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Fri, 20 September 2019
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq signs bond to secure release
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23:44 Prince William, Kate to pay five-day official visit to Pakistan from Oct 14
Britain's Prince William and wife Kate Middleton will pay their first official visit to Pakistan from October 14, more than 13 years after the last royal visit to the country, the UK embassy here said on Friday.
William and Kate's visit to Pakistan was first announced in late June. It is the first royal trip to the country in more than a decade.
"Kensington Palace has announced today that the official visit to Pakistan by Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will take place between Monday 14th and Friday 18th October," the embassy said in a statement.
The details of the tour are yet to be unveiled. However, officials privy to the development said during the five-day visit, the royal couple, both aged 37, will meet top Pakistani leaders and attend various cultural events.
The visit comes 13 years after Charles and Camilla - the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwell - toured the country in 2006.
But Pakistan still vividly remembers the late Princess Diana's visit in 1996 when she travelled to Islamabad, scenic northern areas and Lahore, where she was welcomed by cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan, the current prime minister.
Diana - who was friends with Imran Khan - also attended a fundraising event of his Shaukat Khanam Memorial Cancer Hospital.
-- PTI
22:53 Mirwaiz Umar Farooq signs bond to secure release
Moderate Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was among seven individuals, detained following the abrogation of special status given to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370, who have signed bonds to secure their release, official sources said on Friday.
However, People's Conference chairman Sajad Lone, PDP youth wing leader Waheed Para and former bureaucrat-turned-politician Shah Faesal have refused to sign the bonds.
Apart from Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, two leaders of the National Conference, one each from the Peoples Democratic Party and People's Conference, and two others, whose political affiliations were not immediately revealed, signed the bonds, the sources said.
They are among 36 detainees who have been kept at the Centaur Hotel after their detention.
The detainees, mostly politicians, were offered to be released by the Jammu and Kashmir administration on the condition that they sign the bond, which bars them from indulging in any political activity after their release, the sources said.
Unofficial estimates suggest more than a thousand people including politicians, separatists, activists and lawyers were detained after the August 5 decision of the central government.
Three former chief ministers -- Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti -- were among the detainees.
Some others numbering around 100 were sent to the jails outside Jammu and Kashmir.
Farooq has been detained under the stringent Public Safety Act while other politicians were mostly detained in different sections of the CrPC.
A Jammu and Kashmir administration official said individuals released after signing the bonds will not be allowed to indulge in any activities prohibited in the document.
Whoever violates the provision will have to face arrest again, the official said.
-- PTI
22:44 Nepal: Army disposes two bombs at Pashupatinath Temple
The Nepal army's Bomb Disposal Squad on Friday evening disposed two bombs found in and around the premises of the Pashupatinath Temple.
Nepal Police and the army were alerted late in the evening today after a suspicious object was found inside the Temple. Later, another suspicious object also was reported in the jungle across the Bagmati River which also was later disposed of by the army.
"A bomb was found near the entrance of the temple and another on the other side of the river. A total of two bombs were found and we have managed to dispose of both of them," a member of the bomb squad Department told ANI on conditions of anonymity.
It is yet to be ascertained about the group behind the planting of bombs in one of the most auspicious religious Hindu shrines.
The security and surveillance of the temple after the disposal of the bomb has been heightened and the main entrance to the temple was closed after the incident.
However, the daily "Aarti" performed on the embankments of the Bagmati river that flows next to the temple was unharmed. Thousands of people participated and witnessed the aarti despite the bomb threat.
Pashupatinath Temple is considered one of the most sacred worship places for Hindus and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple is a very famous tourist attraction with hundreds of followers from different parts of the world visiting it every year.
It is the oldest Hindu temple in Kathmandu and is also considered to be among the richest shrines in Nepal.
-- ANI
22:13 Trump announces toughest sanctions against Iran
The Trump administration on Friday announced a new round of sanctions against Iran that will have a further noticeable effect on the everyday life of its ordinary citizens.
"Highest sanctions ever imposed on a country," US President Donald Trump said during brief remarks at the Oval Office, as he hosted Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his wife for a state visit.
The sanctions targeted the Iranian national bank, further escalating economic pressure on the country as a potential strike in retaliation for recent attacks on Saudi Arabian oil fields, The New York Times reported.
The development came after Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Thursday said a military strike against Iran by the United States or Saudi Arabia would result in "an all-out war".
In an exclusive interview to CNN, Zarif said Iran hoped to avoid conflict and the country was willing to talk to its regional rivals Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
The US and Saudi Arabia have blamed Iran for providing artillery to Yemen's Houthi rebels who had claimed responsibility for the drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities that hit nearly 50 per cent of the Kingdom's global crude oil supply, despite repeated denial by Tehran.
-- ANI
21:50 Don't worry about NRC: Mamata assures people
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday assured the people that NRC will not be allowed in the state and the BJP would have to get past her if the saffron party wants to touch them.
Urging the people to make sure that their names are in the voters' list, Banerjee accused "local leaders" of the BJP of spreading canards about the possibility of implementing the National Register of Citizens in the state.
