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Fri, 24 January 2020
2G net to be restored in Kashmir from midnight

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23:37   2G net to be restored in Kashmir from midnight
The 2G mobile internet services will be restored in the Kashmir Valley from Friday midnight, an official order said.
 
According to a notification by the home department of Jammu and Kashmir administration, access to the internet with 2G speed on mobile phones will resume from January 25.
Access shall be limited only on whitelisted sites and social media applications will continue to remain out of bounds for the Valley's residents, it said.
Data services shall be available on post-paid as well as pre-paid sim cards.
The restoration of the 2G internet facility on mobile phones will continue till January 31 after which it would be reviewed further, the order said.
Internet and mobile connectivity was snapped on August 5 last year after the centre announced abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution applicable to the erstwhile state and also bifurcated it into two union territories -- Ladakh, and Jammu and Kashmir. -- PTI 
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23:10   Centre transferred Koregaon-Bhima probe to NIA
Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh on Friday hit out at the Union government, claiming that it has transferred the probe of the 2018 Koregaon-Bhima violence case to the National Investigation Agency without the
state government's consent.
The case was being probed by the Pune Police.
Deshmukh tweeted on Friday evening that the Centre took this decision after the new Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress government in Maharashtra decided to "go to the root of the matter".
 
"...I condemn this decision. This is against the Constitution," the minister, who belongs to the NCP, added.
Violence had broken out near Koregaon-Bhima war memorial in Pune district on January 1, 2018.
Dalits visit the memorial in large numbers as it commemorates victory of British forces which included Dalit Mahar soldiers over the army of the Brahmin Peshwa rulers of Pune in 1818.
The police had claimed that provocative speeches at Elgar Parishad conclave in Pune on December 31, 2017, led to the violence, and Maoists were behind the conclave.
They later arrested several Left-leaning activists including Telugu poet Varavara Rao and Sudha Bharadwaj for alleged links to Maoists. -- PTI  

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22:53   It was tough managing Saina, Sindhu together: Gopichand
Chief national badminton coach Pullela Gopichand on Friday admitted that it was tough for him to manage two of his illustrious wards Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu together, saying he could never pick a favourite between the two. 

"Even in my dream, I cannot say this is my favourite trainee that will be end of me. Over the year it's been tough but I needed to manage. Each one's journey is very different, each of the champions is very different," Gopichand said at the TATA Steel Literary Meet. 

"To celebrate that diversity is India. If you go to China, you won't find the diversity. You will see one model fits all. But here each one is taken a different path and it's a challenge to bring everyone walk a same path and get a medal," he said.

Gopichand said he always saw the duo as his kids and felt bitter when Saina left his academy to join Prakash Padukone's academy. 

"I always felt these kids are my own as if I owned the students. I felt a sense of bitterness, anguish (when Saina left his academy). I was unhappy about it. Then when I saw her at the Olympics I thought she had a great chance and then I saw her lose," he said. 

"She came back and said I'm not finding my rhythm, no way I could say no to her. I told Sindhu: 'Saina going to be back. But it doesn't mean I'm out of your time. You both will have your time. How I manage is my problem. You just tell me what you need and it will be done'. It's always been difficult to manage these players. 

"I definitely felt very hurt. No disrespect to Prakash Sir. He's a hero, a role model and felt something very dear to me taken away. I was in Copenhagen, she was in Hyderabad. I asked her to stay back for a day. She didn't," he added. 

Concerned that the country has not invested beyond Saina and Sindhu, Gopichand said India need to put a system in place. 

Beyond Sindhu and Saina, who are currently world ranked sixth and 18th respectively, there's no one else from India inside top-50 and the next best women's singles player from the country is Mugdha Agrey, placed a lowly 71st. 

"If we look at what we have done, we have not invested in anyone beyond Saina and Sindhu. The next best players are really not taken care of," Gopichand said. 

 "I've spoken about the need for a system in our country. To depend on emotions and energy is not going to last long. We as a country need to figure a system," the former All England champion said. -- PTI
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22:46   J-K's accession to India 'total, final and irrevocable': V-P
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Friday said Jammu and Kashmir's accession to India is "total, final and irrevocable", and asserted that Article 370, which gave the erstwhile state special status, was a temporary provision that had outlived its purpose a long time back.
 
Delivering the Sardar Patel lecture on governance, Naidu called upon all Indians to work together to usher in the 'Ram Rajya' envisioned by Mahatma Gandhi in which, he said, there is all-round inclusive growth without poverty, discrimination, inequality, illiteracy and hunger, according to an official statement.
"Every citizen must strive to protect the unity, safety, security and sovereignty of the country," Naidu said after paying tributes to India's first home minister Vallabhbhai Patel, who is credited with the integration of hundreds of regions with the Union.
The accession of Jammu and Kashmir to the Indian Union is "total, final and irrevocable", the vice president said, adding that "Article 370 was only a temporary provision and it had outlived its purpose long back".
The Modi government had last year abrogated the article's provisions that gave special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and had bifurcated it into union territories Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
Praising policies and programmes such as 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao', Ayushman Bharat, Goods and Services Tax and 'Swachh Bharat', Naidu said they are aimed at accelerating progress and empowering the people. 
The vice president also called for a total war on corruption and described it as a "major canker" that skews growth and development, deepens poverty and increases inequality, according to the statement. 
He asked the bureaucracy to be more proactive and ensure that there is no gap in the intent, execution and delivery of various services to the people.
Observing that it is critical for state institutions to be agile, adaptable and resilient in the rapidly changing 21st century, Naidu called for strengthening implementation of programmes, improving competence and credibility of institutional structures, and adopting a work ethic that keeps national interest at the top and public welfare at its core. -- PTI
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22:21   Pavan Varma's letter has no meaning: Nitish
In a fresh snub to disgruntled Janata Dal-United leader Pavan Varma, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Friday said the letter from the former career diplomat-turned-politician had "no value" and "no meaning" and hence
did not deserve a reply.
     
Kumar made the remarks inPAtna in reply to a query from journalists who had approached him with queries about Varma's stance after the JD-U chief rebuffed the national general secretary  that he would take a decision about his continuance in the party after receiving a "reply" from the chief minister.
     
"When a member of the party sends a proper communication, it is replied to. Do you call it a letter? An email sent and the contents shared thereafter with the media. It has no meaning and no value", Kumar said on the sidelines of a function to mark birth anniversary of former Bihar chief minister Karpoori Thakura whom he considers as his political ideologue.
     
Varma, who resigned from the IFS in 2013 to take up the role of Kumar's culture adviser and enjoyed a two-year tenure in the Rajya Sabha subsequently, has been critical of the partys support to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
     
The differences, however, seem to have become irreconcilable ever since he shared screenshots of a two-page letter written to Kumar earlier this week, questioning the partys decision to contest the Delhi assembly polls in
alliance with BJP.
     
Varma had cited the example of another NDA ally Shiromani Akali Dal  which decided to stay away from Delhi elections following the BJPs refusal to heed the demand for bringing Muslims under the ambit of CAA and wondered why the JD-U was contesting in alliance with the saffron party, which was under attack from protesters across the country.
     
The former IFS officer, who is a well-known columnist and writer, had also ended up making public through the letter shared on social media details of conversations he claimed to have had with Kumar "in private".
    
