Today Voices

A suicide bomber attack in restive eastern Afghanistan, killed at least 14 people and injured 45.

An official said, the second attack in as many days to mar an unprecedented ceasefire.

The explosion happened outside the Nangarhar provincial governor's office in the capital Jalalabad,

It was also close to the Indian consulate. 14 people had been killed and 45 injured.

An Afghan security source confirmed the suicide attack but gave a lower death toll of at least 10.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast.

A suicide bomber on foot had targeted Taliban, local elders and civilians as they left the governor's compound where they had attended a special event for the Eid holiday.

On Saturday, a suicide attack on a gathering of Taliban, security forces and civilians in a district of the same eastern province of Nangarhar killed at least 36 people and wounded 65 others.

The Islamic State group's Afghanistan franchise claimed responsibility for that attack.

‘Hopeless’ Congress shamelessly joined voice for ‘Kashmir azadi’: PM Modi

October 29, 2017

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Speaking at Dashamah Soundarya Lahari Parayanotsava Mahasarmapane in Bengaluru on Sunday, 29 October, Prime Minister Narendra Modi questioned Congress’ stand on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir.

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram’s remark that “when people in Jammu and Kashmir ask for ‘azadi’, they seek autonomy” hasn’t gone down well with the BJP.

Referring to his statement, the Prime Minister asked why the Congress leaders are lending their voices to those who want ‘azadi’ in Kashmir.

He said that the statement made by the Congress leader on Saturday, 28 October, clearly showed how the party felt about surgical strikes and the bravery of the army.

The Congress, which was in power until recently, took a U-turn on matters of national interest, Modi said, adding that the party would have to answer for its leader’s comments.

“It seemed that after repeated defeats, the wise leaders in Congress would try and bring the party on the right track, but they are still acting irresponsibly,” the PM said, adding that it doesn’t seem like the party wants to learn from its mistakes.

Inspired by CM Nitish Kumar, Bihar couple had a dowry free marriage

October 29, 2017

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Not many newlyweds get a certificate of appreciation from their state’s chief minister soon after they get married.

But on Saturday, Prakash Kumar Sah and Puja Kumari, natives of villages in Bihar’s Bhojpur district, got one from Chief Minister Nitish Kumar at his residence in Patna, and received his blessing.

Why? Prakash hadn’t asked for a dowry. And by his own admission, his inspiration was a campaign Nitish launched earlier this month to combat the practice, which has been illegal in India since 1961.
The campaign, which began on Gandhi Jayanthi, also combats child marriage.

It isn’t the first time Nitish Kumar has personally expressed appreciation for someone who’s contributed to the eradication of dowry.

Earlier this month, he called up and congratulated a former headmaster from Bhojpur who returned a dowry of Rs. 4 lakh to his future daughter-in-law’s family.

India may not have won U-17 World Cup but Indian youngsters have won hearts: PM Modi

October 29, 2017

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The Indian team may not have won the cup but the youngsters have won the hearts of everyone, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday, 29 October, about the FIFA Under-17 World Cup which ended in Kolkata on Saturday, 28 October.

He congratulated England for winning the World Cup while stating that all teams had displayed their best talent during the tournament held in India for the first time.

In his monthly radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’, Modi referred to some other recent sports events like the Asia Cup (hockey) and Denmark Open (badminton) and hailed India’s victory in these competitions.

India won the Asia Cup after 10 years, while K Srikanth won the Denmark Open after emerging victorious in Indonesia Open and Australia Open, he noted.

Turning to FIFA Under-17, he said there was excitement among the players as well as spectators during such a big tournament.

Narendra Modi, Prime MinisterThe World Cup was hosted successfully and all the teams displayed their best talent. India may not have won the cup but the Indian youngsters have won the hearts of everyone.

A father, who had thrown his four daughters and wife from a speeding train

October 29, 2017

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NATIONAL

A father, who had thrown his four daughters and wife from a speeding train in Uttar Pradesh’s Sitapur district on Wednesday, is hiding in Jammu, according to police sources here.

A police team left for Jammu after the father, identified as Iddu, a resident of Bihar’s Betiah district, was traced to Jammu. Iddu’s 18-year-old son from his first wife lives in Jammu, sources said.

GRP officials, who visited Betiah and spoke to the maternal grandmother of the girls, said Iddu had some “psychiatric issues”. She claimed that Iddu had earlier killed his first wife and her brother.

Sources said Iddu, who had five daughters from his second wife Ableena, wanted to get rid of all of them.

GRP officials said that he made a plan to travel with the girls and wife on the train. As per plan, he took the girls one by one near the door of the compartment of the speeding Jansewa Express.

In the early hours of Wednesday, when almost all other passengers were asleep, Iddu threw them out while the train was passing through Sitapur district. Iddu first pushed his wife out.

While the wife and one of the girls, aged six, died, the other threes aged five, eight and 12, suffered serious injuries and are being treated at the district hospital. The police are searching for another daughter, who remains untraced.

They suspect that she, too, was thrown out of the train and killed.

FIFA U-17 World Cup: Brazil vs England semifinal moved to Kolkata (Salt Lake Stadium) from Guwahati due to pitch concerns

October 23, 2017

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WEST BENGAL

The FIFA U-17 World Cup encounter between Brazil and England has been rescheduled from Guwahati’s Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium to Kolkata’s Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan due to pitch concerns. The game will now take place in Kolkata on October 25 at 5pm.

“England said they didn’t have a problem, but Brazil weren’t willing to play in this pitch. Efforts were made to improve the condition, but the match has now been shifted. The teams will leave Guwahati today evening itself,” Assam Football Association president Hemendra Nath Brahma told Hindustan Times.

FIFA and Assam government officials held a meeting on Monday afternoon to decide on the possibility of Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium hosting the semi-final on Wednesday. But they left it to the two teams – Brazil and England – to take a call.

According to the officials, Brazil declined to play on the soggy field, which had taken a beating after the Ghana-Mali quarterfinal match on October 21 that was played in rain. Mali had adapted to the conditions but Ghana later lodged a complaint about the field.

Ghana coach Paa Kwesi Fabin was not impressed by the ground conditions and in the post-match press conference, he said, “We’ve not encountered anything like this before. I thought the game should have been abandoned and played at some another time but those who are organising said we have to play so we played.”

To make matters worse, the drainage system of the field was clogged leading to water-logging affecting more than 30% of the field. FIFA officials led by tournament director Javier Ceppi tried to find a way out, but it was all in vain.

“It is shining, and rain is unlikely now. We have two more days to go to make the field ready,” Sanjib Gohain Baruah, secretary of the sports department told HT earlier in the day.

Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal too had Pawan Hans involved for drying up the field. A helicopter hovered over the field for 45 minutes but the rotor could not do the job.

“Everyone tried their best but nature reigned. After four days of continuous rain, the soil became soft. The two teams arrived in the morning but are leaving for Kolkata tonight,” Anand Prakash Tiwari, a key member of the World Cup organising committee said.