"I assure the people of West Bengal that do not worry if you have faith in me. Nobody will have to leave West Bengal. You will continue to stay here as you have been all these years. If they (BJP) want to touch you, they would have to get past Mamata Banerjee first," she said.
The Trinamool Congress supremo stressed that the NRC was meant for Assam and she went to New Delhi to inform the home ministry about the ordeal of the people of that state.
-- PTI
21:15 GST Council: Caffeinated drinks to get costlier
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman briefs the media following the 37th GST Council meeting.
Here are the highlights:
>> GST on caffeinated beverages has been increased from 18 to 28 percent plus 12 per cent cess additional cess, which takes the total tax rate to 40 per cent.
>> Plates and cups made of leaves, cut and polished semi precious stones and imports of specified defence goods to get cheaper after GST rate cuts.
>> Rates on outdoor catering to be cut.
>> GST Council cuts tax on hotel room tariffs of Rs 1,000 to Rs 7,500/night to 12%; those above Rs 7,500 to 18%
21:15 Chinese team visit Mahabalipuram ahead of Xi meet
A delegation of Chinese officials on Friday inspected world heritage site monuments in Mahabalipuram, including the famous shore temple ahead of the summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping, slated to be held here next month.
The Chinese delegation took stock of various aspects, including security and amenities and looked into the line-up of proposed events during the second edition of the informal summit between the Prime Minister Modi and the Chinese President, to be held from October 11 to 13.
"The delegation visited monuments, including Arjuna's penance, the shore temple and the huge boulder known as Krishna's butterball," officials said.
Senior Tamil Nadu government and Archaeological Survey of India officials accompanied the delegation and later discussed with Chinese officials, the contours of the summit.
-- PTI
20:07 India-US can build more peaceful world: PM
Donald Trump's presence at the Houston event will mark a new milestone, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday.
He said that it would be the first time a US president will attend an Indian-American community event with him.
Referring to Indo-US relations, Modi said working together, the two nations can contribute to building a more peaceful, stable, secure, sustainable and prosperous world.
"I am confident that my visit would present India as a vibrant land of opportunities, a reliable partner and a global leader, and will also help impart new energy to our relations with the US," he said in his departure statement ahead of his week-long visit.
-- PTI
19:48 Trump's political reasons to say 'Howdy, Modi!' amid low ratings
US President Donald Trump heads to Harris County, Texas, this weekend to a major rally ahead of next week's United Nations General Assembly - for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The website for the "Howdy, Modi" rally boasts that the "live audience will be the largest gathering for an invited foreign leader visiting the United States other than the Pope": Some 50,000 people, many from Houston's large Indian community, are expected to turn out.
It's eye-popping that leaders of the world's two biggest democracies are appearing together at such an event - let alone that this particular American president will be holding court in the epicenter of Texas's blue wave and the most diverse city in America.
You're not wrong if you think that doesn't sound like friendly territory for Trump. But that's a strong political reason for him to go: Democrats are making a big play for Texas in 2020 and Republicans are growing concerned. The rally for PM Modi provides Trump with access to a potential pool of Indian American voters that could turn out to be critical in next year's presidential elections.
Read full HERE
19:26
Wrestler Bajrang Punia wins bronze medal in 65kg in World Championships.
19:16 India receives 1st Rafale jet from France
India has received first of 36 Rafale fighter jets from France. The fighter jet was received by Deputy Chief Air Marshal Chaudhary during his visit to France on Thursday.
The tail number of the plane is RB-01 which stands for the name of Air Marshal RKS Bhadauria.
Air Marshal RKS Bhadauria, who was appointed as the next Indian Air Force chief on Thursday, was instrumental in steering the Rafale jet deal between India and France and was also among the first IAF officials to fly the jet.
18:51 You were sadder over Chandrayaan-2 than over Kashmir: Mufti's daughter
Former Jammu and Kashmir CM Mehbooba Mufti's daughter Iltija criticised the lack of outrage over the situation in Kashmir, where restrictions have been placed after the government scrapped the state's special status.
"You showed more outrage... were more sad [sic] over Chandrayaan-2... than over Kashmir," Iltija said, referring to the Chandrayaan-2 mission's lander Vikram that went out of contact during its landing on the Moon and has not been heard from since.
Iltija said Kashmiris have been "caged" for the last one month, when restrictions have been in place in Jammu and Kashmir. "Kashmiris have been caged for the past month. You talk about the future, can we talk about the present first? Can we talk about the humanitarian crisis, economic crisis, psychological crisis, the human trauma that people have been subjected to?" Iltija asked.
There is "unimaginable repression" in the state and Kashmiris have been treated like a "herd of cattle", Iltija, whose mother Mehbooba is in preventive custody along with several other political leaders of the state, said.
18:26 No service, yet Kashmiris get fat phone bills
Kashmir has been facing communications blackout for the past 47 days with virtually no mobile phone and internet services, but many residents in the Valley say they have been sent bills by telecom companies for services that were not provided.