The conversations, he claimed, included the chief ministers unease with the BJPs "divisive" agenda, which led him to part ways in 2013 and persisted after his return to the NDA in 2017. -- PTI

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22:17   Nepal confirms first case of deadly coronavirus
Nepal on Friday confirmed the first case of deadly coronavirus in the country identifying the infected person as a Nepali student who recently returned from the Chinese city of Wuhan, local media reports said.
 
The 31-year-old man, who is doing his PhD in Wuhan, had returned from the Chinese city on January 5. 

He had visited a hospital complaining of respiratory problems and was admitted on January 13, the Kathmandu Post reported.
He was given medication and once his health condition improved, he was discharged five days later from the Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital, the Himalayan Times reported.
The hospital had taken specimens-throat swabs and blood samples-from the patient and sent it to the World Health Organisation laboratory in Hong Kong on Tuesday.
"The throat swab and blood sample of a Nepali suspected of being infected with coronavirus, was tested positive," the Times reported, citing the Ministry of Health and Population.
This is first confirmed case of the deadly virus in Nepal, bordering India.
"We have received the report and specimens have tested positive," said Dr Hemanta Chandra Ojha, an official at the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division.
"We are now in the process of searching for the man and his family in order to test them for further infection," Ojha was quoted as saying by the Post.
Ojha said that they had no indication as to where the man had gone and his activities over the past five days, ever since he was discharged from the hospital.
The novel coronavirus originated in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province.
The coronavirus is a large family of viruses that causes illnesses ranging from the common cold to acute respiratory syndromes, but the virus that has killed people in China is a novel strain and not seen before. -- PTI
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22:16   Increase in outflow of B'deshi migrants, post CAA: BSF
The Border Security Force said on Friday that there has been an increase in the outflow of illegal Bangladeshi migrants to their home country over the past one month, following the enactment of the Citizenship (Amendment)
Act.
A top official of the paramilitary force said there has been a spike in the number of illegal settlers apprehended since last month.
The outflow has been highest through the borders in the North 24 Parganas district, BSF Inspector General (South Bengal Frontier) Y B Khurania said.
"There has been some increase in outflow of illegal Bangladeshi migrants to the bordering country in last one month... In January alone, we had apprehended 268 illegal Bangladeshi migrants, most of who were trying to sneak into the neighbouring country," Khurania told reporters.
Those leaving were mostly engaged as masons, maids and housekeepers in the country, another BSF official said.
"The highest outflow is via North 24 Parganas district. They (migrants) were mostly based in Bengaluru and north India. Some were involved in paltry jobs such as masons, maids, housekeepers and sweepers," he said.
In 2019, the BSF had apprehended 2,194 Bangladeshis, most of them caught while trying to illegally sneak into India. But since December last year, things have changed, the official said.
West Bengal shares about 2,216.7-km border with Bangladesh, a large part of which is unfenced.
According to BSF sources, troopers were not stopping the immigrants from crossing over to their home country, except in cases when they were found to be smuggling goods.
"Only when they are concealing any contraband or trying to smuggle something to Bangladesh, we are apprehending them. Otherwise, we are taking a note of their particulars and details and letting them go back," one of the sources said.
According to the BSF, one of the biggest achievements of the South Bengal Frontier in 2019 has been putting a check on cross-border cattle smuggling. -- PTI
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21:25   India vs Pak tweet: EC orders FIR against Kapil
Poll authorities on Friday directed the Delhi Police to file an FIR against Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Kapil Mishra in connection with his controversial tweet in which he likened the election in the city to a India versus Pakistan contest, sources said.
 
The Election Commission had earlier asked Twitter to remove the tweet by Mishra, a candidate from the Model Town seat. A show cause notice was also issued to him by the poll authorities for "violation of the poll code".
"The returning officer has directed the Delhi Police to file an FIR against Kapil Mishra in connection with his controversial tweet," a source in the Delhi CEO Office told PTI
In the tweet on Thursday, Mishra, a former minister in the Arvind Kejriwal Cabinet, had likened the February 8 Delhi election to a contest between India and Pakistan. 
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21:09   Focus on studies, not politics: Ramdev to JNU
Yoga Guru Ramdev on Friday advised the students of Jawaharlal Nehru University and other universities to stay away from politics and focus on their studies rather than protesting and participating in demonstrations.
 
He said it is not appropriate for students to "spread violence and anarchy" and indulge in demonstrations.
While addressing a press briefing in New Delhi, he claimed that India was being defamed in the world for the last several months as "there is no other work going on here except violence, anger, demonstrations and anarchy".
"I would appeal not only to JNU but students from the other universities to leave the aandolan (protests) to the political parties otherwise they will be rendered unemployed. They (students) should focus on their careers and nurture their talents," Ramdev said. 
 
According to the yoga guru, students should focus on "nation building" and leave the path of violence, anarchy and protests.
"Har samay aazadi ke narey lagana and usme bhi jab Gandhi, Nehru aur Bhagat wali aazadi ki baat hoti hai to samajh me aati hai per jab Jinnah waali aazadi ke nare lagte hai to ye desh ke sath sarasar gaddari aur dhokhadhadi hai (Students have been raising slogans for aazadi. If it is the aazadi of Gandhi, Nehru and Bhagat Singh, it can be understood but if slogans are raised for aazadi as by Jinnah, then it is sedition and treachery_," he said.
Taking a dig at the opposition political parties, Ramdev said they should understand that the country has given the mandate to Narendra Modi till 2024 and they should await their turn.
"The opposition parties should also have some patience," he said, adding that they can protest and hold demonstrations as it is their right but they should also focus on nation building.
Ramdev, who has acquired Ruchi Soya, an edible oil production company, said the country should focus on reduction of dependence on imports of palm oil, sunflower oil and other oils.
He also objected to recent remarks by the Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on the revocation of Article 370.  
"We are dependent on Malaysia and Indonesia for that (oil imports). Sometimes, the heads of those nations also comment on our internal issues as whether Article 370 should be removed or not or whether CAA should be implemented or not," he said.
Raising the Kashmir issue at the UN, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad had on September 30 last year alleged that India had "invaded and occupied" Jammu and Kashmir and asked New Delhi to work with Pakistan to resolve the issue. -- PTI
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20:43   Govt won't allow universities to become political battlegrounds: HRD Min
Union human resource development minister Ramesh Pokhriyal on Friday said the government will not allow universities to become political battlegrounds.
   
He was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a function at SKICC in Srinagar.
"We cannot keep students entangled in petty issues, so we will not allow universities to become political battlegrounds, we will never allow it. Students have to reach a higher level and they are doing so. There is an academic atmosphere across the country. The same goes for students in Jammu and Kashmir who are hard-working and interested only in education," Pokhriyal said. 
 
The minister was responding to a question on how to tackle radicalisation in universities in the country, especially in Kashmir.
 
The minister said the universities are the centre for education and backbone of a family, society and a nation.
 
