16:04 Former Mumbai sheriff Nana Chudasama dies:
Former sheriff of Mumbai and noted jurist Nana Chudasama died on Sunday afternoon after a brief illness, said a family member. He was 85.
“He was unwell for last some days. He passed away at his home in Colaba,” said the family member.
Born in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat, Chudasama, also a former Mumbai mayor, engaged himself in social work after serving in a private company.
He founded an NGO, Giants International, which has presence in several cities in India as well as abroad.
Chudasama carried out social work through his NGOs such as I Love Mumbai, the National Kidney Foundation and the Forum Against Drugs and AIDS.
He was known for his succinct messages and comments on important issues of the day displayed through banners put up above a popular pizza joint at Marine Drive, South Mumbai.
Chudasama was awarded Padma Shri in recognition of his work in the social sector.
His daughter Shaina NC is a BJP spokesperson.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Governor C Vidyasagar Rao condoled the death of Chudasama and lauded him for his socio-cultural initiatives in Mumbai.
“Chudasama was truely connected to citizens with several NGOs and has always supported the activities. His two liner message board at the Marine Drive was a reflection of his personality,” Fadnavis said.
Rao said, “The contribution of Nana Chudasama to Mumbais socio-economic and cultural life was of a high order. He was among the foremost champions of a clean and green Mumbai.”
The Governor said Chudasama was a conscience keeper of the financial capital.
15:42 Pakistan army chief backs Imran Khan’s peace initiatives:
Pakistan army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has backed Prime Minister Imran Khan’s peace initiatives, saying the new government has extended a hand of peace and friendship towards India with utmost sincerity but it should not be taken as Islamabad’s weakness.
Addressing the passing out parade of Midshipmen and Short Service Course at the Naval Academy in Karachi on Saturday, Bajwa said that Pakistan was “a peace loving country and believes in peace”.
Lauding the efforts of Prime Minister Khan’s government to achieve peace between Pakistan and India, the army chief said peace benefits everyone and it is time to fight disease, poverty and illiteracy instead of fighting against each other.
“Our new government has extended a hand of peace and friendship towards India with utmost sincerity but it should not be taken as our weakness,” Bajwa said.
The powerful army, which has ruled Pakistan for more than half of its 71 years, has always wielded considerable power in the matters of foreign policy.
The Indo-Pak ties strained after the terror attacks by Pakistan-based terrorists in 2016 and India’s surgical strikes inside Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The ties further nose-dived in 2017 with no bilateral talks talking place between them.
Amidst deadly skirmishes along the Line of Control and diplomatic bickering for better part of 2018, the consensus on both sides to open the Kartarpur corridor for Indian Sikh pilgrims has created a ray of hope for improvement in Indo-Pak ties.
“Wars bring death, destruction and misery for the people. Ultimately all issues are resolved on the table through negotiations that is why we are trying very hard to help bring a lasting peace in Afghanistan by supporting Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace plan,” Bajwa said.
He also warned that Pakistan is yet to get out from terrorism or sabotage phase of an unannounced war against it.
— PTI
15:02 Malala was not impressed by Time magazine ranking:
When Malala Yousafzai came to know that she was on the cover of TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People list in 2013, it hardly impressed her as she told her father, “I do not believe in such categorisation of human beings”.
Her father Ziauddin Yousafzai talks about this interesting fact in his new book “Let Her Fly: A Father’s Journey and the Fight for Equality”.
Malala was on the cover and inside she was ranked number 15. Then US President Barack Obama was 51st.
A driver named Shahid Hussain in Britain showed a copy of the magazine on his phone to Ziauddin who in turn showed it to his daughter.
While Malala was in the hospital, first full-time, then visiting for ongoing treatment, (wife Toor) Pekai and I needed somebody to drive us to and from the facility. One day, our driver, Shahid Hussain, who had become our friend, arrived with news of TIME magazine’s 2013 list of the 100 most influential people in the world, Ziauddin writes.
Please I request you show this report to her. She will be so happy, Hussain told Ziauddin. He gave his mobile phone to show her.
Ziauddin took the phone and showed it to Malala.
I was so proud of what was on the screen. She took the phone from me and studied it. And then she put it down. Well,’ she said, I do not believe in such categorisation of human beings’, he writes in the book published by WH Allen.