Whatever hopes the officials had of conducting the match evaporated after forecast of rain from the meteorologists. The weathermen underlined the possibility of rain on Tuesday night and 60% precipitation on Wednesday morning, the scheduled day of the semifinal.

England reached the semifinals after thrashing USA 4-1 thanks to a hattrick from striker Rhian Brewster while Brazil came from behind to beat Germany 2-1 in the other quarterfinal.

Did demonetization note ban increase Income Tax Returns?

October 20, 2017

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In a press release dated 7 August 2017, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) claimed that there has been a ‘substantial increase’ in the number of tax returns filed this year (1 April – 5 August 2017) on account of demonetisation.

These first sentences from the CBDT press release are important and we will put them under a microscopic scrutiny in the next few paragraphs.

CBDTAs a result of demonetisation and Operation Clean Money, there is a substantial increase in the number of Income Tax Returns (ITRs) filed. The number of Returns filed as on 5 August 2017 stands at 2,82,92,955 (approx. 2.83 crore) as against 2,26,97,843 (approx. 2.27 crore) filed during the corresponding period of FY 2016-2017, registering an increase of 24.7% compared to growth rate of 9.9% in 2016.

Where is the Clear Jump?

– In 2015, the due date for filing tax returns was extended from 31 July to 7 September.

– ITR wise break-up of tax returns filed is available for 1.84 crore tax returns filed between 1 April – 31 August 2015. Between 1-7 September 2015, approximately 22 lakh tax returns were filed, for which ITR wise break up is not available.

The above figures reveal that for the period 1 April – 31 August 2016, the number of e-returns filed were 2.56 crores. This is a 24.3 percent jump from the number of tax returns e-filed for the same period previous year i.e. 1 April – 31 August 2015.

However, in FY 15-16, the due date for filing tax returns was extended till 7 September 2015. So to make the data comparable, we have considered the tax returns filed up to 7 September 2015 which is 2.06 crores.

So the first question that arises is – when there was a clear 24 percent jump in the number of tax returns filed between April – August 2016, is the government right in claiming that there has been a substantial rise in 2017?

In fact, in 2015 (Apr – Aug), there was a 30 percent increase in number of returns filed as compared to 2014. The percentage rise this year in number of tax returns filed is 25 percent for the period 1 April – 5 August 2017 vs 1 April – 5 August 2016.

While the comparative period we have taken for FYs 2012-16 is April – August, in 2017, we have data only up to 5 August. But it may not be out of place to assume that on 31 August 2017, the number of returns filed will still be 25 percent more than those filed in 2016.

ITRs From Independent Assesses Increased Over Time

Now lets dig even deeper into the statistics and take out from the calculations all the tax returns filed up to 31 August, but whose due date falls on 30 September. All Corporate assesses and those non-corporate taxpayers, whose receipts are above Rs 1 crore, have to get their accounts audited (tax audit ) and file income-tax returns by 30- 30 September.

For a moment, let us consider only those returns whose due-date falls on 31 July (all individual assessees (mainly salaried class) and non-corporate assessees whose receipts are below Rs. 1 crore). In this case, ITR 4, 5 & 6 which have filed from April 1 – August 31st, shall be excluded from the data. Now, in 2015, since the 31 July due date was extended till 7 September, we need to consider the ITR wise data as of 7 September 2015.

Unfortunately, the ITR wise data is available only as on 31 August 2015. Between 31 August and 7 September 2015 around 22 lakh tax returns in all were filed, but their ITR wise break up is not available. From April – August 2015, 1.84 crore tax returns were filed of which 16.4% returns were ITR 4, 5 & 6. Let us assume that of the 22 lakh returns filed between September 1 & 7, 2015, only 3
lakh (13.6%) were tax audit ones, i.e. ITR 4,5 & 6. Even after eliminating ITR 4, 5 & 6 from both 2015 and 2016, what we get is as follows :

Tax returns filed between 1 April – 7 September 2015 = 1.73 crores (2.06 crores tax returns – 33 lakhs ITR 4,5,6 )

Tax returns filed between 1 April – 31 August 2016 = 2.12 crores (2.57 crores tax returns – 45 lakhs ITR 4,5, 6).

Even eliminating ITRs 4, 5 & 6 from the equation still shows 22.5 percent growth in tax returns in 2016 vs 2015, for the relevant period April to August. This compares favorably to the 25 percent growth in tax returns this year as per the CBDT press release.

Whichever way you calculate, the 25 percent growth in tax returns for the current year, is not “substantially” higher than in 2016. In fact it is almost the same growth percentage. One caveat – we do not have ITR wise break-up for current year since it has not yet been released by CBDT but any permutation and combination is unlikely to change the growth percentages radically.

Increase in ITRs For 2017 and 2016 Calculated on Different Baselines

The second statistical assertion in the CBDT press release is also inaccurate. The CBDT claims in its press release of 7 August 2017 that the rise in percentage of tax returns this year is 25%, whereas for the same period in 2016, the percentage rise was only 9.9 percent. This is absolutely incorrect.

The CBDT has taken two completely different baselines for comparison. It has calculated the 9.9 percent increase figure based on the number of tax returns filed between 1 April – 5 August 2016, vs the number of tax returns filed between 1 April – 7 September 2015. Sure, the due date in 2015 was extended to 7 September, so rather the CBDT should have compared the number of returns filed between 1 April – 31 August 2016 vs 1 April – 7 September 2015.

That would produce comparable results for statistical analysis… and what does it show? A 24 percent rise in tax returns in 2016 vs 2015 and not 9.9 percent, as the 7 August press release of CBDT seeks to present. And as we have shown in the above para, in case we were to eliminate all the ITRs 4, 5 & 6 which were filed between April 1 and August 31 from both 2015 and 2016 data, we still get a 22 percentage increase in returns filed.

To prove our above point, we need to look no further than the CBDT’s own press release issued last year on 8 August 2016. These are sentences culled out as is from that press release.

CBDTAs on 5th August 2016, over 226.98 Lakh e-returns had been filed in F.Y. 2016-17 as compared to 70.97 Lakh for the same period in FY 2015-16. The growth is over 9.8 percent even if comparison is made with E-returns filed of 206.55 Lakh as on 7th September 2015 (the extended due date in FY 2015-16) which is for a period more than a month later.

The CBDT itself in its press release last year admitted that the periods are not comparable.

Thankfully, the CBDT did not compare the no. of returns filed between 1 April – 5 August for both 2015 and 2016. Had they done that, not only would it be incomparable (since due date in 2015 was extended till 7 September), but would have shown a 200% rise in no. of tax returns filed in 2016!
That would have been muddled the picture even more.

Effect of demonetisation on Personal Income Tax?

Now lets turn to another claim in the press release.

CBDTThe effect of demonetisation is also clearly visible in the growth in Direct Tax Collections. Advance Tax collections of Personal Income Tax (i.e. other than Corporate Tax) as on 05.08.2017 showed a growth of about 41.79 percent over the corresponding period in F.Y. 2016-2017. Personal Income Tax under Self Assessment Tax (SAT) grew at 34.25 percent over the corresponding period in F.Y. 2016- 2017.

