The Indian Panorama

Year: 2017

  • NO SELF-CERTIFICATION? ACCOUNTS USED FOR OVERSEAS TRANSACTIONS TO BE BLOCKED

    NO SELF-CERTIFICATION? ACCOUNTS USED FOR OVERSEAS TRANSACTIONS TO BE BLOCKED

    NEW DELHI (TIP): Bank accounts used for transfer of funds to and from other nations will have to provide additional details of transactions and identity by April 30 or get blocked, the income tax department said on Wednesday.

    Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and their spouses or parents are among those affected by the directive, and will need to make a self-declaration with information such as residence status and purpose of transactions, or risk having their accounts frozen.

    “I am in panic. I will be back from my vacation on April 25. We had no idea about this new rule. I hope I have time to do the needful before my account is blocked,” said a management consultant, whose husband routinely sends her money from his account in United States where he works.

    For privacy, the woman requested her identity not be disclosed.

    Several banks have been caught unawares as well, and they will now need to rush to comply with the guideline before the month ends.

    The directive is a consequence of a bilateral agreement with the United States for implementation of Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) by India beginning August 31, 2015. The pact aims to detect tax evasion by sharing information of transactions by people between the two countries.

    Wednesday’s order is specifically for accounts opened between July 2014, the date from which the information was to be exchanged, and August 2015, when the agreement came into force.

    Entities such as firms too will need to comply with the self-declaration directive, which also covers other financial instruments such as mutual funds.

    According to the Reserve Bank of India norms, permanent account number (PAN), Aadhaar card, driver’s license, voter’s identity card or passport will serve as proof of identity and address. Aadhaar, however, is not mandatory for the self declaration, a senior I-T department officials said. Source: HT

     

  • TRUMP BACKS AWAY FROM LABELING CHINA A CURRENCY MANIPULATOR

    TRUMP BACKS AWAY FROM LABELING CHINA A CURRENCY MANIPULATOR

    WASHINGTON (TIP): President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that his administration will not label China a currency manipulator, backing away from a campaign promise, even as he said the US dollar was “getting too strong” and would eventually hurt the economy.

    In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Trump also said he would like to see US interest rates stay low, another comment at odds with what he had often said during the election campaign.

    A US Treasury spokesman confirmed that the Treasury Department’s semi-annual report on currency practices of major trading partners, due out later this week, will not name China a currency manipulator.

    The US dollar fell broadly on Trump’s comments on both the strong dollar and interest rates, while US Treasury yields fell on the interest rate comments, and Wall Street stocks slipped.

    Trump’s comments broke with a long-standing practice of both US Democratic and Republican administrations of refraining from commenting on policy set by the independent Federal Reserve. It is also highly unusual for a president to address the dollar’s value, which is a subject usually left to the US Treasury secretary.

    “They’re not currency manipulators,” Trump told the Journal about China. The statement is an about-face from Trump’s election campaign promises to slap that label on Beijing on the first day of his administration as part of his plan to reduce Chinese imports into the United States.

    The Wall Street Journal paraphrased Trump as saying that the reason he changed his mind on the currency issue was because China has not been manipulating its yuan for months and because taking the step now could jeopardize his talks with Beijing on confronting the threat from North Korea.

    Separately on Wednesday, at a joint news conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Trump said the United States was prepared to tackle the crisis surrounding North Korea without China if necessary.

    The United States last branded China a currency manipulator in 1994. Under US law, labeling a country as currency manipulator can trigger an investigation and negotiations on tariffs and trade.

    Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement that Trump’s decision to break his campaign promise on China was “symptomatic of a lack of real, tough action on trade” against Beijing.

    “The best way to get China to cooperate with North Korea, is to be tough on them with trade, which is the number one thing China’s government cares about,” Schumer said.

    Trump open to reappointing Yellen as Fed chair

    Trump also told the Journal that he respected Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen and said she was “not toast” when her current term ends in 2018.

    That was also a turnaround from his frequent criticism of Yellen during his campaign, when he said she was keeping interest rates too low.

    At other times, however, Trump had said that low rates were good because higher rates would strengthen the dollar and hurt American exports and manufacturers.

    “I think our dollar is getting too strong, and partially that’s my fault because people have confidence in me. But that’s hurting – that will hurt ultimately,” Trump said on Wednesday.

    “It’s very, very hard to compete when you have a strong dollar and other countries are devaluing their currency,” Trump told the Journal.

    The dollar fell broadly Trump’s comments on the strong dollar and on his preference for low interest rates. It fell more than 1.0 percent against the yen, sinking below 110 yen for the first time since mid-November.

    “It’s hard to talk down your currency unless you’re going to talk down your interest rates and so obviously he’s trying to get Janet Yellen to play ball with him…”, said Robert Smith, president and chief investment officer at Sage Advisory Services in Texas.

    Trump’s comments about the Fed were his most explicit about the US central bank since he took office in January, and suggest a lower likelihood that he plans to try to push monetary policy in some unorthodox new direction. Source: Reuters

  • Here’s how you can survive a break-up

    Here’s how you can survive a break-up

    You might know it is the right decision for both of you, but still, breaking up is never easy. A calm well-intended conversation can turn into an argument as emotions run high or someone can feel hurt, or rejected.

    Often people who have made peace with their decision still do not know the best way to break off the relationship and wish for some kind of blueprint in how to approach such a difficult situation. The Independent spoke to relationship therapist Gurpreet Singh about the best way to handle a potentially difficult decision.

    Sometimes the difficulties start before the breaking up when someone thinks they have made the right decision but can find themselves nervous or doubting their choice. “Breaking up really is hard to do,” Singh says. “There are no hard and fast rules about when a relationship is over – it’s usually a feeling that builds over time that things just aren’t right, that you and your partner aren’t making each other happy anymore, that the bad times are outweighing the good. That ‘it doesn’t feel like it used to.

    “The beginning of a relationship can be intoxicating and it’s easy to get swept away in a bubble of happiness. But with time and life changes, the intoxication might wear off. It’s also possible that you or your partner might change in different directions. The reasons for the drift in the relationship or the distance that develops between you is not always clear. “As things deteriorate, both partners could experience a range of emotions like upset, anger, sadness, shock, let down and perhaps even a bit of relief as the reality of the inevitable break-up sets in.”

    Singh says the most important factor when breaking up with someone is honesty. It is important to be honest with your partner and yourself – explaining all the reasons you have for ending the relationship and listening to them. It is important not to leave any stones unturned, even if you feel it is nicer to hide certain parts of the truth. He adds (“of course, if a relationship is in any way unsafe then removing yourself is the absolute priority”).

     

  • SEXUAL HARASSMENT AT WORKPLACE: FIVE SIGNS TO WATCH OUT FOR

    SEXUAL HARASSMENT AT WORKPLACE: FIVE SIGNS TO WATCH OUT FOR

    After Arunabh Kumar, the founder of The Viral Fever, an online entertainment YouTube channel, filmmaker Vikas Bahl, directer of the film, Queen, has also been accused of sexual harassment at workplace by female employees.

    Such incidences have created a furore on social media. They have finally brought to limelight the unspoken problem of workplace sexual harassment in this country. Though we are aware of the term ‘sexual harassment’, we lack clarity on what kinds of behaviour constitutes for it. A consulting firm, HRhelpdesk.in, recently did a nationwide research on workplace sexual harassment and put together insights by talking to women across the country.

    Here are some subtle signs to watch out for at office to know if you’re being harassed:

    SEXIST BEHAVIOUR: Actor-author Twinkle Khanna recently pointed out that calling someone sexy at workplace isn’t appropriate. If your colleagues make sexist jokes towards you, chances are that you’re being harassed. “In many workplaces, the abusers prior starting their sexual harassment actions, use sexist behaviour. This strategy is used to suppress the women employee; to make them feel small and weak prior starting the real harassment act. Sexist behaviours are identified by actions where co-worker or a senior employee passes comments like, ‘ this portfolio is not suitable for you because you are a woman’ or ‘you got promoted because you’re a woman’ or using the age old jokes that say women are not good. Generally sexist behaviour may not be termed as a direct sexual harassment action but such an act should be taken as red alarm by the victim that their silence may welcome something worse tomorrow,” says Shivani Misri Sadhoo, psychologist.

    The so called harmless flirting: Getting a compliment isn’t a bad thing. But, if a compliment makes you feel sexually objectified, it’s a sign of sexual harassment. If a colleague disrespects your personal space and touches you, report it to the HR.

    INAPPROPRIATE ONLINE BEHAVIOUR: If one of your colleagues sends you personal messages on your phone, social media accounts, making you feel uncomfortable, then it’s unacceptable. Your colleagues need to maintain professional and personal boundaries. Violation of these boundaries is considered as sexual harassment. “Sexual harassment is getting more and more subtle. Sending sexualised forwarded messages on whatsapp, out of proportion compliments at work, sending work related requests at odd hours, frequent requests for out of office meetings all account to sexual harassment. Although the victim is often confused whether it is harassment or not, it’s always better to pay attention to your instincts as they never lie,” says Pulkit Sharma, psychologist.

    The quid pro quo stance: Your senior colleagues shouldn’t make statements such as, “Come, lets go for dinner. I’m your boss,” and then hint at returning the favour in kind. This is sexual harassment. The quid pro quo behaviour along with coercion is strict no-no at workplace. “We must highlight the suppressed voices of women facing sexual harassment which is not only plaguing the organisational culture but also failing diversity programmes. Through this survey, we found out that respect and dignity at the workplace, which women deserve as an equal member of the workforce, is often absent in workplaces. This kind of behaviour not only pushes women away from the corporate world, but also forces them to curtail their career ambitions post career breaks,” says Amarpreet Kaur, founder, HRhelpdesk.in.

  • Gemma Arterton wants to start a family

    Gemma Arterton wants to start a family

    Actress Gemma Arterton says she is desperate to have kids.

    The 31-year-old actress, however, says after ending her marriage with ex-husband Stefano Catelli she needs to find a “really brilliant partner” to settle down and start a family.

    “I absolutely want to have children. But how do you do it all? I think the only way you can is if you have a really brilliant partner,” Arterton said.

    “I see a therapist, who said: ‘You know, there are people out there that are like Mark Rylance.’ “Yes, if only everyone was like Mark Rylance,” she adds.

  • GOING IN STYLE – MOVIE REVIEW

    GOING IN STYLE – MOVIE REVIEW

    Given Hollywood’s current obsession with superhero and sci-fi thrillers, it’s refreshing to see a simple tale of three elderly friends, willing to fight for their financial needs post retirement. Crushed under debt and with their pension being suspended, they must find a way to fend for themselves, even if it requires them to rob a bank!

    REVIEWYou know a film has worked when you have a broad smile on your face; way after the film is over. A remake of the 1979 film by the same name, Zach Braff presents a pleasant cocktail of lifelong friendship; heist comedy and a social commentary on the condition of senior citizens, through his three affable lead characters – Joe (Michael Caine), Willie (Morgan Freeman) and his prickly musician roommate Albert (Alan Arkin) in this breezy dramedy. What makes an otherwise regular story unique is Braff ’s execution. Despite touching upon real issues of the elderly, like financial crisis, illness or their anticipation of death, nowhere does the script get soppy or melancholic. It in fact leaves you grinning from ear to ear with its dark humour.

    “Wondering if the insipid corn they had on the buffet is from the World War II days”, Alan Arkin exudes wicked sarcasm and fits the bill. The acting genius of these veteran stars needs no introduction but we must say, with such fine actors at the helm of things, there’s nothing that they can’t pull off.

    While the heist chaos is a bit juvenile, the film works for its self-deprecating humour and chemistry between its phenomenally talented actors. The clever writing does justice to their acting prowess.

    To cut a long story short, Going in Style is a warm and wonderful film on friendship and life post 60. Watch it with your best friends for life as some relationships are worth melting for indeed.

  • VIDYA BALAN: BEGUM JAAN RULES THE SPACE SHE LIVES IN

    VIDYA BALAN: BEGUM JAAN RULES THE SPACE SHE LIVES IN

    As Vidya Balan starrer ‘Begum Jaan’ is all set to hit the screens this Friday, the actress sat down for a tete-a-tete with Bombay Times where she talked about her powerful character and more.

    Speaking about her fiery act as Begum Jaan in the Srijit Mukherji film, the quintessential actress is all praises for the strong. She says, “Begum Jaan rules the space she lives in. When we asked ourselves why she would not set up her kotha somewhere else, we realized that each one of us is trying to establish our roots somewhere or the other.”

    ‘Begum Jaan’ is a story of survival set against the backdrop of the Partition. A Hindi adaptation of Mukerji’s critically acclaimed Bengali movie ‘Rajkahini’, the film shows the grit and gumption of a group of sex workers as they fight for their home.

  • JENNIFER ANISTON NOT A FAN OF THEROUX’S BEARD

    JENNIFER ANISTON NOT A FAN OF THEROUX’S BEARD

    Actress Jennifer Aniston doesn’t like her husband and actor Justin Theroux to have a long beard, which he can be seen with in new series “The Leftovers”.

    Aniston initially didn’t mind Theroux’s bushy facial hair, but later got tired of it and asked him to shave, reports eonline.com.

    But he can’t do that as he is filming for “The Leftovers”.

    “She likes it, up to a point. She’ll like it for about a month and then she’s like, ‘Okay, you have to get rid of it.’ Then I’m like, ‘No, I actually have to keep the beard now for the whole show’,” Theroux said on ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’.

    “The first season I had to have stubble for the entire season and that was torture for her. (But) now it’s soft,” he added.

  • SHRADDHA KAPOOR: I DON’T MIND GETTING DRENCHED FOR A SCENE

    SHRADDHA KAPOOR: I DON’T MIND GETTING DRENCHED FOR A SCENE

    Shraddha Kapoor’s monsoon mush in films like ‘Aashiqui 2’, ‘Ek Villain’, ‘ABCD 2’ and ‘Baaghi’ has been favourably received by the audience. And the lady herself is more than happy to be caught in a shower. “There’s nothing more romantic than the rain and since these sequences have worked well for me, I don’t mind getting drenched at all. I love dancing in the rains. Add Mohit Suri’s music and it’s pure magic,” says the 30-year-old actress who plays Arjun Kapoor’s ‘Half Girlfriend’ in an upcoming romance-drama of the same name. Incidentally, Shraddha’s next rain song ‘Baarish’, featuring Arjun this time, has released.

    An adaptation of Chetan Bhagat’s 2014 novel, it is set in three distinct worlds -Delhi, Patna and New York. All the three landscapes are essential to Shraddha’s character, Riya Somani’s journey because she changes as a person in each of these settings. From a ‘hep’, high-society Delhi girl she moves to a more modest, fusion inspired avatar post interval. “I’ve enjoyed wearing some of the world’s biggest brands for the most part of the film, gradually shifting to more handloom-kitsch weaves. Mohit and Anaita (stylist Anaita Shroff Adajania) gave me a look that’s straight out of a fairytale. She’s done a phenomenal job with all my looks in the movie,” smiles Shraddha, for whom the film has come as a breath of fresh air after an onslaught of girl-next-door turns. “My best look would be the Delhi one, undoubtedly. She’s super-glamorous and dolled up, unlike any of the characters I’ve played before.”

  • AMY SCHUMER SLAMS BODY SHAMERS WITH BIKINI PHOTOGRAPH

    AMY SCHUMER SLAMS BODY SHAMERS WITH BIKINI PHOTOGRAPH

    Amy Schumer has hit back at body shamers by sharing a series of her pictures dressed in bikini. The 35-year-old actress-comedienne posted eight pictures on her Instagram Story, where she can be seen paddle boarding, walking on the beach and enjoying a boat ride with her friends.

    The ‘Trainwreck’ star ended her post with the message, “I feel great…” Schumer’s posts come in barely days after swimwear designer Dana Duggan criticised the actress for her appearance on the May 2017 cover of a magazine, which features her floating in the pool wearing a white one-piece swimsuit.

  • MIRZA JULIET – MOVIE REVIEW

    MIRZA JULIET – MOVIE REVIEW

    STORY

    A story of star-crossed lovers battle misogyny, hate and caste tensions amidst a politically-charged environment.

    REVIEW

    Contrasting sneakers with garish, loud Punjabi kurtas is Juuliet Shukla (Pia Bajpai) a feisty girl in Mirzapur, UP who bullies anything that moves —from the local bus conductor to her childhood friend Mirza (Darshan Kumar). She throws her weight around town as she is the darling sister of Dharamraj (Priyanshui Chatterjee), a powerful local goon who wants to marry her off to the son of another powerful politician, the very randy Rajan Pandey (Chandan Roy Sanyal). Mirza (Darshan Kumar), on the other hand, is a hitman; a total opposite to Juuliet’s brash personality —calm, composed and the best shot in town.

    At its core, ‘Mirza Juuliet’ is a formulaic film that climbs on the shoulders of other successful films set in small towns such as Gangs of Wasseypur, Tanu Weds Manu. Right from its opening sequence, it borrows the chase scene from Gangs of Wasseypur along with the song ‘Mohabbat Ka Misuse’ and fails on both counts. The chase scene is badly edited and the song tacky enough to be irritating. It also tries to show the ill-treatment of women in small towns, but ends up being crass in the process, sinking under the weight of the misogyny it creates.

    Pia Bajpai looks stunning, but her character is so aggressively loud, you fail to connect with her. Darshan Kumar, as a hitman gives a decent performance but his character development becomes unbelievable. He dodges every bullet putting Keanu Reeves from the Matrix to shame and when he does get shot, it only makes him angrier and faster to the chagrin of the baddies which include the entire town!

  • Raveena barred from promoting her film ‘Maatr’?

    Raveena barred from promoting her film ‘Maatr’?

    Raveena Tandon has been requested by Cine and TV Artists Association (CINTAA) not to promote her upcoming film ‘Maatr’, as the film’s producer Anjum Rizvi is yet to get his dues for a past project – the remake of Sai Paranjpye’s ‘Katha’.

    The 2016 film starred Manish Paul, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub and Sharmila Mandre and was directed by Khalid Mohamed.

    Joint secretary of CINTAA Amit Behl had said that previously, a non-cooperation notice had been issued by CINTAA against Anjum, who had then promised to clear off the dues as soon as his next film kicked off.

  • United Air episode could dent its China biz – very badly

    United Air episode could dent its China biz – very badly

    NEW DELHI: The hellish ‘dragging episode’ on board a United Airlines passenger flight could dent the company’s business badly in its top growth market, China, experts told state media.

    Last year, the Chinese mainland generated $2.2 billion in revenue for United, which is around 6.1 percent of its total revenue, Global Times wrote citing a report from FactSet. That number for United was almost double the revenue its main competitor, Delta Air, took in from China last year, the report added.

    On Sunday, shocking videos surfaced of a passenger who suffered a bloodied face when he was forcibly removed from a United flight after the airline told passengers four of them would have to leave to make way for United employees.

    The episode led to some top Chinese chief executives disclosing how badly they too have been treated on United. And these CEOs’ harsh ratings of the airline’s services, along with calls from Chinese travelers to boycott United, could well result in a drastic drop in business. “From the ground to the air, United’s arrogant service attitude is so horrifying that I have never booked flights since I’ve experienced it twice,” said Gao Xiaosong, a composer and co-founder of Alibaba Music Group, on his Weibo account, Global Times reported.

    Weibo is Chna’s equivalent of Twitter. Liu Qiangdong, CEO of domestic e-commerce giant JD.com, wrote on Weibo that United Airlines’ recent violent treatment of a passenger brought back memories of his three “nightmarish experiences” flying United.

    “I can responsibly say: United Airlines has definitely the worst services in the world, second to none,” Liu wrote on Weibo.

    “China-US non-stop air routes have become some of the most profitable ‘golden routes’ in recent years thanks to Chinese citizens’ appetite for outbound travel and a relaxed US visa application process”, said Li Xiaojin, a professor at the Civil Aviation University of China, to the Global Times yesterday.

    In 2016, the passenger volume on China-US air routes surged 30 percent year-on-year, ranking as the fastest growing routes among all international flights, according to Li.

    United’s continued business in China “depends on the company’s public relations management ability to deal with the crisis and calm down public anger,” Li further said.

    Considering it took three days for United’s CEO to properly apologize, that ability is also now severely under question. (PTI)

  • 22 dead in fire at Senegal religious retreat

    22 dead in fire at Senegal religious retreat

    DAKAR (TIP): A fire ripped through makeshift shelters at a Muslim religious retreat in Senegal, killing at least 22 people and triggering a stampede, firefighters said on Thursday.

    The blaze broke out on Wednesday as worshippers gathered in the town of Medina Gounass in the southeastern region of Tambacounda, a senior official with the firefighting service told AFP.

    The cause was as yet unknown, the official said.

    Images of billowing clouds of smoke, the charred corpses of animals and devastation at the site circulated online, testifying to the fire’s impact.

    While some victims were badly burnt, others were hurt in the panicked stampede triggered by the blaze, the firefighter added. (AP)

  • Nearly 100 migrants feared missing after boat sinks off Libya: Coastguard

    Nearly 100 migrants feared missing after boat sinks off Libya: Coastguard

    TRIPOLI (TIP): Close to 100 migrants were feared missing after their boat sank off the Libyan coast near Tripoli on Thursday, a coastguard official said.

    Coastguard spokesman Ayoub Qassem said 23 migrants were rescued from the craft off Gargaresh, a western suburb of Tripoli. Survivors said the inflatable boat had set off with about 120 people on board.

    “Some 97 are still missing, including 15 women and children,” Qassem said. “What happened is that the base of the boat got wrecked and the boat had sunk.”

    Libya is the main departure point for migrants hoping to reach Europe by sea, and more than 150,000 have made the crossing from Libya to Italy in each of the past three years. (AP)

  • Assad says army ‘gave up’ all chemical weapons in 2013

    Assad says army ‘gave up’ all chemical weapons in 2013

    DAMASCUS (TIP): Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said his government handed over all its chemical weapons stockpiles in 2013 and could not have been behind last week’s suspected sarin attack.

    “There was no order to make any attack… We gave up our arsenal a few years ago. Even if we have them, we wouldn’t use them,” Assad said in an exclusive interview with AFP in Damascus on Wednesday. (AFP)

    Coalition airstrike mistakenly kills 18 Syrian rebels: Pentagon

    WASHINGTON (TIP): An airstrike on Tuesday by a US-led coalition fighting Islamic State mistakenly killed 18 members of the Syrian Democratic Forces south of the city of Tabqa, Syria, the Pentagon said on Thursday.

    “The strike was requested by the partnered forces, who had identified the target location as an ISIS fighting position,” it said in a statement, referring to the Islamic State militant group by an acronym. “The target location was actually a forward Syrian Democratic Forces fighting position.” (Reuters)

  • Coalition airstrike mistakenly kills 18 Syrian rebels: Pentagon

    Coalition airstrike mistakenly kills 18 Syrian rebels: Pentagon

    WASHINGTON (TIP): An airstrike on Tuesday by a US-led coalition fighting Islamic State mistakenly killed 18 members of the Syrian Democratic Forces south of the city of Tabqa, Syria, the Pentagon said on Thursday.

    “The strike was requested by the partnered forces, who had identified the target location as an ISIS fighting position,” it said in a statement, referring to the Islamic State militant group by an acronym. “The target location was actually a forward Syrian Democratic Forces fighting position.” (Reuters)

    Assad says army ‘gave up’ all chemical weapons in 2013

    DAMASCUS (TIP): Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said his government handed over all its chemical weapons stockpiles in 2013 and could not have been behind last week’s suspected sarin attack.

    “There was no order to make any attack… We gave up our arsenal a few years ago. Even if we have them, we wouldn’t use them,” Assad said in an exclusive interview with AFP in Damascus on Wednesday. (AFP)

  • US, AMNESTY, PAK GROUPS BACK INDIA ON JADHAV

    US, AMNESTY, PAK GROUPS BACK INDIA ON JADHAV

    NEW DELHI (TIP): Pakistan Army’s decision to execute alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav seems to have found little support globally. Not only has Amnesty International slammed the decision but also the civil rights groups within Pakistan.

    Top US think-tanks have questioned the secrecy of trial and the US NSA visit here next weekend is expected to see some plain speak by India on its ties with Pakistan, hinted people familiar with the developments.

    Neighbouring Iran, from where Jadhav has been doing business for over a decade, had earlier snubbed Islamabad for its attempt to drive a wedge between New Delhi and Tehran using the so called “spy card”.

    Iran has not supported Pakistan in the ongoing episode. “The death sentence given to Kulbushan Jadhav shows yet again how Pakistan’s military court system rides roughshod over international standards,” said Biraj Patnaik, South Asia director of Amnesty International.

    “What the Pakistan Army has done is to embarrass both the Sharif and the Modi governments,” said a civil activist from Pakistan. Yet another Pak activist described the decision of the military court as a sham and Pakistan military may be using this to seek concessions from Delhi after feeling the pressure over India’s growing support in West Asia and strong opposition to the China-Pakistan-Economic-Corridor.

    Officials also referred to the successful visit of Bangladesh PM Sheih Hasina and momentum in BIMSTEC process as factors that have further isolated Pakistan within the South Asian region. There is also an opinion that China may have influenced Pak decision after the Dalai Lama’s visit to Arunachal.

  • BJP-Akali joint candidate Sirsa wins Rajouri Garden bypoll, AAP loses deposit

    BJP-Akali joint candidate Sirsa wins Rajouri Garden bypoll, AAP loses deposit

    NEW DELHI (TIP): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) registered a huge victory in the Rajouri Garden Assembly bypoll in the national capital on April 13 handing a humiliating defeat to the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which finished a distant third and even lost deposit.

    BJP-Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) joint candidate Manjinder Singh Sirsa bagged 40,602 seats, over 50% of the total votes polled, in a boost for the saffron party ahead of the 23 April municipal polls.

    Congress’ Meenakshi Chandela finished second with 25,950 votes while AAP’s Harjeet Singh managed to get only 10,243 votes, less than one-sixth of the total votes polled, and lost deposit.

    In terms of vote share, the Congress staged a turnaround of sorts by getting around 33% of the total votes cast,in a jump of over 21% over the 2015 Assembly polls.

    Around 47% of the over 1.6 lakh electors of the west Delhi seat had cast their vote on 9 April.

    With the victory, the BJP’s tally in the 70-member Delhi Assembly will become four. The Congress does not have any presence in the House.

    The seat fell vacant early this year after AAP’s Jarnail Singh quit as MLA to contest the Punjab Assembly poll against SAD patron Parkash Singh Badal.

    Delhi’s richest MLA

    Sirsa will be the richest MLA in Delhi with declared assets of over Rs 185 crore.

    By this distinction, Sirsa dislodges AAP’s Pramila Tokas who topped the list of wealthiest MLAs until now with declared assets of Rs 87 crore. Tokas is an MLA from RK Puram in south Delhi.

    Sirsa, who had contested the assembly election in 2015 also, had declared assets of Rs 239 crore at that time. However, the worth of his assets has dropped by over 22% since then. Sirsa, who calls himself an “agriculturalist and businessman” on his affidavit filed in 2017, has declared moveable assets, such as money, cars, and other valuables worth almost Rs 89 crore, and immovable assets, such as agricultural land and commercial buildings worth over Rs 120 crore. He has also declared liabilities and other outstanding dues, like bank loans, worth approximately Rs 24 crore.

    According to an analysis by Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR), 11 of the 70 Delhi MLAs had total assets worth more than Rs 10 crore after the assembly election in 2015.