The telecom companies have billed the subscribers for the period of communication blockade which began on August 5 when the Centre abrogated provisions of Article 370 and split Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories.
"Mobile phone and internet services are not functional in Kashmir since August 5 but still I have been billed Rs 779 by Airtel. I fail to understand what are we being charged for," Obaid Nabi, a resident of Safakadal, said.
Mohammad Umar, who has a BSNL mobile connection, said his average monthly mobile bill used to be around Rs 380 but he was surprised to find an inflated bill for the shutdown period.
"I have been billed Rs 470 for the last month. The surprising aspect is that the phone services are not working for the past one and a half months," Umar said.
Several subscribers said they were hoping that charges for the period of communication shutdown will be waived as it was done in the aftermath of 2016 agitation and 2014 floods in Kashmir.
Bharti Airtel did not respond to an email query sent on the issue, while repeated calls and text messages to BSNL CEO went unanswered. Queries were also sent to Vodafone Idea and Reliance Jio, but no response was received.
-- PTI
17:55 Kamal blames 'govt apathy' for techie's death
Makkal Needhi Maiam founder Kamal Haasan on Friday blamed "government apathy" and "half-baked politicians" for the recent death of a 23-year old woman techie in Chennai after an illegal hoarding put up by an AIADMK functionary crashed on her.
The victim R Subhashree, riding a two-wheeler, lost balance and fell on the road after the hoarding crashed on her and she was run over by a water tanker that came from behind.
The incident prompted a public outrage.
Haasan said the powers that be have kept people "slaves" by calling them "ordinary" folks, but asserted such "ordinary" citizens create "extraordinary" leaders.
He said such deaths should be treated and booked as "murders" so they don't repeat.
"Many Subhashrees and Raghus have been killed due to government apathy," Haasan said in a video.
K Raghupathy (Raghu) also died in similar fashion in 2017 in Coimbatore when he was run over by a Corporation lorry after his two-wheeler rammed into an arch erected for the MGR Centenary fete then.
On Friday, Haasan wondered "how many more lives will be taken away by these ignorant officials and half-baked politicians."
"Don't they have common sense on where to erect or not not erect banners," he said.
-- PTI
17:33 'Jadavpur Uni has become hub of anti-nationals'
West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh on Friday alleged that the Jadavpur University campus
has become a hub of anti-nationals and communists and "our cadres" would conduct a Balakot-like surgical strike to destroy it.
Accusing the Trinamool Congress government of sitting idle till Union minister Babul Supriyo got killed in the institute on Thursday, Ghosh said he would write to Union Home Minister Amit Shah describing the incident.
"The Jadavpur University campus is a hub of anti-national and communist activities. This is not the first time that such an incident has happened there. Just like our security forces conducted surgical strike to destroy terror camps in Pakistan, our cadres would also carry out out the
same type of surgical strike to destroy anti-national hubs in JU campus," Ghosh said while addressing a press conference.
Ghosh supported Governor Jagdeep Dhandkar for rushing to the university campus to save Supriyo from the mob inside the JU campus.
"The state government was sitting idle and was waiting for Supriyo to get killed," Ghosh said.
-- PTI
17:20 Twitter closes thousands of fake news accounts worldwide
Twitter said on Friday it has closed down thousands of accounts across the world for spreading fake news as well as pro-government propaganda including in places like the United Arab Emirates, China and Spain.
Accounts coming from China seeking to sow discord among protesters in Hong Kong were closed down, as well as accounts amplifying a pro-Saudi message coming from Egypt and the United Arab Emirates directed at Qatar and Yemen, Twitter said. Fake news accounts were also suspended in Spain and Ecuador.
17:03 Tax sops will boost investor confidence: Gadkari
Terming the massive Rs 1.45 lakh crore tax giveaways announced by the government earlier in the day on Friday, as "historic", Union minister Nitin Gadkari said the move will boost investor and entrepreneur confidence.
Expressing confidence that the tax cuts will increase the confidence of investors and entrepreneurs, he said "the decision is a historic one" and this can be construed as the growth engine for the MSME sector.
"For achieving the dream of becoming a USD 5-trillion economy (by 2025), such a decision is important. I am sure the market will react positively to the move. We have already seen the share markets rallying," he added. -- PTI
16:55 'Patriotism pop' songs encourage Indian men to marry Kashmiri women
A wave of songs known as 'patriotism pop' have been flooding Indian social media in the weeks since Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced he would be scrapping Article 370 and revoking Kashmir's statehood.
The first music videos hit the web within hours of the decision and have continued to steadily appear ever since, some garnering millions of views.
While many musicians are getting in on the trend, the songs all follow the same nationalistic themes, encouraging Indian men to move to Kashmir, marry Kashmiri women, and buy up land to boost the number of Hindus in the Muslim-majority region. Read more
16:53 Telecos charge Kashmiris despite no service
Kashmir has been facing communications blackout for the past 47 days with virtually no mobile phone and internet services, but many residents in the Valley say they have been sent bills by telecom companies for services that were not provided.
