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Evening NEWS DIGEST
08 Aug 2017: 15 Zulqida 1438: Vol: 8, No:251
INDIA
Babri Masjid case: UP Shia Wakf Board files affidavit in SC saying Ram Temple can be built at disputed site, mosque can come up at a distance
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/babri-dispute-shia-wakf-board-says-ram-temple-can-be-built-at-disputed-site-mosque-at-a-distance/story-Te9ytfzjvm8tBI9GYmTHwK.html
New Delhi: Shia Wakf Board joined the Ram Mandir-Babri Masjid tussle, filing an affidavit at the Supreme Court where it suggested the temple be built at the disputed site and the mosque be located at a reasonable distance in a Muslim-dominated area.The case is in court with the Muslim side being represented by the Sunni and Shia Waqf Boards. Shia board said, in an affidavit filed recently, the Sunni board has no stake in the case since the mosque was a Shia property. “And only Shia central Waqf board, UP, is entitled to negotiate and arrive at a peaceful settlement with other remaining stake holders,” it said.The affidavit said that proximity of “place of worships should be avoided in as much as both denominations using loudspeakers tend to disturb religious performance of each other often leading to conflicts and acrimony”.“And to bring a quietus to the issue, masjid can be located in a Muslim-dominated area at a reasonable distance from the most revered place of birth of Ram.”Affidavit follows on a decision by the Shia board late last month to stake claim to the Ayodhya site. “Board has authorised me to pursue the case, which we lost in 1945 to Sunni Waqf Board because of sloppy manner in which it was dealt by our then council,” Shia Waqf Board chief Waseem Rizvi told HT.In its affidavit, the board made it clear that it favours a peaceful solution to the dispute.hindustantimes
'Mosque can be built at a reasonable distance from Ram Janmabhoomi,' claims UP Shia Wakf Board
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/mosque-can-be-built-at-a-reasonable-distance-from-ram-janmabhoomi-says-shia-wakf-board/articleshow/59969990.cms
Babri: Mosque can be built at distance, says Shia Board
http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/babri-masjid-case-mosque-can-be-built-at-a-distance-says-shia-board-1734980
Babri Masjid-Ram Mandir issue: Shia Waqf board files affidavit on mosque location in Supreme Court
http://www.firstpost.com/india/babri-masjid-ram-mandir-issue-shia-waqf-board-files-affidavit-on-mosque-location-in-supreme-court-3907075.html
SC constitutes bench to hear Ayodhya dispute over ownership of Ram temple-Babri masjid land
http://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/sc-constitutes-bench-to-hear-ayodhya-dispute-over-ownership-of-ram-temple-babri-masjid-land/797960/
Supreme Court has constituted a 3-judge bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra to hear a batch of petitions challenging the Allahabad High Court verdict in the Ayodhya land dispute case from August 11. The bench, whose other members are justices Ashok Bhushan and Abdul Nazeer, would adjudicate the dispute over ownership of Ram temple-Babri masjid land. Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court had in 2010 ruled a three-way division of the disputed 2.77 acres area at Ram Janambhoomi-Babri masjid site in Ayodhya. The three-judge bench of the high court, by a 2:1 majority, had said the land be partitioned equally among three parties —Sunni Waqf Board, Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla. On July 21, a bench headed by Chief Justice JS Khehar had said that it would soon take a decision to list the matter for early hearing.PTI
SC seeks Centre’s reply on validity of Article 370, giving special status to J&K
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/sc-seeks-centres-reply-on-validity-of-special-status-to-j-k-4787470/
New Delhi: The Supreme Court today sought response from the Centre on a plea against a Delhi High Court order by which it had rejected a petition challenging validity of Article 370 of the Constitution giving special status to J&K . A bench headed by Chief Justice JS Khehar issued notice to the Centre and sought its reply within four weeks.The Delhi High Court had on April 11 this year rejected the plea challenging the validity of Article 370, saying nothing survives in it as the Supreme Court has already dismissed a petition on the issue.The petitioner in high court, Kumari Vijayalakshmi Jha, had claimed that the issue raised before the high court was different from the matter which was put before the apex court.She had contended that Article 370 was a temporary provision that had lapsed with the dissolution of the state’s Constituent Assembly in 1957.Petition had said that continuance of the temporary provision of Article 370 even after dissolution of the state’s Constituent Assembly and its Constitution which has never got the assent of the President of India or Parliament or the Govt of India, “amounts to fraud on the basic structure of our Constitution”.PTI
SC admits plea challenging special status of J&K
http://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/kashmir/supreme-court-admits-plea-challenging-special-status-of-jammu-and-kashmir/257028.html
Hearing on J&K’s Muslim minority status in SC today
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/hearing-on-jammu-kashmirs-muslim-minority-status-in-supreme-court-today/
Article 35A row: PDP joins ranks with opposition to counter ally BJP, separatists call for shutdown on Aug 12
http://www.indiatvnews.com/politics/national-article-35a-row-pdp-joins-ranks-with-opposition-to-counter-ally-bjp-separatists-call-for-shutdown-on-aug-12-395330
Srinagar:Rift between the PDP and BJP, ruling alliance partners in J&K , seems to have widened over the issue of Article 35A of the Constitution which empowers the state Govt to define “permanent residents” of the state and allow only state subjects to settle down and buy property there.PDP has joined ranks with opposition parties like National Conference and Congress to oppose BJP’s 'move' to abrogate Article 35A. A section of the saffron party has criticised the provision asserting that it encourages alienation, deepens the concept of a separate identity and creates a political gap between the state and the rest of India.Congress leader Karra, a former PDP leader who resigned as the MP from Srinagar, appealed to the people to realise that tinkering with Article 35-A could take away the right of state subject certificate, which otherwise, was protecting the distinct identity of the state. Ex-finance minister said that he had cautioned the PDP against allying with BJP. Congress leader said, "Now that CM Mehbooba Mufti has raised a warning against abrogation of Article 35-A, she actually has endorsed my stand and justified my moral ground for quitting the PDP."Mehbooba should have shown the "high moral ground" at time of "recobbling and renegotiating" the alliance with BJP after her father and CM Mufti Mohammad Sayeeds death, he said.Meanwhile, separatist leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and JKLF chief Yasin Malik, in a joint statement in Srinagar, called for a shutdown on August 12 to protest what they termed attempts to abrogate Article 35-A of the Constitution and other issues. indiatvnews
Abrogating Art 35 A will have severe consequences than Amarnath agitation: Farooq Abdullah
