LIVE
Tue, 31 October 2017
Hiding behind WB reports won't alter grim reality: Congress to PM
Timeline Refresh
23:24 Govt extends deadline for return filing of audit reports to Nov 7
The government on Tuesday extended till November 7 the last date for e-filing of income tax returns for those taxpayers who file audit reports.
A senior official said the Central Board of Direct Taxes took the decision to extend the deadline by a week, considering the "representations made by various stakeholders".
This is the second extension given to them after the first deadline expired on September 30 and it was extended till October 31.
Tax practitioner bodies had sought an extension from the government, saying they needed more time to file returns for entities where tax audit report or transfer pricing report or other audit reports are prescribed to be filled.
Among other things, they had cited non-availability of clerical staff at chartered accountants' offices due to the GST roll-out as a reason.
"This year, professionals are busy in making compliance with GST obligations... the technical glitches in the system have aggravated the problems," a federation had said in a representation to the CBDT, the policy-making body of the Income Tax Department.
Besides, the CBDT has revised e-filing income tax return preparation utilities for filing all types of ITR forms, tax audit report, the federation had said. -- PTI
23:22 WhatsApp now lets users delete messages
Ever regretted sending a WhatsApp message to someone and wished you could delete it?
The popular Internet-based messaging service is now making that possible with its latest update, albeit if you do so within seven minutes of sending the message.
"Deleting messages for everyone allows you to delete specific messages you have sent to either a group or an individual chat," WhatsApp said in a blogpost.
It added that the feature would be particularly useful if users send a message to the wrong chat or if the message contains a mistake.
The deleted message will be replaced with "This message was deleted" in the recipients' chats.
"You can only delete messages for everyone for up to seven minutes after sending. Once seven minutes have passed, there is no way to delete messages for everyone," the blogpost said.
WhatsApp has over a billion daily users. India is the largest market for WhatsApp with over 200 million monthly active users as of February 2017.
To delete a message, users need to tap and hold the message that is to be deleted. Users can tap more messages to delete multiple messages at once.
Users will have the option to delete the message either just on their own device (delete for me) or at the receiver's end as well (delete for everyone).
However, for the deletion to be successful, both the sender and recipient must be using the latest version of WhatsApp for Android, iPhone or Windows Phone. -- PTI
22:44 Hiding behind WB reports won't alter grim reality: Congress to PM
The Congress today said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "policy adventurism" and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's "adhocism" have caused economic misery and that the jump in India's ranking in the World Bank's
latest 'ease of doing business' would not change the reality.
Terming Jaitley the "worst finance minister" of the country, Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said that reports presented by "spin doctor" Jaitley would not change the reality driven by "disastrous" demonetisation and "failed" goods and services tax.
The Congress said "ease of doing business" has become "cease of doing business" for micro, small and medium enterprises under the Modi government.
As per the World Bank's doing business report 2018, India's rank improved to 100th from 130th last year out of 190 countries.
Jaitley said that India was the only major country named for taking structural reform in the World Bank's report. He said the biggest jump India got in the ease of doing business was on taxation reforms, and added that taking India into the top 50 countries on ease of doing business ranking was doable.
"The prime minister's policy adventurism coupled with the adhocism of his finance minister to deliver has caused widespread economic misery and distress.
"With great responsibility, we would like to say that Jaitley has proved to be the worst FM in India's history. Hiding behind the World Bank reports will not alter this grim reality," Surjewala said in a statement.
Having "failed" India's economy by sheer adhocism and inexperience, the BJP government is allegedly clutching at straws to stay afloat as it sinks the economy and hurts trade and businesses, he added.
"The hurriedly convened press conference by the finance minister today to seek 'manufactured relevance' from the report evidences the actual distance from ground realities and suffering of people of India," he added.
Surjewala further accused the BJP-led NDA government of living in a 'make-believe cuckoo world' as it is blinded by blinkers of 'achhe din' (good days) and is allegedly unable to see, feel, judge or address India's pain.
He suggested that instead of relying upon 'rankings' and 'rhetoric', the finance minister should go to the ground and the reality will "starkly stare in his face".
The Congress leader noted that private investment is in "dire" straits, 'Make in India' is "completely floundering", exports are plunging, credit growth is at a 63-year-old low and inequality is highest in 100 years.
"Crores of job losses in the informal sector have resulted in a 'cease of doing small businesses'. All this is due to the prime minister's personal adventurism in policy-making. The double whammy of demonetisation and GST has wreaked havoc for the economy," he charged.
Surjewala claimed that the rankings do not take into account the "utterly flawed" implementation of the GST. The cut-off date for implementing any reforms for the said study was June 1, while the GST was imposed on July 1.
"'Misinform', 'Non-Perform' and 'Multiple GST Forms' are the guiding mantras of your Govt. Forget "Ease", where is the "Business", Modi ji?," Surjewala tweeted.
22:16 Ease of doing biz: India ranked 4th in protecting minority investors interest
With implementation of a series of reforms including enactment of Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, India has climbed to 4th position in protecting interest of minority investors, as per the latest 'Ease of Doing Business Report' of the World Bank.
This is the first time that India has figured in the top five nations in one of the parameters for determining 'ease of doing business'.
"India performs well in the areas of protecting minority investors, getting credit and getting electricity. The country's corporate law and securities regulations have been recognised as highly advanced, placing India in the fourth place in the global ranking in protecting minority investors," the report said.
The World Bank latest 'Doing Business 2018: Reforming to Create Jobs' said that in the last one year, the country did remarkably well in record eight of the 10 areas of reforms.
The report is based on the reforms implemented in the past year (June 2, 2016-June 1, 2017) in Delhi and Mumbai, the two cities covered by the report.
Starting a business was made faster by merging the applications for the Permanent Account Number (PAN) and the Tax Account Number (TAN) and by improving the online application system in New Delhi.
Mumbai also made starting a business faster by merging the applications for value added tax and the Profession Tax.
Secondly, there was reduction in the number of procedures and time required to obtain a building permit by implementing an online system that has streamlined the process at the Municipality of New Delhi and Municipality of Greater Mumbai. -- PTI
22:11 Even Congress doesn't understand what he says: Gadkari on Rahul
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari today took a swipe at Rahul Gandhi, saying that even Congress leaders and workers find it difficult to understand what their party vice president says.