The telecom companies have billed the subscribers for the period of communication blockade which began on August 5 when the Centre abrogated provisions of Article 370 and split Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories.
"Mobile phone and internet services are not functional in Kashmir since August 5 but still I have been billed Rs 779 by Airtel. I fail to understand what are we being charged for," Obaid Nabi, a resident of Safakadal, said. Mohammad Umar, who has a BSNL mobile connection, said his average monthly mobile bill used to be around Rs 380 but he was surprised to find an inflated bill for the shutdown period. "I have been billed Rs 470 for the last month. The surprising aspect is that the phone services are not working for the past one and a half months," Umar said.
Several subscribers said they were hoping that charges for the period of communication shutdown will be waived as it was done in the aftermath of 2016 agitation and 2014 floods in Kashmir. Bharti Airtel did not respond to an email query sent on the issue, while repeated calls and text messages to BSNL CEO went unanswered. Queries were also sent to Vodafone Idea and Reliance Jio, but no response was received. -- PTI
16:44 Modi govt committed to making India a big manufacturing hub: Shah
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said the Modi government is committed to making India a big manufacturing hub as Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced big-ticket reforms in the economy by slashing corporate tax.
"Rationalisation of corporate tax had been a long-pending demand, which is now a reality. This move will make our corporates globally competitive and our markets much more exciting for potential investors," tweeted Shah.
"Modi government is committed to making India a big manufacturing hub and this decision along with previous announcements on relaxing FDI will go a long way in realising this objective. I congratulate PM @narendramodi and FM @nsitharaman for announcing these bold measures," he tweeted.
16:24 Stock mkt bump ahead of Howdy Modi: Rahul
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said he is amazed at what Prime Minister Narendra Modi is ready to do for a stock market bump ahead of his 'Howdy Modi' event in Houston, which he termed as the world's most expensive event ever. He said no event can hide the reality of the economic "mess" 'HowdyModi' has driven India into.
"Amazing what PM is ready to do for a stock market bump during his #HowdyIndianEconomy jamboree. "At + 1.4 Lakh Crore Rs. the Houston event is the world's most expensive event, ever! But, no event can hide the reality of the economic mess 'HowdyModi' has driven India into," he said on Twitter.
The Congress leader's attack comes after the government announced slashing of corporate tax rates for companies by almost 10 per cent to 25.17 per cent to bring them at par with Asian rivals such as China and South Korea, as it looked to boost demand and investments.
15:41 India's tax rates now comparable to US: Goyal
Commerce minister Piyush Goyal Friday said he "hopes" the tax relief measures announced by the government for the corporates will give the necessary fillip to growth that has been sputtering for long. The measures also get our tax rates comparable to those in the US and in South Asian economies, if one were to include the exemptions thrown in, Goyal said, adding these will help push investments up.
With an eye to push growth, which has slipped to a six-year low in the June quarter--which is even below that of Pakistan's 5.4 percent--finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman earlier in the day announced a raft of changes in direct taxes, including a 10 percentage points cut in corporation taxes to 25.17. The measures, which come a day after Reserve Bank governor Shaktikanta Das had warned against any fiscal measures to spur growth saying the government has little fiscal space to do so, will entail a revenue sacrifice of Rs 1.45 lakh crore to the exchequer this year. -- PTI
15:28 Retractable roof may save the day for PM's Howdy Modi address
Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's much-anticipated address at 'Howdy Modi' event, a tropical storm has triggered relentless and heavy rains in Texas leading to flash flooding in some parts of the state. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has declared a state of disaster in 13 counties impacted by remnants of tropical storm Imelda.
National Weather Service is calling Imelda a "particularly dangerous situation," and urging residents to "seek higher ground now!". Rain may continue into Friday in parts of eastern Texas and western Louisiana.
Hundred of flights were cancelled into and out of Houston area airport due to severe rain.
Imelda dropped enough rain in one day at Houston's Intercontinental Airport to set a record for the wettest 24-hour period in September, breaking Hurricane Ike's record set on September 13, 2008.
The NRG Stadium where Modi is scheduled to address 50,000 people is unaffected by heavy rains as it has two retractable, fabric roofs. This means that the venue is well covered and dry.
14:54 Trump, Imran to meet on 23rd, talk on J-K
Prime Minister Imran Khan is likely to meet US President Donald Trump in New York on Sept 23, hours after he arrives in the city for the 74th session of the UN General Assembly, diplomatic sources told Dawn.
The sources said that this could be first of the two meetings the prime minister is expected to have with the US leader during the UN session. This would also be President Trump's second meeting with a South Asian leader in less than 24 hours. Read the full story here.
14:33 Corporate tax cut historic: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday termed as "historic" the cut in corporate tax rates and asserted that economic announcements made in the last few weeks show that his government is leaving no stone unturned to make India a better place to do business. The announcements in the last few weeks clearly demonstrate that the government is leaving no stone unturned to make India a better place to do business, improve opportunities for all sections of society and increase prosperity to make India a USD 5 trillion economy, he said on Twitter.
