19:42 Will salute Modi if he apologises for note ban: Kamal Haasan:
Actor Kamal Haasan, about whom speculation is rife that he may take the political plunge soon, has apologised for “hastily” supporting demonetisation, and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should accept his “mistake”.
Haasan said he was “duty-bound to openly apologise for his haste” in lauding the noteban, announced by the prime minister on November 8 last year.
Writing for his “Ennul Mayyam Konda Puyal”, (which roughly translates as ‘storm inside me’), a column in Tamil weekly Ananda Vikatan, which hit the stands today, the actor said, “If the prime minister admitted the mistake…without being obstinate, another salaam (salute) from me is waiting for him.”
He, however, did not make it clear what aspects he wanted Modi to admit as the “mistake” — the demonetisation decision per se or the implementation part of it.
Prime Minister Modi had in a surprise decision announced scrapping Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, invalidating nearly 86 per cent of currency in circulation.
“Correcting the mistake…and importantly admitting it is the hallmark of great leaders. Mr. Gandhi (Mahatma) was able to do it. It is possible even today, let us wait and see,” he said.
Haasan said he never hesitated in tendering an apology if he made a mistake.
After Modi announced demonetisation, Haasan said, “I expressed my view on Twitter, saying this has to be lauded transcending party lines”.
In his article today, the actor said he had then felt that besides extending full support to the decision, since it is one of the ways to eradicate black money, people should also bear minor inconveniences caused by it.
The actor said he faced strong criticism from many of his friends, some of whom had “economic education”, for supporting the noteban.
He also writes that days after his tweet, he felt demonetisation was a good idea but implemented in a faulty manner. Criticism from some economic experts had gained momentum by then.
“I thought that some schemes, though brought with good intention, will fail in implementation,” he writes.
“My suspicion gets stronger when weak answers come from the government to loud voices like the idea (of demonetisation) itself was a deceit,” he adds.
The actor, who has been unrelenting in his attack on the AIADMK government, had so far not openly targeted the central government or the BJP. — PTI
19:15 Now EPFO members having UAN can link Aadhaar online:
Retirement fund manager, Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation has launched an online facility for its subscribers to link their 12-digit unique Aadhaar number with their Universal (portable PF) Account Number (UAN) on eve of Diwali.
Meeting the know your customers norms by the EPFO subscribers help them access a host of online services.
“On the eve of Deepawali, the EPFO is pleased to introduce a new facility for its esteemed members having UAN and other relevant details to link their respective UAN with Aadhaar online. This, in turn, would facilitate the members, a better and speedy EPFO services,” the EPFO said in statement.
The facility has been made available at EPFO’s website www.epfindia.gov.in >> Online Services >> e-KYC Portal>> LINK UAN AADHAAR.
Using the facility, it said, the EPFO members can online link their respective UAN with Aadhaar.
While using the facility, the member will have to provide his/her UAN. An OTP will be sent on his/her mobile linked with UAN. After OTP verification, members will have to provide his/her Aadhaar number. Another OTP will be sent to his/her mobile/email linked with Aadhaar.
After OTP verification, if UAN details are matched with Aadhaar, then UAN will be linked with Aadhaar. After linking, the EPFO member may avail online EPFO services linked with Aadhaar. — PTI
Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com
The ultras fired at SPO Haleem Gujjar at his residence in Gutroo village of Tral area, 36 kms from Srinagar, killing him on the spot, a police official said.
The terrorists escaped from the scene after carrying out the attack, he said, adding a manhunt has been launched for the assailants. — PTI
18:28 Earthen lamps being lit at the banks of Saryu river in Ayodhya.
18:24 Ram Rajya has arrived in UP, says Yogi:
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who is celebrating a grand Diwali in Ayodhya, today said that Ram Rajya has arrived in the state.
He said that the real meaning of Ram Rajya is a home for all and electricity and LPG gas cylinders for every household.
“Ayodhya gave the concept of Ram Rajya, where there is no pain or grief, the UP CM said at the mega event where 1.75 lakh diyas or earthen lamps will be lit in the evening
“This is Ram Rajya where there is no inequality,” Adityanath added.
There will be an aarti on the banks of the river Saryu by the saffron-robed Chief Minister, who is the head priest of the Gorakhnath temple.