  • For 20 paisa each, bank data of 1-cr Indians was up for sale

    For 20 paisa each, bank data of 1-cr Indians was up for sale

    NEW DELHI (TIP): The bank account data of one crore Indians was up for sale. And it was dirt cheap at 10 or 20 paisa per individual, police investigations have revealed.

    Probing the case of an 80-year-old woman from Greater Kailash in south Delhi, who had lost Rs 1.46 lakh from her credit card, the cops have busted the module which stole data from insiders in banks, call centres and authorized firms, and sold it to crooks.

    What is shocking is that the arrest of a key player in the trade has led the cops to recover stolen data of one crore people, claimed DCP (south east) Romil Baaniya.

    The data, comprising card number, card holder name, date of birth and mobile number, is in several categories and runs into more than 20 gigabytes. Most sought after data is of senior citizens bank details, police said.

    The arrested person, Puran Gupta, a resident of Pandav Nagar, has claimed that he usually sold bulk data of around 50,000 people for anything between Rs 10,000-20,000. The accused is said to have bought the data from a Mumbai-based supplier. Raids are being conducted to arrest him.

    The crooks used this data by posing as bank representatives and convinced people into sharing details such as the CVV number and OTP, and used these to withdraw money.

    As the crooks were already armed with details such as the person’s name and card number, many of their targets fall into the trap and ended up furnishing their passwords.

  • India, UK working on latest jet engine

    India, UK working on latest jet engine

    NEW DELHI (TIP): India and the UK are jointly making one of the most powerful engines for fighter jets of the future and the first such engine will be unveiled within a year.

    The gas turbine engine, the very latest in technology, is being developed in collaboration between UK’s Rolls Royce and India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Gas Turbine and Research Establishment (GTRE), said Stephen Phipson, Head of Defence and Security Organisation, Department of International Trade, UK.

    He was interacting with mediapersons along with UK Secretary of State for Defence Sir Michael Fallon here after the India-UK Strategic Defence Dialogue. The UK delegation held talks with the Indian side led by Defence Minister Arun Jaitley.

    “This is a very high-thrust engine. It has the highest thrust possible in a jet engine,” said Phipson, who accompanied Sir Fallon at the press briefing. He, however, refused to divulge the details.

    Rolls Royce develops engines for leading global plane manufacturers, including military aircraft produced by countries such as the US.

    Sir Fallon said the UK and India were looking forward to having a defence and security partnership for a sea-borne aircraft carrier besides extending defence equipment cooperation to enable companies to collaborate on air defence missiles and gas turbine engines.

    “We are working on inter-operatability. We can include doctrines and training,” said Lt Gen Mark Poffley, the Deputy Chief of Defence Staff, UK’s Ministry of Defence.

    The two countries are looking to hold bilateral exercises in all three domains -Army, Air Force and Navy.

  • Capt says many Sikh Canadian ministers, MPs Khalistani sympathisers; Canada terms it disappointing, inaccurate

    Capt says many Sikh Canadian ministers, MPs Khalistani sympathisers; Canada terms it disappointing, inaccurate

    CHANDIGARH (TIP): Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh’s statement against Canadian defence minister Harjit Singh Sajjan terming him a “Khalistani sympathiser” has triggered a diplomatic row with the Canadian high commission on April 13 terming it “disappointing and inaccurate”.

    Reacting to the remarks, the Canadian high commission here said Canada greatly values its relationship with the people and the government of Punjab, and look forward to further advancing it. “We regret that the CM of Punjab is unavailable to meet with Canada’s minister of defence. The CM is welcome to visit Canada,” the high commission added.

    However, Amarinder rejected Canada’s defence and said he stood by his principled stand of not associating himself with any “Khalistani sympathiser”. Amarinder reiterated that the Canadian defence minister and several other top leaders in Canada were sympathising with those indulging in anti-India activities, notwithstanding Canada’s claims to the contrary, said a press note issued by his office.

    He named other Canadian political leaders, including Navdeep Bains, Amarjit Sohi, Sukh Dhaliwal, Darshan Kang, Raj Grewal, Harinder Malhi, Roby Sahota, Jagmeet Singh and Randeep Sari, as “well known for their leanings towards the Khalistani movement”.

    Amarinder had on April 12 alleged that Sajjan, like his father, is a “Khalistani sympathiser” and he would not meet him during his scheduled visit to India from April 17 as he (Sajjan) and four other Sikh ministers in the Justin Trudeau cabinet scuttled his visit to Canada before Punjab assembly polls.

    Canadian Defense minister Harjit Singh Sajjan
    Canadian Defense minister Harjit Singh Sajjan

    The CM said while Sajjan was welcome to attend conferences and meets, and even to visit the Golden Temple in Amritsar, he would personally not entertain the Canadian minister. The state government would provide full security to the minister and also ensure that he gets due treatment as per protocol, said Amarinder.

    Amarinder also lashed out at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Dal Khalsa for their criticism of his refusal to meet Sajjan.

    In Canadian federal elections of 2015, Jutin Trudeau and his liberal party faced criticism from a section of Punjabi diaspora in Vancouver over World Sikh organisation (WSO), said to be a radical organisation, supporting Punjabi-Sikh candidates in the polls, including Sajjan.

  • Pak army brass discusses Kulbhushan Jadhav case, rules out compromise

    Pak army brass discusses Kulbhushan Jadhav case, rules out compromise

    New Delhi/Islamabad (TIP):  The Pakistan army brass decided after a discussion on April 13 that there would be no compromise on the issue of the death sentence+ awarded to retired Indian Navy commandant Kulbhushan Jadhav, an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pak army’s media wing, said in a statement. Also, the Pakistan foreign office officially acknowledged that one of its retired army officers was missing in Nepal.

    The Jadhav issue was discussed at the corps commanders’ conference held in the army’s General Headquarters in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, and presided over by the chief of army staff, Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa. The participants were briefed about Jadhav+ , who was sentenced to death by a field general court martial earlier this week, the ISPR presser said. The unprecedented April 10 decision has sparked a major diplomatic row between the two hostile neighbours.

    The Pakistan authorities also warned against the linking of its missing ex-army officer in Nepal with the Jadhav issue.

  • INCOME TAX DEPT LAUNCHES ‘OP CLEAN MONEY’-II; TO PROBE 60,000 PEOPLE

    INCOME TAX DEPT LAUNCHES ‘OP CLEAN MONEY’-II; TO PROBE 60,000 PEOPLE

    NEW DELHI (TIP): The Income Tax department will investigate over 60,000 individuals under the second phase of the ‘Operation Clean Money’ which was launched on Friday with a view to detecting black money generation post demonetisation.

    The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), policy-making body of the department, said it had detected undisclosed income of over Rs 9,334 crore between November 9, 2016 and February 28 this year. The note ban was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 8 last year.

    “More than 60,000 people, including 1,300 high-risk ones, have been identified for investigation into claims of excessive cash sales during the demonetisation period. More than 6,000 transactions of high value property purchase and 6,600 cases of outward remittances shall be subjected to detailed investigations (under Operation Clean Money II).

    “All the cases where no response is received shall also be subjected to detailed enquiries,” the CBDT said.

    A senior officer said advanced data analytics had been used to identify suspect cash deposits before launching the latest edition of the operation. As part of the first phase of the ‘Operation Clean Money’, launched on January 31 this year, the department had sent online queries and investigated 17.92 lakh people out of which 9.46 lakh people had responded to the department. Source: PTI

     

     

  • SUPREME COURT NOTICE TO CENTRE, EC ON EVM ROW

    SUPREME COURT NOTICE TO CENTRE, EC ON EVM ROW

    NEW DELHI (TIP): Amid raging controversy over authenticity of electronic voting machines (EVMs), the Supreme Court on April 13 issued notices to the Centre and the Election Commission on petitions alleging that EVMs can be easily hacked to favour a particular candidate or a political party. The petitions demanded paper trail on all EVMs.

    A Bench headed by Justice J Chelameswar asked the NDA government and the EC to respond to the petition filed by the Bahujan Samaj Party and Samajwadi Party MLA Ataur Rehman by May 8, the next date of hearing.

    After tasting poll defeat, BSP chief Mayawati and AAP convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had alleged that EVMs were tampered with. The BSP alleged that large-scale tampering of EVMs helped the BJP to win the UP Assembly polls. The Congress and Trinamool Congress told the court that they, too, wanted to be heard in the matter.

    “The views of technicians working in this field are important and not of what political parties say,” the Bench told senior counsel P Chidambaram who appeared for both the BSP and Rehman. The Bench said EVMs were a remedy to several ills that plagued the voting system before it was introduced. Chidambaram pointed out that a 2013 verdict of the SC made it mandatory for the EC to install VVPAT. Despite the EC writing to the government 10 times since June last, including the Chief Election Commissioner’s letter to the Prime Minister, the government didn’t release funds for paper trail machines. “They need Rs 3,000 crore for having this system,” he told the Bench.

    He, however, chose to withdraw the BSP’s prayer for deferring forthcoming elections until paper trail machines were made available after the Bench said it would not like to get drawn into political controversies.

    On behalf of the Congress, senior counsel Kapil Sibal said EVMs were not used in any democracy, except a couple of countries in latin America. “But, this system was introduced when your party was in power,” the Bench commented. Noting that it would not decide the issue on the basis of which country was using or not using it, the Bench said: “We would purely go on the basis of law and technical data.”