"The step to cut corporate tax is historic. It will give a great stimulus to #MakeInIndia, attract private investment from across the globe, improve competitiveness of our private sector, create more jobs and result in a win-win for 130 crore Indians," he said.
Battling a six-year low economic growth and a 45-year high unemployment rate, the government on Friday slashed corporate tax rates for companies by almost 10 per cent to 25.17 per cent to bring them at par with Asian rivals such as China and South Korea, as it looked to boost demand and investments. -- PTI
14:06 Sensex up 2000 points, investor wealth soars
The BSE Sensex advanced over 2000 points to a high of 38,094, while the Nifty crossed 600 points at 2 pm, while domestic investor wealth soared by Rs 2.11 lakh crore in morning trade on Friday as equity market rallied following a slew of economy-boosting announcements by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
Led by the spike in equities, the market capitalisation of BSE-listed companies climbed Rs 2,11,086.42 crore to Rs 1,40,79,839.48 crore in the immediate aftermath of the announcement.
From the 30-share Sensex basket, barring NTPC, all other 29 scrips were trading in the green led by Tata Steel, Maruti Suzuki India, HDFC Bank and Yes Bank, which were trading with gains of up to 5.7 per cent.
The rupee also rallied 66 paise to 70.68 against the US dollar on announcements made by the finance minister.
In a major fiscal booster, the government on Friday slashed effective corporate tax to 25.17 per cent inclusive of all cess and surcharges for domestic companies.
13:48 Major fire at Haldia Petrochemical's unit
A major fire broke out at the naphtha cracker unit of the Haldia Petrochemicals Limited in Haldia on Friday injuring 15 people, a senior police officer said. The blaze that broke out at 11.15 am, was yet to be brought under control, Purba Medinipur Superintendent of Police V Solomon Nesakumar said. The injured have been rushed to a nearby hospital, he said.
-- PTI
13:20 Hats off to FM: India Inc reacts to tax cuts
Industry, stock market and experts cheered slashing of corporate tax rate and other announcements by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman saying the big bang reforms will push economic growth and investments. Read: Sitharaman slashes corporate tax by 10 pc
"Reducing corporate tax rate to 25 per cent is big bang reform. Allows Indian companies to compete with lower tax jurisdictions like the US. It signals that our government is committed to economic growth and supports legitimate tax abiding companies. A bold, progressive step forward, Kotak Mahindra Bank CEO Uday Kotak said in a tweet.
Biocon CMD Kiran Mazumdar Shaw also applauded Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. "Corporate tax rate cut from 30 per cent to 25.2 per cent to spur growth- this is a great move which will firmly revive growth and investment. My hats off to FM @nsitharaman for this bold but most needed move," she tweeted.
Ashok Maheshwary & Associates LLP Partner Amit Maheshwari said "lately we have been loosing a lot of investments to other Asian countries who had been consistently reducing their corporate tax rate. This will help attract significant FDI and manufacturing to India. Abolition of DDT and going back to classical way of taxing dividends would be an icing on the cake".
According to Frank D'Souza Partner and Leader Corporate and International Tax, PwC India, "the reduction in the corporate tax rate is a welcome move and makes India attractive for new investments. Also, the changes to CSR contributions and the relief on buy-back tax, will address past concerns and also help in channelling funds towards R&D initiatives".
13:06 SC to hear Ayodhya case for an hour more daily from Monday
The Supreme Court on Friday decided to hear the Ram Janmabhoomi Babri Masjid dispute case for an extra hour from next Monday to conclude the hearing before the October 18 deadline fixed by it. A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, which was hearing the decades-old politically sensitive land dispute on 28th day, told the counsel for both the Hindu and Muslim parties that it has decided to rise at 5 pm instead of 4 pm, which is the scheduled time to wrap up the day's proceedings in the apex court. -- PTI
12:52
The Goods and Services Tax Council meeting is underway in Panaji. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also present.
12:46 Chinmayanand sent to 14 days jail
A local court on Friday sent BJP leader Chinmayanand to judicial custody for 14 days for allegedly raping a law student in Uttar Pradesh's Shahjahanpur district.
A special investigation team, probing the allegations levelled by the student, arrested the leader earlier in the day, following which he was produced before the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate court. Chief Judicial Magistrate Om Veer sent the accused to Shahjahanpur district jail, where he will be lodged for 14 days. -- ANI
12:32 Investment may not revive: Cong on tax cuts
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday welcomed the reduction in corporate tax rate but expressed doubts on whether the step will revive investment. The government's move, he said, does nothing to dispel the fear that pervades India Inc.
"A headline-itis afflicted, panic-stricken Modi Sarkar has cut corporate tax rates less than 3 months after a Budget and 4 months before the next one. This is welcome but it is doubtful whether investment will revive. This does nothing to dispel fear that pervades in India Inc'," he said on Twitter.