"There are more than a thousand universities in the country and they are backbone of any family, society, state and a nation. I have said that universities are the centre of education and the students should study there in a mission mode, think about reaching international ranking and higher levels," he said. -- PTI  
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20:32   Nepal hopes India will take back demonetised notes worth 7 Cr
Nepal's Central Bank is saddled with Rs 7 crore of demonetised Indian currency but India is not making "adjustments" to take back the notes, Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali said on Friday, hoping the scrapped notes would be accepted by its neighbour.
The Indian government on November 8, 2016 announced the ban on old 500 and 1,000 rupee notes to curb black money in the system.
"Around INR 7 crore (demonetised currency) is deposited in our Central Bank. It went through the banking channel, I don't know why India is not making adjustment (in the matter)," Gyawali said.
Demonetisation caught Bhutan and Nepal off guard where Indian currency is widely used.
"We are not talking about the money which was transacted through the informal channels but it was through the banking channel. So I am requesting the Indian side to think about this pending issue," Gyawali said.
Of the Rs 15.41 lakh crore worth Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes in circulation on November 8, 99.3 per cent or notes worth Rs 15.31 lakh crore have returned to the banking system.
"It is upto India to take a decision. We have been requesting the Indian government for the past couple of years. We hope India will respond positively," Finance Minister Yuba Raj Khatiwada told PTI.
The land-locked country depends on India for trade and supplies. Indian currency is widely used in Nepal for day-to-day transactions, especially in the border areas. 
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20:17   Prez to address nation on the eve of R-Day
President Ram Nath Kovind will address the nation on Saturday on the eve of 71st Republic Day, a statement from Rashtrapati Bhavan said.
 
"The address will be broadcast from 1900 hrs on the entire national network of All India Radio and telecast over all channels of Doordarshan in Hindi followed by the English version," its said.
The statement said broadcast of the address in Hindi and English on Doordarshan will be followed by broadcast in regional languages by regional channels of Doordarshan. 
"AIR will broadcast regional language versions from 2130 hrs. onwards on its respective regional networks," it said. -- PTI  
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20:13   Govt peddling lies on CAA, NPR, NRC: Azad
Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad on Friday hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre, accusing it of "peddling lies" on the Citizenship Amendment Act, the National Population Register and the National Register of Citizens.
Azad, addressing a rally in Bihar's Muzaffarpur, called upon the people to carry on "sustained and peaceful protests", urging them to draw inspiration from the agitation by women at Delhi's Shaheen Bagh.
"I want to tell people across the country that they are not alone in their fight. The Bhim Army is by their side," he said.
The Bhim Army chief accused the Narendra Modi-led government of "striking at the country's unity and integrity" by introducing the CAA which "discriminates against citizens on the basis of religion".
He said NPR is seen as a precursor to (nationwide) NRC, which could be "used to disenfranchise people".
"The government has been peddling lies stating that the Act is a benign one, aimed at giving citizenship and not taking it away, and misleading the nation by claiming that it is not linked with NRC. All these measures will harm the common citizens," Azad said.
The Ambedkarite also paid tributes to socialist leader Karpoori Thakur on his birth anniversary on Friday.
Sharing an image of a commemorative stamp issued in the memory of the former Bihar chief minister, he tweeted, "Attended a rally at Muzaffarpur (Bihar) on the birth anniversary of Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur, the warrior of social justice."
"Karpoori Thakur had said that if the rights of the people are trampled upon, they will challenge the privileges enjoyed by the Parliament. His words proved true with people hitting the streets in protest against CAA-NRC," he tweeted. -- PTI
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19:32   India successfully test-fires K-4 submarine-launched missile
India on Friday successfully test-fired the K-4 submarine-launched ballistic missile off the coast of Visakhapatnam for the second time this week, seen as a major milestone to augment India's naval prowess. 
 
The missile, developed by the DRDO, with its range of 3,500 km can bring almost all parts of Pakistan and several areas of China within its reach, officials said.
The missile is set to be integrated with India's Arihant class nuclear submarine.
The missile was test-fired successfully for the second consecutive time in the last five days off the coast of Visakhapatnam, the officials said. -- PTI  
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19:23   Decide. Jinnah wali azadi' or..: BJP on Delhi poll
Citing the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests at Shaheen Bagh, Union minister Prakash Javadekar on Friday said the people of Delhi need to decide whether they want "Jinnah Wali Azaadi" or Bharat Mata Ki Jai.
 
Javadekar also accused the Aam Aadmi Party and the Congress of "poisoning" the minds of minorities.
 Ahead of the February 8 polls for 70 assembly seats in Delhi, the Bharatiya Janata Party leadership has sharpened attack on the ruling AAP and Congress over CAA, and continuing protest against it at Shaheen Bagh in Delhi for more than a month. 
 
"We have seen 'Jinnah Wali Azadi" slogan being raised there. Now, Delhi people need to decide if they want 'Jinnah Wali Azadi' or 'Bharat Mata ki Jai'," Javadekar said in a press conference.
 
He blamed the AAP and Congress for "instigating" violent protests against the CAA in the national capital.
 
"Delhi people should ask both parties why did they instigate violence. The nexus of AAP and Congress is behind the Shaheen Bagh protest. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia have supported the protest," Javadekar alleged.
 
The protest at Shaheen Bagh started mid-December following a violent anti-CAA protest at Jamia Millia university in the neighbourhood. 
 
A road linking south east Delhi areas to Noida has been blocked due to the protest causing daily hardships to commuters and residents of localities including Badarpur, Sarita Vihar, Madanpur Khadar and Jasola.
 
"They (AAP and Congress) are misleading and poisoning the minds of the minorities including children," said the senior BJP leader.
 
He asserted that CAA was not going to affect citizenship of any Indian, and blamed that political parties were raising the bogey of CAA and National Register of Citizens to defeat the BJP in the elections. -- PTI
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18:59   'Violence' under cover of anti-CAA protests becoming unbearable: VHP
The Vishva Hindu Parishad on Friday said "violence under the cover" of agitation against the new citizenship law is becoming "unbearable" and demanded that protests, including the one going on at Shaheen Bagh here, must be stopped.
 
At a press conference, VHP secretary general Milind Parande cited the attack on the participant of a pro-Citizenship Amendment Act rally in Lohardaga in Jharkhand and alleged that the change of government in the state has resulted in people with "jihadi mindset" turning aggressive against Hindus.
Protesters at Shaheen Bagh have blocked road causing inconvenience to people, he said.
"These activities must be stopped forthwith," he said, claiming that anti-CAA protestors were misguided by vested interests who are also raising "anti-national and anti-Hindu slogans". -- PTI  
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18:51   AI can be used in judicial process but cannot replace human discretion: CJI
Chief Justice of India S A Bobde on Friday underlined the need for artificial intelligencein the judicial system, especially in cases of repetitive nature and document management, to expedite dispute resolution process.
   
He, however, cautioned that AI cannot replace human discretion, which is necessary for a just decision making.
 
Speaking at 79th Foundation Day celebration of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, the Chief Justice of India said the use of technology in judicial functioning is a fascinating area and a significant breakthrough.
 
"Though I must make one thing clear: Because we have been dealing with the introduction of artificial intelligence in courts, I am firmly of the view, based on the experience of systems that have used artificial intelligence, that it is only the repetitive area or decision making such as rates of taxation, etc, or something that is invariably the same or which is in a sense mechanical, and that must be covered by artificial intelligence," he said.
 
AI can play a significant role in tribunals like ITAT in docket management and decision making, he said adding that "the artificial intelligence system we are looking to employ in courts possesses the reading speeds of 1 million character per second. I can imagine a similar system can be used to read and extract all relevant facts, compute tax effect and assist in a myriad of ways to propel the pace of decision making".
 
