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Sun, 21 May 2017
US teen spits on Muslim classmate; tries to yank off her hijab

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21:39   US teen spits on Muslim classmate; tries to yank off her hijab
A 16-year-old Muslim girl was spat upon and abused by her classmate who even tried to pull her hijab off in a city school in the US.

The 15-year-old boy was on an elevator with the victim inside the High School for Law Enforcement and Public Safety in Jamaica in the New York City when he called her a "Muslim b---h!" and spit on her, police said.

He then tugged on her hijab in an attempt to rip it off her head, they said.

The girl then told school officials, who reported the incident to police.

Police questioned the teen and charged him with aggravated harassment and disorderly conduct.
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21:11   Twitter co-founder apologises for helping elect Trump
Twitter founder and co-creator of Blogger Evan Williams has publically apologised for providing tools - the micro blogging site - that might have played a role in the election of Donald Trump as US president.

"I think the internet is broken and things are getting worse. Twitter is a hive of trolling and abuse and it seems unable to stop," Williams said.

Responding to Trump's remark of Twitter having played an important role in his election, Williams, in an interview to the New York Times, "It's a very bad thing, Twitter's role in that. If it's true that he wouldn't be president if it weren't for Twitter, then yeah, I'm sorry."

Trump has 30 million followers on his personal account on the platform and was known as a prolific tweeter well before he announced his intention to seek the Republican nomination for presidency.
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20:27   Trump calls for coalition to stamp out extremism
President Donald Trump says the US seeks a coalition of nations in the Middle East with the aim of stamping out extremism.

In his address to the Arab-Islamic American Summit in Riyadh, Trump is vowing to strengthen Americas oldest friendships, and to seek new partners in pursuit of peace.

Trump promised that America will not seek to impose our way of life on others, but to outstretch our hands in the spirit cooperation and trust.

The speech will be Trumps first substantive remarks since he landed in the Middle East Saturday. Hes on a five-stop tour that will include stops in Israel and Italy.
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20:23   After Mann ki Baat, it's now CM ki Baat
Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das is likely to start a radio address on the lines of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Mann ki Baat' -- an idea which is expected to be emulated by other states as well.

The idea of a 'CM Ki Baat' was discussed during a recent meeting of Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu with Das in Ranchi.

It is learnt that an MoU will be signed between the Jharkhand government, the All India Radio and Doordarshan for the programme.

"The Mann ki Baat concept has attracted some state governments who have started thinking of having their own programmes on the same lines," an official said.

Like the Prime Minister Modi, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh also addresses people through radio.
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19:50   Modi govt preparing for surgical strike 2.0? Jitendra Singh just dropped a hint
Union Minister Jitendra Singh today said that the government would do something very concrete and decisive with regard to terrorism and cross-border aggression by Pakistan.

In response to a question if the government is planning to something to check terrorism in Kashmir and rein in Pakistan at the border and LoC, Jitendra Singh, "Did we tell (media) before we carried out the surgical strike? We talked about this only after the operation had been done. We will not tell you what we are going to do."

Responding to the follow up question is something being planned, Jitendra Singh said, "We will definitely do something decisive. But, I can't tell you what that would be. The security agencies will do whatever is required."

"You will see the results yourself," Jitendra Singh said. 
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19:18   Trump's Saudi speech to condemn violence in name of religion
US President Donald Trump is expected to underline the need to confront extremism in Islam when he makes a speech in Saudi Arabia later on Sunday.

A leaked version of his speech says the fight against extremism "is not a battle between different faiths" but "a battle between good and evil".

Trump, who is on his first official trip abroad, will deliver the speech at a summit of regional leaders.

His harsh campaign rhetoric on Muslims stirred concern in the Islamic world.

The excerpts suggest a softer tone with Trump attempting to bolster support for the fight against Islamic State terrorists.
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18:33   Take Capt Saurabh Kalia's case to ICJ: Veterans league urges Centre
The Himachal Pradesh chapter of ex-servicemen league has urged the Centre to moved the International Court of Justice in the case of Army Captain Saurabh Kalia.

During the 1999 Kargil conflict, Kalia was tortured by his Pakistani captors who later handed over his mutilated body to India.

The league's chief, Major (retired) Vijai Singh Mankotia said Kalia's case also be taken to the ICJ, the UN's highest judicial body, to get justice on the lines of Kulbhushan Jadhav.

The ICJ at the Hague has stayed the execution awarded to Jadhav in Pakistan after a military court summarily convicted him of espionage and engaging in subversive activities after India knocked its doors.

Mankotia said the Indian ex-servicemen league and the family of Captain Kalia had made this demand to the previous governments but could not hear anything positive about it.

"Now, after the case of Jadhav in the ICJ, a ray of hope has risen in Kalia's case too," he said.
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18:10   Bill to make Gita compulsory in schools may come up in next Parliament session
A private member's bill that seeks to make the Bhagavad Gita compulsory reading in schools and recommends de-recognising institutes that do not follow suit may come up for discussion in the next session of Parliament.

"The noble thoughts and teaching of the Bhagavad Gita will make the younger generation better citizens and enrich their personality," the bill moved by Bharatiya Janata Party Member of Parliament Ramesh Bidhuri said.

The bill, called the Compulsory Teaching Of Bhagavad Gita As a Moral Education Text Book In Educational Institutions Bill, 2016, stated every educational institution should "compulsorily" teach the Gita as moral education, but said it did not apply to minority schools.

Bidhuri said in the bill, introduced in Lok Sabha in March, that it was time "sincere efforts" were made to spread the teachings of the Gita.

"It is highly deplorable that such literature containing infinite teachings for all age groups is neglected by our educational institutions," Bidhuri said.

Earlier in 2014, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had raised eyebrows when she vociferously sought national scripture status for the Bhagavad Gita.
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17:43   Saharanpur violence: Jantar Mantar turns into sea of blue as thousands of Dalits protest
Thousands of people today held a demonstration at Jantar Mantar, protesting alleged anti-Dalit violence in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur. The protest was called by an organisation known as the Bhim Army and photos shared on Twitter showed Janatar Mantar covered in a sea of blue caps and blue placards.

The protesters have put forth three demands: A judicial probe into the violence May 5 violence; compensation for the Dalits whose homes were torched in the clashes; action against Thakurs involved in the rally commemorating Maharana Pratap and the violence that ensued on May 5.

The Saharanpur issue has taken on a political angle in recent days with Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati just yesterday slamming the Yogi Adityanath Uttar Pradesh government, which she said has failed to ensure peace.

The city of Saharanpur has seen simmering tensions ever since the May 5 clashes between members of the Dalit community and Thakurs.
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17:23   India wrongly claiming victory in Jadhav's case: Qureshi
India cannot claim victory in Kulbhushan Jadhav's case at the International Court of Justice as the court has issued "just a procedural order", the lawyer who represented Pakistan in the case has said.

Khawar Qureshi said Jadhav's case is more about political point scoring than about the law.

"The order issued by the ICJ is just a procedural order to enable full hearing. It certainly is not a victory for India by any means," Geo TV quoted Qureshi as saying.

"It was very clear that the court didnt want to hear about the merits or the jurisdiction. The court wanted to be satisfied whether commander Jadhav had been denied consular access, which he had," he said.
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16:58   Homebuyers' protest in Noida blocks traffic, kills 7-yr-old in ambulance
A seven-year-old boy on his way to hospital died after the ambulance he was in got stuck in a blockade in Noida, near Delhi. Luv Kush was suffering from high fever and was on way to Delhi's premier All India Institute of Medical Sciences. But on his way AIIMS from his home in Firozabad, Uttar Pradesh, the ambulance got caught in a 10-km jam triggered by protesting homebuyers in Noida's Sector 128.

According to the police, around 200 homebuyers were protesting against the builder mafia in Noida for delay in possession of their flats. They had blocked a section of Noida-Greater Noida Expressway.

The ambulance remained stuck for an hour before it ran out of oxygen. The boy's health deteriorated and he couldn't be saved.


The boy's family, who was in the ambulance, pleaded with the police to make way for the vehicle. Eyewitnesses alleged that though there was a large police contingent on the spot, they didn't help and instead remained mute spectators.

The local police said they are yet to receive any complaint from the family. A case has been filed against the protesters for blocking the road.
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16:22   Man who inspired movie 'Airlift' passes away in Kuwait
Prominent Indian businessman in Kuwait, Matthunny Mathews, who was instrumental in the safe evacuation of stranded Indians during the Iraqi invasion in 1990, passed away in Kuwait.

Mathews, 81, who hailed from Kumbanad in Pathnamthitta district, was ailing for some time and passed away yesterday, media reports said. 

