باسمہٖ تعالیٰ
NEWS DIGEST, EVENING
29 May 2019: 23 Ramazan 1440:Vol: 11, No:213
INDIA
High Court seeks Centre’s response on plea to implement 2-child policy
https://scroll.in/latest/925187/delhi-high-court-seeks-centres-response-on-plea-to-implement-two-child-policy
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked the Centre to clear its stand on a petition seeking to set “two-child policy” a criterion for government jobs and subsidies, reported The Hindu. The bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice Brijesh Sethi asked the Centre what action has been taken to control the country’s population.The petition has been filed by Bharaiya Janata Party leader Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay. He sought the implementation of the recommendations made by the National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution for population control. “Till now the Constitution has been amended 125 times, hundreds of new laws have been enacted, but population control law, utterly required for country, is not made, though it will curtail more than 50% problems of India,” the petition read.Upadhyay claimed that 20% of India’s population is not accounted for as they do not have Aadhaar card. Besides, there are crores of Rohingya and Bangladeshi migrants living illegally in the country, he claimed. He added that “population explosion” is the main cause of corruption and also leads to crimes like rape and domestic violence.The petitioner said that the government should declare the first Sunday of every month as the Health Day to spread awareness on the population growth, reported Times Now. It should also provide contraceptive pills, condoms and vaccines to poor people. “The tax payers follow Ham Do-Hamare Do [We two, ours two], but the persons getting subsidised food, cloths and houses are not adhering to it,” claimed Upadhyay. scroll
Thrashed for carrying ‘beef’: Victims say didn’t report to police as gau rakshaks gave death threat
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/madhya-pradesh-thrashed-for-carrying-beef-victims-say-didnt-report-to-police-as-gau-rakshaks-gave-death-threat-5753513/
Bhopal:2 MEN, including a Muslim, who were beaten up on the suspicion of carrying beef and a Muslim woman accompanying them who was made to chant Jai Shri Ram, in Seoni district on May 22, told a court that they did not tell police about the torture, because the gau rakshaks had threatened to kill them.“In their statement recorded before a court under Section 164 of CrPC on Monday, the trio said they would have never reported the incident because Shubham Baghel and others had warned them that they would be killed,’’ in-charge of Dundaseoni police station Ganpat Uikey said .The police said they came to know about the torture only after they saw the video two days later and not on May 22, when Shubham Baghel and others informed them about recovery of beef from the trio.READ | Madhya Pradesh: Three thrashed for carrying ‘beef’, arrestedTausif Khan, 24, Anjum Sama, 40, and Dilp Malvi, 24, were booked under the state’s Anti Cow Slaughter Act and were sent to judicial custody.Shubham Baghel, who identified himself as Seoni district president of Shri Ram Sena, and his four accomplices were arrested on May 24 when they were trying to escape to Jabalpur in a four-wheeler. One gau rakshak escaped.Two persons who sold suspected beef to the trio were also arrested. indianexpress
India heading towards becoming water-scarce country: Madhya Pradesh Public Health Minister
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-heading-towards-becoming-water-scarce-country-madhya-pradesh-public-health-minister-5754840/
Bhopal :India is already water-stressed and is heading towards becoming a water-scarce country with depleting per capita availability of water, Madhya Pradesh Public Health Minister Sukhdev Panse has said.He was speaking at a summit organized by his department and the Piramal Foundation on `implementation of effective solutions to enable sustainability of water resources’ Tuesday.“A country is classified as water-stressed and water-scarce if per capita water availability goes below 1,700 cubic meters and 1,000 cubic meters, respectively,” the minister said.“With 1,544 cubic meters per capita availability, India is already a water-stressed country and is moving towards becoming water-scarce,” Panse said.indian express
US will work closely with ‘great ally’ India: Trump administration
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/us-will-work-closely-with-great-ally-india-trump-administration-5753617/
India is a “great ally” of America and the US will continue to work closely with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Trump administration has said, asserting that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was looking forward to have a “robust discussion” with his Indian counterpart on a wide range of issues.State Department Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus told reporters during an off-camera news conference here on Tuesday that the US was confident in the fairness and integrity of the just-concluded general elections in India.The Trump administration, including President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and Pompeo, congratulated Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party on the spectacular electoral victory in the Lok Sabha elections whose results were declared on May 23.“We, of course, will work closely with Modi, as we have many times,” Ortagus told reporters in response to a question. “We’re confident in the fairness and integrity of the elections, and I think that Secretary Pompeo will have a very robust discussion on a range of issues. India is a great ally and partner of the United States,” Ortagus said.PTI
India proposes reply to Wuhan: An informal summit with China in Varanasi this Oct
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-proposes-reply-to-wuhan-an-informal-summit-with-china-in-varanasi-this-october-5753515/
New Delhi:India has proposed that the next informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping be held on October 11 in Varanasi, The Indian Express has learnt. The Chinese side is learnt to have conveyed that they are considering the proposal positively.The first informal summit between the two leaders took place in Wuhan in Hubei province in China on April 27-28, 2018. The two leaders then spent two days at a lakeside guest house in Wuhan and held discussions for almost 10 hours.Sources said that the Prime Minister wants to reciprocate the hospitality extended to him during the informal summit in Wuhan.