The government on Friday slashed the income tax rate for companies by almost 10 percentage points to 25.17 per cent and offered a lower rate to 17.01 per cent for new manufacturing firms to boost economic growth rate from a six-year low by incentivising investments to help create jobs. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the reduction in tax rates has been done by promulgating an ordinance to an amendment to the Income Tax Act. -- PTI
12:14 'Howdy Modi has larger, global context'
And the concluding part of the interview with Gautam Bambawale, the former envoy to China, Pakistan and Bhutan.
"We have a decisive government with a strong prime minister in India. Similarly, there is a strong leader in China. I believe this is a time for India and China to sit down and seriously try to resolve the boundary issue between us," Ambassador Gautam Bambawale, tells Rediff.com's Archana Masih.
"When two leaders of the stature of Prime Minister Modi and President Xi meet, you don't look for small outcomes. What is more important is for the two leaders to talk to each other frankly, to explain the goals of their countries to each other, and how they intend to achieve those goals," he adds.
11:56 'China must change its position on Kashmir'
"The axis between Pakistan and China is becoming stronger and will continue in the next few years. Therefore, China, instead of taking an independent decision (on the abrogation of Article 370 and reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir), has been influenced far too much by Pakistan's reaction, Ambassador Gautam Bambawale, India's former envoy to China, Pakistan and Bhutan, tells Rediff.com's Archana Masih.
Do read Part 1 of the interview here
11:47 UN chief could discuss Kashmir issue at UNGA: UN spokesman
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres is likely to use the opportunity of discussions during the high-level UN General Assembly session that begins here next week to raise the Kashmir issue, the UN chief's spokesperson has said.
Spokesman for the Secretary-General Stephane Dujarric during the daily press briefing on Thursday said that the UN chief has underscored the need for dialogue as the only way to resolve the issue and, "as part of the solution for the current crisis in Kashmir, to make sure that human rights aspects are very much dealt with, as well".
On Wednesday, Guterres emphasised that "dialogue' between India and Pakistan is an "absolute essential element' for reaching a solution on the Kashmir issue, and said his good offices are available should both sides ask for it and called for full respect of human rights.
"Well, our capacity is related to good offices, and good offices can only be implemented when the parties accept it. And, on the other hand, it relates to advocacy, and the advocacy was expressed and will be maintained," Guterres said during his press conference ahead of the UN General Assembly session.
Also see: PM Modi's engagements at the UNGA
File pic.
11:34 SC seeks response from J& K on plea challenging detention of 5 persons
The Supreme Court on Friday sought response from the Jammu and Kashmir administration on a plea challenging detention of five persons in Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi issued notice on the plea which has also challenged provisions of law, empowering authorities to detain a person in Jammu and Kashmir.
The bench also comprising justices SA Bobde and SA Nazeer asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who was appearing for the Jammu and Kashmir administration, to file his response within two weeks. - PTI
11:32 SC notice to Centre on plea of mothers of Rohith Vemula, Payal Tadvi
The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear a plea filed by mothers of Rohith Vemula and Payal Tadvi, who had allegedly committed suicide following alleged caste-based discrimination, seeking to end such bias in universities and other higher education institutions across the country.
While Vemula, a Ph.D scholar at Hyderabad Central University had committed suicide on January 17, 2016, following alleged caste bias, Tadvi, a tribal student at TN Topiwala National Medical College, committed suicide on May 22 this year due to alleged caste-based discrimination by three doctors in her college.
A bench of Justices N V Ramana and Ajay Rastogi issued notice on the plea and sought response from the Centre in four weeks. Senior advocate Indira Jaising, appearing for both the mothers, said there are UGC regulations but they are not being implemented. She said there are documented incidents of suicides taking place in university campuses.
-- PTI
-- PTI
File pic of Rohit Vemula's mother in 2016 with Rahul Gandhi.
11:26 Sensex soars as FM announces tax breaks
Sensex rises 1276.26 points, currently at 37,369.73; Rupee rallies 66 paise to 70.68 against US dollar on FM announcements to boost growth.
In a major fiscal booster, the government on Friday slashed effective corporate tax to 25.17 per cent inclusive of all cess and surcharges for domestic companies.
Making the announcement, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the new tax rate will be applicable from the current fiscal which began on April 1.
Sitharaman said the revenue foregone on reduction in corporate tax and other relief measures will be Rs 1.45 lakh crore annually.
She said the government was conscious of the effect the tax rebate would have on fiscal deficit and numbers would be reconciled.
11:05 FM proposes to slash corporate tax rate
FM Nirmala Sitharaman proposes to slash corporate tax for domestic cos, new local manufacturing cos through an ordinance. Excerpts from the press briefing...
-- To boost 'Make in India', an insertion inserted to Income Tax Act with effect from 2019-20, which allows any new domestic company incorporated on or after 1st Oct 2019 making fresh investment in manufacturing an option to pay income tax at rate of 15%.
-- To promote growth, a new provision has been inserted in the income tax act with effect from fiscal year 2019-20, which allows any domestic company to pay income tax at the rate of 22% subject to condition they will not avail any incentive or exemptions.