Gadkari, who was in Himachal Pradesh to campaign for the BJP ahead of the November 9 Assembly election in the state, also attacked the Nehru-Gandhi family over their "failure" to eradicate poverty and corruption.
The minister for road transport and highways alleged that all the Nehru-Gandhi family alleviated was the poverty of the party leaders and their families.
Attacking the Congress over dynastic politics, Gadkari asked, "Are we going to have a prime minister given birth by another prime minister. Would an MP give birth to an MP, an MLA give birth to an MLA?"
"The Congress promotes dynasty. Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and now Rahul Gandhi is at the frontline, then what would the party workers do?" Gadkari said while addressing a poll rally at Bhadoli Kalan area of the Jhanduta Assembly constituency where BJP candidate Jeetram Katwal is in the fray.
He said that the Congress party cannot change the fortune of the nation and the BJP should be given a chance in Himachal Pradesh.
"Being someone's son is not a disqualification but at least he should prove his capabilities," Gadkari said, in a veiled reference to Rahul Gandhi.
"Even Congress leaders and workers don't understand what Rahul Gandhi says, not to speak of the public," he said. -- PTI
22:07 All Indians safe in Kabul: Sushma Swaraj
All Indians in Kabul are safe, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said today after a powerful explosion rocked the Afghan capital's heavily- fortified diplomatic area.
Swaraj, in a tweet, said she had spoken with India's Ambassador to Afghanistan Manpreet Vohra and he informed her that all Indians there were safe.
According to reports, at least five people were killed and 20 others injured when an attacker riding a motorcycle blew himself up inside the city's diplomatic zone. -- PTI
21:29 IAF to participate in multilateral air exercise in Israel
The Indian Air Force will participate in a two-week-long multilateral air exercise in Israel beginning Thursday.
It is for the first time the IAF will operate with Israeli air force in a multilateral exercise setting. A 45-member contingent of IAF left for Israel today to take part in 'Blue Flag-17', the defence ministry said in a statement.
Blue Flag is a bi-annual multilateral exercise which aims to strengthen military cooperation among participating nations.
Indian Air Force is participating with the C-130J special operations aircraft along with Garud commandos.
"The exercise would provide a platform for sharing of knowledge, combat experience and in improving operational capability of the participating nations," the ministry said.
The exercise is being conducted at Uvda Air Force Base in Israel from November 2-16. -- PTI
21:28 Former TDP leader A Revanth Reddy joins Cong
Telugu Desam Party Telangana unit Working President A Revanth Reddy, who has quit the party, today joined the Congress in presence of the party vice-president Rahul Gandhi in Delhi.
According to Telangana Congress, besides Revanth Reddy, 14 other TDP leaders, including ex-ministers, ex-MLAs and ex-MLCs, also joined the Congress.
AICC in-charge of party affairs in Telangana R C Khuntia, Telangana Congress president N Uttam Kumar Reddy and other party leaders were present on the occasion.
Welcoming Revanth Reddy and others into the Congress fold, Uttam Kumar Reddy hoped that their entry would strengthen the cause of realising the welfare of all sections in the youngest state.
"During the last three-and-half-years, not only the expectations of the people, especially weaker sections, have been shattered, but unprecedented level of corruption has occurred in Telangana wherein, thousands of crores have been looted from the public exchequer," the release quoted Uttam Kumar Reddy as saying.
Khuntia said Rahul Gandhi welcomed Revanth Reddy and all other leaders into the Congress fold.
Speaking on the occasion, Revanth Reddy said his decision to join Congress was not a regular switch-over from one party to the other.
"Congress party gave Telangana and only this party can develop it. I joined the Congress to fulfil the real aspirations of Telangana's martyrs. Rahul Gandhi is bound to become the next Prime Minister of India and together we will turn the real dream of Telangana into a reality," he is quoted as saying in the release.
Asserting that he is not against the TDP, Revanth Reddy has said he quit the party to put up a spirited fight against the ruling TRS. -- PTI
20:50 PM credits Team India for WB ranking in 'ease of doing biz'
Describing World Bank's latest annual 'ease of doing business' report as historic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that it is the outcome of the all-round and multi-sectoral reform push of Team India.
"Historic jump in Ease of Doing Business rankings is the outcome of the all-round & multi-sectoral reform push of Team India," the PM said in a series of tweets.
"Guided by the mantra of Reform, Perform & Transform we are determined to further improve our rankings & scale greater economic growth," he said in another tweet.
Modi said that over last three years, his government has seen a spirit of positive competition among states towards making business easier which has been beneficial.
"It has never been easier to do business in India. India welcomes the world to explore economic opportunities our nation has to offer," Modi said.
According to the World Bank's latest annual ease of doing business report, India now ranks 100th among 190 countries.
Last year it was placed at 130th spot.
19:57 India jumps 30 notches to 100th rank in 'ease of doing biz'
India has jumped 30 places to rank 100th in the World Bank's 'ease of doing business' ranking, helped by a slew of reforms in taxation, licensing, investor protection and bankruptcy resolution.
The ranking comes as a shot in the arm for the Narendra Modi government amid dissenting voices in certain quarters about implementation of the goods and services tax as well as demonetisation.
In its annual report 'Doing Business 2018: Reforming to Create Jobs', the World Bank said that India's ranking reflects nearly half of the 37 reforms, adopted since 2003, implemented in the last four years.
The ranking, however, does not take into account business environment post implementation of GST, which weaved the country of 1.3 billion into one market with one tax and removed inter-state barriers for trade.
India, which was ranked 130th among the 190 nations, is "one of the top 10 improvers in this year's assessment, having implemented reforms in 8 out of 10 'doing business' indicators," it said. This is the first time India has broken into top 100 nations.
India is the only large country this year to have achieved such a significant shift.
The parameters that witnessed improvement in 2016-17 were India making it faster for start business, reduction in procedures and time required to obtain building permit, easier access to credit, protecting minority investors, ease of paying taxes, trading across borders, enforcing contracts and making resolving insolvency easier, the World Bank said.