Rahul, Sonia Gandhi to attend PM Modi’s swearing-in ceremony tomorrow
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/sonia-gandhi-to-attend-narendra-modis-swearing-in-ceremony-tomorrow-5754968/
New Delhi:UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi will attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony tomorrow. The grand event will take place at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.Sonia Gandhi’s decision to attend PM Modi’s swearing-in ceremony is significant especially after a bitter Lok Sabha election campaign that saw BJP and Congress trading relentless barbs at each other. The election results though came as a huge setback for the Congress party which reduced the grand old party to just 52 seats.Nearly 8,000 guests will attend the swearing-in of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Thursday, making it the biggest-ever event held in the historic premises reported IANS.Meanwhile, the guest list for PM Modi’s swearing-in ceremony, according to officials, includes visiting heads of state from BIMSTEC countries, the Kyrgyz Republic and Mauritius, and political leaders, diplomats, chief ministers, academics, writers, celebrities, sportspeople, film personalities and achievers. The one notable absentee from last time will be the Prime Minister of Pakistan.The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed the participation of Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, Kyrgyz Republic President Sooronbay Jeenbekov, Myanmar President U Win Myint, Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, Bhutan Prime Minister Lotay Tshering and Thailand’s Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Grisada Boonrach as a special envoy.Besides this, the BJP has sent invites to a number of opposition leaders for the event. All eyes will also be on the participation of NDA partners — Shiv Sena, JDU, LJP, Akali Dal and AIADMK — who were given pride of place on the dais during the NDA Parliamentary Party meeting.indianexpress/IANS
With 8,000 guests, Modi’s swearing-in to be biggest event ever at Rashtrapati Bhavan
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/with-8-000-guests-modi-s-swearing-in-to-be-biggest-event-ever-at-rashtrapati-bhavan/story-RKSgZYYD0Q35Wfg727cMeL.html
'Please excuse me': Mamata opts out of Modi's swearing-in ceremony over BJP's 'false' claims of 'political murders' in West Bengal
https://www.firstpost.com/politics/please-excuse-me-mamata-banerjee-opts-out-of-narendra-modis-swearing-in-ceremony-over-bjps-false-claims-of-political-murders-in-west-bengal-6719951.html
West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) president Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday tweeted to convey her anguish over "false" reports of 'political murders' of BJP workers in the state and asked Prime Minister-elect Narendra Modi to excuse her from attending his swearing-in ceremony in New Delhi on Thursday, for which she had accepted the invitation on Tuesday.Mamata said that BJP's claim of 54 party workers being killed in "political violence" is untrue as she attributed the deaths to personal enmity, family quarrels, and other disputes. Rubbishing the reports, chief minister said that there are no such records with her government, and therefore, due to the saffron party's politics over the issue, she is compelled to pull-out of the event."The oath-taking ceremony is an august occasion to celebrate democracy, not one that should be devalued by any political party," Mamata wrote, adding that the BJP is using it as an opportunity to score "political points".firstpost
Another Trinamool Congress MLA, 3 party leaders join BJP
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/lok-sabha-electionsbjp-trinamool-congress-west-bengal-join-mukul-roy-kailash-vijayvargiya-5754786/
New Delhi :A day after three Trinamool Congress lagislators and over 60 councillors joined the BJP, four more TMC leaders joined the saffron party Wednesday in the presence of BJP West Bengal in-charge Kailash Vijayvargiya and senior party leader Mukul Roy.TMC MLA Manirul Islam and party leaders Gadadhar Hazra, Mohd Asif Iqbal and Nimai Das joined the BJP at the party’s headquarters in New Delhi. On Tuesday, 3 Bengal MLAs and over 60 councillors had joined the BJP after its impressive show in the Lok Sabha elections in the state, where it won 18 Lok Sabha seats, only four less than TMC’s 22.indianexpress
Jaitley opts out of new Modi govt, cites health reasons
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/arun-jaitley-health-modi-government-cabinet-5754180/