-- No Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT) on local companies.
-- Enhanced surcharge introduced in Budget shall not apply on capital gain arising on sale of equity shares in a Co liable for STT.
-- Companies can opt for lower tax rate after expiry of tax holidays, concessions that they are availing now.
Right on cue, the Sensex is up by 828.56 points, currently at 36,922.03
10:50 FM slashes corporate tax rates
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's press briefing from Panaji: "We today propose to slash the corporate tax rates for domestic companies and for new domestic manufacturing companies."
10:38 The Zoya Factor Review
"Unimaginative in its creativity and commentary, The Zoya Factor's biggest casualty is cricket. Characters appear to be physically modelled after Shikhar Dhawan, Harbhajan Singh and Sachin Tendulkar but to no avail. You'll see more dynamism and logic in stick figures than the matches played out in the movie."
Read the full review of The Zoya Factor here.
10:34 Priyanka questions govt policies amid economic slowdown
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday continued attacking the Central government in the wake of economic slowdown and questioned its policies to tackle the situation.
Citing a news report on Life Insurance Corporation losing Rs 57,000 crore in the last two-and-a-half months, Priyanka stated that people trust the company and invest their hard-earned money in it.
"Common people invest their hard-earned money in LIC for future security, but the BJP government is shattering their trust by investing LIC money in loss making companies. What kind of policy is this which has become only loss policy?" Priyanka tweeted.
Her tweet comes a day after the board of directors at IDBI Bank on Thursday approved the proposal for preferential issue of capital to the government and Life Insurance Corporation totalling up to Rs 4,557 crore and Rs 4,743 crore respectively. The decision is subject to customary regulatory approvals.
On September 3, the government had approved Rs 9,300 crore capital infusion into IDBI Bank to increase the lender's capital base. The bank needed a one-time infusion of capital to complete the exercise of dealing with its legacy book. It has already substantially cleaned up, reducing net non-performing assets from a peak of 18.8 per cent in June 2018 to 8 per cent in June 2019.
The government has announced capital infusion of Rs 70,000 into public sector banks in a bid to clean up their balance sheets which are littered with huge non-performing assets. -- ANI
10:23
FM Nirmala Sitharaman's press conference from Panaji, shortly.
10:11 Rape-accused BJP leader Chinmayanand arrested
BJP former minister Chinmayanand had been arrested by the Special Investigations Team probing the rape and sexual harassment case against him, say reports.
Chinmayanand's arrest comes almost two weeks after the woman had accused him of rape. The woman had also lodged a zero FIR (one that can be filed in any police station regardless of the place of incidence or jurisdiction) in New Delhi.
The student who has levelled rape charges against Chinmayanand threatened self-immolation on Wednesday if he is not arrested even as the BJP leader was admitted to a local hospital complaining of uneasiness.
"Even two days after I recorded my statement before a magistrate, Chinmayanand has not been arrested. If the government is waiting for me to die, I will sprinkle kerosene on my body and immolate myself," the student told reporters in Shahjahanpur.
Chinmayanand has been taken to hospital for a check-up under heavy security and thereafter he may be produced in court.
09:52 PM to meet 75 heads of state at UNGA
India's engagement and outreach at the 74th session of the UN General Assembly, set to begin here next week, is unprecedented and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the world organisation will result in a concrete, tangible, action-oriented outcomes, India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin has said.
He said a total of over 75 Heads of State and Foreign Ministers will be meeting with Modi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan during the week across various platforms.
These meetings will not be pull-asides or brush-asides but would be events where either the Prime Minister and his counterparts or the External Affairs Minister and his counterparts will engage in the same room, discussing substantive issues for at least 30 minutes.
"And that's what I call when I say that the breadth is unprecedented. We have never, ever had this sort of an engagement of this intensity during the General Assembly session with such a broad number of countries," Akbaruddin said.
"It's very different from normative talking. The UN is known to be sometimes derisively referred to as a talk shop. Talking is important. I don't think that we should deride talk shops because jaw-jaw is better than waw-waw. So talking is important. But more important is that we need to walk the talk and ...What you will see distinctively coming out of the visit this time is concrete, tangible, action-oriented outcomes that we are working on with our partners globally." Modi, who will be addressing the General Debate for the first time in five years, has a packed bilateral and multilateral agenda beginning September 23 till September 27.
In all, he will be delivering nine key speeches at high-level summits and plurilateral engagements. - PTI
09:41 New honour for Sree Sreenivasan
Sree Sreenivasan -- the first chief digital officer of New York City's famous Metropolitan Museum of Art -- has been appointed the inaugural visiting professor of digital innovation and audience engagement at the Stony Brook University school of journalism in New York state, Yoshita Singh/PTI reports.
Marshall R Loeb Visiting Professor of Digital Innovation and Audience Engagement, said Sree joined the journalism school on September 1.