But it still lags in areas such as starting a business, enforcing contracts and dealing with construction permits.
It takes 30 days now to register a new business, down from 127 days 15 years ago, but "the number of procedures is still cumbersome for local entrepreneurs who still need to go through 12 procedures", it said.
"This is a major major jump," Rita Ramalho, Acting Director for World Bank's Global Indicators Group, told PTI in Washington, attributing the climb of 30 places to the series of reforms undertake by the Modi government since 2014.
The GST, which was implemented from July 1, will get reflected only in next year's 'ease of doing business' report.
"GST reforms have not been counted this year. It would come into play for the report next year," Ramalho said, adding that demonetisation was not covered.
India was ranked 130th for last two years. In 2014, it managed to get 142nd spot.
According to the World Bank, New Zealand is the easiest place on the planet to do business, followed by Singapore, Denmark, South Korea and Hong Kong. The US and the UK are ranked 6th and 7th on the list.
Among BRICS countries, Russia tops the list with 35th position, followed by China which has retained its ranking at the 78th place for the second consecutive year. -- PTI
19:29 Man claiming to be Mughal descendant lays claim over Ayodhya site
A man claiming to be the descendant of Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar today staked claim over the disputed Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site insisting that the demolished mosque belonged to Babur, therefore, he should be appointed the caretaker of the property.
Prince Yakub Habeebuddin Tucy even presented his "DNA report" before the media here to support his claims.
"The Babri mosque belonged to emperor Babar, and as I am a descendant of the Mughals, I am the owner of the Babri mosque," Tucy told newspersons.
He demanded that the Sunni Waqf Board of Uttar Pradesh declare him as the 'Mutwalli' adding that he had met the minister concerned, Chaudhary Laxmi Narain, yesterday in this regard.
"The minister asked me to move an application before the Sunni Waqf Board," he claimed.
Stressing that he would move court in case the Sunni Waqf Board did not appoint him as the 'Mutwalli', Tucy said that he will help find an amicable solution to the long standing dispute through dialogue.
He also welcomed the reported initiative of Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in resolving the dispute.
He, however, did not give any clear answer to questions as to why he did not lay claim over the disputed site in so many years since the demolition in 1992.
When contacted, UP Sunni Waqf Board chairman Zafar Farooqui said that he was not aware of any such application being moved before the board in this regard. If an application is received, it will be examined in accordance with the law, he added. -- PTI
19:05 Delhi HC sets aside election of Praful Patel as AIFF president
The Delhi high court today set aside the election of Praful Patel, who was last year elected as the president of All India Football Federation for a four-year term, his third successive tenure.
The court set aside the elections saying they were held without following the National Sports Code.
It also directed that fresh elections be conducted within a period of five months.
A bench of justices S Ravindra Bhat and Najmi Waziri also appointed former chief election commissioner S Y Quraishi as an administrator to look into the functioning of the AIFF.
The court's order came on a plea by advocate Rahul Mehra contending that the elections of the federation were held contrary to the National Sports Code.
Patel, former civil aviation minister, was elected for the post in December last year along with the Executive Committee for the term 2017-2020 after the high court had vacated a stay on elections. -- PTI
18:46 Army's job is to train for war, not to build bridges: Punjab CM
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today criticized the central governments decision to rope in the Indian Army for rebuilding the Elphinstone bridge in Mumbai, terming it as "deplorable" and "an admission of the failure" of the government and the Indian Railways.
The Army's job is to train for war and protect the countrys borders, not to build bridges and clean the roads, said Singh, who has served the Army as a Captain before joining politics.
Citing reports that the Army's services will be utilized in building a new bridge at Elphinstone station and at two other suburban train stations in Mumbai, he termed the move as "atrocious", and said the central and state governments should put their own resources at the disposal of the railways if the situation was so urgent and serious.
"Whatever the urgency of the situation, it does not merit such a decision, which would have adverse long-term implications as it could encourage the civilian authorities to seek Army help for major civilian works every time they find themselves ill-equipped to handle an infrastructural or other challenge," he said in a statement.
He urged Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to refrain from diverting critical defence resources of the country to civilian works, saying it would set a bad precedent.
Singh said Sitharaman was making the same mistake that Major General BM Kaul, General Officer Commanding (GoC) of `Red Eagles 4th Division, had made before the 1962 war with China.
"The scandalous misuse, by him, of military manpower to build accommodation cost the Indian Army heavy during the Sino-Indian war," the chief minister said.
These kind of acts led to severe downgradation of the defence services then, Singh said and warned that the Army would end up suffering similar lowering of its status if the defence ministry does not withdraw its decision to use the armed forces for building civilian bridges in Mumbai.
"As it is, the Army is regularly used to help out in emergency situations such as floods and earthquakes, and is even engaged in infrastructural development in sensitive areas, such as the North-East.
"If it is now burdened with the additional task of helping out in other civilian tasks, merely because the civilian authorities are unable to handle it, it would lead to further impacting its resources," Singh said.
"It would also lower the morale of the Army personnel, who join the force with a vision to secure the countrys borders and protect its people from the enemy," he added.
The defence minister, instead of being a party to this decision and announcing it with such pride, should have categorically rejected any such suggestion in the interest of the armed forces, the chief minister said. -- PTI
18:03
Defence ministry approves procurement of 111 naval utility helicopters for the Navy: Official sources.
17:39 Free 2-night stay at 5-star hotel for Swiss couple: Alphons
The Swiss couple who were attacked at Fatehpur Sikri earlier this month have been offered a free two-night stay at a five-star hotel in the national capital as a "token of concern" by Tourism Minister K J Alphons.
In a letter to the couple, Alphons offered to put them up at the government-run ITDC hotel, The Ashok, after they recovered from their injuries. He said Marie Droze and Quentin Jeremy Clerc, can choose to stay at the hotel on the dates of their choice.
"Trust you are recovering fast and would be on your way home soon. As a token of our concern, we would like to offer you a room at our luxury hotel, The Ashok, at Chankyapuri, New Delhi for two nights on the dates of your choice. All expenses at the hotel, including food and beverages, would be covered," he said in the letter.