This one is a little more difficult to prove/disprove, for a simple reason that there isn’t comparable data available on the personal advance tax collections for April – 5 August 2016 or even for Q1 of 2016-17. At least we couldn’t find. But there is data available on personal income tax collections (self-assessment tax) for 2016, albeit for the period April – June 30, 2016.

The CBDT press release dated 8 July 2016 shows even last year in Q1, the gross personal income tax collection growth was around 30% while the growth in net collection (after adjusting for refunds) was 48.75%. So a 34.2% increase in personal tax collections this year, is par for the course and in line with the previous year’s growth percentages.

What adds to the confusion though is another press release issued by the CBDT (9 August), pertaining to tax collections for the period 1 April – 31 July 2017. As per the latest press release there has been only a 17.5% growth in gross personal tax collections between April – July this year. Whereas, the CBDT press release issued couple of days ago, (7 August) states that there has been a 34% growth in personal tax collections between 1 April and 5 August 2017. It seems the last 5 days before the due date for filing returns, i.e. 5 August produced a windfall for the Revenue.

CBDT Should Have Patted Its Own Back

Now to a point which is highly arguable. But this is actually to the credit of tax department. Rather than giving oversized credit to the 8 November demonetisation for the increase in tax collections, the CBDT ought to have patted its own back for their relentless pursuit of tax evaders. In July 2016 (4 months before demonetisation), while the Income Declaration Scheme (IDS) was still on, the CBDT first sent an internal memo to its Officers and then followed it up with a high impact press statement/release, that essentially upped the ante on those evading taxes. The crux of the July 2016 CBDT statement/internal directive :

CBDT, vide an internal communication dated 5 July 2016, directed the Income tax Chief Commissioners to monitor 60 lakh high value financial transactions without PAN (info obtained by IT Dept. via AIR, i.e. Annual Information return that is filed by banks & financial instructions ).
On 21 July 2016 the CBDT issued a press release under the heading – “IT Dept. to issue 7 lakh letters seeking information in respect of High Value Transactions.” The operative part of the press release reads thus – “ The Income Tax Department has with the help of in-house computer techniques, grouped such non-PAN transactions and identified 7 lakh high-risk clusters having around 14 lakh non-PAN transactions which are being scrutinized by the Income Tax Department closely. The Department will be issuing letters to the parties of these transactions requesting them to provide their PAN number against these transactions.”

Over the last couple of years, the CBDT has been making big time use of data analytics, which it claims, has helped the IRS to compile a list of “non-filers” of income-tax returns. As per the CBDT’s Central Action Plan (its comprehensive annual strategy document) the number of non-filers revealed a dramatic rise from 22 lakhs in 2014 to a whopping 59 lakhs in 2016 (pre-demonetisation) and 67 lakhs at present.

What we need to know, is how many of the above 6.7 million ‘non-filers’ are now within the tax net? If CBDT anyway had zeroed in on several million potential tax evaders and almost a million high value transactions without PAN, then what additional data did they get out of demonetisation? The IT Department, as part of Operation Clean Money, launched post-demonetisation, has so far shot off 23.5 lakh notices to those persons, whose tax profiles are inconsistent with the cash deposits made by them during demonetisation period ( November 8 – December 31). It would be quite interesting to see how many of these 23 lakh persons are part of the 6.7 million non-filers club.

To shower all credit in the lap of demonetisation, for the rise in number of tax returns/ increase in tax collections, is at one level, undermining the conscious efforts of the CBDT and IT Department, to track and bring tax evaders into the tax net. Demonetisation may have been a powerful, painful nail in the coffin for many a tax evaders, but not the only nail. To use a cliché, the jury is well and truly still out.

India may break a record at FIFA U-17 World Cup 2017

October 20, 2017

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The attendance for matches of the FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017 breached the million mark in the final match of the Round of 16.

The cumulative total as of now stands at 1,007,396.

The last set of pre-quarterfinal matches involved Ghana against Niger and Brazil versus Honduras on Wednesday.

At the last U-17 World Cup in 2015 in Chile, the total attendance was less than 500,000.

Tournament director of the local organising committee, Javier Ceppi said it would be an understatement to say that they are overwhelmed by the response from across the country.

"We really feel that football has taken over the country and the craze that the tournament has generated is one of a kind. The fans have been fantastic and now India 2017 is on track to become the most attended FIFA U-17 World Cup in the history of the event," Ceppi said.

To ensure that as many seats as possible are utilised, the LOC is "recalling" some of the complimentary tickets given so far.

Keeping that in mind, we have recalled some of the complimentary tickets given in Goa, Guwahati, Kochi and Navi Mumbai and will be opened today so that all football lovers in those cities can have an opportunity to watch the last matches.

"For that to happen, we appeal to all football fans and spectators to get their tickets and fill up the stadiums on the next matches, so that India 2017 can leave its mark and have the record of attendance for a FIFA U-17 World Cup." The final is slated for 28 October and over the remaining nine days, the LOC would like to make this tournament the biggest FIFA U-17 World Cup.

The previous record of 1,230,976 was set in the very first edition in China in 1985.

Suicide bombers attacked two mosques in Afghanistan, At least 72 killed

October 20, 2017

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Suicide bombers attacked two mosques in Afghanistan on Friday, killing at least 72 people including children, officials and witnesses said.

One bomber walked into a Shi'ite Muslim mosque in the capital Kabul as people were praying on Friday night and detonated an explosive, one of the worshippers there, Mahmood Shah Husaini, said.
At least 39 people died in the blast at the Imam Zaman mosque in the city's western Dasht-e-Barchi district, interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish said.

No group claimed responsibility. But Shi'ite Muslims have suffered a series of attacks in Afghanistan in recent months, many of them claimed by the Sunni Muslim militants of Islamic State.
Separately, a suicide bombing killed at least 33 people at a mosque in central Ghor province, a police spokesman said.

The attack appeared to target a local leader from the Jamiat political party, according to a statement from Balkh provincial governor Atta Mohammad Noor, a leading figure in Jamiat.
Again, no one immediately claimed responsibility.

Eco-friendly: Pollution levels gone down in Bhopal without fire cracker ban

October 20, 2017

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The Supreme Court ban on fire crackers may not have had the desired impact on post Diwali pollution levels in Delhi and NCR but in Bhopal city residents appear to have taken the cue even without the stick falling on the Madhya Pradesh state capital.

According to the Diwali day data released by the state pollution control board, pollution levels in Bhopal have gone down in comparison to last level.

According to RR Singh Sengar of State Pollution Control Bureau, particulate matter of 10 micrometers or less (PM 10) in diameter has gone down.

"Till last year, we used to measure just PM 10 and that has gone down. This year, we also measured PM 2.5 and found that 75 per cent in PM 10 was PM 2.5 on Diwali day," Sengar said.

The Pollution Control Board did sampling at seven locations in Bhopal, out of which two were industrial areas, AKVN and Mandideep.

The pollution levels were observed to be within limits in both industrial areas. Last year, the Pollution Control Board had taken samples at three locations.