Describing Sree as a 'consummate professional', interim dean of the Stony Brook University school of journalism Laura Lindenfeld said 'Sree's experience, creative approach and dedication to integrating high-quality journalism to the digital space is vital in today's news ecosystem.'
A former Columbia Journalism School professor for 20 years, Sree also served as the chief digital officer of Columbia University and the City of New York.
09:33 Washington shootout: 1 dead, five injured
UPDATE: One person was killed and five others wounded on Thursday (September 19) in a shooting on the streets of Washington, DC, not far from the White House, police said.
It was not immediately clear if a suspect had been taken into custody in the incident, but a law enforcement source told Reuters it was not considered an "active shooter" situation, reports Channel News Asia.
Five wounded victims of the shooting were expected to survive their injuries.The gunfire erupted in the Columbia Heights neighborhood, about three km from the White House on Thursday night.
09:19 Mumbai: Unknown odour sparks gas leak suspicion
Many residents in Mumbai's western and eastern suburbs reported an unknown odour, prompting rumours of a gas leak at the Rashtriya Chemical Fertiliser's plant in the Chembur suburb, officials said.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said late Thursday that the odour was reported from Powai, Chembur, Mankhurd, Govandi, Chandivali, Andheri and Ghatkopar areas.
A police official said no injuries were reported.
A fire brigade spokesperson said the unknown odour was also reported from areas adjoining the Sanjay Gandhi National Park in northern suburb Borivli.
Nine fire engines were send at various places to find out the source of leakage, the official said.
The Mahanagar Gas Limited, which supplies piped gas in Mumnai, said in a statement that it had been receiving complaints of gas smell from various parts of Mumbai.
"Our emergency teams have reached the sites from where the complaints have been received. So far, we have not come across any breach in our pipeline system which could result in leakage of gas," it said.
A BMC official said, "In order to trace the origin of the reported gas leak, we deployed fire engines at Deonar, Mankhurd, Chembur, Vikhroli, Dindoshi, Vile Parle, Kanivali and Dahisar areas".
"A total of 29 complaints were received by the BMC control room regarding an unknown smell, which has considerably reduced now," he said.
Four mergency vans of MGL were also mobilised, the official said. -- PTI
08:54 Multiple people shot on streets of Washington: Report
'Multiple' people have been shot on streets of Washington, D.C on Thursday night, Reuters reported quoting local media.
Local WJLA-TV posted images on Twitter of ambulances carrying victims from the scene and said that there had been a "massive" police response.
According to website WJLA.com, the incident happened late Thursday night at 14th Street and Columbia Road, in NorthWest.
More updates to follow.
08:32 Pak may stoop low by raising Kashmir at UN: India
India will soar high if Pakistan "stoops low" by raising the Kashmir issue at a high-level United Nations General Assembly session next week, India's top envoy to the United Nations has asserted, warning that Islamabad may want to mainstream hate speech after normalising terrorism in the past.
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has vowed to raise the Kashmir issue at the UNGA session in New York on September 27.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also scheduled to speak on the same day.
Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said Prime Minister Khan will "forcefully" raise the issue before the international community during his address to the UNGA.
At a press conference at the United Nations on Thursday, India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin was asked whether he expected the Kashmir issue to come up during the UN General Assembly session, and, if so, how will India tackle it.
"What you're telling me is that it will be more of the same, much more of the same from the side of one country. If that is so what is our response? So let me put it this way. That it is for every country to determine its trajectory of how it wants to approach global platforms. There may be some who stoop low. Our response to them is we soar high. They may stoop low, we soar high," he said.
"We are confident that we will soar. We have given you examples of how we will not stoop. We will soar when they stoop low," he said.
Akbaruddin also laid out the focus and priorities of Prime Minister Modi when he arrives for the 74th UN General Assembly session.
He said a plethora of plurilateral and bilateral engagements and meetings of the Prime Minister outline the examples of how India will soar higher.
"What they want to do is their call. We've seen them mainstream terrorism in the past. And what you're now telling me is they may want to mainstream hate speech. It's their call, if they want to do that. Poison pens don't work for too long," he said. -- PTI
Image: India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin addresses a press conference at the UN. Photograph: Mohammed Jaffer/SnapsIndia
00:11 Queen upset with Cameron over comments
David Cameron's revelation that he sought help from the Queen ahead of the Scottish independence vote in 2014 has caused displeasure at Buckingham Palace, a source has said.
The former PM told the BBC he had asked whether the Queen could "raise an eyebrow" about the prospect of Scotland voting for independence.
The Queen later said people should "think carefully about the future".
Buckingham Palace has made no official comment on Cameron's remarks.
The revelation is made in a two-part BBC documentary in which the former PM reflects on his time in Downing Street.
What was discussed with the Queen's officials was not "anything that would be in any way improper... but just a raising of the eyebrow even... a quarter of an inch", he says.
The former Tory leader also discusses the Scottish referendum in his book, which he has been publicising this week.
A source told the BBC "it serves no-one's interests" for conversations between the PM and the Queen to be made public .
"It makes it very hard for the relationship to thrive," they added.
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