The Indian Panorama

Month: April 2017

  • GEN-NEXT CARDS TO REPLACE ATM PINS WITH FINGERPRINTS

    GEN-NEXT CARDS TO REPLACE ATM PINS WITH FINGERPRINTS

    WASHINGTON (TIP): Forgot your ATM pin? A next-generation biometric card that lets you authenticate your payments with your fingerprints could soon come to your aid.

    US-based company Mastercard today unveiled the new biometric card that combines chip technology with fingerprints to conveniently and safely verify the cardholder’s identity for in-store purchases.

    The technology was recently tested in South Africa in two separate trials.

    The card builds on fingerprint scanning technology used for mobile payments today and can be employed at EMV terminals worldwide.

    “Consumers are increasingly experiencing the convenience and security of biometrics,” said Ajay Bhalla, President of enterprise risk and security at Mastercard.

    “Whether unlocking a smartphone or shopping online, the fingerprint is helping to deliver additional convenience and security,” said Bhalla, an Indian-origin senior executive of the company.

    “It’s not something that can be taken or replicated and will help our cardholders get on with their lives knowing their payments are protected,” he said.

    A cardholder enrolls their card by simply registering with their financial institution. Upon registration, their fingerprint is converted into an encrypted digital template that is stored on the card. The card is now ready to be used at any EMV card terminal globally.

    When shopping and paying in-store, the biometric card works like any other chip card. The cardholder dips the card into a retailer’s terminal while placing their finger on the embedded sensor.

    The fingerprint is verified against the template and – if the biometrics match – the cardholder is successfully authenticated and the transaction can then be approved with the card never leaving the consumer’s hand.

    Authenticating a payment transaction biometrically – in this instance via a fingerprint – confirms that the person using the card is the genuine cardholder.

    The card works with existing EMV card terminal infrastructure and does not require any new hardware or software upgrades.

    It can detect and prevent fraud, increase approval rates and reduce operational costs.

    The recent South African trials tested the potential ways convenience and security could contribute to the checkout process.

    Over the next few months, additional trials will be conducted with the biometric card. A full roll out is expected later this year, the company said.

    Additional trials are being planned in Europe and Asia Pacific in the coming months. Source: PTI

  • New ultrasonic clothes dryer to halve drying time

    New ultrasonic clothes dryer to halve drying time

    WASHINGTON (TIP): Scientists have developed a new tumbler dryer that can dry clothes twice as fast, while consuming 70 per cent less energy than conventional dryers.

    Researchers, including those from Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the US, used high-frequency sound waves instead of heat to dry laundry.

    They have developed the prototype model which is expected to use up to 70 per cent less energy than conventional dryers.

    The inner lining of the drum of the machine is fitted with small sheets that convert an electric signal into vibrations, researchers said.

    These are at a high enough frequency that they can shake the water out of clothes, in the form of a cold mist. The water is driven into the outer part of the drum, where it flows down to a collection tank, ‘BBC News’ reported.

    The prototype will take about 20 minutes to dry a medium-sized load that would take a standard clothes dryers an average of 50 minutes, according to the US Department of Energy.

    Another advantage of the ultrasonic technology is that it appears to generate far less lint, researchers said.

    Most of the lint created in conventional tumble dryers is the result of tiny fibres being dislodged from clothes by the hot air stream, they said.

    Source: PTI

  • TATAS, ITC TO BATTLE IT OUT FOR DELHI’S TAJ MANSINGH

    TATAS, ITC TO BATTLE IT OUT FOR DELHI’S TAJ MANSINGH

    MUMBAI/KOLKATA (TIP): The Supreme Court’s order allowing e-auction of Taj Mansingh has paved the way for a fierce takeover battle between the house of Tatas, the country’s largest conglomerate, and ITC, the tobacco-to-hotels group, for the iconic property near India Gate in the capital.

    Y C Deveshwar-led ITC will make an aggressive bid for Taj Mansingh when its licensor New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) opens the bidding process for the five-star hotel in a few weeks. Tatas, too, will make a competitive offer for the long-term lease of the property, which has been a big revenue contributor to its hospitality arm, Indian Hotels Company (IHCL). IHCL has been managing the property since its opening in October 1978. The contract ended in October 2011 and thereafter several extensions were given by NDMC.

    The apex court has said that if Tatas lose out in the e-auction, then it would have to vacate the property within six months. If ITC wins the bid for the 292-room hotel, it will be the group’s fourth property in Delhi. IHCL confirmed that it will participate in the e-auction, while ITC declined to comment.

    Currently, the Tatas have five hotels in Delhi which includes Taj Mansingh, Taj Palace and three Vivanta properties -Ambassador, Dwarka and Surajkund.

    ITC runs ITC Maurya, Sheraton Delhi and Welcomhotel Dwarka.

    The five-star category in Delhi, comprising 2,700 rooms, saw an occupancy level of 70% and an average room rate of Rs 10,000 in fiscal 2017. ITC’s proposed move comes on the heels of two top officials of Tata Trusts, along with five other people, filing a public interest litigation in the Bombay high court for its direction to the central government to divest its stake in ITC. Currently, through five insurance companies and Special Undertaking of the Unit Trust of India (SUUTI), the government holds nearly a third of ITC’s equity, worth over Rs 1 lakh crore. The court will take up the case for admission on April 27.

    Tata Trusts and its arms, including its main holding company Tata Sons, control 39% of IHCL. Interestingly, construction major Shapoorji Pallonji Group, whose scion Cyrus Mistry is in a legal battle with the Tatas, is building two of ITC’s luxury hotels -ITC Kohinoor in Hyderabad and ITC Narmada in Ahmedabad.

    Source: TOI

  • Future Group to sell its private labels through e-tail rivals

    Future Group to sell its private labels through e-tail rivals

    MUMBAI (TIP): Future Group will sell its labels on rival online platforms Amazon and Big Basket as part of its strategy to generate Rs 20,000 crore in sales from in-house brands by 2021 and establish itself as a standalone consumer-goods company. Future Consumer (FCL) has 28 brands under 65 categories and sells them mostly at its Big Bazaar and Easy Day stores.

    “Our brands will be where the consumers are — modern trade, general trade or ecommerce — and we have got traction in a few channels already,” said Devendra Chawla, chief executive at Future Consumer, which has listed its juice and spreads brands on Amazon. It is also in talks to sell its products at Big Basket and plans to add to its portfolio on both online portals.

    FCL, which counts Arisaig Partners and Verlinvest as its investors, has a distribution network of 22,000 stores. It recently partnered Indo-Nissin to use the Japanese company’s retail network and sell products at kirana stores. While Future Group operates about 13 million square feet of retail space with an annual customer footfall of 295 million, over the past year the group has added partners such as Tata StarBazaar, Metro and Spar, besides 5,000 Rajasthan fair price shops.

    Future Group plans to launch a new brand, category or product every two weeks in an effort to generate sales of its own labels, which earn higher margins. The company has a host of global tie-ups including Hain Celestial to manufacture and sell food products in the health and wellness space and Mibelle AG, a division of Migros Group, Switzerland, to make a range of personal-care products under the brand Swiss Tempelle. The company recently introduced Kosh, an oats brand that is produced at a manufacturing unit set up in Sri Lanka through a joint venture with SVA India.

    In India, food and grocery account for almost 50% of the retail basket and online penetration is still less than 1%, suggesting the infancy of the category and its potential opportunity. Morgan Stanley expects the grocery and food delivery market to reach an online penetration of 4% by 2020, touching a gross merchandise value of $19 billion and making it the largest category after electronics and apparel. Also, traditional trade including kirana stores still account for about 85% of sales for most consumer product companies while modern trade has a share of 10-12% after a presence of more than a decade.

    Source: TOI

     

  • House panel summons RBI’s Urjit Patel over note ban after Manmohan’s prod

    House panel summons RBI’s Urjit Patel over note ban after Manmohan’s prod

    NEW DELHI (TIP): Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Urjit Patel has been asked by a parliamentary panel to appear before it again on May 25 over the demonetization issue after former prime minister Manmohan Singh prevailed over BJP MPs in the panel to call him.

    Sources said the decision to summon Patel was made at the insistence of Singh, a former RBI governor himself, who had earlier come to Patel’s rescue in the last meeting in January. When Patel was confronted with tough questions from parliamentarians – including queries on the exact amount of demonetized currencies deposited during the 50-day window and the time by when normalcy would return to the banking system – Singh had intervened, saying that the governor’s institution should be respected. The former PM said that Patel didn’t have to answer all questions.

    Singh is one of the members of the panel, headed by Congress leader Veerappa Moily.

    At the last meeting in January, Patel failed to provide any figure for how many banned notes had been deposited into the banking system and he did not provide clarity on when the cash situation would become normal.

  • IT firms may face layoffs due to US visa curbs: Report

    IT firms may face layoffs due to US visa curbs: Report

    NEW DELHI (TIP): With the US tightening the norms for H-1B visas under the President Donald Trump’s ‘Buy American, Hire American’ campaign, the Indian IT companies are bound to face disruptions by way of higher costs and even some laying off work force back home, and the rising rupee is aggravating the situation further for the technology export firms, an Assocham paper said.

    Nearly 86% of the H-1B visas issued for workers in the computer space go to Indians and this figure is now sure to be scaled down to about 60% or even less, it said.

    Remittances from the US would decline, hurting the balance of payment. World Bank data showed the US was the second largest source of remittance for India in 2015, behind Saudi Arabia, and about $10.96 billion, nearly 16% of the total inflows, were sent to India.

    As the cost pressure would increase, aggravated by rising rupee leading to lower realisations, the Indian IT firms may be forced to displace work force. “In that case, the chances of layoffs are real,” said Assocham secretary general DS Rawat.

    He said the IT industry apex organisations and the government need to work out a joint strategy to deal with the unfolding situation.

    Source: IANS

  • Wipro sacks at least 600 employees after performance appraisal

    Wipro sacks at least 600 employees after performance appraisal

    NEW DELHI (TIP): The country’s third largest software services firm Wipro is learnt to have fired hundreds of employees as part of its annual “performance appraisal”.

    According to sources, Wipro has shown the door to about 600 employees, while speculation was rife that the number could go as high as 2,000.

    At the end of December 2016, the Bengaluru-based company had over 1.79 lakh employees.

    When contacted, Wipro said it undertakes a “rigorous performance appraisal process” on a regular basis to align its workforce with business objectives, strategic priorities of the company, and client requirements.

    “The performance appraisal may also lead to the separation of some employees from the company and these numbers vary from year to year,” it added.

    The company, however, did not comment on the number of employees that have been asked to leave.

    Wipro said its comprehensive performance evaluation process includes mentoring, re-training and upskilling of employees. The company is scheduled to report its fourth quarter and full-year numbers on April 25.

    The development comes at a time when Indian IT companies are facing an uncertain environment given the curbs being proposed on worker visa norms by various countries like the US, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.

    These companies use temporary work visas to send employees to work on client sites.

    With visa programmes in these countries becoming more rigorous, Indian IT companies are likely to face challenges in movement of labour as well as a spike in operational costs.

    Indian IT companies get over 60% of their revenues from the North American market, about 20 per cent from Europe and the remaining from other economies.

    Source: PTI

  • WORSHIP GOD AS PER YOUR SUN SIGN

    WORSHIP GOD AS PER YOUR SUN SIGN

    According to Hindu sacred scripture, Agni Purana, “Astrology is not a belief but a well defined science”, and using it one have deep knowledge about any individual’s character traits.

    Hinduism

    Hinduism is a dominant religion of the Indian subcontinent, and has three major traditions, Shaivism (Shiva), Vaishnavism (Vishnu) and Shaktism (Shakti).

    With references to Hindu scriptures, it is believed that there are 33 Crore or 330 million Indian gods and goddesses.

    Universal truth

    All these gods and goddesses are the avatars of Shiva, Vishnu and Shakti, in which each one of us finds solace; we worship the ones we feel connected to.

    Significance

    Have you ever wondered, as to why you felt that intangible pull for a specific Indian god or goddess?

    Agni Purana

    According to Agni Purana, one should worship god and goddess as per their sun sign, which further boosts their cosmic energy and impresses them to calm planetary motions.

    Scriptures

    It says, “Those who know their janma raashi may offer their prayers to their ruling planet and the ruling God of their raashi.”

    The Agni Purana further says, “…and if you know your date of birth and your janma raashi thoroughly well, then you can quickly achieve what you rightfully deserve in life by offering your prayers to that particular form of God who is assigned by His supreme commander to take care of all your needs in life.”

    Aries, Scorpio, Capricorn and Aquarius

    If you have been born under the above mentioned zodiac, then your ruling planets are Mars (for Aries and Scorpio) and Saturn (for Capricorn and Aquarius); the ruling God for all four of you is Lord Shiva.

    You must worship and offer your first prayers to this deity. And, what better way to impress Lord Shiva, the mighty of all, but his favorite mantra.

    Mantra

    “Yasya:nke cha vibha:ti bhu:dharsuta: devapaga: mastake, Bhale balbidhurgale cha garalam yasyorasi vyalraat Soyam bhumivibhisanah survarah sarvadhipahsarvada: Sharvah sarvgatah shivah shashinibhah shri Shankar patu maam”

    To calm the effect of Mars

    “Aum Angarkaya vidmahe bhoomipalaya dhimahi tanno kujah prachodayat…Aum Chitri Putrayai Vidmahe Loyhe Tangai dhimahi Tanno Bhooma Prachodayat”

    For calming the effects of Saturn “Om Shanno devirabhistdaapo bhavantupitaye Aparadhasahastrani kriyanteharnisam maya Dasoyamiti maa matva kshamasva paramesvara. Gatam papam gatam du Kham gatam daridraya m e v a ch…Agatah Sukhasampatti punyoham tava darsanat”

    Taurus and Libra

    If according to your birth star, you are born in Taurus and Libra zodiacs, then your ruling planet is Venus and the ruling Goddess is Sri Mahalakshmi.

    Offering prayers to Goddess Lakshmi, will shower upon you good fortune and prosperity. Chanting this mantra would pull much positive energy towards you.

    Mantra

    “Om Sarvabaadhaa Vinirmukto, Dhan Dhaanyah Sutaanvitah… Manushyo Matprasaaden Bhavishyati Na Sanshayah…Om Om Shree Mahalakshmyai Cha Vidraahe Vishnu Patrayai Cha Dheemahi Tanno Lakshmi Prachodayat Om”

    To calm the effects of Venus

    “OM draamg dreeng droung sah shukray namah…Om Rajadabaaya vidmahe, Brigusuthaya dhimahi, tanno sukrah prachodayat”

    Gemini and Virgo

    Those born under signs Gemini and Virgo, have their ruling planet as Mercury and their ruling God is Lord Srimannarayan.

    Lord Srimannarayan is an avatar of Lord Vishnu, and offering your prayers to him would yield quick benefits and attract good fortune into your life.

    Mantra

    All you need is to recite this simple shloka, nine times a day. “Aum Narayanaye Vidmahe Vasudavaye Dhimahi Tanno Vishnu Prachodayat”

    To calm the effect of Mercury

    “Om Aim Bum Budhaya Namaha…Aum budhagrahaya vidmahe, Indu putraya dhimahi, tanno somya prachodayat”

    Cancer

    Those born under the zodiac signs, Cancer, have Moon as their ruling planet, and Goddess Parvati/Gauri as their ruling Lord.

    She’s the epitome of kindness, and calm; hence one must worship her with pure heart and devotion. Chanting this sholka would yield desired results.

    Mantra

    “Maata Cha Paarvati Devi, Pitaa Devo Maheshvara Baandhavah Shiva Bhaktaacha, Svadesho Bhuvanatrayami… Hey Gauri Shankarardhangi Yatha Tvam Shankarpriyaa Tatha Mam Kuru Kalyaani Kaantkatam Sudurlabhaam”

    For the calming effect of Moon God

    “Shwetambarah Shwetavibhushanam Shwetadyutirdandadharih dvibhahrih chandroaumatatma vardah kireeti mayi prasaadam vidadhwata devah”

    Leo

    If your birth star is Leo, then your ruling planet Lord Sun and your ruling God is Lord Siva.

    Lord Shiva is a dear god, who needs no tough worshiping rituals. All one has to do is chant this sacred mantra 21 times a day. It means all those born under this Raashi should offer their prayers to Lord Siva.. Here’s Lord Siva’s most favorite sloka or the sloka that pleases him the most.

    Mantra

    “Nagendraharaya trilacanaya bhasmanga ragaya mahesvaraya nityaya suddhaya digambaraya tasme na karaya nama: shivaya… Mandakini salila candana carcitaya nandisvara pramathanatha mahesvaraya mandarapuspa bahupuspa supujitaya tasme ma karaya namah shivaya” To calm the effects of Sun God “Aum namah suryay shantaya sarva rog vinashane Ayuh arogyam aishwarya dehi deva jagatpate… japa kusum sankash kashyapeyam mahadhytim dhvantari sarva paapdhanam pranatotsim divakaram”

    Sagittarius and Pisces

    Those born under zodiacs, Sagittarius and Pisces, have Jupiter as their ruling planet, and their ruling lord is Sri Dakshina Murthy. Sri Dakshina Murthy is an avatar of Lord Shiva, known to be the teacher of knowledge and wisdom, and offering prayers to him would yield powerful results. This powerful shloka is believed to please him the most.

    Mantra

    “Om Namo Bhagavathe Dakshinaamoorthaye…Mahyam Medhaam Pragnyaam Prayachas Swaha Vrushabath Vajaaya VidhMahe Kruni Hastaaya DheeMahee-Thanno Guru: Prachodayaath…ApraMeyathva ya theedha Nirmala Nyaana Moorthaye…Manogi raam Vidhooraaya Dakshinaa Moorthaye Namaha”

    For the calming effects of Jupiter

    “Gurubrihaspatirjeevah suracharyo vidaanvarah vaagisho dhishadon dirshashamshruh pitambaro yuvaa”

  • UNSPOILED HILL STATIONS OF INDIA

    UNSPOILED HILL STATIONS OF INDIA

    With over 20 mountain ranges in India, there is no dearth of hill stations to visit in the country. But a number of these swarm with crowds, and you might want to stay away from it and be a little with yourself and relax. Though it is sounds impossible to come up with a list that has still not come under the clutches of tourism, we have tried our best to cover some of the less crowded hill stations in India that’d satiate your travel thirst without making you go insane with all the touristy action around.

    Ziro, Arunachal Pradesh

    Ziro, arguably one of the most bewitching landscapes of India, is nestled at the highest point of Arunachal Pradesh in the Lower Subansiri district. The destination is home to theancient Apatani tribe, which is known for its unique cultural values, agricultural system and social forestry system. The facial tattoos and nose plugs that the elderly locals sport gives this census town a mystical feel, delineating the rich cultural heritage that it has been carrying till now. In fact, UNESCO has also made a proposal to include this place in the World Heritage Sites. Peppered with beautiful rice fields, this place has a laidback vibe that turns musical and hippy during the month of September when Ziro Music Festival is organised, an event that is attended by thousands of music lovers from around the world.

    Mashobra, Himachal Pradesh

    Mashobra is a quaint little town in Himachal Pradesh, connected to Shimla via Hindustan-Tibet Road, the historic road built by Lord Dalhousie way back in 1850. Not frequented by tourists often, this place is apt for a relaxing holiday. Thickly wooded with oak, rhododendron, Himalayan deodar and cedar trees, Mashobra is ideal for a creative break for artists.

    Munsiyari, Uttarakhand

    Extremely popular among adventure enthusiasts, Munsiyari is a beautiful hill station nestled at an elevation of 2298 m. Deeply forested with rhododendron, cedar and deodar trees, this place offers beautiful views of snow-capped Himalayan ranges. It’s a starting point of many treks, of which, the trek to Namik Glacier Trek is quite popular.

    Araku Valley, Andhra Pradesh

    This beautiful valley in the Eastern Ghats is one of the best kept secrets of Andhra Pradesh. Also, known as the ‘Food bowl of South India’, it is noted for coffee plantations, caves and waterfalls. The serpentine hill roads making their way through the mist is a sight to behold as you head to visit nearby attractions like Sangda Waterfalls, Dumbriguda Fall, Katiki Falls, and Borra Caves to mention a few. This place is in full bloom during the months from September to October, and March to May.

    Dharamkot, Himachal Pradesh

    This quaint little hill station rests on the top of the hill above Mcleodganj, neatly away from the hustle and bustle of Dharamshala. Peppered with tiny guesthouses and village homes, this place is widely known for its meditation centres—Vipassana, Tushita and Dhamma Sikhara—and slow-footed life. It is also a jumping-off site for Triund, a popular trek, which has been attracting adventure enthusiasts from far and near. Do visit the cafes here, apparently every café in Dharamkot has aced in pancakes, lasagnas, pastas and hummus. Fruit wines and apple cedar are widely available in grocery shops here; don’t forget to try them.

    Kaza, Himachal Pradesh

    This high-altitude cold desert rests at an altitude of 3650 m above sea level with a similar terrain as that of Tibet or Ladakh. Buddhist culture prevails in the region and the town is accessible from Kinnaur as well as Lahaul Valley. Less frequented by tourists due to rough terrain, this place mainly attracts mountaineers, adventure junkies and trekking enthusiasts. Tangyud Monastery, Kibber Village and Key Gompa are some of the most prominent attractions near Kaza. The town rests on the banks of the Spiti river, with a street market where utilities are available. The market also has a few shops, selling adventure sports equipments, and bakeries that sell amazing lemon tarts.

    Aru Valley, Kashmir

    If you enjoyed the village-like setting of Pahalgam, the sounds of gushing Lidder river and galloping horses, pitching a tent in Aru Valley will certainly amplify your pleasure. Wake up amidst misty mountains every morning and stroll across the valley, click pictures and go for horse riding. Opt for trekking if you wish to, as Aru is the starting point of expeditions to Kolahoi Glacier and Sonamarg. Nearby attractions include Betaab Valley, Baisaran and Chandanwari.

    Kibber, Himachal Pradesh

    Resting at an altitude of 4205 m, Kibber is, supposedly, the highest village in the world, has a difficult terrain and thus witnesses less tourist footfall. The allure of barren and the majestic mountains besides the overwhelming silence of monasteries adds to the charm of this place. It is about 18 km away from Kaza and lies in proximity to villages like Komic, Langshu and Hikkim, which are base camps for many treks. There is a wildlife sanctuary too, home to Himalayan wolf, Tibetan wild ass, snow leopard, Tibetan woolly hare and blue sheep among others.

    Tawang- Arunachal Pradesh

    Tawang, located in the state of Arunachal Pradesh, is one of the least populated cities of the country. Resting at an altitude of 3048 m, this place is historically and naturally blessed, and is one of the least frequented hill stations of the country. You are required to get a government-issued special Inner Line Permit to enter the district, available in Tezpur, New Delhi, Kolkata and Guwahati.

  • JOS BUTTLER’S BRUTAL 77 NEGATES HASHIM AMLA’S CLASSY CENTURY

    JOS BUTTLER’S BRUTAL 77 NEGATES HASHIM AMLA’S CLASSY CENTURY

    INDORE (TIP): Jos Buttler scored his maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) half-century to provide the perfect start to Mumbai Indians’ run chase against Kings XI Punjab at the Holkar Stadium in Indore on Thursday.

    The England international reached the milestone in 24 balls with the help of seven fours and two sixes. He ultimately stopped at 77 off 37 balls, with the help of three more sixes.

    Buttler’s brutal knock meant that Hashim?Amla’s maiden IPL century for Kings XI Punjab went in vain, as Mumbai Indians won the match by eight wickets. Buttler was involved in a 85-run second wicket stand with Nitish Rana (62*). The latter stayed unbeaten as MI chased won KXIP’s 199-run target in just 15.3 overs.

    Chasing a mammoth total, Mumbai Indians needed a good start and Buttler was well up to the task. He slammed a massive six over mid-wicket in the very first over and then, scored a boundary off a defensive push in the next over.

    The onslaught did not stop as the 26-year-old English player looked extremely comfortable against the Kings XI Punjab pacers and in the third over, he pummeled Sandeep Singh for a four and a six. His innings, however, was not perfect as he miscued a shot in the next over but substitute fielder David Miller was unable to hold on to the catch and the ball went for yet another boundary.

    It proved to be a costly miss for the hosts as Buttler made them pay with three boundaries in the fifth over. He hit the first two balls through the mid-off region and then adjusted brilliantly to a slower delivery from Mohit Sharma to smear it through extra cover.

    Buttler continued to play his natural game even after losing his partner – Parthiv Patel -and he finally brought up his half century with a single off Axar Patel.

  • TOPPLED Steely Juventus shut down Barcelona to hold hosts 0-0 and go through to the semifinals

    TOPPLED Steely Juventus shut down Barcelona to hold hosts 0-0 and go through to the semifinals

    BARCELONA (TIP): Barcelona’s hopes of staging another sensational Champions League comeback fell flat against a hardened Juventus side who held the Catalans to a 0-0 draw at the Nou Camp on Wednesday to reach the semifinals 3-0 on aggregate.

    The Italian champions barely gave Barca a glimmer of hope of repeating their historic turnaround against Paris St Germain in the last 16 and protected their healthy advantage from the first leg by starving the hosts of space and clear sights of goal.

    Lionel Messi came closest to giving Barca a route back into the contest with four strikes at goal but failed to hit the target with any of them and frequently came up short against Juve’s intimidating centre-back pairing of Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci.

    “Juventus are a great team and they were better than us in the tie and overall they deserved to go through. I wish them the best and I think they could win the trophy,” Barca defender Gerard Pique said.

    “It was a very difficult result to come back from although we tried until the end. They’reItalian and they defended very well. They knew how they wanted to play and got their objective. We created chances but little by little we realised we had a mountain to climb.”

    Twice European champions Juve lacked the spark and power of their thrilling first-leg victory in Turin, but there was rarely any doubt they would exact revenge for their defeat by Barca in the 2015 Champions League final by reaching the semis for a 12th time.

    Barca coach Luis Enrique had said before the game that if hia team managed to strike early then the noise of the Nou Camp would suck the other goals in.

    Juventus, however, showed in the opening stages that they are made of sterner stuff than PSG, who gave up a 4-0 first-leg advantage.

    Massimiliano Allegri’s side pressed Barca in their own half and limited the supply to the front three.

    Messi almost managed to pick out Jordi Alba with a hooked pass and later played a one-two with the Spaniard before dragging narrowly wide of the far post.

    Ivan Rakitic and Neymar also missed the target with hopeful efforts but Juventus’ aggressive gameplan limited how much attacking Barca could do without leaving themselves exposed.

    Gonzalo Higuain cracked a shot over the bar before the break while the probing Juan Cuadrado almost picked out the Argentine striker in the middle, but was thwarted by a brilliant block from Pique.

    Barca increased their grip on possession after the break and spent most of the remainder of the game in their opponents’ half trying to carve out chances, but Juve were always ready for them. Messi whipped a free kick on to the roof of the net and slammed another shot wide before spurning his best chance, a volley which fizzed over the bar.

    Barca right back Sergi Roberto attempted a repeat of his heroic strike against PSG, but also missed the target, unable to prevent his side’s second successive elimination at the quarter-final stage, which will provoke much soul-searching at the five-time European champions. Source: Reuters

  • US Justice Department for Assange’s arrest

    US Justice Department for Assange’s arrest

    WASHINGTON (TIP): The arrest of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is a US “priority,” attorney general Jeff Sessions said April 20, as media reports indicated his office was preparing charges against the fugitive anti-hero.

    “We are going to step up our effort and already are stepping up our efforts on all leaks,” Sessions, America’s top cop, said at a news conference in response to a reporter’s question about a US priority to arrest Assange.

    The Justice Department chief said a rash of leaks of sensitive secrets appeared unprecedented.

    “This is a matter that’s gone beyond anything I’m aware of. We have professionals that have been in the security business of the United States for many years that are shocked by the number of leaks and some of them are quite serious,” he said.

    “Whenever a case can be made, we will seek to put some people in jail.”

    Prosecutors in recent weeks have been drafting a memo that looks at charges against Assange and members of WikiLeaks that possibly include conspiracy, theft of government property and violations of the Espionage Act, the Washington Post reported, citing unnamed US officials familiar with the matter.

    Several other media outlets also cited unnamed officials as saying US authorities were preparing charges against Assange. The Justice Department declined to comment on the reports.

    Assange, 45, has been holed up at the Ecuadoran embassy in London since 2012 trying to avoid extradition to Sweden where he faces a rape allegation that he denies.

    He fears Sweden would extradite him to the United States to face trial for leaking hundreds of thousands of secret US military and diplomatic documents that first gained attention in 2010.

    Assange’s case returned to the spotlight after WikiLeaks was accused of meddling in the US election last year by releasing a damaging trove of hacked emails from presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s campaign and the Democratic party.

    US officials say the emails were hacked with the aid of the Russian government in its bid to influence the US election.

    Critics say their release late in the race helped to tip the November 8 election to Republican Donald Trump.

    Trump and his administration have put heat on WikiLeaks after it embarrassed the Central Intelligence Agency last month by releasing a large number of files and computer code from the spy agency’s top-secret hacking operations.

    The documents showed how the CIA exploits vulnerabilities in popular computer and networking hardware and software to gather intelligence.

    Supporters of WikiLeaks say it’s practicing the constitutional right of freedom of speech and the press.

    CIA Director Mike Pompeo last week branded WikiLeaks a “hostile intelligence service,” saying it threatens democratic nations and joins hands with dictators.

    Pompeo focused on the anti-secrecy group and other leakers of classified information like Edward Snowden as one of the key threats facing the United States.

    “WikiLeaks walks like a hostile intelligence service and talks like a hostile intelligence service. It has encouraged its followers to find jobs at CIA in order to obtain intelligence… And it overwhelmingly focuses on the United States, while seeking support from anti-democratic countries and organizations,” said Pompeo.

    “It is time to call out WikiLeaks for what it really is- a non-state hostile intelligence service often abetted by state actors like Russia.”

    The day before Pompeo spoke, Assange published an opinion piece in The Washington Post in which he said his group’s mission was the same as America’s most respected newspapers: “to publish newsworthy content.”

    “WikiLeaks’s sole interest is expressing constitutionally protected truths,” he said, professing “overwhelming admiration for both America and the idea of America.” (AP)

  • TV Asia Chairman HR Shah receives Padma Shri award

    TV Asia Chairman HR Shah receives Padma Shri award

    NEW DELHI (TIP): TV Asia Chairman H.R. Shah received the Padma Shri award from India’s President Pranab Mukherjee at the Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi on April 13.

    Shah received India’s fourth highest civilian honor in the field of Literature & Education – Journalism.

    Shah, who has lived in the United States for 46 years, is originally from Bahadarpur, Gujarat.

    Two other Indian-Americans named for this year’s Padma Shri award include Ustad Imrat Khan in the field of Art-Music and Anant Agarwal in the field of Literature & Education.

    Even before Shah received the award formally from Rashtrapati Ji, his friends and admirers celebrated his selection for Padma Shri and felicitated him.

    Indo-American Press Club organized a felicitation evening in the month of March. Some other organizations were keen to felicitate him but he wanted them to wait until he received the award formally from President of India.

  • Vaisakhi celebrated with zeal in Edison, New Jersey

    Vaisakhi celebrated with zeal in Edison, New Jersey

    EDISON, NJ (TIP): The upscale neighborhood in North Edison, NJ, was full of life on a bright and sunny Sunday, when hundreds of Indian-Americans gathered at the decorated house of J. Bakshi to celebrate the joyful festival of Vaisakhi.

    The event was hosted by J. Bakshi, the owner of Nanak sweets, who opened his door for neighbors and friends. The event started with Kirtan in which everyone participated. Men, women and children bowed before the holy book to pay their respects and wor-shipped the Guru Granth Sahib seated in a colorful canopy in the hall.

    As the Kirtan was over, Bakshi invited Professor Saluja to present two documentary movies produced and directed by Saluja as a tribute to the Khalsa faith and the Vaisakhi festival.

    Explaining his passion for serving the Indian American community, Prof Saluja said that he produced the movies to make viewers proud of their heritage.

    The first film, a documentary on Guru Govind Singh, the tenth guru of the Sikh panth, who fought to save his religion and faith.

    In 1699 the tenth guru, Guru Govind Singh, chose Vaisakhi as the occasion to transform the Sikhs into a family of soldier saints, known as the Khalsa Panth. Guru Govind Singh founded the Khalsa in front of thousands at Anandpur Sahib. During the Vaisakhi festival Guru Govind Singh came out of a tent carrying a sword. He challenged any Sikh who was prepared to give his life to come into the tent. The Guru returned alone with his sword covered in blood. He then requested another volunteer and repeated the same ac-tion four times until five men disappeared into the tent. The crowd was very concerned until they saw five men return wearing turbans with the Guru. These five men became known as the Panj Piare, or ‘Beloved Five’.

    Saluja commented that members of the proud Khalsa community fought for the freedom of India and continued to lead the nation in all fields from defense to art and sciences.

    The second film traces the background of Vaisakhi celebration coinciding with the onset of Spring that fills people with joy and happiness. Vaisakhi, also spelled Baisakhi, is one of the most important dates in the Sikh calendar. It is the Sikh New Year festival that commemorates 1699, the year Sikhism was born as a collective faith.

    The festival is celebrated in all parts of India as the New Year’s Day for Hindus in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Odisha, West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Hima-chal Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab. The significance of Vaisakhi is similar in all parts of India and known by many names. Hindus take bath in the Ganges and other sacred rivers as they believe that river goddess Ganges descended to earth on Vaisakhi. People visit tem-ples, meet friends and party over festive foods.

    Vaisakhi coincides with the festival of ‘Vishu’ celebrated in Kerala a day after Vaisakhi. The celebration is full of glitz as it includes decorations with colorful flowers, grains and fruits. People visit their friends and families and offer gifts to friends and loved ones, and alms to the needy.

    A view of the sangat
    A view of the sangat

    In West Bengal Vaisakhi is celebrated as Pohela Boishakh and Bahag Bihu in Assam. In-troducing his films Saluja reminded the audience that the festival brings home the mes-sage of unity, peace and pride for all people of Indian origin. “So many of our ancestors made sacrifices to give us our freedom to enjoy that is our duty to preserve our unity and culture. By remembering and following the paths our ancestors showed us we can live in peace, freedom and strengthen our culture and heritage for the new generations.

    A community feast called ‘Langar’ was hosted by Bakshi for his guests.

  • Ananda Marg presents proposal for the Homeless to Mayor

    Ananda Marg presents proposal for the Homeless to Mayor

    BROOKLYN, NY (TIP): Ananda Marga is a socio-spiritual organization founded in India in 1955 by the philosopher and spiritual master Shrii Shrii Anandamurti.

    On occasion of the meeting of Indian Business Leaders at the residence of Bipin Sangankar in Brooklyn on April 14th the Mayor of New York Bill De Blasio gave chance to Ananda Marga representatives for a very warm interaction during which a project for helping the Homeless population was presented to him.

    Arish Kumar Sahani as member of the Indian Community and promoter of the “Active and Productive Homeless” project was accompanied by Acarya Abhiramananda Avadhuta – President of Ananda Marga in USA and by Acarya Vimaleshananda Avadhuta -Public Relations Secretary for the non-profit organization.

    Helping the homeless population has been one of the hallmarks of the Mayor endeavor for bringing social equality in a city marked by a deep separation between rich and poor. Although under the pressure of the coming reelection we expect the Mayor to continue to the last his efforts so important for all the minorities and for the homeless particularly.

    The project proposal is centered on a 40 hours workshops divided in eight modules to be delivered in a few months period promising to change the attitude of the homeless people from passive receivers of help to active participants of the community.

    (Press Release)

  • Sikh Cabbie assaulted by drunken passengers in New York

    Sikh Cabbie assaulted by drunken passengers in New York

    NYPD investigating if it was a hate crime

    Mayor de Blasio and Indian Consulate express concern

    NEW YORK (TIP): A drunken passenger roughed up a Sikh cabbie and snatched the turban off his head in an assault the NYPD is investigating as a possible hate crime.

    Harkirat Singh, 25, said the theft of his religious garb was the culmination of a scary encounter early Sunday with a belligerent boozehound and his three buddies that has made him too scared to drive another night shift.

    “I’m so afraid. I don’t want to work,” Singh told the Daily News at his home in Ozone Park, Queens. “It’s an insult on my religion, also,” he said. “An insult of my faith. It’s horrible.”

    Butcher leaves black deliveryman paranoid after handing him nooseThe immigrant from Punjab, India, said he picked up three men and a woman – all in their 20s – around 5 a.m. at the corner of Eighth Ave. and 30th St., a few blocks south of Madison Square Garden.

    The quartet said they wanted to go to E. 165th St. and Jerome Ave. in the Bronx. When the yellow taxi reached that intersection, the passengers complained that Singh took them to the wrong destination – but the drunks couldn’t give the cabbie a straight answer about where to go next, he said.

    Harkirat Singh, a Sikh taxi driver, was assaulted, called names and robbed of his religious turban in the Bronx while trying to collect a fare. (TODD MAISEL/NEW YORK DAILY NEWS)

    “The girl’s saying, ‘Take the right.’ The Spanish guy’s saying, ‘Take the left.’ So, at that time, I was confused,” Singh said. They began hurling slurs and banging on the plastic partition in his cab, Singh recalled. Gay couple rattled after brick-throwing teens spewed slurs in NYC

    “They’re using bad words, also. They said, ‘Ali Baba, f–k you,’” said Singh, who moved to the U.S. three years ago.

    He pulled over and told the group to pay $41.76 and to find another cab. The woman coughed up the cash after Singh called 911 – but then one of the men got back into the cab.

    Singh said the man who got back into the cab tried to smash the meter. Then he punched Singh

    in the arm, the cabbie said. “After that, he picked off my turban from my head,” he said. “He wanted to snatch my phone also…It was too horrible.”

    Police sources described the suspect as a clean-shaven white Hispanic man in his 20s, around 5-foot-9 and weighing 160 lbs. He was wearing red shoes and blue jeans. He had short hair.

    Terrified and crying, Singh says he pleaded with the man to calm down.

    “Why are you doing this, brother? We can sit. We can talk,” he recalled telling the unruly passenger.

    “At that time, I’m so afraid – they can do anything to me. They’re gonna kill me.” With cops en route, the group made a run for it – with Singh’s turban, which is a primary symbol of the faith.

    Singh said he’d been wearing a turban since he was 6. The theft occurred just hours after thousands of Sikhs flocked to Times Square for the annual celebration of Vaisakhi also dubbed Turban Day.

    Police say they’re only seeking one suspect, though they’d like to speak to the other three passengers. Singh did not require a medical attention but filed a report with police. He was able to snap a photo of two of the passengers.

    New York Mayor Bill de Blasio ? @NYCMayor tweeted: Harkirat Singh – You are welcome here. What happened to you was wrong. You did the right thing by calling the NYPD. https://twitter.com/ nydailynews/status/ 854105456104673281 …

    9:23 PM – 17 Apr 2017 – Harpreet Singh Toor, the chairman of public policy and external affairs at The Sikh Cultural Society, said the theft reflected prejudice against Sikhs, who often are the butt of anti-Muslim bias despite following a different faith. “I used to get mad – now I laugh at it, because if we are still ignorant about other faiths…who will make those people understand?” he asked.

    Consulate General of India in New York learnt about the incident and an official said it was a serious matter, if it were a case of hate crime. The Consulate is in touch with New York Police Department to get more information on the incident, the official said.

    Sikh community leaders HS Toor, Master Mohinder Singh and Himat Singh Sarpanch expressed concern at the incident and demanded immediate arrest of the culprits.

  • ‘Unchecked’ Iran could become another NKorea: US

    ‘Unchecked’ Iran could become another NKorea: US

    WASHINGTON (TIP): US secretary of state Rex Tillerson has termed the Iran nuclear deal a failure and said an “unchecked” Tehran could become another North Korea, but stopped short of threatening to derail the landmark agreement.

    Tillerson said the US is conducting a comprehensive review of its Iran policy and added that the Obama-era nuclear deal only “delays” Tehran’s goal of becoming a nuclear state.

    “This deal represents the same failed approach of the past that brought us to the current imminent threat we face from North Korea. The Trump administration has no intention of passing the buck to a future administration on Iran,” he said at a hurriedly-convened press briefing.

    “Iran’s nuclear ambitions are a grave risk to international peace and security,” Tillerson said. His toughen stand on Iran yesterday came a day after the Trump administration notified the Congress that Tehran is complying with the 2015 nuclear deal negotiated by former president Barack Obama to limit the Islamic Republic’s nuclear ability. The administration said it has extended the sanctions relief to Iran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme.

    Iran has defended its nuclear programme as purely civilian and its supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei warned in November that Tehran would retaliate if the US breached the nuclear agreement. Tillerson, seeking to reinforce the idea that the US is forcefully countering Iran’s destabilising behaviour in the Middle East, also described Tehran as a “leading state sponsor of terror”.

    “The evidence is clear: Iran’s provocative actions threaten the United States, the region and the world,” he said.

    “An unchecked Iran has the potential to travel the same path as North Korea and take the world along with it. The United States is keen to avoid a second piece of evidence that strategic patience is a failed approach.”

    Tillerson accused Iran of intensifying multiple conflicts including the one in Syria, undermining US interests in several countries, continuing to support attacks against Israel, and sponsoring cyber and terror attacks across the world. Tillerson’s comments were synonymous with Donald Trump’s rhetoric, who on many occasions -during his presidential campaign and afterwards – criticised the nuclear deal reached between Iran and the US, the UK, Russia, France, China and Germany.(AFP)

  • Famed White House sidewalk closed to public

    Famed White House sidewalk closed to public

    WASHINGTON (TIP): Bill Clinton wasn’t sure “whether it’s the finest public housing in America or the crown jewel of the American penal system.” In either case, the White House is becoming a little more distant from the people.

    The US Secret Service on Wednesday said it is ending public access to the sidewalk in front of the White House, a concrete stretch on which millions of tourists — including India’s prime minister Narendra Modi when he was a political journeyman — have stood to have their photographs taken. It is a Washington travelers’ ritual as old as…well, the invention of the camera.

    The sidewalk has been closed nightly from 11pm to 6am since 2015 and will now be off-limits around the clock, the Secret Service announced in a statement, saying the closure will “lessen the possibility of individuals illegally accessing the White House grounds.”

    The closure follows several recent incidents of incursions into the White House grounds by trespassers who have managed to scale the White House fence. Raising the height of the fence and putting sharp spikes on top of it has not deterred trespassers, so the Secret Service is extending the security perimeter.

    Visitors can still get themselves into the photo frame with the White House in the background from Lafayette Park across the street, but it won’t be same as leaning against the White House fence, within hailing distance of the President.

    Not just tourists even the American public has gradually been distanced from the White House over the years. Up until May 1995, traffic plied on Pennsylvania Avenue right in front of the White House, a road which once saw tramcars — and horse drawn carriages before that.

    The Oklahoma City truck bombing on April 20, 1995 by a white extremist which killed 160 people in a government building resulted in security agencies deciding to stop vehicular movement. The road stretch in front of White House was blocked, barricaded, and fortified, allowing only pedestrians. (TOI)

  • American industry leaders hammer Trump’s H-1B order

    American industry leaders hammer Trump’s H-1B order

    WASHINGTON (TIP): US President Donald Trump is getting hammered by critics for what they say is his dubious commitment to the “Buy American, Hire American” policy that he is promoting on faulty premise, even as his hardline nationalist supporters are in raptures that he is putting “America First.”

    From pointing out that the product line from his own companies are made abroad (including Made in India sports coats) to taunting that his properties, estates, and businesses employ a large number of immigrants, detractors eviscerated the US President for double standards after he went on a blue-collar road show on Tuesday to expound American First vision.

    He promoted it with an executive diktat aimed, among other things, at reforming the H1B visa program that has helped grow the Indian IT industry. (PTI)

  • UN, Russia set for Syria meet without US

    UN, Russia set for Syria meet without US

    GENEVA (TIP): The UN’s Syria envoy said today that he will hold talks with Russian officials next week but without the US present after previous plans for a trilateral meeting were “postponed”.

    UN peace mediator Staffan de Mistura said his meeting with Russia’s deputy foreign minister Gennady Gatilov is set for Monday in Geneva.”The trilateral meeting is not off the table, it is simply being postponed”, de Mistura told reporters.

    Asked why US President Donald Trump’s representatives decided to skip the meeting, de Mistura said: “you should ask them, frankly.”

    Syrian regime supporter Moscow and opposition-backer Washington had been the key foreign powers shaping the UN’s Syria peace process.

    De Mistura has previously asked for more clarity from Trump’s administration on its vision for the Syria talks.

    US officials have in recent weeks voiced commitment to support a negotiated solution to the conflict.

    Monday’s sitdown with Gatilov “will be a very intense bilateral meeting”, de Mistura said. He also restated his desire to convene a sixth round of UN-backed talks involving Syrian rivals next month. The previous rounds have failed to produce concrete results. (AFP)

     

  • US reaffirms India’s designation as major defence partner as Modi meets US NSA

    US reaffirms India’s designation as major defence partner as Modi meets US NSA

    NEW DELHI (TIP): US National Security Adviser HR McMaster and Indian NSA held a two-hour long meeting in New Delhi today.

    According to sources from the government – the issue of terrorism and Indo-US Cooperation was prominently discussed. India and US agreed to increase military cooperation and more active information exchange on counter terror operations.

    McMaster also discussed regional security issues with his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval.

    Indian side emphasized that the terrorism emanating from Pakistan is posing serious threat to regional stability and security. India and US have very good cooperation.

    McMaster  also to met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Lok Kalyan Marg. He may also meet External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. McMaster arrived in Islamabad, Pakistan on Monday, barely a day after the United States reinstated its tough stance on Pakistan.

    Incidentally, this was the first visit by a top member from the Donald Trump administration. McMaster arrived in Pakistan after a brief stop in Afghanistan.

    Following the meet in Pakistan, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s office issued a statement saying that McMaster had assured the PM that the Trump administration was dedicated to strengthening bilateral relations and working with Pakistan.

    New Delhi hopes discussions with Herbert Raymond McMaster will provide clarity on US President Donald Trump’s policy for South Asia.

  • 10 held for IS link, one from Jalandhar

    10 held for IS link, one from Jalandhar

    NEW DELHI (TIP): Nine police teams of five states have arrested four suspected terrorists belonging to the ISIS Khorasan module for plotting a strike and detained six more. They were looking for potential recruits in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, an officer with the Delhi Police special cell said.