17:32 Taj Mahal was Shiva temple, Tejo Mahal, says BJP MP:
Giving a new twist to the controversy surrounding the Taj Mahal, senior BJP leader Vinay Katiyar today said it was Lord Shiva’s temple called ‘Tejo Mahal’ which was converted into a mausoleum by Shahjahan.
He, however, added that he does not want the monument as famous as this, which is among the wonders of the world, to be demolished.
He also has no objection to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visiting the Taj Mahal to review tourism schemes.
“It was Tejo Mahal, Lord Shiva’s temple, where Shahjahan buried his wife and turned it into a mausoleum,” said, Katiyar who had been in the forefront of the Ram temple movement of Ayodhya.
“It was constructed by Hindu kings, the rooms and carvings there prove that it was a Hindu monument… it has also been termed as one by historian PN Oak,” he said about the Taj.
He said like a Shiva temple, water drips from the ceiling in the Taj Mahal, which is not a case in any mausoleum anywhere and is like that only on a Shivlinga.
“It was a famous monument and was grabbed by Shahjahan,” Katiyar said.
“It was our temple but was made a mausoleum as they had more power. But it is a grand monument and national heritage… people come to see it and so it should be kept safe and secure,” he said.
Katiyar, who is also an accused in the Babri case, said no political meaning should be derived from today’s grand Diwali celebrations in Ayodhya by the Adityanath government.
“The aim is to develop Ayodhya…the effort is to recreate the scene of Lord Ram’s return to Ayodhya from exile,” Katiyar said, adding there is no politics behind the function as seen by the opposition.
On the issue of Ram temple construction, Katiyar hoped that the court verdict will come in a year’s time as the hearing is being conducted on a day-to-day basis. — PTI
16:48 In chopper decorated as ‘Pushpak Viman’, ‘Lord Ram’ returns to Ayodhya: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath arrives in Ayodhya to take part in Diwali celebrations.
The event seeks to create the celebratory atmosphere witnessed in Ayodhya on Lord Rama’s return along with wife Sita and brother Lakshman, after victory over Ravana, as narrated in the epic Ramayana, according to officials.
A chopper decorated as the mythological ‘Pushpak Viman’ descended on Ram Katha Park with artistes decked up to resemble Lord Ram, Sita and Laxman.
Artistes playing Bharat and Shatrughan welcomed them as well as the CM and Governor Ram Naik.
The CM garlanded the actors and performed an aarti.
Uttar Pradesh Tourism Minister Rita Bahuguna and several other ministers are also present. — ANI , PTI
16:13 CBI to look into Fairfax detective’s Bofors allegations: The Central Bureau of Investigation today said it would look into the ‘facts and circumstances’ of the Bofors scam mentioned by private detective Michael Hershmam, who alleged that the Rajiv Gandhi-led Congress government had sabotaged his investigation.
Hershman, who is the president of the United States-based private detective firm Fairfax, claimed in television interviews recently that Rajiv Gandhi was ‘furious’ when he had found a Swiss bank account ‘Mont Blanc’.
Hershman, who was here last week to address a conference of private detectives, also alleged that the bribe money of the Bofors gun scandal had been parked in the Swiss account.
‘The agency has learnt of the matter pertaining to the Bofors aired on certain TV channels containing interview of Michael Hershman,’ CBI informationa officer and spokesperson Abhishek Dayal said in a statement.
‘Facts and circumstances as mentioned in the interview will be looked into as per due process by the CBI,’ he said.
Hershman was quoted as telling television channels that Rajiv Gandhi got very upset when ‘our work was uncovered’.
He then established a Supreme Court commission to look into the circumstances surrounding then finance minister V P Singh’s hiring of Fairfax.
In his interviews, Hershman has expressed his willingness to testify and help Indian agencies on the Rs 64 crore Bofors gun pay-off scandal but the effort has to be a credible one. — PTI
15:49 Central team to probe death of Simdega girl due to starvation : Union Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan today said a central team will be sent to Jharkhand to investigate the death of 11-year-old Simdega girl allegedly due to starvation.
The state government has also been asked to submit a detailed report, he said.
“If poor people die of hunger, it is a matter of concern. We will be sending a central team probe the matter,” Paswan told PTI.