— PTI
14:33 Opposition parties, media “twisted” my statements: Gadkari:
Union minister and BJP leader Nitin Gadkari on Sunday said some opposition parties and a section of the media have “twisted” his statements, an assertion that comes in the backdrop of his reported “leadership should own up defeat” remarks.
The BJP stalwart was on Saturday reported as saying that nobody is willing to own up to failure unlike success and maintained “leadership should have the ‘vrutti’ (tendency) to own up defeat and failures”.
The minister, who was speaking at an event in Pune, did not elaborate, but his comments assumed significance in wake of the BJP’s defeat in just-held assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan.
However, Gadkari, known for speaking his mind, said on Sunday his statements have been twisted.
“In the last few days, I have noticed a sinister campaign by some opposition parties and a section of the media to twist my statements and use them out of context and draw politically motivated inferences to malign my party and me,” he wrote on the micro-blogging site Twitter.
Gadkari claimed there was a “conspiracy” to create a wedge between him and the BJP leadership.
“I have time and again strongly refuted such insinuations and once again condemn all these malafide and mischievous out of context reports attributed to me.
“Let me make it clear once and for all that conspiracies to create a wedge between the BJP leadership and me will never succeed,” he tweeted.
“I have been clarifying my position at various forums and shall continue to do so and expose these nefarious designs of our detractors,” he said.
— PTI
14:02 Delhi records year’s second highest pollution level:
Delhi recorded its second highest pollution level of the year on Sunday and unfavourable meteorological conditions are likely to keep the air quality in the ‘severe’ category for the next couple of days, authorities said.
While the Central Pollution Control Board data showed the overall air quality index at ‘severe’ level of 446, the Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting showed a higher level at 471.
This is the second highest pollution level of this year. The highest was recorded on November 8, a day after Diwali, when the AQI touched 571.
An AQI between 100 to 200 comes under the ‘moderate’ category, 201 and 300 is considered ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, while that between 401 and 500 is ‘severe’.
According to experts, under the ‘severe’ category, even healthy people find it hard to breathe and doctors advise physical activity to be kept at a minimum.
On Sunday, 30 areas of the national capital recorded ‘severe’ air quality while it was ‘very poor’ in six, the CPCB said.
— PTI
13:37 PM says Mahagathbandhan incoherent alliance of rich dynasties:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday hit out at the mahagatbandhan for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, saying it was an “unholy alliance” of various political parties for “personal survival”.
People will see through the “incoherent alliance of rich dynasties,” Modi said during his interaction with booth workers from Chennai Central, Chennai North, Madurai, Tiruchirappally and Tiruvallur constituencies in Tamil Nadu through video conference.
The prime minister recalled that the key constituent of the mega alliance – the Telugu Desam Party– was formed against the very “high-handedness” of the Congress by the veteran, late chief minister N T Rama Rao but said the party was now keen to join hands with the Congress.
Some parties in the Mahagatbandhan claimed to be inspired by socialist leader Ram Manohar Lohia, but the veteran himself opposed the Congress and its ideologies, Modi said.
“Today several leaders are talking about a grand alliance or Mahagathbandhan. This alliance is for personal survival, and is not ideology-based support. This alliance is for power, not for the people. This alliance for personal ambitions, not people’s aspirations,” he said.
While several parties and leaders in the coalition claimed to be deeply inspired by Lohia, he said “was deeply opposed to the Congress,” Modi said.
Many leaders in the coalition were “arrested and tortured” during the Emergency, he said without referring to anyone.
The Congress “ecosytem” spared none, he said and pointed out at the dismissal of the AIADMK government of late chief minister MG Ramachandran in 1980 though he had people’s support.
— PTI
13:17 9 bank unions call for one-day strike on December 26:
Close to 1 million employees of various banks, including private lenders, have called for a one-day strike on December 26 to protest against the proposed amalgamation of Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank with Bank of Baroda.
The strike call comes on the heels of an officers union of state-run banks observing a day-long strike last Friday on similar grounds along with demand for immediate settlement of their wage negotiations.
In September, government had announced merger of state-owned Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank, both under the prompt corrective action framework of the RBI, with larger peer Bank of Baroda, creating the third largest lender.
“This amalgamation is not in the interest of banks or bank customers. It is rather detrimental to both,” the United
Forum of Bank Unions said.
The UFBU is an umbrella organisation of nine unions, including the All-India Bank Officers Confederation, the All-India Bank Employees Association and the National Organisation of Bank Workers, among others.
— PTI
12:33 17-17-6: Seat sharing formula for BJP-JD-U-LJP in Bihar: Announcing the seat-sharing formula for Bihar for the 2019 general elections, Amit Shah said BJP will fight at 17 seats, Janata Dal-United at 17 and Lok Janshakti Party at 6 seats.
The formal announcement was scheduled to be made on Saturday but was postponed by a day as sources said Paswan also wanted the list of seats to be shared.
Sources said that the BJP does not want to lose LJP to ensure the support of SC and ST communities, especially after recently losing power in three states. For the votes of SCs/STs, it will be better for the NDA to keep LJP in the alliance, especially after loss of power in three states, a JD-Uleader in Bihar said.
12:24 Take care of own country: Naseeruddin Shah tells Pak PM on minorities remark:
A day after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said that he would show the Narendra Modi government how to treat minorities, Bollywood actor Naseeruddin Shah responded saying that he shouldnt be commenting on issues that dont concern him.
I think Mr Khan should be walking the talk in his own country instead of commenting on issues that dont concern him. We have been a democracy for 70 years and we know how to look after ourselves, Naseeruddin Shah told the Sunday Express.
Imran Khans statement had come after the veteran Bollywood actor had expressed concern over mob violence in India following the killing of a policeman in Uttar Pradeshs Bulandshahr earlier this month.
Khan had said, We will show the Modi government how to treat minorities… Even in India, people are saying that minorities are not being treated as equal citizens, he said referring to Shahs statement, while emphasising that his government will ensure that the minorities feel safe, protected and have equal rights in New Pakistan. Khan said this while addressing an event to highlight the 100-day achievements of the Punjab government in Lahore.
In a video interview with Karwan-e-Mohabbat India, Naseeruddin Shah had said that the death of a cow was being given importance over killing of a policeman in India. He said the poison has already spread and it will now be difficult to contain it.
12:08 BJP wins Jasdan assembly bypoll in Gujarat by over 19,500 votes: Official.
11:57 Amit Shah, Nitish Kumar, Paswan to announce Bihar seat-sharing deal:
BJP chief Amit Shah, JD-U president Nitish Kumar and Lok Janshakti Party leader Ram Vilas Paswan the three big players of the NDA in Bihar are likely to announce the final seat-sharing deal for general elections on Sunday.
According to sources, the BJP has offered the LJP five Lok Sabha seats in Bihar, one seat in either Uttar Pradesh or Jharkhand and a Rajya Sabha berth, which is likely to be taken by Paswan, who is currently a minister in the Narendra Modi cabinet. According to sources, the Nitish Kumars JD-U and the BJP will contest on 17 seats each in Bihar.
The formal announcement was scheduled to be made on Saturday but was postponed by a day as sources said Paswan also wanted the list of seats to be shared.
The deal was clinched after Paswan and his son Chirag met BJP leader Arun Jaitley on Friday. Chirag, who has been vocal in airing his party’s differences with the BJP, told reporters that talks were on and claimed there were other issues besides sharing of seats.
11:40 I gave Mattis a second chance: Trump:
United States President Donald Trump claimed that he gave Defence Secretary James Mattis a “second chance” after the retired Marine general was “ingloriously fired” from military leadership by former US president Barack Obama.
Mattis served as the head of the US Central Command between 2010 and 2013. However, he was fired by Obama in 2013 due to his increasingly hawkish stance toward Iran.
“When President Obama ingloriously fired Jim Mattis, I gave him a second chance. Some thought I shouldn’t, I thought I should,” Trump wrote on his Twitter handle.
Furthermore, the US president asserted that Mattis was better equipped with all the resources following his appointment as the Defence Secretary in January last year.
“Interesting relationship-but I also gave all of the resources that he never really had. Allies are very important-but not when they take advantage of US,” Trump tweeted.
Earlier this week, Mattis announced his resignation as the Defence Secretary and said he would step down from the post on February 28, 2019, after failing to persuade Trump to reconsider his decision to withdraw the remaining American troops from Syria.
— ANI
11:18 At 3.7 degree C, Delhi records coldest December day in 12 years:
The national capital on Sunday recorded its coldest December temperature in the past 12 years with mercury dipping to 3.7Celsius, as a moderate cover of fog surrounded the city dropping visibility.
In the past 12 years, the second lowest minimum temperature for the month was recorded on December 29, 2007 at 3.9C, according to data from the Met department.