http://risingkashmir.com/news/abrogating-art-35-a-will-have-severe-consequences-than-amarnath-agitation-farooq-abdullah
Srinagar: NC chief Farooq Abdullah after chairing a meeting of opposition parties threatened of consequences more severe than Amarnath agitation if Article 35 A of the constitution is abrogated.Addressing a press conference after charing a meeting of opposition parties including Congress, CPI (M), Democratic Party Nationalist and Peoples Democratic Front, Abdullah said the abrogation of Article 35 A will have serious consequences in all 3 regions of the State - Kashmir, Ladakh and Jammu.He said if Article 35 A is abrogated, it would have an impact on the demogrphy of the State.RisingKashmir
SC rejects plea to make yoga compulsory in schools, says it is govt’s business
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/supreme-court-dismisses-plea-to-make-yoga-education-compulsory-in-schools-4787267/
New Delhi: Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition seeking to make yoga compulsory for school students from class 1 to 8 across the country, PTI reported. The plea also sought framing of a national yoga policy.Announcing its decision, the bench headed by Justice M B Lokur said only the Govt has the right to take decisions on such issues. “We are nobody to say what is to be taught in schools. It is none of our business. How can we direct that,” the bench said.The petition, which was filed by a Delhi BJP spokesperson and lawyer Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay and J C Seth, sought the Human Resources Development Ministry, NCERT, NCTE and CBSE to “provide standard textbooks of ‘yoga and health education’ for students of Class 1-8 keeping in spirit various fundamental rights such as right to life, education and equality.” It added it is the State’s obligation to ensure quality health facilities to all the citizens of the country, especially children. “State has an obligation to provide health facilities to all the citizens, especially to children and adolescents. In a welfare state, it is obligation of the State to ensure the creation and sustenance of conditions congenial to good health,” the plea said.Rejecting the petition, the bench added, “What is to be taught in schools is not a fundamental right.” indian express
Maharashtra Board drops Mughal, Western history from syllabi, claims it’s ‘irrelevant’
http://indianexpress.com/article/education/maharashtra-board-drops-mughal-western-history-from-syllabi-not-relevant-4786882/?utm_source=izooto&utm_medium=push_notification&utm_campaign=browser_push&utm_content=&utm_term=
Mumbai: History of Mughals and Western countries is irrelevant for Class VII and IX students of schools under the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary & Higher Secondary Education, claims the state education department and members of the History Subject Committee. The revised textbooks for these classes revolve around the Maratha empire and warrior king Shivaji, besides Indian politics post 1960. Members of the committee say the changes are not a “political decision” but an elaborate process involving subject experts and teachers. “The point of reference for Class VII is the Maratha empire, Maharashtra and India before and after Chhatrapati Shivaji. In Class IX, the point of reference is events impacting Indian political scenario,” said Sadanand More, head of the committee. Earlier, history textbooks comprised chapters on Mughal emperors and their contribution besides detailed history of events that impacted Western countries, such as the French Revolution, Greek philosophy, American War of Independence etc. All of this have now either been discarded or reduced to a few lines.More added, “Idea was to revise the syllabus to make it more Maharashtra-centric, to make it more relevant for students of the state board. We are from Maharashtra, we need to learn more about the history of this region. I don’t think there is anything wrong in that. Why is nobody pointing out the fact the Central board schools and those following ICSE curriculum have hardly a page on our state and just a few paragraphs on Shivaji. Students interested in opting for higher studies can learn about those topics later. It is not relevant right now.” The revised textbook has Shivaji as the focal point of medieval Indian history. His role, and those of his family and the Maratha generals have been expanded. The revised textbook has elaborated chapters on the 27-year-old struggle of the Marathas against Aurangzeb. While the old textbook titled the chapter on Shivaji as ‘People’s King’, the revised textbook has renamed it ‘An Ideal Ruler’. While the old textbook had just a mention of the Sant movement and the Warkaris, an elaborate sub-topic on the same has been added to the revised textbook.Class IX textbook now has events impacting Indian politics from 1960s and 2000. A teacher, Geeta Mishra from Thakur Vidya Mandir School and Junior College, said, “Mughal history was important, much of it has now been either omitted or shrinked into a few lines. Topics that were covered in 2 to 3 chapters have been merged into one, making it more lengthy.They have covered everything pertaining to Maharashtra. Reducing details on Mughal emperors, they have introduced topics dealing with Indian kings and queens not covered in the old textbooks.”Process to revise Class X textbook has been initiated. The book currently comprises world history. indianexpress
Mughals Are Out as Maharashtra History Textbooks Turn State-Centric
https://thewire.in/165360/maharashtra-education-board-removes-traces-mughals-history-textbooks/
Mughals are a lost chapter in the state board's textbooks
http://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/mumbai/cover-story/mughals-are-a-lost-chapter-in-the-state-boards-textbooks/amp_articleshow/59948525.cms
Minority status for Jamia Millia Islamia: Govt to withdraw support in court
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/minority-status-for-jamia-millia-islamia-govt-to-withdraw-support-in-court-4785614/lite/
The central Govt has decided to withdraw its earlier stand in court on Jamia Millia Islamia’s (JMI) minority status, Indian Express has learnt. HRD Ministry will file a fresh affidavit in the writ petitions pending with the Delhi High Court, stating that its support for the order of the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (NCMEI) on Feb.22, 2011, declaring JMI a religious minority institution, was an error in its understanding of the legal position. Ministry will also tell the court that JMI was never intended to be a minority institution as it was set up by an Act of Parliament, and is funded by the central Govt. As first reported by Indian Express on Jan.15, 2016, the Attorney General of India had advised HRD Ministry, then under Smriti Irani, that it was entitled to change its view in court and revert to the stand that JMI is not a minority institution, and that to respect the ruling of NCMEI was not in accordance with the law.A-G, who was Mukul Rohatgi then, had further said that the Govt relies on the Supreme Court’s decision in Azeez Basha Vs Union of India case of 1968 to support the change in its stand. Indian Express
JMI's Minority Status: Student Body SIO Condemns 'Centre's Retraction'
http://www.ndtv.com/education/jamia-millia-islamia-jmi-minority-status-student-body-condemns-centres-retraction-1734665