Meanwhile, the Jharkhand government has ordered a fresh probe in the matter and also announced Rs 50,000 as assistance to the girl’s family.
The local activists had alleged that the girl died a fortnight ago after going without food for several days.
They said her family’s ration card was cancelled for not being linked to the Aadhaar number. — PTI
15:28 Bengaluru: Court commissioners on visit to illegal abattoirs attacked: A team of court commissioners, lawyers, police and members of a cows protection NGO, which had gone to check illegal abattoirs at Yelahanka New Town in Bengaluru, was attacked by a mob.
The team members were ‘heckled, chased, attacked and the windowpanes of police vehicles smashed’ by the mob yesterday after it detected an illegal abattoir at Dodda Bettahalli, according to Kavitha Jain, a member of the Gau Gyan Foundation that works for the protection of cows and its progenies.
“The abattoir was running inside SS Garage. There were 15 cows and its progenies such as bulls, ox and calves in four canters. Apart from that, there was an open space where some animals were tied. When we asked people there to open, they refused. In no time, a mob of around 250 people surrounded us,” Jain said.
“They started attacking us and abusing us…Somehow, we managed to escape in the police vehicles, whose glasses were also smashed by the mob,” Jain said.
A complaint was lodged at Yelahanka police station, she said. Police confirmed the attack had taken place and said they were investigating the case.
No arrests had been made so far, they said. A meeting was held with local leaders of a minority community to find an amicable solution, police said.
Jain told PTI that she and Joshine Antony are the petitioners in a case pertaining to stopping illegal slaughter houses in the city.
“The court had asked us to show at least five such illegal abattoirs in the city to pass an order. It also appointed two court commissioners to oversee the operations,” said Jain.
On October 14, the team located three illegal abattoirs at JJ Nagar, Chandra Layout and Shikari Palya. — PTI
Image only for representation.
14:36 Time for us to go the American way: Should the executive have a say in the appointment of members of higher judiciary? Will it lead to political interference? Has the judiciary been intruding into the space of the executive with its various orders and hearings?
K Pratap Reddy, a veteran senior advocate at the high court of judicature at Hyderabad, speaks on these and other issues facing the judiciary, in an interview to barandbench.com.
‘The Supreme Court does not have the paraphernalia at its disposal to find out everything about a potential appointment. They may know about an individual’s judicial character based on his or her performance as a lawyer, or based on judgments passed in the subordinate judiciary. This process must also include consultation with the high court.’
‘It is the executive, however, that has the wherewithal at its disposal to investigate any character flaws an individual may have, and this is of paramount importance. If someone with a flawed personal character — irrespective of his judicial character — enters the judiciary, that is inviting trouble, because such a person will be susceptible to external influences.’
14:34 Early morning raids at JNU hostels enrage students: An early morning raid — the authorities call it a check — in Jawaharlal Nehru University’s hostel rooms has riled its students, with many maintaining that attempts are being made to malign the university’s scholars, especially its women.
Students alleged that a group of security personnel led by a lecturer entered the rooms of women and men students.
“Many girls found in boys’ rooms,” a newspaper headline screamed.
The students claimed 20-25 security guards led by JNU academic Buddha Singh entered the rooms, including those in the women’s hostels, on October 5.
“The wardens of various hostels came for raids after 5 am. JNU being a residential campus has always maintained its character and built an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect. But this raid was just the opposite. The wardens didn’t even knock,” said former JNUSU general secretary Satarupa Chakraborty.
Chakraborty also alleged that the raiding team entered the women’s rooms when many students were sleeping.
Cupboards were opened and spot fines imposed on students found to be breaking hostel rules.
Neither Vice Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar nor Registrar Pramod Kumar commented on the issue when contacted by PTI.
Singh confirmed that the checks had taken place, but refused to elaborate further. The students believed the outcry in a section of the media that followed was part of an exercise that started last year.
“Efforts are on to incite hatred against JNU,” JNUSU general secretary Duggirala Srikrishna said, pointing out that last year there were stories about 3,000 used condoms being found in JNU every day.
“The RSS-BJP regime… has tried to malign JNU through fake stories of condoms, calling women students prostitutes as part of a #ShutDownJNU campaign,” he said.
