NEWS DIGEST, MID-DAY
03 June 2018:18 Ramazan 1439: Vol:10, No:36
INDIA
Assam Govt plans to drop names of 4 million largely Muslim citizens from final NRC, says AIUDF; Congress also sniffs conspiracy in it
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/assam-congress-aiudf-sniff-drive-to-strike-linguistic-and-religious-minorities-off-nrc/article24071871.ece
Guwahati:Congress and AIUDF have sniffed a drive by BJP-led Govt in Assam and officials to strike the names of millions of people belonging to religious and linguistic communities off the Supreme Court-monitored National Register of Citizens (NRC). The second and final draft is scheduled to be published by June 30. With less than a month to go for the final draft, AIUDF has accused the BJP-led Govt of planning to drop about 4 million minorities from the final draft. Congress has made a similar allegation while saying the State NRC authority has been “using any possible excuse to try and exclude many genuine Indian citizens from the NRC”. In a letter to State NRC Coordinator Prateek Hajela on Saturday, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) cited a few cases of harassment to point out how the State NRC authority has suggested non-inclusion of certain names by sending a list to NRC seva kendras that are processing documents related to citizenship of applicants and members of their families.Terming the list sent to seva kendras as questionable, CLP cited ‘targeted’ names. “There are sufficient prima facie indications that there is a concerted drive to exclude bona-fide citizens, especially religious and linguistic minorities, from final draft of NRC. The extent to which the rot has set in can be gauged from the fate of 2 members of a family belonging to the linguistic minority community, who are residents of Kulidunga village under Ooluoni police station in (Nagaon district’s) Kaliabor,” CLP said.Prahlad and Ashutosh Das, 2 Hindu Bengali brothers cited by the Congress, had their names in first NRC draft but were picked up from their home by Border Police personnel on May 31. Both were sent to a detention camp for foreigners in Tezpur.AIUDF accused BJP of raising the bogey of illegal Muslim migrants to shift attention from the angered generated by the “contentious” Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.“BJP legislators urge people to wait for publication of the final NRC draft whenever the Citizenship Bill issue is raised. It is a conspiracy through which the State Govt plans to drop the names of about 4 million largely Muslim citizens from NRC. If so many illegal Muslims are detected in Assam, people will automatically support the Bill,” AIUDF general secretary Aminul Islam said.He cited 2 notifications by Hajela, NRC coordinator, to deputy commissioners across Assam to underline how “BJP is trying to manipulate the NRC updating process”.“We have moved the SC against harassment through these 2 notices meant to drop many minority people from NRC,” Islam said. The Hindu
Assam Citizens Registeration: AIUDF sniffs state conspiracy in NRC
https://www.telegraphindia.com/states/north-east/aiudf-sniffs-state-conspiracy-in-nrc-234996
Movement against citizenship bill not anti-Bengali or anti-Hindu: Ex-Assam CM Mahanta
https://www.news18.com/news/politics/movement-against-citizenship-bill-not-anti-bengali-or-anti-hindu-ex-assam-cm-prafulla-mahanta-1767347.html
Guwahati:Expressing concerns over “misleading propaganda”, exAssam CM and AGP leader Prafulla Kumar Mahanta has said the movement against the Citizenship Bill is not anti-Bengali or anti-Hindu, but a “fight for justice”.Mahanta, who is one of 3 signatories of Assam Accord having led 6-year-long anti-foreigners’ movement (1979-1985), said a section of people might be spreading propaganda and trying to mislead people. “Some Bengali-speaking people told me that movement against the Citizenship Bill is turning out to be against the Bengalis. We would like to tell everyone that this is not a movement against Bengalis or Hindus,” Mahanta said.“Will Saudi Arabia’s Govt ask all Indian Muslims to come to Arab? Will the Bangladesh Govt invite all Muslims to their country? And why will India let them go?”asked Mahanta.“If the Bill is passed, it will dismantle the Assam Accord. We strongly oppose it,” he said. Meanwhile, protests continue throughout Brahmaputra Valley, with various organisations opposed to the bill coming together for indigenous rights.news18