New Delhi:A day before the swearing-in ceremony of the new government, former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Wednesday said he has decided not to take any active responsibility in the new government citing his poor health. In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Jaitley requested that he should not be assigned any responsibility, for the present, in the government.Adding that he has been suffering from ailments for the past 18 months, Jaitley said he had spoken to the prime minister before his Kedarnath trip about his plans to opt out of the new cabinet.“After my campaign had concluded and you were leaving for Kedarnath, I had orally informed you that even though I was able to discharge the responsibilities assigned to me during the campaign, I would in near future, for some time, like to keep away from any responsibility. This will enable me to concentrate on my treatment and health,” his letter read.indianexpress
Ram temple will be constructed soon, Modi’s victory in favour of ‘Ram Rajya’, claims Shiv Sena
https://scroll.in/latest/925206/ram-temple-will-be-constructed-soon-modis-victory-in-favour-of-ram-rajya-claims-shiv-sena
The Shiv Sena on Wednesday reiterated its goal to expedite the process of building a Ram temple in Ayodhya and said it will be constructed soon now that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been elected for a second term with a mandate of 303 seats in the national elections.In an editorial in its mouthpiece Saamana, the Shiv Sena said crores of people have voted the Bharatiya Janata Party to power so that “Ram Rajya can be established in the country, all with the blessing of Lord Ram”.
In Bengaluru, Congress leaders closeted with Kumaraswamy to ensure stability of government
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/kumaraswamy-congress-leaders-meet-to-discuss-cabinet-reshuffle/article27283040.ece?homepage=true
Bengaluru:Top Congress leaders and Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy were huddled at the Kumara Krupa Guest House in Bengaluru on Wednesday morning to douse discontent among the legislators of the coalition parties and to ensure the stability of the govt. AICC general secretary in charge of Karnataka K C Venugopal, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara, Ministers M.B. Patil and D.K. Shivkumar and KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao held meetings and reportedly decided on a Cabinet reshuffle.Congress leaders held discussions with Mr. Kumaraswamy ahead of a meeting of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) in the evening.thehindu
It’s time Seemanchal region in Bihar had its own voice: Owaisi
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/its-time-seemanchal-region-in-bihar-had-its-own-voice-owaisi-5755084/
Hyderabad :AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi Wednesday alleged Seemanchal region in Bihar, where his party unsuccessfully contested a Lok Sabha seat in the recent elections, has been “criminally neglected” and it was time it “had its own voice.”AIMIM’s candidate Akhtarul Iman finished third in Kishanganj (in Seemanchal region) of Bihar in the Lok Sabha polls, by securing about three lakh votes.Owaisi said his party would continue its struggle for provision of education, healthcare and infrastructure in Seemanchal. In a series of tweets, he said, “Our journey has been one of many successes & setbacks: but the struggle will go on. In Seemanchal, we’ll continue our constitutional struggle for education, healthcare & infrastructure.” “Seemanchal’s been criminally neglected, it’s time it had its own voice.”AIMIM bagged two of the three seats it contested in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls.PTI
In TIME Magazine: From ‘Divider in Chief’ to ‘Modi has united India like no PM in decades’
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/in-time-magazine-from-divider-in-chief-to-modi-has-united-india-like-no-pm-in-decades-5754815/
New Delhi:Days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP secured a landslide victory in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, TIME Magazine has published an article that says no prime minister has united India in decades the way he has done. Just weeks ago, the magazine’s international edition had featured Modi on its cover with the headline, Modi ‘Divider in Chief’.The latest article is titled ‘Modi Has United India Like No Prime Minister in Decades’ and is written by Manoj Ladwa, founder and chief executive of the India Inc Group, a London-based media organisation. In the general elections which concluded on May 23, BJP garnered a majority with 303 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha. “Despite the strong and often unfair criticisms leveled at Modi’s policies both throughout his first term and this marathon election, no Prime Minister has united the Indian electorate as much in close to five decades,” Ladwa wrote.indianexpress
US removes India from its currency monitoring watchlist
https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/why-has-us-removed-india-from-its-currency-monitoring-watchlist-5754473/
The Donald Trump administration has removed India from its currency monitoring watchlist. In its semi-annual foreign-exchange report to the US Congress, the Treasury Department did not mention India’s name in its watchlist of countries with potentially “questionable” foreign exchange policies and currency “manipulation”.India, alongside China, Japan, Germany, Switzerland and South Korea, was placed in the bi-annual currency watch list in October last year. While India and Switzerland have not been mentioned in the latest list, the US has added Ireland, Italy, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam to the list, with China continuing to figure in it. While the designation of a country as a currency manipulator does not immediately attract any penalties, it tends to dent the confidence about a country in the global financial markets.Countries with a current-account surplus equivalent to 2 per cent of gross-domestic product are eligible for the list, according to modifications made in the new list, down from 3 per cent earlier. Other thresholds include repeated intervention in the currency markets and a trade surplus with the US of at least $20 billion. indianexpress
UP hooch tragedy: Toll rises to 15; main accused arrested
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/up-hooch-tragedy-toll-rises-to-15-main-accused-arrested-5755034/
Barabanki :The toll in the Barabanki hooch tragedy in Uttar Pradesh rose to 15 Wednesday, even as the main accused who ran the licensed liquor shop was arrested, officials said. The latest death was reported from the trauma centre of King George Medical University (KGMU), Lucknow, they said.The incident had prompted the Yogi Adityanath government to order a high-level probe into all the angles, including the possibility of a “political conspiracy”.KGMU trauma centre in-charge Sandeep Tiwari told PTI in Lucknow, “Late on Tuesday night, one patient Maniram (50) died.”So far, 47 patients have been brought to the trauma centre and three of them, including Maniram, have died. Officials said 44 others were undergoing treatment, of whom 10 were admitted in the ICU and their condition was stated to be serious.PTI
Demonizing Muslims a Dangerous Trend, Says a Book
http://caravandaily.com/demonizing-muslims-a-dangerous-trend-says-a-book/
NEW DELHI — A book ‘Denial and Deprivation: Indian Muslims after the Sachar Committee and Rangnath Mishra Commission Reports’, published in 2019 by Abdur Rahman has incorporated following comments by a Chennai based journalist Syed Ali Mujtaba in the section Demonizing Muslims.Mujtaba cautions that those engaged in Muslim whistling, demonizing them or profiling their negative image can cause alienation among the community. Studies show that propaganda against Muslims can lead to loss of belongings to the country and may develop fissiparous tendencies in them, he says.Such fissures can lead to the radicalization and any dissent by the community of such huge size may not be easy to control. The fall out of such anti-Muslim propaganda may be unmanageable. So such short term gains may jeopardize the country and should be avoided for the long term interests of the nation, the veteran Journalist suggests.caravandaily
Mumbai doctor’s suicide: College confirms she was harassed over her caste, scolded hours before death
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/mumbai-doctor-suicide-payal-tadvi-dalit-harassed-5753556/?fbclid=IwAR2AxtL5XWhmTPZF1xdgscfuq3WneMyT5_KOxpt_Mb-p5UDkgrIb9fcDouc
Mumbai:On May 22, hours before Dr Payal Tadvi committed suicide by hanging in her hostel room, she was scolded in the operation theatre in front of other staff and patients, and was seen crying as she left.In the 9 days leading to that morning, after her husband complained to the gynaecology unit head at TN Topiwala National Medical College in Mumbai, she faced “extreme harassment” from three senior resident doctors. They had come to know about the complaint against them.These events are part of a report submitted Tuesday by the anti-ragging committee of the college attached to BYL Nair Hospital on the reasons behind the suicide of Payal (26), a 2nd-year PG student of Gynaecology and Obstetrics.The report, based on statements from 30 people including Payal’s family, colleagues and staff, has found evidence of harassment and caste remarks made by the three seniors, Dr Hema Ahuja, Dr Ankita Khandelwal and Dr Bhakti Mehare. Payal belonged to the Tadvi Muslim Bhil Scheduled Tribe community.Police arrested Mehare late Tuesday afternoon and are looking for the two other doctors. All of them have been named in the FIR filed under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, IPC sections for abetment to suicide and Maharashtra Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1999. Payal’s family was also part of a protest Tuesday outside the hospital to demand justice.The family claims that for two days after a verbal complaint was made on May 13 by Payal’s husband Dr Salman Tadvi to unit head Dr Y I Ching Ling, the 3 seniors did not talk to her. On the third day, one of them allegedly threw a file at her and rebuked her for “shoddy” work. The next day, they allegedly threatened that they will not let her complete the year.“Payal told us that the torture got worse after the complaint. We realised that the 3 seniors had the unit head’s support,” said her brother Ritesh Tadvi, who is polio-affected and travelled from Jalgaon to participate in the protest.According to Salman, 3 seniors did not let his wife perform caesarean procedures after his complaint. “They would make her do minor work. First-year students who joined on May 1 were asked to assist in deliveries but Payal, despite being in the second year, was not allowed to work,” he claimed. indian express
In This Jharkhand Village, No One Can Come or Go Without the Army's Permission
https://thewire.in/rights/in-this-jharkhand-village-no-one-can-come-or-go-without-the-armys-permission
“No one wants to send marriage proposals to this village. We somehow managed to marry off our daughter, but now her husband regrets getting married here.” Chilia Devi’s concern is similar to that of other women in her village whose daughters are old enough to get married.Sugnu village is located five kilometres east of Kokar Chowk in Jharkhand’s capital, Ranchi. There are about 1,500 houses in the village. Enclosed within the boundaries of an army camp, the village has access to electricity and water facilities, but no road to connect it to the city.Chilia Devi and her husband Mangru Munda are currently worried for their newly married daughter, Sukhwanti.Showing me the wedding invitation, Chilia Devi says, “My daughter got married on April 26 this year. We printed the invitation card as per the army’s directions and handed it to them as well. Yet the army did not allow the groom’s party to enter the village on the day of the wedding.”“The marriage procession had to face a lot of trouble,” she says. “They had to take a long detour of five kilometres and enter the village through the fields. It caused a delay of two hours. The groom and his relatives got really upset because of this. I don’t know whether they will bring Sukhwanti back here again or not.”
Rape of Minor in Kashmir: Allegation Which Sparked Protests Negated by Medical Report
https://thewire.in/women/kashmir-minor-rape-allegation-protests-medical-report
On the evening of May 12 in Kashmir’s Bandipora area, when the news about the alleged rape of three-year-old girl broke, locals took to the streets in protest.On May 13, protests and clashes erupted across the Valley as people marched and demanded a death sentence for the accused. Dozens of youth were injured. However, two weeks after the incident, the medical report by SKIMS medical college, Bemina, has found insufficient evidence to confirm that the child was sexual assaulted.SKIMS, in its report submitted to Jammu and Kashmir Police, has stated that there were no marks of injury on any part of the body, thus contradicting the claims of the girl’s mother.Making the case murkier, last week, the police said that the allegations of rape in the case had been proven and that a chargesheet would be filed soon.The accused, Tahir Mir, has already been booked under POCSO Section 3 and 5 and 376 A, B and 342 RPC.The rape accused, as per the victim’s family, allegedly committed the crime during iftar, when most of the villagers were at home or at the mosque.The mother, who found her daughter bleeding vaginally in a bathroom, said that she had handed over the blood drenched clothes of the girl to the Jammu and Kashmir Police at the time when the accused was arrested.The medical report, which is with The Wire, states that the actual source of bleeding could not be determined as there was no evidence of any injury around the vaginal orifice.thewire
J&K: 2 youths taken into custody for suspected Pak links
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/jk-two-youths-taken-into-custody-for-suspected-pakistani-links-5753873/
Jammu :Two youth, who were taking photos outside Ratnuchak military station in Jammu and Kashmir’s Samba district on Tuesday, were taken into custody by police for suspected Pakistani links.Identified as Nadim Akhtar, 38, of Rajouri and Mushtaq Ahmed, 25, of Doda, the two were apprehended by army personnel when they were noticed moving outside the military station under suspicious circumstances. They were later handed over to the police for questioning as some photos of army installations and maps were found stored in their mobile phones.Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police for Jammu zone, M K Sinha, said that two mobile phones seized from them contained some phone numbers operational in Pakistan. Their questioning was in progress, he added.