According to the JNU hostel manual, only men can stay in the men’s hostels and women in the women’s wings. They are required to return to their respective hostels by 11 pm.
While the manual prohibits men from entering women’s hostels, it only says that women are not allowed into the dining hall of the men’s hostels.
Wardens from time to time check the ids of room occupants to see if there are unauthorised guests.
A students’ group called the Collective condemned the raid.
“While the issue of building more hostels on campus remains unresolved, students are being harassed and hostel rooms raided instead,” it said on a social media site.
Residents of Periyar hostel passed a resolution demanding an explanation from the authorities on how the media was informed about the raid, while the hostel’s elected representatives were kept in the dark.
The recent raid has earned the ire of the RSS-affiliated ABVP too. The students’ group condemned the administration for the ‘highhandedness and moral policing’ in the name of hostel checks and the subsequent media reports which it felt ‘covered the entire incident in a misogynistic and ludicrous manner’.
JNU Teachers’ Association president Ayesha Kidwai said the attacks were ‘nothing short of social terrorism’.
Students said they were being targeted by a section of right-wing forces.
Last year, when JNU was caught in a prolonged student protest, Haryana BJP leader Jawahar Yadav in a tweet drew a comparison between its students and sex workers.
“For the girls who are protesting in JNU, I only have one thing to say that prostitutes who sell their body are better than them because they at least don’t sell their country,” he tweeted.
Days after that, BJP MLA Gyandev Ahuja said 3,000 used condoms were found every day in JNU, and ‘girls and boys dance naked’ at cultural shows.
In April last year, some JNU teachers came up with a dossier alleging sex rackets on the campus. — PTI
Image only for representation.
14:11 Kalli Purie named India Today group’s vice chairperson: Kalli Purie has been named as the new vice chairperson of the Indian Today Group, replacing her father Aroon Purie, reports medianama.com.
‘In her new role, she will look after editorial and business functions of the group, and Group CEO and Group CFO will report to her when appointed, along with executives who were earlier reporting to Aroon Purie,’ the website reports.
13:53 Rahul Gandhi finally overtakes Modi in RTs: The Hindustan Times has crunched Twitter data to show that Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, hitherto a laggard when it comes to the social media, may have finally turned the corner, going purely by the number of retweets he gets.
After lurking well below both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal ever since he debuted on Twitter in May 2015, the number of Rahul Gandhi’s retweets slowly started climbing around June this year, to first overtake Kejriwal.
Around July this year the RTs of Prime Minister Modi too started declining, and around the middle of September Rahul Gandhi finally overtook him.
Till October 15, each of Rahul Gandhi’s tweet is forwarded an average of 3800 times, while Modi’s has fallen to around 2300.
But Modi remains the king of RTs; in November 2016 and July 2017 his RT strike rate was above 4000.
Will Rahul Gandhi get there, you think?
13:48 In Yogi’s Diwali fete, ‘Lord Ram’ will return to Ayodhya in ‘Pushpak Viman’: As many as 1,71,000 earthen lamps will glow on the banks of river Saryu as the Uttar Pradesh government’s plans to project the heritage of Ayodhya will be on full display when Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will attend a mega event — ‘Deepotsav’ — in the evening.
The event will seek to create the celebratory atmosphere witnessed in Ayodhya on Lord Rama’s return along with wife Sita and brother Lakshman, after victory over Ravana, as narrated in the epic Ramayana, according to officials.
A series of programmes have been scheduled to celebrate Diwali in the pilgrim town, Principal Secretary, Tourism, Awanish Awasthi said.
The ‘Deepotsav’ will be organised on the ‘Ram Ki Paidi’ where 1.71 lakh earthen lamps will be lit, he said.
Prominent buildings and ghats will be illuminated to attract tourists. The objective of the entire programme will be to promote Ayodhya, the birth place of Lord Rama, as a tourist destination, he said.
A heritage walk, a ‘yatra‘ reminiscing the return of Lord Ram to Ayodhya, and the launch of several schemes by the chief minister and other dignitaries will be part of the programme, Awasthi said.
A grand aarti of River Saryu will also be performed by Chief Minister Adityanath and Governor Ram Naik followed by a laser show.
During today’s programme, Ramlila will be staged by artistes from Indonesia and Thailand.