EC to go by law on poll notifications, rules out return of ballot papers
https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/ec-to-go-by-law-on-poll-notifications-rules-out-return-of-ballot-papers
Amid reports of possibility of early Lok Sabha elections, Chief Election Commissioner of India (CEC)Om Prakash Rawat on Saturday said the Commission will abide by the law and can issue a notification for election to any House "not before 6 months" of the expiry of that House."Law says the Election Commission can issue notification for election to any House not before six months before the expiry of that House. That is the legal binding on the Election Commission," he said at an interactive session organised by Merchants' Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI).Rawat also said the Commission is the authority to decide the schedule for elections.When asked whether the Commission has received any suggestion regarding preponing of the 2019 general elections, he said: "Absolutely not! The Election Commission will go by the law. I have explained the law... If the law requires that within 6 months you have to hold elections, you have to hold."Ruling out any possibility of bringing back ballot papers for elections, he said the EVMs were being made a "scapegoat" as the machines cannot speak and political parties needed to blame someone or something for their defeat.IANS
Pranab Mukherjee on accepting RSS invite: ‘Whatever I have to say, I will say in Nagpur’
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/pranab-mukherjee-on-accepting-rss-invite-whatever-i-have-to-say-i-will-say-in-nagpur/story-OtFlg6NLumrmqnBIKjrX4O.html
New Delhi:Responding to the furore over his decision to attend an RSS event in Nagpur, ex-president Pranab Mukherjee has said he will express his views during his address on the occasion.“I will say whatever I have to in Nagpur.I have received several letters, requests and phone calls but I have not responded to any of them,” Mukherjee was quoted as saying by Anandabazar Patrika. Mukherjee decided to attend RSS event on June 7 after its chief Mohan Bhagwat personally invited him, according to his close aides, and his decision has led to a political storm.Several Congress leaders have objected to his decision and have asked him to reconsider. CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury had said that had RSS invited him to attend their function, he would not have gone to Nagpur. P Chidambaram said he would have never accepted such an invitation and urged Mukherjee to talk about the flaws in RSS ideology in Nagpur.At least 3 senior Congress leaders — Jairam Ramesh, Ramesh Chennithala and CK Jaffer Sharief — wrote to Mukherjee asking him to reconsider his decision.HT
In apex body of NREGA, members of spiritual groups, RSS weekly editor
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/in-apex-body-of-nrega-members-of-spiritual-groups-rss-weekly-editor-5201907/
New Delhi:Editor of RSS publication Panchjanya, members of a few Hindu spiritual organisations and the CEO of a drone company are among people drafted as “non-official members from various states” in the apex body responsible for monitoring the implementation of flagship Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee (MGNREGA) Act.Rural Development Ministry, in a notification issued last month, appointed them as members of the Central Employment Guarantee Council (CEGC), with a tenure of one year starting June 20, when the term of the present committee expires. CEGC was formed to monitor the implementation of the 2005 Act that promises 100 days of employment a year to every rural household.Prominent among those drafted for the last year of the current Govt is Hitesh Shanker, Editor, Panchjanya Weekly, who has been named a non-official member from Delhi.From Uttarakhand, the ministry has nominated Sanjay Chaturvedi, convener of Divine International Foundation (DIF), which describes itself as “a separate entity of Divya Prem Sewa Mission” started by RSS pracharak Ashish Gautam.This Haridwar-based mission lists yoga guru Ramdev’s Patanjali as one of its CSR partners.indianexpress
Gujarat Dalits’ struggle for rights turning into fight for prestige
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/gujarat-dalits-struggle-for-rights-turning-into-fight-for-prestige/story-vE2iJFOozSasNfN3HtpGRJ.html