New Delhi:According to reports emerged in some sections of media today, central university Jamia Millia Islamia will no longer be a minority institution. Centre Govt is set to inform the Delhi High Court that it never intended for Jamia to be a minority institution and has decided to withdraw its earlier stand on the central university's minority status. Responding to the latest developments, Nahas Mala, president of Students Islamic Organisation (SIO) of India has stated that the controversy regarding Jamia Millia Islamia's minority status is ill founded and wrongly taken. According to SIO, NCMEI has adjudicated and held that "Jamia was founded by Muslims for the benefit of Muslims and it never lost its identity as a Muslim minority educational institution", and was, therefore, "covered under Article 30(1)... read with Section 2(g) of National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions Act". Therefore, SIO demanded entitlement of the community to "establish" and "administer" educational institutions of its choice under Article 30 of constitution."The retraction of central Govt from its earlier stand on the Minority status of JMI amounts to the denial of historical facts. It went further to make similar remarks regarding the character of JMI tantamount to denying its minority status," said a statement from SIO.The statement also said that SIO firmly believes and asserts that the character of JMI cannot be determined unless the specific historical context of their establishment istaken into consideration. Mala added that, SIO has complete faith in the judiciary and hope that the SC will adjudicate the matter taking into consideration the right of minorities guaranteed under chapter 30 of our constitution and the specific historical context of the establishment of these institutions. ndtv
Withdrawing minority status of Jamia is like robbing a community of its valuables, say its students
http://twocircles.net/2017aug07/414591.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Twocirclesnet-IndianMuslim+%28TwoCircles.net+-+Indian+Muslim+News%29
Gujarat Rajya Sabha poll live: Counting halted, Congress approaches EC seeking cancellation of 2 party MLAs’votes
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/rajya-sabha-election-live-updates-bjp-s-amit-shah-congress-ahmed-patel-in-battle-for-3-gujarat-seats/story-v1yD0IKJzbZJhh77d2M2wN.html
Ahmedabad: BJP’s Amit Shah and Smriti Irani are set to be elected to the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat in polling on Tuesday, which has become a high-stakes battle for Congress party’s Ahmed Patel, thanks to infighting and resignations.Patel remained confident of victory, saying that “numbers favoured the Congress”.Gujarat has three vacancies and the ruling BJP has fielded party chief Amit Shah, Union minister Smriti Irani and Congress turncoat Balwantsinh Rajput. Of them, two are set to win, given the BJP’s strength of 122 lawmakers in the assembly. For 3rd seat, Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s political secretary Patel is up against Rajput. Congress spokespersons Randeep Surjewala and RPN Singh approach Election Commission seeking that votes of two party MLAs, who claimed to have voted for the BJP nominees, be declared invalid. Congress complained EC seeking to invalidate 2 votes of its MLAs, who claimed to have voted for the BJP nominees. Congress’ complaint sent to Central Election Commission in Delhi. Counting will begin once reply is received, reports ANI.
Gujarat Rajya Sabha Election 2017 LIVE: Counting delayed after Congress demands disqualification of two MLAs
http://www.firstpost.com/politics/gujarat-rajya-sabha-election-2017-live-updates-ahmed-patel-not-winning-polls-says-shankersinh-vaghela-3905867.html
Cow as national animal?Govt says no proposal received
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/cow-as-national-animal-govt-says-no-proposal-received-yet/story-gvXvROzdJ4JE5tEztVOXTL.html
New Delhi: Govt has received no proposal to declare the cow as India’s national animal, the Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.“No such proposal or demand has been received in the ministry of home affairs,” minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju said in a written reply.He was replying to a question on whether the Govt has received any proposal or there has been a demand in various parts of the country to declare the cow as national animal.However, Rijiju said, under the distribution of legislative powers between the Union of India and states under Article 246(3) of the Constitution, the preservation of cattle is a matter on which the legislature of the state has exclusive powers to legislate.PTI
Doklam standoff: China didn’t respond to India’s call for withdrawal of troops, says source
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/doklam-standoff-china-didn-t-respond-to-india-s-call-for-withdrawal-of-troops-says-source/story-VQWtJMgG47HIMtDmRl4S4J.html
New Delhi:India’s diplomatic efforts to end a 7-week military standoff with China have hit a roadblock, people briefed on the talks said, prompting Chinese state-run media to trumpet rhetoric of “unavoidable countermeasures” on the unmarked border. China has insisted that India unilaterally withdraw its troops from the remote Doklam plateau claimed by both Beijing and Indian ally Bhutan.But China did not respond to India’s suggestion that it move its troops back 250 metres in return, said one source with close ties to PM Narendra Modi’s Govt . In the low-key diplomatic manoeuvres that took place outside the public eye, the Chinese countered with an offer to move back 100 metres, so long as they received clearance from top Govt officials. But there has been no comeback since, except for China’s mounting warnings of an escalation in the region, which it calls Donglang (Doklam).“It is a logjam, there is no movement at all now,” said a second source with knowledge of the talks.In Beijing, China’s foreign ministry, which has repeatedly urged India to withdraw, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the state of talks.Reuters
Doklam standoff: Beijing will counter India if it ignores warning, says Chinese media
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/doklam-sikkim-china-india-bhutan-global-times-4787436/
To end Doklam stand-off, China hints at taking 'action'
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/doklam-standoff-war-remains-an-option-says-china/article19450626.ece?homepage=true
Delhi being as naive as Nehru govt in 1962: China daily
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/delhi-being-as-naive-as-nehru-Govt -in-1962-china-daily-in-video-4786964/
New Delhi:Calling New Delhi as “naive” now as the Jawaharlal Nehru Govt was in 1962, Hu Xijin, editor-in-chief of China’s state-run newspaper Global Times, on Monday said, “New Delhi isn’t preparing for the worst but rather is teaching Indian citizens to just hope for the best. Is the Indian Govt like a church leading its citizens in prayer?” In a 1-minute-42-second video posted on the Global Times website on Monday evening, Hu said, “If India keeps ignoring China’s warnings, war is inevitable.”Govt officials in New Delhi rejected such “war-mongering” by Global Times editor-in-chief and said that they do not wish to comment on any provocative statements at a time “diplomats are talking” to address the standoff over Doklam. Hu, who releases short videos on Global Times website almost every week, referred to Indian media reports that despite all the angry rhetoric, Indian security authorities are reasonably sure China wouldn’t risk starting a war, not even a small scale military operation. Indianexpress