Bobde added that it is reassuring to discover that more nations are taking up steps towards experimenting and implementing AI in their respective justice delivery systems.
 
This goes to say that judiciary is doing and must continue to do everything in order to tackle with the workload in the judicial process, he said.
 
"Artificial intelligence, as I see, brings new hope to drive the public faith to our institutions. One of the most transparent measures to adjudge performance is your ability to dispose of cases," he said.
 
He advised ITAT that the institution must carry on its legacy to follow the best practices and the commitment to evolve as it has done over the years.
 
Quoting eminent jurist Nani Palkhivala, the chief justice said, "To tax and to please is not given to man; but to tax and be fair is." -- PTI 
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18:24   Maha govt orders probe into phone tapping case
Accusing the previous Bharatiya Janata Party-led government in Maharashtra of tapping phones of senior Nationalist Congress Party and Congress leaders during the 2019 Lok Sabha and assembly polls, state home minister Anil Deshmukh on Friday said he has ordered a probe into the matter.
He said there are also allegations that the then government had sent some officials to Israel and brought software to "intercept" phones of leaders of the Congress and the NCP, which were then in opposition.
"The previous BJP-led government had tapped phones of senior NCP and Congress leaders through government mechanism ahead of the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls held last year," Deshmukh alleged.
Deshmukh did not name the NCP and Congress leaders whose phones the Devendra Fadnavis-led government had allegedly tapped.
"They had stooped low in politics. We have initiated probe into it," the NCP minister said.
Speaking with the media in Bhandara district in Vidarbha, Deshmukh said, "The BJP government, before the polls, tried to gather information about what and with whom these (NCP-Congress) leaders were talking to."
Earlier, housing minister Jitendra Awhad, an NCP leader, said the phone tapping episode smacks of "sick mentality" of the BJP and added it should be probed as to why the previous government did so.
"I only had levelled the allegations. Why you want to peek into the people's private life? There are political and ideological differences between us, but not personal. Maharashtra should know who is behind this," he added.
Addressing a press conference, Awhad said he had raised the issue of phone tapping and snooping in the legislative assembly several times.
The NCP minister said he was aware some police officers had visited Israel during the BJP government and sought to link it with the alleged phone tapping episode.
Last year, an Israeli firm was accused of hacking mobile phones of Indian politicians, activists, lawyersand journalists.
Former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, however, strongly denied the phone tapping allegations levelled against his government.
He said phone-tapping was not the culture of the state and his government had not given any such orders.
The BJP leader said the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government was free to conduct an inquiry into the matter. 
The Shiv Sena, which is now heading the coalition government in Maharashtra, was part of the Fadnavis dispensation. -- PTI  
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18:03   GoAir's Bengaluru-Phuket flight has midair glitch, comes back
GoAir said on Friday that its Bengaluru-Phuket flight made a precautionary turn back and returned to Bengaluru after the plane faced a mid-air "technical glitch". 

"GoAir flight G8 041 from Bengaluru to Phuket with 173 passengers on board did a precautionary air turn back in the interest of safety due to a technical glitch. After turn back, the flight landed safely at the Bengaluru airport," the airline's spokesperson said. 

"The aircraft has since been changed and departed with the passengers for its destination at 1044 hours. GoAir regrets the inconvenience caused to its passengers," the spokesperson added.
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17:50   Lucknow University plans to introduce CAA as part of syllabus
In the midst of ongoing protests against the amended citizenship law, Lucknow University's Political Science Department has come up with the idea of including it as a topic in its curriculum.
 
"We, in our department, teach the Constitution and citizenship. This is one of the contemporary issues in Indian politics. We want to teach it to our students," Political Science Department HOD Shashi Shukla said Friday.
 
"As of now, it is at the stage of a proposal. Then it will pass through the entire academic process before it becomes a part of the syllabus," she told PTI.
 
There is a lot of debate underway on this topic, she said.
 
"Especially, our students come to us saying they are asked about it everywhere. This makes us think that it should be included as one of the many topics," Shukla said.
 
"It will, however, take some time. If approved by academic bodies it could be included by next year," she added.
 Noting that the department teaches about citizenship and the Constitution, Shukla said the issue was not introducing it as course.
 "We have a paper on Indian politics in which we teach contemporary issues. This time we will include it also. It is just a proposal mooted by the faculty members," she said. 
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17:44   Fadnavis exempted from personal appearance in court
A court in Nagpur on Friday granted exemption from appearance to BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis in connection with a complaint seeking criminal proceedings against him for alleged non-disclosure of criminal cases in his election affidavit.

During the last hearing on January 4, the court had directed the former Maharashtra chief minister to appear before it on January 24. 

However, Fadnavis's advocate on Friday sought exemption from appearance saying a review petition has been filed in the Supreme Court challenging an earlier order of the apex court directing for trial to be held against Fadnavis in the case.

The complaint was filed by advocate Satish Uke, in which he claimed that Fadnavis had not diclosed the details of two criminal cases pending against him in the affidavit he had filed along with his nomination papers during the assembly elections held in 2014.

Fadnavis's lawyer Uday Dable told the court on Friday that they would seek a stay on the trial court proceedings before the Supreme Court and hence sought exemption from appearance for Fadnavis pending hearing and disposal of the review petition on SC.

Uke's advocate Sudeep Jaisawal then filed an application seeking non-bailable warrant to be issued against Fadnavis for failing to appear before the court despite being summoned twice.

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate R M Satav accepted the request for exemption, but said Fadnavis will have to appear before it on February 10 if the apex court does not pass an order granting stay on the proceedings.        

"The issuance of non-bailable warrant is kept in abeyance. If on the next date the accused (Fadnavis) fails to produce before us effective order of the Supreme Court, then he (Fadnavis) should remain present," the court said.

It added that the court would be sending a wrong message to the society at large if exemptions are granted to Fadnavis repeatedly.

After the SC directed in October last year for trial to be conducted against Fadnavis, an order of issuance of process (notice) to Fadnavis was passed on November 4, 2019.

He was then directed to appear before the court on January 4.

On that day, Fadnavis's lawyer sought exemption on personal grounds and said that the BJP leader was occupied with campaigning and monitoring of the zilla parishad elections in Maharashtra.

He was then granted exemption and directed to appear on January 24. 
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17:11   Growth slowdown in India temporary: IMF chief
International Monetary Fund chief Kristalina Georgieva on Friday said growth slowdown in India appears to be temporary and she expects the momentum to improve going ahead.
 
Speaking at the World Economic Forum 2020 in Davos, she also said the world appears a better place in January 2020 compared to what it was when IMF announced its World Economic Outlook in October 2019.
 
She said the factors driving this positive momentum include receding trade tension after the US-China first phase trade deal and synchronised tax cuts, among others.
 
She, however, said a growth rate of 3.3 per cent is not fantastic for the world economy.
"It is still sluggish growth. We want fiscal policies to be more aggressive and we want structural reforms and more dynamism," the managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said.
On emerging markets, she said they are also moving forward.
 
"We had a downgrade in one large market India but we believe that's temporary. We expect momentum to improve further going ahead. There are also some bright spots like Indonesia and Vietnam," she noted.
 