Union Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma will be present on the occasion. The Union Tourism ministry has sanctioned Rs 133.70 crore for making Ayodhya a tourism hub.
To add a touch of fantasy to the event, a chopper decorated as the mythological ‘Pushpak Viman’, will descend on Ram Katha Park with artistes decked up to resemble Lord Ram, Sita and Laxman.
A 22-minute laser show with special sound effects on Ramayana will be the major attraction during the mega event at Ram Katha Park, Awasthi said.
“The aim of the programme is to attract tourists and showcase tourism spots and the potential of Ayodhya,” he added. — PTI
13:22 Cops begin probe in Haryana singer murder case: The Panipat Police on Wednesday began investigation in singer Harshita Dahiya murder case.
Dahiya, a local singer and dancer, was shot dead on Tuesday by unknown assailants when she was leaving after a programme in Panipat’s Israna.
The assailants came in a car and fired five to six shots at her before fleeing away.
Dahiya, 22, a resident of Nahra-Nahri village of Haryana’s Sonipat, was living in Narela of Delhi.
She was on way to her home at around 4.15 pm when the incident occurred.
She was accompanied by a male singer, her assistant and driver.
The body of the deceased singer has been sent to the mortuary at a general hospital.
Dahiya had recently posted a mobile video on social media alleging death threats and had declared that she was not afraid. It is not known if she had alerted the police.
Meanwhile, Dahiya’s sister Lata said, “She was killed by my husband because she was a witness in my mother’s murder case.” — ANI
Photograph: Harshita Dahiya/Facebook
13:16 BJP MLAs accused of resisting arrest of docs conducting sex determination: Two Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs in Aligarh allegedly did not let Rajasthan officials detain doctors accused of conducting illegal pre-natal sex-determination test.
“Yes. Two MLAs asked the Rajasthan officials not to arrest some doctors and they were not allowed to take the doctors,” Aligarh District Magistrate Rishikesh Yashod said.
However, BJP MLA Anil Parashar said the DM wrong.
“This is incorrect information. We believe in ‘Beti bachao, beti padhao‘. The DM is wrong. We only wanted fair inquiry,” Parashar said.
12:16 How Twitter plans to combat hate and abuse: For most of us fed up of the online hatred, misogyny etc that trolls unload on Twitter, help seems to be at hand.
The micro blogging site is now doing something about it, with CEO Jack Dorsey announcing on Twitter that will be introducing new rules ‘around unwanted sexual advances, nonconsensual nudity, hate symbols, violent groups, and tweets that glorify violence,’ and that they were holding daily meetings on the issue.
Following up from his tweet, wired.com reports, ‘Twitter’s head of safety policy emailed members of its Trust and Safety Council with detailed plans on its new rules, which Twitter plans to implement in the coming weeks.’
How do these new rules differ from the past? What areas do they cover, specifically? Will pornography be banned on Twitter? What about hate groups?
The email from Twitter’s head of safety policy offers an insight into these and related questions.
12:04 Communist Party Congress begins in China, to confirm Xi’s 2nd term: China’s ruling Communist Party today began its week long once-in-a-five-year Congress which will confirm a second five-year term for President Xi Jinping and elect new set of leaders.
A host of former leaders including former Presidents, Jiang Zemin, Hu Jimtao took part in the opening meeting.
The 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China will also elect a new generation of leaders to work with Xi.
The agenda for the key Congress, which will conclude on October 24, has been set at the preparatory meeting held yesterday.
Xi presided over the preparatory meeting at the Great Hall of the People which was attended by 2,307 party delegates and especially invited delegates, CPC spokesman Tuo Zhen told media yesterday.
A 22-member delegate credentials committee was approved at the meeting. A presidium of the Congress consisting of 243members was also approved.
The agenda of the party for the Congress includeexamining the work report about the progress achieved duringthe past five years, scrutinising report of the disciplineinspection relating to the massive anti-corruption carried outin which over 1.34 million party officials especially some topranking leaders were punished.
The meeting will also deliberate and adopt an amendmentto the party’s Constitution, Tuo said.
It will also elect a new Central Committee and its 19thCentral Commission for discipline inspection.