Nepal won’t take any sides in India-China standoff: Deputy PM Krishna Bahadur Mahara
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/doklam-sikkim-india-china-border-tensions-nepal-bhutan-4787819/
Kathmandu :Amid the ongoing standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in Doklam area in Sikkim sector, Nepal’s Deputy Prime Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara made it clear that his country will not take any sides in the border standoff between India and China. Mahara, who is also the Foreign Minister, said Nepal wants India and China to use ‘peaceful diplomatic means’ to resolve the issue. “Nepal will not get dragged into this or that side in the border dispute,” he said on Monday. indianexpress
Why Kashmiris want a fair probe into the killings of Pandits, prosecution of guilty: Indian Express
http://indianexpress.com/article/explained/why-kashmiris-want-a-fair-probe-into-the-killings-of-pandits-prosecution-of-guilty-4786855/
When the Supreme Court last month rejected a petition seeking the reopening and investigation of the killings of several hundred Kashmiri Pandits by militants since the beginning of the insurgency in Kashmir, a chance was missed to dispense long-awaited justice to the victims. Such a probe could have worked towards ascertaining the facts, identifying and prosecuting the perpetrators of the violence against the Kashmiri Pandits, and help to begin a process of reconciliation in Kashmiri society.The petition, filed by Kashmiri Pandit organisation Roots in Kashmir, had sought the “transfer of all the FIRs/cases pertaining to murders of Kashmiri Pandits” out of Jammu & Kashmir, and their handling by “some other independent investigating agency like CBI or NIA… as till date, J&K Police has failed miserably to make any progress in hundreds of FIRs lying pending with them for more than 26 years”. A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India JS Khehar and Justice D Y Chandrachud dismissed the plea, saying that 27 years had passed since the Pandit exodus from the Valley, and evidence “is unlikely to be available”.The festering wound of Pandit migration has remained a reason why even genuine political demands of Kashmiri Muslims continue to be viewed through a communal prism.Reacting to the dismissal of the petition, JK Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS), a well-known Kashmiri human rights organisation, said in a statement that the “Supreme Court order is a complete departure from established law that ‘crime never dies’, and there exists no time limitation for justice under Indian and international law with regard to serious crimes such as murder”.The “killings of Kashmiri Pandits, other minorities and all violence in J&K have never been fairly and credibly investigated. Thus far, J&K has faced widespread, systematic and systemic violence, largely at the hands of the Indian State,” the JKCCS statement said. “To date, despite presence of evidence, virtually no prosecutions have been conducted against armed forces personnel in civilian courts.”JKCCS also said that the (SC) “order is based, it appears, on an absolutely unsubstantiated presumption that no evidence is likely to be available after the passage of time”. A report compiled by the J&K Police in 2008 on the basis of a survey of its own cases revealed that 1989 onwards, militants had killed 209 Kashmiri Pandits — 109 of them in 1990 alone. One hundred and forty cases were registered at police stations across the Valley, chargesheets had been filed in 24 cases, while in 115, the perpetrators were yet to be identified. 31 local militants had been booked in the 24 cases of killings of Pandits in which chargesheets had been filed, police said.
Funding case: NIA quizzes Hurriyat leader Geelani’s sons
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/terror-funding-case-nia-quizzes-hurriyat-leader-geelani-s-sons/story-VzNdV1SUGSA0DPxaA3zpDP.html
New Delhi: NIA on Tuesday questioned hardline Hurriyat chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s sons, Naeem and Naseem, as part of its probe into a money trail to expose how Pakistan sent cash to separatists for stoking unrest in the Kashmir Valley.NIA officials said the Geelani brothers arrived at the NIA HQRS here around 11am after evading the counter-terror agency’s earlier summons.NIA has arrested eight separatist leaders in connection with its probe into terror funding from Pakistan and militant groups based there.The arrested separatists include Shabir Shah and Altaf Ahmad Shah, who is Geelani’s son-in-law. hindustantimes
IS factions may dominate militancy in Kashmir soon:Intelligence officials
http://www.livemint.com/Politics/8C82QosvoSkSHsqK7qLZoN/Islamic-State-factions-may-dominate-militancy-in-Kashmir-so.html
New Delhi: Intelligence officials have warned that militancy in Kashmir could become more radical and aggressive by 2019 as new anti-Indian organizations take centre stage in the troubled valley.Established groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Hizbul Mujahideen currently spearhead militancy in Kashmir, engaging security forces in gunbattles. Intelligence units in the state claim that emergent Islamic State factions will soon dominate the valley.“It is already known that the Islamic State has made inroads into Kashmir. However, in the next one or two years militancy in Kashmir will change to hardcore radicalization of the youth with these groups of militants aiming at internationalizing Kashmir issue,” said a senior intelligence officer, who did not wish to be named. livemint
UP ATS frees Deoband students after held; Bangla suspect taken to Lucknow: newindianexpress
http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2017/aug/07/uttar-pradesh-ats-frees-deoband-students-detained-after-tip-off-by-bangla-terror-suspect-1639818.html
Lucknow: UP ATS freed 5 youth—3 from Deoband and two from Shamli—after they failed to find suspected terror links after the preliminary inquiry.5 were detained on Sunday based on a tip off given by Bangladeshi terror suspect Abdullah- Al- Mamon, who was arrested from Kutesara village in Muzaffarnagar district. He was brought to Lucknow on transit remand to be further grilled on Monday. While the 5 were suspected to be influenced by Islamic organisations propagating Jihad, it could be corroborated during their interrogation. However, Abdullah-Al-Mamon, who was also nabbed in an early Sunday raid on a local mosque in Muzaffarnagar, had tried to pursue Islamic studies at Deoband soon after reaching UP in 2011.He acquired a fake adhaar card made through a tout in Bongaigaon, Assam before shifting base.Abdullah was appointed cleric of a local mosque in Ambehta Sheikh village in Deoband but shifted to a mosque in Kutesara village in June as local failed to understand his dialect.Believed to be a member of Ansarullah Bangla, an extremist organization active in Bangladesh, Abdullah used to help illegal Bangladeshi immigrants procure IDs such as Adhaar card."He spent over 6 years in the 2 districts and after good ties with sarpanch and Pradhan of some villages, was able to generate IDs. We have noted down their names ", said IG, ATS, Aseem Arun.However, the team is still trying to ascertain how he succeeded in getting the documents verified.