"The average pollution in Bhopal was within the prescribed limits and this was perhaps due to increased awareness amongst city residents," Sengar said.

The pollution levels went down even though state Home Minister, Bhoopendra Singh, had openly ridiculed Supreme Court for banning crackers. He also invited Delhiites to Madhya Pradesh to burst crackers on Diwali.

The government, on lines of the Union Environment Ministry's notification that banned high decibel crackers had banned manufacture, sale and use of crackers emitting noise levels exceeding 125 dB(A1) or 145 dB(C).

RSS General Secretary Bhaiyaa Ji Joshi, who was in Bhopal a day before Diwali too, had taken a dig at the cracker ban saying someone could raise similar objections to 'diyas' in the future.

Despite the Home Minister's invite to Delhiites, various campaigns for a green diwali were carried out by an active citizenry in Bhopal that seems to have clearly paid.

Seems like Delhiites really need to learn the art of being eco-friendly from Bhopal residents.

Saudi Father and his son marry Two Sisters

October 20, 2017

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LIFE & STYLE

Some of the news that hit our ear dreams cannot scare us and any more than this. This week, social media has been flooded with the news about a 70-year-old man who ended up marrying a young woman in the city of Jeddah. Marriage is a very important decision that involves two families and each of their future despite only two of them tying the knot. However, two certain families in the Kingdom did not find it unusual to wedding of two daughters in the same house. Perhaps this wouldn’t have been odd, but the fact both father and son married two sisters is quite disturbing to hear.

A young man wanted to marry a woman he was deeply in love with. This wasn’t his first marriage and thus his decision faced much discussion and contradiction by his first wife and mother. They both were not in favor of the marriage and hence tried to convince the man to drop the idea, but he couldn’t convince his heart as he was in love with the woman he wished to marry. After convincing the father of the man, they decided to call off the engagement in a proper manner. The father who was 70 years old visited the compound of the girl to call off the engagement. During his visit, he came across a woman in their home who was busy serving tea. The father asked the father of the “bride-to-be” who she was.

Apparently, that was the sister of the “bride to be” and was in her 30’s. She was divorced and hence was living with her family.  The father had shown deep interest in the young woman who was 40 years younger than him. He offered the family another marriage proposal. This time, he asked the hand for his other daughter not for his son, but for himself! Rather than calling off the engagement of his son, he ended up marrying the sister in law of his son. Both the mother and first wife were shocked when the father came home married hand in hand with the bride’s sister in law.

Not only that, but the son was deeply in shock as what happened in just a few hours. Over social media, there has been a wide amount of criticism. Women and men both quarrel over the disturbing incident.  They have asked what caused the family of the woman to wed their daughter to a man who is old enough to be her Grandfather. Was it right for the family to wed their daughter off since they were aware that no one would take her in otherwise because of her previous failed marriage?

There I no doubt that there are certain conflicts that the family is fighting with. The mother now is bound to welcome another daughter in law along with her sister who shall share her old husband. The son who was to become a groom himself once again shall now make Valima preparations for his father.

Indian economy is on a solid growth track, International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief Lagarde

October 16, 2017

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NATIONAL

The Indian economy is on a solid growth track in the medium and long term due to the structural reforms undertaken by the government, and the current slowdown due to implementation of the goods & services tax (GST) and demonetisation is short term, International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief Christine Lagarde has said.

The IMF on Tuesday lowered India's growth forecast for 2017-18 to 6.7% from its earlier estimate of 7.2%, citing lingering impact of demonetisation and transition cost to GST. But, India is expected to regain the fastest growing major economy tag next year when it is forecast to grow 7.4% (slower than earlier estimate of 7.7%), higher than China's 6.5%. IMF also expects the Indian economy to grow 8% in the medium term on the back of reforms undertaken so far.

"We have slightly downgraded India. However, we believe that India is on a growth track for the medium and long term, that is much more solid as a result of the structural reforms that have been conducted in India in the last couple of years," Lagarde told a news conference in Washington, DC.

"Now, of course the demonetisation that took place, of course collapsing 40 different taxes into one single GST is a monumental effort and given the implementation associated with, it is hardly surprising that there is a little bit of a short-term slowdown as a result but for the medium term we see a very solid track ahead of the Indian economy," she said.

Lagarde was confident that jobs would be created in India on the back of reforms unveiled by the government. The Narendra Modi-led government has faced criticism after growth slowed to a three-year low of 5.7% in the June quarter, prompting the PM to slam critics for spreading what he called was "pessimism".

"The (fiscal) deficit has been reduced, inflation is down significantly and the structural reforms will deliver jobs the Indian population, particularly the young Indian people, expect in the future," the IMF chief said indicating a strong support for the government's reforms agenda.

FIFA has confirmed 8 top-seeded teams in World Cup finals draw

October 16, 2017

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FIFA has confirmed the seven highest-ranked nations joining host Russia as top-seeded teams in the World Cup finals draw.

France rises one place to No. 7 to edge out Spain, as defending champion Germany heads an unchanged top six.

After a busy qualifying program last week, Brazil, Portugal, Argentina, Belgium and Poland are also top-seeded for the Dec. 1 draw in Moscow.

FIFA uses October rankings to decide all four seeding pots despite nine places in the 32-team World Cup finals lineup to be decided in November.

Russia is top-seeded for the World Cup despite being ranked No. 65.

Chile at No. 9 is the highest-ranked team eliminated from the World Cup.

Mexico at No. 16 heads CONCACAF teams. The eliminated United States is No. 27.

Tunisia at No. 28 is Africa’s best, and No. 34 Iran leads Asia.

Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock create records with Bangladesh

October 16, 2017

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South Africa openers Quinton de Kock and Hashim Amla shared a record 282-run partnership as hosts registered a ten-wicket victory over Bangladesh in the first ODI on Sunday at Kimberley. With a modest target of 279, both openers gave very less to Bangladesh bowlers as they chased down the total with 43 balls remaining.

De Kock, who played some great cricketing shots, scored 168 runs from 145 balls which included 21 fours and two maximums. The 24-year old left-handed batsman scored his 13th ODI ton, however, felt 10-run short of his career best score. Amla, on the other end, too remained steady with his innings and scored his 26th ODI century. The right-handed batsman hit eight boundaries on course of his 110-run knock. Amla has now taken fewest innings (154) to 26 ODI hundreds, whereas Indian skipper Virat Kohli took 166.

As hosts took 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series, Amla-de Kock partnership powered South Africa to chase down the target without losing a wicket, surpassing England’s 255 against Sri Lanka in 2016. Their 282-run stand also became the third highest opening wicket partnership. Sri Lanka’s Sanath Jayasuriya-Upul Tharanga hold the record for 286 runs against England, which is followed by David Warner-Travis Head’s 284-run stand against Pakistan in 2016.

Bangladesh also entered the record books – but for all the wrong reasons. They have now lost 11 ODI matches by 10 wickets, the most any team.