Expressing his condolence, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said today that during the 1990 Gulf war Mathews had helped thousands of Indians to flee the gulf nation and his services would always be remembered.
     
By not taking efforts to save his own life and property, Mathews had done yeoman service to bring his countrymen, who had lost everything in the war, safely back, Vijayan said.

Popularly known as 'Toyota Sunny', Mathunny Mathews was said to be the inspiration of Akshay Kumar's character in Bollywood film 'Airlift'.
     
"Extremely sad news, was an honour to portray him on screen. Thoughts and prayers with his family", Akshay Kumar said in a tweet.
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16:02   Indian arrested in Islamabad for not having travel documents
An Indian national has been arrested from F-8 area in Islamabad. 

As per the report, the national was arrested for having incomplete travel documents.

A case has been lodged under Article 14 of the Foreign Act and the arrested has been transferred to jail for judicial remand.

The arrest comes at a time when relations between the two countries are strained as ever over the arrest and the subsequent execution order of former naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav. 

India heaved a big sigh of relief when the International Court of Justice passed an order staying the execution of Jadhav.

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15:38   Triple talaq is inhumane, should be abolished: Shabana Azmi
Actor-activist Shabana Azmi today said that triple talaq is inhumane and violates the basic rights of every Muslim woman.

She said it is the duty of the government to protect the rights of Muslim women and there should be no two opinions on the issue of abolishing triple talaq system.

"Triple talaq is inhumane and violates the basic rights of every Muslim woman," she said. 

"This triple talaq system is totally inhumane and deprives the Muslim women of their right to empowerment or equality," she said.
    
In reply to a question, she said that "even the holy Quran does not permit triple talaq anywhere".

There is a raging debate in the country on the issue of triple talaq. The Supreme Court has reserved its verdict on a batch of petitions challenging the constitutional validity of triple talaq.

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15:20   Stalin wants to know why Modi had no time for the farmers
DMK Working President MK Stalin today wondered how Prime Minister Narendra Modi could meet AIADMK (Puratchi Thalaivi Amma) leader O Panneerselvam but not the farmers or himself, who wanted to take up their cause with him.

Stalin said he was not finding fault with the meeting between Modi and the former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister in Delhi two days ago, but sought to know why he had no time for farmers from the state, who had been staging protest in the national capital for long.

"What I am asking is, you (PM) are aware of the plight of farmers who are facing so many difficulties. They held protest in Delhi for almost 50 days."

"But the prime minister never gave an appointment to them.. They said you (PM) may not heed their demands but at least give an audience for their satisfaction to hear them out," he said.
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15:01   Yeddyurappa in soup over eating hotel-made idlis at Dalit's home
A fresh controversy erupted in Karnataka after state BJP chief BS Yeddyurappa was found to have eaten idli and vadas at a Dalit's home, which were incidentally prepared in a hotel, triggering allegations of him practising untouchability. 

According to reports, on 18 May, the ex-chief minister, along with senior leaders KS Eswarappa, Ananth Kumar and others, had visited a house of a Dalit in Tumkuru to have breakfast.

However, the idli and vadas were apparently brought from a nearby hotel and were not home-cooked. A complaint was then filed  by D Venkatesh of Mandya against the leaders on charges of practicing untouchability.

However, the party was quick to respond to allegations.

"As Yeddyurappa liked idli and vada, it was brought from a hotel. He also ate pulav that was prepared at the Dalits home, state media in-charge Dagge Shivaprakash said. 
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14:47   Stripped, hair chopped off, garlanded with shoes for stealing food
Two minor boys were stripped and paraded with garlands of slippers for allegedly stealing a food item from a sweet shop in Maharashtra's Thane. 

The shop owner and his two sons were arrested after the shocking incident that took place in Prem Nagar area of Ulhasnagar township last night, they said.

The children, aged 8 and 9 and hailing from different families, went to the neighbourhood shop where they picked up a packet of 'chakli' (a snack) without the owner's permission and ate it. This angered the shop owner, Mehmood Pathan (69), police said.

Mehmood, with help from his sons, caught hold of the duo and chopped off their hair. Not stopping at that, they allegedly stripped the minors, made them wear garlands of slippers and paraded them on the street as punishment.
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14:46   North Korea fires 'unidentified projectile': Seoul
North Korea fired off an "unidentified projectile" today according to South Korean defence officials, a week after its latest missile launch. 

"North Korea fired an unidentified projectile at Pukchang, South Pyongan province in the afternoon today," the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.
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14:24   North Korea fires 'unidentified projectile': Seoul
North Korea fired off an "unidentified projectile" today according to South Korean defence officials, a week after its latest missile launch. 

"North Korea fired an unidentified projectile at Pukchang, South Pyongan province in the afternoon today," the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.
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14:20   Restrictions imposed in parts of Srinagar ahead of separatists rally
Authorities today imposed restrictions in parts of Srinagar - the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir ahead of a rally by the separatists.

Most of the separatists leaders, including moderate Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and the chairman of hardline Hurriyat Conference, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, are under house detention.

The restrictions have been imposed in five police station areas of the city as a precautionary measure to prevent any untoward incident, district magistrate (deputy commissioner), Srinagar, Farooq Ahmad Lone, said.

The separatists have called for a march to Eidgah to commemorate the death anniversary of Mirwaiz Mohammad Farooq, father of moderate Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, and another Hurriyat leader Abdul Gani Lone.

Farooq was shot dead by militants on May 21, 1990 and Lone was killed by ultras during a commemoration rally for the former on the same day in 2002.

The curbs have been imposed in Nowhatta, M R Gunj, Rainawari, Khanyar and Safakadal all in the interior areas of the city, he said.
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14:16  
JUST IN: 8 bogies of Lokmanya Tilak Superfast Express derailed at Unnao railway station. No casualties/ injuries reported
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13:49   Rajinikanth will float his own party, says Tamil Nadu Congress committee chief
Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president Su Thirunavukkarasar today said that he believes Tamil 'Superstar' Rajinikanth will not join any national or regional political party but will only float his own party.

"As a friend who has known him for 35-40 years what I think is he will not join any national or regional party. He will only float a new party," the TNCC chief he said.

His remarks comes amidst strong signals from the actor over his possible political plunge, besides BJP's efforts to woo him to join the national party.

The actor had earlier this week made statements about politics and the system being rotten.

He had asked his fans to be prepared for a "war", saying in olden days kings seldom maintained massive standing armies but the men will always turn up when a battle ensued.

He had noted that though he was not interested in politics, he would, nevertheless, show "money-minded people" the door if he took the plunge.
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13:25  
JUST IN: Iran has fired mortar shells into Pakistan territory: Pak media
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13:24   BJP yet to decide on Prez candidate, says Shah
The BJP is yet to take a decision on its candidate for the upcoming Presidential poll, even as the party virtually rejected Shiv Sena's proposal for RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat to be the ruling combine's nominee.

Replying to a question on the BJP-led NDA's candidate for the Presidential polls in July as the opposition was already working on putting up a joint candidate, said BJP president Amit Shah told Aaj Tak channel in an interview that a decision is yet to be taken.

"Even if I have a name on my mind, it has to be discussed within the party first," he said.
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12:59   Ahead of Modi's Gujarat visit, Hardik Patel and Patidar youths tonsure heads
On the eve of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's two-day visit to his home state, Patidar quota stir leader Hardik Patel and 50 of his community youths tonsured their heads on Sunday to kick start Nyay Yatra.

The two-day Nyay Yatra began from Lathidal in Botad and will cover 51 villages before concluding in Bhavnagar on Monday.

"Nyay Yatra is for pressing our demands for justice against police atrocities on agitators in 2015 that left 13 youths dead," said Patel.

"We are starting yatra from Botad where the PM inaugurated an irrigation project during his previous Gujarat visit."

Patidars, a financially and politically influential community and BJP supporters for three decades, are up in arms against the state government seeking OBC status.

Modi will begin the Gujarat visit on Monday from Kutch district where he will inaugurate development projects at Kandla and dedicate Narmada Water pumping station at Bhachau.

On Tuesday, he will inaugurate the annual meeting of the African Development Bank at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar.
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12:37   Urjit Patel to brief Par panel on demonetisation on June 8
RBI Governor Urjit Patel's appearance before a parliamentary panel for a second briefing on demonetisation has been put off from May 25 to June 8, as work on framing the monetary policy would be underway at that time.

The Standing Committee on Finance, which had questioned Patel on January 18 on the move to ban Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denomination notes, allowed him to appear at the later date after he issued a request expressing his inability.
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12:34   Pakistan army to 'jointly fight Jadhav case with govt' in ICJ
First, a Pakistan military court tried, convicted and sentenced Kulbhushan Jadhav, and now it appears the country's powerful army will "jointly fight" the Indian national's case with its government in the International Court of Justice, Pakistan state radio reported a top ruling politician as saying.

What the politician meant by "jointly" wasn't explained in Radio Pakistan's article.

Of course, it is by no means a secret that the Pakistan military has, arguably, an equal say as the civilian government in national matters there. 

What's striking, though, is that a ruling party politician made this statement publicly, that too at a time when tensions are running high between the Nawaz Sharif civilian government and the Pakistan army.

"Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq says the government and Pakistan Army will jointly fight the case of Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav" in the ICJ, reported Radio Pakistan quoting a speech the politician made yesterday.
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12:01   'Who funded Ashutosh, Sanjay Singh's Russia trip': Kapil promises another expose
Sacked Aam Aadmi Party leader Kapil Mishra on Sunday continued his assault on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and questioned the funding of the Russian trip by party leaders Sanjay Singh and Ashutosh.

Mishra who is adamant on exposing the alleged scams in the AAP cadre, took to the Twitter and hinted his day's agenda while pointing fingers at two leaders of Kejriwal bandwagon.

" So who has sponsored Russia trip of Sanjay Singh and Ashutosh? AK ?? ?? ??? ?? ????? ??? ???? ?? 11 ???," he tweeted.

Mishra, whose vociferous campaign against the Delhi chief minister continues in full steam, entered its third round on Friday as he leveled a new set of charges against Kejriwal.

Mishra dropped another bombshell on friend-turned-foe Kejriwal claiming that the party received money through 'hawala network'.

Mishra showed a powerpoint presentation in a press conference as 'evidence' to back his claim that the party received funds from shell companies.

"Arvind Kejriwal is keeping quiet despite me providing clinching evidence of his corrupt practices. I have also presented evidence on the Hawala case last Sunday. It been one week, but no one from the AAP has come up with any clarification. It is evident from this presentation how AAP forged letter heads to shell companies. Even the letter heads were fake," he said.

Mishra also challenged Kejriwal to inform the Income Tax Department that the donation amount received by AAP was from Mukesh Kumar.
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11:23   Gurmehar Kaur is ready to tell her story through book
When the rage over Gurmehar Kaur's video excerpt was storming over social media after the Ramjas college violence in February, the 20-year-old decided to take the higher road. 

"I thought I must let these people do all the talking. People were putting words in my mouth, and the entire narrative had been twisted. I decided to be quiet and tell my story at my time, at my own pace," she said.

This is when the Kaur decided to give her life a voice, shaped by the currents of the present, seen through the eyes of a woman shoved into public scrutiny at a transient time.

Kaur is writing a book, "Moments of Freedom," which is expected to hit the stores in January 2018. 

Read full story HERE
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10:56   GST will cut inflation by 2%: Revenue secy
Inflation will fall by 2 per cent on implementation of the goods and services tax and create buoyancy in the economy, Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia has said. 

He said the all-powerful GST Council will meet next week to decide on tax rates of contentious items like gold, bidi and biscuits, just in time for its rollout from July 1. 

The Council over the two days last week assigned tax rates to more than 500 services and 1,200 goods by setting them in five broad rates of 5, 12, 18 and 28 per cent. 

Adhia and his team visited this picturesque hill station near Srinagar for a short break before heading back to Delhi.

The rates, he said, have been so fixed that incidence of taxation has come down in many and remained at the same level as now in most of the remaining goods and services. 

"I don't think inflation will at all go up because of GST. We have taken special care to ensure inflation does not go up. Our internal estimate is that after the rates are decided, inflation should come down by 2 per cent," he said. 

While the current indirect tax regime suffers from significant cascading, which leads to higher cost of goods and services, a free flow of credits across transactions under the GST framework will bring down the tax cost for businesses. 

Also, taxpayers or consumers currently have to pay both the Centre and state taxes on a single sale, which adds to increased costs for businesses and consumers.

Such an increase in costs adds to the inflationary pressure. GST will be a single nation-wide sales tax replacing a string of central and state levies.

"That is how we have managed to keep our inflation basket under control," Adhia said, promising to fix any compliance issues that crop up during implementation. 

The revenue secretary said GST will create buoyancy in the economy through better compliance and ease of doing business. 