Ahmedabad:A social media campaign is taking place in Gujarat, where young people from the Dalit community are suffixing ‘Sinh’ — traditionally associated with upper castes — with their name, signalling a fight for prestige in the state.It all started when 22-year-old tutor Maulik Jadav added ‘Sinh’ to his Facebook profile name on May 10, in a statement of “self-respect” that has irked upper caste Rajputs, resulting in a few clashes between the two communities in the state since then.Jadav’s decision was prompted by threats issued to his Dalit friend Mahipatsinh Zala allegedly by some Darbar (Kshatriya) men who wanted the latter to drop “Sinh” from his name. The word means lion in Gujarat, cognate with the name “Singh” used in other parts of the country.Jadav’s move first triggered a war of words on the social media and then snowballed into a clash between Dalits and Darbars on May 23 in which four people were injured. Clashes come to an end with complaint and cross-complaint by the two communities but it has left a deep impact on Dalits in the region.Hours after the clashes, Facebook timeline of 15-year-old local Rahul Jadav read: “I have changed my name from Rahul Jadav to Rahulsinh Jadav.”Several other Dalit youngsters from Valthera, a village on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, and in many other villages in the state, followed his footsteps.HT
Gujarat: In 3rd such incident, OBC man from beaten up for using ‘Sinh’ in his name
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/in-third-such-incident-gujarat-man-from-obc-community-beaten-up-for-using-sinh-in-his-name/story-9EBWzbR4MgkSsq2LTIGSeO.html
Jats threaten not to allow BJP rallies across Haryana
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/jats-threaten-not-to-allow-bjp-rallies-across-haryana-5201732/
Chandigarh:Jat organisations have threatened not to allow any political rally of BJP across Haryana from August 15 onwards. This was announced Saturday by Yashpal Malik, president of Akhil Bhartiya Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (ABJASS), the umbrella organisation of various Jat organisations across Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and New Delhi. While addressing a rally in Jasia village of Rohtak, Malik accused the BJP Govt of not fulfilling their promises to grant reservation to Jats.“From August 15 onwards, we shall not allow any political rally of CM or any other minister of BJP. Their place of political rallies shall be converted into our protest rally spots. There is a possibility that we resort to this protest even before August 16, in case BJP plans to hold a state-level event. We appeal that the Haryana Govt must apprise Supreme Court with all the facts and figures pertaining to Jat reservation issue at the earliest,” Malik said while addressing the gathering.indianexpress
Protests over youth crushed by CRPF vehicle, grenade blasts put Srinagar on edge
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/protests-over-youth-crushed-by-crpf-vehicle-grenade-blasts-put-srinagar-on-edge-jk-5201900/
Srinagar remained on edge on Saturday after 3 grenade explosions in the span of three hours, and fierce protests over the death of a 21-year-old who had been run over and killed by a CRPF vehicle a day earlier. Qaiser Amin Bhat, who was among the hundreds who had turned out to protest against the firing of tear gas shells outside Jama Masjid on May 25, was knocked down by a CRPF vehicle at Srinagar’s Nowhatta.Doctors at the Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, where he was taken, said Bhat died of “lung contusion” late Friday evening. Another youth, Younus, who was also admitted to the hospital with injuries, is reported to be stable. While Bhat’s family said he fell as the vehicle hit him, CRPF spokesperson in Srinagar alleged that a mob charged at one of their vehicles in which one of the officers, 2nd-in-Command SS Yadav, was travelling. Separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, however, said the presence of forces in the area was “like a red rag to a bull”.“A lot of people had gathered in the area to protest against the firing of tear gas shells inside the mosque last Friday.”Bhat’s funeral, which was held at the ‘marytrs’ graveyard’ on Saturday morning, saw heavy police deployment. As protesters gathered to take out a funeral procession, police fired tear gas shells and allowed only a few members of the family at the funeral. After both his parents died in 2010, Bhat and his two sisters had been living with their aunt in Srinagar’s Dalgate. As the evening progressed, Srinagar grew tense as news of the grenade explosions came in. 6 people, including 4 CRPF personnel and 2 civilians, were injured in grenade explosions.3 CRPF personnel and a woman were injured here. indianexpress