After winning the toss and electing to bat first, visitors were off to a steady start before Kagiso Rabada dismissed both openers. Bangladesh batsmen could not hold on to their resistance as wickets kept falling at regular intervals. But, captain Mushfiqur Rahim’s knock of 110 runs and partnerships with Shakib Al Hasan (59), Mahmudullah (69) and a 42-run stand with Sabbir Rahman took their score to 278/7 in 50 overs. Rabada was the pick of the bowlers as he finished his 10-over spell for 4/43 while Dwaine Pretorius claimed two wickets.

First Indian woman to sign for WWE

October 16, 2017

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Kavita Devi, formerly a powerlifter, became the first Indian woman to sign up for the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). After The Great Khali and Jinder Mahal became the two male wrestlers to be snapped up the largest wrestling company in the world, it is now the turn of Kavita to take India’s flag into the ring. The news was confirmed by Mahal on his visit to the country to promote the WWE India tour which will take place on December 8 and 9.

Devi who hails from Haryana underwent training to become a professional wrestler under the guidance of The Great Khali (Dalip Singh Rana) at his training academy in Punjab. She shot to fame after her video, where she competed against a fellow wrestler B B Bull Bull went viral. She was later invited to be part of the Mae Young Classic women’s tournament after competing in the WWE tryouts in Dubai. Her appearance in the Mae Young tournament made her the first Indian woman to compete in a WWE ring. Even though Devi failed to beat Dakota Kai in her match in the tournament, she has earned herself a massive shot with the contract with the WWE. Her training is slated to begin at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida in January.

“It was a privilege to be the first Indian woman to compete in WWE,” said Devi to Hindustan Times. “Participating in the Mae Young Classic with some of the best female performers in the world was a great learning experience. Now I am looking forward to pursuing my dream of becoming the first WWE Women’s Champion from India,” she added.

“I’m extremely proud to welcome Kavita to WWE where she now has a great opportunity to become India’s first female WWE Superstar. She is an inspiration to the youth of India and I wish nothing but success for her” said Jinder Mahal. Mahal is the current WWE champion on Smackdown Live brand and The Great Khali had been a champion during his time inside the ring as well.

In more power to women wrestlers in Asia, WWE announced Shadia Bseiso from Jordan has become the first Arab woman from the Middle East to sign a WWE developmental contract.

Foods that will increase your Penis Size

October 13, 2017

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LIFE & STYLE

Bananas: Studies have revealed that males who have a healthy heart may gain a few inches successfully. It has also been discovered that the potassium found in bananas can assist in enhancing the health of the heart, while improving the circulation of the blood.

With better circulation of the blood around the body, and having a healthy heart, growth of the penis will be an easier task. Eating bananas can keep the levels of sodium of the body low, which assists in the prevention of heart diseases and other problems related to the heart.

Salmon: Salmon is rich in all the heart healthy fatty oils like omega 3.

These healthy fatty oils assist in thinning the blood leading to lower viscosity which in turn helps in the better circulation of blood in the body.

Research has shown that having healthy blood flow is one of the major factors in accomplishing stronger and stiffer erections.

Onions: Even though it was not known before, many researchers have shown the importance of onions as an important food for better circulation of blood.

Onions also assist in the prevention of clotting of blood. This carries a huge advantage for enhancing the blood circulation to the heart and penis too.

From what has been discussed so far, it can be observed that the trend of having a healthy heart and blood flow is very important in growing a stronger and longer penis that has stiffer and more powerful erections.

While an individual can get help from eating these foods, eating the foods alone is not enough for the growth of the penis. In addition to consuming the three main foods, you have to incorporate other vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean meats into your diet. Along with that, you have to eliminate junk food and processed foods from your every day diet.

For better results, you might want to utilize herbal penis enlargement supplements like the Xtra Large Capsules, and lead a healthy lifestyle, incorporating healthier habits and consuming a balanced, healthy diet. Eating all these healthy foods and utilizing high quality herbal penis supplements can assist you in obtaining quicker penis enlargement results.

Many herbal pills for penis enlargement are safe to utilize and have approved and tested ingredients, considered to be very effective by top medical experts. Many companies offer their customers a full money back guarantee so that the customers can try the products, see the results and only then continue using the product.

Things to Remember For a Healthy Penis

Lose It or Use It (Having healthy erections is important!)

To keep your penis in shape, having erections on a regular basis is really necessary. This means that it has to be exercised every now and then. In order to maintain a healthy tone, the penis’s smooth muscle must be enriched by oxygen from the circulation of blood.

This makes the penis erect and engorges it. If a male is able to get erect, but does not have erections during the day, he should not worry because the brain has penis maintenance function installed. Signals from the brain can cause erections during the REM phase.

If people do not do anything to maintain the regular erections, then they will experience a shortening of the penis. Without frequent erections, the penile tissues can start shrinking and become less elastic, making the male’s penis 1 to 2 centimeters shorter.

Your Penis is a Grower (Bigger Penis In Normal Condition = Bigger Erection? Not Necessarily)

Among males, there is no relationship between the size of a flaccid penis and the full erect length. In a study of eighty men, researchers discovered that an increase from flaccid lengths to erect lengths varied widely.

Whatever the significance of the data might be, the locker room importance is considerable. You cannot assume that a man with a big penis gets bigger with small erections and the guy who has a tiny penis might need a bigger erection.

Sensitivity Reduces As You Age

Studies have shown that the penis loses sensitivity as males get older; however it is not certain by how much.

This is because different researchers have utilized various ways to measure sensitivity and stimulate the penis. Despite the different researches, the information collected shows a trend of sensitivity starting to decrease from 25 and onward. The sharpest decline in a male’s penis’s sensitivity occurs from 65 to 75.

This is why you need to maintain the health of your penis by eating the foods that have been listed above, and using herbal supplements that improve the health of the male organ. By consuming the foods mentioned above, you will not only be able to improve the circulation of blood, maintain a healthy heart, but you will also be able to get the large penis you always wanted!

10 major mistakes men do that destroy relationships

October 13, 2017

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LIFE & STYLE

Mistakes men make: Good relationships are hard to find. People find their special someone but very often fail to nurture their relationship afterwards. Most men put their best foot forward when they pursue the women they love, but their effort diminishes as their relationship develops and progresses. This eventually causes their relationship to break apart. However this does not mean that only men are to be blamed for failed relationships. There are two sides to every coin, women also engage in things that ruin relationships. But here, we would be focusing only on what men do to make relationships go sour.

These are ten of the biggest mistakes that men make in relationships.

1 He fails to be the man

Every woman wants her man to he her knight in shining armor. Every guy should show confidence and command over every situation. A girl should always feel safe knowing her man can protect her from every situation. It is also important that you know how to make firm decisions for yourself and for both of you. In short, be the man!

2 He wants her to see things his way

All men admit that they may never fully understand the way women think. But to make a relationship work, a guy has to accept that men and women have a different way of understanding and accepting things. A man cannot expect a woman to always see things the way he does because she will always have her own perspective and views about certain issues.

3 He is a doormat

Women like it when guys make sacrifices for her. But if a guy allows the girl to dominate him in a relationship then she might just lose all respect for him. A guy should be able to make a girl feel special without compromising his dignity and self-respect.

4 He makes her feel unimportant

Every girl should feel that she is important to the man she is in a relationship with, otherwise she will begin to question his love for her.  Some guys become too busy or distracted with other things that they forget that their partner needs time and attention too. It’s just a matter of time before a girl gives up on a guy who makes her feel neglected and unimportant.

5 He is insensitive to her feelings

Women are more sensitive than men, and guys should know that.  Women also tend to say that they are okay even if there is something bothering them. A man should be sensitive enough to read between the lines and he should be aware when things don’t seem to be okay between them. He should be aware of his partner’s feelings and he should always be ready let her know that he is there to comfort her when she is down. Failing to recognize when a woman is sad or angry at you often leads to a lot of conflict in a relationship.

6 He has lost her trust and respect Trust and respect are two important factors in keeping a relationship strong.

If a guy does things that make a girl lose her trust and respect for him, then he can never make her see him the same way she did before. Guys who cheat and lie will never be able to handle a relationship well.

Balochistan shrine blast: At least 12 people were killed and several injured

October 05, 2017

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At least 12 people were killed and several injured in a suicide blast at a shrine in Balochistan’s Jhal Magsi, Pakistani media reported on Thursday. According to Dawn, the explosion took place at the shrine at a time when scores of people had gathered to pay their respects. There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Attendance at shrines is usually large on Thursday. The death toll is expected to increase.

Radhe Maa, was welcomed at a police station, Sits on SHO’s chair

October 05, 2017

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NATIONAL

Controversial self-styled Godwoman, Radhe Maa, was welcomed at a police station in east Delhi during the festival of Navratri. The Station House Officer of Vivek Vihar, Sunjoy Sharma, welcomed her and offered her his chair at the police station. A photograph also emerged on the social media in which Radhe Maa is seen sitting on his seat, while the SHO, with ‘chunri’ around his neck, is standing beside.

Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik ordered a probe into the matter and sent the SHO to the district line with immediate effect. Chief Spokesperson Dependra Pathak told The Indian Express that Sharma has been sent to district lines and a probe has been ordered. An additional DCP level officer will conduct the probe, he said.

Sources said Radhe Maa suddenly arrived at the police station and met other staff, who offered her a warm welcome on the midnight of September 28 and 29. A few of them sang patriotic songs with her. Sources said she remained at the police station for at least 15 minutes. She had come to attend a Ramlila near the police station.

After the inquiry was ordered on Thursday, senior officials collected the CCTV footage and DVR from the police station. Sources said a few more policemen, who were present during the event, may face departmental action.

#WATCH Policemen seen singing with self styled god woman Radhe Ma in Delhi's GTB Enclave pic.twitter.com/XOIAr2vKHf

— ANI (@ANI) October 5, 2017

Amit Shah has cut short his programme, Skips Kerala Jan Raksha Yatra, BJP left red-faced

October 05, 2017

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In a major setback to BJP’s ambitious Jan Raksha Yatra, which began in Kannur on Tuesday with a war cry against the CPM, party chief Amit Shah has cut short his programme. Shah was back in the national capital on Tuesday itself.

Although there is no official confirmation about his return to the state, party sources said Shah is unlikely to take part in the march (padyatra) on Thursday, which is scheduled to pass through Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s hometown.

Neither the BJP’s media cell nor the state unit leaders have given any reason for his absence from padyatra on Thursday. On Wednesday, the BJP president was expected to attend programmes in Mangalore, which, too, were cancelled.

While some state leaders said Shah’s programme has been cancelled, others said he might join the public meeting scheduled to take place in Thalassery in the evening.

Sources in the BJP described the curtailing of the trip as “rescheduling” and added that the party president will be present on the last day of the fortnight-long campaign on October 17, where he is scheduled to attend the concluding ceremony in Thiruvananthapuram.

Some state BJP leaders blamed it on “bad planning”, while some rumours cited Shah’s health as a reason for cutting short the programme — they said the party president should not have walked the entire stretch on Tuesday.

Shah walked nine kilometres on Tuesday, from Payyannur to Pilathara, where he addressed a public rally.

Shah’s decision to skip the padyatra would be a major embarrassment to its Kerala unit and its president Kummanam Rajasekharan who is leading it from Kannur to Thiruvananthapuram covering 11 of the state’s 14 districts. The padyatra, with the theme ‘All Have To Live: Against Jihadi-Red Terror’, is part of the campaign of the BJP and its ideological parent RSS to “expose the political violence against their workers in the state by the Communists”.

Significantly, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also participated in the march on Wednesday, where he raised the issues of ‘love jihad’ and terrorism, which, the BJP claimed has been supported by the ruling Pinarayi Vijayan-led CPM government.

Meanwhile, Shah’s march has been ridiculed by Communist leaders in the state. On Thursday, the Malayalam mouthpiece of the CPM, Deshabhimani, carried stories of atrocities against Dalits, rapes and protests by farmers in BJP-ruled states and raised a question: “Is this BJP’s Janaraksha?”

Shah’s absence is likely to make the CPM camps upbeat with local party leaders claiming the BJP chief had left the battlefield ever before the war has begun.

Bangladesh want India’s stand on Rohingyas, fears risk of refugee radicalisation via terror networks

October 05, 2017

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Two senior-level Bangladesh ministers have backed New Delhi’s stand on Rohingyas, adding that the influx of refugees from Myanmar poses a big “threat” to internal security.

Speaking to Times Now, Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan agreed that it is a humanitarian crisis, but also highlighted that there may be ways via which Pakistan and ISIS may try to radicalise these refugees.

“We are extra vigilant and we will not let our land being used for terrorism. They are desperate people and can do anything. This genocide might have received outside support from foreign hands (ISI),” he said.

“Pakistan and IS are far from Bangladesh but they might try to reach to these Rohingyas via others. Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) or Rohingya Solidarity Organisation (RSO) might play foul. “They have even killed our people. We are determined that terrorism won’t be tolerated. The International community should come together,” he added.

Speaking on the same issue, Bangladesh’s Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu highlighted how it is becoming a massive challenge for their government. He said, “It’s a big challenge. They will have to be repatriated. The Myanmar govt had sent an emissary to Bangladesh and their govt has acknowledged that Myanmar people have indeed crossed over and have entered into Bangladesh,” he added.

He, too, was of the view that Rohingyas could become a security threat to the nation, thus the Bangladesh government is registering them.

“If they are not repatriated then we have to send them to some island on the Bay of Bengal. Bangladesh is pursuing zero tolerance towards terrorists,” Inu said.

Stating that Pakistan has a history of harbouring terrorists, he said Dhaka is worried about that the former would attempt radicalising the refugees.

“If we have doubts on anyone we detain them. We aren't taking any chances,” he said.
The Indian government recently filed its response to the rejoinder affidavit of Rohingya immigrants Mohammad Salimullah and Mohammad Shaqir, who have filed the PIL alleging they had faced persecution in Myanmar and were forced to flee.

