December Issue

DECEMBER 2017 

Burqa-clad gunmen 

strike Pakistan 

varsity, 9 killed 

ISLAMABAD: Taliban fighters 

disguised in burqas stormed 

Peshawar’s Agricultural Training 

Institute on Friday morning, 

killing at least nine people and 

injuring a further 32, many of 

them students. The men, who 

reportedly arrived in an autorickshaw, 

attacked the students’ 

hostel. The institute was closed 

for the Eid-e-Milad holiday. The 

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan 

claimed responsibility for the 

attack. It also posted a photo of 

the three attackers with Taliban 

leader Mullah Fazlullah. An 

operation launched by security 

forces, assisted by military helicopters 

conducting aerial surveillance 

of the premises, was 

successful in killing the three 

attackers. 

Pakistan Army spokesman 

Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor confirmed 

all three attackers were 

dead, adding that the identity of 

a fourth suspected attacker was 

being confirmed. Khyber- 

Pakhtunkhwa police said they 

recovered three suicide jackets, 

20 grenades and small arms and 

ammunition from the bodies of 

the terrorists. Mehsud also said 

security forces were able to 

secure a second hostel before the 

terrorists could reach it. “There 

were around 60 people in one 

hostel and 50-60 in the other,” he 

said, adding that residential 

colonies are located in the surrounding 

area. 

‘Yes, we can solve any 

PROBLEM TOGETHER’ 

Former president says if the US and India work together, there 

is no challenge in the world that they cannot overcome 

NEW DELHI: There is no 

problem that can’t be solved if 

India and the United States 

work together, former US president 

Barack Obama said on 

Friday as he called for a more 

inclusive global order to 

address challenges such as 

inequality and terrorism. 

The 44th US president 

unveiled a four-point agenda 

for the world order: tackling 

problems arising from the globalisation 

of economies; working 

multilaterally on issues 

such as climate change and terrorism; 

giving diplomacy its 

due for dealing with problems 

such as the North Korean 

nuclear crisis; and the right way 

of consuming information. 

Arriving to a standing ovation 

from an exuberant audience 

at the 15th Hindustan 

Times Leadership Summit, 

Obama recalled his special 

fondness for fostering ties 

between the “world’s oldest 

and largest democracies” that 

he had described as the “defining 

partnership for the 21st century”. 

“If India and the US are 

working together, I believe 

‘Even if they asked for a 

blonde, I went to audition’ 

NEWDELHI: For 

32 years, Naomi 

Campbell has scorched 

the ramp across the 

world, achieving stardom 

at a very young 

age, living a fairytale 

life among the who’s 

who of fashion and 

glamour. Among the 

very few black models 

in the 80s when she 

started her career, the 

47year-old Campbell said she 

took great pride in being able to 

represent her race, the women of 

colour, in the industry. “I was 

told many times, ‘we are looking 

for a redhead or a blonde’. 

I went nevertheless to let the 

casting director see me and perhaps 

remember me for something 

else,” she said at the 

Hindustan Times Leadership 

Summit on Friday. For the 

British supermodel, it’s the lessons 

she learnt as a youngster 

from her mother, a ballerina, 

which have guided her and 

helped her face the world with 

confidence. “I get my physical 

there is no problem we cannot 

solve,” Obama said, recalling 

how the two sides worked 

together to deal with tough 

issues such as the recovery of 

the world economy and the 

Paris climate deal. 

“That’s one of the reasons 

why Prime Minister [Narendra] 

Modi and I met an unprecedented 

nine times, because all of the 

key challenges we face will be 

and mental 

strength from my 

mother... My 

mother sacrificed 

a lot for me,” 

Campbell said. In 

a free-wheeling 

chat with Indian 

model and actor, 

Milind Soman, 

Campbell shared 

nuggets of her 

life’s journey — 

from her early struggles as a 

model, learning to handle criticism 

and her love for yoga and 

organic products. 

Campbell recalled being 

raised by a nanny before being 

sent to England for her schooling 

while her mother stayed back in 

Switzerland. 

easier to achieve if India continues 

to play a larger role, not just 

in the Asia-Pacific region but on 

the world stage,” he added. The 

PM met Obama later in the day. 

“It was a pleasure to meet, once 

again, former President 

BarackObama, and learn about 

the new initiatives being taken 

forward under his leadership at 

the @ObamaFoundation and 

his perspectives on further 

strengthening India-US strategic 

partnership,” Modi tweeted. 

Obama, who visited India twice 

as the US president, praised 

Modi and his predecessor 

Manmohan Singh, who was the 

first state guest during his second 

term, in equal measure during 

the hour-long interaction. 

He called for harnessing 

high technology in a way that 

creates more jobs and addresses 

inequality while countering 

fears and worries created 

among some segments of society 

by the globalisation of the 

economy. Though many people 

had benefited, some felt globalisation 

and automation had 

weakened their position and 

resulted in job losses. 

Flynn pleads guilty to lying to FBI 

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WASHINGTON : U.S. 

President Donald Trump’s former 

National Security Adviser 

Michael Flynn pleaded guilty 

on Friday to making 

false statements to 

the Federal Bureau 

of Investigation, the 

first plea by any of 

the four former 

advisers of the 

President charged 

so far in a wideranging 

investigation 

led by special 

counsel Robert 

Mueller. “Yes, sir,” the retired 

three-star General and former 

military intelligence chief said 

when asked in court if he wanted 

to plead guilty. Mr. Flynn 

said he lied about his conversations 

with Russia’s Ambassador 

to the U.S. during the transition 

period before Mr. Trump’s inauguration. 

The guilty plea makes 

Mr. Flynn the first person to 

have actually worked in the 

Trump White House to face formal 

charges in the investigation, 

which is examining possible 

coordination between Russia 

and the Trump campaign to 

influence the outcome of the 

2016 election. Mr. Flynn has 

been under investigation for a 

wide range of allegations, 

including lobbying work on 

behalf of Turkey, however the 

fact that he was charged only 

with a single count of false 

statements suggests Mr. Flynn 

is cooperating with Mr. 

Mueller’s investigation in 

exchange for leniency. Early on, 

Mr. Trump had taken a particular 

interest in the status of the 

Flynn investigation. Former 

FBI Director James Comey has 

said Mr. Trump had asked him 

in a private Oval 

Office meeting to 

consider ending the 

investigation. The 

White House has 

denied that assertion. 

Forced to resign 

: Mr. Flynn, who was 

interviewed by the 

FBI just days after 

Mr. Trump’s inauguration, 

was forced to 

resign in February after White 

House officials said he had misled 

them about whether he had 

discussed sanctions with the 

Russian ambassador, Sergey 

Kislyak. Administration officials 

said Mr. Flynn had not discussed 

sanctions that had been 

imposed on Russia in part over 

election meddling. In charging 

Mr. Flynn, prosecutors made 

clear they believe that claim to 

be false. 

Aides under scanner : Mr. 

Mueller’s team announced 

charges last month against three 

other Trump campaign officials, 

former chairman Paul Manafort 

and his business associate Rick 

Gates, and a former foreign policy 

adviser, George Papadopoulos. 

Signs of Mr. Flynn cooperating 

with Mr. Mueller’s team surfaced 

in the past week, as his lawyers 

told the legal team they could no 

longer discuss information about 

the case with them. Scheduled 

grand jury testimony regarding 

Flynn was also postponed by 

prosecutors.

2 December 2017 

UNITED KINGDOM 

www.theasianindependent.co.uk 

“The UK stands ready to support the region’s work to 

bring an end to the conflict and suffering in South Sudan” 

Statement by Ambassador Jonathan 

Allen, UK Deputy Permanent 

Representative to the UN, at the 

Security Council Briefing on South 

Sudan. Mr President, time and time 

again, we have voiced our despair at the 

depths of the suffering of the people of 

South Sudan. The scale of the numbers 

is deeply shocking: one third of the population 

have been forced to flee their 

homes and more than half the population 

lack enough food to feed themselves 

and their families. And yet, the 

parties to the conflict, including the 

Government, continue to mount offensives 

on innocent civilians. They are 

deaf to the misery of their own people. 

It is more important than ever that the 

international community shows the people 

of South Sudan that we will act 

together to work for peace, even if 

South Sudan’s leaders will not. 

Innocent civilians continue to pay the 

price for the failures of the political 

elite, but President Kiir’s long overdue 

decree ordering safe passage for humanitarian 

agencies is welcome. We hope 

that this will result in real improvements 

in getting assistance to those that so desperately 

need it. Because physical 

restrictions, whether resolved or not, 

represent just the tip of the iceberg, as 

bureaucratic impediments including 

costly registration fees, and delays in 

Team AI : 

Devinder Chander 

Editor-in-chief 

Prof. Mohan Sapra 

Advisory Editor 

Fred Shakir 

Marketing & Creative Manager 

Columnists 

V.B. Rawat 

Farzana Suri 

Arun Kumar 

Head Office 

46 Summer Rd, Erdington 

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Email : 

info@theasianindependent.co.uk 

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The Asian Independent is an 

Intellectual Property of 

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receiving permits, prevent 

humanitarians from reaching 

those most in need. 

Like others, we are 

extremely concerned that 

UNMISS continues to face 

significant restrictions of 

movement, including 

restrictions imposed by 

Government forces. We are 

particularly troubled by a 

disturbing trend of harassment, 

threats and physical 

assault of UN staff. This 

must stop immediately. 

Those responsible will be 

judged by their actions, not 

their words. 

Mr President, South 

Sudan is at a cross roads. 

Its leaders are being offered 

a last chance to commit to 

peace and demonstrate that they care for 

their people and their country. They 

have repeatedly failed to do so. Too 

many times ceasefires have been 

declared while gunshots continue to 

ring out. But IGAD’s Revitalisation 

Forum offers hope for the people of 

South Sudan, and I would like to reiterate 

the UK’s full support for this process 

and to thank both IGAD and the African 

Union for their hard work over recent 

months. IGAD foreign ministers and the 

UK is committed to eliminating 

violence against women and girls 

Excerpts of the speech 

by the British Deputy 

High Commissioner 

Kolkata Bruce Bucknell 

at the ‘International 

Conference on Anti- 

Human Trafficking’ in 

Kolkata. Thank you for agreeing 

to include us – the British 

Deputy High Commission in 

Kolkata – as a partner for this 

event today. I congratulate Sister 

Monica Suchiang – Director, 

Kolkata Mary Ward Social 

Centre and her team 

for organising this 

two-day conference. 

And for bringing 

together participants 

from across India and 

overseas. But I’m not 

happy that we are discussing this 

subject in the year 2017. It is an 

abhorrent crime. Victims of 

human trafficking are subject to 

terrible mistreatment and 

exploitation. Those who engage 

in it don’t recognise the dignity 

Special Envoy have actively reached 

out to both the elites and civil society 

across the region as part of their revitalization 

process. The UK stands ready to 

support the region’s work to bring an 

end to the conflict and suffering in 

South Sudan, and we welcome the 

African Union Peace and Security 

Council’s clearly worded communiqué 

of the 22 of September 2017. 

The international community must 

use the full range of options to ensure 

or worth of human beings. 

People are not commodities. We 

should bring to justice those who 

perpetrate these crimes and 

exploit other human beings, 

often at the most vulnerable 

points in their lives, for personal 

or commercial gain. We should 

not tolerate it. It’s not just about 

individual human beings. 

Human trafficking erodes the 

security and cohesion of communities. 

It undermines the prosperity 

of nations. 

Jeremy Corbyn personally briefed 

on # FreeJaggiNow campaign 

London – Last night the 

Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn 

joined Shadow Chancellor John 

McDonnell, Deputy leader Tom 

Watson and 1,500 supporters at a 

Budget rally in West Bromwich. 

Sukhvinder Singh, an adviser 

to the Sikh Federation (UK) and 

Assistant Secretary General of the 

Sikh Council UK shared a train 

with Jeremy Corbyn as he travelled 

from London to Birmingham 

New Street. This provided 

Sukhvinder Singh an ideal opportunity 

to speak to Jeremy Corbyn 

and provide a personal briefing on 

the latest situation with regards to 

the illegal detention and torture of 

Jagtar Singh Johal by Indian 

police. Jeremy Corbyn was concerned 

with Indian police treatment 

of the 30-year old Scot from 

Dumbarton who has alleged 

police torture. He expressed his 

disquiet with the method of 

abduction, the lack of access to 

lawyers, British consular staff and 

family for the first 10 days, 

Jagtar’s allegations of third degree 

torture, the fact he remains in 

police custody rather than judicial 

custody and the refusal to grant an 

independent medical examination. 

Jeremy Corbyn said he would discuss 

the matter with Preet Kaur 

Gill, the Chair of the All Party 

Parliamentary Group for British 

Sikhs and Labour MP for 

Birmingham Edgbaston and try 

and meet with Jagtar’s family and 

campaigners early next week. 

that all parties meaningfully and constructively 

engage. This cannot be an 

open-ended process that allows more 

delays, leading to more suffering for the 

people of South Sudan. As the African 

Union communiqué says, it must be 

clear that this is a final chance and that 

there will be consequences for not 

engaging. As a Council, we should 

commit to return to this issue early in 

the new year in order to consider 

whether we have seen enough progress, 

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whether there are individuals or parties 

who are blocking peace, and be ready to 

take appropriate action if so. 

Given the fragile situation in South 

Sudan, we are concerned that the 

Government is considering running 

elections next year. There is no possibility 

that the conditions for good elections 

will be in place next year. Seeking to 

hold them when the conditions are not 

right is likely to drive further conflict. 

As the African Union and IGAD have 

set out, the timelines in the Peace 

Agreement must be revised to allow for 

a conducive environment for holding 

elections. The National Dialogue must 

be held in support of the Revitalisation 

of the Peace Agreement; it cannot provide 

a solution in itself. 

Mr President, I want to conclude by 

reiterating our plea to the leaders of 

South Sudan: Stop the violence and 

engage meaningfully in the revitalisation 

process. Stop blocking and impeding 

UNMISS and the Regional 

Protection Force. Stop attacks against 

UN and humanitarian workers. And 

stop denying humanitarian aid from 

reaching your people. You are starving 

them to death. Mr President, South 

Sudan is at a cross roads. We should do 

all that we can to support the region’s 

efforts to ensure its leaders choose the 

right path.



December 2017 

3 

UK TROOPS AWARDED UN MEDALS FOR 

SOUTH SUDAN PEACEKEEPING MISSION 

Over 100 British soldiers on a UN 

peacekeeping mission in South Sudan 

have been awarded their UN medals. 

MEDALS have been awarded to 106 

UK troops currently deployed on Op 

TRENTON, the UK contribution to the 

United Nations Mission in South Sudan 

(UNMISS). There are nearly 400 troops 

deployed in the world’s newest country, 

split across three locations. Soldiers 

from the 32 Engineer Regiment led Task 

Force were recognised for their service 

to the UN by the Special Representative 

of the Secretary General Mr David 

Shearer on parade in Malakal. He said: 

I would like to recognise the commendable 

efforts of everyone here on 

parade and honour your dedicated service 

here in South Sudan. Your efforts 

and professionalism are highly regarded 

and you make a valuable contribution to 

UNMISS.Wear these medals as the 

proud and worthy ambassadors of your 

country and of the United Nations that 

you are. The UK Engineering and 

Medical Task Force has made a vital 

contribution to supporting the UN mission 

through improving infrastructure in 

the form of helicopter landing sites, runways, 

jetty and drainage improvements 

and staff accommodation builds. They 

have also been staffing the UK built 

Level 2 field hospital which provides 

essential healthcare to over 1,800 UN 

civilian and military staff based in 

Bentiu. Air Vice Marshall Gary 

Waterfall, Chief of Staff for Joint 

Operations, also presented medals and 

thanked the soldiers for their work 

which represents the UK’s renewed 

contribution to UN peacekeeping operations. 

He said: We are dipping our toe 

back into the peacekeeping waters. But 

this moment marks that we have made it 

a step further, with our first full rotation 

earning their medals. I am proud of this 

achievement, and proud of all of you on 

parade that have made it possible. 

The Commanding Officer of the UK 

Task Force is Royal Engineer, 

Lieutenant Colonel Katie Hislop. She 

said: Today is about our people and providing 

the recognition that all our soldiers 

deserve; not just those visible on 

200 people attend NDA’s 

first stakeholder summit 

in WEST CUMBRIA 

were set up for local community 

groups, including charities and 

small businesses, to share ideas 

and highlight the achievement of 

enterprises that had received 

funding from the NDA’s socioeconomic 

budget. The second 

day was devoted to discussing 

support for socio-economic initiatives, 

which is part of the 

NDA’s mission to decommission 

and clean up the UK’s civil 

nuclear legacy. NDA representatives 

explained how i it was 

committed to using all resources 

available, including financial 

support, to ensure a positive lasting 

More than 200 stakeholders 

from across the UK and overseas 

munities around our sites, and 

those further afield who have a impact in the communities 

where it operates. 

gathered in Cumbria for a 2-day real and genuine interest in our The NDA’s Head of 

summit organised by the Nuclear mission to decommission and Stakeholder Relations, Bill 

Decommissioning Authority clean up the UK’s 

Hamilton, said: I’m 

(NDA). It was the first opportunity 

for the NDA’s recently 

nuclear sites. 

The event aimed 

delighted about how well 

the event has gone and 

appointed Chief Executive at encouraging discussion 

about the open, honest 

Officer David Peattie and 

about the 

and constructive dialogue 

Chairman Tom Smith to meet NDA’s work, 

that’s happened over the 

collectively with a wide range of including how it 

last 2 days. 

individuals, including representatives 

manages the 

Our stakeholders come 

from all communities radioactive waste 

from as far afield as the 

hosting the 17 NDA sites. held on its sites. In 

north of Scotland, 

David Peattie said: ‘The Big Waste 

Ireland, Austria, the Isle 

Maintaining strong relationships 

with our stakeholders is vitally 

important to the NDA and to me 

personally. I am committed to 

meeting and listening to as many 

people as possible from the com- 

Debate’, UK and international 

nuclear industry experts shared 

views alongside renowned academics, 

authors and critics of the 

industry. 

An exhibition and workshops 

of Man and the south east of 

England. To get them all together 

in one place to discuss our 

decommissioning mission in this 

way is a first and has been 

extremely valuable for the NDA. 

the parade square right now, but those 

who are in the sangars and behind the 

scenes covering essential duties to protect 

and sustain us. 

The Task Force has faced some 

unique challenges during its deployment 

which began at the start of the wet 

season. However, through innovation 

and teamwork, much needed improvements 

to UN infrastructure in both 

Malakal and Bentiu have been made. 

These will have a lasting impact on the 

mission and the next engineering contingent 

has been set up well for success 

next year. The current contingent will 

remain in South Sudan over the 

Christmas period, continuing to enable 

the mission to protect civilians and 

build durable peace. They will return 

home to their families in January 2018. 

Minister for Africa Rory 

Stewart in Kenya 

Minister for Africa makes first 

official visit to Kenya to attend the 

inauguration of President Uhuru 

Kenyatta. Minister for Africa Rory 

Stewart visited Kenya from 27-28 

November to attend the inauguration 

of President Uhuru Kenyatta. This 

was Mr Stewart’s 

first official visit 

to the country. The 

Minister attended 

the inauguration 

ceremony and the 

official inauguration 

luncheon on 

28 November. In 

the afternoon, Mr 

Stewart met with President Kenyatta 

and passed on a message of congratulations 

from Prime Minister Theresa 

May, alongside an invitation to the 

Commonwealth Summit in London 

next year. During productive discussions, 

President Kenyatta and Mr 

Stewart discussed the future of the 

wide-ranging partnership shared by 

the UK and Kenya. The Minister welcomed 

the President’s commitment to 

national unity, and made clear his 

hope that Kenya will now come 

together in the spirit of reconciliation, 

after a difficult election period. 

Speaking at the end of the visit, Mr 

Stewart said: I am pleased that I was 

able to visit Kenya 

and attend President 

Kenyatta’s inauguration. 

This marks the 

moment where Kenya 

can move forward 

after a prolonged, 

divisive election period 

in a new spirit of 

reconciliation. I hope 

that all Kenyans will recognise the 

need now for national dialogue and 

healing. The UK has extensive and 

historic links with Kenya, through our 

business links, our development programmes, 

and our diasporas. This has 

been an opportunity to reaffirm our 

partnership and hear more about the 

ways that our two countries can work 

together.




Words of Victory from the Victory Coach? 

All about money 

"You can be young without money, but you can't be old without it." 

Tennessee Williams 

One of the most important skills for any 

person to be victorious in life is to learn 

Money Consciousness. In fact, I daresay you 

ought to be taught this in schools. 

This is most fundamental learning in 

today's times. Haven't you heard of stories 

where the rich and famous are dying alone 

and destitute with no one to care and no 

funds to bank on? It's scary and sad. Money 

is fast becoming the oxygen of life. Who 

doesn't want money? Everyone. Charities 

need it as much as capitalists. 

Money consciousness. 

It is not obsessing about being rich as 

such, but being inthe awareness of how 

money affects your life and the financial 

implications it has in your life. And, itall germinates 

in the mind. You have to first decide 

what do you want. If you are focussing on 

being a money magnet, you're doing it all 

wrong. Money has no relevant ferromagnetism.We 

do not attract money.We can, however 

create wealth. Therein lies the difference.The 

concept of attracting money is passive, 

stagnant, and limited. On the contrary, 

creating wealth is unlimited and active. 

Without money consciousness, building 

wealth can be quite difficult, elusive and perhaps 

erratic. There is no other way. Think of 

people who win lotteries. Most winners of 

ASIAN FOOTBALL LEGEND 

SHINGARA SINGH 

One of the most known 

Asian Football Club in the 

country, FC Khalsa Leicester, 

whose home ground is at 

Judgemeadow Community 

College, celebrated their 

recent promotion to the 

Premier Division of 

Leicestershire Senior League 

with a Dinner Dance and 

awarded one of their former 

players Shingara Singh " 

SHANNY " with the 1st ever 

LEGEND TROPHY to recognise 

his achievements in Asian 

and Local football on 

Saturday 18 November at 

'The Venue', Gwendolin Road, 

Leicester. 

The special award was presented 

by the Chief Guest Deputy 

Mayor of Leicester City Council 

Piara Singh Clair who congratulated 

the club for returning to the 

Premier League and was also full 

of praise of FC Khalsa's amazing 

other achievements and was 

pleased to be invited among his 

friends. In his prime Shingara 

Singh "Shanny" was one of the 

best around and thrilled fans with 

his his wing play and goals. The 

packed hall of over 400 people 

gave Shanny a standing ovation 

that lasted 10 minutes. He arrived 

in Leicester from the land of five 

rivers Punjab, India just after the 

1966 World Cup, lived on Mere 

Road opposite the Spinney Hill 

Park. Shingara Singh said parents 

did not have much money in 

those days so our father got us 

Author - Farzana Suri 

lotteries throw away their newfound money 

within a year. Why? Because without money 

consciousness, wealth hardly stays around. 

Money consciousness and wealth creation 

starts within. It is,simply evidenced outside. 

But, how can you become a money conscious 

person? 

To be conscious about money is to ask 

yourself in any situation that involves a 

financial obligation, these questions? 

1. Do I really want to do this or are there 

other things I would rather spend the money 

I have on? 

2. Is this a smart spending decision? 

DO NOT focus, solely on the immediate 

cost. Take into account the long-term 

expenses associated with your choice. Get a 

one football with which we 

played whenever possible. One 

ball got so many kids playing. 

Started playing for the Moat Boys 

School team and went to play for 

Sapna, East Park, Invincibles, 

Carabean Club, and New Parks in 

the early 70s " We played against 

Shingara Singh of Leicester many 

times. He was a very good 

winger who had absolutely no 

friends during the game yet 

everyone was his friend when the 

match finished. Such a nice 

person. Loads of 

Congratulations from all of 

us"....Sarabjit Singh Garcha, 

ex - First Team Coach, 

Hounslow FC. 

Shingara Singh commented 

" I feel very good and honoured 

to be presented with the 

1st Legend Trophy by FC 

Khalsa Leicester whom I 

enjoyed playing for. It makes 

you extra happy and proud 

when others associated with 

the great game of football 

like players and supporters 

think of you as a legend. I 

would like to thank my first 

Manager Mr. Nirmal Singh Ji for 

his dedicated encouragement and 

support. My best game was at the 

first Derby Summer Tournament 

against the local Punjab United 

Derby who were one of the best 

teams at the time. We had three 

players sent off and were losing 2 

- 0. Just like the Leicester City 

that won the Premier League in 

2016 we never gave up. I scored 

a goal, won a penalty which made 

it 2-2. After this there was going 

to be one winner and we got 

another goal in normal time to 

reach the final which we also won 

against Bedford despite having a 

weakened team as the sent off 

players in the semi final could not 

play in the final. 

Kids should play football and 

other outdoor games which will 

keep them fit and healthy as well 

as out of trouble. " 

handle on how much that particular action 

will cost. That's it. And, yes, it's okay to 

spend now and then on those frills. However, 

a check and balance attitude can go a long 

way. Last year, I noticed I spent more money 

on buying clothes I either don't wear or don't 

fit me!Almost INR 3 lacs! 

Watch where you spend. Has it helped 

you grow or your money grow? 

Focus on creating value 

Do not focus on attracting or getting 

money. Create value in the world and watch 

how wealth follows you around like a besotted 

puppy. 

Keep asking the right questions. Because 

how you think affects what you think. 

How do you create value to become 

invaluable? 

Wake up each morning asking yourself 

these questions: 

1. What can I help with? 

2. How can I add more value to more people 

in less amount of time? 

With amoney conscious lifestyle,watch 

your financial decisions improving and your 

bank account growing. 

Don't pine for money. Romance her, 

respectfully! 

Wish you victory in managing your 

money! 

Trump wrong to share far-right 

videos: British PM’s office 

London, It was wrong for 

US President Donald Trump to 

retweet videos posted by farright 

group Britain First, 

Downing Street has said. 

Trump shared three posts by 

the group’s deputy leader, 

including unverified footage 

purporting to show Muslims 

committing 

crimes. British 

Prime Minister 

Theresa May’s 

spokesman said 

Britain First used 

“hateful narratives 

which peddle lies 

and stoke tensions”, 

BBC reported on 

Wednesday. Labour’s Jeremy 

Corbyn called the retweets 

“abhorrent” and “dangerous”. 

Britain First was founded in 

2011 by former members of the 

far-right British National Party 

(BNP). The group has grabbed 

attention on social media with 

controversial posts about what 

it deems “the Islamification of 

the UK”. It has previously put 

up members to run in European 

elections and by-elections on 

anti-immigration and antiabortion 

policies, but has yet to 

secure any seats. The first 

tweet, from deputy leader 

Jayda Fransen, claims to show 

a Muslim migrant attacking a 

man on crutches. 

This was followed by two 

more videos of people Ms 

Fransen claims to be Muslim. 

White House spokeswoman 

Sarah Sanders said May and 

other world leaders knew the 

videos highlighted “real threats 

that we have to talk 

about”. “Whether 

it’s a real video, the 

threat is real,” she 

a d d e d . 

However,Trump’s 

tweets — shared 

with his 43.6 million 

followers — 

prompted a wave of criticism 

in the UK. Corbyn tweeted: “I 

hope our government will condemn 

far-right retweets by 

Donald Trump. They are 

abhorrent, dangerous and a 

threat to our society.” Veteran 

Tory MP Nicholas Soames said 

Trump had finally proved he is 

“wholly unsuited” to the role of 

president. Meanwhile, fellow 

Conservative MP Nadhim 

Zahawi has written a letter to 

Trump urging him to delete the 

retweets Speaking in the 

Commons, Labour MP David 

Lammy accused Mr Trump of 

“promoting a fascist, racist, 

extremist hate group”.




5 

Is media becoming a threat to democracy ? 

I had long left watching the PR agents on the 

TV studios discussing nationalism or pushing the 

particular agendas of their political parties. It is 

over 5 years that I stopped buying newspapers or 

magazines. I do go through the news through my 

twitter handle as well as some other forwarded 

material but that too I am quite selective. In the 

morning, I go through the important tweets that i 

follow including some of them coming from prestigious 

dailies internationally as well as nationally. 

The new web news-portals are doing far better 

work than the çhaudhuries’ of our so called mainstream 

media. 

In the past, when I used to read a whole bunch 

of papers and magazine, I only read them for getting 

news. One news in 5 different dailies would 

be presented in different ways. During the Babari 

Masjid demolition period, I found that the owners 

of the biggest dailies and news conglomerate did 

a balancing act. Most of the owners had group of 

publications in English and 

Hindi. Some of them went 

to the other languages 

too. So, one publication 

was dedicated to promoting 

Hindutva while other 

would be chasing them 

out. But it was basically a 

division of work between 

Hindutva brahmins versus 

socialist brahmins. A 

Padgaonker would write 

against BJP while a Vidya 

Niwas Mishra, sitting in 

Navbharat Times would 

be giving them sermons 

of greatness. And it was 

not the story of the Times. 

All the major newspaper 

houses were doing that. All of them had two commonality 

of ideas. One, to portray Hindu Dharma 

as the greatest of the world, most liberal and second 

all of them happened to be opposing Mandal 

Commission recommendations and hated reservations. 

Some of them had open hatred while others 

had concealed hatred for reservation. There was 

other combination. Arun Shourie in the Indian 

Express and Prabhash Joshi in Jansatta. Both had 

mastery over their languages. While Shourie was 

a hard core anti Mandal who used VP Singh and 

later started abusing him, Joshi remain his friend 

yet condemn his Mandal Act. Both of them would 

interact with their readers. Arun Shourie was dismissed 

unceremoniously by Ramnath Goenka 

when he wrote a nasty piece against VP Singh 

which the Express owner felt was against the policy 

of the paper. Shourie slowly made his way to 

Hindutva camp abusing all the seculars and 

minorities. His third class work on Ambedkar 

became a talk of town among the middle class 

casteist Hindus who jumped on his anti reservation 

rhetorics. 

Not many people knew that the first ever book 

that Shourie published was a kind of critique of 

Gita and Hinduism itself but he perhaps has disown 

that. I don’t know whether the copies are 

available but later he became an unabashed fan of 

brahmanical Hindutva. Prabhash Joshi became 

You can’t think of 

them coming anywhere 

close to Times, Guardian or 

The New York Times. Of 

Course, the loudmouths may 

claim them the best and 

biggest champions of nationalism 

but we don’t need to 

respond to them as they 

have openly exposed themselves 

and the ideology 

underneath which reflect in 

their venomously cooked up 

stories spreading poison of 

hatred and conflict just for 

attaining farcical TRPs. 

the champion of the secular brigade who considered 

that Hindus can not be represented by the 

Sangh Parivar. His viewpoint was clear that the 

Sanghi brahmins cannot represent 

the secular-socialist 

brahmins but Joshi was 

arrogantly proud of his 

brahmin faith. He would 

quote copiously from those 

texts. Joshi was the ‘progressive’ 

editor who supported 

the Sati and felt that 

it was the highest tradition 

of sacrifice of the Indian 

woman. 

Once Prabhash Joshi 

wrote an article in Jansatta : 

Jaat pe mat jaao meri baat 

pe aao’, where he responded 

in details the accusation 

of being castiests. I wrote a letter regarding 

that as an editor he will have the last laugh. He 

can interact, write and unilaterally be selective. I 

told him that all his arguments can be countered 

very easily but I respected him because I loved his 

language. He personally wrote and send me a 

handwritten letter giving in details why he felt 

pained because people charge him with being 

casteist but then the facts remain. I did not enter 

into an argument but in his later stage he perhaps 

was more visible in the social movements on economic 

issues as most of the time they are afraid of 

caste issues because of their uncomfort. 

Today, our media is doing the same. The media 

war is a reality today. I wrote about it long back 

when Times Now unleashed a campaign against 

the screening of a documentary made by a British 

documentary maker and was supposed to be 

broadcasted at the NDTV. So, the corporate houses 

are jumping into it as profit is the main motive. 

As I said, we have a Mirror Now, started by Times 

Houses and it is taking political position in contrast 

to Timesnow. The woman who is main 

anchor speak absolutely like Arnab Goswami, 

perhaps his student with only difference is that 

she is taking on the Hindutva fringe too. I don’t 

know this is her ideological position or a guidelines 

by the Jains of Times of India. 

So journalists whose job was to give us unbiased 

news have now become news themselves. 

Vidya Bhushan Rawat 

And most of them have their followers or Bhakts 

who quote them like Gita, Quran and Bible. 

Whether pro and anti, we are victims of the new 

world order that work on branding 

so we have a few brands in each 

segments. Many Brahmins, 

Banias and a few of them from the 

others to get fixated into their 

scheme of things. Some are raising 

the issue of Hindu pride and 

suggesting why can’t we do it 

while others are championing the 

cause of ‘secularism” but in these 

two dividing lines and their followers, 

there is no space for the 

segments who are victims of both 

these high class sawarna perception. 

There is no space for an 

alternative vision and thought. If 

somebody is secular and want to 

discuss about Ambedkar, the panelists are the same 

on their identity lines. This fixing 

will not help as media has lost 

its credibility. Whether you pretend 

to be secular or non, most 

of you don’t want diverse voices 

in your newsrooms. 

The recent CARAVAN- 

Express spat is another point. 

The story of Judge Loya’s suspicious 

death was reported 

very boldly by Caravan magazine. 

None of the ‘mainstream’ 

media picked it up but suddenly 

an Express story tried to 

debunk the entire issue of ‘suspicion’. 

It picked holes in the 

Caravan story but embarrassingly 

got stuck into those holes 

itself. So far the Express has 

not bothered to answer those 

questions which have been raised. 

This is the second biggest fiasco that the Express 

has done in recent years. The first one was 

Shekhar Gupta’s so called ”scoop’ of General V K 

Singh and army attempted coup several years 

back. The Express neither regretted nor challenged 

those who questioned. Some time, in their 

attempt to look different these things comes up. 

While we appreciate Express’s investigative journalism 

and stories and definitely among these 

crowd they stood apart but we must not depend on 

them too much. People have found their ways out. 

We know ultimately all these newspapers and 

channels have their own interests and they can’t 

go beyond a limit. During the UPA period too, 

media, had an understanding not to target a few 

individuals which included the PM, 

Chidambaram, Manmohan Rahul, Sonia, Arun 

Jaitley, Sharad Pawar, Naveen Patnaik and all 

those who were in power to get their thing done. 

Media may look divided on ‘secularism-communalism’ 

issue but on broader issues of economic 

liberalisation, they remain the same. Almost, all 

of them, have been speaking for it and singing jai 

ho for the opening up of our economy and selling 

of the public sector and handing them to private 

corporations. All these ópinionmakers” remain 

highly anti Dalit and casteism as can be reflected 

in the nature of people they have in their newsrooms 

and the mindset which hate the issue of 

Dalit Bahujan identity and their issues of fair representation 

in all walks of our lives. 

The only way is now that people should take 

the best and leave the worst. Look for news and 

not the views. Verify news from various ways and 

focus on developing our own. Today, they hate 

social media, call it uncontrolled and want it to be 

regularised but are our channels better. They have 

become trolls themselves and teaching hatred and 

contempt for the opponents. When we are in a 

position to do on our own, they want to close. 

Indian mainstream media can not even match the 

great warriors in Sri Lanka and Pakistan who are 

courageously taking a bold stand against the misdeeds 

of their government and publishing people’s 

stories. You can’t think of them coming anywhere 

close to Times, Guardian or The New York Times. 

Of Course, the loudmouths may claim them the 

Today, our media is doing the 

same. The media war is a reality 

today. I wrote about it long back when 

Times Now unleashed a campaign 

against the screening of a documentary 

made by a British documentary maker 

and was supposed to be broadcasted at 

the NDTV. So, the corporate houses are 

jumping into it as profit is the main 

motive. As I said, we have a Mirror 

Now, started by Times Houses and it is 

taking political position in contrast to 

Timesnow. The woman who is main 

anchor speak absolutely like Arnab 

Goswami, perhaps his student with only 

difference is that she is taking on the 

Hindutva fringe too. I don’t know this is 

her ideological position or a guidelines 

by the Jains of Times of India. 

best and biggest champions 

of nationalism but we 

don’t need to respond to 

them as they have openly 

exposed themselves and 

the ideology underneath 

which reflect in their venomously 

cooked up stories 

spreading poison of hatred 

and conflict just for attaining 

farcical TRPs. Their 

high decibel sound bites 

have created thousands of 

semi literate bunch of 

goons who don’t know the 

repercussions of their act 

towards integrity and unity 

of the country. Newsmedia 

therefore, has become the 

biggest obstacle in our free 

and fair choices. Rather than 

defending the rights of the people, it has become 

the lapdog of those in power and defending their 

misdeeds with planting stories, defaming the 

opponents, killing and defaming civil society and 

human rights movements and therefore who else 

can we blame for the degradation except this 

mainstream media whose acts have now become a 

threat to democracy. 

UK MP abused online for not opposing Johal’s arrest 

LONDON: A Sikh MP in the UK has 

been abused and targeted with threats of 

violence from furious trolls who think 

he was not speaking enough on issues 

related to the community, according to a 

media report. 

Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, who 

became Labour’s MP for Slough in 

June, was accused of ignoring the plight 

of a British Sikh man who was arrested 

during his visit to India. But Dhesi 

vowed to continue working for the 

whole public “regardless of background, 

colour or creed” rather than 

focussing on just one community, The 

Sun reported. The abuse came after 

Dhesi won the right to speak at prime 

minister’s questions and used the slot to 

ask about a rail link in his local area. 

Trolls said he should have asked about 

Jagtar Singh Johal, a UK-based non-resident 

Indian who has been arrested by 

Punjab Police for his alleged role in targeted 

killing of Hindu right-wing leaders, 

the report said. One troll wrote to 

the MP saying: “...A Sikh British citizen 

is being tortured in Punjab and you’re 

worried about rail. You have no 

response to that. You need a slap upside 

your head you fake Sikh!” Dhesi reacted 

with fury and pointed out that he has 

repeatedly worked on Johal’s case. 

“It’s hard enough serving as an MP 

without having to face constant abuse 

from various quarters (whether that’s 

the farright/extremists/others who feel 

that I’m only interested in ‘my community’s 

issues’, or those from within my 

‘own’ community who feel I don’t do 

enough),” he wrote on Facebook. 

“When people resort to abuse, they are 

actually doing a disservice to their own 

cause. I will do what I genuinely feel is 

right. I am not merely a Sikh MP/representative 

speaking solely on Sikh 

issues,” Dhesi added.


ASIA 


India, China have no option but 

to live peacefully : Dalai Lama 

Bhubaneswar : Tibetan spiritual 

leader the Dalai Lama on 

Monday said India and China 

have no option except to live 

peacefully and help each other. 

On to the strained ties 

between the two countries in the 

wake of the Doklam standoff, 

the Nobel Peace laureate said 

that is not an important issue. 

“Both the countries across the 

border have more than two billion 

people together. So, they 

need each other. India needs 

China and China needs India. 

There is no other way except live 

peacefully and helping each 

other,” said the Dalai Lama after 

meeting Chief Minister Naveen 

Patnaik. He said even though 

small problems keep happening 

between the two countries, it was 

nothing serious. 

The Tibetan spiritual leader, 

after arriving at the airport here, 

Bhubaneswar: Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama talks to 

press at Naveen Niwas in Bhubaneswar on Nov 20, 2017. Also seen 

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. 

said: “War is not a solution. 

Solve the problem amicably as 

no country eventually wins a 

Agra : Polling began on Wednesday to elect chairmen 

of local bodies in 24 districts of Uttar Pradesh, 

and the mayor of Agra along with 100 corporators, 

officials said.In the three-phase election, 24 districts 

of Uttar Pradesh are going to polls on Wednesday, 

while 25 districts would go to the polls on November 

26, and 26 districts on November 29. 

Twenty-four districts of Uttar Pradesh with 1.09 

crore voters would elect 4,325 candidates for various 

positions in the local bodies polls. The mayors of five 

corporations including Agra would also be elected. 

war.” He said modern India 

should pay more attention to 

learn ancient knowledge about 

Despite the misty morning chill, long queues of anxious 

voters turned up at 364 polling booths in the district. 

"The expectation level is high and the contest is 

fierce, as all major political parties have put up formidable 

candidates for the post of Agra mayor," said 

insurance agent Sudheir Gupta, at the Vijay Nagar 

colony polling booth. The results would be 

announced on December 1. The Agra mayor seat is 

being hotly contested by the Bhartiya Janata Party 

(BJP) candidate Navin Jain, Bahujan Samaj Party 

(BSP) candidate Digambar Singh Dhakrey, Rahul 

Now, Capt 

toes party 

line on 

‘Padmavati’ 

CHANDIGARH: A 

day after he broke ranks 

with his party and joined 

chorus of BJP leaders 

opposing release of 

Sanjay Leela Bansali’s 

movie ‘Padmavati’, 

Punjab chief minister 

Captain Amarinder Singh 

said he had neither suppo 

rted a ban on the movie 

nor backed those issuing 

threats to the actors and 

crew of the movie. 

Though he reiterated that 

anyone feeling hurt by 

the “distortion of historical 

facts” had the right to 

peaceful agitation, 

Amarinder on Tuesday 

said a distinction needs 

to be drawn between 

threats and protests. 

“How can I seek or support 

a ban on the movie 

when I have not even 

watched it,” asked the 

CM, denying that he had 

on Monday said if there 

had been any attempt to 

distort history then 

protests against the same 

were justified. 

how to tackle emotion. 

The Chief Minister said they 

discussed several issues of contemporary 

importance. 

Honoured to receive Dalai 

Lama at “my residence… 

Discussed many issues of contemporary 

importance and 

sought his blessings and guidance 

for working towards our 

state’s development and welfare 

of the people”, tweeted Patnaik. 

The prime preacher of 

Buddhism is scheduled to visit 

Chandragiri in Gajapati district 

where a sizeable population of 

Tibetans resides after their banishment 

from Tibet by China 

years ago. The Dalai Lama will 

receive the prestigious Kalinga 

Institute of Social Sciences 

Humanitarian Award for the year 

2017. The award will be conferred 

on him on Tuesday at a 

special function at the institute. 

First phase of UP civic bodies' polls begins 

Fire breaks out in Delhi 

market, no casualties 

New Delhi, Over half-a-dozen 

temporary shops were fully gutted 

in a fire that broke out 

here in a market around 

midnight on Thursday, 

police and fire officials 

said. The kiosks, comprising 

of pan shops 

and small eateries, were 

situated in the middle of 

Malviya Nagar market 

in south Delhi. There 

was, however, no casualty 

as most of the kiosks were shut 

A fire brigade 

official said the 

blaze was contained 

before it 

could spread 

beyond the row 

of kiosks 

for the night. 

Police were informed about the 

fire by the local residents 

and 4-5 fire tenders 

reached the spot 

and doused the blaze 

after a half-an-hour battle. 

A fire brigade official 

said the blaze was 

contained before it 

could spread beyond the 

row of kiosks. The 

cause of the fire was yet 

to be ascertained. 

Chaturvedi of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Vinod 

Bansal of the Congress. The Aam Admi Party (AAP) 

has fielded Rajesh Gupta. The votes are likely to be 

divided among 13 mayoral candidates. 

A district official told IANS 4,200 policemen, 

1,000 home guards, eight companies of Provincial 

Armed Constabulary (PAC) and two Central Reserve 

Police Force (CRPF) companies have been deployed 

for poll duty. The poll process would be supervised 

by 8,000 state government employees. The Agra 

Municipal Corporation has 12,67,595 voters. 

HARYANA GIRL CROWNED MISS WORLD 

India’s Manushi 

Chhillar on Saturday 

won the Miss World 

2017 crown in China. 

The 20-year-old from 

Haryana’s Jhajjar, 

who is a medical student 

in Sonepat, 

edged out other top 

four contestants from 

England, France, 

Kenya and Mexico. 

“The winner of Miss 

World 2017 is Miss 

India Manushi 

Chhillar,” said the 

announcement on the 

pageant’s official 

Twitter handle as 

well as on its 

Facebook page. 

Rajnath asks J&K govt to 

shift juveniles from jails 

to remand homes 

NEW DELHI: Home minister Rajnath Singh 

has asked the Jammu and Kashmir government 

to move all juveniles, arrested for pelting stones 

and other unlawful activities, from jails to 

remand homes and review their cases sympathetically, 

officials said. The issue was discussed 

in a meeting of the core group on Kashmir. The 

state government is expected to take the initiative 

to shift the juveniles to remand homes and 

review their cases soon, the official said.


ASIA 


7 

Toilet still a dream for 732 million 

New Delhi : India has the 

highest number of people — 732 

million —without access to toilets, 

according to a report by 

international charity WaterAid. 

If all these people stood in a 

line, the queue would run more 

than four times around the earth, 

said the report released ahead of 

World Toilet Day on Sunday. 

Women and girls are among the 

worst hit, with 350 million of 

them lacking access to basic sanitation, 

the report said. 

BJP leader 

booked for Rs. 10 

crore bounty on 

Deepika, Bhansali 

GURGAON/CHANDI- 

GARH: State Bharatiya Janata 

Party (BJP) leader Surajpal 

Amu was booked by Gurgaon 

Police for criminal intimidation 

on Tuesday, two days after he 

offered a bounty of Rs. 10 

crore for beheading lead actor 

Deepika Padukone and director 

Sanjay Leela Bhansali of the 

film Padmavati. The police 

filed a first information report 

at Gurgaon’s Sector 29 police 

station on the 

complaint of 

an “art lover 

and fan” of 

Padukone and 

Bhansali 

against Suraj 

Pal Amu, the 

ruling party’s 

media coordinator in Haryana. 

Officials said Amu was booked 

under section 506 of the Indian 

Penal Code and that they 

would call him for questioning. 

The National Commission for 

Women on Monday had asked 

Haryana’s director general of 

police to take action against 

Amu for his derogatory 

remarks. The complainant 

Pawan Kumar of Gurgaon said 

he was “deeply hurt” after 

watching the video in which 

Amu issued the bounty on 

Sunday. The Haryana unit of 

the BJP distanced itself from 

Amu’s remarks on Monday and 

issued a show-cause notice 

asking to explain his statement. 

“We are law-abiding people. 

But if anyone plays with our 

society, caste, and country’s 

history then I would not have 

any problem in breaking law. I 

am ready to face arrest to save 

country’s history,” Amu said in 

his defence. 

“On World Toilet Day we 

reaffirm our commitment 

towards improving sanitation 

facilities across our nation. I 

compliment all those individuals 

and organisations working 

towards building more toilets in 

various parts of India. Their 

invaluable contribution adds 

solid momentum to Swachh 

Bharat Mission,” PM Modi 

tweeted Sunday. The Swachh 

Bharat Mission is a flagship programme 

of the Modi government 

‘COMMITTED 

TO PROVIDE 

FACILITIES’ 

NEW DELHI: On World 

Toilet Day on Sunday, Prime 

Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed 

his government’s commitment 

towards improving 

sanitation facilities across the 

nation. “On World Toilet Day, 

we reaffirm our commitment 

towards improving sanitation 

facilities across our nation,” 

the PM tweeted. 

“I compliment all ...working 

towards building more toilets... 

Their contribution adds solid 

momentum to Swachh Bharat 

Mission,” he said. 

launched on October 2, 2014. 

One of its primary objective 

is to make India 100% open 

defecation free (ODF) by 

October 2, 2019, marking five 

years of the launch of the 

Swachh Bharat Mission. “While 

India is making rapid progress in 

improving sanitation under the 

ongoing Swachh Bharat 

Mission, we need to ensure 

inclusion, recognising the 

importance of safe and accessible 

toilets specific to the needs 

of the differently abled, the elderly, 

the poorest, as well as 

women and adolescent girls,” 

VK Madhavan, chief executive 

Cong to enter Rahul era 

NEW DELHI: The Congress’ 

s highest decision-making body 

approved a road map on Monday 

to elevate Rahul-Gandhi, who 

could become the party president 

as early as December 5. 

The Congress will be holding 

leadership elections after seven 

years. Nominations will close on 

December 4 and applications will 

be sc rut in is ed a day later. 

Voting will be held on December 

16 but it was unlikely Rahul 

Gandhi will face a challenge. The 

47-year-old politician, once 

referred toast he “Reluctant 

Prince” for his refusal to lead the 

party or join its last government, 

has virtually helmed the organisation 

after his mother and party 

president Sonia Gandhi took a 

back seat two years ago. He has 

been the vice president of the 

131-year-old party since January 

2013. Sources say Sonia, a binding 

force for the party and known 

for her ability to build alliances, 

Women worst affected, ODF deadline of 

Oct 2019 will require 12 crore new toilets 

could play the role of its chief 

patron. Sonia might continue as 

head of the Congress 

Parliamentary Party, sources said. 

Monday’s decision by the CWC 

came after an assessment that 

Rahul Gandhi’s elevation would 

help Congress in Gujarat polls. 

Karnataka CM tells Haryana to act 

against those threatening Deepika 

Bengaluru, Karnataka Chief Minister 

Siddaramaiah has urged the Haryana government 

to act against fringe elements threatening to bodily 

harm Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone for her 

lead role in Hindi film “Padmavati”. “I have asked 

Haryana Chief Minister 

Manohar Lal Khattar to take 

strict action against those 

threatening to harm Deepika, as 

she just played the lead role in 

the film as an actress as directed 

by its maker,” Siddaramaiah 

told reporters here on Monday. 

Though 31-year-old Deepika 

stays in Mumbai, she hails 

from Bengaluru, where her 

family, including her father and 

legendary badminton champion Prakash 

Padukone, mother Ujjala, younger sister Anisha 

and grandmother Ahilya live in the city’s southwest 

suburb. Padukone runs a badminton academy 

in the city’s western suburb to coach youngsters in 

the game. 

“I call upon the CM of Haryana @mlkhattar to 

take strict action against those holding out threats 

against her,” tweeted Siddaramaiah later. 

Reacting to a threat by media cell coordinator of 

Haryana unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Suraj 

Pal Ammu, who allegedly offered to reward Rs 10 

crore to anyone who would “behead” Deepika, the 

Chief Minister said the state 

government would provide 

security to her and her family in 

Bengaluru. 

“I condemn the culture of 

intolerance and hate perpetuated 

by the BJP and its right-wing 

groups. Karnataka stands by 

Deepika who is a renowned 

artiste from our state,” asserted 

Siddaramaiah. 

The yet-to-be certified historical 

film is said to have distorted the character 

role of the 13th century Rajput queen Padmini or 

Padmavati of Chittorgarh in Rajasthan. Taking cue 

from the Chief Minister, state Home Minister 

Ramalinga Reddy told reporters at Belagavi in the 

state’s northwest region that the state police would 

provide security to Deepika whenever she was in 

Bengaluru or anywhere in Karnataka. 

How many 

more Pakistans 

will you create, 

asks Farooq 

JAMMU: Former Jammu 

and Kashmir chief minister 

and National Conference president 

Farooq Abdullah on 

Saturday not only reiterated 

his recent statement of ‘PoK 

belongs to Pakistan’ but also 

lashed out at the Bharatiya 

Janata Party (BJP) government 

at the Centre 

asking, “You 

have made one 

Pakistan. How 

many more 

Pakistans will 

you create?” 

He also 

painted a scary 

picture if 

Article 35-A was revoked saying, 

“Jammu will be the first to 

bear its maximum brunt”. 

Addressing party workers 

at party headquarters here he 

said that PoK was with 

Pakistan for the past 70 years 

and India and Pakistan have 

fought four wars. 

“What did I say? When did 

National Conference stop anyone 

to take back PoK? Go and 

Addressing party 

workers at party headquarters 

here he said 

that PoK was with 

Pakistan for the past 

70 years and India 

and Pakistan have 

fought four wars 

for WaterAid India, said. The 

ODF deadline of 2019 will 

require 12 crore new toilets 

between October 2017 and 2019. 

Till November 2017, only 5.38 

crore new toilets have been built. 

A report released by TERI 

University earlier found that the 

only state to meet its toilet construction 

target was Gujarat. 

In a survey conducted by 

Quality Council of India (QCI) 

that assessed 1.4 lakh households 

in 4,626 villages across all 

states, a little more than half of 

all households (62.45%) in rural 

India had access to toilets, which 

were used 91% of the time. 

take it. They (Pakistan) are not 

wearing bangles. They also 

have atom bombs. Even the 

Prime Minister talked about 

maintaining the sanctity of the 

Line of Control (LoC). Today, 

we are being intimidated by 

them. And, when did National 

Conference ask for Azadi. We 

always asked for 

autonomy, 

which is in the 

I n d i a n 

Constitution,” 

he said. 

Farooq also 

said that the BJP 

government was 

hell bent upon 

creating a divide between 

Hindus and Muslims. “Ye 

Hindustan tumhare baap ka 

nahi (This country is not your 

father's). This country belongs 

to everyone, be it Hindu, 

Muslim, Sikh or Christian. 

They can choose their candidate, 

it's their right,” he said 

and added that people of India 

can’t be threatened to garner 

votes.


ASIA 


No opposition tolerated by Modi`s Chamchas 

Swaraj India President Yognedra Yadav reminded Mr Modi about his pre-election promises made to 

the farmers of India who gathered from all over the country at the Kisan Mukti Sansad in Delhi 

Bihar BJP President threatening 

to chop off fingers of anyone 

who points fingers at Prime 

Minister Narendra Modi. It certainly 

indicates that no individual 

or political party dares to 

challenge the current policies of 

the Modi government in the fear 

that one might face the wrath 

and indignation of the Modi 

Bhagats. Swaraj India President 

Yognedra Yadav reminded Mr 

Modi about his pre-election 

promises made to the farmers of 

India who gathered from all over 

the country at the Kisan Mukti 

Sansad in Delhi 

"I am pointing my finger at 

Mr. Modi, the whole Kisan Mukti 

Sansad is pointing fingers at 

Modi because he cheated and 

looted the farmers of this country, 

let us see how many fingers they 

can chop and how many hands 

they can cut off," Yogendra 

Yadav said while addressing the 

farmers. Responding to his 

appeal, thousands of farmers 

raised their fingers in unison as a 

symbolic protest against the government 

policies. Yogendra 

Yadav also said that Mr. Modi 

does not have time to visit the 

farmers who are at a distance of 5 

minutes from his residence and 

office. 

On the future course of action 

of All India Kisan Sangarsh 

Coordination Committee 

(AIKSCC), Yogendra Yadav said 

that Kisan Mukti Abhiyan will 

Rahul to ask Modi a question 

every day in Gujarat poll run-up 

begin a campaign to ensure that 

no crop is being sold below the 

set MSP. He also said that the 

country wide campaign will 

begin on 26th of November - the 

day when the constitution of this 

country was finalised and end on 

26th of January - the day when 

the constitution was approved. 

The campaign will begin from 

Bardoli in Gujarat. "Mr. Modi is 

a busy man. He does not have 

time to meet us here. May be he 

is busy in Gujarat, so we will go 

there and begin our campaign 

from there, and if he has any concern 

left for the farmers of this 

country, he should come and 

meet them there." 

Rahul Kumar 

(Senior Correspondent) 

New Delhi, Congress Vice 

President Rahul Gandhi will ask 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi a 

question every day in the run-up 

to the Gujarat assembly elections, 

the party said. Congress 

chief spokesperson Randeep 

Singh Surjewala on Wednesday 

said Gandhi would ask a question 

to the Prime Minister every 

day. 

“Rahul Gandhi is asking a 

question every day, why did mis-governance of 

22 years create such a situation,” he tweeted. 

Gandhi wrote on Twitter on Wednesday “22 

salon ka hisaab, Gujarat mange jawaab. 

(Gujarat demands answers for 22 years of 

BJP)”. He said he would demand answers for 22 

years of Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) rule in 

the state and the promises made to the people. 

New Delhi, BSF 

Director General K.K. 

Sharma on Wednesday said 

Pakistan has not stopped its 

infiltration bids into Jammu 

and Kashmir, and added 

that routes used by militants 

have been identified 

and the BSF is ready to 

tackle future attempts. 

He also said the neighbouring 

country was making 

repeated ceasefire violations 

despite both issues being 

raised repeatedly at the DG 

level talks with Pakistan 

Rangers. “Pakistan is continuing 

with its attempts at infiltration. 

We will not let their 

intentions succeed. We know 

“First question to the Prime 

Minister on the state of affairs in 

Gujarat — In 2012, promises 

were made to provide 50 lakh 

new houses but built 4.72 lakh in 

five years. 

Will the Prime Minister tell, 

whether it will take another 45 

years to fulfil the promise?” 

Gandhi posted on Twitter. 

Congress spokesperson 

Deepender Singh Hooda said he 

hoped Modi and the BJP would answer 

Gandhi’s queries on “22 years of mis-governance” 

in Gujarat. “We expect that the Prime 

Minister and the BJP to find time and answer 

the questions asked to them by Rahul Gandhi,” 

he said. “The BJP is working for the super rich 

and middlemen. The party’s (BJP) economic 

policy was at the cost of the poor,” he added. 

Pakistan’s infiltration 

bids, ceasefire violations 

continue : BSF 

“Pakistan is continuing with its attempts at infiltration. 

We will not let their intentions succeed 

their routes and are 

ready to handle any situation,” 

Sharma told 

reporters at the annual 

press conference of the 

Border Security Force. 

He said that talks 

with the Pakistan 

Rangers earlier this 

month were held in a 

cordial atmosphere. 

“We raised the issue of 

infiltration and ceasefire violations 

but they continue to take 

place,” he said.

www.theasianindependent.co.uk ASIA December 2017 9 

Longowal elected 

42nd SGPC chief 

Amritsar : The Shiromani 

Gurdwara Parbandhak 

Committee (SGPC) General 

House elected former Dhuri 

MLA Gobind Singh Longowal 

as the 42nd president during its 

annual meeting at Teja Singh 

Samundri Hall here today. 

Longowal, whose name was proposed 

by Bibi Jagir Kaur, 

replaces Kirpal Singh Badungar. 

Of the 170 members present, 

Hardeep Singh Mohali did not cast 

his vote in protest against “political 

interference” in SGPC affairs 

and the clergy’s “controversial” 

decisions. A former chairman of 

the Sangrur district planning 

board, Longowal defeated Amrik 

Singh Shahpur of Dera Baba 

Nanak, securing 154 votes. 

Shahpur, who polled 15 votes, was 

later included on the 11-member 

executive at the insistence of the 

Panthic Front, constituted some 

weeks prior to the poll by Sukhdev 

Singh Bhaur, a former general secretary. 

The SGPC had to remove 

Jarnail Singh Kartarpur to make 

way for Shahpur. The other executive 

members are: Sajjan Singh 

Bajuman, advocate Bhagwant 

Singh Sialka, Lakhbir Singh, Bibi 

Gurpreet Kaur Kapurthala, Gurtej 

Singh Dadde, Hardev Singh 

Rogla, Ravinder Singh 

Chakmukerian, Gurmeet Singh 

Buh, Baba Gurmeet Singh 

Trilokewala and Navtej Singh. 

Gurbachan Singh Karmowala 

was elected general secretary, 

Raghujit Singh Karnal senior 

vice-president and Harpal Singh 

Jalla junior vice-president unopposed. 

Longowal said his top 

priority was propagating 

Sikhism. He ducked queries on 

the crisis within the community 

and “damage” to SGPC’s image. 

Former minister 

was awarded 

‘tankhah’ 

• Gobind Singh Longowal, a 

three-time MLA and a minister 

in the Badal Cabinet, was 

among 40 leaders awarded 

‘tankhah’ (religious punishment) 

by Akal Takht for visiting 

Dera Sacha Sauda ahead of 

Assembly elections 

• The adopted son of the late 

Sant Harchand Singh 

Longowal, he won the Dhuri 

byelection in 2015, defeating 

Congress-Sanjha Morcha candidate 

Simar Partap Singh, 

grandson of Surjit Singh 

Barnala 

• Longowal’s wife is a schoolteacher 

and younger sister Dr 

Inderjeet Kaur chairperson of 

the All-India Pingalwara 

Society 

Snubbing Islamabad, 

India promises more medical 

visa to Pakistanis 

New Delhi, Snubbing objections 

from Islamabad, External 

Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj 

on Wednesday assured visa to 

four more Pakistanis, including a 

three-year-old boy, seeking medical 

treatment in India. “Yes. 

Muhammad Shafay is only 3 

years old. We will issue visa for 

his open heart surgery 

in India,” Sushma 

Swaraj tweeted in 

response to a request 

from Masroor Akhtar 

Sidiqqui, who said his 

son had an appointment 

on December 20 

for an open heart surgery. 

To a request by a 

Muhammad Sajid that a visa be 

issued to Muhammad Tyab on 

humanitarian grounds, she said 

the necessary papers should be 

submitted to the Indian High 

Commission in Islamabad. 

“Indian High Commission will 

issue visa for her liver transplant 

surgery in India,” Sushma 

Swaraj said in response to another 

request by Sohail Aarbi, who 

said that his 14-year-old daughter 

Hadia Aarbi was in a critical 

state. The Minister also assured a 

visa to nine-year-old Abdur 

Rehman to undergo bone marrow 

transplant in India. Earlier this 

week, Sushma Swaraj assured 

medical visas to 12 Pakistani 

nationals seeking treatment in 

India. Last week, Pakistan 

accused India of politicising 

humanitarian issues and said 

“selective issuance” of 

medical visas to its citizens 

was not a gesture 

of compassion but 

“cold blooded politicking”. 

Foreign Office 

spokesperson 

Mohammad Faisal said 

the Indian policy of 

selective issuance of 

medical visa to Pakistanis was 

“regrettable”. On November 25, 

another Pakistani national, 

Shahzaib Iqbal from Lahore, 

tweeted to Sushma Swaraj that 

“after Allah, you are our last 

hope” and sought a medical visa 

for his cousin. The Minister did 

not disappoint him. On 

Independence Day, the External 

Affairs Ministry had announced 

that India would provide medical 

visa to all bonafide Pakistani 

patients. 

Khaira loses cool, lashes out at Capt 

An emotionally charged Khaira made disparaging 

remarks against the chief minister and a journalist friend 

of his from Pakistan. Khaira also filed a complaint with 

Chandigarh Police in the audio clip scandal. 

CHANDIGARH : The ongoing 

audio clip controversy took an ugly 

twist when leader of opposition 

Sukhpal Khaira launched a no-holdsbarred 

attack on Punjab chief minister 

Captain Amarinder Singh on 

Wednesday, using intemperate language 

and taking swipes at his private 

life. The AAP leader flew off the handle 

after the Punjab assembly passed a 

resolution against Lok Insaaf Party 

(LIP) MLAs, Balwinder Bains and 

Simarjeet Bains, who released the 

audio clip of an alleged attempt to 

bribe a judge in a drug case against 

Khaira, and requested the chief justice 

of Punjab and Haryana to take suo 

motu notice and action in the matter. 

An emotionally charged Khaira led 

a walkout of AAP and LIP members 

from the House and held an impromptu 

press conference in the press room 

where he made disparaging remarks 

against the chief minister and a journalist 

friend of his from Pakistan. 

Khaira, who has repeatedly accused 

the state government of framing him in 

the controversial drug case, broke 

down, alleging a conspiracy to “eliminate 

me politically and physically”. 

AAP MLAs, Kanwar Sandhu and 

Aman Kumar Arora, who were flanking 

Khaira, tried to calm him down, but 

he snubbed them. “Let me say what I 

feel. I am not overstepping. I am stating 

facts only,” he insisted. 

Continuing his outburst against the 

chief minister, the leader of opposition, 

who has been making headlines for his 

hectoring attacks on rivals, used several 

unprintable words. 

“By passing the resolution against 

the two MLAs, Capt has tried to 

obstruct the justice in a false case 

against me,” he said. 

On being questioned about use of 

swear words by Khaira, Sandhu and 

some other AAP leader called it an 

“emotional outburst” and “unintentional 

reaction”. 

While the AAP-LIP members are 

still to decide their next strategy on the 

resolution passed by the state assembly, 

the subsequent flare-up, particularly 

his language, triggered by it has 

caused disquiet in a section of the 

party. The resolution moved by parliamentary 

affairs minister Brahm 

Mohindra, which caught most members 

on treasury benches unawares, 

strongly condemned the “wrongful 

involvement” and “scandalous allegations” 

made against the judge for 

“political purposes and vested motives. 

“The House would urge and request 

the chief justice to take further action 

as required in the case which amounts 

to nothing short of impairing the 

majesty of law, obstructing the administration 

of justice and lowering the 

image and dignity of the court and its 

honourable judges,” it read. 

Khaira files police complaint : 

Sukhpal Khaira, on Wednesday filed a 

complaint with Chandigarh Police in 

the audio clip scandal. Khaira said he 

handed over the complaint to deputy 

inspector general (DIG) Om Prakash 

Mishra. 

“I will share the details and names 

of persons against whom I want the 

case once the police call me to record 

my statement,” he said, refusing to 

share any further information. He was 

accompanied by MLAs Kanwar 

Sandhu, Aman Arora, Balwinder Bains 

and Simarjeet Bains. Mishra said the 

MLA’s complaint is being examined. 

He, too, refused to divulge its contents. 

Haryana Police files chargesheet against Honeypreet 

Chandigarh, The Haryana 

Police on Tuesday filed a 

chargesheet against Honeypreet, 

the closest aide of the rapist sect 

chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim 

Singh, and other accused in connection 

with the August 25 violence 

in Panchkula and other 

places in Haryana following 

conviction of the sect chief. The 

979-page chargesheet was filed 

by the special investigation team 

(SIT) of the Haryana Police 

before the court of Chief Judicial 

Magistrate in Panchkula, adjoining 

Chandigarh. Honeypreet and 

several other sect functionaries 

and followers were booked by 

police on charges of sedition, 

inciting violence and criminal 

conspiracy. Honeypreet, whose 

real name is Priyanka Taneja, 

was arrested on October 3 after 

remaining fugitive for 38 days 

after the August 25 violence. She 

has been lodged in the Central 

Jail, Ambala, 45 km from here, 

since October 23. The SIT took 

Honeypreet to various locations 

in Haryana to establish evidence 

of her involvement in the violence. 

A court in Panchkula had 

in September issued arrest warrants 

against top Dera functionaries 

— Honeypreet, Aditya 

Insan and Pawan Insan. All three 

were booked by the Haryana 

Police on charges of sedition, 

inciting violence and being 

involved in a conspiracy to help 

the Dera chief escape after his 

conviction by a Central Bureau 

of Investigation (CBI) court on 

August 25 on two counts of rape 

of female disciples in 1999. 

Addison Aaron 

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122 Green Lane Road, Leicester 

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122 Green Lane Road, Leicester 

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16 Tollgate Shopping Precinct, 


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122 Green Lane Road, 

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119 Caludon Rd, Coventry CV2 

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Unit 12, Tollgate Shopping Centre, 


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Mob. 07890 615 016 

Motoring 

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Super Wines and Spirits 

91-793 Stratford Rd, 

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School of Motoring 

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Super Market 

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113, Holyhead Road, 

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129 Soho Rd, BIRMINGHAM, 

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7 - 13 Alum Rock Rd, B’ham, 

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B10 0XE | Tel: 0121 753 4391 



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Aujla Supermarket 


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Chaudhary’s Cash & Carry 

Stratford Rd, Birmingham, B11 

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118-120 Alum Rock Rd, B’ham, 

B8 1NH 

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560 Coventry Rd, Small 

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330A Soho Rd, Birmingham, 

B21 9NA | Tel : 0121 523 5272 

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New Street, Smethwick, B’ham, 

B66 4PH | 

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125 Hill Top, West Bromwich, 

Birmingham, B70 0RU 

Tel : 0121 505 3529 

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618 - 620 Coventry Rd, Small 

Heath, Birmingham, B10 0UT 

Tel : Tel: 0121773 6843 

Lifestyle Express Apna 

Food & Wine 

Albret Rd, 

B’ham, B21 9QX 

Lodge Supermarket 

70 Lodge Rd, West Bromwich, 

Birmingham, B70 8PA 

Tel : 0121 553 4004 

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23 Acfold Rd, Birmingham, 

B20 1HD 

Malhi's Supermarket 

Bacchus Rd, Birmingham, B18 

4RE 

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Ladypool Rd, 

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121-125 Lozells Rd, B’ham, 

B19 2TR | Tel : 0121 554 2711 

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Cape Hill, B’ham, B66 4PH 

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42 Alum Rock Rd, B’ham, B8 

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Tel : 0121 523 4371 

Sabar General Store 

113 Holyhead Rd, Birmingham 

B21 0HH | Tel : 

Sonali Supermarket 

537, Coventry Rd, Small 

Heath, Birmingham, B10 0LL 

Tel: 0121 773 8236 

Toor Supermarket 

93 Rookery Rd, B’ham, B21 

9QX | Tel : 0121 554 0796 

Vegmart 

147-149 Soho Rd, B’ham, B21 

9ST | Tel : 

Villa Supermarket 

117 Villa Rd, B’ham, B19 

1NH | Tel : 0121 554 2374 

Wayco Supermarket Ltd 

72A Soho Rd, B’ham, B21 

9BH | Tel : 0121 551 8711 

Heer Super Store 

19-21 Clay Ln, Coventry, CV2 

4LJ | Tel : 024 7645 6903 

Warley Supermarket 

75 Bridge St, Wednesbury, 

WS10 0AH | 0121 505 5898 

Banga Stores 

59A Lea Rd, Wolverhampton, 

WV3 0LW | 01902 338835 

Samra Supermarket 

418 Dudley Rd, Wolverhampton 

WV2 3BP | 01902 458814 

Sandhus Supermarket 

15 Bargate Dr, Wolverhampton, 

WV6 0QW | Tel: 01902 311556 

Take Away & Cafe 

Chick King 

225 Holyhead Rd, B’ham 

B21 0AP | Tel. 0121 515 4110 

Jalandar Sweet Shop 

86, High St, Smethwick, 


Apna Punjab Sweet Centre 

65A, Purely Road, Leicester 

LE4 6PB 

Tel: 0116 266 6567 

Taxi & Coach Hire 

Brit Coaches 

93 Dudley Rd, Halesowen 

B63 3NS 

Tel. 0121 769 2707 

www.britcoaches.co.uk 

Warley Cars 

Tel. 0121 555 7654 

Taxi & Bus Hire 

86, Digbeth Rd, Birmingham, B5 

6DY | Tel : Tel: 0121 643 1000 

209, Bordsley Green, B’ham, B95SP 

Tent Hire 

Amrit Tent Hire 

Mob; 07815 134 618 

amrittenthire@yahoo.co.uk 

Walsall DIY 

West Bromwich St. 

Walsall 01922 642 329 

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101 Soho Rd, Birmingham, B21 

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Travel Agencies 

Sky Way Travel 

232 Soho Rd, B’ham B21 9LR 

Tel. 0121 523 3050 

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BUSINESS 


US dollar trades mixed amid GDP report 

New York, The US dollar traded mixed against 

other major currencies as investors pondered over 

the country’s economic growth data for the third 

quarter of 2017. US economy expanded at an 

annual rate of 3.3 per cent in the third quarter of the 

year, slightly higher than 3 per cent previously estimated, 

the Department of Commerce reported on 

Wednesday. In late New York trading, the euro rose 

to $1.1862 from $1.1839 in the previous session, 

and the British pound climbed to $1.3422 from 

$1.3376 in the previous session, Xinhua reported. 

The Australian dollar lost to $0.7577 from 

$0.7597. The US dollar bought 111.83 Japanese 

yen, higher than 111.55 yen of the previous session. 

The US dollar fell to 0.9839 Swiss franc from 

0.9844 Swiss franc, and 

it moved up to 1.2853 

Canadian dollars from 

1.2816 Canadian dollars. 

The revised gross 

domestic product (GDP) 

data also showed that 

US economy in the July 

to September period 

grew at the fastest pace 

in three years, despite 

disruptions caused by 

hurricanes Harvey and 

Irma along the Gulf 

Coast in late August and September. economic 

expansion is increasingly 

broad based across sectors 

as well as across much of 

the global economy,” 

Federal Reserve Chair 

Janet Yellen said 

Wednesday before the Joint 

Economic Committee of 

US Congress. 

Wednesday’s report also 

confirmed the fact that US 

economy had expanded 

above 3 per cent in backto-back 

quarters for the 

first time since 2014. Meanwhile, according to the 

Fed’s Beige Book released in the afternoon, US 

economic activity continued to increase at a modest 

to moderate pace in October and mid- 

November across the 12 Fed Districts. On other 

economic news, the Pending Home Sales Index 

rose 3.5 per cent from a downwardly revised 105.6 

in September to 109.3 in October, beating market 

estimates, according to the National Association of 

Realtors on Wednesday. Analysts thought that the 

strong economic growth is likely to bolster market 

expectations for another rate hike by the Fed in 

December. 

The dollar index, which measures the greenback 

against six major peers, decreased 0.10 per cent at 

93.179 in late trading. 

GST to be simple for everyone 

by March : Union Minister 

Equities close flat ahead of 

F&O expiry, Q2 GDP data 

Mumbai, Key Indian equity 

indices on Wednesday closed on 

a flat note with minimal losses 

as investors traded with caution 

ahead of futures and options 

(F&O) expiry as well as the second 

quarter GDP data announcement 

on November 30 

(Thursday). The benchmark 

indices, which traded in the 

green during most part of the 

day, closed marginally in the red 

as investors booked profits in 

banking and metal stocks. 

However, losses were trimmed 

by healthy buying in consumer 

durables, capital goods and 

healthcare stocks. On closing 

basis, the wider Nifty50 of the 

National Stock Exchange (NSE) 

was down 8.95 points or 0.09 

per cent at 10,361.30 points. The 

barometer 30-scrip Sensitive 

Index (Sensex) of the BSE 

closed at 33,602.76 points — 

down 15.83 points or 0.05 per 

cent — from Tuesday’s close. 

The BSE market breadth was 

bearish — 1,376 declines and 

1,341 advances. 

“Markets ended trade with 

flattish tone as sentiments 

remained cautious ahead of the 

gross domestic product (GDP) 

for the July-September quarter 

due tomorrow (Thursday). 

Caution prevailed over the latest 

missile test by North Korea and 

softness in Chinese shares hit 

Asian markets,” Dhruv Desai, 

Director and Chief Operating 

Officer of Tradebulls, told 

IANS. According to Deepak 

Jasani, Head, Retail Research, 

HDFC Securities, markets ended 

marginally lower on Wednesday 

as the Nifty continued to consolidate 

in a range. “It was the second 

consecutive session of losses 

for the Nifty. The slide was 

led by heavyweights like Axis 

Bank and Zee Entertainment,” 

Jasani told IANS. The S&P BSE 

mid-cap index closed lower by 

0.17 per cent and the small-cap 

index by 0.01 per cent. Vinod 

Nair, Head of Research, Geojit 

Financial Services, said: 

“Q2FY18 GDP is likely to 

improve to 6.4 per cent as per 

the consensus estimates, while 

any extension in crude oil production 

cut in the upcoming 

OPEC meet will provide some 

volatility in the near-term.” 

“However, strengthening rupee 

over US dollar and expectation 

for further upgrade in earnings 

after the good set of second 

quarter results will keep the sentiment 

positive,” he added. 

On the currency front, the 

rupee strengthened by 10 paise 

to close at 64.31-32 against the 

US dollar from its previous close 

at 64.41-42. 

Sector-wise, the S&P BSE 

banking index declined by 

106.62 points, followed by metal 

index by 77.64 points and IT 

index by 26.27 points. On the 

other hand, the S&P BSE consumer 

durables index rose by 

126.72 points, capital goods 

index by 49.64 points and auto 

index by 44.86 points. Major 

Sensex gainers on Wednesday 

were: Wipro, up 1.33 per cent at 

Rs 297.90; Adani Ports, up 1.16 

per cent at Rs 402.55; Sun 

Pharma, up 0.77 per cent at Rs 

547.90; Hindustan Unilever, up 

0.75 per cent at Rs 1,277.35; and 

Tata Steel, up 0.72 per cent at Rs 

709.30. Major Sensex losers 

were: Axis Bank, down 2.32 per 

cent at Rs 549.15; HDFC, down 

1.31 per cent at Rs 1,702.90; 

Asian Paints, down 1.18 per cent 

at Rs 1,156.20; State Bank of 

India, down 1.16 per cent at Rs 

328.80; and Tata Consultancy 

Services, down 0.98 per cent at 

Rs 2,658.55. 

Kolkata, Union Minister of 

State for Finance Shiv Pratap 

Shukla on Wednesday said the 

Goods and Services Tax (GST) 

should smoothen out by March 

2018 as the government has been 

addressing the concerns and it 

would become so simple that 

people would not have any 

issues. “By March, it will be so 

simple that even children will 

able to understand… even in a 

country like Singapore, it took 

four years for GST to get stabilised. 

I am proud that our government 

has responded to the 

issues so quickly,” he said while 

addressing the 116th annual session 

of the Merchants’ Chamber 

of Commerce and Industry. 

Post the Guwahati meet of the 

US stocks end mixed 

in holiday season 

New York, US stocks closed mixed, as a 

rally in retail stocks faded. The Dow Jones 

Industrial Average on Monday increased 22.79 

points, or 0.10 per cent, to 23,580.78, Xinhua 

reported. The S&P 

500 ticked down 

1.00 points, or 0.04 

per cent, to 

2,601.42. The 

Nasdaq Composite 

Index inched down 

10.64 points, or 

0.15 per cent, to 6,878.52. The traditional 

brick-and-mortar-retailers got a big boost following 

Black Friday, as investors expected 

strong sales during the Thanksgiving holiday. 

Shares of Macy’s rose 0.66 per cent on 

Monday, while Gap jumped 1.21 per cent. 

Meanwhile, analysts have observed shifting 

consumer behavior in recent years as customers 

are more likely to make purchases 

online for better discounts and using mobile 

phones for convenience. “The big story this 

holiday season is in mobile shopping. Retailers 

know this is where the audience is now and are 

delivering better experiences,” said Mickey 

Mericle, Vice President of Marketing and 

Customer Insights at Adobe. 

E-commerce giant Amazon increased 0.83 

per cent to close at $1195.83 dollars per share 

on Monday. “Shoppers looking for discounts 

are getting better at using smartphones to 

quickly close the deal, and we are seeing better 

mobile conversion this season at over 10 per 

cent growth,” Mericle added. 

GST council, tax rates on many 

products were reduced to 18 per 

cent from 28 per cent, which was 

appreciated by businesses, the 

minister said. About the increasing 

non-performing assets 

(NPA) problem, he said, the 

Central government has done its 

bit in terms of recapitalisation 

support to banks to ensure their 

better financial health, but the 

banks should not make it a “tradition” 

to depend on the government. 

“If we did not do that (provide 

recapitalisation support) the 

banks could not have been 

saved. But banks should not 

make it a tradition,” he said. 

Banks, particularly the nationalised 

ones “should stand on 

their own”, he said. Elaborating, 

he said many public sector banks 

appear to be sinking just because 

they went ahead and lent huge 

amounts of money to entities 

without proper due diligence. 

The Central government has 

already announced Rs 2.11 trillion 

recapitalisation support to 

state-run banks to help them to 

meet capital requirements. 

Pay Rs 275 cr by Dec 

31, SC tells Jaypee 

New Delhi, AThe Supreme Court on 

Wednesday asked real estate major Jaypee 

Associates to deposit Rs 275 crore — in 

two instalments — by December 31, 

telling it to “behave like a good child”. The 

bench of Chief Justice Dipak 

Misra, Justice A.M. 

Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. 

Chandrachud asked the firm 

to deposit another Rs 275 

crore after it allowed it to 

deposit Rs 275 crore with its 

registry. 

It directed the Jaypee 

Associates to deposit Rs 150 

crore by December 13 and 

another Rs 125 crore by 

December 31. Permitting Jaypee 

Associates to deposit another Rs 275 crore 

in two installments in December, the court 

said: “Needless to say that direction for 

deposit of Rs 2,000 crores shall remain as 

it is. The only indulgence is to pay the 

same in installments.” The court order is 

seen as a relief to Jaypee Associates whose 

earlier plea to deposit Rs 400 crore was 

turned down as court had asked it to be 

ready with sizeable amount of Rs 2,000 

crore that it has been directed to deposit to 

safeguard flat buyers’ interests. Jaypee 

Associates had on a mentioning on 

November 6 had told the they have Rs 50 

crore “ready in hand” and will arrange for 

another Rs 350 crore by Friday (November 

10). Directing the next hearing of the matter 

on January 10, the court said none of 

the promoter directors and 

the independent directors 

would alienate their personal 

assets. “Neither the independent 

directors nor the 

promoter directors shall 

alienate their personal properties 

or assets in any manner, 

and if they do so, they 

will not only be liable for 

criminal prosecution but 

contempt of the court,” the 

court said in its order on Wednesday. It further 

ordered that “the properties and assets 

of their immediate and dependent family 

members should also not be transferred in 

any manner, whatsoever”. 

The court appointed advocate Pawan 

Shree Agrawal as amicus curiae and asked 

him to prepare a portal carrying all the 

details on the lines of one he had prepared 

in the case of real estate major Unitech and 

ordered that Jaypee Associates counsel 

Anupam Lal Das “shall provide all the 

details as required by Mr. Pawan Shree 

Agrawal”.


HEALTH 


13 

Dear parents, shield 

kids from air 

A study found that relatively small increase in 

air pollution can cause significant increase in treated 

psychiatric problems, with its results showing 

mental and cognitive health is at great risk due to 

polluted air, putting children at even higher risk. 

Days after the Centre for Science and Environment 

stated that air pollution is responsible for 30% of 

premature deaths in India, doctors have claimed 

that air pollution is also compromising mental 

pollution 

“Children are more vulnerable to such health risks as their 

lung capacity is small and respiratory rate high, therefore 

they are more likely to inhale more air per unit of their 

body weight than adults,” said Deepali Batra, Senior 

Consultant and Clinical Psychologist, Max Hospital Delhi 

health of children apart from their lungs. The doctors 

say that the presence of nitrogen oxides and 

sulphur oxides in the air affects brain cells which 

causes a decrease in the IQ level. 

“As children are in a growing stage, when they 

inhale polluted air, the pollutants through their 

blood travels to different parts of the body including 

brain,” said Raj Kumar, Director (Acting), of 

the Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute here. 

It can even affect their mental health 

“Pollutants like NO2 (nitrogen dioxide) and SO2 

(sulphur dioxide) affect the brain cells which causes 

decrease in IQ level and other related problems.” 

According to the CSE report, over 61% of total 

deaths in India were attributed to lifestyle or noncommunicable 

diseases. “More than 1.73 million 

new cancer cases are likely to be recorded each 

year by 2020, air pollution, tobacco, alcohol and 

diet change are primary triggers,” said the report 

“Body Burden” by CSE. A study published in the 

British Medical Journal found that relatively small 

increase in air pollution can cause significant 

increase in treated psychiatric problems, with its 

results showing mental and cognitive health is at 

great risk due to polluted air, putting children at 

even higher risk. The research involved examining 

pollution exposure in 500,000 participants under 

18 and comparing it with records of medicines 

prescribed for mental illnesses, ranging from sedatives 

to anti-psychotics. 

“Children are more vulnerable to such health 

risks as their lung capacity is small and respiratory 

rate high, therefore they are more likely to 

inhale more air per unit of their body weight than 

adults,” said Deepali Batra, Senior Consultant 

and Clinical Psychologist, Max Hospital Delhi. 

Stressing that detrimental health impacts of air 

pollution seem to be increasing with each passing 

day as pollution level reaches to extremely toxic, 

she said the new studies shows that the “future of 

our kids is in grave danger until such situations 

are handled with every means necessary”. 

Cigarette smokers, 

switch to vaping 

E-cigarette use not harmful, finds research 

A new study found 

that there was no evidence 

of health concerns 

associated with 

long-term use of e- 

cigarettes in the relatively 

young users 

who did not smoke 

tobacco. 

While the health 

effects of e-cigarettes use are yet 

to be fully established, a new 

study has shown that long-term 

vaping does not pose serious 

health risk among adults. The 

study revealed no evidence of a 

lung injury amongst even the 

heaviest e-cigarette users, in the 

form of physiological, clinical or 

inflammatory measures. Further, 

no changes were observed in the 

blood pressure or heart rate of 

the young e-cigarette users. 

“There was no evidence of 

health concerns associated with 

long-term use of e-cigarettes in 

the relatively young users who 

did not smoke tobacco,” said 

Riccardo Polosa, Director at the 

The study 

revealed no evidence 

of a lung 

injury amongst 

even the heaviest 

e-cigarette users, 

in the form of 

physiological, 

clinical or inflammatory 

measures 

University of 

Catania in Italy. 

For the research, 

published in the 

journal Scientific 

Reports, the team 

conducted a 

three-and-a-halfyear-long 

comparative 

study on 

a group of daily e-cigarette users 

aged between 23 and 35 years, 

and another group of young 

adults who have never smoked. 

The researchers examined 

health factors like blood pressure, 

heart rate, body weight, 

lung function, respiratory symptoms, 

exhaled breath nitric oxide 

(eNO), exhaled carbon monoxide 

(eCO) and high-resolution 

computed tomography (HRCT) 

of the lungs in both the groups. 

“No pathological findings could 

be identified on HRCT of the 

lungs and no respiratory symptoms 

were consistently reported 

in the e-cigarette users,” Polosa 

added. 

Subsidy on fruits, vegetables 

may help reduce death risk 

New York : Cutting 

down the prices for healthy 

food items such as fruits, 

vegetables and nuts could 

save thousands of lives per 

year, finds a new study. 

Besides, increasing the 

tax rates on junk foods 

including sugar-sweetened 

beverages and red meat can 

reduce the deaths caused by 

diabetes and cardiovascular 

diseases. The findings 

showed that if the prices of 

all the seven dietary items 

— fruits, vegetables, whole 

grains, nuts seeds, 

processed and unprocessed 

red meats and sugary drinks 

— were altered 10 per cent each, an estimated 

23,000 deaths per year could be 

prevented. A 30 per cent price change 

almost tripled that approximation with an 

estimation of 63,000 deaths prevented 

per year, or 9.2 per cent of all cardiometabolic 

disease deaths. “We found 

that modest price changes on healthy and 

unhealthy foods would help decrease 

overall cardiometabolic deaths. The 

largest changes were viewed after reducing 

the prices of fruits and vegetables and 

increasing the price of sugary drinks,” 

said Jose L. Penalvo, Assistant Professor 

at the Tufts University in Boston, the US. 

While taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages 

reduced diabetes deaths, subsidies 

on fruits and vegetables decreased deaths 

caused by stroke, revealed the study published 

in the journal BMC Medicine. 

Moreover, the results suggest that 

financial incentives to purchase healthy 

food, and disincentives to purchase 

unhealthy foods, can prove successful in 

meaningfully reducing cardiometabolic 

disease disparities. 

fruits, vegetables, 

whole 

grains, nuts 

seeds, 

processed and 

unprocessed 

red meats and 

sugary drinks 

— were 

altered 10 per 

cent each, an 

estimated 

23,000 deaths 

per year 

Beijing launches HIV/AIDS hotline 

Beijing, Beijing on 

Thursday launched a 

hotline number to provide 

consultation services 

for HIV/AIDS 

patients. 

Beijing Home of 

Red Ribbon, a nongovernmental 

organisation, 

launched the hotline 

to provide a series 

of services, including 

basic knowledge of HIV/AIDS, evaluation 

of unsafe sex, and psychological counselling, 

reports Xinhua. 

Zhao Hongxin, an HIV/AIDS expert with 

Beijing Ditan Hospital, took the first call on 

the hotline, answering questions about 

unsafe sex and anti-retroviral drugs. “We 

must give HIV/AIDS patients enough care 

and support, mainly medical aid, to solve 

their problems,” said Wang Kerong, Beijing 

Home of Red Ribbon office director. 

The organisation was established in 2005 

and provides comprehensive care for 

HIV/AIDS patients and their families, with 

medical support, volunteer services and 

legal aid.


HEALTH 


Avoid red meat, dairy 

products in winter 

New Delhi : Dry fruits, 

nuts, tulsi, ginger, leafy vegetables 

in your meals in winter is 

good, but avoid red meat and 

control the intake of milk products, 

suggest experts. 

Bhavishya Wadhwan, 

Founder at 98FIT and Neha 

Ranglani Nutritionist and 

lifestyle educator, have listed 

food habits not advisable for the 

cold season: 

* Dairy products: Although 

milk is known as a complete 

food, but in winter it is better to 

reduce its intake. Milk causes 

phlegm and can thicken the 

phlegm already present. This 

makes you more uncomfortable 

and increases the irritation in 

the throat. 

* Hot or cold drinks: 

Everybody loves hot coffee, hot 

tea, or hot chocolate in winters. 

But we need to keep in mind the 

amount of fat and caffeine they 

contain. These drinks dehydrate 

your body, which leads to much 

thicker mucus. So, it is best to 

avoid caffeine and opt for water or 

herbal fusions instead. 

* Red meat: Meat and eggs are 

known to be the best source of protein. 

High protein can cause a 

build-up of mucus in your throat. 

Processed meat and high fat meat 

can cause problem, while fish and 

poultry are relatively safer. But 

you must choose organic meat 

instead of processed. 

* Fried food: Deep fried food 

is a source of trans-fat and adds up 

to your total calorie consumption 

without giving you any actual food 

value. Fried food also run the risk 

of making your stomach upset. 

* Non seasonal fruits: 

Whenever a particular fruit is 

available on off-season, don’t consume 

them as they are not fresh. 

This is because it may lead to illness 

and health issues. Intake of 

more citrus fruits during winter 

season will boost up 

our body metabolism. 

* Sugar: Cold 

weather and hot 

chocolate go hand in 

hand, but many doctors 

believe that too 

much sugar can 

weaken your immune 

system. One study 

found subjects who 

had just consumed a 

lot of sugar weren’t 

able to fight off bacteria 

as compared to 

those who had mostly 

water. 

* Alcohol: During 

winter, we naturally 

tend to drink less water and due to 

the dry weather, the chance of 

being dehydrated is high. Alcohol 

can be a good option to warm up 

your body but alcohol dehydrates 

the body extensively which can be 

most damaging during winter. 

Moreover, alcohol increases 

your body temperature quickly 

which adds to the chance of getting 

cold during winter. 

Why women are more vulnerable 

to asthma risk than men 

New York : Women are more likely to suffer from asthma 

than men because of the absence 

of testosterone — the male sex 

hormone — which prevents 

lungs from inhaling harmful 

pollen, dust or other airborne 

allergens, finds a study. The 

findings showed that testosterone 

acts on immune cells that 

act as first line of defenders of 

the body against invading viruses. 

These immune cells are 

linked to asthma symptoms, such as inflammation and mucus 

production in the lungs, which causes airways to narrow during 

an asthma attack. “Initially we thought that ovarian hormones 

would increase inflammation, more so than testosterone 

making it better,” said Dawn Newcomb, from the 

Vanderbilt University in Tennessee, the US. “I was surprised 

to see that testosterone was more important in reducing 

inflammation,” Newcomb said. Prior studies have showed 

before puberty boys have approximately 1.5 times higher rate 

of asthma than girls. That trend reverses after puberty, when 

women are twice likely to have asthma as men. This pattern 

continues until women hit menopause, and then the asthma 

rates in women start to decline, the researchers said. For the 

study, appearing in the journal Cell Reports, the team focused 

on lung cells called Group 2 innate lymphoid cells, or ILC2 

cells — which make cytokines, proteins that cause inflammation 

and mucus production in the lungs, making it harder 

to breathe. The researchers collected blood from people with 

and without asthma and found that those with asthma had 

more ILC2 cells than those without. Asthmatic women were 

found with more ILC2 cells than men. 

In addition, when the researchers added testosterone, to 

the ILC2 cells, they found that the male hormone prevented 

the cells from expanding and reduced the production of 

cytokines. However,”sex hormones are not the only mechanism 

but, rather, one of many mechanisms that could be 

regulating airway inflammation”, Newcomb said.


SPORTS 


15 

I am a typical Delhi boy : Kohli 

In entertainment, it was actor Rajkummar Rao, who won the award 

defeating Varun Dhawan, and ‘Team Baahubali’. 

New Delhi, Describing himself as a 

“typical” Delhi boy, India skipper Virat 

Kohli has said he always remembers 

where he comes from. “I am a typical 

Delhi boy at heart. Wherever I might be 

in life, I always remember where I come 

from and what I have gone through to 

be where I am. That never goes away 

from me,” he said here on Thursday 

while receiving the CNN-News 18 

Indian of The Year Award. “No expectations, 

no milestones… there is a simple 

mindset. I just go there and do my duty. 

I don’t believe in tags and comparisons.” 

“For me the joy of life is just 

watching that ball and hitting it from the 

middle of the bat,” he said. Kohli was 

also given the ‘Popular Choice’ award. 

Badminton player Srikanth Kidambi 

won CNN-News18 Indian of the Year 

2017 award in sports category. Afroz 

Shah, Mumbai-based lawyer and champion 

of one of the largest citizen-driven 

environment programme, won the 

award in the field of ‘Public Service’. 

In entertainment, it was actor 

Rajkummar Rao, who won the award 

defeating Varun Dhawan, and ‘Team 

Anjum Chopra unveils gates 

named after her at Kotla 

New Delhi, Former Indian women’s cricket 

team captain Anjum Chopra on Wednesday 

unveiled the Ferozeshah Kotla Ground’s Gate 

No. 3 and 4, which were named after her. 

The Delhi and District Cricket Association 

(DDCA) decided to name the two gates after 

the cricketer-turned-commentator, who represented 

the country in six World Cups. She is 

also the first Indian to play 100 One-Day 

Internationals (ODIs) in women’s cricket. “Delhi has produced several 

illustrious cricketers and it’s a great honour to be considered (by 

DDCA) as one of them. Kotla has changed a lot over the years and 

it is a humbling honour to have my name at the entrance gates,” 40- 

year-old Anjum said at the unveiling ceremony. Earlier, former India 

opening batsman Virender Sehwag had Gate No.2 named after him. 

Baahubali’. While receiving the award, 

Rajkummar spoke about the ongoing 

controversy around Sanjay Leela 

Bhansali’s Padmavati. “We should not 

make any perceived notions about a 

movie before watching it. Without 

watching it, you can’t really say if the 

historical facts have been distorted. 

“The same goes for other films as well. 

“No comments about the film 

(Padmavati) in particular. Nobody is 

trying to distort the facts probably,” he 

said. “Baahubali” and its team were 

given the award for ‘Outstanding 

Achievement’ of the year. 

In the business category, the winner 

was Acharya Balkrishnan, CEO of the 

Yoga guru Ramdev-run Patanjali. 

Former cricketer and Indian 

coach Ravi Shastri was awarded 

for ‘Special Achievement’. 

Indian Women’s Cricket 

Team and Manushi Chhillar, 

who won the Miss 

World 2017 title, 

were also 

awarded in the 

same category. 

Perera named new Sri Lanka limited overs skipper 

New Delhi, All-rounder Thisara 

Perera was on Wednesday named Sri 

Lanka’s limited overs skipper, making 

him the seventh player to lead the 

islanders across different formats in 

2017. Perera, who had led the depleted 

T20I side against Pakistan in Lahore last 

month, will lead the ODI team for the 

very first time during the three-match 50- 

over rubber against India. 

The 28-year-old will take over from 

opening batsman Upul Tharanga under 

whom the Sri Lankans suffered three 5-0 

whitewashes against India, South Africa 

and Pakistan this year. Wishing the new 

skipper, Sri Lanka legend Mahela 

Jayawardene said on Twitter: “Wishing 

SLC new captain @PereraThisara all the 

very best..Come on panda.” 

Earlier, Tharanga had replaced Angelo 

Matthews, who stepped down from the 

position after the islanders lost an ODI 

series for the first time to Zimbabwe. Sri 

Lanka Cricket (SLC), however, is yet to 

confirm Perera’s tenure at the helm, 

which begins with the India series, starting 

December 10. ]Thisara is the seventh 

man to captain Sri Lanka in 2017, following 

Mathews, Lasith Malinga, 

Rangana Herath, Dinesh Chandimal and 

Chamara Kapugedera who have borne 

the responsibility in one format or other. 

Aussies to continue sledging in Ashes 

Adelaide, Ahead of the historic 

day-night second Ashes 

Test against England here from 

Saturday, Australia batsman 

Peter Handscomb on Thursday 

warned the tourists to be ready 

for more on-field verbal barbs. 

Since the start of the opening 

Test at the Gabba, the Ashes 

have been embroiled with verbal 

fireworks from either side but 

gained momentum once it was 

revealed that English stumper 

Jonny Bairstow headbutted 

Australian opener Cameron 

Bancroft in a Perth bar last 

month. 

The Kangaroos used the incident 

to fire salvos at Bairstow on 

the fourth day of the Gabba Test, 

which the hosts won by 10 wickets. 

Heading in to the second 

game, Handscomb said Australia 

will continue to target the 

tourists with the verbal volleys. 

“It’s something that’s part of 

the game, it always has been, it 

always will be,” the wicketkeeper-batsman 

was quoted as saying 

by cricket.com.au. 

“If there’s a moment that we 

can exploit someone’s mental 

capabilities well then yeah, 

we’re going to go about it. 

“There are moments you pick 

and choose and obviously the 

right words. There’s a line and 

we’ve just got to make sure we 

don’t cross it,” he added. 

Handscomb, who shared 

Yorkshire dressing room with 

Bairstow, said there was no room 

for sentiment when they are 

reprenting their respective countries 

in a high-octane series like 

the Ashes. 

“When I played with him at 

Yorkshire we had a great time 

together. I really like Jonny, we 

got along really well but it’s a 

different ball game now. 

“I’m not trying to make him 

(Bairstow) feel good out there. 

That’s not my job,” he added.


SPORTS 


President, PM hail Mirabai’s 

World Championships gold feat 

New Delhi, President Ram 

Nath Kovind and Prime Minister 

Narendra Modi on Thursday 

congratulated weightlifter 

Mirabai Chanu, who became the 

first Indian in over two decades 

to clinch a gold medal at the 

World 

Weightlifting 

Championships in Anaheim, 

United States. 

“Congratulations Mirabai 

Chanu for winning a gold medal 

in the World Weightlifting 

Championship. India is so proud 

of you. And congratulations 

Manipur for giving the country 

such a wonderful series of champion 

sportswomen!” President 

Kovind’s tweet read. Wishing 

the weightlifter for her future 

endeavours, PM Modi wrote: 

“India is proud of Mirabai 

Chanu, who has won a gold at 

the World Weightlifting 

Championship. Congratulations 

and best wishes for her future 

endeavours”. The 23-year-old’s 

feat is India’s first at the prestigious 

World Championships 

since Karnam Malleswari’s 

medal in 1995. 

Chanu, who is employed with 

the Indian Railways, lifted 85kg 

in snatch and 109kg in clean and 

jerk to total an impressive 194kg 

in the women’s 48kg, in the 

process setting a new national 

record. The Indian pipped the 

title favourite Thailand’s 

Sukcharoen Thunya by just one 

kilogram to clinch the yellow 

medal. While Thunya bagged the 

silver with a total lift of 193, 

Colombian Segura Ana Iris 

bagged the bronze with 182kg. 

Nearly 400 athletes from 

about 70 countries and regions, 

including six reigning Olympic 

champions, will be competing 

through December 5 at the competition. 

This will be the first 

world championships featuring 

eight weight categories for both 

men and women. Some of the 

world’s top weightlifting nations 

such as Russia, China, 

Kazakhstan, Ukraine and 

Azerbaijan could not take part in 

the competition due to issues 

related to doping. 

Australia, Belgium 

arrive for HWL Final 

Bhubaneswar, 

Defending champions 

Australia and 

world number three 

Belgium arrived to 

a rousing reception 

at the Biju Patnaik 

International 

Airport here on 

Sunday for the 

Men’s Hockey World League (HWL) 

Final, which is scheduled to begin at 

Kalinga Stadium here on December 1. 

The teams were welcomed by Odisha 

state government officials accompanied by 

host Hockey India (HI) amidst hockey 

buffs longing to click a picture with their 

favourite international stars. Argentina, 

Germany and the Netherlands will arrive 

in the city on Monday, said a statement. 

With the top teams in the world vying to 

live up to the billing, it will be hard to predict 

or single out one team as a clear winner, 

expressed Australia chief coach Colin 

Batch. “You can’t predict which team will 

make the Final of the tournament. If you 

see the Sentinel Women’s Hockey World 

League Final in 

Auckland, it was 

hard to predict till 

the end who will 

make the final. 

“It is a matter of 

playing well early 

on and play your 

best hockey from 

the quarter-finals 

onwards. It is going to be an exciting tournament 

in that respect. We have played 

England, Spain and Belgium earlier this 

year so it will be important to assess our 

team against the other top teams of the 

world,” Batch stated. The defending champions 

will meet India in their first Pool B 

match on the opening day of the tournament 

and Batch expects a good contest. 

“They (India) are playing at home and 

will have big expectations. They have 

some talented players from the Junior 

World Cup last year where they did very 

well. We play them in our first match 

which I am sure will have a good atmosphere 

and I am very much looking forward 

to that,” added the coach. 

Virat inspires 

me to be fit : 

Mithali Raj 

New Delhi, India 

Women’s cricket team 

captain Mithali Raj on 

Thursday heaped 

praise on skipper Virat 

Kohli and said it is 

commendable how he 

stays focused on staying 

fit throughout the 

year. “It feels great 

that all of them are 

getting their due, and 

It feels great 

that all of them 

are getting their 

due, and that 

people are finally 

recognising 

them,” the 34- 

year-old said at 

the CNN- 

News18 Indian 

of the Year 2017 

that people are finally recognising them,” 

the 34-year-old said at the CNN-News18 

Indian of the Year 2017. 

“I’ve come so far playing cricket in an 

era where it was not really appreciated, 

and responding to trolls is not really 

worth my time. “There are so many people 

who inspire me every day, not one 

person. But if I do have to name someone, 

it’s got to be Virat Kohli, for bringing the 

focus on fitness. Be it the men or women, 

everyone wants to be the best in international 

cricket,” Raj added. 

I-League : Aizawl hold 

East Bengal to a 2-2 draw 

Kolkata : Aizawl FC’s 

William Lalnunfela scored deep 

into stoppage time to pour cold 

water on East Bengal’s victory 

ambitions and hold them to a 2-2 

draw in an entertaining I-League 

football encounter here on 

Tuesday. Brazilian defender 

Eduardo Ferreira (66th 

minute) and Japanese midfielder 

Yusa Katsumi 

(72nd) gave the hosts a 

two-goal cushion only for 

Lalnunfela (74th) to pull 

one back in the next 

minute. Just as the match 

headed towards the final 

whistle, a corner by substitute 

Lalthathanga 

Khawlhring was tapped in 

by Lalnunfela to achieve 

parity and send the reigning 

champions into wild celebrations. 

Only a handful of spectators 

turned up at the revamped 

Vivekananda Yuba Bharati 

Krirangan –hosting an I-League 

match after early 2016 — due to 

the match being organised in 

three days’ time. Initially the 

state government had said that 

regulations do not permit two 

matches to be held in 48 hours’ 

time at the same venue. Indian 

Super League (ISL) side ATK 

played FC Pune City last Sunday 

at the same venue. But after 

dilly-dallying, permission was 

given very late, leaving the club 

with little time to print tickets. 

Coming to the game, East 

Bengal’s Trinidadian forward 

Willis Plaza was guilty of missing 

two good chances in quick 

succession, early on in the first 

half. First, U-22 defender 

Mehtab Singh crossed for Plaza 

inside the box but the latter took 

a touch too many for visiting 

defender Kareem Omolaja to 

clear the ball. Seven minutes 

later, Rafique teed up the 30- 

year-old but Aizawl goalkeeper 

Avilash Paul dived low to keep 

the effort from close at bay. 

It was one way traffic for the 

home side as the likes of midfield 

general Yusa Katsumi and the 

impressive 

Brandon 

Vanlalremdika tried to make 

inroads only to be thwarted in the 

final third. The red and gold 

brigade’s best chance came 10 

minutes to halftime but Plaza 

was unlucky here to see his longranger 

from 25 yards cannon off 

the upright. Both teams went into 

the break locked 

goalless. In the first 

minute after the 

restart, Syrian midfielder 

Mahmoud 

Al Amna — moving 

to the right 

flank with Katsumi 

coming inside — 

missed the goal by 

a whisker. Avilash 

then pulled off a 

pair of superb saves 

to deny Plaza twice in the space 

of three minutes. East Bengal 

finally broke the deadlock and it 

was Ferreira who rose highest 

after Md. Rafique flicked the ball 

in his path from a Katsumi corner. 

Minutes later, Rafique’s 

attempt to a big deflection off 

Katsumi squirmed over the line. 

Lalnunfela, in the next minute, 

headed in the ball in front of an 

empty net and in stoppage time 

scored again. East Bengal and 

Aizawl now have one point from 

their first outing this season.


CHITRANGAD SINGH 

had almost got 

named JODHA BAI 

Chitrangda Singh, who is currently shooting with Sanjay Dutt for Tigmanshu Dhulia’s Saheb 

Biwi Aur Gangster 3, has said she was almost named Jodhabai. The actor was born in Jodhpur 

and is happy to shoot in the city. She plays a Rajasthani girl in Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster 3. 

The actor has been utilising her time between the shoots to revisit her childhood. “My 

mom told me about the army hospital where I was born and even remembers the room 

number. I saw the place and it felt special. Then, I also got to know that I had almost 

been named Jodhabai. According to my mother, the lady who was looking after me 

at the time had taken to calling me Jodhabai. Thank God mom didn’t go by her suggestion,” 

the actor said in a press statement. On her upcoming film, the Hazaaron 

Khwaishein Aisi star said, “We are staying in a 300-year-old fort and there’s so 

much history here. It’s a different world altogether. I play a Rajasthani girl in the 

film and that shows in my outfits and the way I speak. The look is not urban so 

we had to work on the costumes carefully. I also had to take some dance lessons 

as part of my prep to get the traditional moves right." 

Chitrangada started shooting for Saheb Biwi aur Gangster 3 in Bikaner this 

September. Talking about reuniting with Tigmanshu, Chitrangda also said, 

“Tigmanshu and I were supposed to work together way back in 1997, when he 

was making his first film, Haasil. Somehow, that didn’t work out. If it had, it 

would have probably been my first film instead of Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi. 

Today, neither of us recalls why the collaboration didn’t work out then. 

Tigamanshu is extremely edgy and I like his style of filmmaking.” 

ENTERTAINMENT 


17 

I become rude in public : 

Jennifer Lawrence 

Los Angeles, Actress 

Jennifer Lawrence says she 

becomes “incredibly rude” 

in public. Lawrence is 

widely regarded as one of 

Hollywood’s most down-toearth 

stars. However, she 

says her attitude towards 

people changes as soon as 

she enters a public space, 

reports variety.com. “Once 

I enter a public place, I 

become incredibly rude, I 

turn into a huge a**,” 

Lawrence said. “That’s kind 

of like my only way of 

defending myself (from fan 

attention),” she added. The 

27-year-old actress said she 

has no qualms about declining 

to pose for selfies with 

her fans. “That’s like my 

only defence. One of my 

best friends is Amy 

Schumer. I take my dog to 

the park all the time, 

Central Park. As soon as I 

meet her in the park, we’re 

f****d,” she said. 

AKSHAY KUMAR FIGHTS FOR MENSTURAL 

HYGIENE IN & AS PADMAN 

In cinemas worldwide on 26th January 2018, through 

Sony Pictures Entertainment, India 

‘Dad and I 

never spoke 

about box 

office battle 

A superhero is a heroic stock 

character, who is dedicated to 

protecting their public and 

fighting evil and oppression at 

all costs, often single handily. 

However, contrary to popular 

folklore, not all superheroes 

wear capes and can sometimes 

blend in with the conventional 

public. Here’s introducing the 

inspiring story of one of TIME 

Magazine’s 100 Most 

Influential 

entrants 

Arunachalam Muruganantham, 

a rural welder from India turned 

incredible innovator and inventor, 

who certainly wasn’t wearing 

a cape when he was moved 

to provide women with access 

to high-quality and affordable 

sanitary pads 20 years ago. His 

story has been fictionalised for 

its silver screen debut with 

PadMan, the world’s first feature 

film on menstrual hygiene 

releasing in cinemas around the 

world on 26th January Co-produced 

by Mrs Funnybones 

Movies, Hope Productions, 

KriArj Entertainment, and Sony 

Pictures Entertainment, India, 

PadMan is written and directed 

by ad-man turned film-man R 

Balki (Paa). It is billed as the 

most progressive family entertainer 

yet, starring international 

megastar Akshay Kumar 

(Toilet: Ek Prem Katha) who 

assumes the titular role of 

Arunachalam Muruganantham 

to once again showcase his 

commitment to social entertainers. 

He is joined by critically 

acclaimed actresses Sonam 

Kapoor (Neerja)and Radhika 

Apte (Kabali). 

The story of Arunachalam 

Muruganantham was first fictionalised 

in the Founder of Mrs 

Funnybones Movies, Twinkle 

Having witnessed two of his biggest films clash at 

the box office with actor Aamir Khan’s movies — 

Ghayal with Dil in 1990 and Gadar with Lagaan in 2001 

— actor Sunny Deol is not new to the concept of box 

office battles. This year, his film Poster Boys released 

on the same day (September 8) as Arjun Rampal’s 

Daddy. However, Sunny, son of veteran actor 

Dharmendra, prefers to count himself among the old 

school actors, who never worried about box office 

clashes or got involved in the number game after their 

films released. He says, “I don’t think that clashes made 

any difference back then, and neither did they have any 

significance even when my dad was active in films. It’s 

just hype created for people to talk about.” 

Amid several films racing to make it to the coveted 

100 crore club nowadays, Sunny says that it has never 

been his game plan. “We, my dad and I, have done it several 

years ago. The difference is that we never spoke 

about it at that time, and so we were respected. Those 

days, nobody fought. But now, actors and filmmakers 

talk about it, and they are all fighting for it,” the actor 

says. Talking about how big the number game has 

become these days, Sunny says people no longer go to 

theatres to enjoy a film. “They go in large numbers to 

watch a film and if they don’t like it, it doesn’t matter to 

them. It’s no longer restricted to the desire to see something 

because it might make you feel nice,” he adds. 

Sunny maintains that all these years, all he has focused 

on as an actor is to do great cinema. “That’s how I want 

to be known. I’ve never bothered about where and how it 

happens. I didn’t even know when [my] films were a hit 

or how big they had become. I never sat down and 

planned my way ahead. So, it’s best to go on and keep 

moving ahead if you want to enjoy it,” signs off Sunny. 

Khanna’s award-winning book 

of short-stories, The Legend of 

Lakshmi Prasad. A renowned 

vocal women empowerment 

champion,interior design entrepreneur, 

best-selling author, 

newspaper columnist and producer, 

Twinkle Khanna then felt 

compelled to project 

Arunachalam Muruganantham’s 

story to a wider audience by coproducing 

PadMan under her 

banner Mrs Funnybones Movies. 

PadMan traces Arunachalam 

Muruganantham’s international 

journey from an outcast exiled 

from society for his endeavours 

to delve into such a taboo subject, 

to becoming a super-hero 

of India’s modern history, as he 

followed his dream to bring a 

revolution to menstrual hygiene 

in India. 

Akin to the tagline of the 

film Superhero Hai Yeh Pagla 

(He’s a Crazy Superhero), 

PadMan is nothing short of an 

impulsive, flamboyant and 

driven entrepreneur extraordinaire, 

who refused to give up in 

the wake of scrutiny and 

ridicule, using his resilience and 

initiative to invent India’s low 

cost sanitary napkin making 

machine. An extreme enigma in 

his home town, Arunachalam 

Muruganantham’s super-heroic 

efforts led to a business that 

today employs hundreds of 

women across India. 

Issues relating to menstrual 

hygiene are a global phenomenon. 

Whether this is a result of 

the stigma and taboo resulting 

in the marginalisation and disempowerment 

of women in 

societies, the economic and 

social impact of “period poverty”, 

to the consequences on 

women’s health, there is a need 

to educate both men and 

women on the impact and to 

ensuring all women have menstrual 

dignity. Committed to the 

cause of women empowerment, 


faced the risk of isolation and 

marginalisation as he challenged 

the stigma and stereotypes 

associated with menstrual 

hygiene head-on in order to 

improve the lives of thousands 

of women. As is the case with 

many superheroes, it’s the element 

of social segregation that 

makes Arunachalam 

Muruganantham’s story so special. 

He is challenged by the 

extreme backlash of a bigoted 

society stuck in its ways, to liberate 

and empower women 

across the country – just like a 

superhero. 

Whilst his exterior may 

resemble that of a regular man, 


is the paradigm to the theory 

that not all heroes wear capes! 

PadMan is a tribute to every 

ordinary and simple man and 

woman, who dare to dream and 

impact the lives of millions of 

others. Padman releases in cinemas 

worldwide on the 26th 

January to inspire all the capeless 

heroes amongst us, through 

Sony Pictures Entertainment, 

India.


ENTERTAINMENT 


Sonakshi Sinha is enjoying 

the best of both worlds 

Sonakshi Sinha’s latest film, Ittefaq, has received a positive response for its content and performances 

even without the extensive pre-release promotions that are usual these days. The actor has been 

picking roles that showcase her versatility, and says that frequent reinvention is what she aims for. 

Did you anticipate the response that Ittefaq received? This kind of a film is so rarely attempted that 

we didn’t know what to expect. All I can say is that as a team, we were very happy when we saw 

how the film turned out. All of us were content and knew that a good film would always get the 

right kind of appreciation, and that’s what happened. Are you game for more murder mysteries? 

What other genres would you like to attempt? Why not? If the role excites me I’d 

attempt the genre again. Otherwise, an out-and-out romcom is something that I’ve wanted 

to do. Something on the lines of Jab We Met (2007) or You’ve Got Mail (1998). Your 

next is a stage reality film. 

Are you consciously signing films that are different and don’t fall in the so-called 

commercial entertainment space? I’m deliberately picking roles that challenge 

me in some way or the other. Now, whether that falls in the category of a commercial 

potboiler or any other category, I’m okay with doing it. 

I 

try not be 

repetitive; reinvent 

[myself] with every 

role I choose; and [try] 

to make the audience 

look at me from a different 

perspective 

SONAKSHI 

SINHA ACTOR 

ANUSHKA NOT READY 

TO DIRECT A MOVIE 

Barely three years into film production, actor Anushka Sharma is 

already experimenting with subjects and making movies that are offbeat. 

Her next home production, in which she plays the lead, is a mysterious 

love story. How soon before she tries her hand at the third major aspect 

of filmmaking — direction? “I have never planned things. And I guess that has 

worked for me so far. That’s just who I am as a person,” she replies. That means, 

she isn’t saying yes and she isn’t saying no. “By telling you I’m not going to do 

it, there’s no guarantee that I am 100 per cent not going to do it. But I’m not actively 

thinking about direction yet, at the moment,” says Anushka. On switching hats, 

and how she manages to slip into different characters on screen, the actor says that 

she has completely “streamlined” her life. 

“I have no time for anything futile. I constantly want to keep getting better,” 

asserts Anushka. “I focus on only what needs to be done. It may get difficult; 

but at least I’m not doing faltu ki cheez. I’m focussing on what I really have 

to,” adds the actor. For someone who is so focussed, do social media form 

a distraction? And how does she handle trolls? “I don’t take it at face 

value. I think it shows you the kind of society we live in,” says 

Anushka. “You feel sad that people can be so rude and mean. 

I’m not just talking about the things that they’ve said to 

me, but generally the kind of things they’ve managed 

to say to other people also. 

Anushka 

Sharma holds 

forth on work 

goals and 

shunning 

trolls 

Malhotra 

feels when it 

comes to fans’ 

love, there’s 

no need to 

bring in a 

“negative 

aspect or put 

an unhappy 

connotation 

to it” 

It needs to be dealt with 

sensitivity: Sidharth 

Bollywood actors 

have always had stories 

to tell about 

crazy fans, who go 

out of their way to 

show their affection 

for the stars. One of 

Varun Dhawan’s 

fans seemingly 

took it to another 

level recently. A few 

days back, he started 

receiving WhatsApp 

messages continuously 

from a female fan, so he 

blocked the number. 

Then, an unknown person 

called Varun and threatened 

that his fan would kill herself 

if the actor did not respond to 

her messages. Disturbed by 

the suicide threat, Varun 

decided to file a police complaint. 

Ask Sidharth 

Malhotra, who also has a huge 

fan following amongst the 

youth, if such an incident is 

scary and he says: “Of course, 

it is [scary]. I am sure nobody 

would wish that upon their fans; 

that they take such drastic steps 

or put their lives at risk [for us]. 

It is very unfortunate that they 

say certain things which, in a 

way, make you feel responsible 

for anything negative that they 

do.” The Ittefaq actor feels showing 

affection towards someone 

only has positivity. “Sometimes, 

[such things make] you feel that 

it’s not fair because it [being a 

fan] is a positive thing. If anyone 

likes a star, it is a positive thing, 

right? Then, there shouldn’t be a 

need to bring in a negative aspect 

or put an unhappy connotation to 

it,” says the actor, adding that fan 

can “go to any extent to get in 

touch” with them. “But you have 

to be sensitive and make sure that 

you don’t encourage such 

things,” he says. In fact, Sidharth 

says he “felt very awkward” 

when he recently met a girl at an 

event. “She started crying on 

meeting me. That was sad 

because you want your fans to be 

happy and not sad. That being 

said, crying is still acceptable but 

someone saying that they will 

take their life is not acceptable at 

all. I hope it never happens and 

people say that only to gain 

attention,” he says. In hindsight, 

such a thing “Can also be someone’s 

way of showing their love 

by attracting attention,” says 

Sidharth. “It needs to be dealt 

with sensitivity and handled 

carefully. I have never experienced 

anything like that. Yes, 

there have been people, who 

have said that they want to meet 

me because they are on their 

death bed,” he says. 

Interestingly, Sidharth 

recounts an experience wherein, 

he met a fan from Europe. “Yes, 

I met one guy from Europe, who 

said that he is not well but eventually, 

we realised that he was 

lying. He just wanted to meet, 

and that’s not cool. You can’t just 

lie to get that kind of sympathy. 

But I guess that is part and parcel 

of being a known face and people 

loving you,” says the actor. 

Kirron Kher stirs controversy 

with advice to 

gang rape victim 

Chandigarh, Chandigarh’s BJP MP 

Kirron Kher has stirred a controversy by giving 

unsolicited advice to a young woman 

who was gang raped earlier this month here 

by an auto-rickshaw driver and his two 

accomplices. Kher said on Wednesday that 

the victim should have been more cautious 

and not boarded the auto-rickshaw in which 

three men were already sitting. The 

Bollywood actress and Lok Sabha member 

on Thursday sought to clarify her statement, saying it was “only in 

the context of certain precautions” that women should take and that 

it was “not intended to blame the victim or shaming her”. 

The Bharatiya Janata Party MP had earlier said that the 21-yearold 

gang rape victim should have avoided boarding the auto-rickshaw 

when she saw that three men were already sitting in it. “I want 

to tell this girl and all other girls that if you see three men sitting in 

the auto, they should not board it. I am saying this to protect the girls. 

“We all have to be alert about such things. I am saddened by what has 

happened with the woman,” Kher told media on Wednesday. On 

Thursday, Kher clarified her stand. “I just said that the world is a bad 

place. We all, especially ladies, have to take precautions. As a mother, 

I am saying this that we need to take care,” Kher said. She said 

that if the victim had called up the police control room, the police 

would have taken her and dropped her safely to her home. “If the 

Congress wants to make an issue out of it, I cannot help,” she said. 

The victim was allegedly gang raped by three men on November 17 

evening after she hired the shared auto-rickshaw to go back to her 

paying guest accommodation in Mohali town, adjoining Chandigarh.


TECH 


19 

Google ‘Datally’ app to help 

you save on mobile data 

New Delhi, Google on Thursday 

launched an app designed to help 

Android phone users understand, 

control and save on their expensive 

mobile data. This app, called Datally, 

allows users to track their data usage 

in real time, and get personalised recommendations 

on saving data along 

with notifications of public Wi-Fi 

spots available nearby. 

The app is now globally available 

on the Google Play Store for all 

phones running Android 5.0 

(Lollipop) and higher, Google said. 

Datally is an initiative of Google’s 

Next Billion Users division that aims 

to make Internet services more accessible 

even in countries with limited 

technology infrastructure. 

“Mobile data is expensive for 

many people around the world. And 

what’s worse, it’s hard to figure out 

where it all goes. “That’s why we 

built Datally, an app that helps you to 

Los Angeles, Intel has 

entered into an agreement with 

entertainment company Warner 

Bros to develop in-cabin 

“immersive experiences” such 

as virtual reality (VR) and augmented 

reality (AR) for people 

riding in autonomous cars of the 

future. 

Announcing the 

partnership at the 

Los Angeles 

Auto Show on 

Wednesday, 

Intel CEO 

Brian Krzanich 

said that 

autonomous driving is “today’s 

biggest game changer”, offering 

a new platform for innovation 

from in-cabin design and entertainment 

to life-saving safety 

systems. “Called the AV 

(autonomous vehicle) 

Entertainment Experience, we 

are creating a first-of-its-kind 

proof-of-concept car to demonstrate 

what entertainment in the 

vehicle could look like in the 

future,” Krzanich said. 

The vehicle will showcase 

the potential for entertainment 

in an autonomous driving 

world, Intel said. With the rise 

of the AV industry and as pas- 

control, save more and do more with 

your data,” Caesar Sengupta, Vice 

President, Next Billion Users, 

Google, said in a blogpost. Tests of 

the app in the Philippines had shown 

that Datally could help users save up 

to 30 per cent on their data, Google 

said. Datally helps users do three 

things. First, it allows users to see 

data usage on an hourly, daily, weekly 

or monthly basis 

and get personalised 

recommendations 

for how they can 

save more. Secondly, 

it also help users 

block background 

data usage and track real-time data 

usage while using each of the apps 

“It’s like a speedometer for your 

data,” Google said. And lastly, 

Datally also tells users if they are 

near public Wi-Fi so that they can 

save on data. 

Intel partners 

Warner Bros to 

make self-driving 

car rides fun 

“Called the AV (autonomous vehicle) 

Entertainment Experience, we are creating a 

first-of-its-kind proof-of-concept car to 

demonstrate what entertainment in the vehicle 

could look like in the future,” Krzanich said. 

sengers shift from being drivers 

to riders, their connected-device 

time, including video-viewing 

time, is set to increase. 

“Not only do we see passengers 

consuming content ranging 

from movies and television programming, 

we imagine riders 

enjoying immersive 

experiences 

never 

seen before, 

courtesy of incabin 

virtual 

reality and augmented 

reality innovations,” 

Krzanich 

said. “For example, a fan of the 

superhero Batman could enjoy 

riding in the Batmobile through 

the streets of Gotham City, 

while AR capabilities render the 

car a literal lens to the outside 

world, enabling passengers to 

view advertising and other discovery 

experiences,” the Intel 

CEO added. But more than 

enjoying the ride, the 

autonomous systems, which 

Intel believes are the logical 

extension of seat belts, air bags 

and anti-lock braking systems, 

are about reducing drivingrelated 

fatalities, the company 

said. 

Google Search adds donate button for nonprofits 

San Francisco, To make it 

easier for people to give 

money to their favourite 

organisations this holiday 

season, Google Search has 

added a “Donate” button to 

its knowledge graph. The 

button allows users to contribute 

to the organisations 

directly when they search for 

US-based nonprofits. But for 

the button to appear, the nonprofits 

need to enroll with 

Google. “Starting today, 

when you search for a growing 

list of US-based nonprofits, 

you’ll see a new ‘Donate’ 

option. “Tap or click on 

Donate, and you’ll see an 

easy donation flow that lets 

Earlier in 2017, Google pledged $1 billion 

in Google.org grants over five years to nonprofits 

around the world. According to some 

estimates, Google said, nearly 30 per cent of 

all giving happens during the holiday season. 

you give to your favourite 

organisation as easily as you 

can look up its history, phone 

number, or website,” 

Google’s Product Manager 

Prem Ramaswami wrote in a 

blog post on Tuesday. “We’re 

starting with organisations in 

the US across causes and 

locales who have opted in 

through Google for 

Nonprofits, and we hope that 

more opt in moving forward,” 

Ramaswami said. 

Earlier in 2017, Google 

pledged $1 billion in 

Google.org grants over five 

years to nonprofits around 

the world. According to some 

estimates, Google said, nearly 

30 per cent of all giving 

happens during the holiday 

season. “This spirit shines in 

our search trends, too, with 

many people looking for 

ways to donate and support 

nonprofits. We hope this feature 

makes it easier for nonprofits 

to reach potential supporters, 

and for you to donate 

to important causes, this holiday 

season and beyond,” 

Ramaswami said. 

Unlike Facebook’s 

Charitable Givings feature 

that has gotten popular with 

users who “donate” their 

birthdays to fundraising, 

Google does not charge a fee 

when donations are made 

through its button, The Verge 

reported. 

World needs to collectively 

tackle fake news: Facebook 

The Kremlin-linked Russian organisations purchased more than $100,000 of ads on social 

media platforms during the US election. Facebook told US Congress this month that 126 million 

of its users in the US might have seen ads produced and circulated by Russian operatives 

New Delhi, Although Facebook is doing 

its job to tackle the presence of fake news 

and polarised ads on its platform, the world 

needs a collective take on bad actors — be 

it state or non-state — to ensure the flow of 

high-quality information on social media, a 

top company executive said here on 

Thursday. Speaking at the HT Leadership 

Summit, Alex Hardiman, Head of News 

Product at Facebook, said that there are 

several aggressive bad actors with sophisticated 

ways who are spreading misinformation 

and both traditional media outlets and 

social media platforms must come together 

to devise increasingly smart methods to 

deal with them. “At Facebook, we are 

spending tremendous amount of time and 

energy to identify fake news. We are now 

sharing information with other big tech 

companies to find out the root cause. 

Facebook is going to increase head counts 

and investments to counter fake news in 

2018,” Hardiman told the gathering. 

“All stakeholders — governments, thirdparty 

players, traditional media houses and 

social media giants — need to come under 

one umbrella to eliminate bad actors,” 

emphasised Hardiman who has worked as 

Vice President of News Product at The New 

York Times. Facebook along with tech giants 

like Twitter and Google is facing intense 

scrutiny in the US after the company disclosed 

details about the presence of Russian 

political ads, tweets and posts on their platforms 

during the presidential election in 

2016. The Kremlin-linked Russian organisations 

purchased more than $100,000 of ads 

on social media platforms during the US 

election. Facebook told US Congress this 

month that 126 million of its users in the US 

might have seen ads produced and circulated 

by Russian operatives. Not just the US, 

Facebook and Twitter have also agreed to 

share details with British authorities on 

Russia’s interference in the Brexit referendum 

by using their platforms. 

“Facebook is fully cooperating with the 

governments. I can’t comment on the 

specifics but we are regulated — be it in the 

EU or the US. We will abide by the laws of 

the land. Back at the company, we are recalibrating 

efforts and will make sure that inclusive 

news goes out,” she noted. 

According to her, Facebook is identifying 

and blocking misinformation in myriad 

ways. “Our Machine Learning (ML) tools 

are constantly eliminating fake accounts. 

Human reviewers are helping us spot 

nuanced information in sensenalised posts 

and ads. We are also doing third-party factchecking 

to understand what is real and what 

is not,” Hardiman said. Using Artificial 

Intelligence (AI) and ML techniques, 

Facebook is removing Islamic State (IS) and 

Al Qaeda-related terror content from its platform 

before anyone flags it, the social media 

giant said this week. In its bid to help readers 

identify trustworthy news sources, 

Facebook along with Google, Twitter and 

several media organisations have joined the 

non-partisan “The Trust Project”. 

“The Trust Project” is led by award-winning 

journalist Sally Lehrman of Santa 

Clara University’s Markkula Centre for 

Applied Ethics. As part of the project, an 

icon will appear next to articles in 

Facebook News Feed. When you click on 

the icon, you can read information on the 

organisations’ ethics and other standards, 

the journalists’ backgrounds, and how they 

do their work. 

“We are now deeply involved with 

media houses to identify false news as 

bringing both sides together will ensure 

high-quality news,” the Facebook executive 

said. Hardiman is positive on the India market 

for Facebook. “The Indian publishers 

have so much data and can make good decisions 

about content strategy and revenue 

models. Facebook is bullish on India when it 

comes to local context, regional languages 

— to create strong threads and connect the 

next billion,” she told the audience, adding 

that Facebook product like “Instant Article” 

are being fast adopted in the country. 

Talking about India-first innovation, 

Hardiman said: “More than four million 

donors in India have signed up for 

Facebook’s blood donation feature which the 

company launched from the country”. 

In October, Facebook launched a new 

blood donations feature, starting in India, to 

make it easier for people to donate blood.


TECH 


Samsung leads Indian 

smartwatch market, 

unveils 2 new wearables 

New Delhi, As wearables begin to 

gain a foothold in the country, Samsung 

India has captured 50 per cent of the 

premium smartwatch market (in value 

terms) in the first half of 2017 which 

was driven by its flagship smartwatch 

Gear S3, a top company executive said 

here on Wednesday. “Samsung Gear S3 

smartwatch has given us phenomenal 

growth this year. In the first half of 

2017, in the premium smartwatch segment, 

(which is greater than Rs 25,000), 

we now enjoy a 50 per cent market 

share and are growing at the 50 

per cent rate over last year 

in terms of value,” 

Aditya Babbar, 

General Manager, 

Samsung India, told 

IANS here. The 

company also witnessed 

a 70 per cent growth during 

the festive season this year (in value 

terms) for Gear S3 business compared 

to the period last year. “In the festive 

season, we saw a 70 per cent growth 

with Gear S3 which makes us believe 

that our new line-up will also be successful,” 

Babbar added. Bullish on the 

growth, Samsung India on Wednesday 

expanded its line-up of wearables and 

launched Gear Fit2 Pro, a GPS sports 

band with smart features at Rs 13,590 

and Gear Sport smartwatch at Rs 

22,990. “There are fitness bands that 

have features like step counting, 

heartrate monitor and others. We wanted 

to give users a completely new experience. 

Gear Fit2 Pro gives a swimming 

solution (with 5 ATM water resistance 

and ‘MIL STD’ 810G) and real-time 

heart rate 

monitor which 

are top of the line features,” Baddar 

said. The devices with 5 ATM water rating 

can withstand pressures equivalent 

to a depth of 50 metres. “MIL-STD- 

810G” is series of tests designed by the 

US military to test its equipment limits 

in various conditions. 

Gear Sport sports 1.2-inch 

AMOLED display and rotating bezel 

user interface (UI). The smartwatch is 

powered by a 300mAh battery and supports 

wireless charging while Gear Fit2 

Pro features a 200mAh battery. 

Gear Sport will let the user receive 

nutrition management alerts and activity 

recommendations even if they are 

offline and has been designed with military-level 

durability. 

Both Gear Sports and Gear Fit2 Pro 

support water resistance and swim 

tracking technology. 

Gear Fit2 Pro features 

built-in GPS tracking and 

sports 1.5-inch Super 

AMOLED curved display 

and a high-resolution colour 

touchscreen. Both the devices will 

go on sale in December, the company 

said. “We have introduced new smart 

capabilities, easy-to-use features and 

partnered with leading names in tech 

and fitness to help consumers go 

beyond fitness and live an active, balanced 

and fulfilling life,” Babbar added. 

According to market research firm 

Gartner, smartwatches will continue to 

drive the demand for wearable technology 

that projected to increase by 16.7 

per cent in 2017. 

Watch YouTube videos right 

in WhatsApp on iOS devices 

San Francisco, A new WhatsApp 

update rolled out for iOS will let users 

play YouTube videos right within the 

instant messaging app. The update will 

also let users navigate to another chat 

while you are watching the video. 

The information regarding the new 

WhatsApp update Version 2.17.81 was 

published on 

AppStore and first 

spotted by 

WABetaInfo, a website 

that tracks 

WhatsApp Beta programmes, 

on Tuesday. 

“When you receive 

a link to a YouTube 

video, you can now 

play it right within 

WhatsApp. With picture-in-picture, 

you 

can also keep watching 

the video while 

you navigate to another 

chat,” the new 

update read on AppStore. Earlier, when 

users clicked on the link, the YouTube 

video would open in YouTube app 

installed on the smartphones. The latest 

update can also help you record long 

messages with ease. 

“Want to easily record long Voice 

Messages? When recording a Voice 

Message, just swipe up to lock recording 

so you can continue to record without 

keeping your finger down,” read 

the description. Apparently, the 

YouTube feature in WhatsApp is currently 

disabled and it would soon 

enable it from the server. 

WhatsApp is also working on a new 

feature that will allow users to quickly 

switch from voice to video call while 

the voice call is in progress. 

According to WABetaInfo, in the 

new Android update, WhatsApp is 

developing a new button that will allow 

users to quickly switch from voice to 

video call without stopping the voice 

call in progress. The recipient, however, 

will be able to reject the upcoming 

video call if he or she wants. 

“WhatsApp is also testing a feature 

that will allow to direcly mute a video,” 

the report added. WhatsApp has over 

200 million monthly active users in 

India and 1.2 billion users worldwide.


Trump lights US national 

CHRISTMAS TREE 

Washington US President 

Donald Trump has lit the national 

Christmas tree, located behind 

the White House, in a ceremony 

followed by a performance of 

the 1960s-hit pop band, The 

Beach Boys. On Thursday, 

Trump and his wife, Melania 

Trump, went hand in hand to the 

Ellipse, a public park to participate 

in the Christmas tree lighting 

ceremony, an annual tradition 

which US Presidents usually 

attend. “We want to wish 

everybody a merry Christmas, a 

happy New Year, have unbelievable 

holidays, and we are now 

going to light a very beautiful 

tree,” said Trump. After a countdown 

from ten initiated by 

Trump, the first lady flipped a 

switch to set aglow a 8.5-metre 

Christmas tree, illuminated with 

bright yellow and blue lights, 

Efe news reported. Then, The 

Beach Boys, now left with only 

one founding member, Mike 

Love, took the stage and performed 

their traditional 

Pentagon withdraws plan 

to ban use of cluster bombs 

Washington, The Pentagon 

has withdrawn a plan to ban the 

use of certain cluster bombs that 

are widely seen as a hazard to 

civilians, Pentagon spokesman 

Tom Crossen has said. “The 

Department of Defense has 

determined that cluster munitions 

remain a vital military 

capability in the tougher warfighting 

environment ahead of 

us, while still a relatively safe 

one,” said the statement on 

Thursday, Xinhua news agency 

reported. In response, Mary 

Wareham, from the Cluster 

Munition Coalition, an international 

campaign seeking to eliminate 

cluster bombs, argued that 

there is no compelling reason for 

the use of cluster munitions. 

“We condemn this decision to 

reverse the long-held US commitment 

not to use cluster munitions 

that fail more than 1 per 

cent of the time, resulting in 

Africa 

regained unity 

with 

Morocco’s 

return to AU, 

says top 

official 

deadly unexploded sub-munitions.” 

she said. 

Cluster bombs contain 

bomblets that scatter widely and 

can detonate months or years 

later. The Convention on Cluster 

Munitions, an international treaty 

that began in 2018 and has been 

signed by more than 100 countries, 

prohibits the use, transfer 

and stockpile of the weapon. 

However, the US is not a signatory. 

Instead, the then Republican 

George W. Bush administration 

set a now nine-year-old policy 

that the US, by January 1, 2019, 

would end its use of cluster 

bombs that did not meet a standard 

of failing to detonate 1 per 

cent of the time or less, according 

to a The Hill report. The US 

rarely uses cluster bombs but it 

has sold them to other countries 

and says they could be useful in 

any future large-scale ground 

war, said the report. 

Abidjan, Chairperson of the African 

Union Commission, Moussa Faki, 

termed the return of Morocco to the 

African Union as “delightful” and added 

that with it Africa has regained its unity. 

“With the delightful return of the 

Kingdom of Morocco, embodied today by 

the presence of King Mohammed VI, 

Africa has regained its unity,” he said at 

the opening ceremony on Wednesday of 

the 5th African Union-European Union 

Summit, which was attended by the King. 

“With this return, the AU-EU couple has 

Christmas song “Little Saint 

Nick”. The First Lady unveiled 

on Monday the White House’s 

Christmas decoration and said 

that “the President, Barron, and I 

are very excited for our first 

Christmas in the White House”. 

WORLD 

Pope urges world to take decisive 

measures to address Rohingya crisis 

Dhaka, In his first public 

speech in Bangladesh 

delivered on Thursday, 

Pope Francis considered 

that no one could ignore 

the gravity of the Muslim 

minority Rohingyas’ situation 

and urged the international 

community to take 

decisive measures to 

address this grave crisis. 

Once again, the Pope 

avoided mentioning the word 

“Rohingya” explicitly in the 

speech delivered at the presidential 

palace in the Bangladeshi 

capital, referring to them as “a 

massive influx of refugees from 

Rakhine State,” Efe news agency 

reported. 

“It is imperative that the international 

community take decisive 

measures to address this 

grave crisis, not only by working 

to resolve the political issues that 

have led to the mass displacement 

of people, but also by 

offering immediate material 

assistance to Bangladesh in its 

effort to respond effectively to 

urgent human needs,” the Pope 

said. The Pontiff, who minutes 

earlier had met privately with 

Bangladesh’s President Abdul 

Hamid, praised the spirit of generosity 

and solidarity which 

marked the country’s society. 

This spirit, he added, had 

been seen most vividly in the 

Bangladeshi society’s humanitarian 

outreach to the refugees 

regained its balance, its 

strengths and an exceptional bicontinental 

status,” he added, 

MAP news agency reported. 

Since the last summit held in 

Brussels in 2014, the AU has 

undergone significant changes 

that are part of a restructuring 

dynamic driven by its leaders in 

order to make it an effective 

instrument of development and integration 

and achieve the aspirations of the African 

peoples, he added. The theme of this 5th 

from Rakhine State, providing 

them with temporary shelter and 

the basic necessities of life, at no 

little sacrifice. “None of us can 

fail to be aware of the gravity of 

the situation, the immense toll of 

human suffering involved, and 

the precarious living conditions 

of so many of our brothers and 

sisters, a majority of whom are 

women and children, crowded in 

the refugee camps,” said Pope 

Francis. The Pope highlighted 

the importance of meetings with 

leaders from various religions 

which are to take place during 

the visit, and added that the 

country was known for the harmony 

that has traditionally existed 

between followers of various 

religions. 

“This atmosphere of mutual 

respect, and a growing climate of 

interreligious dialogue, enables 

believers to express freely their 

deepest convictions about the 

meaning and purpose of life. In a 

world where religion is often _ 

scandalously _ misused to 

The Pope highlighted 

the importance of meetings 

with leaders from 

various religions which 

are to take place during 

the visit, and added that 

the country was known 

for the harmony that has 

traditionally existed 

between followers of 

various religions. 

foment division, such a 

witness to its reconciling and 

unifying power is all the more 

necessary,” he added. 

The Pope recalled the common 

reaction of indignation that 

followed 2016’s terrorist attack 

in Dhaka, and the clear message 

sent by the nation’s religious 

authorities that the name of God 

can never be invoked to justify 

hatred and violence against fellow 

humans. 

Pope Francis also mentioned 

the role played by the Catholics 

in Bangladesh, who despite 

being a relatively small community 

collaborate in the development 

of the country, particularly 

through their schools, clinics and 

dispensaries. “I am confident 

that, in accordance with the letter 

and the spirit of the national 

Constitution, the Catholic community 

will continue to enjoy the 

freedom to carry out these good 

works as an expression of its 

commitment to the common 

good,” he added. 


21 

US urges all nations to sever ties with 

N. Korea, Russia calls it ‘goading’ Kim 

United Nations, The US has urged all nations 

to cut diplomatic and trade ties with North Korea 

after its latest intercontinental ballistic missile test 

and warned that if it comes to war, the rogue 

regime will be “totally destroyed”. 

The call was rejected by Russia on 

Thursday as it accused Washington 

of provoking Pyongyang into stepping 

up its nuclear missile programme. 

Russian Foreign Minister 

Sergei Lavrov dismissed the call by 

the US Permanent Representative to 

the UN Nikki Haley to sever ties 

with North Korea and said “sanctions 

do not work”. He advocated 

negotiations instead. Speaking during 

a visit to the Belarussian capital 

Minsk, Lavrov asked whether 

America was actively seeking to destroy North 

Korea. The Americans, he said, “should explain to 

us all what they’re after”. 

“If they want to find a pretext for destroying 

North Korea, as the US envoy said at the UN 

Security Council, then let them say it outright and 

let the supreme American leadership confirm it.” 

Calling for new talks with North Korea, Lavrov 

added: “We have already emphasised… that the 

squeeze of sanctions has essentially come to an 

end, and that those resolutions which 

introduced the sanctions should have 

included a requirement to renew the 

political process, a requirement to 

renew talks. “But the Americans 

completely ignore this requirement 

and I consider this a big mistake.” 

Speaking at the UNSC on 

Wednesday, Haley warned that 

North Korea’s government will be 

“utterly destroyed” if a war breaks 

out. She said that Washington also 

called on China to show leadership 

and cut off oil supplies to pressure 

Pyongyang following the test. Haley told the 

Council that the North Korean dictator was bringing 

“the world closer to war”. “We have never 

sought war with North Korea,” she said. “And if 

war comes, make no mistake, the North Korean 

regime will be utterly destroyed.” 

Unemployme 

nt in 

Germany falls 

to record low 

Berlin, Germany’s labour 

market is going from strength 

to strength, according to figures 

from the Federal 

Employment Agency. The 

number of unemployed 

Germans fell by 20,000 to 

2.36 million in November, hitting 

the lowest level since the 

re-unifiction in 1990, Xinhua 

reported on Thursday citing 

the Agency figures. As a consequence, 

the unemployment 

rate also declined by 0.1 point 

to 5.3 per cent. Year on year, 

164,000 fewer people were 

registered as out of work than 

that in November 2016. 

“The labour market’s very 

good development continues,” 

said Valerie Holsboer, member 

of the executive board of 

the Federal Employment 

Agency. 

“Unemployment and 

underemployment are 

decreasing and companies’ 

demand is still rising from an 

already high level,” Holsboer 

added. The Federal 

Employment Agency 

described November’s fall in 

unemployment as “stronger 

than usual.” Even on a seasonally-adjusted 

basis there were 

18,000 fewer Germans out of 

work during the month. 

AU-EU Summit, which dovetails 

with that of the AU for 

the year 2017, namely 

‘Harnessing the Demographic 

Dividend through 

Investments in Youth’, “is far 

from being mere coincidence”, 

he noted, adding that 

this thematic convergence 

confirms that Africa and 

Europe share the same concerns regarding 

today’s demands. “This invites us to build 

up a strategic alliance and not just a partnership 

in pursuit of mercantile interests, 

through a deeper dialogue between our 

cultures and our civilizations and through 

the building of a bridge of friendship 

between our two continents,” Faki said. 

The 5th AU-EU Summit is themed 

‘Investing in Youth for a Sustainable 

Future’. In addition to the main theme of 

youth, the Summit will also discuss an 

array of issues as peace and security, governance, 

democracy, human rights, migration 

and mobility, investment and trade, 

competence building and job creation.


WORLD 


Caste debate in British Parliament 

Caste Debate was held in the House which are currently being analysed, and 

relevant points raised when deciding the way in which we ensure that that 

of Commons on Thursday 23rd we will respond in due course.’ 

how to proceed. 

does not happen must be proportionate. 

November 2017 as reported in Hansard 

Volume 631. 

Bob Blackman, Conservative MP for 

Harrow East asked a question of the 

PM, When she plans to respond to the 

Government’s consultation on caste as a 

protected characteristic in equality legislation. 

Nick Gibb, Minister for Equalities 

Bob Blackman : Given the thousands 

of responses from British Hindus saying 

that having caste as a protected characteristic 

in equality law is unnecessary 

and divisive, will my right hon. Friend 

take action to remove that provision— 

which was introduced by the Labour 

party—from the legislative book? 

Nick Gibb: We appreciate that caste 

Kate Green MP for Stretford and 

Urmston (Labour) : Does the Minister 

recognise that leaving people to rely 

only on case law would not be sufficient, 

because they would be uncertain 

whether their cases would necessarily 

accord with decisions in previous cases, 

and does he agree that legislation is necessary 

for that reason? 

We will respond to the consultation in 

due course. 

Reflecting on the debate , Mr Sat Pal 

Muman , Chair CastewatchUK said that 

‘13,000 represents a significant number 

of respondents to the recent Caste consultation 

which suggests Caste discrimination 

to be a serious matter. People 

may argue for or against the legislation 

responded that ‘ the 

is an extremely sensitive 

Nick Gibb: The hon. Lady has but Mr Muman called on the 

public consultation on 

Sat Pal Muman 

and emotive subject 

expressed an opinion, and so has my Government to not lose sight of the victims 

who must be given protection and 

how best to ensure that 

which is important to 

hon. Friend the Member for Harrow 

there is appropriate and proportionate 

legal protection against caste discrimination 

many people, but there is clearly no 

unanimous view among consultation caste discrimination. We are therefore 

East (Bob Blackman). As I have said, 

we are looking at 13,000 opinions. We 

urged the Government to implement the 

Caste provision of Equality Act 2010 as 

closed on 18 September. We respondents about how best to provide considering the responses very careful- 

completely oppose any form of discrim- 

mandated by both houses of 

received more than 13,000 responses, the necessary legal protection against ly, and will be taking account of all the ination related to a person’s caste, but Parliament.’ 

42 wounded as earthquake of magnitude 6.0 

hits southeast Iran, more tremors feared 

Iran : A magnitude 6.0 

quake is considered strong 

and is capable of causing 

severe damage. A strong 

earthquake of magnitude 6.0 

struck southeastern Iran on 

Friday, injuring at least 42 

people and destroying several 

homes in an area where 

most people live in villages 

of mud-walled homes. State 

media said no deaths had 

been reported. 

Rescue workers, special 

teams with sniffer dogs and 

units of Iran’s Revolutionary 

Guards and Basij militia 

forces were sent to the 

quake-hit areas in Kerman 

province, Iran’s semi-official 

Fars news agency said. 

At least 9 killed, 30 injured as 

burqa-clad terrorists attack Peshawar 

agriculture college in Pakistan 

Peshawar : Police officials 

present at the site of the attack 

told Dawn news that four terrorists 

were also killed Pakistani 

Taliban gunmen, using the disguise 

of all-enveloping burqas, 

stormed the campus of an agriculture 

university in Pakistan on 

Friday, killing at least nine and 

wounding 30, police said. Police 

officials present at the site of the 

attack told Dawn news that four 

terrorists were killed. 

The attackers were exchanging 

fire with security forces at 

the Directorate of Agriculture 

Institute of Peshawar, said 

Tahir Khan, chief of police in 

the northwestern city. “Police 

and army commandos have 

cordoned off the campus,” 

Khan said. “A blast was also 

just heard from the campus.” 

According to initial reports, 16 

people were admitted to 

Khyber Teaching Hospital. 

Three of them succumbed to 

State TV said many residents 

rushed out of houses in Kerman 

city and nearby villages and 

towns, fearing more tremors 

after some 30 aftershocks following 

the 6:32 a.m. (0232 

GMT) quake. 

“The quake destroyed some 

houses in eight villages but so far 

there has been no fatalities,” a 

local official told state TV. The 

US Geological Survey said the 

quake, at first reported as magnitude 

6.3, was centered 36 miles 

(58 km) northeast of Kerman 

city, with a population of more 

than 821,000. The quake was 

very shallow, at a depth of 6.2 

miles (10 km), which would 

have amplified the shaking in the 

poor, sparsely populated area. 

injuries. The Pakistani Taliban 

quickly claimed the attack, saying 

in message from 

spokesman Mohammad 

Khorasani that they had targeted 

a safe house of the military 

Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) 

agency. The gunmen arrived at 

the school’s campus in a rickshaw 

and disguised in the 

burqas worn by many women 

in the region, Khan said. They 

shot and wounded a guard 

before entering the campus, he 

said. In December 2014, 

Pakistani Taliban gunmen 

killed 134 children at 

Peshawar’s Army Public 

School, one of the single deadliest 

attacks in the country’s 

history. The Pakistani Taliban 

are fighting to topple the government 

and install a strict 

interpretation of Islamic law. 

They are loosely allied with the 

Afghan Taliban insurgents who 

ruled most of Afghanistan until 

they were overthrown by U.S.- 

backed military action in 2001. 

Beijing bans 

fireworks ahead of 

Lunar New Year 

celebrations, evil 

spirits rejoice 

Beijing : During the 15-day Lunar New Year period, the bangs, 

pops and flickers of fireworks are constant, and are thought to drive 

away evil spirits. 

China may have invented fireworks but Beijing banned them 

from the capital Friday ahead of Lunar New Year celebrations, as 

authorities clamp down on potentially dangerous activities. 

The new regulation was passed by the local government, state 

news agency Xinhua said, and comes amid a city-wide campaign 

that is driving an estimated tens of thousands of migrants from 

homes that authorities deem unsafe following a deadly fire. 

In a country that is known for its fireworks -- and is thought to 

have invented them more than a thousand years ago during the 

Tang Dynasty -- the ban will likely not be popular. 

During the 15-day Lunar New Year period, the bangs, pops and 

flickers of fireworks are constant, and are thought to drive away 

evil spirits. It is unclear if Beijing authorities will enforce the ban 

during the boisterous national holidays as well. 

Firework sellers are worried though. “No more firework stalls 

will be allowed within the fifth ring road,” said Tao Liang, marketing 

manager of Panda Fireworks, referring to the road that encircles 

the heart of the city. 

“It’s clear that sales will fall a lot.” The ban adds Beijing to a 

long list of Chinese cities that have restricted firework use in recent 

years amid safety and pollution concerns. Those restrictions have 

sent Panda Fireworks, one of China’s largest firework makers, 

searching for new business. “Our company has been thinking about 

the transformation for a long time,” said Tao. “We established 

Panda International Information Technology Company in 2014, 

which is doing pretty good.”


WORLD 

UN appeals for $22.5 bn 

humanitarian aid for 2018 

United Nations, The United 

Nations has appealed for a 

record $ 22.5 billion in humanitarian 

aid for 2018. 

The global aid appeal aims to 

raise funds to help 91 million of 

the world’s most vulnerable people, 

out of 136 million in need, a 

UN statement said on Friday, 

BBC reported. More than $10 

billion is needed to address the 

humanitarian crises in Syria and 

Yemen alone, it added. The UN 

also said needs are rising substantially 

in a number of African 

countries. Driven by conflicts in 

Africa and the Middle East, the 

number of people in need of 

New Delhi : When it comes to tweeting, 

former US President Barack Obama has 

some advice for all, including the current 

President Donald Trump — think hard 

before you tweet and don’t just post thoughts 

as they appear in your mind. 

According to Obama, you must think 

before you open your mouth, you must ponder 

over before you tweet and should not 

allow the first thing that pops into your head 

to become your thought to the world. “I have 

many more followers on Twitter than those 

who use the social media tool more often. 

We should be mindful of the power the social 

media tools have and must post after weighing 

thoughts carefully,” Obama told the gathering 

at the HT Leadership Summit here on 

Friday. 

Obama has 97.4 million followers on the 

micro-blogging platform while Trump has 

43.7 million followers. 

Taking an apparent jibe at Trump who is 

famous for introducing typos and spelling 

errors in his tweets, though without naming 

him, Obama said: “Remember your parents 

humanitarian aid has increased 

by more than 5 per cent, according 

to UN co-ordinator Mark 

Lowcock. The targeted fund is a 

1 per cent increase on the 

amount requested last year. By 

the end of November, the agency 

had raised nearly $13 billion — 

which the UN says is record levels 

of funding. More than a third 

of the fund requested is to 

address the needs created by the 

devastating civil war in Syria: 

$3.5 billion to provide humanitarian 

aid inside the war-ravaged 

country and $4.2 billion to help 

the 5.4 million registered Syrian 

refugees in neighbouring countries. 

In Yemen, which is facing 

the world’s worst humanitarian 

Think before you tweet : Obama’s 

advice apparently to Trump 

when it comes to tweet — 

think first and post later. 

Before I tweet, I do spell 

check and use punctuation 

tool and don’t forget to put 

period at the end of the sentence,” 

Obama chuckled. 

Trump, who has been 

tweeting round the clock, 

has grabbed global attention 

for typos and spelling errors, 

like “unpresidented act,” 

“honered” or the most hilarious 

one “covfefe” (that 

meant coverage). 

“Think before you tweet so that you do 

not need to delete it later,” Obama told the 

gathering during a question and answer session 

with seasoned journalist Karan Thapar. 

According to Obama, the habit of tweeting 

casually about sensitive subjects which may 

affect millions was not a healthy practice. 

“Don’t just say ‘climate change is a hoax’ on 

Twitter as it shuts all doors to debate, to evaluate 

for various stakeholders. It is difficult 

for a democracy to work in 

that situation. If you say it is 

a hoax then there is no way 

we can build bridges,” 

Obama emphasised. 

Trump has been issuing 

periodic statements, affirming 

his belief that man-made 

climate change is a myth. 

“We need to do deep 

analysis with all stakeholders 

around the concerned 

topic and then evaluate it 

collectively. Don’t just 

scratch the surface and 

tweet,” Obama added. On a question of how 

the media is becoming biased, Obama said: 

“This is part of a trend globally. In the US, 

Fox News and The New York Times have 

completely different viewpoints. If I watch 

Fox News, I won’t even vote for me! The 

NYT is doing things in its own ways,” 

Obama said. Fox News is tilted towards 

Trump while the NYT continues to question 

Trump and his policies. 

crisis, the UN says $2.5 billion is 

needed to assist those most desperately 

in need. The UN has 

acknowledged they aim to cover 

the needs of only half of the 20 

million people in Yemen who are 

in need of urgent humanitarian 

assistance. Eleven million of 

those are children and 400,000 

are affected by severe acute malnutrition. 

Each of Congo, 

Ethiopia, Nigeria, Somalia, 

South Sudan and Sudan are in 

need of more than a billion dollars 

of aid to assist the most vulnerable. 

The UN statement also 

said that in some other countries, 

including Afghanistan, Ethiopia, 

Iraq, Mali, and Ukraine, humanitarian 

needs have declined. 

Ockhi raises questions over Kerala's disaster preparedness 

KERALA : Cyclone Ockhi 

not only left a trail of destruction 

across South Kerala, but also 

raised questions over the State’s 

preparedness to deal with major 

natural calamities affecting tens 

of thousands of families. Even as 

the Coast Guard, Navy, and Air 

Force began efforts to rescue 

over 150 fishermen reported 

missing at sea, coastal communities 

allege that the storm had 

exposed fundamental flaws in 

the State’s disaster management 

system. They are demanding 

action against the State Disaster 

Management Authority (SDMA) 

for the failure to provide warning 

in time. The Kerala 

Swathantra Matsya Thozhilali 

Federation and National 

Fishworkers Forum alleged that 

the disaster management set up 

in the State had failed to respond 

to the situation. Friends of 

Marine Life, a city-based NGO, 

said the SDMA was guilty of 

having ignored the warnings 

issued by the India Met 

Department. According to 

Robert Panipilla, coordinator, 

FML, efforts to rescue fishermen 

were launched a full 40 hours 

after the storm had started 

wreaking havoc along the Kerala 

coast. Countering the allegations, 

a press note issued by the 

SDMA said the routine alerts on 

strong winds and high waves 

issued by the IMD and INCOIS 

could not be taken for a disaster 

situation. The SDMA kicks in 

only after a cyclone has been 

declared. 

“Our Standard Operating 

Procedure lays down clear 

guidelines on when to declare an 

emergency. This is to avoid creating 

false alarms that could lull 

vulnerable communities into 

complacency,” it said. 

The SDMA said the authority 

had wasted no time in informing 

the officials concerned and the 

media about the cyclone. “Early 

morning on Thursday, the IMD 

had announced the formation of 

a depression 270 km south east 

of Kanyakumari. There was no 

cyclone warning for the State. A 

second bulletin at 8.30 a.m. 

showed that the system had 

intensified into a deep depression 

over Comorin and a cyclone 

alert was issued for 

Lakshadweep,’’ it said. 

“It was only at 12 noon that 

the IMD issued an Orange message 

with a cyclone warning for 

South Kerala. Immediately after, 

the SDMA had issued a warning 

to officials and the media, activated 

the SOP and alerted emergency 

services. By evening, the 

Chief Minister convened a meeting 

to coordinate and discuss the 

arrangements,” it said. 


23 

Senate 

Republicans 

release new 

version of 

tax bill 

Washington : Senate 

Republican leaders have 

released a new version of their 

tax plan that incorporates a 

number of changes that lawmakers 

sought in order to support 

the bill, the media reported 

on Saturday. The changes in 

the “substitute amendment” 

released by Senate Finance 

Committee Chairman Orrin 

Hatch on Friday night include 

an increase in the deduction for 

pass-through business income 

from 17.4 per cent to 23 per 

cent, reports The Hill magazine. 

These changes are paid 

for in several ways, including 

the restoration of the alternative 

minimum tax, which was 

initially repealed in the bill. 

The new version of the bill, 

which stands at 479 pages, was 

panned by Democrats for 

being released close to the 

final vote, without much time 

to review. 

Democrats received a copy 

earlier in the day and noted 

that it includes some handwritten 

changes. Democrats 

also criticised specific provisions 

that were added to the 

bill, such as one that they said 

would benefit Wall Street and 

another that they argued was 

targeted to exempt conservative 

Hillsdale College from an 

excise tax on university 

endowments. 

Republican leaders were 

racing on Thursday night and 

Friday morning to find support 

for the bill, hoping to avoid a 

repeat of the health care bill 

debacle earlier this year that 

left them empty handed. 

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WORLD 


Trump denies plans to replace 

Tillerson as Secretary of State 

Washington, US President Donald 

Trump has said he has no plan to replace 

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, though 

he acknowledged disagreements with 

the latter on certain subjects. “The 

media has been speculating that I fired 

Rex Tillerson or that he would be leaving 

soon — FAKE NEWS! He’s not 

leaving and while we disagree on certain 

subjects, (I call the final shots) we 

work well together and America is highly 

respected again!” Trump wrote on 

Twitter on Friday, Efe news reported. 

That was the President’s first public 

response after The New York Times 

quoted anonymous sources saying that 

Trump wanted to replace Tillerson with 

Washington, US President 

Donald Trump’s son-in-law, 

Jared Kushner, is being named 

as the “very senior member” of 

the President’s transition team 

who directed former National 

Security Adviser Michael Flynn 

to contact Russian officials, 

media reports said. 

Quoting sources 

CNN said Kushner 

directed Flynn to 

get in touch with 

R u s s i a n 

Ambassador to the 

US Sergey Kislyak 

and other envoys. 

Flynn on Friday 

pleaded guilty to 

making false statements 

to the Federal 

Bureau of Investigation (FBI) 

about meetings with Kislyak 

weeks before Trump’s inauguration. 

The filings from Flynn’s 

plea hearing on Friday say a 

“very senior member” of 

Trump’s transition team asked 

Flynn to contact officials to learn 

where each country stood on the 

UN Security Council vote on 

Israeli settlements and to influence 

it. An attorney for Kushner 

did not respond to a request for 

comment, the CNN said. 

The court documents provide 

the clearest picture so far of 

coordination between Flynn and 

other Trump advisers in contacting 

Russian officials to influence 

international policy. 

It also raised questions about 

who higher up the chain of command 

in Trump’s orbit — possibly 

even including the President 

himself — is in Special Counsel 

Robert Mueller’s sights after he 

agreed to a plea deal with retired 

General Flynn, CNN said. 

The revelations also undermine 

Trump’s often repeated 

contention that the Russia investigation 

is little more than a 

witch hunt being perpetrated by 

his political enemies, the CNN 

CIA director Mike Pompeo. 

Tillerson also made his first statement 

on Friday in that regard and said 

the news is “laughable,” but avoided 

any mention of whether he has discussed 

the matter with the president. 

“It’s laughable. It’s laughable,” he 

responded earlier to a question about 

how he’s handling the matter and what 

he’ll do about news that the White 

House seeks his resignation. 

The news was repeated later by 

numerous US media including CNN 

and The Washington Post, also quoting 

anonymous sources. Tillerson gave his 

terse reply about the matter at the State 

Department while welcoming Libyan 

‘Kushner told Flynn 

to contact Russians’ 

said. A person familiar with the 

transition’s effort on the UN vote 

told CNN it was well-known and 

a collaborative effort by various 

transition officials, including 

Trump’s former chief of staff 

Reince Priebus, former adviser 

Steve Bannon, Flynn and 

Kushner. In court, 

prosecutors 

detailed calls 

Flynn had made in 

late December 

2016 to the senior 

Trump transition 

team at Mar-a- 

Lago to discuss 

conversations with 

Kislyak. The document 

also says 

Flynn falsely said 

he did not ask Kislyak to delay 

the vote on the UN Security 

Council resolution. lates that he 

will cooperate with federal, state 

or local investigators in any way 

that Special Counsel Robert 

Mueller’s office might need, 

according to a document filed in 

court Friday. He could also be 

required to participate in covert 

law enforcement operations, 

such as wearing a wire, if asked 

or to share details of his past 

dealings with the Trump transition 

team and administration, 

CNN said. Kushner met with 

Mueller’s team earlier in 

November as part of the investigation 

into Russia’s meddling in 

the 2016 US election, according 

to two people familiar with the 

meeting. “Kushner has voluntarily 

cooperated with all relevant 

inquiries and will continue to do 

so,” Abbe Lowell, Kushner’s 

lawyer has told CNN. The conversation 

lasted less than 90 

minutes, one person familiar 

with the meeting said, adding 

that Mueller’s team asked 

Kushner to clear up some questions 

he was asked by lawmakers 

and details that emerged through 

media reports. 

Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj. On 

Thursday, State Department spokeswoman 

Heather Nauert said that White 

House Chief of Staff John Kelly 

told Tillerson it wasn’t true that 

Trump plans his ouster within the 

coming weeks or months. 

Questioned insistently about the 

matter during her daily press conference, 

Nauert defended Tillerson 

by saying he’s “committed to doing 

this job”. 

She added, however, that the top 

diplomat “does serve at the pleasure 

of the president”. Asked if 

Tillerson would fight to keep his 

job despite all the rumors going 

around, the spokeswoman said she’d 

rather not get involved in such speculation. 

She acknowledged that Trump and 

Tillerson “have certainly had areas of 

disagreement” that are well-known, and 

gave as an example their opposite positions 

on climate change. 

At a parallel press conference, White 

House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee 

Sanders avoided giving a “yes” or “no” 

answer to the question of whether 

Trump has confidence in Tillerson. 

“When the president loses confidence 

in somebody they will no longer 

be here,” was all Sanders would say. 

As for Tillerson’s future, Sanders 

said that he and the president “are continuing 

to work together to close out 

what we’ve seen has been an incredible 

year.” 

Agri, education, health key focus areas: Ambani 

NEWDELHI: With his multi-billiondollar 

investment in telecom services well on track, 

Reliance Industries Ltd chairman Mukesh 

Ambani on Friday signalled the start of the 

next investment cycle, which might see the 

group venture into agriculture, education and 

healthcare. In its last cycle, the group invested 

$60 billion in India largely through 

Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd, which has placed 

India on the cusp of becoming the country 

with the world’s largest data network. “We 

have nearly completed this investment cycle. 

We are now ready to commit even more in our 

next investment cycle. We are doing this out 

of our undiminished conviction that India is 

the biggest investment opportunity in the 

world,” Ambani said at the Hindustan Times 

ZIMBABWE 

military officials 

named to top 

cabinet posts 

HARARE: Zimbabwe’s 

new president, Emmerson 

Mnangagwa, appointed military 

officials to top posts in his 

new cabinet and chose a veteran 

cabinet minister to head the 

finance ministry. 

Mnangagwa was sworn in 

as president last Friday after 

93-year-old Robert Mugabe 

quit under pressure from the 

army. He also brought back 

many faces from the Robert 

Mugabe era, which could disappoint 

Zimbabweans who 

had been expecting a broadbased 

government and a break 

with the past. Mnangagwa is 

under pressure to deliver, 

especially on the economy, 

which is in the grip of severe 

foreign currency shortages that 

have seen banks failing to give 

customers cash. 

Leadership Summit in 

New Delhi. “As we 

move forward, we will 

look at issues that create 

more and more 

value for all Indians. I 

think agriculture is difficult; 

education is 

important; healthcare 

is the most difficult. We can only think about 

what we can do in each of these areas,” he 

said. “What we did with Jio, not many in the 

world had backed us but... India in terms of 

the data infra will be ahead of the US by 

2019,” he added. According to him, Jio is on 

course to turning profitable, as the company is 

already ahead of schedule in terms of the 

returns that it is generating. 

Ambani also said that India potentially 

offers the world’s largest investment opportunity 

as data connectivity and artificial intelligence 

converge to trigger a new industrial 

revolution that could vault Asia’s third 

biggest economy past China and the US in 

economic prosperity. This convergence has 

the potential to transform agricultural productivity, 

healthcare services and education to 

empower a new generation. “Data is not only 

the new oil, data is also the new soil,” said 

Ambani. His blueprint for the next industrial 

revolution involves use of digital infrastructure 

and technology in the farm sector to bring 

about a green revolution by rejuvenating soil 

and improving efficiency in supply chains.

December Issue

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