She further said a number of African countries are doing very well, but some other nations like Mexico are not. -- PTI
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16:16   Greta Thunberg says climate demands have been 'completely ignored'
Greta Thunberg has said that the World Economic Forum has completely ignored the climate movements demands (on fossil fuel divestment) this week.

"As long as we do not treat this crisis as a crisis, and as long as the facts are ignored, we will not solve this crisis," Thunberg says.

"We need to understand the urgency of this situation," she insists, adding: "Our demands have been completely ignored, and we expected nothing less."

"As long as the science is being ignored, and as long as the facts are not being taken into account, leaders can continue to ignore the situation," Thunberg continues.
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16:05   Brazilian Prez arrives on 4-day India visit
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro arrived in India on Friday on a four-day visit with an aim to further expand the already close strategic partnership with India.
  
Bolsonaro will be the chief guest at India's 71st Republic Day Parade on January 26, besides holding talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind.

Secretary (East) in the External Affairs Ministry Vijay Thakur Singh said the focus of the Brazilian president's visit will be to re-energise the ties in a number of key sectors.

"The visit of president Bolsonaro is an extremely important visit. It will be an opportunity to re-energise our strategic partnership and take it forward in a focused manner," she had said at a press conference on Thursday.

Bolsonaro is accompanied by eight ministers, four members of the Brazilian Parliament, senior officials and a large business delegation.

It will be the third time that a Brazilian president will be the chief guest at the Republic Day.

-- PTI
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15:56   Aadhaar, dabba, hartal, shaadi make it to Oxford dictionary
The latest edition of the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary features 26 new Indian English words, including Aadhaar, chawl, dabba, hartal and shaadi. 

The 10th edition of the dictionary, which was launched on Friday, has 384 Indian English words and incorporates over 1,000 new words such as chatbot, fake news and microplastic.

The dictionary focuses on language change and its evolution through the years, and has ensured that the language and examples used in the new edition are relevant and up to date with the times, Oxford University Press said.

"This edition has 26 new Indian English words of which 22 figure in the printed dictionary. The other four are in the digital version," said Fathima Dada, Managing Director (Education Division) at OUP.

Some of other new Indian words in the dictionary are auntie (while aunty already figures in the English dictionary, auntie is an Indianism), bus stand, deemed university, FIR, non-veg, redressal, tempo, tube light, veg and videograph.

The four new Indian English words in the online version of the dictionary are current (for electricity), looter, looting and upazila (one of the areas that a district is divided into for administration purposes).

According to OUP, the new edition provides better, more accurate and understandable definitions with examples, usage notes and additional resources to help the learner use the right word in the right context.

-- PTI
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15:45   They are beasts: Hangman on Nirbhaya convicts
Pawan Kumar feels zero sympathy for the four men he is due to hang next month for the 2012 gang-rape and murder that appalled India.

"The people who are going to die are like beasts, not humans," the third-generation hangman said.

"They are cruel people and that's why they are going to lose their lives," the 54-year-old said.

The group set to be executed at 6 am on February 1 were convicted for the gang-rape and murder of a 23-year-old student.

They took turns to sexually assault her and brutalised her with an iron rod on a bus as it meandered through the streets of Delhi at night. They then dumped her on a road.

She died two weeks later in a Singapore hospital from extensive internal injuries.
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15:21   Phone tapping not in Maha culture: Fadnavis
Former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has denied charges of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra government that the phones of NCP and Shiv Sena leaders were being tapped during the elections.

Fadnavis has said tapping phones is not part of the political culture of Maharashtra.

"Tapping phone is not Maharashtra's political culture and the state government had never given any such orders. About those who have complained, everyone knows how trustworthy are they," Fadnavis has said.

Fadnavis also added, "But if the government wants to do an investigation they are free to do that. People of Maharashtra know the truth. Shiv Sena had a Minister of State in the Home Ministry. I can only request that they should do an investigation at the earliest and make that report public. If need be, they should go to Israel and conduct an investigation."

Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh has alleged that the phones of NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and MP Sanjay Raut were tapped by the previous BJP-led government.

He said the dispensation misused government machinery to tap the phones of opposition leaders, and an inquiry has been ordered in this regard.
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14:55   15-yr-old Gauff defeats Osaka at Aus Open
15-year-old Coco Gauff has pulled off what could potentially be the biggest upset of the tournament by ousting reigning Asutralian Open Champion Naomi Osaka. 

The American teen won the third round battle in two sets -- 6-3, 6-4.

The two had last met at the US Open where Osaka had run rampant in the match and recorded a statement 6-3 6-0 victory. 

After that match, she comforted Gauff and convinced her to address the crowd. The night ended with both women embracing each other in tears, the footage going viral across the internet.
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14:48   Efforts being made to normalise Islamophobia: Arundhati Roy

Drawing a parallel between Nazi Germany and present-day India, author-activist Arundhati Roy said she was happy to see that students have come out on the streets in large numbers to protest against the governments "divisive" citizenship law and proposed nationwide NRC.

The writer, however, expressed concern over alleged attempts by the RSS to "infiltrate" a section of young minds by enrolling them in "specific camps or schools", run by
right-wing organisations.

Delivering a keynote address on the first day of the 7th Kolkata People's Film Festival on Thursday, Roy said "efforts were being made to normalise Islamophobia".

The author also contended that the Citizenship Amendment Act would hit hard the economically deprived and marginalised Muslims, Dalits and women at large.

"The rhetoric of political address is at its worst now... as graphic as it is about spreading communal hatred. It is also deceiving in the sense that it hides the true purpose of NRC or CAA from common understanding," the Man Booker Prize awardee said.

The present-day India "where legacy papers act as current day document" is a slightly upturned version of Nazi Germany, she claimed.

Roy, however, placed her "cautious optimism" in the students movements.

-- PTI
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14:36   2 quarantined in Mumbai over coronavirus fears
Two Indians who travelled to Mumbai from China have been kept in an isolation ward at Kasturba Hospital, and their blood samples have been collected to check for the new strain of coronavirus.

At least 1,739 passengers flying in from China have been screened at Mumbai airport. At least six of these passengers (three from Mumbai and three from Pune) were arriving from coronavirus-affected regions in China. Of them, two, a resident of Nallasopara and another from Kalyan, showed mild cough and cold symptoms.

The female traveller landed in the city on January 22 after stayed in China for a week in Foshan city. The other passenger, a male Kalyan resident, also landed on the same day after visiting Guangzhou. Both were shifted to Kasturba hospital as a precautionary measure and quarantined.

Their blood samples were collected and sent to the National Institute of Virology, Pune, for enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test. State health officials will keep them under observation for 28 days.

They are stable, only cough persist. Once the cough subsides we will discharge them and continue to monitor their heath. We cant keep them for 28 days in hospital, said Dr Padmaja Keskar, executive health officer, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.

Neither China nor the World Health Organization (WHO) has transmission period for this virus. Usually, it takes only few days for symptoms to surface in respiratory infection. We are observing the case for double the period, in this case, 28 days. It will provide a sufficient window to detect any symptoms, said state epidemiologist Dr Pradeep Awate.