The minister had earlier written to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over the issue and also visited the couple, who are currently recovering at Apollo Hospital, Delhi, assuring them of help.
On October 22, the couple from Lausanne in Switzerland, were chased and attacked with stones and sticks by a group of four youths in the tourist town of Fatehpur Sikri, about 40 km from Agra, according to media accounts of the incident.
They later told the media that as they lay on the ground bloodied and bruised, bystanders began making videos of them on their mobile phones. -- PTI
In a letter to the couple, Alphons offered to put them up at the government-run ITDC hotel, The Ashok, after they recovered from their injuries. He said Marie Droze and Quentin Jeremy Clerc, can choose to stay at the hotel on the dates of their choice.
"Trust you are recovering fast and would be on your way home soon. As a token of our concern, we would like to offer you a room at our luxury hotel, The Ashok, at Chankyapuri, New Delhi for two nights on the dates of your choice. All expenses at the hotel, including food and beverages, would be covered," he said in the letter.
The minister had earlier written to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over the issue and also visited the couple, who are currently recovering at Apollo Hospital, Delhi, assuring them of help.
On October 22, the couple from Lausanne in Switzerland, were chased and attacked with stones and sticks by a group of four youths in the tourist town of Fatehpur Sikri, about 40 km from Agra, according to media accounts of the incident.
They later told the media that as they lay on the ground bloodied and bruised, bystanders began making videos of them on their mobile phones. -- PTI
17:19
Loud explosion heard in diplomatic zone of Kabul city: Afghanistan media.
17:10
Bet your money on the stock market. Here's what it looked like.
16:53 Fiscal deficit touches 91.3% of FY18 target in 6 months
India's fiscal deficit at the end of the first half of the current fiscal touched 91.3 per cent of the budget estimate, mainly due to rise in expenditure. In absolute terms, the fiscal deficit -- difference between expenditure and revenue -- was Rs 4.99 lakh crore during the April-September period of 2017-18, according to the data of Controller General of Accounts (CGA).
During the same period of last financial year, 2016-17, the deficit was at 83.9 per cent of the target. For 2017-18, the government aims to bring down the fiscal deficit to 3.2 per cent of the GDP. Last fiscal, it had met the 3.5 per cent target. -- PTI
During the same period of last financial year, 2016-17, the deficit was at 83.9 per cent of the target. For 2017-18, the government aims to bring down the fiscal deficit to 3.2 per cent of the GDP. Last fiscal, it had met the 3.5 per cent target. -- PTI
16:36 Dhumal to be BJP's CM face
Just in: Former Himachal Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal is the BJP's face for the top post in the state. Dhumal will be leading the BJP campaign in the upcoming Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, party national president Amit Shah said today.
16:07 200 dead in N Korea after tunnel collapses
As many as 200 construction workers are feared dead after the collapse of a tunnel at a nuclear test site in North Korea, writes the Independent reports citing a Japanese media report.
The tunnel was being built at the Punggye-ri test site when it collapsed, according to a report on Japan's TV Asahi citing an unnamed source in North Korea.
It said that about 100 people were initially trapped in the tunnel and another 100 may have been killed by a second collapse as they tried to rescue the first group.
South Korea's Yonhap news agency said the report did not provide further details, including when the incident occurred.
The tunnel was being built at the Punggye-ri test site when it collapsed, according to a report on Japan's TV Asahi citing an unnamed source in North Korea.
It said that about 100 people were initially trapped in the tunnel and another 100 may have been killed by a second collapse as they tried to rescue the first group.
South Korea's Yonhap news agency said the report did not provide further details, including when the incident occurred.
15:58
Sardar Patel glances through a collection of telegrams conveying felicitations to him on his 74th birthday on October 31, 1949. The picture was tweeted by @PIB_India.
15:50 A desi dictionary: A is for Appeasement
The conversion of words into political bad words through slanted repetition is a feature of majoritarian discourse. The derogatory sense is sometimes derived from Western usage. Take, for example, appeasement.
The infamy earned by Neville Chamberlain after making concessions to Hitler in 1939 is transferred, in a rhetorical stroke, to Indian politicians, public intellectuals and political parties whose concern for the rights of minorities, especially Muslims, is seen as the cowardly and self-interested propitiation of an aggressive community.
Appeasement n. Polit. A policy of making concessions to a potential aggressor in order to preserve peace; spec. such a policy pursued by Britain towards Nazi Germany prior to the outbreak of war in 1939. Often derog.
Read Mukul Kesavan's column in the Telegraph.
The infamy earned by Neville Chamberlain after making concessions to Hitler in 1939 is transferred, in a rhetorical stroke, to Indian politicians, public intellectuals and political parties whose concern for the rights of minorities, especially Muslims, is seen as the cowardly and self-interested propitiation of an aggressive community.
Appeasement n. Polit. A policy of making concessions to a potential aggressor in order to preserve peace; spec. such a policy pursued by Britain towards Nazi Germany prior to the outbreak of war in 1939. Often derog.
Read Mukul Kesavan's column in the Telegraph.
15:40 MeT predicts heavy rainfall for Chennai in next 24 hours
The Tamil Nadu Meteorological Department on Tuesday warned of heavy rainfall at a few places in the state in the next 24 hours.
The department asserted that widespread rainfall is also expected over coastal region in the coming 24 hours. "Fairly widespread rain of moderate intensity over interior region," stated the MeT Tamil Nadu.
Chennai has been experiencing heavy rainfall from the past few days. The MeT also said that about 16 places recorded "very heavy rainfall", while 21 recorded "heavy rainfall" in the last few days.
Continuous rainfall has disrupted lives of people, with authorities being forced to shut schools and colleges. Rainwater has accumulated at several areas on the outskirts of Chennai, while residents have to struggle through knee-deep water outside their homes. -- PTI
File pic
The department asserted that widespread rainfall is also expected over coastal region in the coming 24 hours. "Fairly widespread rain of moderate intensity over interior region," stated the MeT Tamil Nadu.
Chennai has been experiencing heavy rainfall from the past few days. The MeT also said that about 16 places recorded "very heavy rainfall", while 21 recorded "heavy rainfall" in the last few days.