Deoband: 5 suspects released, Bangla-linked suspect taken to Lucknow
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/meerut/bangla-linked-terror-suspect-taken-to-lucknow-5-others-released/articleshow/59958558.cms
3 arrested in suspected terror funding case in Bihar
http://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/three-arrested-in-suspected-terror-funding-case-in-bihar/story-qMvdawnkdUya5Bo7Vc9jsL.html
Motihari: Police on Monday claimed to have arrested 1 more person allegedly involved in a suspected terror funding case in north Bihar’s East Champaran district.East Champaran SP, Upendra Sharma said suspect Mohammad Akhlaq was arrested on Sunday night from Mahesha village in Runnisaidpur police station area of neighbouring Sitamarhi district. Police had earlier arrested 2 persons in East Champaran district on Saturday in connection with the case and recovered chequebooks of different nationalised banks from their possession. Sharma said the arrested persons were being interrogated to find out if they were involved in a terror funding racket or just engaged in making money by illegal means.Raids were on to arrest another suspect Mohammad Islam, a teacher in a Govt primary school at Chiraiya in East Champaran, he said.Zpolice had swung into action after a cheque for Rs 98.5 lakh, deposited in the Uttar Bihar Gramin Bank’s branch at East Champaran district HQRS town of Motihari, was found to be fake. The cheque was deposited on Aug.1 by a farmer, Motilal Chaudhary of Turkauliya village in the district.The cheque had details of PNB, Baramulla (J&K) as drawee branch and Amazon Trading Company as issuing authority.Sharma said during interrogation, Chaudhary revealed that Asif Iqbal of Chiraiya had handed over to him the cheque with a promise to give him Rs 10 lakh if it was encashed. Iqbal, who was later arrested from near India-Nepal border, said he was given the cheque by Akhlaq, the police added. Akhlaq told the police that he was handed over the cheque by Mohammad Haroon of Delhi, to whom he was introduced by Islam, Sharma added.HT
Mumbai: No terror angle say police after 3 arrested with explosives, detonators
http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/no-terror-angle-say-police-after-3-arrested-with-explosives-detonators-1734702
Mumbai: In a raid conducted jointly by anti-terror agencies and Railway Police, suspected explosive materials and detonators have been found in the Kausa area of Mumbra in Thane district. 9 detonators have also been seized in the raid.Police have ruled out any terror angle in the case though after an investigation. Police say the arrested trio has criminal records. One of the accused, Mahinsa Ganur, had a dispute with a man called Ismail Shaikh and to trap Shaikh the accused wanted to plant the explosives and detonators under a car parked at his premises. Shaikh has a business and deals with old cars. The explosives were acquired by the accused trio from a place called Reti Bunder in Dombivli suburb of Thane. According to the police, one of the accused Shah Alam Sheikh, a Railway Police Force informer, actually tipped off the police about the explosives and detonators after hatching the conspiracy. Railway Police got in touch with Thane Police and ATS. But after the recovery the police questioned Shah Alam and during questioning he revealed the details of the plot. Shah Alam had also told the police about the presence of RDX but when no RDX was found the police got suspicious about the whole thing, a source said. The explosives are used in nearby stone quarries and the accused hatched the plot as they wanted to blackmail Ismail Shaikh and get some money, police said.ndtv
Sexual abuse of boys: Shame, poor awareness behind under-reporting
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/sexual-abuse-of-boys-shame-poor-awareness-behind-under-reporting-4786889/
Recently, Mumbai Police twitter handle, which often tweets about crimes that are on the rise, posted: “Sexual abuse is not gender specific, then why not talk to all kids about this?”. The tweet carried the photograph of a boy with a caption: “Out of all reported cases of Child Sexual Abuse, more than half are males”.In the past few weeks, two separate cases of young boys being abused have come to light in the city. In the first case registered with the Powai police in July last week, two boys, aged 13 and 10, consumed rat poison dissolved in a soft drink on July 12. While the 10-year-old passed away the same day, the 13-year-old succumbed on July 25. The boy, who had been prohibited water because of his critical condition, told his mother he and his friend had been sexually abused when she agreed to give him some water. Powai police are still to arrest the accused.An officer investigating the case said: “In a lot of these cases, parents prefer not reporting the incident fearing it will tarnish the reputation of their children.”The same modus operandi was seen in the other case, in Andheri, where a 16-year-old was abused by 15 others over a year. There was a video recording of the act and the accused used it to blackmail the victim. There is also the case of Agnelo Valdaris (25), who allegedly died in police custody after he and three of his friends were allegedly stripped, tortured and forced to have oral sex with each other for 3 days. Officials in Govt hospitals believe sexual abuse of boys is reported less frequently than girls, because families are worried it strip the boy of his “manliness”. Social workers working with victims of child sexual abuse also said incidents involving boys do not come to fore immediately. “Initially, it starts as bullying by older boys and eventually, it leads to sexual abuse. But most victims do not talk about it even to their parents. Victims say they were scared of more bullying. In some cases, due to lack of sex education, they take time to understand it is sexual abuse,” said Vijay Doiphode, a social worker. Indian express
Modi govt to give wedding gift of Rs 51,000 to graduate Muslim women
http://www.abplive.in/india-news/modi-govt-to-give-wedding-gift-of-rs-51000-to-graduate-muslim-women-562328
New Delhi:In a recent development, Modi Govt has announced that it is soon going to give a wedding gift of Rs 51,000 to Muslim women who will obtain graduate degrees. The step has been taken in order to encourage the pursuit of higher education among Muslim women.The scheme has been christened Shaadi Shagun, which will provide amount only to those graduate Muslim girls who have already received MAEF scholarships earlier. Currently, a website is being put up by Maulana Azad Educational Foundation where all the details of the scheme would be made available. Step, taken by Maulana Azad Educational Foundation, will encourage the Muslim women to opt for higher studies. MAEF says the scheme has been tailored only for Muslim women and this will encourage them to complete their studies at the college or university level.Also, a meeting was held by MAEF recently which took important decisions regarding the scholarships offered to Muslim women. It was also decided that a sum of Rs 10,000 will be offered to Muslim girls studying in class 9th and 10th. Treasurer, Shakir Hussain Ansari said that the step taken by them will encourage women to pursue higher studies.ABPNews
16 Dalit, OBC, Muslim groups meet to plan Mayawati’s ‘ouster’
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/dalit-politics-uttar-pradesh-17-dalit-obc-muslim-groups-meet-to-plan-mayawati-bsp-ouster-bahujan-4785289/
New Delhi;In a significant indicator of major change in the Dalit politics of UP , as many as 16 outfits of Dalits, Muslims and OBCs, led mostly by former leaders of BSP, held a daylong meeting in Delhi Sunday to chalk out an agenda to “oust Mayawati” and dent her core “Bahujan” vote.These outfits, brought on a single platform by Mayawati’s ex-lieutenant Naseemuddin Siddiqui, formed a National Bahujan Alliance, and a Coordination Committee with ex BSP MP Pramod Kureel as convener. Kureel says he is “still in BSP but wants to oust Mayawati (as its leader)”.Mayawati, who resigned from Rajya Sabha last month saying she was not being allowed to speak on atrocities against Dalits, had expelled Siddiqui from BSP in May after the party suffered a crushing defeat in UP Assembly polls. There has been speculation about Siddiqui’s next step ever since. Sources close to Siddiqui, as well as some BSP MLAs, said that BJP has been in touch with them, even though they continued to have reservations about joining the saffron camp. And yet, timing and venue of Sunday’s meeting, Delhi’s Constitution Club when Parliament is in session, suggested a quickening pace of developments in Dalit politics.Among those who spoke at Sunday’s meeting were Suresh Mane, ex-BSP national general secretary who was expelled by Mayawati in June 2015; Ram Krishna Yadav, who entered Lok Sabha in 1989 as BSP’s first MP; Dalwara Singh, the younger brother of BSP founder Kanshi Ram; Salim Ansari, who was a BSP member of Rajya Sabha until July 2016; and Rajpal Yadav. All of them spoke against Mayawati. indianexpress