Called the Novel Coronavirus, or 2019-nCoV, this is a new strain of coronavirus that reported an outbreak from Huanan sea food market in Wuhan city in December 2019. The WHO office in China was informed about pneumonia cases due to unknown causes on December 31, 2019.
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14:17   Delhi HC grants interim relief to JNU students
Delhi High Court on Friday granted interim relief to the students of Jawaharlal Nehru University and directed that they need to register for the winter session within one week as per the old manual and that no late fee is to be charged.

Observing that 90 per cent of the students have already registered, Justice Rajiv Shakdar said, "As the remaining 10 per cent students are concerned, they need to register within one week as per the old manual. No late fee will be charged from them." 

Justice Shakdar was hearing a petition filed by the students' union of the varsity (JNUSU) challenging the decision to amend the hostel manual contending that it is "malafide, arbitrary, illegal and adversely affects the student community".

The court also made the Central government, through the ministry of human resource development and University Grants Commission, a party to the case.

The court issued notices to the respondents in the case and granted two weeks' time for them to file a reply and slated the matter for the next hearing on February 28.

-- ANI
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13:55   Nirbhaya convicts move court again
The advocate appearing for two of the four death row convicts in the 2012 Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case on Friday moved a Delhi court alleging that the Tihar jail authorities are delaying in handing over certain documents.
 
Advocate A P Singh moved an application alleging that the jail authorities are yet to release the documents which are required to file curative petitions for Akshay Kumar Singh (31) and Pawan Singh (25).

The plea is likely to be taken up for hearing on Saturday.

The apex court recently dismissed the curative petition for other two convicts --Vinay Kumar Sharma (26) and Mukesh Singh (32).

The hanging of all four is to take place on February 1 at 6 am as per the court order.

A 23-year-old paramedic student, referred to as Nirbhaya, was gang-raped and brutally assaulted on the intervening night of December 16-17, 2012, in a moving bus in south Delhi by six people before she was thrown out on the road.

-- PTI
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13:44   154 eminent citizens urge Prez to take action against those indulging in violence at CAA protests
As many as 154 eminent citizens, including former judges, civil servants and defence officers, on Friday urged President Ram Nath Kovind to safeguard democratic institutions and take action against those indulging in violence in the name of anti-CAA protests.
 
Central Administrative Tribunal chairman and former judge Permod Kohli, who led the delegation to the President, claimed that the protests against the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act were "instigated" by some political elements. 

-- PTI
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13:27   EC asks Twitter to remove Kapil Mishra's tweet
The Election Commission has asked Twitter to remove a controversial tweet by BJP's Kapil Mishra, a candidate for the upcoming Delhi assembly polls, in which he likened the election in the city to India versus Pakistan contest.
  
The Election Commission's action came after the office of the Delhi Chief Electoral Officer wrote to the EC to remove the tweet posted by Mishra on Thursday, EC officials said.

The Delhi CEO Office has also issued a showcause notice to Mishra, who has been fielded by the BJP from the Model Town constituency, they said.

In the tweet, Mishra, a former minister in the Arvind Kejriwal cabinet, said the February 8 election will be a contest between India and Pakistan in Delhi.
In its criticism of opposition parties over their protest against the citizenship law, the BJP has been accusing them of speaking "Pakistan's language".

-- PTI
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12:48   Periyar row: Case against Rajinikanth dismissed
The Madras High Court on Friday dismissed the case filed against actor Rajinikanth on his comment against Periyar.

Dismissing the case against the superstar, the high court asked the petitioners why wasn't the plea taken to a magistrate court first.

A row had erupted over Rajinikanth's comment about a rally led by reformist leader EV Ramasamy "Periyar" decades ago. The comment assumed political overtones with Dravidian ideologists upping the ante against the actor.

Dravidar Viduthalai Kazhagam had accused the actor of uttering a blatant lie and demanded his unconditional apology and also filed police complaints seeking action against him. The DVK had on Tuesday moved the Madras High Court seeking a direction to the police to register a case against the actor.

DVK Secretary Umapathy in his petition submitted that he had lodged a complaint with police on January 18 but no FIR had been registered.

Amid a raging controversy over his remarks, Rajinikanth, however, stood by his comments maintaining they were factual and refused to apologise as demanded by fringe Dravidian outfits. The actor displayed clippings from magazines and newspapers in support of his claim.

"A controversy has emerged that I said something that did not happen. But I did not say anything that did not occur. I only said what I heard and things that appeared in magazines. Sorry, I will not express regret or apologise," Rajinikanth had told reporters.

On January 14, taking part in an event held here by Tamil magazine 'Thuglak' Rajinikanth alleged: "In 1971, at Salem, Periyar took out a rally in which the undressed images of Lord Sriramachandramoorthy and Sita -with a garland of sandal-featured ...."
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12:26   Coronavirus: 2 under watch in Mumbai; special ward set up
Two persons who returned from China were kept under medical observation here for possible exposure to the novel coronavirus which has infected a large number of people in the neighbouring country, a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation health officer said on Friday.

In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak in China, the BMC has created an isolation ward at its Kasturba hospital in Chinchpokali.

"The isolation ward has been created for diagnosis and treatment of persons suspected to have the coronavirus infection," said Dr Padmaja Keskar, executive health officer
of the BMC.

Keskar said civic health authorities have been kept two persons, who returned from China, under observation for mild cough and exhibiting cold-related symptoms.

Further details about the persons kept under surveillance were awaited.
-- PTI
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12:12   Sena leader Sanjay Raut alleges phone tapping
Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut on Friday alleged that a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party has informed him about the tapping of his phone.

"Your phone is being tapped, I have been informed by a senior BJP minister," Raut claimed in a tweet.

In a tweet, he also said that he welcomes whoever wants to overhear his conversation.

"I am a disciple of Balsaheb Thackeray. I don't say or do anything behind the curtain. So go ahead with it," he added. 

-- ANI
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11:44   PM addresses winners of Rashtriya Bal Puraskar
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is interacting with the 49 children today, who were awarded Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar 2020, in New Delhi by President Ram Nath Kovind on January 24. 

The 49 awardees of the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar, are from various states and they include one each from Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh. 

These children are winners in the fields of art and culture, innovation, scholastic, social service, sports and bravery.

>> When I was getting introduced to you a while back, I was really surprised. The way you all have tried in different areas, the work that you have done at such a young age, is amazing

>> Proud to see the way you are aware of your duty towards your society, towards the nation

>> Whenever I hear about such adventure of all you young colleagues, then I also get inspiration, energy
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11:35   Indian embassy cancels R-Day event in Beijing
The Indian embassy in China has cancelled the Republic Day ceremony in view of the coronavirus outbreak which has killed 25 people and infected over 800 others.

The Indian mission on Friday took to social media to announce the cancelation of the celebrations scheduled for January 26.

"In view of the evolving situation due to the coronavirus outbreak in China as well as the decision of the Chinese authorities to cancel public gathering and events,@EOIBeijing has also decided to call off the Republic Day reception scheduled to be held @EOIBeijing on January 26th," the embassy said on Twitter.

According to the latest reports, the death toll in the deadly coronavirus has climbed to 25 with confirmed cases rising sharply to 830, mostly in China's Hubei province.

-- PTI
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11:24   Freebies in limited doses good for economy: Kejriwal
Under attack for doling out subsidies, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said freebies in limited dose are good for the economy as they make more money available to the poor and boosts demand. 
 
