The Indian Panorama

Month: November 2016

  • America Tamil Sangam honors Maloney for Diwali stamp

    America Tamil Sangam honors Maloney for Diwali stamp

    NEW YORK (TIP): America Tamil Sangam and Shri Vari Foundation jointly honored Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney for her untiring efforts to make the Diwali stamp a reality at a musical evening held at St John’s University November 6 night.

    America Tamil Sangam thus became the first Indian association to felicitate Maloney. She was draped in a silk zari shawl specially woven in Kanchipuram – the silk city of India -and offered a garland amidst of cheers of the 600 plus audience.

    Several speakers including Ambassador Riva Ganguly Das, Consul General of India in New York, Upendra Chivukula, Commissioner of New Jersey Board of Public Utilities and former Deputy Speaker of NJ Assembly, Dr. Sudhir Parikh, Padmashree-awardee and a chairman of Parikh Worldwide Media and Prakash M Swamy, president of America Tamil Sangam, praised the stellar role played by Congresswoman Maloney in the historic announcement of issuance of Diwali stamp.

    The U.S. Postal Service commemorated the joyous festival of Diwali this year with a Forever stamp. The first-day-of-issue dedication ceremony took place at the Consulate General of India, New York. For several years, Congresswoman Maloney has headed efforts in Congress to push the Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee (CSAC) to consider issuing a commemorative Diwali stamp.

    In 2013, Congresswoman Maloney first introduced House Resolution-47, expressing the sense of the U.S. House of Representatives that the CSAC should issue a Diwali stamp. The resolution had 46 cosponsors. Maloney reintroduced the resolution in 2015 as House Resolution 32, which had 71 cosponsors. Maloney additionally wrote letters to the CSAC in 2010 and 2012 requesting approval of a Diwali commemorative stamp. She never gave up until the stamp which was a dream became a reality.

    Prompted by a letter Co-led by Hindu American Foundation (HAF) and Indiaspora a community organization led by M.R. Rangaswamy, of California more than 100 community organizations across the US also petitioned the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee.

    Maloney said that the stamp release mark a triumph that truly exemplifies the meaning of Diwali. “After many years, Diwali has finally received its own commemorative stamp, rightfully joining the ranks of other major religious and cultural holidays such as Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah and Eid. I want to thank the USPS for listening to the voices of the millions of Americans who celebrate this Festival of Lights. I am thrilled that after many years of fighting for this stamp it has finally become a reality.”

    “The issuance of the Diwali stamp symbolizes several important things: it displays the strength of the Hindu American community when we unite behind a cause; it celebrates the contributions of our community to America; and most importantly, it acknowledges the strength our country draws from its diversity. This year and for many more, diyas and spirits will shine brighter, as will greetings cards and gift packages sent donning the Diwali stamp,” said Prakash M Swamy, president of America Tamil Sangam.

    Congresswoman Maloney presented a House Resolution to honor the service of Swamy in fostering ties between the US and India in the field of culture, music and media. Sangita Singh, Regional Finance Manager of Air-India spoke on the occasion. A souvenir was also released on the occasion.

    The event also marked the presentation of Tamil Ratna Award by America Tamil Sangam to Upendra Chivukula being the first ever Indian-American to enter politics. Though born in Andhra Pradesh, he considers himself a Tamilian as he studied engineering in Chennai and speaks chaste Tamil.

    The previous recipients of the highest award of the Sangam include composer AR Rahman, Dr. Subramaniam Swamy, MP, Connecticut Assemblyman Dr. Prasad Srinivasan, renowned cardio-thoracic surgeon Dr. Valavanur Subramanian and Dr. Ram Raju, President of New York Health and Hospitals.

    Congresswoman Maloney presented House Resolutions in honor of Dr. L. Subramaniam and Kavita Krishnamurthy for their contribution to global music and a US flag flown over the Capitol Hill in Washington. The program ended with a music concert by the couple.

     

    (Based on a press release)

  • What to expect from President Donald Trump’s first 100 Days in Office

    What to expect from President Donald Trump’s first 100 Days in Office

    As the 2016US Presidential Election’s long & divisive campaign is over, attention turns to President-elect Donald Trump’s agenda.

    All eyes will be on what goals Trump’s administration will set at the top of its list and what it will accomplish.

    What the president-elect didn’t address in his victory speech was immigration.

    “To all Republicans and Democrats and independents across this nation, I say it is time for us to come together as one united people,” he told a cheering crowd in New York on Wednesday, Nov 09, in his victory speech.

    “It is time. I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all of Americans, and this is so important to me,” Trump added.

    Throughout the campaign, Trump boldly promised a whole list of goals which he will achieve in his first 100 days.

    Trump has promised to:

    o          Appoint judges “who will uphold the Constitution” and “defend the Second Amendment.”

    o          “Multibillion-dollar investment in the nation’s infrastructure.”

    Build a wall on the southern border and restrict immigration “to give unemployed Americans an opportunity to fill good-paying jobs.”

     

    “Stand up to countries that cheat on trade, of which there are many” and crack down on companies “that send jobs overseas.”

    o          “Repeal and replace job-killing Obamacare – it is a disaster.”

    o          Lift federal restrictions on energy production

    o          “Immediately suspend the admission of Syrian refugees.”

    o          “Order a review of every single regulation issued over the last eight years.”

    o          “Begin lifting all regulations that are hurting our workers and our businesses.”

    o          “Terminate every single unconstitutional executive order signed by President Obama.”

     

    ‘Drain the Swamp’

    In the subsequent 99 days, Trump has promised to “drain the swamp” – the campaign’s term for rooting out corruption in Washington. A major pledge of his is a “constitutional amendment to impose term limits on all members of Congress.” Representatives and senators may currently serve an unlimited number of two- and six-year terms, respectively.

    Additionally, Trump has proposed a law barring government officials from lobbying the government within five years of their service and prohibiting lobbying by those officials on behalf of foreign governments. He also said he will institute a hiring freeze to reduce the size of the federal government. Campaign finance reform would take the form of forbidding foreign lobbyists to raise money on behalf of campaigns in the U.S.

    Trade and Foreign Policy

    “We don’t win on trade” was a frequent refrain heard at Trump rallies, and in response, the real estate mogul has said he will renegotiate NAFTA and withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership. He said he will direct his secretary of the treasury to pursue action against Chinese currency manipulation.

    Trump has said he will renegotiate the Iran nuclear deal, call a NATO summit to update the organization’s mission and rebalance members’ “financial commitments,” cancel payments to the United Nations’ climate-change programs and divert that money to domestic infrastructure improvement.