Continuous rainfall has disrupted lives of people, with authorities being forced to shut schools and colleges. Rainwater has accumulated at several areas on the outskirts of Chennai, while residents have to struggle through knee-deep water outside their homes. -- PTI
File pic
15:18 HC dismisses Kejriwal plea to summon DDCA documents
The Delhi High Court today dismissed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's plea to summon the minutes of meetings of the cricket body DDCA between 1999 and 2014 in a defamation suit filed by Union Minister Arun Jaitley. Joint Registrar Pankaj Gupta declined to grant the relief sought by Kejriwal who along with five other Aam Aadmi Party leaders are facing a Rs 10 crore defamation suit filed by the BJP leader.
Besides Kejriwal, the five others are Raghav Chadha, Kumar Vishwas, Ashutosh, Sanjay Singh and Deepak Bajpai. The AAP leaders had accused the BJP leader of corruption while he was the President of the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) from 2000 to 2013. -- PTI
Besides Kejriwal, the five others are Raghav Chadha, Kumar Vishwas, Ashutosh, Sanjay Singh and Deepak Bajpai. The AAP leaders had accused the BJP leader of corruption while he was the President of the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) from 2000 to 2013. -- PTI
14:55 Compulsory Aadhaar threat to national security: Swamy
BJP MP Subramanian Swamy today opposed a move to make Aadhaar compulsory, saying it would be a threat to national security and be struck down by the Supreme Court. Swamy said in a tweet he would write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue.
"I am writing a letter soon to PM detailing how compulsory Aadhaar is a threat to our national security. SC will I am sure strike it down," he tweeted.
His Twitter post came a day after the Supreme Court said its constitution bench would start hearing a clutch of petitions challenging the Centre's move to make the Aadhaar card -- which carries a 12-digit unique identity number -- mandatory for those wishing to avail themselves of services and benefits of government welfare schemes from the last week of November. -- PTI
"I am writing a letter soon to PM detailing how compulsory Aadhaar is a threat to our national security. SC will I am sure strike it down," he tweeted.
His Twitter post came a day after the Supreme Court said its constitution bench would start hearing a clutch of petitions challenging the Centre's move to make the Aadhaar card -- which carries a 12-digit unique identity number -- mandatory for those wishing to avail themselves of services and benefits of government welfare schemes from the last week of November. -- PTI
14:37 Pidi Gandhi meet Buddy Panda
The witty Baijayant Panda from the Biju Janata Dal has a riposte for his Parliamentary colleague, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi.
Uploading a video of his dog Buddy, Jay Panda, tweeted, "Since opposites attract, #Pidi meet #Buddy: Has a mind of his own, refuses to obey, or learn new tricks, let alone tweeting. Can you help?"
Rahul Gandhi's dog, Pidi Gandhi, gained fame on Twitter on Sunday after Rahul posted a video crediting him with his recent rise in popularity on Twitter. "People (have) been asking who tweets for this guy... I'm coming clean..it's me..Pidi..I'm way smarter than him. Look what I can do with a tweet..oops..treat!," Gandhi tweeted. In the video, a snack is put on Pidi's nose which he neatly pops into his mouth.
Panda, has been on the fringes of the party, ever since he called for introspection in in the aftermath of the BJD's under performance in the panchayat polls in May and how the party was taken over by opportunists. He was summararily sacked from the post of spokesperson of the party.
Image: A video grab of Jay Panda's dog Buddy tweeted by the MP
Uploading a video of his dog Buddy, Jay Panda, tweeted, "Since opposites attract, #Pidi meet #Buddy: Has a mind of his own, refuses to obey, or learn new tricks, let alone tweeting. Can you help?"
Rahul Gandhi's dog, Pidi Gandhi, gained fame on Twitter on Sunday after Rahul posted a video crediting him with his recent rise in popularity on Twitter. "People (have) been asking who tweets for this guy... I'm coming clean..it's me..Pidi..I'm way smarter than him. Look what I can do with a tweet..oops..treat!," Gandhi tweeted. In the video, a snack is put on Pidi's nose which he neatly pops into his mouth.
Panda, has been on the fringes of the party, ever since he called for introspection in in the aftermath of the BJD's under performance in the panchayat polls in May and how the party was taken over by opportunists. He was summararily sacked from the post of spokesperson of the party.
Image: A video grab of Jay Panda's dog Buddy tweeted by the MP
13:59 Teach Hindi to PLA troops for better communication with Indian soldiers
China should follow India's move to teach Mandarin to its border troops deployed along the Sino- Indian frontiers and give lessons in Hindi to them for better communication and to avoid any "unnecessary" misunderstandings with their Indian counterparts, a Chinese expert has said.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh, last week, had lauded soldiers and officers of the Indo-Tibetan Border Force (ITBP), which guards the borders with China, for introducing Mandarin during basic training of its troops in order to help them converse with PLA soldiers during face offs.
"India's concern over China has risen since the (Dokalam) stand-off, so it has asked its soldiers to learn Mandarin to communicate with the Chinese directly to avoid 'unnecessary' misunderstandings," Hu Zhiyong, a research fellow at Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of International Relations, was quoted as saying by the state-run Global Times.
He suggested that frontier soldiers from both sides should learn each other's culture, language and customs. -- PTI
Home Minister Rajnath Singh, last week, had lauded soldiers and officers of the Indo-Tibetan Border Force (ITBP), which guards the borders with China, for introducing Mandarin during basic training of its troops in order to help them converse with PLA soldiers during face offs.
"India's concern over China has risen since the (Dokalam) stand-off, so it has asked its soldiers to learn Mandarin to communicate with the Chinese directly to avoid 'unnecessary' misunderstandings," Hu Zhiyong, a research fellow at Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of International Relations, was quoted as saying by the state-run Global Times.
He suggested that frontier soldiers from both sides should learn each other's culture, language and customs. -- PTI
13:51 The sound of laughter is making Modi wary
People are steadily pulling the prime minister off the pedestal where they once placed him, which prompts Karan Thapar to ask if there's a change in the political temperature. Read more
13:35 Cuteness alert
When she's not saving Indians around the world, External Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj plays host to royalty. Seen here with Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, Queen Jetsun Pema and their son Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck of Bhutan.