WORLD
Taliban, Russia Demand Foreign Troops Leave Afghanistan
https://www.voanews.com/a/taliban-russia-demand-foreign-troops-leave-afghanistan-/4935723.html
The Taliban and Russia have jointly called for withdrawal of US-led coalition troops from Afghanistan, with a top leader of the Islamist insurgent group denouncing the foreign presence in the country as a major obstacle to Afghan peace.Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the political deputy of the Taliban, made the remarks in Moscow to a gathering of Russian and Afghan government personnel, as well as representatives from prominent political groups from the war-torn country.Russia organized the meeting to mark the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Afghanistan."The Islamic Emirate [Taliban] is truly committed to peace but the first step is to remove obstacles in the way of peace, meaning the occupation of Afghanistan must come to an end," Baradar said in rare public appearance and speech.Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in his welcome address to the group urged that foreign forces leave Afghanistan. He underscored the importance of bilateral relations, saying Russia is ready to offer more help to Afghanistan to fight terrorist groups led by Islamic State and drug-trafficking networks."This conflict in Afghanistan has no military solution and the only way to settle this issue is to rely on diplomacy and politics. We believe all foreign military [forces] should be withdrawn from the country and the society of Afghanistan should unite in finding a solution," the Russian foreign minister stressed."We believe that Afghanistan should stay united where all the ethnic groups can live peacefully. We hope that peace will settle in Afghanistan as soon as possible," Lavrov added, saying that accelerated Afghan peace-building efforts recently initiated by Moscow are furthering the peace process.Top Afghan candidates challenging President Ashraf Ghani in the upcoming presidential elections, former president, Hamid Karzai, and Afghan diplomats in Moscow, as well as the head of the official Afghan High Peace Council (HPC) tasked with promoting peace, were in attendance at Tuesday's meeting and delivered their own speeches. In his address, the HPC chief, Karim Khalili, emphasized the need for agreeing to "a dignified and just mechanism" for ending years of bloodshed in Afghanistan.Mullah Baradar, who is heading a 14-member Taliban delegation, was the center of attention during Tuesday's meeting in Moscow. He is known as a co-founder of the Islamist Taliban and is believed to have played a central role in organizing insurgent activities after the U.S.-led military invasion of Afghanistan 17 years ago. Taliban and Afghan delegates also are scheduled to hold an intra-Afghan meeting on Wednesday to discuss ways to promote peace in their country.The bilateral talks would mark the second time Taliban officials have met with Afghan opposition politicians in Russia. The Taliban clarified in a statement issued late Tuesday that no Kabul government representatives will participate in the intra-Afghan conference, and insurgent delegates will interact only with Afghan politicians as well as civil society representatives. The Taliban refuse to engage in any peace talks with anyone associated with the U.S.-backed Kabul government, dismissing them as "stooges" installed by foreign "occupation" forces."The delegation of Islamic Emirate [Taliban] will also hold closed-door meetings with senior officials of the Russian Federation," said Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid. voanews
Bolton says Iranian mines likely used in UAE oil-tanker attacks
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/05/bolton-iranian-mines-uae-oil-tanker-attacks-190529062914984.html
US National Security Adviser John Bolton said attacks on oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates this month were the work of "naval mines almost certainly from Iran" - without offering evidence.Iran responded on Wednesday by calling the accusation "ridiculous".The comments on Wednesday by Bolton, a longtime American hawk on Iran who has previously called for "the overthrow of the mullahs' regime in Tehran", came during a briefing to journalists in the Emirati capital of Abu Dhabi."It's clear that Iran is behind the Fujairah attack. Who else would you think would be doing it? Someone from Nepal?" he told journalists at the US embassy briefing regarding the May 12 attacks.