    The Republican has vowed to increase investment in the nation’s military and be “unpredictable” when it comes to fighting ISIS in the Middle East. On the campaign trail, he frequently criticized Obama for announcing military actions before their commencement.

    Taxes and Domestic Issues

    On taxes, Trump pledged “the biggest tax cut since Ronald Reagan.” The Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981 and Tax Reform Act of 1986, passed during Reagan’s presidency, simplified the tax code and lowered marginal tax rates by more than 20 percent for most citizens. Trump indicated that he will seek to reduce tax brackets from seven to three and called for business tax rates to be reduced to 15 percent.

    In line with the “law and order candidate” label he assigned himself, Trump said he will increase police training programs and create a task force on violent crime. 

    Also Read the full text of the 100-day plan Trump’s campaign released in October, 2016.

  • ‘Donald Trump’s Contract with the American Voter’

    ‘Donald Trump’s Contract with the American Voter’

    Here is the full text from the 100-day plan Trump’s campaign released in October.

    It is titled: “Donald Trump’s Contract With the American Voter.”

    ——

    What follows is my 100-day action plan to Make America Great Again. It is a contract between myself and the American voter — and begins with restoring honesty, accountability and change to Washington

    Therefore, on the first day of my term of office, my administration will immediately pursue the following six measures to clean up the corruption and special interest collusion in Washington, DC:

    * FIRST, propose a Constitutional Amendment to impose term limits on all members of Congress;

    * SECOND, a hiring freeze on all federal employees to reduce federal workforce through attrition (exempting military, public safety, and public health);

    * THIRD, a requirement that for every new federal regulation, two existing regulations must be eliminated;

    * FOURTH, a 5 year-ban on White House and Congressional officials becoming lobbyists after they leave government service;

    * FIFTH, a lifetime ban on White House officials lobbying on behalf of a foreign government;

    * SIXTH, a complete ban on foreign lobbyists raising money for American elections.

    On the same day, I will begin taking the following 7 actions to protect American workers:

    * FIRST, I will announce my intention to renegotiate NAFTA or withdraw from the deal under Article 2205

    * SECOND, I will announce our withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership

    * THIRD, I will direct my Secretary of the Treasury to label China a currency manipulator

    * FOURTH, I will direct the Secretary of Commerce and U.S. Trade Representative to identify all foreign trading abuses that unfairly impact American workers and direct them to use every tool under American and international law to end those abuses immediately

    * FIFTH, I will lift the restrictions on the production of $50 trillion dollars’ worth of job-producing American energy reserves, including shale, oil, natural gas and clean coal.

    * SIXTH, lift the Obama-Clinton roadblocks and allow vital energy infrastructure projects, like the Keystone Pipeline, to move forward

    * SEVENTH, cancel billions in payments to U.N. climate change programs and use the money to fix America’s water and environmental infrastructure

    Additionally, on the first day, I will take the following five actions to restore security and the constitutional rule of law:

    * FIRST, cancel every unconstitutional executive action, memorandum and order issued by President Obama

    * SECOND, begin the process of selecting a replacement for Justice Scalia from one of the 20 judges on my list, who will uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States

    * THIRD, cancel all federal funding to Sanctuary Cities

    * FOURTH, begin removing the more than 2 million criminal illegal immigrants from the country and cancel visas to foreign countries that won’t take them back

    * FIFTH, suspend immigration from terror-prone regions where vetting cannot safely occur. All vetting of people coming into our country will be considered extreme vetting.

    Next, I will work with Congress to introduce the following broader legislative measures and fight for their passage within the first 100 days of my Administration:

    1. Middle Class Tax Relief And Simplification Act. An economic plan designed to grow the economy 4% per year and create at least 25 million new jobs through massive tax reduction and simplification, in combination with trade reform, regulatory relief, and lifting the restrictions on American energy. The largest tax reductions are for the middle class. A middle-class family with 2 children will get a 35% tax cut. The current number of brackets will be reduced from 7 to 3, and tax forms will likewise be greatly simplified. The business rate will be lowered from 35 to 15 percent, and the trillions of dollars of American corporate money overseas can now be brought back at a 10 percent rate.

    2. End The Offshoring Act. Establishes tariffs to discourage companies from laying off their workers in order to relocate in other countries and ship their products back to the U.S. tax-free.

    3. American Energy & Infrastructure Act. Leverages public-private partnerships, and private investments through tax incentives, to spur $1 trillion in infrastructure investment over 10 years. It is revenue neutral.

    4. School Choice And Education Opportunity Act. Redirects education dollars to give parents the right to send their kid to the public, private, charter, magnet, religious or home school of their choice. Ends common core, brings education supervision to local communities. It expands vocational and technical education, and make 2 and 4-year college more affordable.

    5. Repeal and Replace Obamacare Act. Fully repeals Obamacare and replaces it with Health Savings Accounts, the ability to purchase health insurance across state lines, and lets states manage Medicaid funds. Reforms will also include cutting the red tape at the FDA: there are over 4,000 drugs awaiting approval, and we especially want to speed the approval of life-saving medications.

    6. Affordable Childcare and Eldercare Act. Allows Americans to deduct childcare and elder care from their taxes, incentivizes employers to provide on-side childcare services, and creates tax-free Dependent Care Savings Accounts for both young and elderly dependents, with matching contributions for low-income families.

    7. End Illegal Immigration Act Fully-funds the construction of a wall on our southern border with the full understanding that the country Mexico will be reimbursing the United States for the full cost of such wall; establishes a 2-year mandatory minimum federal prison sentence for illegally re-entering the U.S. after a previous deportation, and a 5-year mandatory minimum for illegally re-entering for those with felony convictions, multiple misdemeanor convictions or two or more prior deportations; also reforms visa rules to enhance penalties for overstaying and to ensure open jobs are offered to American workers first.

    8. Restoring Community Safety Act. Reduces surging crime, drugs and violence by creating a Task Force On Violent Crime and increasing funding for programs that train and assist local police; increases resources for federal law enforcement agencies and federal prosecutors to dismantle criminal gangs and put violent offenders behind bars.

    9. Restoring National Security Act. Rebuilds our military by eliminating the defense sequester and expanding military investment; provides Veterans with the ability to receive public VA treatment or attend the private doctor of their choice; protects our vital infrastructure from cyber-attack; establishes new screening procedures for immigration to ensure those who are admitted to our country support our people and our values

    10. Clean up Corruption in Washington Act. Enacts new ethics reforms to Drain the Swamp and reduce the corrupting influence of special interests on our politics.