21-year-old Kaiser had been saying he would die, says uncle of man run over by CRPF jeep in Kashmir
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/kaiser-had-been-saying-he-would-die-says-uncle-of-man-run-over-by-crpf-jeep-in-kashmir/story-AbvPgws43OREeDSqsfYCzH.html
2 BSF jawans killed days after India, Pakistan agree to follow ceasefire pact
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/ceasefire-violation-two-bsf-personnel-killed-in-cross-border-shelling-by-pakistan-rangers-in-akhnoor-sector-5201976/
Jammu : 2 BSF personnel were killed and three civilians including a woman injured as Pakistani Rangers resorted to unprovoked mortar shelling on forward Indian positions and civilian areas along the international border in Pargwal area of Jammu in the wee hours of Sunday. The ceasefire violation comes just a week after DGMO of both India and Pakistan agreed to implement the ceasefire pact in “letter and spirit”.indianexpress
Kin, neighbours spur youth to join militancy: The Hindu spl story
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kin-neighbours-spur-youth-to-join-militancy/article24069531.ece?homepage=true
When Hizbul Mujahideen militant Rauf Khanday, 21, from a village in Anantnag was killed in March 2018, thousands attended his funeral, and the footage was streamed across social media in Kashmir.Amongst those watching was Zubair Ahmad Wani, who lived just a kilometre away from Khanday’s home, and had known him well. Wani, an M.Phil student in political science at a university in Madhya Pradesh, said not a word at the funeral, according to his family. But three weeks later, Wani, who was not known to have expressed a desire for militancy ever before, took up the gun.The cases of both Khanday, who, too, had given no inkling that he would join militancy, and Wani are evidence in studies that show that extremist ideology and pan-Islamic discourse have much less to do with the recruitment of militants in the latest round of violence in J&K . The studies found that only 2% of the militants had ever studied at a madrassa or religious school. Instead, local factors like geography, involvement of friends, family and neighbours, and social media shares amongst close groups have had a much higher role to play in motivating these men, mostly in their 20s to become militants and terrorists.Officials say that despite a year-on-year escalation in the numbers of militants in Jammu-Kashmir, a series of official reports by J&K police, and at least one by a notable international think-tank have found that pan-Islamic, Wahhabi or Salafi Islam and Islamic State ideology have had a negligible impact amongst those taking up the gun.
Nagrota attack: NIA makes 2nd arrest, Pulwama timber dealer held
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/nagrota-attack-nia-makes-second-arrest-pulwama-timber-dealer-held-5201529/
Srinagar: NIA on Saturday arrested a timber dealer from Zanipora in Shopian for his alleged involvement in “assisting Pakistani terrorists” who carried out the attack on an Army camp in Nagrota on Nov.29, 2016.The accused was identified as Tariq Ahmad Dar, a 34-year-old from Pulwama. According to NIA,“Tariq disclosed during interrogation that the terror attack was carried out by Jaish-e-Mohammad.”indianexpress
India, Pakistan had a ‘deal’ to end Kargil, but Delhi backed out: new book
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-pakistan-had-a-deal-to-end-kargil-but-delhi-backed-out-book-5201836/
Chandigarh:A new book by a Pakistani journalist claims that Pakistan and India had a “done deal” through backchannel diplomacy to end the Kargil confrontation at the end of June 1999, a month before it finally wound to a close with the withdrawal of Pakistani troops from their encroachments on the Indian side, and that India backtracked because it was confident that US pressure would force Pakistan to pull back.Nasim Zehra had reported this “deal” at the time, and it was not denied by the Indian side. Her book From Kargil to The Coup: Events That Shook Pakistan, released in Pakistan last week, contains more details, but is mostly an indictment of a “clique of generals” headed by then Pakistan Army chief Pervez Musharraf, who planned and implemented the Kargil operation in secrecy and autonomously of the civilian Govt of Nawaz Sharif. Zehra’s book is a narration of how the military took that country to the brink in Kargil without the Sharif Govt ’s authorisation, and finally pinned the blame on him, claiming that Pakistan would have achieved all the objectives of the operation if only the political leadership hadn’t panicked and succumbed to US pressure.According to Zehra, an influential media voice in Pakistan, though the book may be seen as being “pro-Sharif”, it is also about the former PM ’s naivete back in 1999.indianexpress