Besides Xi and Premier Li Keqiang, the party was expected to elect a new generation of leaders for various powerful bodies of the party. — PTI
11:10 Harvey Weinstein resigns from Weinstein Company board: Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein has resigned from the Weinstein Company board of directors, as his company tries to distance itself from the disgraced mogul.
Weinstein was fired as co-chairman on October 8, but he continues to own 22 per cent of the company’s stock, and until today continued to hold a seat on the board, reported Variety.
The remnants of the Weinstein Company board, including the other co-founder, Bob Weinstein, convened on Tuesday at the Manhattan offices of Debevoise and Plimpton, a law firm hired by the studio to investigate allegations made against Weinstein.
In a statement, the three member board confirmed that Weinstein had stepped down and said it had ‘… ratified its decision to terminate’ his employment.
The company now risks falling into a protracted legal battle with Weinstein, who alleges his firing was illegal.
Since the allegations against Weinstein first became public, most Weinstein Company board members have resigned, leaving only Tarak Ben Ammar, Lance Maerov and Bob Weinstein. — PTI
10:07 UPDATE: Four civilians injured in ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Balakote sector of Poonch.
10:02 American author George Saunders wins 2017 Man Booker Prize: American author George Saunders won Britain’s renowned Man Booker Prize for his first full-length novel Lincoln in the Bardo.
Saunders became only the second writer from to win the prestigious English-language literary award.
The judges praised the book as ‘utterly original’ that chronicles the death of Abraham Lincoln’s 11-year-old son Willie using the accounts of hundreds of narrators.
‘The form and style of this utterly original novelreveals a witty, intelligent, and deeply moving narrative,’ said Lola Young, chair of the judging panel, while announcing the prize in London.
Saunders, 58, said the award is a ‘great honour’.
“I hope to live up to the honour with the rest of my work, for the rest of my life,” he said.
He also made several thinly-veiled references to the controversial policies of United States President Donald Trump.
“We live in a strange time,” he told the audience. “In the US now we’re hearing a lot about the need to protect culture. Well, this tonight is culture.”
This year’s Man Booker Prize shortlist pitted three US and three British writers against one another. — Agencies
IMAGE: George Saunders, author of Lincoln in the Bardo, poses for photographers after winning the Man Booker Prize for Fiction 2017 in London, on Tuesday. Photograph: Mary Turner/Reuters
09:38 Pak violates ceasefire in Poonch, targets civilians: Pakistan Army violated the ceasefire in Balakote sector of Poonch, and Manjakot sector of Rajouri on Wednesday morning.
The Indian Army is strongly retaliating to it and the firing is still on.
The Jammu and Kashmir Police also tweeted to confirm the news.
The tweet said, ‘Today morning Pakistan violated ceasefire by resorting firing at Dabbi, Nijot & Basoni posts in Balakote Sector Mendhar. Army retaliating.’ — ANI
IMAGE: Cars damaged in ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Balakote sector of Poonch. Photograph: ANI
08:47 To corner North Korea, Trump on Asia tour next month: United States President Donald Trump will start his five-nation tour from November 3 to call on the international community to pressurise North Korea over its nuclear programme.
During a five-nation Asia tour plus a stop in Hawaii from November 3 to 14, Trump will ‘call on the international community to join together in maximising pressure on North Korea’, said The White House in a statement.
North Korea has a military nuclear weapons programme and also has a significant amount of chemical and biological weapons.
Since 2003, North Korea is no longer a party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
The country has come under sanctions after conducting a number of nuclear tests, beginning in 2006.
Trump, in his address at the United Nations General Assembly last month, said North Korea’s supreme leader Kim Jong-un is ‘a rocket man, who is on a suicide mission’.
Trump will visit Japan from Nov 5 for talks with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and a meeting with the families of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea in the 1970s and 1980s, Kyodo News reports.
The Abe-Trump talks and Trump’s meeting with the kin of abduction victims — including the parents of Megumi Yokota who was abducted when she was 13 — are expected to take place on Nov 6, Kyodo News quoted Japanese officials as saying.
According to the White House, Trump will also meet with US forces stationed in Japan and members of Japan’s Self-Defence Forces.
In the bilateral summit, Abe and Trump are expected to affirm close coordination in addressing North Korea’s nuclear, missile and abduction issues.