13:28 Shooter Heena Sidhu wins gold
Shooter Heena Sidhu wins gold in the women's 10m Air Pistol event at the Commonwealth Shooting Championships, Brisbane, today. She scored 240.8 in the final to beat Australian Elena Galiabovitch, who shot 238.2 to settle for silver. The bronze went to Kristy Gillman (213.7) of Australia.
13:27 Narada tapes: Trinamool MP Sougata Roy faces ED interrogation
Trinamool Congress MP Sougata Roy today appeared before the Enforcement Directorate for questioning on his alleged involvement in the Narada tapes corruption scandal. Roy, who was summoned by the agency, went to the ED office in Salt Lake, a senior official said.
The Lok Sabha member from Dum Dum constituency was one of the several Trinamool Congress MPs, MLAs and ministers who were purportedly shown accepting money from a businessman in a sting video. -- PTI
The Lok Sabha member from Dum Dum constituency was one of the several Trinamool Congress MPs, MLAs and ministers who were purportedly shown accepting money from a businessman in a sting video. -- PTI
13:22 New FOBs: Three stations have maximum footfall
Railway minister Piyush Goel on Monday said that the ministry has taken various decisions after surveying the Mumbai suburban rail network in the wake of the Elphinstone station tragedy.
"The incident that took place on 29th September is very saddening. Soon after that, along with the entire railway minister, for two days, we took various decisions in which whole Mumbai suburban was surveyed. Teams were sent to all the stations to check and make a report of all the facilities and things that require improvement of security purpose," Goel said.
The minister, who visited the tragedy site with defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, said railway officials along with Army have found three bridges with maximum footfall and have been taken into notice immediately.
"Rail officer, chairman of railway board Ashwani Lohani, general managers, general manager of western railway, Anil Kumar Gupta and central railway together with military officials surveyed these bridges -- Elphinstone road, Currey Road in central railway and Ambivali Road Bridge in Thane. These bridges have been identified that they reported more number of passengers footfall and should be taken into notice immediately," he added.
He also said that the Army will take the work of construction of the bridges, which will be completed by January 31.
At least 23 people were killed and over 39 were injured in a rush-hour stampede at Mumbai's Elphinstone railway station's foot over bridge on September 29. -- ANI
"The incident that took place on 29th September is very saddening. Soon after that, along with the entire railway minister, for two days, we took various decisions in which whole Mumbai suburban was surveyed. Teams were sent to all the stations to check and make a report of all the facilities and things that require improvement of security purpose," Goel said.
The minister, who visited the tragedy site with defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, said railway officials along with Army have found three bridges with maximum footfall and have been taken into notice immediately.
"Rail officer, chairman of railway board Ashwani Lohani, general managers, general manager of western railway, Anil Kumar Gupta and central railway together with military officials surveyed these bridges -- Elphinstone road, Currey Road in central railway and Ambivali Road Bridge in Thane. These bridges have been identified that they reported more number of passengers footfall and should be taken into notice immediately," he added.
He also said that the Army will take the work of construction of the bridges, which will be completed by January 31.
At least 23 people were killed and over 39 were injured in a rush-hour stampede at Mumbai's Elphinstone railway station's foot over bridge on September 29. -- ANI
13:07 Are T20 leagues making money?
The big two are, but otherwise the model, heavily dependent on international stars and an Indian audience, is threatening to collapse under its own bloated weight. Read more
13:02 Patel's great contribution was the IAS: Naidu
One of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's great contributions was the creation of the Indian Administrative Service, which was once a 'mission' but had now become a 'commission' for some, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu said today.
Many contributions and teachings of Patel have been ignored and remain unrecognised, Naidu said at an event to commemorate the 142nd birth anniversary of India's first home minister at the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library. The day is being celebrated as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas.
"His vision for a unified India also saw the creation of the All India Administrative Service which he described as a steel frame. It was one of the great contributions he made to the country," the vice president said. Patel's exhortations to probationers to maintain "utmost impartiality and incorruptibility in administration" were as relevant today as they were then, Naidu said.
Many contributions and teachings of Patel have been ignored and remain unrecognised, Naidu said at an event to commemorate the 142nd birth anniversary of India's first home minister at the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library. The day is being celebrated as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas.
"His vision for a unified India also saw the creation of the All India Administrative Service which he described as a steel frame. It was one of the great contributions he made to the country," the vice president said. Patel's exhortations to probationers to maintain "utmost impartiality and incorruptibility in administration" were as relevant today as they were then, Naidu said.
12:45 Loss pegged at over Rs 81 cr as cross-LoC trade remains suspended
Suspension of cross-LoC trade between Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir for the last 17 weeks has resulted in a loss of over Rs 81 crore, an official said today.
Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir have sought a meeting with officials of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on Thursday to discuss resumption of cross-LoC travel and trade via the Poonch-Rawalkote road.
Trade across the Line of Control was suspended on July 11 after heavy firing and shelling from the Pakistani side caused damage to trade facilitation centres and police barracks.
"Due to suspension of trade along the LoC, there was a loss of over Rs 81 crore during the period," custodian of LoC trade (Poonch), Mohammad Tanveer said.
-- PTI
11:49 Three FOBs for three Mumbai rail stations by January: Goyal
Update: The three foot overbridges will be built with the Army at Elphinstone Road station, Currey Road station and Ambivali station by 31st January 2018, says Piyush Goyal, Railway Minister.
So, it's not three FOBs at Elphinstone as reported earlier. And yes, Parel station which is linked to Elphinstone Road station by a single FOB has been ignored. Another stampede waiting to happen at Parel station.
Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the Army has inspected and assessed where the bridge is going to be built at Elphinstone Road station. They will be there at every stage of the work.
So, it's not three FOBs at Elphinstone as reported earlier. And yes, Parel station which is linked to Elphinstone Road station by a single FOB has been ignored. Another stampede waiting to happen at Parel station.
Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the Army has inspected and assessed where the bridge is going to be built at Elphinstone Road station. They will be there at every stage of the work.