The Sunday’s minimum temperature was four notches below the season’s average, a Met department official said.
The all-time lowest temperature in the national capital for the month of December was 1.1C recorded on December 26, 1945, the data showed.
The morning also witnessed a moderate cover of fog around the city with visibility dropping to 300 metres at Palam and 400 metres at Safdarjung, said the MeT department official.
The maximum temperature for the day is expected to hover around 22C, he said.
As the day progresses, it is likely to become partly cloudy.
Haze will also appear in the evening, said the official.
Relative humidity at 8.30 am was 99 per cent.
With the prevailing cold wave conditions, the minimum temperature on Saturday was 4C, second time this week.
On Thursday also, the minimum temperature was 4C. — PTI
11:15 Manipur assembly passes anti-mob violence bill: The Manipur assembly has passed a bill which recommends life imprisonment for those involved in mob violence, if it results in the death of a person.
Chief Minister N Biren Singh, who also holds charge of the Home department, moved the ‘The Manipur Protection from Mob Violence Bill, 2018’ in the state assembly.
The bill was passed by the assembly unanimously on Friday.
It recommends a rigorous life imprisonment term if the crime results in the death of a victim.
The bill was introduced in the assembly in the wake of incidents of mob lynchings in the state.
In September, a man was lynched at Tharoijamm in Thoubal district for allegedly trying to steal a scooter.
The assembly also passed the Manipur Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2018 unanimously. — PTI
10:05 Party leadership should take responsibility for defeat: Gadkari:
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has said party leadership should own up to defeat and failures, adding that nobody is willing to take responsibility of failure, unlike success.
The cryptic remark of the Union Minister came after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lost three ‘Hindi heartland’ states — Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh– in the recently-concluded assembly elections.
Speaking at an event organised by the Pune District Urban Cooperative Banks Association Limited (PDUCBAL), Gadkari said, “Success has many fathers but failure is an orphan, as in politics when there is success, there will be a race to take credit but in case of failure, everybody will start pointing fingers at each other.
“One also has to take credit of failure and that kind of leadership should be there. (Party) leadership should own up to failures. Until it does so, its loyalty and commitment towards the organisation are not proved.”
“In politics, after a defeat in any state or Lok Sabha elections, the defeated candidates start cribbing and complaining that they did not get adequate support. I always say that whichever panel loses, it submits an application against the other.
“When there is a BJP government, an inquiry is initiated against the Congress, and when there is Congress, inquiry is done against the BJP,” he added.
The Union minister further said that the nation has become awkward in the present day.
“The country has become awkward nowadays. A person who is working well should be supported, irrespective of who he is, and a person who is working badly should be punished, even if he belongs to us.”
The BJP leader also batted for enhanced credibility in the cooperative banking system. — ANI
08:50 Tsunami triggered by volcano kills at least 43 in Indonesia: A tsunami reportedly caused by the eruption of an island volcano killed at least 43 people after the waves hit the coast around Indonesia’s Sunda Strait, sending a wall of water some 20 metres inland and damaging hundreds of houses including hotels, agencies quoted the government and witnesses as saying.
Scientists from Indonesia’s Meteorology and Geophysics agency said it could have been caused by undersea landslides from the eruption of Anak Krakatau, a volcanic island formed over years from the nearby Krakatau volcano.
They also cited tidal waves caused by the full moon.
The worst affected area was the Pandeglang region of Banten province in Java, which encompasses the Ujung Kulon National Park and popular beaches, the Disaster Management Agency said.
Of the deaths, 33 were in Pandeglang. In the city of Bandar Lampung on southern Sumatra, hundreds of residents took refuge at the governor’s office.
The Anak Krakatau volcano in the Sunda Strait that links the Indian Ocean and Java Sea erupted about 24 minutes before the tsunami, the geophysics agency said.
Physical losses included 430 heavily damaged homes, nine heavily damaged hotels and 10 heavily damaged vessels.
Footage posted by the head of the disaster agency showed the aftermath of flooded streets and an overturned car. — Agencies
IMAGE: Residents sit inside a mosque as they were evacuated following high waves and the eruption of Anak Krakatau volcano at Labuan district in Pandeglang regency, Banten province, Indonesia, on Saturday. Photograph: Antara Foto/Muhammad Bagus Khoirunas/via Reuters
Source: Rediff