Japan officially lists 17 citizens as abduction victims and suspects North Korea’s involvement in many more disappearances. While five of the 17 were repatriated in 2002, Pyongyang maintains that eight — including Yokota — have died and the other four never entered the country.
After visiting Japan, Trump will travel to South Korea for talks with President Moon Jae In on Nov 7. Trump will also speak at the National Assembly, at which he will celebrate the ‘enduring alliance and friendship’ between Washington and Seoul.
During a visit to Beijing from Nov 8, Trump will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and attend a series of commercial and cultural events.
On Nov 10, Trump will travel to Danang, Vietnam, for a summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum and deliver a speech at an APEC business summit.
‘In the speech, the president will present the United States’ vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific region and underscore the important role the region plays in advancing America’s economic prosperity,’ the White House said.
After meeting with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang in Hanoi on Nov 11, Trump will visit Manila the following day for summit meetings related to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
According to the White House, Trump will attend a US-ASEAN summit and bilateral talks with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Nov 13 before heading back home, according to the White House. — ANI
08:33 SC ban on cracker sale: Over 1,200 kg firecrackers seized, 29 held: Delhi Police has seized over 1,200 kg of firecrackers and arrested 29 people from 13 districts in a drive being carried out after the Supreme Court order temporarily banning sale of firecrackers.
After the Supreme Court order, Delhi Police commissioner Amulya Patnaik had directed the deputy commissioners of police of the 13 police districts to ensure that crackers are not sold in the city.
Special teams have been deployed in districts to monitor the situation.
In the crackdown, following the Supreme Court order, the police have seized 1,241 kilogram of firecrackers and registered 29 FIRs and arrested 29 people, said Madhur Verma, PRO, Delhi Police.
According to the data, eight cases have been registered in the north district against the people found selling firecrackers, the maximum among all the districts.
Police have seized 368 kilogram of firecrackers from the southwest district, the maximum among all districts with Rohini a close second at 344.5 kg.
Two Delhi Police personnel posted at the Mangolpuri police station in outer district were suspended for allegedly failing to curb the sale of firecrackers in their beat areas. — PTI
Representative image.
08:15 Trump celebrates Diwali in Oval office: United States President Donald Trump celebrated Diwali in Oval Office of the White House along with senior Indian-American members of the administration, including Nikki Haley, Seema Verma and community leaders.
Cabinet ranking Haley is US Ambassador to the United Nations and Seema Verma is administrator of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Ajit Pai, chairman of the US Federal Communications Commission and Raj Shah his Principle Deputy Press Secretary were among those from his administration.
Daughter Ivanka Trump also joined the President in celebration of Diwali celebrations.
Last year Ivanka, who is now a presidential advisor, had visited Hindu temples in Virginia and Florida as part of Diwali.
Trump, then as the Republican presidential nominee, had addressed the Indian-American community from a public meeting in New Jersey wherein he lit the traditional diya.
The tradition of Diwali celebration was first started by former President George Bush.
During his term it was celebrated mostly in the India Treaty Room of the adjacent executive office building, which is part of the White House Complex.
Bush never personally participated in the White House Diwali celebrations.
In the first year of his presidency, his successor Barack Obama, lit the ceremonial diya in the East Rook of the White House.
Thereafter he made it a point in celebrating the festival of lights in one way or the year. — PTI
Image only for representation.
00:16 Raqqa recaptured from Islamic State, claims US-backed forces:
United States-backed forces said on Tuesday that they have recaptured The Syrian city of Raqqa from the Islamic State group.
The Kurdish-Arab Syrian Democratic Forces said on Tuesday that they had captured the citys stadium and the nearby hospital, which were the last holdouts of the terrorist group in the city. But they fell short of issuing an official statement announcing the liberation of Raqqa.
Military operations have ended in Raqqa, but sweeping operations are continuing to destroy sleeper cells if they exist and to cleanse the city from mines, Talal Selo, a SDF spokesman, said in a statement.
The situation is under control in Raqqa and soon we will announce the liberation of the city.
Islamic State first captured Raqqa in early 2014 before spreading to a number of other major cities in Syria and Iraq, including Mosul. It is believed to have used the city as a command centre for operations in the Middle East and well as in the west. A number of westerners imprisoned by Isis were also held there before being killed.
Source: Rediff