11:43 International Academy withdraws Spacey's upcoming Emmy honour
The International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences has announced that Kevin Spacey will not receive the Emmy award, which was scheduled to be conferred on the actor this year in wake of the sexual allegations against him by Anthony Rapp.
The institution announced on its Twitter account that it has revoked the 2017 International Emmy Founders Award that the veteran actor was up for.
"The International Academy has announced that in light of recent events it will not honour Kevin Spacey with the 2017 International Emmy Founders Award," the tweet read.
In June, it was announced that the actor would be recognised for his contribution to cinema and arts surpassing barriers as "one of the great multi-dimensional talents" at the 45th International Emmy Awards Gala on November 20 to be held in New York City.
It was also announced that Neflix has cancelled popular political drama "House of Cards", with Spacey in the lead as Frank Underwood, amid sexual misconduct claims by Rapp, 46. The "Star Trek: Discovery" actor had revealed in an interview that was abused by Spacey when he was 14 at a party thrown by the latter years ago. -- PTI
The institution announced on its Twitter account that it has revoked the 2017 International Emmy Founders Award that the veteran actor was up for.
"The International Academy has announced that in light of recent events it will not honour Kevin Spacey with the 2017 International Emmy Founders Award," the tweet read.
In June, it was announced that the actor would be recognised for his contribution to cinema and arts surpassing barriers as "one of the great multi-dimensional talents" at the 45th International Emmy Awards Gala on November 20 to be held in New York City.
It was also announced that Neflix has cancelled popular political drama "House of Cards", with Spacey in the lead as Frank Underwood, amid sexual misconduct claims by Rapp, 46. The "Star Trek: Discovery" actor had revealed in an interview that was abused by Spacey when he was 14 at a party thrown by the latter years ago. -- PTI
11:39
Journalist Vinod Verma sent to judicial remand till 13 November. He was arrested by Chhattisgarh Police over a case of blackmailing and extortion.
11:23 Three foot overbridges for Elphinstone Road station by Jan
Just in: Three foot over-bridges to be built by the army at Elphinstone Road station by January 31, 2018. The Army will be the helming the project.
The announcement was made by Railway minister Piyush Goyal who was at the Elphinstone Bridge railway station this morning along with Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis.
The move comes after 23 people died in a stampede on the Elphinstone foot over-bridge on September 29. An inquiry committee report has blamed heavy rain, crowd and confusion for the tragedy. The inquiry panel has recommended that passengers be prevented from carrying heavy luggage during peak hours. The movement of commuters, mainly vendors, carrying baskets stuffed with goods during peak hours should also be restricted, it further said.
The announcement was made by Railway minister Piyush Goyal who was at the Elphinstone Bridge railway station this morning along with Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis.
The move comes after 23 people died in a stampede on the Elphinstone foot over-bridge on September 29. An inquiry committee report has blamed heavy rain, crowd and confusion for the tragedy. The inquiry panel has recommended that passengers be prevented from carrying heavy luggage during peak hours. The movement of commuters, mainly vendors, carrying baskets stuffed with goods during peak hours should also be restricted, it further said.
10:55
@OfficeOfRG Forgiveness is a virtue of the brave: Indira Gandhi
10:33 Sushma monitors attack on Indian students in Milan
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted about an attack on Indian students in Milan saying she has got the detailed report.
Retweeting a statement posted by Consulate General of India in Milan, Swaraj said that she has got the detailed report and was monitoring the situation personally.
The statement from the Indian consulate in Milan said that it was "taking up this matter with the highest level of law and order authorities in Milan".
The statement read: "The consulate has received reports of unfortunate incidents of attacks on Indian students in Milan. All Indian students are urged not to panic.
"The consulate is taking up this matter with the highest level of law and order authorities in Milan.
"Students are also requested to report such matters to the consulate on the Consul General's cell number 3290885057 immediately.
"This will help the consulate take up the issue with the higher authorities in Milan so that all efforts can be made to prevent recurrence of such incidents in future.
"Meanwhile, students are advised to be in touch with each other, particularly when they go out as well as with the consulate and spread the information among other students about the areas where they face such incidents so that such areas can be avoided or approached with greater caution."
Image: File pic of External Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj
Retweeting a statement posted by Consulate General of India in Milan, Swaraj said that she has got the detailed report and was monitoring the situation personally.
The statement from the Indian consulate in Milan said that it was "taking up this matter with the highest level of law and order authorities in Milan".
The statement read: "The consulate has received reports of unfortunate incidents of attacks on Indian students in Milan. All Indian students are urged not to panic.
"The consulate is taking up this matter with the highest level of law and order authorities in Milan.
"Students are also requested to report such matters to the consulate on the Consul General's cell number 3290885057 immediately.
"This will help the consulate take up the issue with the higher authorities in Milan so that all efforts can be made to prevent recurrence of such incidents in future.
"Meanwhile, students are advised to be in touch with each other, particularly when they go out as well as with the consulate and spread the information among other students about the areas where they face such incidents so that such areas can be avoided or approached with greater caution."
Image: File pic of External Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj
10:18 Remembering Sardar Patel
Sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik's tribute to the Iron Man of India Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his birth anniversary.
10:08 Remembering Indira
Former PM Manmohan Singh, Congress VP Rahul Gandhi pay tributes to
former PM Indira Gandhi on her death anniversary at Shakti Sthal, today.
Former President Pranab Mukherjee, who was initiated into politics in 1969 by Mrs
Gandhi, also paid tribute.
10:00
In Tamil Nadu, water-logged areas being cleared and uprooted trees being removed in Chennai after heavy rain. Coastal Tamil Nadu still on alert.
09:54 Rupee advances 7 paise against dollar at 64.78
The rupee made a cautious rise of 7 paise to 64.78 against the US dollar today as the US Fed's two-day policy meet gets under way. Exporters and banks continued to give the American currency a wide berth. However, the dollar's overseas strength and a lower opening in the domestic stock market cast a shadow on the rupee's gains, traders said. -- PTI
09:44 Will this be India's SCARIEST horror film?
Want to watch a good horror film this weekend?
Go for The House Next Door, releasing November 3. Actor Siddharth, best known in Bollywood for his terrific role in Rang De Basanti, promises that his latest film will set a benchmark as far as the horror genre is concerned.