Opposition parties have been attacking the Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government for giving "freebies" ahead of polls after it announced schemes like free bus rides for women and 200 units of free electricity.
"Freebies, in limited dose, are good for economy. It makes more money available to poor, hence boosts demand. However, it should be done in such limits so that no extra taxes have to be imposed and it does not lead to budget deficits," Kejriwal said in a tweet.
Slamming the BJP, Kejriwal said he is happy that the people of Delhi have forced the Saffron party to ask for votes on the basis of CCTVs, schools and unauthorised colonies.
Reacting to a tweet of the BJP Delhi in which Home Minister Amit Shah had asked how many schools have been constructed and cameras installed by the AAP government, Kejriwal said he is happy that Shah saw some CCTV cameras as earlier he had claimed that he could not find a single one. 
"I am happy you saw some CCTV cameras. A few days back you said there was not a single camera. Take out some time we will show you our schools also. I am extremely happy that the people of Delhi have changed the politics by which the BJP has to ask for votes on CCTV, schools and raw colonies here," he said in a tweet.

Responding to Shah's allegation that he could not find WiFi in Delhi as promised by Kejriwal and that his battery drained out in the process, the Delhi chief minister said along with free WiFi they have also made arrangement for free charging points.

-- PTI
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10:51   Sena questions Centre on democracy ranking drop, economic woes
The Shiv Sena on Friday said there have been attempts to muzzle dissenting voices and this is one of the reasons for India slipping in the 2019 Democracy Index's global ranking.

An editorial in Sena mouthpiece "Saamana" said a slowdown in economy gives rise to unrest and instability, and this was getting reflected in the prevailing situation in the country.

"Now (after an economic slowdown) there is a slide in (India's) global democracy index ranking," the Marathi daily said.

India slipped 10 places to 51st position in the 2019 Democracy Index's global ranking, according to The Economist Intelligence Unit, which cited "erosion of civil liberties" in the country as the primary cause for the downtrend. The EIU report was released earlier this week.

Citing issues like scrapping of Article 370, that provided special status to Jammu and Kashmir, new citizenship law CAA and the proposed NRC, measures which have witnessed protests, the paper said the country had witnessed a churning in the last one year.

"There have been protests and attempts to muzzle dissenting voices. Those who showed sympathy with JNU students (attacked by goons) were put in the dock and were made to look like an accused.

"This is the reason India slipped to 51st position in the Democracy Index, the editorial said and wondered if the ruling party at the Centre and its supporters accept the current situation.

"Even if the government rejects the (EIU) report, does the ruling party have an answer as to why the country was witnessing a slide, from economic field to democracy (ranking)?" the Sena, a former ally of the BJP, asked.
-- PTI
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10:21   CAA, NRC imperils idea of India: The Economist
The Economist has published an article criticising the Narendra Modi government over the new citizenship law CAA and the National Register of Citizens and says it "imperils the inspiring idea of India as the world's largest democracy".

The cover story of its latest edition, titled "Narendra Modi stokes divisions in the world's biggest democracy", says India's 200 million Muslims fear the Prime Minister is building a Hindu state.

Sketching the rise of the BJP with the movement for a Ram temple in the '80s, the article argues that "Mr Modi and the BJP are likely to benefit politically by creating divisions over religion and national identity".

"The plan to compile a register of genuine Indians as part of a hunt for foreign interlopers affects all 1.3bn people in the country. It could drag on for years, inflaming passions over and over again, as the list is compiled, challenged and revised" the article says.

Such subjects "also distract attention from awkward topics such as the economy, which has struggled since the BJP's thumping election victory last year", it notes.

The report also referred to the situation in Jammu and Kashmir after the Centre last year ended its special status under the Article 370 of the constitution.
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10:14   Godrej Properties launches luxury housing project at RK Studios' land in Mumbai
Realty firm Godrej Properties on Friday launched a luxury housing project at iconic R K Studios' land in Mumbai. 
 
In May last year, the company had announced the acquisition of the land in Chembur to develop mixed-use project comprising luxury flats and retail space.
Godrej Properties, part of Godrej group, had said that the project spread across 2.2 acre would offer about 3.5 lakh sq ft of saleable area. The company had not disclosed the deal value.
The company on Friday said it is launching a luxurious residential development at RK Studios, Chembur. 
Godrej Properties did not mention total housing units to be developed and the investments to be made in the project. 

Godrej RKS is strategically located on the main Sion-Trombay Road. 

Founded by Raj Kapoor in 1948, the studio is witness to the making of several films produced by the Kapoor family over the decades.

After selling this studio last year, Randhir Kapoor of R K Studios had said: "This property in Chembur has been of tremendous significance to my family over the many decades that R K Studios has operated from there."

"We...have chosen Godrej Properties to script a new chapter for this location and build upon its rich history," said Kapoor, the eldest son of late actor Raj Kapoor.

-- PTI
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10:03   Serena crashes out of Australian Open
Serena Williams, 23-time Grand Slam champion, has been booted out of the Australian Open by China's Qiang Wang in a battle like no other. 

Serena lost the third round in three sets -- 4-6, 7-6, 5-7. 

These two had met only once before, Serena coming out on top in last years US Open quarter-final 6-1 6-0.

Her loss at Melbourne means her hunt for the record-tying 24th Grand Slam title will have to wait till the French Open.
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09:56   Pakistan likely to be out of global terror watchdog FATF's grey list next month

There are certainly high chances of Pakistan "exiting" the 'grey list' of global terror watchdog Financial Action Task Force at its plenary to be held on February 16 this year.

Sources said that after heavy lobbying by China and with the help of a private consultant who is an FATF veteran, there is "a 75 per cent chance of Pakistan exiting the 'grey list' now".

The meeting of the Asia Pacific Joint Group, the FATF international cooperation review group, concluded in Beijing on Thursday where China did much of the heavy lifting to convince the 39-member grouping that Islamabad was making "great efforts" in the area of counter-terrorism.

On Thursday, while responding to a question on the proceedings, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said: "Pakistan has made great efforts to strengthen its domestic counter-terrorism financing system with visible progress. Its political will and active efforts should be recognised and encouraged by the international community. We hope that the FATF will continue to offer constructive support and assistance to Pakistan in its continued efforts to improve the counter-terrorism financing system and effectively fighting terrorist financing."

"As FATF president and co-chair for Asia Pacific Joint Group, China will continue to uphold an objective, just and constructive attitude and participate in relevant discussions," the spokesperson said.

Apart from Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan requesting US President Donald Trump to help the country get off the 'grey list' during their meeting on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Khan also interactions with the delegations and foreign offices of US, UK, France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, among others, prior to the meeting, sources said.
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09:36   EC seeks report over Kapil Mishra's Pak remark
The Election Commission of India has sought a report from Delhi Chief Electoral Officer on BJP leader Kapil Mishra's tweet on Delhi assembly elections in which he has likened these polls with an India vs Pakistan reference.

Mishra had on January 23 tweeted 'On 8th February there will be a contest between India and Pakistan on the streets of Delhi.' 

A report in this regard is required to be submitted within 24 hours.

According to sources, the Election Commission is mulling over strong action against BJP candidate Kapil Mishra.

Mishra had said, 'Mini Pakistans' has been created at many places in Delhi. Shaheen Bagh is being replicated at various places. Other places like Inder Lok, Chand Bagh have also become mini Pakistan. Protesters are disturbing common people by blocking the road, shutting areas, schools, etc."