Police use application filed by father 14-yrs ago to argue juvenile be tried as adult in Kathua rape case
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/police-use-application-filed-by-father-14-years-ago-to-argue-juvenile-be-tried-as-adult-in-kathua-rape-case/story-KXN8BTT668pNeBbDkaO2KI.html
Jammu/Srinagar:An application filed by a father 14 years ago to register the birth of his three children is the centrepiece of the J&K Police’s plea that the juvenile accused in the rape and murder of an eight-year-old in Kathua be tried as an adult and not a minor.Crime Branch of the state police, which has contested the trial court’s decision to treat the ‘juvenile’ as a minor has annexed the application in its petition before the J&K High Court, officials said.The application is riddled with careless mistakes and raised doubts about its veracity, they said.The report of a medical board of experts, which determines the age of the juvenile, one of the eight accused in the case, as not less than 19 and not more than 23, has also been attached.The court will hear the matter on June 6.PTI
Congress in talks with BSP for MP, Chhattisgarh
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/cong-in-talks-with-bsp-for-mp-chhattisgarh/article24069534.ece
Keen to end the BJP’s uninterrupted 15-year rule in Madhya Pradesh, the Congress is moving closer to sealing a deal with the BSP for the Assembly elections, scheduled to be held around November this year.Senior Madhya Pradesh Congress leaders Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia are believed to be in touch with BSP chief Mayawati and senior BSP leader Satish Misra for a pre-poll pact. BSP secured over 6% of the votes in the last Assembly polls in 2013. Congress will look for a similar tie-up in neighbouring Chhattisgarh as well, scheduled to hold elections together with MP and Rajasthan.The party, however, may not be keen to cede much ground to a third player in Rajasthan as the Congress has won six of the eight by-polls held in the State since 2013 including two Lok Sabha seats — Ajmer and Alwar — in February this year.thehindu
AAP-Cong talk about talks ahead of Lok Sabha polls
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/aap-congress-talk-about-talks-ahead-of-2019-lok-sabha-elections-5201899/
New Delhi:A day after AAP claimed senior Congress leaders were in touch with them over a possible seat-sharing arrangement ahead of next year’s Lok Sabha polls, sources in the Congress said that in the last three months, AAP has made at least three attempts to keep channels of communication open with central leadership. That said, a pre-poll alliance between the two parties is highly unlikely, a senior Congress leader added. Elaborating on the instances of outreach, the leader said, “At a public function attended by leaders of both parties, a senior AAP leader asked why the Congress was not open to talks with the AAP — despite being warm to leaders in other states. Before that, AAP’s 3 Rajya Sabha MPs had sought suggestions from Ghulam Nabi Azad on the strategy they ought to follow in Upper House. Azad ji advised that as opposition, they should criticise things that go against public welfare.” Congress leader also claimed that the AAP had sent “two-three letters” to Rahul Gandhi, including one seeking time for a meeting to resolve the sealing issue.indianexpress
Fear led to defeat in by-polls: Gadkari
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/fear-led-to-defeat-in-by-polls-gadkari/article24069219.ece?homepage=true