The Centre told the SC that Illegal immigrants cannot claim fundamental rights which are otherwise available even to non-citizens, in its fresh response to the PIL of two Rohingya refugees challenging their deportation to Myanmar.

In the fresh surrejoinder (a plaintiff's reply to a defendant's rejoinder), the government submitted that though it was "fully conscious, aware and responsible for its obligations emanating from various international instruments", but certain views expressed by Indian representatives and the contentions, based on "declarations/resolutions/international instruments" were devoid of merits.

"As a sovereign State, India will always honour such obligations which are binding obligations. Having said that, it is reiterated that India is not a signatory to United Nation Convention of 1951 and the Protocol of 1967 issued thereunder.

"The said Convention/Protocol is, therefore, not binding upon India and no other Declaration/Resolution/Convention/international treaty or instrument of any kind is in force which prohibits India, as a sovereign nation, to exercise its right of deporting illegal immigrants in accordance with laws of India and thereby protecting the fundamental rights of its own citizens more particularly in the interest of national security," the Centre said.

Meanwhile, the apex court today fixed a batch of pleas on Rohingya issue for hearing on October 13 and asked the Centre and others to file documents including international conventions for its assistance.

The rejoinder affidavit of the Ministry of Home Affairs also said there was no binding legal obligation on India with respect of non-refoulment flowing from any binding international instrument. Non-refoulement means the practice of not forcing refugees or asylum seekers to return to a country where they are liable to be subjected to persecution.

"I submit that the illegal immigrants would not get and cannot claim any of the fundamental rights which are otherwise available to non-citizens as the term "non-citizens" would necessarily mean persons, not citizens of India, are in India on a valid travel document," Mukesh Mittal, Joint Secretary (Foreigners) with the MHA told the court.

"The framers of the Constitution of India would not have envisaged a situation where thousands and thousands of people would be flowing into this country entering illegally without any valid travel documents and start claiming fundamental rights as non-citizens," he added.

Earlier, the Centre had termed Rohingya refugees as "illegal" immigrants and said that some of them were part of a "sinister" design of Pakistan's ISI and terror groups such as the ISIS, whose presence in the country will pose a "serious" national security threat.

High court rejects Zakia Jafri's petition against Narendra Modi, Upholds clean chit to Narendra Modi, others in 2002 riots case

October 05, 2017

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In a setback for Zakia Jafri, the Gujarat High Court on Thursday upheld the closure report that gave a clean chit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and 61 others in 2002 post-Godhra riots case. The court also dismissed Jafri’s allegation against the accused that the riots were part of a larger conspiracy.

The court, however, said that Jafri’s plea succeeds as far as her demand of fresh investigation was concerned before the magisterial court.

“The trial court has self-limited itself in saying that further investigation, in this case, can’t be ordered. This order of lower court deserves interference. So, the petitioner can raise the issue before the concerned court that is the same magisterial court, the division bench of the high court or the Supreme Court,” Justice Sonia Gokani said.

Justice Gokani while pronouncing the order said that the magisterial court, which first accepted the closure report, was wrong in its judgment that it didn’t have the power to order a fresh investigation. “The court doesn’t believe in the larger conspiracy theory propounded by the petitioners as the Supreme Court has monitored the investigation,” Justice Gokani said.

Zakia had moved the high court in 2014 against a closure report filed by the Supreme Court-appointed SIT on the issue of a larger criminal conspiracy involving Modi and others behind 2002 riots cases. Her husband Ahsan Jafri was one of the 69 victims of the riots as a mob had set their house in city’s Gulberg Society on fire.

The SIT had filed a closure report against Modi and other accused after an investigation. It said that there was not enough material to prosecute Modi and other accused. The SIT didn’t believe the testimony of former IPS officers Sanjiv Bhatt and RB Sreekumar among others. Besides, SIT also said in its investigation that the allegations were vague in nature and there was no concrete evidence against the accused.

‘Donald Trump ready for any step’ if Islamabad supports terror groups , Says Mattis

October 05, 2017

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Washington: Mincing no words, US Defence Secretary James Mattis on Wednesday said President Donald Trump is prepared to take "whatever steps necessary" against Pakistan if it continued to extend support to terror groups.

Mattis further warned Pakistan of global "diplomatic isolation" and losing its non-NATO ally status, if it failed to take action against safe havens to terrorists, that are operating on its soil.

While addressing members of the powerful House Armed Services Committee during a Congressional testimony on South Asia and Afghanistan on Wednesday, Mattis said: "If our best efforts fail, President Trump is prepared to take whatever steps necessary."

He was asked a series of questions by Congressmen who expressed their frustration on Pakistan not taking actions against terror groups.

Without much elaboration, Mattis said the US has "enormously powerful number of options" if Pakistan does not follow through and be a better promoter of stability in the region.

"Right now, I would like to think we will be successful," Mattis said. "With the growing consensus against terrorism, they'll find themselves diplomatically isolated."

"There is an awful lot of advantage to Pakistan of coming online with the international community, and we have to stay focused there, but the penalties are just as significant as the advantages if they choose to go a different direction," he said.

"But for right now, the US needs to try one more time to make this strategy work with them by, with, and through the Pakistanis," he said.

When Congressman Rick Larsen asked if revocation of non-NATO allies status is on the list of possibilities against Pakistan, Mattis said, "I'm sure it will be."

Mattis' tough talk on Pakistan, came as Pakistan Foreign Minister Khwaja Asif is visiting the US as part of efforts to rebuild bilateral ties frayed after President Trump accused Islamabad of sheltering terror groups.

President Trump announced his Afghanistan and South Asia policy in August in which he adopted a tough policy against Pakistan.

In a meeting with the Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Asif defended his country's role in the war against terrorism.

He claimed that Pakistan has pursued a zero-tolerance and indiscriminate approach in its campaign against all terrorist and militant groups.

However, Mattis told lawmakers that while the US is adopting "a whole of government approach" on Pakistan, it is also aligning NATO countries on this.
"What you're going to see is 39 nations all in the NATO campaign working together to lay out what it is we need Pakistan to do, he said.

"What we are doing right now is that we are aligning what Department of Treasury, Department of Defence, the Intelligence Committee, Department of State, say, this is what we must ask Pakistan to do to change its behaviour," he added.

The Trump administration, he said, is going to use a whole government international effort to align the benefits and the penalties if those things are not done.

"Pakistan has lost more troops in this fight against terrorism than nearly any country out there. And yet at the same time, as you know, there's been some parsing out where some terrorists have been allowed safe havens. We're out to change that behaviour and do it very firmly, Mattis asserted.

As part of this, Mattis said there would be an exchange of high-level visits between the two countries.

Mattis said he and the Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will soon visit Islamabad.

"We're not going to back off. It will start with assistant secretaries coming out of Washington and the National Security staff members going into Pakistan soon followed by the Secretary of State," he said.

"I will go in and we have (NATO) Secretary General Stoltenberg's very clear support for this in his advocacy as the Secretary General of NATO. So we're going to continue to build this up in an international way with a whole of US government argument for the Pakistanis to work in their own best interest and ours," Mattis said.