    Raids were jointly carried out this morning in Mumbai, Jalandhar, Narkatiaganj (Bihar), Bijnor and Muzaffarnagar by the Anti-Terrorist Squads of UP and Maharashtra and the police teams of Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and Bihar. Aseem Arun, IG, ATS, Uttar Pradesh, said three persons, all in the age group of 18-25, were arrested for conspiring to launch terror strikes. Mufti Faizan and Tanveer were arrested from Bijnor district

    Raids were jointly carried out this morning in Mumbai, Jalandhar, Narkatiaganj (Bihar), Bijnor and Muzaffarnagar by the Anti-Terrorist Squads of UP and Maharashtra and the police teams of Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and Bihar. Aseem Arun, IG, ATS, Uttar Pradesh, said three persons, all in the age group of 18-25, were arrested for conspiring to launch terror strikes. Mufti Faizan and Tanveer were arrested from Bijnor district. Nazim Shamshad Ahmed (26), who hails from Bijnor, was nabbed from Mumbra township adjoining Mumbai and Muzammil was apprehended from Jalandhar district. Also, six persons were being questioned. They would be produced in a Noida court where the ATS would seek their transit remand.

    “We have recovered documents related to ISIS from them. The accused met on the internet and had been coordinating through the same”. The IG said important papers were seized after the March 7 encounter in Lucknow in which a “terrorist” belonging to the Khorasan module was killed.

    The ATS had inputs that ISIS was expanding network in UP, Mumbai, Punjab and Bihar. One of them was helping the group with finances. A report from Jalandhar said 22-year-old Mazammil alias Gazi Baba had been residing in the city for the past couple of years. A tailor by profession, he had come to Jalandhar with his father from Unnao in UP. He lived in a rented room and seldom spoke to neighbours.

     

     

  • ARMY ORDERS COURT OF INQUIRY INTO J&K ‘HUMAN SHIELD’ INCIDENT

    ARMY ORDERS COURT OF INQUIRY INTO J&K ‘HUMAN SHIELD’ INCIDENT

    NEW DELHI (TIP): The Army has ordered a court of inquiry (CoI) into the incident in which a Kashmiri youth was allegedly tied to a jeep to ward off stone-pelters on April 9. A CoI does not mean indictment and is only a fact-finding probe.

    Sources said the CoI, headed by a Colonel-level officer, has been given time till May 15 to find out what exactly happened in Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir on that day and the circumstances that led an Army officer to tie up a local tailor to the front of the jeep allegedly as a “human shield” against protesters who clashed with security forces during the Srinagar parliamentary constituency by-elections.

    The officer had been tasked with preventing stone-pelters from attacking the convoy that had gone to rescue election officials and ITBP men.

    The video, which was first tweeted by a Kashmiri man and then re-tweeted by former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, drew sharp reactions in Kashmir and elsewhere.

    Army Chief General Bipin Rawat later met J&K Governor NN Vohra and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti in Srinagar. General Rawat also briefed National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. The Jammu and Kashmir police have already filed an FIR against the Army in this regard.

  • INDIA REFUSES CHINESE NAMES FOR ARUNACHAL SITES

    INDIA REFUSES CHINESE NAMES FOR ARUNACHAL SITES

    NEW DELHI (TIP): India on Thursday dismissed China’s recent move to rename six places in Arunachal Pradesh and thus, to tacitly assert its claim on the state.

    New Delhi reiterated that Arunachal Pradesh was an integral part of India and China’s move to rename some places in the state would not alter the facts on the ground.

    “Assigning invented names to the towns of your neighbour does not make illegal territorial claims legal. Arunachal Pradesh is and will always be an integral part of India,” official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs Gopal Baglay told journalists in New Delhi.

    The Ministry of Civil Affairs of the Chinese Government had “standardised in Chinese characters, Tibetan and Roman alphabets, the names of six places in South Tibet, which India calls ‘Arunachal Pradesh’, in accordance with the regulations of the state council”, the Global Times, a state-run newspaper of the communist country, reported earlier this week.

    “The official names of the six places using the Roman alphabet are Wo’gyainling, Mila Ri, Qoidêngarbo Ri, Mainquka, Bümo La and Namkapub Ri,” the report stated.

    ‘Arunachal is integral part’

    Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India and China has no business on it, said Union Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu here on Thursday,

    “If you look at history, Arunachal Pradesh is with India. India is a sovereign country and there is an elected government in Arunachal Pradesh. There is no dispute in it,” Naidu said.

     

  • Canada to work with India for justice for victims of 1984 riots: Sajjan

    Canada to work with India for justice for victims of 1984 riots: Sajjan

    AMRITSAR/TORONTO (TIP): As the visit to India by Canada’s defence minister, Harjit Sajjan, has been marred by Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh accusing him of having Khalistani sympathies, the minister now says that he was “disappointed” by those comments but they did “not bother” him.

    Responding to a question during a conference call with Canada-based media on Wednesday, Sajjan said, “I was disappointed with the chief minister of Punjab’s comments.”

    Sajjan went on to add in that context: “It does not bother me in the least. I’m focused on building my relationship with India, being able to discuss important issues including the issue of 1984 as well.”

    He was referring to anti-Sikh violence following the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi in 1984, a sensitive issue in India-Canada relations after the Ontario Assembly recently passed a motion that described the event as “genocide”.

    As the carrying of the motion in the Ontario Assembly preceded his visit, the issue figured in Sajjan’s meetings with Indian officials and ministers. But he did not use the word genocide, as he said, “Our government looks at working with Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi’s government in dealing with and getting justice for the victims of the organised massacres in 1984.”

    He added, “I appreciated their efforts on this and look forward to them actually moving forward even further.”

    Sajjan also said he explained to Indian officials that the vote in the Ontario Assembly was caused by a private member’s motion and there was a difference between the ruling Liberal Party of the province and that of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the federal level.

    But Sajjan also said that Canadians had a right to express their viewpoint in “a peaceful way”.

    The Punjab chief minister’s allegations have made headlines in the Canadian media. Sajjan said, as was routine, a meeting with Amarinder Singh was sought as a “courtesy”.

    “But I will not be meeting with him now because he had originally refused,” Sajjan said, as he arrived in Amritsar from New Delhi. Similar requests were also made to the chief ministers of Maharashtra and Haryana.

    Referring to Amarinder Singh’s remarks, Sajjan said, “I don’t know what the motivations were around that.”

    On the issue of Khalistani separatism, he asserted, “There is no movement within Canada.” Sajjan pointed out that “if there was any evidence, any type of intelligence, our security forces would be looking at this immediately”.

    As he travels in India, Sajjan said, “in some ways it’s very emotional” for him. He was last in India in 2002, when his family gathered in their native village in Hoshiapur for a reunion of sorts.

    “For me to come back, it’s a very proud moment for me personally. Even though people look at me coming back as a minister, I look at it coming back as somebody who’s from here. So I’m kind of playing a dual role here. While representing Canada and our government, at the same time, trying to take in as much as I can.”

    As controversies swirled around his visit, Sajjan addressed government-to-government interaction: “We’re looking forward to furthering this conversation and the relationship that we’re still developing.”

    Canada and India are looking at a potential defence MoU, though not committing to a timeframe in that regard. “That will possibly lead to further discussions, towards possibly a defence cooperation agreement but we’re not there yet,” Sajjan said.

    Despite the setbacks dogging the trip, Sajjan said his focus was on how to “discuss the way forward”. Source: HT