Nagpur:Union Minister for Surface Transport and Shipping Nitin Gadkari on Saturday blamed “attempts to divide society by spreading fear” for his party’s loss in the recent bypolls.“It is not the politics of development but politics of caste and communal divisions [which caused the loss]. Fear is being created among Dalits that the constitution will be changed. Fear is being created among minorities as well. Deliberately, the social atmosphere is being poisoned by spreading caste and communal divisions. We believe in political, economic and social equality. But unfortunately, some issues are being raised deliberately which became a talking point in some of the elections. Even fuel prices are being politicised. Over 58% beneficiaries of Govt schemes are Dalits,tribal people, and minorities,” he said.thehindu
Sterlite Copper protest: Anti-nationals want to make TN another Kashmir, Swamy tells Guv
http://www.dailypioneer.com/sunday-edition/sunday-pioneer/nation/anti-nationals-want-to-make-tn-another-kashmir-swamy-to-guv.html
Chennai: Days after 13 persons killed in police firing in Thoothukudi, senior BJP leader and MP Subramanian Swamy flew down to Chennai and had a lengthy meeting with Governor Banwarilal Purohit at Raj Bhavan.“I told Governor that anti-national and anti-social elements in the State have come together to make Tamil Nadu another Kashmir.They are getting funds from neighbouring countries like Pakistan for this mission,” said Swamy while speaking to reporters after the hour-long meeting.BJP leader said the Thoothukudi riots were masterminded, schemed and created by an axis of Left Wing Extremists-Church-Islamic Extremists and Tamil Chauvinists especially Dravidians.He pointed out that the campaign against Sterlite Copper was just a façade for their heinous intentions to make South India a riot and conflict zone. dailypioneer
Khasi-Punjabi clashes: Unrest in Shillong
http://indianexpress.com/article/north-east-india/meghalaya/shillong-violence-meghalaya-khasi-punjabi-clash-conrad-sangma-police-curfew-5202012/
New Delhi:The tension between the two communities stems from a long-standing demand from sections of the Khasi society to evict alleged “illegal settlers” from the area.As reported by Indian Express, according to multiple sources including police officers, district officials and residents, the violence began when a boy, who was on a Govt -run bus that was being driven by a relative, was assaulted by some residents of Them Iew Mawlong following an altercation with a woman. One account said the altercation was over the manner in which the bus had been parked in the locality, obstructing residents from fetching water from a public tap.indianexpress
WORLD
Protests resume as thousands of Palestinians attend paramedic Razan Najja’s Gaza funeral
https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/protests-resume-after-palestinian-paramedic-s-gaza-funeral/story-UmchBzw2uNy9632BetybnO.html
Gaza:Thousands of Palestinians, including hundreds of medical workers in white uniforms, took part Saturday in the funeral procession of a colleague who was shot dead by Israeli troops the previous day along the Israel-Gaza border.Razan Najjar, a 21-year-old volunteer paramedic, was shot as she tried to help evacuate wounded near Israel’s perimeter fence with Gaza. She was the second woman among more than 115 Palestinians who have been killed by Israeli army fire since Gaza border protests began in late March.UN officials condemned the killing of Najjar, saying that witness reports indicated she wore clothing that clearly identified her as a health worker.“Killing of a clearly identified medical staffer by security forces during a demonstration is particularly reprehensible,” said Jamie McGoldrick, local UN humanitarian coordinator.After Najjar’s funeral, dozens of mourners headed to the fence and started throwing stones at the Israeli soldiers on the other side. Palestinian Health Ministry said five protesters were wounded by Israeli fire. Izzat Shatat, 23, a volunteering ambulance worker, said he and Najjar were set to announce their engagement at the end of the holy month of Ramadan. He said he was worried and asked her not to go to the border area Friday but she refused.AP
In Gaza, grief and pain for slain 'angel of mercy' paramedic
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/06/gaza-grief-pain-slain-angel-mercy-paramedic-180602143958100.html
Israel strikes Hamas in Gaza after 'projectiles' fired
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/06/israeli-strikes-hamas-gaza-projectiles-fired-180603064958298.html