Russia probe: Mueller says he's resigning as US special counsel
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/05/robert-mueller-public-statement-russia-probe-190529133933228.html
US Special Counsel Robert Mueller said on Wednesday that he is leaving the Justice Department now that he has concluded his Russia probe. In his first public statement on the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, Mueller said he is also closing the special counsel's office.The announcement comes amid demands for Mueller to testify on Capitol Hill about his findings and tension with Attorney General William Barr over the handling of his report.Mueller said on Wednesday that the report is his testimony. A redacted version of the Mueller report was published in April, concluding there was no conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Moscow. But Mueller declined to make a judgment on whether President Donald Trump obstructed justice, though the report outlined 10 instances in which Trump tried to impede the investigation.
New Israeli government or polls: Midnight deadline for Netanyahu
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/05/israeli-government-polls-midnight-deadline-netanyahu-190529074414180.html
Israel's political elite is racing against time to form a new government through high-stakes backchannel negotiations before a midnight deadline.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing coalition has to secure the support of Avigdor Lieberman's nationalist Yisrael Beiteinu faction on Wednesday or face an unprecedented second election of the year.Netanyahu's Likud and its right wing and religious allies won a total of 60 seats in April 9 elections in the 120-seat parliament in the polls.Without Yisrael Beiteinu's five seats, Netanyahu has no parliamentary majority and will not be able to form a government.
Israel reinstates Gaza fishing zone restrictions
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/05/israel-reinstates-gaza-fishing-zone-restrictions-190529075950506.html
Israel announced on Wednesday it had tightened restrictions on Palestinian fishing off the blockaded Gaza Strip after more balloons fitted with firebombs were floated from the enclave into its territory.The zone it allows Gaza fishermen was reduced to a maximum of 10 nautical miles from 15, COGAT, the Israeli defence ministry unit that oversees such regulations, said.The move came just days after Israel restored the fishing limit to the 15 nautical mile maximum after a previous cut in response to fire balloons last week.
Myanmar: Arrest warrant issued for anti-Muslim monk Wirathu
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/05/myanmar-arrest-warrant-issued-anti-muslim-monk-wirathu-190529051810338.html?fbclid=IwAR1bRC8jnDHRBXg8qoP0rWDeakqrq_O24mD1fsAUgZZfDcATGVtKqOSUIYs
Yangon:A court in Myanmar has issued an arrest warrant against Wirathu, a notorious Buddhist monk whose hate-preaching sermons against the Rohingya and other minority Muslims have stoked religious tensions.The monk, who once reportedly dubbed himself the "Burmese bin Laden", faces up to life imprisonment under the country's sedition law, which prohibits stirring up "hatred", "contempt" or "disaffection" towards the govt.Police have so far declined to say why Wirathu has been charged, but the monk recently drew anger from senior officials for a series of speeches in which he attacked Myanmar's de facto civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi.Wirathu has not yet been arrested and his exact whereabouts are unknown. A police spokesperson did not answer calls from Al Jazeera seeking comment.aljazeera
Sri Lanka serial blasts: NIA team in Colombo to share information about suspects, say reports
https://scroll.in/latest/925143/sri-lanka-serial-blasts-nia-team-in-colombo-to-share-information-about-suspects-say-reports
https://scroll.in/latest/925143/sri-lanka-serial-blasts-nia-team-in-colombo-to-share-information-about-suspects-say-reports
A two-member team of the NIA reached Colombo on Tuesday to exchange information on suspects of last month’s Easter Sunday attacks that left 253 people dead in the island nation, said multiple reports. “The visit is not to assist Sri Lanka with their probe but to see if an exchange of information and evidence gathered by us and them can be mutually beneficial,” an unidentified NIA official told News18.Sri Lankan investigators have blamed an Islamist organisation called the National Thowheed Jamath for the serial bomb blasts on April 21. NIA team, led by inspector general Alok Mittal, will share details of suspects, reportedly from Tamil Nadu and Kerala, who allegedly have links with the National Towheed Jamaath.The Sri Lankan Police have arrested more than 1,000 people since the attacks took place. The Indian investigators will discuss with them details of people whose names, phone numbers, social media accounts or other details might have cropped up during the interrogation of suspects. Sri Lankan police officials say that all those responsible for the blasts have either been killed or arrested.
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Democracy demands more than the counting of votes: Amartya Sen
https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/narendra-modi-bjp-lok-sabha-win-reaction-minorities-5753333/
Mumbai doctor’s suicide highlights, once again, discrimination in medical institutions
https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/payal-tadvi-mumbai-doctor-suicide-caste-5753378/
Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released at: 8:30 PM)
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