air strikes. AFP
At least 30 civilians killed in CAR clashes
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/08/30-civilians-killed-car-clashes-170809222933535.html
Clashes between an armed group and a self-defence group in southeastern Central African Republic have left at least 30 civilians dead including 6 Red Cross volunteers who were attending a crisis meeting at a health facility, officials said on Wednesday.The violence took place late last week in the town of Gambo, which is about 75 kilometres from Bangassou, a town that has been a flashpoint amid the upsurge of bloodshed in the long chaotic country."We are appalled by the news of the death of our fellow volunteers," said Antoine Mbao-Bogo, president of Central African Red Cross. "We call on all parties to take steps to spare the civilian population, and to respect all humanitarian workers."The deaths marked the third such attack on Red Cross this year, officials said. Many humanitarian workers have been blocked from doing their work, and fighters also have tried to kill wounded enemies in public health facilities.Local authorities blamed the Gambo fighting on a faction of the mostly Muslim rebel group once known as Seleka - fighters who now call themselves the UPC. The fighters battled against a self-defence group that has arisen in the area in a bid to ward off the UPC and other armed fighters. At times the UPC fighters shot arrows to kill their victims, local authorities said.CAR currently has some 12,000 UN peacekeepers but none are in Gambo and none was present during the deadly clashes last week.Souleymane Daouda, a UPC spokesman for the faction led by Ali Darassa, denied to AP that his fighters were responsible for the violence in the town of Gambo, saying his men were protecting civilians."A thousand people attacked the town of Gambo," Daouda said. "As our elements were there, they reacted by evacuating the civilian population first and then on their return, they used arrows to defeat these armed bandits who massacre the population." aljazeera
Taliban free 235 villagers in northern Afghanistan
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/08/taliban-free-235-villagers-northern-afghanistan-170809155409138.html
The Taliban have released 235 villagers held since the fighters seized control of an area in northern Sar-e Pul province five days ago, Afghan provincial officials said on Wednesday.Local authorities believe the capture of the area was jointly carried out by the Taliban and ISIL fighters. If confirmed, this will mark the first time the two rival groups have joined forces in battle.The information was gleaned after some of the freed villagers told local media that they saw both the Taliban's white banner and ISIL's black flag flying together during the attack.The civilians were released after negotiations between the Taliban and tribal elders.In Sar-e Pul, the fighters defeated Afghan local police forces after almost two days of intense fighting and took control of the area early on August 5, Zaib Amani, the spokesman for the provincial governor, said. Most of the civilians are staying in local mosques or with relatives in the city and provincial officials are trying to provide food and other necessities for them before finding a long-term solution, he added. Qari Yousuf Ahmadi, a Taliban spokesman, confirmed the fighters had seized the area but denied civilians were killed in Mirza Olang.So far, ISIL has not commented on the attack or said whether it had joined forces with the rival Taliban. aljazeera
Bangladesh film star turns Islamic preacher
http://www.newindianexpress.com/world/2017/aug/09/bangladesh-film-star-turns-islamic-preacher-1640642.html
Dhaka:A Bangladeshi film star who became an Islamic preacher said Wednesday he wants to use his fame to draw young people in the Muslim-majority nation to the faith.Ananta Jalil is the latest actor to take up the practice after 22-year-old Naznin Akter Happy, whose decision to become an ultra-conservative Islamic preacher was the subject of a best-selling book.Thousands of fans turned out late last month to watch 39-year-old Jalil preach in the capital Dhaka. Photos of him wearing an Islamic turban and long robe went viral on social media.He told AFP he had joined the Tablighi Jamaat -- a Sunni Muslim movement that boasts millions of adherents in Bangladesh -- after a pilgrimage to Mecca earlier this year."The main reason Allah gave us life... sent us to the earth is to worship Him. I learnt it there," he said by phone on Wednesday."If I can preach Islam to the young generation, they’ll abide by Allah and the traditions of the prophet and they’ll say prayers five times a day."Unlike Happy, Jalil said he would keep making movies although his next one would be used to "propagate Islam".AFP
Iran president appoints two women vice presidents after criticism from reformists
https://www.dawn.com/news/1350553/iran-president-appoints-two-women-vice-presidents-after-criticism-from-reformists
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani appointed two female vice presidents on Wednesday, a day after coming under fire from reformists for nominating no women ministers.Massoumeh Ebtekar, known internationally for her role as spokesperson during the 1980 US embassy hostage crisis, was named as vice president in charge of women's affairs, having previously run the environment brief in Rouhani's office.Laya Joneydi was appointed as the vice president for legal affairs, while another woman, Shahindokht Mowlaverdi, was named as a special adviser for citizens' rights. Rouhani, who had three female vice presidents during his previous term, still has several more deputy positions to fill and it was unclear if any would go to women.AFP
Deep Divisions Emerge in Trump Administration as North Korea Threatens War:NYT
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/09/us/politics/north-korea-nuclear-threat-rex-tillerson.html
Bridgewater, N.J. — Senior American officials sent mixed signals on North Korea on Wednesday as President Trump’s “fire and fury” warning rattled allies and adversaries alike, a sign of his administration’s deep divisions as the outcast state once again threatened to wage nuclear war on the United States.The president’s advisers calibrated his dire warning with statements that, if not directly contradictory, emphasized different points. Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson stressed diplomacy and reassured Americans that they could “sleep well at night,” while Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said North Korea risked “the end of its regime and the destruction of its people” if it did not “stand down.”North Korea gave no indication that it would do so. In a statement late Wednesday, the North Korean military dismissedTrump’s fire-and-fury warning on Tuesday as a “load of nonsense” and said only “absolute force” would work on someone so “bereft of reason.” The military threatened to “turn the U.S. mainland into the theater of a nuclear war” and added that any American strike on North Korean missile and nuclear targets would be “mercilessly repelled.”The statement also said that the North Korean military would finalize a plan by mid-August to fire four midrange missiles into the waters off the Pacific island of Guam, a United States territory used as a strategic base, to create a “historic enveloping fire.” nytimes
FLASH: NEWS & VIEWS
5 states including Rajput Jodhpur that refused to join India after Independence
http://indianexpress.com/article/research/five-states-that-refused-to-join-india-after-independence/
Op-Ed China's ready for war ― against the US if necessary: Graham Allison, Los Angeles Times
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-allison-china-war-20170808-story.html
Asserting Your Nationalism Day In, Day Out Is Unnecessary: Hamid Ansari's interview with Karan Thapar
https://thewire.in/166419/asserting-nationalism-day-day-unnecessary-hamid-ansari/
Gujarat Rajya Sabha election was BJP vs Congress. But ECI covered itself in glory:S Y Quraishi
http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/gujarat-rajya-sabha-polls-election-commission-congress-bjp-election-sy-quraishi-4789717/
India has failed the Constitution’s commitment to social justice:Abdul Khaliq
http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/tryst-with-inequality-independence-day-development-of-india-70-independence-day-abdul-khaliq-4789724/
Abrogation of Art.35A: Kashmiris prepare for widespread agitation against BJP's 'Israel model':Safeena Wani
http://www.firstpost.com/india/abrogation-of-article-35a-kashmiris-prepare-for-widespread-agitation-says-will-oppose-bjps-israel-model-3915855.html
Article 35A: Is the perceived threat to special status realigning politics in Kashmir?Rayan Naqash
https://scroll.in/article/846678/article-35a-is-the-perceived-threat-to-special-status-realigning-politics-in-kashmir
Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released at: 8:50 PM)
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