Centre dumps report giving Delhi govt a say in wakf properties, to set up new panel
http://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi-news/centre-dumps-report-giving-delhi-govt-a-say-in-wakf-properties-to-set-up-new-panel/story-uqVnyzpJhVpJpB9lKfFocP.html
New Delhi:NDA Govt will set up a new panel to decide on the ownership of 123 prime wakf properties in the national capital, rejecting a single-member panel’s recommendation that would have resulted in the AAP Govt getting a say in the matter.Additional solicitor general (ASG) Sanjay Jain has rejected “in toto” the report of a govt-appointed panel that had recommended that the Delhi wakf commissioner, appointed by the Delhi Govt , should take the final call on the ownership rights of these properties.The wakf properties were denotified by UPA regime in March 2014 — two months before the end of its tenure — and ownership rights transferred to the Delhi Wakf Board from the Union Govt .The one-member panel under retired judicial officer JR Aryan was appointed in May 2016 by the housing and urban affairs ministry to review the UPA Govt ’s decision.Govt sources said committee’s report had not gone down well with BJP’s ideological fountainhead, RSS, as in many cases, even when there was ample evidence that the wakf property had ceased to exist, or was being used for commercial purpose, the committee failed to give a specific recommendation of handing it back to the Govt . “RSS functionaries have met ministry officials to convey their unhappiness over the report,” a source said.The ASG has told the housing and urban affairs ministry, which had sought his opinion, to constitute a new committee to review UPA govt’s decision, a Govt source said.Located in prime real estate such as Connaught Place, Janpath, Ashoka Road, Lodhi Road, Pandara Road, Jungpura, Karol Bagh and Daryaganj, the properties are estimated to be worth crores.Before the then UPA govt’s denotification, the ownership rights of 61 of 123 properties vested with the Land and Development Office under the housing and urban affairs ministry, while those of 62 were with the Delhi Development Authority (DDA).
Chandigarh stalking: No media at police station as questions arise over probe
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/chandigarh-stalking-media-banned-from-sector-26-police-station-as-questions-grow/story-Nvv4e1l2cob0VkpiR7Jc5H.html
New Delhi:Chandigarh police banned media personnel on Tuesday from entering the Sector 26 police station which is in focus over the investigation into the alleged stalking of a DJ by two suspects, including the son of Haryana’s BJP president. Vikas Barala, and his friend Ashish Kumar, were accused of stalking and driving drunk after they allegedly followed the woman for kilometres and tried to stop her. The woman was eventually rescued by a police team.On Tuesday, police posted an armed constable at the gate of the Sector 26 station to stop mediapersons with cameras. Some cops reportedly misbehaved with journalists. hindustantimes
Old, unrelated images used to build a fake narrative and shame the victim of Chandigarh stalking incident
https://www.altnews.in/haryana-bjp-chiefs-son-stalks-a-woman-supporters-download-her-old-images-and-spread-a-fake-narrative/
BJP Spokesperson Shaina NC, Prashant Patel, a Supreme Court lawyer, Rupa Murthy, an author of fake news site postcard.news, and Vivek Bansal, a BJP social media volunteer, are among many who circulated an old picture of the victim who was allegedly stalked by Haryana BJP Chief Subhash Barala’s son Vikas Barala. They are circulating this picture with the narrative that the victim is with the accused Vikas Barala in the said picture. Prashant Patel tweeted, “So called victim daughter of IAS from Chandigarh with Vikas Barala. This story is as true as like Jasleen Kaur of Delhi & of Rohtak Sisters.” Many others picked up that image and made it viral on social media with the aforesaid narrative narrative.A Facebook page called ‘The Illogical Indian‘ put out the same picture with the title, “Chaste Girl with her Stalkers! #MediaHitJob?“.A Facebook page called “Narendra Modi – a hope for better India” even put out a comparison by juxtaposing the accused’s picture with the image of the victim and her friends. Yet, something which was screamingly obvious to the naked eye, that the accused Vikas Barala is not in the picture did not seem obvious to these folks.Alt News spoke to the victim and she stated that the image is many years old and the accused Vikas Barala is not present in the image. An old unrelated image was yet again used for victim shaming and spreading a false narrative. altnews
2 types of Rs 500 notes? Congress calls it ‘scam of century’, disrupts RS
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/biggest-scam-of-the-century-says-congress-over-2-types-of-rs-500-notes-disrupts-rajya-sabha/story-M9f9h2bbDhihzoFFmSlIZN.html
New Delhi:Rajya Sabha saw four adjournments within its first hour of proceedings on Tuesday as Congress, with support from the Trinamool Congress and the JDU, created a ruckus over the printing of two kinds of 500 and 2000-rupee notes, calling it the “biggest scam of this century”.Slogan-shouting Congress members trooped into the well even as Leader of the House and finance minister Arun Jaitley said the opposition party has been raising “frivolous” issues without giving notices to stall Zero Hour proceedings.JD(U)’s Sharad Yadav, who has been reportedly uneasy since his party aligned with the BJP to form a Govt in Bihar, sided with the opposition and showed enlarged copies of differently sized 500 rupee notes.“I can give signed copies” of the notes, he said as treasury benches countered his contention which was earlier raised by Kapil Sibal of the Congress. Yadav said no country in the world has different sized currency notes. “One is big, one is small,” he said. Other members, including Trinamool’s Derek O’Brien also displayed the new 500 rupee notes issued after demonetisation to show the different sizes. He first offered to submit the notes to Jaitley for scrutiny and then walked up to him to explain to him the difference. Hindustantimes
Justice Dipak Misra to take over Jagdish Singh Khekar as CJI: Law Ministry
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/justice-dipak-misra-to-take-over-jagdish-singh-khekar-as-cji-chief-justice-of-india-law-ministry-4787900/
New Delhi;Justice Dipak Misra will take over Justice Jagdish Singh Khekar as the next Chief Justice of India, the Law Ministry announced on Tuesday. Khekar will be retiring on August 27. An official notification announcing 63-year-old Misra’s appointment was issued by the Law Ministry on Tuesday evening.Misra is one of the three judges on the Supreme Court bench which will begin hearing in the Ayodhya case on August 11. indianexpress
WORLD
WikiLeaks: Riyadh Flirts with Tel Aviv through normalization
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20170808-wikileaks-riyadh-flirts-with-tel-aviv-through-normalization/
A “highly classified” press release by the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which was published by WikiLeaks, reveals the level of rapprochement between Riyadh and Tel Aviv. Saudi Arabia initiated discussions on the issue of normalization with Israel and the 2002 Saudi peace initiative that was adopted by the Arab League at the Beirut Summit in the same year. This was followed by a media propaganda in 2006, the year in which influential people in Saudi Arabia started speaking out that Israel was no longer among the enemies of the United States, but was the closest to an unofficial ally. This discourse has developed and turned into Saudi initiatives to establish ties between the two countries in 2008. Since that date, the effectiveness of the ties between Tel Aviv and Riyadh and the support of the rapprochement between the two are clearly noticed. WikiLeaks documents added some credibility to what Saudis saw as “talk without evidence,” whether regarding the Saudi relations with Israel or other issues. But what is new in the Saudi – Israeli relations is that Riyadh has launched a new phase of rapprochement with Israel, but not at the intelligence and security level. In one of the telegrams, dated 27 April, 2005, which was sent by the Under Secretary of State for Economic and Cultural Affairs to the Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs, regarding the receipt of a telegram from the Head of the Cabinet of the PM of Saudi Arabia, to clarify the Saudi dealings with Israeli companies, the Saudi Under Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs referred to the Decision of the Saudi Cabinet No. 5 of 13 June, 1995. middleeastmonitor