    On November 8th, Americans will be voting for this 100-day plan to restore prosperity to our economy, security to our communities, and honesty to our government.

    This is my pledge to you.

    And if we follow these steps, we will once more have a government of, by and for the people.

  • Donald Trump Proposes 35 Percent Tax on Companies Outsourcing Production

    Donald Trump Proposes 35 Percent Tax on Companies Outsourcing Production

    Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said Nov. 5 that he will impose a 35 percent tax on U.S. companies that lay off workers while outsourcing their production to other countries.

    Trump revealed his proposal at separate rallies in Tampa, Florida, and Wilmington, North Carolina, states he must win in order to be elected Nov. 8 against Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, EFE news reported.

    The real-estate magnate said in Tampa that he will stop America’s prosperity from being stolen and will do it fast — because if a company lays off its workers and goes to some other country, and then ships its products back to the U.S., he’ll make it pay a 35 percent tax, a message he repeated in North Carolina.

    Trump has based his campaign on a protectionist pitch against trade treaties like the North American Free Trade Agreement and the Trans-Pacific Partnership because they take jobs away from the United States, he said.

    The candidate has promised to restore manufacturing jobs that have been lost because of technological innovations and globalization, but have given way to other kinds of employment.

    Trump has said the cited trade agreements do the United States no good and must be renegotiated in order to benefit Americans.

    At the same time, he promised tax policies that, he said, will bring jobs back to the United States, beginning with a cut in corporate taxes from 35 percent to 15 percent.

  • NEW DELHI SCRAMBLES TO CURB RECORD SMOG

    NEW DELHI SCRAMBLES TO CURB RECORD SMOG

    NEW DELHI: (TIP): Throughout New Delhi schools have closed, peoplpe have stopped driving and at least a tenth of the city’s workforce has called in sick. And it’s not because of a flood, earthquake or tornado—rather, it’s due to record-breaking smog that has engulfed the city for the past week. As Reuters reports, the city is now taking measures to try to lift the air pollution, but these days are literally dark in a city already known for its horrible air quality.

    The dangerous smog cloud has been over the city since the Indian festival of Diwali on October 30, and The Hindustan Times reports that a wind phenomenon that blew smoke from Northern India into the city is to blame. Add in holiday firecrackers, the practice of burning the remnants of crops to make way for winter wheat and the large amount of pollutants belched out by vehicles transporting celebrating revelers, and it’s a recipe for choking air pollution.

    This year’s combination is especially severe. Popular Science’s Rachel Feltman writes that this week, the city scored a 999 on an air quality index whose top rating is technically a score of 500. That’s more than 16 times the level the Indian government considers safe and more than 30 times the World Health Organization’s safe limits. For individuals who must breathe the air, that means the risk of acute respiratory diseases and higher morbidity levels over time—and as with many health hazards, those with young, old or compromised immune systems are particularly vulnerable.

    As public outcry increases, Reuters notes, Delhi has begun to take action. Diesel-powered vehicles more than 15 years of age are having their licenses revoked, construction work has stopped and courts have been asked to monitor the implementation of anti-pollution measures. But long-term, the picture doesn’t look good for New Delhi.

    A recent World Health Organization report on air pollution found that 98 percent of cities with populations of over 100,000 in low- and middle-income countries do not meet basic air quality standards, including New Delhi. And the city appears to be focusing on short-term solutions instead of a longer-term fix.

    Luckily, a burst of wind speed slightly improved conditions on Monday, but until New Delhi looks at the big picture, its smog problems will likely persist. But maybe there’s a hidden, though admittedly minuscule, upside to the slow-moving disaster: The longer Delhi suffers under smog, the more likely it is to draw public ire—and, perhaps one day, action on the part of public officials. Source: smithsonianmag.com

  • Mumbai court declares Vijay Mallya proclaimed offender

    Mumbai court declares Vijay Mallya proclaimed offender

    MUMBAI (TIP): In more trouble for beleaguered businessman Vijay Mallya, a special PMLA court here today declared him a ‘proclaimed offender’ and directed the Enforcement Directorate to attach movable properties which were listed by the agency in its application.

    “It is pronounced and declared that the accused Vijay Mallya is the proclaimed offender. The movable properties (shares) belonging to the accused be attached,” ordered judge P R Bhavke.

    However, the court rejected ED’s request for attachment of the liquor baron’s overseas properties.

    ED had moved the court last month seeking that Mallya be declared a proclaimed offender and his properties be attached as he did not comply with a proclamation order issued against him in June requiring him to appear before the court.

    The agency had sought an order from the court under the Criminal Procedure Code’s section 82 (proclamation of absconding person) as several arrest warrants were pending against him.

    A person against whom a warrant has been issued can be declared a proclaimed offender if the court believes that he or she has absconded or is evading execution of warrant.

    ED wanted Mallya to join the investigation “in person” in connection with probe under the PMLA, and in cases related to a Rs 900-crore loan from IDBI Bank. It said it had exhausted other legal remedies like seeking Interpol arrest warrant and getting his passport revoked.

  • SP TO GO ALONE FOR NEXT YEAR’S UP POLLS: MULAYAM

    SP TO GO ALONE FOR NEXT YEAR’S UP POLLS: MULAYAM

    LUCKNOW (TIP): Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav on Thursday said his party will go to polls alone and not enter into an alliance for the assembly elections in UP early next year. However he is open to mergers if any political party wants to join the SP, he said.

    “SP will not go in for any alliance for the UP polls as decided during the national convention of the party earlier,” Mulayam said, addressing a press conference on Thursday. “There maybe only mergers like ones which have happened in the recently,” he said in an apparent refernce to mafia-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari’s Quami Ekta Dal (QED) which merged with the SP two months ago.

    Mulayam’s statement comes a day after UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav expressed confidence that the SP will get a clear majority on its own in the next elections and that alliances were not easy. The UP CM too has not been keen over SP entering into any tie-up with other parties for the UP polls.

  • MODI WITHDRAWS OLD NOTES TO CHOKE BLACK MONEY

    MODI WITHDRAWS OLD NOTES TO CHOKE BLACK MONEY

    NEW DELHI (TIP): In an extraordinary step to tackle the scourge of black money in the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi banned Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes from November 8 midnight.

    In his first televised address to the nation, Modi said people holding notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 can deposit the same in their bank and post office accounts from November 10 till December 30. He explained that the currency notes will be just paper with no value.

    Meanwhile, banks, which remained closed on November 9, next day opened to huge rush as people queued up to deposit their old notes in exchange of new currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 2,000. All ATMs also remained closed for two days.

    The PM assured the nation that the notes of Rs 100, 50, 10 and coins of all denominations will remain legal tender and will not be affected and that “this step will strengthen the hands of the common man in the fight against black money.”

    However, ATM withdrawals will be restricted to Rs 2,000 per day and withdrawals from bank accounts will be limited to Rs 10,000 a day and Rs 20,000 a week.

    The Prime Minister said that black money to the tune of Rs 1.25 lakh crore had been unearthed during last two-and-a-half years.

    Finance minister Arun Jaitley said demonetization would benefit everyone in the long run.

    The government also warned that cash deposits above Rs 2.5 lakh during the 50-day window to return 1000- and 500-rupee notes could be taxed while a 200% penalty would be applied to deposits that don’t match declared incomes.

    “We will be getting reports of all cash deposited during the period of November 10 to December 30, 2016, above a threshold of Rs 2.5 lakh in every account. The (tax) department would do matching of this with income returns filed by the depositors. And suitable action may follow,” revenue secretary, Hashmukh Adhia, said.

    He further said any mismatch of income declared by the account holder and the deposits will be treated as a case of tax evasion.

    “The tax amount plus a penalty of 200 per cent of the tax payable would be levied as per the Section 270(A) of the Income Tax Act.”

    CURRENCY SHAKEUP CAN

    HELP INDIAN ECONOMY

    Sectoral clean-up

    India’s economy – and its tax base -has long been hobbled by a parallel economy running on cash hoarded by people avoiding paying taxes. Use of illicit money is so prevalent that raids on dishonest politicians and businesses regularly turn up people holding crores of rupees in cash, sometimes stashed away in false ceilings and walls.

    Much of the illicit money in India is believed to be used in real estate purchases, which make up more than 6% of India’s $2.1 trillion economy, according to data from by Mumbai-based consultants Liases Foras. The firm estimates 30% of these transactions are done with untaxed funds or “black money”. The ban of big bank bills should help improve transparency in a sector forecast to grow fivefold to $676 billion by 2025 and 13% of GDP by 2028, say consultants KPMG.

    A squeeze on cash flow could force builders to sell at a lower price.

    A clean-up of the country’s luxury goods market, valued at about $18 billion, should also be expected.

    Wider tax net

    Successive governments have struggled with under-reporting of taxes, seen as a major hurdle in expanding state revenues, as well as with growing undisclosed incomes to avoid taxation. India has only 7.4 crore-odd taxpayers. A 2015 Credit Suisse survey said India had 185,000 dollar millionaires but officially only about 150,000 people are known to have an annual income of above Rs5 million. The move will force honest people with cash savings to open bank accounts and boost tax revenue in a country where just 3% of the working population pays tax.

    Stemming illicit outflows

    A substantial amount of black money is secreted away to accounts overseas. Last month, an HT analysis of classified central bank data showed Indians exported goods and services worth at least Rs 17 trillion over the past four decades but did not remit an equivalent amount in foreign exchange. The amount accounts for a seventh of India’s current GDP.

    Stronger laws and monitoring could help curb phoney export deals, and money-laundering in stocks.

    Cashless society

    Many dishonest people will destroy a lot of cash that would have otherwise gone into real estate or luxury jewellery, but Modi’s plan should ultimately help accelerate India onto the path of a cashless society.

    This will be enabled further by an explosion in smartphone usage for online payments. It can benefit the technology sector.

    Curb counterfeiting

    Fake banknotes have been a major concern for India. As many as 250 of every one million banknotes in circulation are fake, the Indian Statistical Institute said in a recent study. This would mean a face value of Rs 400 crore of counterfeits are in circulation now, with banknotes of a face value of Rs 70 crore being infused into the system every year.

    The ban will help choke the flow of counterfeit high-value banknotes militant groups use to fund their attacks against the country. In his television speech on Tuesday, Modi also dwelled on the scourge of fake bank notes, saying militants operating against India were using counterfeit of the 500 rupee note.

    “Terrorism is a frightening thing … But have you ever thought about how these terrorists get their money?Enemies from across the border have run their operations using fake currency notes,” he said, referring to a euphemism many Indian leaders use to describe Pakistan.

  • DILAPIDATED SATLUJ YAMUNA LINK CANAL AT ROPAR

    DILAPIDATED SATLUJ YAMUNA LINK CANAL AT ROPAR

    An emergency session of the Punjab assembly has been convened on November 16 in light of the Supreme Court’s verdict on the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal project. The announcement was made by deputy chief minister Sukhbir Badal at a press conference on Thursday evening after a cabinet meeting.

    “We have passed a resolution declaring that not a single drop of water from Punjab rivers would be allowed to go out of the state,” Sukhbir Badal told reporters following an emergency meeting of the Punjab government’s cabinet. The deputy CM also said that he has asked the state advocate-general to find out ways to legally challenge SC’s water-sharing verdict.

    Both Sukhbir and his father, chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, concluded the press conference by thumping the table three times, saying, thrice, “We will not give Punjab’s water to anyone.”

    Earlier on Thursday, the Supreme Court had ruled that the SYL canal, which is at the centre of a row between Punjab and Haryana, has to be completed. It also said the state’s 2004 law scrapping water-sharing agreements with other states is unconstitutional. A constitution bench of the court ruled that Punjab could not have taken a

    “unilateral” decision to terminate the agreement with Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi and Chandigarh to share of the Ravi-Beas river waters.

    But Sukhbir Badal said the govt would not allow the project to go ahead. “A decision taken at an emergency meeting of Punjab cabinet said that the Govt would not allow Sutlej-Yamuna Link to be built at any cost nor a single brick would be allowed to be laid for its construction by any agency,” he said.

    CM Badal said the SAD-BJP govt will not resign over the Supreme Court’s verdict.

    “I will not resign. It will lead to Governor’s rule, clearing the way for implementation of Supreme Court order,” Prakash Singh Badal said. “Haryanvis are our brothers, but we have to take a stand for Punjab, it’s our duty,” the Punjab CM said during the press conference.

    Following the Supreme Court ruling on Thursday, Punjab plunged into a political crisis.

    Congress Punjab unit chief Amarinder Singh demanded imposition of President’s Rule in the state and said he will resign as MP . All Punjab Congress MLAs announced they will resign in protest.

    The party MLAs also sent their resignations to the Speaker, Punjab Assembly, and will meet him on Friday morning to personally hand over their papers.

    Amarinder, who is also former Punjab chief minister, sent his resignation to the Lok Sabha Speaker, copy of which was released to the media, and has also sought a personal meeting with the Speaker next week. Source: HT

  • PM Modi meets Japanese Emperor Akihito; to hold talks with Shinzo Abe, 12 pacts include N-deal likely

    PM Modi meets Japanese Emperor Akihito; to hold talks with Shinzo Abe, 12 pacts include N-deal likely

    TOKYO (TIP): Ahead of 11th India-Japan annual summit in Tokyo today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Japanese Emperor Akihito during which they discussed how the two countries can strengthen cooperation in several fields and speedy implementation of projects.

    “A rare audience that symbolizes the unique warmth between #IndiaJapan. PM @narendramodi greets His Highness Emperor Akihito of Japan,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted.

    “Speaking of civilizations. PM @narendramodi and Emperor Akihito talk of the common bonds of #IndiaJapan and the future of Asia,” Swarup said in another tweet.

    PM Modi will later in the day hold wide ranging talks with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe here which will include security, trade and investment, skill development and infrastructure development.

    The two sides will also ink about 12 pacts and possibly sign a crucial civil nuclear deal, giving a fillip to the bilateral strategic relations.

    At the annual Summit, the two leaders will also discuss ways to enhance ties in a broad range of areas, including security, trade and investment, skill development and infrastructure development.

    Modi will address Japanese business leaders during his two days of official programme and day after here and in Kobe.

    After the Summit talks, about 12 pacts will be signed by the two sides, sources said, adding these would cover areas like skill development, cultural exchanges and infrastructure. Amid high expectations about the civil nuclear deal being signed, the two sides were in the process of concluding the negotiations.

    The two countries had sealed a broad agreement during Abe’s visit to India last December but the final deal was yet to be signed as certain technical and legal issues were to be thrashed out.

    Both the countries have completed the internal procedures including legal and technical aspects of the text of the pact, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said last week.

    When specifically asked whether the pact will be signed during Modi’s visit, he only said, “I cannot pre-judge outcome of the talks.” Negotiations for the nuclear deal between the two sides have been going on for a number of years but the progress on these was halted because of political resistance in Japan after the 2011 disaster at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant.

    From Tokyo, Modi, accompanied by Abe, will travel to Kobe by the famed Shinkansen bullet train, the technology that will be deployed for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Railway. He will visit the Kawasaki Heavy Industries facility in Kobe, where high speed trains are manufactured.

    PM Modi, who left New Delhi early on Thursday morning, made a brief stopover in Bangkok to pay homage to the late Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world’s longest-ruling monarch, who died last month.

  • SYL Canal: Supreme Court deals blow to Punjab, Capt, Cong MLAs resign

    SYL Canal: Supreme Court deals blow to Punjab, Capt, Cong MLAs resign

    NEW DELHI/CHANDIGARH (TIP): The Supreme Court on Thursday struck down a 2004 Punjab law terminating all water-sharing arrangements with neighbouring states, a ruling that prompted all Congress MLAs to quit even as the SAD-BJP government vowed to defy it.

    Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh resigned from the Lok Sabha shortly after the top court declared as illegal and unconstitutional the legislation scrapping the agreements for sharing excess water of the Beas and Sutlej rivers with several northern states, including Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi.

    At the heart of the dispute is the 212-km-long Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal that would bring water from the rivers to the “dry and arid areas” in the southern part of Haryana, which had also moved the top court opposing the 2004 law.

    Punjab’s deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal declared that “not a single drop of water will be allowed to be taken out of the state”.

    “Whether it be the Union government or (the) Iraqi government or the American government, if anyone comes to snatch our water, we will not let anybody enter Punjab to implement orders against Punjabis,” the deputy chief minister said in Adampur in a hurriedly called press conference.

    Chief minister Parkash Singh Badal said in Jalandhar an emergency session of the assembly will be held on November 16 to discuss the fallout of the court verdict.

    Badal will also meet President Pranab Mukherjee soon, urging him “not to accept the advice” of the Supreme Court while the SAD will launch a statewide campaign from December 8 to protest the “injustice done to Punjab”. SAD’s partner BJP also said, “Punjab does not have any surplus water to share with any other state.”

    Assembly elections are due in the state early next year and opposition parties led by the Congress pounced on the adverse court ruling to attack the SAD-BJP government. Amarinder Singh, whose government had enacted the Termination of River Waters Act in 2004, blamed the Akalis for “bringing the people of Punjab to this pitiable situation, where they face imminent devastation due to acute water scarcity”.

    He said Badal and his team “failed to defend Punjab’s stand in the court, leading to such disastrous consequences”.

    Earlier, a five-judge bench headed by AR Dave said the Punjab law “cannot be allowed to remain”.

    “We are of the view that the Punjab Act cannot be considered to be legal and valid and the state of Punjab can not absolve itself from its duties/liabilities arising out of the agreement in question,” said the bench while responding to a Presidential reference on the validity of the legislation.

    The top court’s ruling came in response to a reference made by former President APJ Abdul Kalam on the request of the Centre.

    Referring to a 1981 water-sharing agreement, the bench said it had legal sanction after the SC upheld it in 2002.

    “Once an arrangement is a binding decree, a party cannot unilaterally act in a manner to nullify the effect of the judgment,” the court said.

  • Alia Bhatt: Not trying to look like a versatile actor

    Alia Bhatt: Not trying to look like a versatile actor

    alia-bhattWhether it’s her stylish demeanour in ‘Student of the Year’ or rugged ‘desi’ avatar in ‘Udta Punjab,’ Alia Bhatt has time and again shown her range as an actor. She says choosing different roles is a question of challenging herself and not about proving her versatility.

    Alia said, “I truly believe that stardom comes with a great amount of work behind you. In technical terms, it comes with a body of work. As an actor, I am glad I am able to perform versatile roles.”

    “It’s a conscious effort to do so, but I am not trying to look like a versatile actor. I just want to challenge myself. I have to do different things and experiment,” she added.

    Alia, who made her debut with ‘Student Of The Year’, was also appreciated in subsequent projects like

    ‘Highway’, ‘2 States’, ‘Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania’ and ‘Kapoor & Sons’. Her role as a victim of the drug menace in ‘Udta Punjab’ is also worth a mention.

    Her next project ‘Dear Zindagi’ sees her in a fresh avatar with superstar Shah Rukh Khan.

    “Every actor looks forward to work with him. It’s a dream come true for every actor. I am all the more happy because this is the kind of film for both of us to do together which is so unique and interesting.”

    “We have not seen this genre before, and I am most excited to see how people react,” said the actress, who plays an an aspiring filmmaker on the lookout for unanswered questions, in the film.

    The Gauri Shinde directorial, described as a slice-of-life film, also features Ali Zafar, Aditya Roy Kapur, Kunal Kapoor and Angad Bedi.

  • VIDYA BALAN TO FULFILL A FAN’S WISH

    VIDYA BALAN TO FULFILL A FAN’S WISH

    Vidya Balan has always maintained closeness with her fans. She has earlier helped them financially too and is all set to do it again soon.

    The National Award winning actor who will be seen in ‘Kahaani 2’ soon is planning an online contest wherein her fans will be invited to share their dreams. The contest will be open to all for two months. Vidya is planning to go through all the entries herself and select one entry which describes the dream the best.

    It seems with the ongoing festive season, Vidya is determined to spread some joy and cheer in the lives of her followers.

  • BIPASHA BASU REACTS ON HER PREGNANCY RUMOURS

    BIPASHA BASU REACTS ON HER PREGNANCY RUMOURS

    Ever since she tied the knot with Karan Singh Grover in April this year, Bipasha Basu has been revelling in the post-wedding bliss. From taking off on romantic vacays to visiting her in-laws in Delhi, the ‘Alone’ actress is enjoying this period.

    Recently, stories of the newly married couple visiting a gynae-obstetrician quite a few times in the last month were doing the rounds, thus suggesting that Bipasha might be pregnant. Infuriated with these stories, the actress opened up to a portal where she claimed that the rumours are “absolutely untrue”. She further went on to urge people to leave these major decisions of their lives for them to decide.

  • JESSICA ALBA: I KEEP MY WEIGHT OFF BECAUSE OF STRESS

    JESSICA ALBA: I KEEP MY WEIGHT OFF BECAUSE OF STRESS

    Actress Jessica Alba says she doesn’t go to the gym and keeps weight off because of stress.

    The actress spoke about her workout plan during an appearance on ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’. She says she got in plenty of exercise effortlessly on Halloween.

    Alba has two daughters with husband Cash Warren.

    DeGeneres asked: “You really don’t go to the gym? You really look horrible, I was going to tell you you should start taking care of yourself because you really let yourself go!”

    To that, Alba said: “Thanks – it’s called stress”.

    DeGeneres prodded: “You don’t workout at all? You’re on the cover of Shape magazine – are you an impostor?”

    The ‘Sin City’ star said that her flawless figure on the cover of the health publication was the result of strategic posing, not sweating it out on a treadmill or in a weight room.

    “The thing which is important… is inner beauty and confidence because there’s so many different ideas…of what is beautiful,” she said. Source: IANS

  • South African parliament debates motion to remove president

    South African parliament debates motion to remove president

    JOHANNESBURG (TIP): South Africa’s parliament is debating a motion to remove President Jacob Zuma because of a series of scandals, including possible government corruption linked to the president and his associates.

    The ruling African National Congress party, which has a majority in the parliament, said it will not support the opposition motion against Zuma on Nov 8.

    While some ANC members have urged Zuma to resign, it is unlikely that significant numbers of ruling party lawmakers will break ranks with the party leadership to back the opposition move against the president. Some opposition lawmakers have argued unsuccessfully for a secret ballot to be held, believing it would allow ANC legislators to vote for the removal of Zuma without fear of reprisal from their own party. (AP)

  • 5 Islamic State suspects arrested in Germany

    5 Islamic State suspects arrested in Germany

    BERLIN (TIP): German authorities arrested five men Nov 9 on allegations they aided the Islamic State group in Germany by recruiting members and providing financial and logistical help.

    The federal prosecutor’s office said in a statement that the men were arrested on suspicion of supporting a terrorist organization. The arrests were made in a series of raids in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the northern state of Lower Saxony.

    The country’s justice minister, Heiko Maas, called the arrests “an important blow to the extremist scene in Germany.

    Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said it was critical to prevent people from becoming “so radicalized that they are in danger of becoming terrorists.”

    “We don’t want terrorism to take place in Germany,” he said. “We don’t want terrorism to be exported from Germany.”

    One of the raids was in the Lower Saxony city of Hildesheim, which is a known center for ultraconservative Muslims known as Salafists and where a mosque was raided during the summer.

    The prosecutor’s office, which handles all terrorism cases, said the suspects weren’t known to have links to IS suspect Jaber Albakr, who killed himself in prison in October two days after being arrested on suspicion of plotting to attack a Berlin airport with homemade explosives.

    The five men are suspected of recruiting young Muslims in Germany, and raising funds to send them to Syria to join IS, prosecutors said. They’re also accused of providing logistical support for the trips.

    One of the suspects, a 32-year-old Iraqi citizen identified as Ahmad Abdulaziz Abdullah A., who also goes by the alias of Abu Walaa, is accused of being the ringleader of the group. He openly supported the IS group, attended several extremist events as a speaker and approved the departure of those willing to go to Syria, prosecutors said.

    Two other suspects, identified as 50-year-old Turkish citizen Hasan C. and 36-year-old German-Serbian citizen Boban S., were in charge of teaching Arabic and “radical Islamic content” to recruits. (AP)

     

  • Mr. Church MOVIE REVIEW

    Mr. Church MOVIE REVIEW

     

    STORY: In the early 70s, Henry Church (Eddie Murphy) arrives at the Los Angeles home of Charlotte ‘Charlie’ Brody (Britt Robertson) and her mother Marie (Natascha McElhone). Henry has been appointed by Marie’s former lover to cook and care for her school-going daughter and her, for a period of six months. However, Mr Church’s time with the Brodys extends into years during which time he becomes indispensable to them.

    churchREVIEW: For starters, get introduced to an all-new Eddie Murphy. His trademark mirth goes missing as you meet the man who cooks, devours literature, paints, dances, and plays jazz music. And the victory of the film lies in the fact that though so many of his facets are revealed, he still continues to remain an enigma.

    He begins his journey with the Brody family quietly taking charge of their kitchen with his culinary skills. Though young Charlie resents him initially, he eventually wins her over with his mouth-watering preparations. Not to forget, he also gives her reading tips that she later grows to value. Keeping Marie’s cancer a secret from the young girl, who doesn’t know that her mother is about to die, Church, who has had a troubled childhood, quietly assumes the role of a caring elder in the household.

    The story told by Beresford (Driving Miss Daisy) unfolds in a fairy-tale style. It is shot lovingly, so the film exudes an old-world charm. Writer Susan McMartin keeps the viewer thoroughly engaged with two simultaneous tracks. One that speaks of Charlie’s coming-of-age challenges and the other that keeps the mystique around Church’s personal life alive till the end.

    Murphy is subtle and brilliant as the subservient black man whose only aim is to give happiness to the mother-daughter duo, who he has been ‘gifted’ to. Britt Robertson also renders a heart-warming performance. Ditto Natascha McElhone. As the terminally-ill, beauteous Marie, her act gives you those lump-in-the-throat moments.

    If you’re in the mood for some soppy, sentimental stuff, give this film a try.

  • JUSTIN THEROUX BRINGS FORTH BEST PART OF MYSELF: ANISTON

    JUSTIN THEROUX BRINGS FORTH BEST PART OF MYSELF: ANISTON

    Husband Justin Theroux is ‘the right person’ for her, stated Jennifer Aniston while opening up about her life following split with former husband Brad Pitt. During a chat with Marie Claire, the 47-year-old actress said that, with Theroux, she feels “completely seen, and adored” in no matter what state.

    “There’s no part of me that I don’t feel comfortable showing, exposing. And it brings forth the best part of myself, because I care about him so much,” she shared. “And he’s such a good person. It hurts me to think of anything hurting him,” she added.

    The ‘Friends’ actress’ marriage to the 45-year-old director and screenwriter, meanwhile, had been under a microscope since the two tied the knot in 2015 and so much more recently after her ex-hubby Pitt went through a very public split with Angelina Jolie.

    Back in July this year, Aniston slammed the constant scrutiny in an op-ed blog post for a leading daily.

    “My marital status has been shamed; my divorce status was shamed; my lack of a mate had been shamed; my nipples have been shamed. It’s like, Why are we only looking at women through this particular lens of picking us apart?

    Why are we listening to it? I just thought: I have worked too hard in this life and this career to be whittled down to a sad, childless human,” she wrote then.

    As for what is next for her, the

    ‘Bruce Almighty’ actress said that she is not “completely sure” as she is at “this sort of crossroads” trying to figure out what inspires her core. “The most challenging thing right now is trying to find what it is that makes my heart sing,” she said in the interview.

  • PRIYANKA JUSTIFIES HIGHER PAY CHEQUES COMMANDED BY STARS

    PRIYANKA JUSTIFIES HIGHER PAY CHEQUES COMMANDED BY STARS

    Priyanka Chopra has taken over international television with her hit show, ‘Quantico’. The actress, who has made her presence felt on all media platforms, has time and again spoken up for the cause of women. After talking about the importance of gender equality in the film industry, the actress has now spoken about the disparity in pay between male and female actors.

    In a chat, Priyanka said that men are often given more remuneration and compensations than women. She admitted that although she didn’t understand this disparity, this is the kind of world women live in. Without taking away any due credit from male actors who rake in large box office collections, Priyanka reasoned that having stars like Aamir Khan and Salman Khan on the poster helps films collect over Rs 300 crores. She went on to say that the day female leads can command that much money, it will close the pay gap.

  • IMF welcomes demonetisation but calls for ‘prudent handling’

    IMF welcomes demonetisation but calls for ‘prudent handling’

    WASHINGTON (TIP): The IMF on Friday said it supports India’s efforts to fight corruption through demonetisation, but noted that the transition needs to be managed “prudently” to minimise any disruption.

    “We support the measures to fight corruption and illicit financial flows in India. Of course, given the large role of cash in every day transaction in India’s economy the currency transition would have to be managed prudently to minimise possible disruption,” the International Monetary Fund (IMF) spokesman Gerry Rice told reporters at a news conference in response to a question.

    He was asked to comment on the Indian government’s decision to withdraw Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes from circulation.

    “I am just saying that when countries make these kinds of move, which is not exceptional – countries do this quite often – the transition needs to be managed very well,” Rice said in response to another question.

  • US strikes may have killed 119 civilians in Iraq, Syria

    US strikes may have killed 119 civilians in Iraq, Syria

    WASHINGTON (TIP): The Pentagon said that US air strikes in Iraq and Syria against the Islamic State group may have killed 119 civilians since 2014, a figure far lower than casualty estimates by monitoring groups.

    The figures released by Centcom, the US military command in the Middle East, came from a months-long review of reports and databases, it said yesterday, adding that the deaths and injuries stemmed from 24 air strikes.

    London-based NGO Airways estimates coalition bombing has killed 1,787 civilians since the air campaign to destroy the Islamic State group began in August 2014.

    “We have teams who work full time to prevent unintended civilian casualties,” Colonel John Thomas was quoted as saying in the Centcom statement.

    “We do all we can to minimise those occurrences even at the cost of sometimes missing the chance to strike valid targets in real time.” The Pentagon’s investigation found that “in each of these strikes the right processes were followed; each complied with Law of Armed Conflict and significant precautions were taken, despite the unfortunate outcome,” Thomas said. The United States, which carries out 80 per cent of the coalition bombing, says it uses precision-guided munitions that limit civilian casualties. Meanwhile Russia is accused of using conventional bombs that are much more deadly to civilian populations.

    Amnesty International estimates that there have been at least 300 civilian victims in Syria alone from coalition strikes. (AP)

  • 5 dead after tram derails in London

    5 dead after tram derails in London

    LONDON (TIP): Five people were killed and more than 50 injured when a tram derailed in south London during an early morning rainstorm Nov 9, police said.

    Emergency workers were still at the scene of the derailment in Croydon more than six hours after the crash, trying to free two people trapped in the wreckage of the two-carriage tram that tipped on its side next to an underpass. It appeared to have come off the rails on a bend.

    British Transport Police said they had arrested a man _ reportedly the tram’s driver _ and rail accident investigators were probing the cause of the derailment.

    The force said that “five people have sadly died following this incident,” and more than 50 others were taken to local hospitals with injuries.

    Liam Lehane of the London Ambulance Service described many of those hurt as “walking wounded” but said others suffered serious injuries.

    London’s fire department said eight fire engines and four specialist rescue units were at the scene. The rescue units, which are used in complex incidents, are equipped with heavy lifting and cutting tools, together with longer duration breathing apparatus and floodlighting.

    Emergency services called to the Sandilands tram stop at around 6:10 a.m. “I heard a massive crash at about 6.15 a.m., then heard shouting, then the emergency services arrived,” said resident Hannah Collier, 23. “They started bringing up the casualties, some very seriously injured.”

    Fire Brigade station manager Joe Kenny said “firefighters have released a number of people and two people remain trapped.” The British capital’s only tram network operates in the southern end of the city, serving 27 million passengers in the last year. (AP)

     

     

  • Taiwan set to legalize same-sex marriages, a first in Asia

    Taiwan set to legalize same-sex marriages, a first in Asia

    TAIPEI (TIP): Su Shan and her partner are raising 5-month-old twins together, but only one of the women is their legal parent. That could soon change as Taiwan appears set to become the first place in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage.

    “Now, if something happens to the child, the other partner is nothing but a stranger,” said Su, a 35-year-old software engineer in Taipei. By contrast, either partner in a legally recognized marriage could make legal, medical and educational decisions, she says.

    Taiwanese lawmakers are currently working on three bills in support of marriage equality, one of which is already listed for review and could be passed within months. Same-sex marriage also has the prominent support of President Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwan’s first female head of state.

    About 80 percent of Taiwanese between ages 20 and 29 support same-sex marriage, said Tseng Yen-jung, spokeswoman for the group Taiwan LGBT Family Rights Advocacy , citing local university studies. Taiwan’s United Daily News found in a survey taken four years ago that 55 percent of the public supported same-sex marriage, with 37 percent opposed.

    That’s seen as a reflection of Taiwan’s ready acceptance of multi-party democracy and other inclusive attitudes, as well as the fact that Taiwan’s 23 million people largely follow Buddhism and traditional Chinese religions that take no strong positions on sexual orientation or gay marriage.

    Gay and lesbian relationships began to find wide acceptance in the 1990s, aided by the already well-established feminist movement, said Jens Damm, associate Professor in the Graduate Institute of Taiwan Studies at Chang Jung University in Taiwan.

    “The elite became in favor of a kind of gender equality,” Damm said.

    Still, same-sex marriage still had to overcome traditional perceptions of gender roles and the strong pressure on children to marry and have kids. The self-ruled island also lacks many openly gay and lesbian celebrities to lead the way; the writer and television talk show host Kevin Tsai is among the few exceptions.

    Taiwan would join Canada, Colombia, Ireland, the United States and 16 other countries that have legalized same-sex marriage over the past 15 years, according to the Washington, DC-based LGBT rights advocacy group Human Rights Campaign. But it would be a notable exception among Asian and Middle Eastern countries, at least 20 of which continue to ban same-sex intercourse.

    “It’s a big step forward for the history of human rights,” said Yu Mei-nu, a ruling Democratic Progressive Party lawmaker who is sponsoring the same-sex marriage bill now in line for parliamentary debate. “If Taiwan can get this passed … it will give other Asian countries a model.” Taiwan’s Justice Ministry has not backed a specific bill, but pledged on its website last month to maintain an “attitude of openness” toward same-sex marriage. (AP)

  • Prince Harry condemns media ‘abuse’ of American girlfriend

    Prince Harry condemns media ‘abuse’ of American girlfriend

    LONDON: In a highly unusual statement, Prince Harry on Tuesday lashed out at the media for intruding on the privacy of his new girlfriend, American actress Meghan Markle. The 32-year-old royal said the press had crossed a line with articles that had “racial undertones,” and pleaded: “This is not a game.”

    The condemnation was the latest in an often uneasy dance between Britain’s royals and an international press hungry for any tidbit about royal scandal or courtship. Both Harry and his brother, Prince William, have spoken candidly about their distrust of the media: Their mother, Princess Diana, died in a 1997 car accident while being pursued by paparazzi, and William’s wife, Kate, was relentlessly scrutinized for years before the couple married in 2011.

    It looks like nothing has changed. Kensington Palace described how journalists tried to break into Markle’s home, how newspapers offered “substantial bribes” to her ex-boyfriend, and said nearly everyone she knows has been bombarded for information. Markle’s mother couldn’t even get to her front door without jostling reporters.

    “What is extraordinary about this letter is the level of ethical conduct breaches it details,” said Steven Barnett, a communications professor at the University of Westminster. “You have to feel something for Harry, who is presumably thinking of his mother and what she had to put up with.”

    Markle, 35, is best known for her role as a feisty paralegal in the US television drama “Suits.”Many tabloids alluded to her mixed-race heritage, she has an African-American mother and a white father. One Daily Mail headline described her ancestors as “a tailor, a teacher and a cleaner in racially-divided Jim Crow South.” Another dubbed her a “saucy divorcee.”

    The Daily Mirror linked Markle with an online pornography site, saying clips of her from “Suits” featured on the adult site.

    Markle has so far not responded, but has in the past written about how she came to terms with being a “biracial woman.”

    “While my mixed heritage may have created a gray area surrounding my self-identification, keeping me with a foot on both sides of the fence, I have come to embrace that,” she wrote in an essay for Elle magazine in 2015.

    Royal officials said the harassment has “been very public,” citing “the smear on the front page of a national newspaper; the racial undertones of comment pieces; and the outright sexism and racism of social media trolls and web article comments.”

    Harry said the commentators will say this is “the price she has to pay” and “this is all part of the game.” But, the palace said, Harry “strongly disagrees.’

    “This is not a game, it is her life and his,” the statement said.

    Officials had initially declined comment on widespread media speculation that Harry and Markle were dating, as per its usual policy of silence in regard to the personal lives of the royal family. But increasingly the palace has been going on the offensive because the world of blogs and social media can do more reputational damage, and do it more quickly, than traditional media.

    “As time goes on, the royal family has sometimes been really puzzled about how to respond to press coverage, should they ignore or seek to engage them?” said James Rodger, a journalism lecturer at City University London. “This is a reflection of an evolving problem, especially with changing social attitudes and media.”

    Harry has been linked to a number of women in the past, including another actress, Cressida Bonas. Media intrusion was also seen as having hurt that relationship. In 2012, he spoke of the difficulties of finding a partner willing to take on the responsibilities of being a royal.

    Harry said Tuesday’s statement was issued in hopes that the media “can pause and reflect before any further damage is done.” But in confirming his romance with the American actress, the royal also made a very personal relationship public, and there’s no turning back now.

    Barnett, at Westminster University, said there wasn’t much the royals could do in the face of a rambunctious press. Despite recent inquiries into media ethics triggered by tabloid phone-hacking allegations, Barnett said British news outlets remain as aggressive as ever.

    “All you can do is throw yourself at their mercy,” he said.

    Republican Paul Ryan was re-elected to the US House of Representatives by voters in his Wisconsin district on Tuesday, positioning him to reassert his claim to remain speaker of the House, the highest-ranking post in the US Congress.

    The 2012 vice presidential nominee, if returned to the speaker’s chair by House members, may have a smaller Republican majority to work with if voters elect fewer Republicans. Most House races were still undecided. (AP)