On January 22, Aam Aadmi Party had written to the Election Commission alleging "wrongful acceptance of nomination forms of BJP candidate Kapil Mishra from Model Town constituency" and demanded cancellation of his candidature.

-- ANI
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09:27   Wozniacki's tennis career comes to an end with loss at Australian Open
Caroline Wozniacki's tennis career comes to an end with her third round loss to Tunisia's Ons Jabeur. 

Wozniacki, a previous Australian Open winner, lost -- 5-7, 6-3, 5-7. 

The Dane had announced that she would retire after the Australian Open to focus on different challenges in life, including starting a family.

Wozniacki wants to start a family with husband and former NBA star David Lee, while travelling the world raising awareness about rheumatoid arthritis.

She had written on Twitter, "Ive played professionally since I was 15 years old. In that time Ive experienced an amazing first chapter of my life."

With 30 WTA singles titles, a world No 1 ranking for 71 weeks, a WTA Finals victory, three Olympics, including carrying the flag for my native Denmark, and winning the 2018 Australian Open grand slam championship, Ive accomplished everything I could ever dream of on the court.

Ive always told myself, when the time comes, that there are things away from tennis that I want to do more, then its time to be done. In recent months, Ive realised that there is a lot more in life that Id like to accomplish off the court.

Getting married to David was one of those goals and starting a family with him while continuing to travel the world and helping raise awareness about rheumatoid arthritis (project upcoming) are all passions of mine moving forward.

So with that, today I am announcing that I will be retiring from professional tennis after the Australian Open in January. This has nothing to do with my health and this isnt a goodbye, I look forward to sharing my exciting journey ahead with all of you!

Finally, I want to thank with all my heart, the fans, my friends, my sponsors, my team, especially my father as my coach, my husband, and my family for decades of support! Without all of you I could have never have done this!
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09:20   Harry, Meghan may find home in Canada's royal city
Britain's Prince Harry and wife Meghan have settled, for now, into a seaside home near the most royal of Canadian cities -- Victoria, British Columbia -- named after a queen who reigned until 1901, during a great expansion of the British Empire.

In the summer, tourists pile onto red double-decker buses like the ones that criss-cross London. Every afternoon, hundreds flock to tea at the magnificent Fairmont Empress Hotel, or one of the city's many other tea rooms that fly the British flag.

"Victoria is probably more British than (the) British," said resident Bill Bray.

Indeed, thousands of British pensioners have chosen to retire on Vancouver Island, part of the province of BC, which has a milder climate than the rest of Canada.

Prince Harry, 35, arrived on Monday, just a few days after reaching an arrangement with his grandmother Queen Elizabeth and other senior royals that will see him and Meghan, 38, quit their royal roles to seek an independent future.
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09:01   Union minister calls Chidambaram 'Chindi Chor'
Amid ongoing blame game between ruling and opposition party leaders, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan retaliated to Congress leader P Chidambaram's statement and called him a "Chindi Chor". He was rebutting to Chidambaram's remark that termed the Central government of being the real `Tukde Tukde` gang as the country has slipped 10 places in the global democracy index owing to `debilitation` of democratic institutions. 

Pradhan said, "Chidambaram recently came back from jail on charges of theft...the country knows what kind of work was done in Chidambaram`s time. People like P Chidambaram, who went to jail after `Chindi Chori` will always have trouble with people who are following the rules and regulations."

Notably, Chidambaram, who is out on bail in the INX media case, on Thursday accused the Centre of being the real `Tukde Tukde` gang while adding that the country has slipped 10 places in the global democracy index owing to `debilitation` of democratic institutions.
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08:45   'Abide With Me' to feature at Beating Retreat ceremony
An army handout on the programme for the Beating Retreat ceremony on January 29 has ended the uncertainty over the performance of Abide With Me during the ceremony.

Reports suggested that the government was considering dropping the melancholic Christian hymn, a favourite of Mahatma Gandhi. The army did not comment on these reports at the time.

However, its handout says it will feature Indias national song Vande Mataram and Abide With Me.

The ceremony usually ends with the hymn.

In an anticipated change, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay a wreath at the National War Memorial for the first time before the Republic Day parade begins, said Major General Alok Kacker, the second-in-command of the parade. The wreath used to be placed at the Amar Jawan Jyoti. The PM inaugurated the memorial last February.

The defence minister, the minister of state for defence, the chief of defence staff, the three service chiefs and the defence secretary will also be present at the memorial. This will be the first RD parade for General Bipin Rawat as CDS.
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07:44   Death toll in China's coronavirus climbs to 25
The death toll in China's alarmingly new coronavirus afflictions has climbed to 25 with confirmed cases rising sharply to 830, the Chinese health authorities said on Friday.

The pneumonia situation had resulted in 25 deaths, including 24 in central China's Hubei province and one in north China's Hebei, the National Health Commission said.

By Thursday, 830 confirmed cases of pneumonia, caused by the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), had been reported in 29 provincial-level regions in the country, it said.

A total of 1,072 suspected cases have been reported in 20 provincial-level regions, according to the National Health Commission.   

As the virus spread in the country and the world, China on Thursday locked down five cities, including Wuhan, suspending all public transport in an unprecedented move to contain the coronavirus, dampening the celebrations of the Lunar New Year.

On Thursday evening, Chinese officials announced suspension of public transport in five cities - Huanggang, Ezhou, Zhijiang, Qianjiang and Wuhan in Hubei province, official media reported.

Wuhan, the city of 11 million people where the virus is believed to have first emerged, has no trains or planes in or out.

According to the health commission in northern Hebei province, which borders Beijing, an 80-year-old man diagnosed with the new virus died on January 22.

The victims' average age was 73, with the oldest 89 and the youngest 48. So far, 631 cases have been confirmed in 25 provincial-level regions in the country.
-- PTI
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00:25   Villagers' killing: Soren defers cabinet rejig
The expansion of the Hemant Soren ministry slated for Friday has been postponed after the chief minister requested Governor Droupadi Murmu in this regard saying he is 'grief-stricken' at the killing of seven villagers by 'Pathalgarhi' movement supporters in West Singhbhumj district.

This was to be the first cabinet expansion of the Soren government which assumed power on December 29.

Soren, who had met the governor in the morning seeking to expand his ministry on Friday, again called on Murmu in the evening soon after returning from Burugulikera where seven people were killed allegedly for opposing the 'Pathalgarhi' movement, and requested her to postpone the programme.

An official release then said the chief minister apprised the governor of the horrific incident and that he was pained at the incident, and requested to shift the date.

Later at night, Raj Bhavan sources said, "The cabinet expansion has been postponed on the request of the chief minister. A new date has not been set as the CM has to recommend another date."

The Raj Bhavan had earlier in the day confirmed that the expansion of ministry will be taken place at 1 pm on Friday.

After meeting the governor in the evening, Soren said, "I met the governor and told her about the incident in detail. The tragic incident has hurt my mind. It is against humanity to hold the programme during the mourning period. So, I urged the governor to avoid tomorrow."

As per the Constitutional provisions, Jharkhand can have a maximum of 12 ministers, including the chief minister.

On December 29, three ministers -- two from the Congress and one from the RJD--had taken oath along with Soren.   -- PTI

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