Israel launched a series of airstrikes on Palestinian positions in the besieged Gaza Strip, in what it said was in response to rocket fire from enclave.Israeli warplanes hit at least 15 targets belonging to Hamas' armed wing, Al Qassam Brigades, Israeli military said early on Sunday.There were no reports of injuries. aljazeera
83 Palestinians killed, 7,000 injured in last month:report
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20180602-report-83-palestinians-killed-and-7000-injured-during-past-month/
An official report has revealed that 83 Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, including 10 children, during the past month. Abdullah Al-Hourani Centre for Studies and Documentation which is supported by PLO issued on Friday its monthly report on Israeli violations against Palestinian people. It revealed that there was a significant increase in the number of fatalities and injured people during the past month due to the transfer of US Embassy to Jerusalem, which also coincided with the 70th anniversary of the Nakba of the Palestinian people.middleeastmonitor
US-led coalition air strikes kill 12 members of same family in Syria
https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-led-coalition-air-strikes-kill-12-members-of-same-family-in-syria/story-ww4YN7goRgh4V8yAIDkKDL.html
Beirut:At least 12 civilians -- members of the same family -- have been killed in US-led coalition raids on the Islamic State group in northeastern Syria, a monitor said on Saturday.“The air strikes and artillery fire (Friday night) by the international coalition on the village of Hidaj, held by IS in the southern sector of Hasakeh province, killed at least 12 people,” the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.The civilians -- including two women and their children -- belonged to the same family, it added.The deaths bring to “20 the number of civilians killed by the coalition in 24 hours east of Euphrates River”, said the Observatory, which relies on a network of sources across Syria for its reports.On Thursday, eight other civilians were killed in coalition strikes in Deir Ezzor province, south of Hasakeh.HT
Myanmar says willing to take back all Rohingya refugees
https://in.reuters.com/article/asia-security-myanmar/myanmar-says-willing-to-take-back-all-rohingya-refugees-idINKCN1IY0AM
Singapore:Myanmar is willing to take back all 700,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees who have fled to Bangladesh if they volunteer to return, the country’s National Security Adviser Thaung Tun said.He was speaking at Shangri-La Dialogue, regional security conference in Singapore, where he was asked if the situation in Myanmar’s Rakhine state, where most Rohingya live, could trigger use of Responsibility to Protect framework of UN.“If you can send back 700,000 on a voluntary basis, we are willing to receive them,”Thaung Tun said.Reuters
Russia 'to supply S-400 system to Qatar' despite Saudi position
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/06/russia-supply-400-system-qatar-saudi-position-180602195629315.html
A senior Russian politician has said Moscow still plans to supply an advanced aerial defence system to Qatar despite Saudi Arabia's reported opposition.In comments made to local media, Aleksei Kondratyev, a member of Russian upper house and deputy chairman of the committee on Defence and Security, said Russia will pursue its own objectives in determining sales of its S-400 surface-to-air missiles."Russia seeks its own interest, supplying S-400 to Qatar and earning money for the state budget. Saudi Arabia's position has nothing to do with it, Russia's plans will not change," Kondratyev was quoted as saying by Sputnik.His comments come a day after French daily Le Monde reported that Saudi Arabia's King Salman threatened to take military action if Qatar installed Russian-made air defence system.aljazeera
Qatar crisis creates 'new' Gulf with no winners:experts
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/qatar-crisis-creates-new-gulf-with-no-winners/articleshow/64435536.cms
Doha: The year-old acrimonious dispute between Qatar and its neighbours is forging a "new" Gulf, potentially transforming what was a stable region of the Arab world, experts warn.It has shattered old alliances and rendered the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council practically obsolete, pushing Qatar towards Turkey and Iran.And with no sign of a resolution, it is unclear if any party has benefitted."In its impact on the regional unit in the Arab Gulf, the crisis is likely to be as disruptive and as era-defining as Saddam Hussein's invasion and occupation of Kuwait was in 1990," said Kristian Ulrichsen, a fellow at Rice University's Baker Institute."It is very difficult to see how the Arab Gulf can come back together."AFP