Iran voices support for Hamas and positions of Haniyeh
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20170808-iran-voices-support-for-hamas-and-positions-of-ismail-haniyeh/
A senior international affairs adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has voiced support for Hamas and the positions of Ismail Haniyeh, the movement’s leader, Shehab.ps reported on Monday.Ali Akbar Velayati made his comments as a Hamas delegation visited Tehran as official guests to take part in the inauguration ceremonies for Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. He stressed that Iranian policy is still to support “the oppressed Palestinian people and their resistance.”Pointing out that the Israeli occupation had “clearly” contributed to the crises across the region, Velayati noted that it is an enemy that “exists on the division among the Arab and Islamic nations.” The head of the Hamas delegation and member of the movement’s political bureau, Izzat Al-Reshiq, spoke about the latest developments in Palestine, Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque. He insisted that the Palestinians are resisting the Israeli occupation on behalf of the Muslim Ummah.Al-Reshiq thanked Iran for its support for the Palestinian cause and emphasised the importance of the role of the Arab and Islamic states in supporting the resistance and working toward ending the Israeli occupation of Palestine. middleeastmonitor
Abbas & King Abdullah agree to set up Al-Aqsa committee
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20170808-abbas-and-king-abdullah-agree-to-set-up-al-aqsa-committee/
Mahmoud Abbas and Jordan’s King Abdullah agreed on Monday to establish a follow-up committee regarding Israeli violations at Al-Aqsa Mosque, Quds Net has reported. The Palestinian Authority President met with Jordanian monarch in Ramallah. According to PA Foreign Minister Riyadh Al-Maliki, Abbas and King Abdullah agreed to form a “joint crisis committee” to evaluate the past and expected Israeli violations in Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque. The meeting between the two was “important,” he added, as Israel attempts to change the status quo at the Noble Sanctuary. middleeastmonitor
Amnesty: Israel's ban on Al Jazeera a 'brazen attack'
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/08/amnesty-israel-ban-al-jazeera-brazen-attack-170808040251229.html
Israel's decision to shut down Al Jazeera's operations in Jerusalem sends a "chilling message that Israeli authorities will not tolerate critical coverage", Amnesty International has said. "This is a brazen attack on media freedom in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories," Magdalena Mughrabi, Amnesty's deputy Middle East and North Africa director, said in a statement on Monday.The sharp criticism came a day after Ayoub Kara, Israel's communications minister, proposed closing Al Jazeera's office in Jerusalem, revoking press credentials of the network's Arabic and English journalists there and shutting down Al Jazeera's cable and satellite transmissions."Al Jazeera denounces this decision made by a state that claims to be 'the only democratic state in the Middle East'," the network said in a statement, adding that Kara's reasons used to justify such a move were "odd and biased".Amnesty said Israel "joins a host of other countries in the region, including Saudi Arabia, which have demanded the channel's closure in the wake of a dispute between Gulf countries and Qatar". aljazeera
Israel’s plans to close Al Jazeera nothing more than ‘ink on paper’: middleeastmonitor
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20170807-israels-plans-to-close-al-jazeera-nothing-more-than-ink-on-paper/
Al Jazeera continues to operate in Israel despite reports that Israel has closed the station down, Haaretz has reported. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu had praised Minister of Communications Ayoub Kara announcement yesterday that Israel plans to revoke media credentials of Al Jazeera journalists and close the network’s office in Jerusalem. However, the newspaper said this plan was nothing more than “ink on paper”. Decision to revoke the journalists’ credentials would be a transgression of powers on the part of the minister. In order for this step to be taken, the security services will have to make a recommendation to abolish press permits.
Turkey and Qatar carry out joint military exercises
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/08/turkey-qatar-carry-joint-military-exercises-170808092759503.html
Turkish and Qatari navies have carried out a joint exercise in the Gulf Arab country, in a sign of growing military ties between the 2 nations.Hundreds of troops from both sides participated in the exercise, dubbed Iron Shield, on Monday.The Qatari military said the exercise was aimed at exchanging information, training senior military officials, and improving coordination between the two forces to boost security.In addition to the naval drill, Qatari and Turkish infantry and artillery forces took part in a ground training exercise. aljazeera
UN sees early warning signs of genocide in CAR
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/08/sees-early-warning-signs-genocide-car-170807215828039.html
Renewed clashes in the Central African Republic (CAR) are early warning signs of genocide, the UN aid chief said on Monday, calling for more troops and police to beef up the UN peacekeeping mission in the strife-torn country.Some 180,000 people have been driven from their homes this year, bringing the total number of displaced in the CAR to well over half a million, said Stephen O'Brien."The early warning signs of genocide are there," O'Brien told a UN meeting following his recent trip to the CAR and the Democratic Republic of Congo. "We must act now, not pare down the UN's effort, and pray we don't live to regret it." aljazeera
Taliban deny cooperating with IS in Afghan Attack:Reuters
http://www.news18.com/news/world/taliban-deny-cooperating-with-islamic-state-in-afghan-attack-1485365.html
Kabul: Taliban rejected reports they used foreign fighters and cooperated with Islamic State in fighting at a remote village in northern Afghanistan this weekend where officials said dozens of local police and civilians were killed.The Taliban, fighting to install sharia in Afghanistan and drive out foreign forces, said the claims were intended to discredit it. The movement sees Islamic State, which is fighting to create a global caliphate, as a hostile force.However, Afghan Govt officials quoted villagers as saying as many as 600 fighters, who appeared to include both Taliban and Islamic State militants, had overrun Mirza Olang village in the northern province of Sar-e Pul on Saturday.They said that many of the fighters appeared to be foreigners, speaking Turkmen, Uzbek and Punjabi, a language spoken in the Punjab region of Pakistan."Afghan Govt and its foreign masters are making false claims that we are working with Daesh (Islamic State) just to discredit us in the local community," one Taliban commander said.Zabihullah Amani, a spokesman for the provincial governor, said that contact with the village was difficult, in part because fighters had been going house to house confiscating mobile telephones.Taliban said a force led by a commander named Ghazanfar had staged the attack and had killed 28 local police members but they denied using foreigners or cooperating with Islamic State.A senior Taliban member said the fighters were Uzbeks, but he did not say whether they were part of Afghanistan's substantial Uzbek minority or from Uzbekistan itself."We don't have Arabs, Turkmen or Pakistanis in that area. Only the Uzbek mujahideen took part in the fighting," he said.Afghan officials say that villagers reported exceptionally brutal treatment in the Mirza Olang attack, including beheadings and victims being thrown off a cliff. Taliban denied such killings."Our fighters didn't behead them but it's possible they were killed in fighting," said one senior Taliban member.