After holding talks with Asif, Tillerson yesterday said that the US is concerned over the future of the government in Pakistan and wants to ensure long-term stability in the country.

Inviting Tillerson to visit Islamabad to continue their talks, Asif said that a broad-based and structured framework for dialogue would best serve the two countries' mutual interests.

Delhi University professor charged for Facebook post allegedly insulting goddess Durga

September 24, 2017

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A Delhi University (DU) assistant professor has been accused of insulting Hindu goddess Durga using obscene words in a Facebook post, which prompted a condemnation from the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). A teacher's body filed the police complaint against Mr Kedar Kumar Mandal of Dayal Singh College in the national capital, Delhi.

Mr Mandal had posted the controversial Facebook update at 07:43 pm yesterday and later deleted it.

The National Democratic Teachers Front (NDTF), a BJP-affiliated teacher's body, filed a complaint today at the Lodhi Colony police station. Police said they have received a complaint but are yet to file an FIR.

Mr Mandal did not respond to messages and could not be reached on his phone for comments.

RSS-affiliated ABVP condemned the post and demanded immediate suspension of the professor.

"We demand his suspension and we request the student community to boycott his classes. Mandal has provoked sentiments during a festival time of Hindu - Navratri," ABVP's Dayal Singh College unit said in a statement.

"If allowed to continue as a teacher he will only spread hatred among students."

Here is how Virat Kohli and Co. celebrated Independence Day 2017

August 15, 2017

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It is a historic day for Indians living all around the world. Today, 15th of August marks India's independence from the British, which was attained in 1947. This year represents 71st year of Indian independence.

The national flag of India was hoisted earlier in the morning in New Delhi by PM Narendra Modi, and the same has been witnessed all around the country by other prominent politicians on other regions as well. However, the unfurling of India flag was not only limited to India as the national cricket team also celebrated, hoisting the flag in Sri Lanka, where they are currently touring.

After the flag was hoisted the members of the Indian team also sung the national anthem in a glorious sunny morning in Kandy.

The BCCI even posted a video of the players, signing the national anthem, with the tweet captioned, "#TeamIndia gathered at Kandy to hoist the tricolour on the occasion of Independence Day #IndependenceDayIndia"

#TeamIndia gathered at Kandy to hoist the tri-colour on the occasion of Independence Day #IndependenceDayIndia https://t.co/SyRLmE4Let
— BCCI (@BCCI) August 15, 2017

Such kind of special flag hoisting ceremony might only have been made possible after India beat Sri Lanka within three days of the 3rd Test on Monday. Had Sri Lanka played well, India players would have to take to the field on Tuesday, which would then act as the fourth day of the final Test.

As a result of some absolute dominance, Virat Kohli and his men demolished the island nation in the Test series, winning 3-0. The first two Tests victory also proved to be a cakewalk for Team India. No wonder, India are ranked world number one in Test cricket.

It is time for India players to change gears and their approach as they prepare for a five-match ODI series and one-off T20. They will start both the formats as favourites despite resting some of their key bowlers for the limited overs series.

Specialists such as MS Dhoni and Jasprit Bumrah have been included in the squad.

UP madrasas refuse to sing national anthem

August 15, 2017

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Many madrasas across Uttar Pradesh defied on Tuesday a controversial state government diktat that asked staff and students at the Islamic educational institutions to sing the national anthem and videograph Independence Day celebrations.

In Kanpur, Meerut and Bareilly, three of the biggest madrasa centres in the state, students sang Saare Jahan Se Achha, a 20th century patriotic song penned by the poet Mohammad Iqbal and didn't record proceedings, saying they didn't want to give proof of their patriotism. (Live updates)
"Students hoisted the flag and celebrated the occasion with traditional fervour. The government order is an attempt to test our patriotism which is wrong," said Haji Mohd Saleeh, convener of the Sunni Ulema Council.

The controversy was sparked by a circular passed by the Yogi Adityanath government last week that asked the Islamic schools to hoist the Tricolour and sing the national anthem at 8 am. The order, which made photography and videography of the event mandatory, argued that visual proof would help the board in encouraging participants to better their performance in the future.

But many of the state's 16,000 madrasas didn't take the order well and many prominent clerics publicly opposed the order. UP has one of the highest proportions of Muslims in the country, nearly a fifth, and just 600 of the madrasas are government aided.

In Bareilly, students at the Manzar-e-Islam - the biggest Barelvi madrasa in the city - hoisted the Tricolour but didn't sing the national anthem. Instead, around 500 students gathered at the open prayer hall to sing 'Sare jahan se achha'. The madrasa authorities also refrained from videography. Mediapersons were not allowed to cover the main event, which lasted for over an hour.

"Traditionally, we do not sing the national anthem during Independence Day or Republic Day celebrations. We only followed convention this time," a senior cleric told HT on the condition of anonymity.

The decision to oppose the government order was taken by senior cleric Asjad Miyan, a descendant of 20th century Islamic religious leader Ahmed Raza Barelvi. Ahmed Raza's dargah (shrine) in Bareilly is the most revered religious site for members of Sunni Islam's Barelvi sect. It manages over a thousand madrasas.

Barelvi clerics justified their decision, alleging the national anthem was written in praise of George V, the then king of England. "Singing of the national anthem belittles the struggle of our freedom fighters. Thereby, it has been unanimously decided that such songs will not be sung on Independence Day," they said in a press release.

In Meerut, all madrasas organised Independence Day programme on their premises and hoisted the Tricolour. Teachers and Muslim clerics addressed the students on the sacrifices made by all communities, including Muslims, in India's freedom struggle.

Mufti Syed Ahmad of madarsa Noor-ul-Islam in old city said, "We cannot worship anyone else other than Allah."

In Kanpur too, orders to videograph the event or sing the national anthem weren't followed. Haji Mohd Saleeh said the students sang 'Saare jahan se Accha' to show their love towards their country. "For us it is also a national song," he said.

Is that a UFO? Mysterious ring over a Chinese beach [VIDEO]

August 15, 2017

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TECH & SCIENCE

A mysterious black smoke ring hovering for a short time over a beach in northeastern China has stunned the viewers. The UFO-like object was spotted over Jinshitan beach in Dalian, China, on August 12.

Hundreds of beachgoers watched the mysterious black ring before it disappeared from view, but several people captured the strange phenomenon on their mobile phones before it vanished into the clouds.

The footage, shared by Pearl Video, shows beachgoers looking at the mysterious black ring hovering in the sky.

While the recent occurrence might have just been from the playground, UFO experts had earlier spotted a huge spaceship in the sky over France, China and Australia.

In May, footage showing a cigar-shaped flashing object surfaced online and UFO experts believed that the mysterious objects were UFOs. Tyler Glockner, who runs a well-known conspiracy channel Secureteam10 on YouTube, shared the video of the UFOs and said the footage was recorded near Paris. However, he also said that the video could be a hoax as well.

"I've done a bit of digging since I received it, and haven't been able to find a copy of the original video. So I don't know, it could be a full blown hoax."

Rs 1.75 lakh crore under scrutiny post note ban

August 15, 2017

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