"I wouldn't say anything is pending, but I would say the government has to reach out to the trade and industry and also the machinery of explaining the GST procedures in townhall meetings. We need to accelerate this," he said on the task ahead. -- PTI
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10:34   Radical reforms needed in the way parties spend funds: EC to House panel
The Election Commission has told a parliamentary committee that it does not support state funding of elections but instead seeks 'radical' reforms in the way funds are spent by political parties.

State funding of polls imply the government providing funds to parties and candidates to fight elections, replacing the existing system of ploughing in private or party funds for the job.

'The Election Commission is not in favour of state funding as it will not be able to prohibit or check candidates' own expenditures or expenditures of others over and above that which is provided by the state (government).

'The Election Commission's view is that for addressing the real issues, there have to be radical changes in the provisions regarding receipt of funds by political parties and the manner in which such funds are spent by them so as to provide for complete transparency in the matter,' it said in a written submission before the parliamentary standing committee on Law and Personnel.

The committee is examining the issue of EVMs, paper trail machines and electoral reforms. -- PTI
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09:40   Coal scam: CBI seeks 7-year jail for ex-coal secy Gupta
The Central Bureau of Investigation has urged a special court in New Delhi to award the maximum punishment of seven years jail term to former coal secretary H C Gupta for cheating and criminal conspiracy in allocation of a coal block to a private firm.

Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar, who has held Gupta guilty in the case, will pronounce his judgement on the quantum of sentence on July 22.

Gupta, who was the coal secretary from December 31, 2005 to November 2008, then joint secretary K S Kropha and then director K C Samaria in the coal ministry were held guilty by the court for irregularities in allocation of the Thesgora-B Rudrapuri coal block in Madhya Pradesh to Kamal Sponge Steel and Power Ltd (KSSPL).

Senior public prosecutor V K Sharma told the court that the convicts had committed an economic offence and urged it not to grant any leniency to them. 

He submitted that economic offences were graver than the other crimes and should be dealt with firmly.

The convicts, however, sought leniency, citing old age and no previous conviction in any other case. 

On May 19, the court had convicted Gupta, Kropha and Samaria. It also held the firm and its managing director Pawan Kumar Ahluwalia guilty of the offences, including cheating.

The court, however, acquitted chartered accountant Amit Goyal in the case. 

The CBI had in October 2012 lodged a first information report in the matter, but on March 27, 2014 it filed a closure report. 

The court rejected the closure report on October 13, 2014 and summoned Gupta and others as accused. The CBI had alleged that the firm had misrepresented its net worth and the existing capacity, adding that the state government had also not recommended the firm for the allocation of any coal block. 

The court had on October 14 last year framed charges against them, observing that former prime minister Manmohan Singh was kept in the 'dark' by Gupta, who had prima facie violated the law and the trust reposed in him on the issue of coal block allocation.

10 more coal scam cases are pending against Gupta and the proceedings are going on separately. The Supreme Court had last year dismissed his plea seeking a joint trial in all these cases.  -- PTI
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08:39   Justice Karnan's lawyer makes fresh representation to Prez
A lawyer representing Calcutta high court judge C S Karnan has claimed that a fresh representation has been made to the president, seeking suspension of the Supreme Court order sentencing him to a six-month imprisonment for contempt of court. 

Advocate Mathews J Nedumpara said that he, along with other counsel representing the high court judge and his son C S Sugan, met Ashok Mehta, the secretary to the president, and handed over to him an application for the suspension of the sentence under Article 72 of the Constitution. 

He said they have sought a personal audience of Justice Karnan with the president. 

The lawyers took the ground in the application that Justice Karnan will be unable to exercise any remedy if he is arrested. 

"Therefore, an application seeking the president's intervention under Article 72 has been made," Nedumpara said. 

Article 72 states that the president shall have the power to grant pardons, reprieves, respites or remissions of punishment or to suspend, remit or commute the sentence of any person convicted of any offence. 

In the application it has been contended that the Supreme Court had acted without jurisdiction, the lawyer said.

On May 9, a seven-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice J S Khehar, had sentenced Justice Karnan to a six-month imprisonment for contempt of court and ordered the West Bengal police to take him into custody forthwith. 

Nedumpara had earlier claimed that the defence team made an identical representation to the president through an e-mail. 

However, the president's office had said, 'It was not aware of any such representation.'

Saturday's application has been filed after the apex court's registry refused to accept Justice Karnan's petition seeking recall of the May 9 judgment.

Karnan has not been arrested as yet.  -- PTI

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