Pak Election Body Asks Nawaz Sharif's Party To Appoint His Replacement
http://www.ndtv.com/world-news/pak-election-commission-asks-pml-n-to-appoint-new-chief-in-nawaz-sharifs-place-1735097
Islamabad: Pakistan's Election Commission today issued a notice to the ruling PML-N asking it to appoint a new leader to replace former PM Nawaz Sharif as its chief.Mr Sharif stepped down on July 28 after the Supreme Court disqualified him for not disclosing his assets. After the verdict, he ceased to be a member of parliament.He, however, continued as the president of PML-N.Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) through the notice told the PML-N that Mr Sharif cannot lead the party after disqualification under the Political Parties Order 2002.The ECP also referred to the constitution of PML-N which mandates that the party would appoint its new chief within one week. It asked the PML-N to elect a new president and inform the election commission.NDTV
Pakistan ruling party drops plans for ex-PM's brother to replace him: sources
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pakistan-politics-idUSKBN1AO1I3
LAHORE:The brother of ousted Pakistani leader Nawaz Sharif will not contest a parliamentary by-election for the vacant seat, party sources said on Tuesday, effectively scuttling previous plans for him to take over as PM in September."Shahbaz will definitely not contest for NA 120," said one of Shahbaz's aides in Lahore, referring to the National Assembly seat left vacant by Nawaz.A senior PML-N figure in Lahore confirmed that the CM would not be contesting the seat, a move likely to leave Abbasi in charge until the next general elections, likely in mid-2018.Reuters
Israel pushing Palestinians from Jerusalem: Rights NGO
http://aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/israel-pushing-palestinians-from-jerusalem-rights-ngo/879788
Jerusalem: Israel is pushing Jerusalem’s Palestinian residents to leave their homes through a policy of systematic transfer that violates international law, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Tuesday.In a new report, New York-based rights NGO said the frequent revocation of Palestinians’ residency permits -- in addition to home demolitions and restrictions on Palestinian construction in the city -- had served to increase the number of illegally-built Jewish settlements in occupied East Jerusalem.“Israel is restricting growth of the occupied Palestinian population,” the report states. “This reality reflects the Israeli Govt ’s goal of maintaining a solid Jewish majority in the city.”
Hafiz Saeed's JuD seeks to enter political space, launches new party to make Pak 'real Islamic state'
http://www.firstpost.com/world/hafiz-saeeds-jud-seeks-to-enter-political-space-launches-new-party-to-make-pakistan-real-islamic-state-3905565.html
Islamabad: Pakistan's banned militant outfit Jamaat-ud-Dawa today launched a political party, days after authorities extended its chief Hafiz Saeed's "house arrest" for two months fearing threat to public order. Saifullah Khalid, closely linked to Saeed, announced the formation of 'Milli Muslim League' in Islamabad following weeks of campaign in Punjab's provincial capital Lahore."We would soon file application with Election Commission of Pakistan for its registration," Khalid, who claimed to be the president of the new party, said. Khalid said the new party will strive to make Pakistan a "real Islamic state" and demanded the immediate release of Saeed, who is under "house arrest" since Jan. PTI
UN warns of more evacuations amid fighting in Iraq
http://aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/un-warns-of-more-evacuations-amid-fighting-in-iraq/879896
Geneva:UN's humanitarian aid coordinator for Iraq on Tuesday warned of major evacuations due to three possible additional military operations against Daesh-held areas of the country. The deputy special representative of the United Nations' Assistance Mission for Iraq, Lise Grande, told reporters in Geneva that, after Mosul, the UN expected more operations in Tal Afar, Hawija and Anbar provinces."We think that by the end of these military operations, several hundred more people are expected to be displaced," she said.Grande said almost 956,000 people had been displaced from Mosul during to nine months of fighting. The majority -- almost 711,000 -- remained displaced, even after the fight to push Daesh from the northern city. Anadolu agency
Iran says arrested 27 IS linked militants, foiled attacks
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/iran-says-arrested-27-islamic-state-linked-militants-foiled-attacks/story-tdigxhtYmQb1SKL3hfBWPK.html
Tehran: Iran’s intelligence ministry says its forces have detained 27 militants linked to the Islamic State group who planned to carry out terrorist operations in religious cities inside the country. Ministry says Monday in a statement on its website, vaja.ir, that they were identified during an exchange of intelligence with one of the regional services, ahead of President Hassan Rouhani’s inauguration. Report did not say which country Iran exchanged the intelligence with, or mention where they were arrested.AP
FLASH: NEWS & VIEWS
Beyond Jamia: Under what conditions, which educational institutions need special protection?Pratap Bhanu Mehta
http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/beyond-jamia-institution-article-30-constitutional-rights-pratap-bhanu-mehta-4786792/
Red terror or saffron shock in Kerala?M.B. Rajesh
http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/red-terror-or-saffron-shock-in-kerala-bjp-sangh-parivar-rss-cpi-m-arun-jaitley-4786803/
Centre all set to withdraw Jamia's minority status. Is this in continuation with saffronisation?
http://www.catchnews.com/education-news/centre-all-set-to-withdraw-jamia-s-minority-status-is-this-in-continuation-with-saffronisation-76482.html
The man who coined the slogan ‘Quit India’: Remembering Yusuf Meherally: Aarefa Johari
https://amp.scroll.in/article/846450/who-coined-the-slogan-quit-india-it-wasnt-gandhi
Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released at: 7:30 PM)