Feared coalition attack 'will destroy Yemen's lifeline'- Hudaida city
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/06/hudeida-feared-coalition-attack-destroy-yemen-lifeline-180602180247271.html
Human rights groups have warned that an attack by the Saudi-led coalition and allied forces on the Yemeni port city of Hudaida could destroy the country's main lifeline and worsen a humanitarian crisis already described by the UN as the largest in the world.Saudi Arabia, together with several other Arab nations, launched a military campaign in 2015 in support of Yemen's internationally recognised Govt aiming to roll back advances made by Houthi rebels after they overran much of the country in 2014.Most countries have since withdrawn their forces from the coalition, with only Saudi Arabia and UAE conducting attacks in Yemen.Hudaida lies some 230km away from the capital, Sanaa, which is controlled by the Houthis.In recent days, pro-Govt forces have closed in on the city, driving the rebels from dozens of nearby towns and villages amid growing fears that an all-out assault is imminent.aljazeera
US NSA John Bolton's new chief of staff linked to anti-Muslim writings
http://www.timesnownews.com/international/article/us-national-security-adviser-john-boltons-new-chief-of-staff-linked-to-anti-muslim-writings/234931
Washington: US National Security Adviser John Bolton's new chief of staff has drawn scrutiny for his past work with a conservative think tank that has been accused of promoting anti-Muslim messages, the media reported. Fred Fleitz, who joined National Security Council this week, was an outspoken opponent of the Iran nuclear deal when he worked at the Centre for Security Policy, CNN reported.Fleitz was one of more than a dozen authors of a 2015 report from the think tank that called for, among other things, using "shariah-adherent advocacy and practices as legal premises for deportation and stripping of American citizenship". IANS
FLASH: VIEWS & NEWS
Second-class citizens? Under Modi govt, intolerance is the new normal: P Chidambaram
http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/second-class-citizens-pm-narendra-modi-bjp-delhi-archbishop-religion-kairana-bypoll-5201695/
By-election setback: Not just Opposition but minority vote behind BJP’s loss:Amulya Ganguli
https://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/by-election-setback-not-just-opposition-but-minority-vote-behind-bjps-loss/1191157/
Assam Ripens For Another Round Of Mindless Mass Violence:Ashok Swain
https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/nrc-assam-ripens-for-another-round-of-mindless-mass-violence/312272
Yogi Adityanath After Kairana: Is the Monk Losing His Charisma?AJOY BOSE
https://www.thequint.com/voices/opinion/yogi-adityanath-bjp-kairana-bypoll-rld-modi-2019-uttar-pradesh
Cancer was Gift for this Muslim millionaire who donated his wealth to charity before death
http://www.ummid.com/news/2018/June/02.06.2018/ali-banat-muslim-millionair-who-donated-his-wealth-to-charity-dies.html
Bad news for BJP: Was it a death knell we heard from Kairana or just a warning?Tavleen Singh
http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/fifth-column-bad-news-for-the-bjp-modi-Govt -kairana-bypoll-results-opposition-5201720/
Aakar Patel: How will PM Modi handle a minority Govt post-2019?Aakar Patel
https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/opinion/aakar-patel-how-will-narendra-modi-handle-minority-Govt -in-2019
School textbooks are being changed secretly: Is there a ‘saffron’ design in it?Apoorvanand
https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/opinion/school-textbooks-are-being-changed-secretly-is-there-a-saffron-design-in-it
Worrying Macro Ripples Cast a Cloud on Modi's Political Prospects in 2019:M.K. Venu
https://thewire.in/economy/worrying-macro-ripples-cast-a-cloud-on-modis-political-prospects-in-2019
RSS the Kautilya, unlike Congress, will abolish India's election system: Kancha Ilaiah Shepherd
https://www.dailyo.in/politics/rss-congress-kautilya-arthashastra-machiavelli-economics/story/1/24480.html
Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released at: 11:39 AM)
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