The film has been made in three languages and is called Avval in Tamil and Gruham in Telugu. Siddharth is deeply involved with the film as he has written it, acted in it and co-produced it.
He tells Patcy N/Rediff.com why The House Next Door is the best Indian horror film you will ever see. Read the full interview here.
Go for The House Next Door, releasing November 3. Actor Siddharth, best known in Bollywood for his terrific role in Rang De Basanti, promises that his latest film will set a benchmark as far as the horror genre is concerned.
The film has been made in three languages and is called Avval in Tamil and Gruham in Telugu. Siddharth is deeply involved with the film as he has written it, acted in it and co-produced it.
He tells Patcy N/Rediff.com why The House Next Door is the best Indian horror film you will ever see. Read the full interview here.
09:35 Netflix ends House of Cards amid sex claim against Kevin Spacey
Netflix has pulled the plug on House of Cards, a day after its lead actor Kevin Spacey was accused of sexually harassing a teenage boy.
The media streaming company said it was "deeply troubled" by the allegation, made by the actor Anthony Rapp.
Rapp alleged Spacey tried to seduce him when he was 14, after a party in 1986.
Spacey said he was "beyond horrified" to hear the story but did not remember the encounter.
Kevin Spacey said he owed Anthony Rapp a "sincere apology" for what he said would have been "deeply inappropriate drunken behaviour".
Spacey also announced that he was now living "as a gay man" but the Oscar winning actor has been widely criticized for choosing this moment to come out.
In House of Cards, Kevin Spacey plays the ruthless American politician Frank Underwood. The drama has been widely acclaimed and filming is currently on the sixth series.
Image: Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright as Frank and Claire Underwood in House of Cards
09:25 No one can 'contain' China, says envoy
The Chinese envoy to the US today said that no one could "contain" China now, expressing his displeasure over the formation of an "exclusive club" in the Indo-Pacific region.
Chinese Ambassador to the US Cui Tiankai was responding to questions on the recent India-centric policy speech by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and the decision of the Trump administration to sell to India high-tech military equipment, including state-of-the-art armed drones, and the Japanese proposal of a strategic quadrilateral dialogue involving India
and Australia.
"I don't think that the sales of advanced arms would really serve that purpose," Cui said.
Political analysts in the West have described the sale of arms to India as a US move to contain China.
"By the way I don't think anybody would be able to contain China," the Chinese Ambassador asserted in his rare press conference at the Embassy of China in Washington, DC.
The top diplomat was addressing the media ahead of US President Donald Trump's visit to China early next month.
Trump is scheduled to embark on a 10-day visit to China. He would also visit Japan, South Korea, Vietnam and the Philippines.
-- PTI
09:10 Chennai schools, colleges shut today, city braces for heavy rain
Schools and colleges in Chennai are closed today after the weather office warned of heavy rain in the overcast southern city, a day after it poured all day and forced schools to ring the last bell an hour early at 3 in the evening. An overcast sky still hangs over Chennai today as it had been raining most of the night from 8 pm till just before dawn today.
The meteorological office has forecast heavy rain in Chennai and "very heavy rainfall" in coastal Tamil Nadu. Schools and colleges in Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur and Puducherry are also closed today.
"Chennai is ready to face heavy rain. Storm water drains have been cleaned and some 300 chronic water stagnation points have been identified. We have readied 400 suction pumps to remove water during heavy rain," D Karthikeyan, Chennai Municipal Corporation Commissioner, said.
In December 2015, Chennai was flooded after the heaviest rainfall in over a century, paralysing the airport and flooding factories in the state that is home to nearly 70 million people. At least 150 people died that year because of heavy rain.
08:30 Patidar, Congress leaders meet, no agreement on quota issue yet
Members of the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti met Gujarat Congress leaders but no agreement could be reached on the assurance about quotas for the Patels, a precondition set by PAAS leader Hardik Patel for extending support to the party in the assembly polls.
After the meeting at the Congress's state headquarters which lasted three hours, PAAS leaders said they will hold another round of discussion by November 7 to resolve the issue.
Hardik Patel, who skipped the meeting, said the next round of negotiations will be the final.
"If we have been fighting for reservation in government jobs and educational institutions for two-and-a-half years, then waiting for a few days is no a big deal. But the next meeting on the issue will be the last and final," he said.
Hardik Patel had last Saturday threatened to disrupt Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi's proposed rally in Surat if the main opposition party in Gujarat did not make clear how it will provide quotas to the Patidar community.
However, he said he will not oppose Rahul Gandhi's rally.
08:05 PM Modi flags off 'Run For Unity' on Rashtriya Ekta Diwas
Prime Minister Narendra Modi flags off Run for Unity in the national capital today to mark the birth anniversary of Sardar Patel.
Sportspersons Dipa Karmakar, Suresh Raina, Sardara Singh, and Karnam Malleswari are also present with PM Modi at the 'Run for Unity' event.
Addressing the crowds, the PM says, "We remember Sardar Patel on his birth anniversary. We are proud of his contribution to India before we attained freedom and during the early years after we became independent.
"India is a country full of diversity, unity in diversity is our speciality."
00:17 US court bars Trump on reversing transgender policy
A United States court has largely blocked President Donald Trump's controversial ban on transgender people serving in the military.
Trump in August signed an executive order banning transgender people from serving openly, reversing former president Barack Obama's directive allowing them to do so.
The move prompted a flood of lawsuits, many of them filed on behalf of transgender service members or veterans.
US District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly sided in part with a group of transgender service members who sued to block the change, halting Trump's ban on service but upholding the Trump's move to block the military from paying for gender reassignment surgery.
The order by Kollar-Kotelly temporarily prevents the Pentagon from enacting the ban imposed by Trump early this year.
In his order, the judge said that the transgender troops, some with decades or meritorious service, had their rights to due process violated.
The prohibition was already effectively on hold while Secretary of Defence James Mattis convened a panel of experts to examine the implications of reinstating the ban, a move Mattis said in August would mean "current policy with respect to currently serving members will remain in place". -- PTI
TOP STORIES
© 2024 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances