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! "$% !&                    R               !   "  ( #-(,. said, “The Congress workers the Congress and the BJP, she are not at all disappointed on had said while the former had day after it was left high being left out of the alliance. imposed Emergency in the (  &/ Aand dry by the Samajwadi On the contrary, they are say- country, the latter was respon- Party (SP) and the Bahujan ing that the party would have sible for the current state of n a clear indication that the Samaj Party (BSP) forging an had to contest on 25 “undeclared Emergency”. IBJP is now ready to accom- alliance, the Congress on seats, but now they would be Azad on Sunday accused modate leaders in 75-year age Sunday announced it will con- contesting on all the 80 seats of the BJP of dividing the coun- category in important posi- test all the 80 Lok Sabha seats the State.” On possibilities of an try for power and claimed that tions, the party on Sunday in Uttar Pradesh on its own alliance with the Rashtriya Lok the saffron party had failed to appointed senior legislator strength. However, the Dal, Azad said that he would fulfil any of its poll promises. Gulab Chand Kataria as the Congress has kept the doors of not like to speak to the media “The coming Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition in the a possible alliance open saying on this issue. election is a battle to unite India Assembly. The 74- the Congress would accom- Announcing that very and safeguard the democratic year-old Kataria was also select- modate any secular force capa- soon party president Rahul values,” he said. ed as the leader of the BJP leg- ble of taking on the ruling Gandhi will launch rallies at Attacking Prime Minister islature party while seven-time   Bharatiya in the different places in the State on , the Congress MLA Rajendra Rathore was    Lok Sabha election. support of the party candidates, leader said, “Modi is not con- chosen as his deputy.    The Congress has not been Azad, who is the Leader of the cerned about the country, he is Former Chief Minister !  ! in power in Uttar Pradesh Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, bothered about his own chair. , who has now  #!  $% since the Babri Masjid demo- said that some regional parties One of the biggest scams has been completely marginalised    # lition in 1992. The State has can too join them in the State taken place during the tenure in the BJP scheme of things,      been governed alternately by thus predicting the inclusion of of this Government. The proposed the name of Kataria &  !    Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav’s Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) in Government has not gone for as the leader of BJP legislature $%! #!    Samajwadi Party. their fold. Claiming that there a probe. Not going for a probe party, which was seconded by But the Congress plan to is issue of leadership among the does not mean that the scam the party MLAs unanimously.     contest the bulk of Lok Sabha anti-BJP parties and the issue has not been committed.” “There was only one pro-     seats is expected to cut into the of the next Prime Minister Stating that the Congress posal for the post,” the party’s  ! votes of the alliance. It is also will be decided after the elec- had always put the country national general secretary Arun expected to irk Mayawati and tions. before everything else, he cited Singh told reporters after the in the former Vasundhara Raje Akhilesh, who have lent sup-                          !  On Saturday, BSP chief the examples of the party sac- meeting. He said Rathore was Government. port to the Congress    "!  $% Mayawati and SP president rificing power in Jammu and chosen as the deputy leader by Kataria was first elected as Governments in Madhya Akhilesh Singh Yadav Kashmir to strengthen Sheikh Kataria. MLA in 1977, then in 1980. He Pradesh. modate some secular political Congress will double its tally of out of the SP-BSP alliance, the announced their parties would Abdullah and how it had sac- Kataria’s elevation shows has won all Assembly elections After a brainstorming ses- parties in their alliance in UP, seats, which it had secured in Congress general secretary contest 38 seats each and leave rificed power to put an end to that the BJP has decided to since 1993, remaining a mem- sion with senior party leaders, it said that very soon the lead- the 2009 Lok Sabha elections. said: “We wanted that Congress out two seats — Amethi and terrorism in Mizoram. downsize Raje, who is not on ber of the House. Governor Congress general secretary and ership will start selecting the During the 2009 Lok Sabha should have been a part of the Rae Bareily — for the Congress. “The Congress has been the best terms with the Central will administer incharge of UP Ghulam Nabi candidates and party presi- elections, the Congress had grand alliance (against the BJP) Mayawati said her party never fighting for the rights of the leaders. Though Raje herself him oath of office on Monday. Azad, said, “There was a dent Rahul Gandhi will address bagged 21 seats. in UP. But, if someone does not gained from an alliance with poor, farmers, backward castes proposed the name of Kataria, Rathore has earlier served demand from the party rank public rallies at different parts To a question whether his want to walk along, then noth- the Congress and held it and Dalits since even before it’s well known that Kataria has as the Parliamentary Affairs and file for contesting the elec- of the State. party will not forge a coalition ing could be done.” On the responsible for the plight of Independence and after been her nemesis in the Minister in the State. tions alone in UP, which had Addressing a Press confer- with any political party, Azad post-poll alliance with the SP backward castes. Independence, it is following Rajasthan politics for a long Union HRD Minister and been accepted by the leader- ence here on Sunday Ghulam said, “If any political party is and BSP, Azad said that at the “We do not gain from an the same ideology,” he said. time. party’s poll incharge in the ship and now the party will Nabi Azad said, “The Congress willing to join hands, and the national level, the Congress alliance with the Congress, On the possibilities of an Kataria will also be the pro- State Prakash Javadekar, contest the elections with full will contest on all the 80 Lok Congress feels that it can fight welcomes all the secular whereas the vote transfer is per- alliance with the Ajit Singh-led tem speaker to conduct the first national spokesperson strength.” Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP, then it will be definitely regional parties. fect in an SP-BSP tie-up,” Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), Azad meeting of the newly elected and party’s Announcing that the and defeat the BJP.” Azad also be accommodated.” Replying to another ques- Mayawati had said. said he would not like to speak Assembly. He is an eight-time State president Madan Lal Saini Congress is ready to accom- expressed hope that the On the Congress being left tion on SP-BSP alliance, Azad Drawing a parallel between to the media about it. MLA and was Home Minister were present in the meeting. # $   %$   "    & !     &  $ $&   ''     R '   !  ( P   ( ,0.10#2& $%&' ( )       comments questioning the seek the removal, the depar- he Rajasthan police on (  ,0.10#2& on the Congress for the 1984 credibility of Justice Sikri for ture, the exit of the collabora- TFriday night arrested an riots that took place      supporting Prime Minister for tor for violating the Army jawan posted in rime Minister Narendra following the assassination of removing Verma as the CBI Constitution -- the CVC (chief Jaisalmer after he was alleged- PModi on Sunday attacked the then Prime Minister Indira       director within 24 hours of vigilance commissioner). He ly honey-trapped by a Pakistan- the previous Congress Gandhi. being reinstated by the must go. It is irrelevant whether based ISI operative whom he Government for its inability to Referring to the Kartapur  !  Supreme Court. he resigns or is sacked, but he met on the Facebook. bring Kartarpur Sahib under Sahib corridor, he said now Retired Justice AK must go,” Congress spokesper- The jawan has been India during partition. devotees do not have to look at ( ,0.10#2& Patnaik’s revelations that the no son Abhishek Manu Singhvi accused of passing crucial Releasing a commemora- the shrine in Pakistan using corruption charges were found said at AICC Press confer- information to the Pakistani tive coin as part of the 350th binoculars and they could visit he controversy surrounding against Verma was also being ence. agent. birth anniversary celebrations the place without visa using the Tthe unceremonious flagged in the social media. The Congress alleged that The Pakistani agent under of 10th Sikh guru Guru Gobind corridor. removal of Alok Verma as CBI Justice Sikri’s plum London CVC KV Chowdary is being the assumed name of Anika Singh, Modi also came down Continued on Page 4 director by the Prime Minister- tribunal posting was for five made to “act like a puppet” to Chopra claimed to be an Army led panel refuses to die down. years and as per the rules of tri- avoid any probe into the Rafale Captain of the Military Nursing Justice AK Sikri, who backed bunal, the judges were allowed case. “Till now, we have been Corps and in her profile picture Modi for removing Verma, on extension of another five years told that only the CBI was the she is seen wearing a green Sunday evening declined a also. ‘caged parrot’ but we are now saree with a pretty smile on her It was clear to both military lady officer approached him plum post-retirement London India is a member of this seeing a new ‘vigilant’ slave of face. intelligence and to Rajasthan with a friend request. The rela- posting even as the Congress Tribunal and Sikri will be the Government, a collabora- Fifty more jawans are Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) tionship between the two soon sought “immediate removal” of expected to be the president of tor for violating the constitu- under the scanner of intelli- that Chopra was a Pakistani turned so intimate that Singh the chief vigilance commis- this Tribunal by rotation of the tion of the Central Vigilance gence agencies. agent who had honey-trapped is said to have even made up his sioner, alleging the posts among the member Commission,” the Congress The honey trapping inci- not just Singh many other fel- mind to divorce his wife and Government had made him act countries in the spokesperson alleged, taking a dent comes even as the intelli- low soldiers as well. Singh who marry Anika. like a “puppet” to “escape a Commonwealth. swipe at the Modi gence agencies had in the past is married claimed that he did Oblivious from the sur- probe” into the Rafale deal. In the evening, stung by the Government. flagged concerns over such not know of Chopra’s veillance on him, Singh was After The Print portal criticism, Justice Sikri, who “The CVC has been acting tactics of the ISI. antecedents till she started being tracked by the MI after reported that the Government enjoys a high reputation as an like an ambassador for Asthana Sepoy Somveer Singh, blackmailing him. regular phone calls on his has suggested to post Justice uncompressing judge, wrote (CBI Special Director Rakesh posted with an armoured unit Singh had met Anika on number were being received Sikri as member of London- to Law Ministry that he is Asthana), lobbying for in Jaisalmer, was arrested after Facebook in 2016 shortly after from a Jammu number and based Commonwealth declining this post retirement Asthana, and acting as an agent he was caught sharing sensitive being commissioned into the continued for months, trigger- Secretariat Arbitral Tribunal job in London. and messenger for the information and pictures of his Army. ing alarm bells in the covert *   *          (CSAT) after his retirement in Meanwhile, attacking the Government, to do their hatch- location and army exercises Singh, who hails from agency.   !   &, March 6, 2019, social media CVC, the Congress demanded et jobs,” Singhvi alleged. with the Pakistani agent. Rohtak, was flattered when a Continued on Page 4  ! ,-   $% was flooded with scandalous his immediate sacking. “We Continued on Page 4  O    (  $ % )) $ " *    +    P           heila Dikshit, the three-time Excerpts: one of the competitors is the power, free water, etc. We have remember 15 years of the by the AAP. We will pick up collective will of the party had     SChief Minister who ran the For almost three years, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). But lost two elections to them. But Congress rule. As time goes by, momentum on our own, with- to be honoured.”      national Capital for 15 con- you have been away from it is a small party, and it has I am certain that the Congress they are remembering it more.” out any alliance.” What makes you so con-       secutive years till getting a active politics. Now the won just by making false will make a comeback in Delhi, In the last two Assembly Despite opinion polls giv- fident that voters will again       major drubbing in the 2013 Congress has entrusted you promises to the people: free because even now people still elections in Delhi, the BJP ing the Congress a good support the Congress? What !"  "    Assembly election at the hands with an important task of almost retained its vote per- chance in UP Assembly elec- is your plan?     # of Arvind Kejriwal, has come steering the Delhi unit of the centage, but the AAP ate into tions, you refused to accept “We are going to come  $ out of the political hibernation party. How do you feel? the Congress’ votes, and dent- CM candidature. Did you see out with a policy, an all India to head the Delhi unit of the “I am related to Delhi in a ed its prospects. But recently, the writing on wall that the policy. The immediate target is       Congress. very special way. I was educat- speculation about alliance party will not do well? the Lok Sabha polls, not the city     Famous for not mincing ed and brought up here. I have with the AAP has been doing “It was not about seeing the election. Right now, I am very   !  "  her words, the veteran spent my entire political career the rounds. And in fact, this writing on the wall. I had enthused with the fact that peo-   % " "&   Congress leader believes her here. So for me it is a come- is one of the covert reasons for taken a time out from active ple are showing confidence in  '       party will bounce back to back. Whatever I can do for my Ajay Maken’s resignation politics as I was the Governor the Congress. I have seen it in         power on its own strength, and party and to Delhi, I will be from State unit chief post. of Kerala, and when I came the last two days as there has ( '     ) is dead against stitching up any very happy to do it. I didn’t seek What is your take on alliance? back from there (to UP) I been long queues here (her res- (      $ pre-poll alliance, ruling out it (the Delhi Congress chief “I am not for any kind of thought it was not the right idence). This shows that peo- any truck with the Kejriwal-led post), I got it. And I didn’t reject alliance with the AAP at all. As time for me to enter active pol- ple are again turning back to " #   Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in it; in fact, I welcomed it.” a party we have lost one or two itics. It was party’s decision to the Congress as they don’t    $ Delhi for the forthcoming Lok Now, as head of the Delhi elections. But it doesn’t matter; send me there. Yes, there was have good experience with %&    *+  Sabha elections. In an interview Congress, what future do you as recently we won four elec- some assumption that the party non-Congress Governments.” ,    to The Pioneer’s Swarn Kumar envision for the party in the tions and I am sure we will will project me as CM candi- Now back in the saddle in    #, Anand and Asad, Dikshit said Capital, say after one year, in make a comeback. It date, but once they decided to Delhi, how will you strength- ',    Congress’ prospects are bright 2020 Assembly polls? (Congress) is a traditional old go for alliance with the SP, I en the Congress and energise    $ as people are growing weary of “You see, the future of the party of the country. We should bowed down to that. We were party workers? non-Congress Governments. Congress is bright. In Delhi, not be discouraged by defeats doing good on our own, but the Continued on Page 4   ()  *) +,- ./+0  '( ,R    ,   -     $ .$ -  

(  ,0.10#2& withdrew troops. The report stated that these 44 strategically   '   3 he Government will con- roads along the India-China Tstruct 44 strategic roads border will be constructed at a along the border with China cost of nearly 21,000 crore.   ,0.10#2& and over 2,100 km of axial and “The CPWD has been lateral roads in Punjab and entrusted with construction of error is rising in India as Rajasthan, abutting Pakistan, a 44 strategically important roads Tthe country slipped to 7th CPWD document shows. along the Indo-China Border rank in 2018 from 8th rank in According to an annual spanning 5 states of J&K, the previous year, according to report (2018-19) released ear- Himachal Pradesh, the 2018 Global Terrorism lier this month by the Central Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Index of the prestigious Public Works Department, the Arunachal Pradesh,” the report Institute for Economics & agency has been asked to con- stated. Peace. struct 44 “strategically impor- “The total Cost of work as Iraq figures at the top in the tant” roads along the India- per DPRs (Detailed Project list followed by Afghanistan, China border to ensure quick Reports) is 21,040 crores Nigeria, Syria, Pakistan and mobilisation of troops in case (approx.),” the report stated It Somalia which stands at the of a conflict. said the process of approval of sixth position, all in the “very The nearly 4,000-km-long DPRs by the Cabinet high” category in terms of Line of Actual Control (LAC) Committee on Security (CCS), impact. Yemen, Egypt and between India and China headed by Prime Minister ))*+,+-).) Phillippines are the three other touches areas from Jammu & Narendra Modi, is underway.  =+++" " '#  -  ># -? &  -   nations in the world’s top ter- Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh The CPWD report also  )(             -''  @  ror hit countries of the world The report comes at a time stated that lateral and axial  ' &   which are in the “high” impact China is giving a priority to roads measuring over 2,100 category. projects along its India borders. kilometers will be built with a -.1               '*7++      Total deaths in India due to Last year, Indian and cost of around 5,400 crore in      A=++ /@   @ ' & "   terrorism since 2001 have been Chinese troops engaged in a Rajasthan and Punjab along the 8,123 and the Communist B:! %&))+%)79 ror incidentsin India, or 53 per face-off at the Doklam tri- Indo-Pakistan border. The 1/ @    -.1  @   '   Party of India (Maoist) remains cent of the deaths in 2017. The junction after the neighbouring DPRs for this project are under -  3  the most potent terror group )+%*&):7**7%, Maoists…directly oppose country had begun building a preparation in CPWD, which responsible for most number of :!+ &) 1!% 1 Prime Minister Narendra road in the area. The standoff is a major construction agency cost 3,700 crores) and 482 km secure the vast and remote bor- Kashmir (1,225 km, which deaths followed by Pakistan-  1(?&)  , Modi’s administration and the ended on August 28 following of the Central Government. of lateral roads and 219 km of der areas of Rajasthan and includes 740 km of Line of based Lashkar-e-Tayyaba and nationalist Bharatiya Janata a mutual agreement under “A total of 945 km of later- axial roads in Punjab (tentative Punjab, it stated. India’s border Control), Rajasthan (1,037 7*+8+&) ,&)  Jaish-e-Mohammad. While )+%&)+97&)7 1** Party (BJP). Maoist assailants which China stopped con- al roads and 533 km of axial cost 1,750 crores),” it stated. with Pakistan runs through km), Punjab (553 km) and United Nations has banned frequently stage attacks against struction of the road and India roads lie in Rajasthan (tentative The road projects will four States — Jammu and Gujarat (508 km). the JeM, the global body’s )+%M% +!+N the Central Reserve Police efforts to ban the Pakistani out- 8)%!7  )% &7: Force (CRPF) and other armed fit’s chief Maulana Masood 98)6%% 1!9) forces throughout the country’s . - +- /* Azhar have been repeatedly  ,(+**99 %& %)+% northern and central territo-  '4   5   blocked by China. )+ %%7)+%  )7 & ries,” says the report. “China’s move is more The north Indian state of   $ curious in view of the fact that )+%7 *,P&)79)% 7 +) Jammu and and Kashmir had its operatives are increasingly 87 ) %&7:)+%7 *, the most deaths in 2017, with 6  7     targeting Chinese assets in the +8+ % )+%M+!+N 102 deaths committed by five $   ) China-Pakistan Economic 98)8)%!7  different terror groups, most Corridor. The JeM leadership notably LeT, JeM and Hizbul ( ,0.10#2& feels China is aiding Pakistan Mujahideen. 7)."3879* )&7: in anti-Islamic activities by business. The CPI (Maoist) also fig- /$ ,% )&%% )&9% )  ! nly 73 judges out of the pressurizing it to take action This implies that the terror ures at the 8th position in the )7  ,+% * O670 judges serving in var- against jehadis in CPEC. Jehad groups have devised strategies Index of top 10 perpetrators  2  ,0.10#2& %,8 %&<9 7,8)&+% ious High Courts are women, is considered holy and Islamic to hit the uniformed personnel organisations that staged 1416 %%  %8%%,,  !)+% the Government has informed by the terror group,” counter- even as the police and military major attacks between 1970 to Parliamentary panel has 9% 7,: 79 *1"-=)7 a Parliamentary Committee. At terrorism expert Dr Rituraj are yet to devise effective 2011 killing 1889 people. Aslammed the Union Ayush  8+1"-. Present 26 Judges comprising Mate told The Pioneer. counter strategies to deal with Other groups in the cate- Ministry for adopting lack- Supreme Court is having only Police and military per- the terrorists. gory include Irish Republican adaisical approach in taking AYUSH systems by promoting three women judges. The sonnel figure at the top in terms “The deadliest group in Army, Revolutionary Armed concrete action against default- scientific research and uphold- Government also pointed out of attacks by target category fol- India is the country’s CPI Forces of Columbia, Taliban ers in order to ensure effective ing strict quality control of that against the sanctioned lowed by private citizens and (Maoist). Maoists were respon- and Liberation Tigers of Tamil regulation of the alternate tra- AYUSH drugs. The panel also strength of 1,079 judges as on property, Government and sible for 205 deaths and 190 ter- Eeelam (LTTE) among others. ditional medicines of called for increased funds to March 23, 2018, only 670 Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and atleast 5 per cent of the total judges are working in 24 High Homeopathy (ASU&H). It has Health Budget of the Health Courts of the country, leaving pitched in for a new stringent Ministry to help boost the 409 vacancies. 0  &  &     law to strictly deal with potential of the Ayush sector. “There are 73 women “due consideration” be given to is no proposal to raise the unscrupulous herbal drug The Ministry last year in a judges working in different “suitable candidates” belonging retirement age of judges in manufacturers for misleading written reply in Lok Sabha High Courts as on March 23, to scheduled castes, scheduled higher judiciary by the and duping innocent patients had stated that increasing num- 2018, which in percentage tribes and other backward Government, unnecessary $ +  $ and playing with their lives. ber of misleading advertise- terms is 10.89 per cent of the classes, minorities and women. delay in recruitment of judges The panel headed by Rajya ments of AYUSH products are working strength,” the depart- “This is being done to should be avoided at any cost,” Sabha MP Ram Gopal Yadav being reported in recent years. ment of Justice in the Law ensure a fair representation of it said. (  ,0.10#2& thas, topped with choice of was of the view that merely About 809 complaints of Ministry informed the depart- different sections of the society As of now, Governors and gajar ka halwa, chiki and gulab issuing show cause notices, advertisements pertaining to ment-related Standing in the higher judiciary,” the Chief Ministers are given six orth Indian vegetarian jamuns for dessert. departmental action etc was AYUSH and herbal medi- Committee on Law and Government said. It, however, weeks to recommend propos- Nmeals will be served to They will be served not sufficient to check the cines/products have been Personnel. made it clear that there was no al received from the chief jus- Pravasi Bharatiya Divas dele- Allahabadi amruds (guava’s menace of spurious drugs of received during the period Responding to the con- proposal to amend Articles tice of the High Court to gates travelling to Delhi from from Allahabad) for breakfast ASU&H. from April, 2015 to March, cerns of the Parliamentary 124 and 217 of the Constitution appoint a candidate as a judge. Allahabad on board special along with a choice of Poha, In its report submitted to 2018. Advertising Standards panel on inadequate represen- to allow reservation in the There were 24 High Courts trains on January 24 after Upama -- and another South Parliament, the panel said, Council of India (ASCI), with tation of women and people higher judiciary. when the committee had pre- attending the Kumbh Mela in Indian dish. “Despite repeated recommen- whom Ministry has signed a from marginalised communi- “The committee feels that pared its report. the Uttar Pradesh city. They will also get bread, dations of the Committee to MoU for suo moto monitoring ties, the ministry said the a timeline of six weeks given to From January 1, the num- A high-level committee butter and eggs for breakfast on have stringent measures to of AYUSH advertisements Centre had been requesting Chief Minister/Governor may ber of high courts have gone up consisting of officials from the demand once they have left tackle the problem of failed appearing in the media, report- chief justices of High Courts be reduced to expedite the to 25 with Andhra Pradesh and Ministry of External Affairs, Allahabad. However, delegates samples, the Ministry (Ayush) ed 732 complaints from that while sending proposals process of appointment of Telangana getting separate the Uttar Pradesh Government who want eggs with their seems not to have done any- January 20th, 2017 to January for appointment of judges, judges. It also feels since there High Courts. and the railways made this breads have to order them by thing in this regard. The 19, 2018. decision. dinner time on January 24. Committee takes serious note The Ayush Ministry in The Government has con- kept fruits like Allahabadi The railways is preparing of the lackadaisical approach of December last year had issued   stituted the committee to amrud (guava), gajar ka halwa around 3,000 meals for the del- the Ministry in not taking notification prohibiting the 80  :  decide on the logistics around and other north Indian food in egates which will be kept warm concrete action against default- manufacturers and agents of  :   the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas the menu,” said Ashwini on insulated trays on board, ers in order to ensure effective ASU &H drugs to not float being held at Varanasi, repre- Srivastava, the IRCTC Chief Srivastava said. They will be regulation of ASU&H drugs. advertisements related to any  sented in the Lok Sabha by Regional Manager, Lucknow. served in pre-sealed cardboard “The Committee would drug that are used for diagno-  ) :    Prime Minister Narendra The Railways will provide packages with holding space like to emphasize that such sis, cure, mitigation, treatment (  ,0.10#2& Modi, from January 21-23. two meals to the delegates - for each item. erring manufacturers need to or prevention of any diseases or After the Pravasi Bharatiya dinner on January 24 and As part of the special treat- be brought to book and dealt disorders without validating efence Minister Nirmala    Divas events, the Indian dias- breakfast the next day. ment planned by the railways, with strictly for misleading from the competent authorities. DSitharaman on Sunday ( ,0.10#2& pora will travel to Allahabad by Sources privy to the plans linen provided to the guests and duping innocent patients As per the notification, reached Portblair on a two-day +% :7 8%% ) road to attend the Kumbh said the option of serving con- will be brand new — fleece and playing with their lives. the manufacturers of these visit to Andaman and Nicobar Mela and on January 24. They tinental or ready-to-eat meals blankets and beddings which “The Committee, accord- drugs have to apply for the Islands where she will witness he Enforcement  %8)7 )%CD&,)& will be ferried to Delhi in spe- was explored but the commit- have been procured especial- ingly, recommends to the Unique Identification Number a joint military drill involving TDirectorate has arrested an 9 7%:7 ,)+)+,% cial trains to attend the tee preferred giving India’s ly for the delegates by the Ministry to lay down stringent for the publication of adver- the Army, the Air Force, the ex-manager of a Maharashtra- M79% %, ,79% )%,N Republic Day parade. global citizens a taste of local Allahabad division of railways, regulations which can act as a tisements. They will not be Navy and the Coast Guard, based cooperative society for *)9*% ?887 )& “We are offering north dishes. along with the towels and nap- deterrent for erring manufac- allowed to publish advertise- officials said. his alleged involvement in )+% %7: Indian vegetarian foods to the The menu for dinner will kins which will be of better turers.” ments within the period of Sitharaman will witness laundering crores of funds 9% &7 &<879 +8+ delegates. We decided to keep include north Indian staples quality than those provided The panel emphasised that three months from the date of three exercises — general sur- using the overseas hawala % %&%,:7 ,%97&) ! it simple and give them a taste like paneer masala, mixed veg- usually. Sanitisers will be kept the Ministry must focus on application of this notifica- vival exercise, amphibious drill route. +!%8&+ )+%&78%)P& of the local food. So, we have etables, daal, rice and paran- in abundance in the coaches. increasing the credibility of tion. and a joint drill, an official said. The agency said 887 ) ) %,)+ Machindra Khade was arrest-  ?&+ !87 % ? ! ed by it under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act  , %* % 7&& (PMLA) for his “involvement %))*%% )C D:8*)    )''/   $  -  in facilitating illegal cash deposits in various bank would invariably reflect the accounts of the society which name of the cooperative soci-  2  ,0.10#2& +% >*?% Environment Ministry said afforestation has been pro- were subsequently layered and ety. Khade was instrumental in  &)))%& %% ! that the proposed area has posed over the forest land, he then fraudulently remitted to contacting people and pursuing he Centre’s ambitious plan around 8430 trees, of which said. Hong Kong by submission of them in opening bank accounts Tto set up 750-bed AIIMS- ,%%*79%,)+% majority are likely to be felled. Regarding use of forest fake import documents in the for monetary consideration,” it like institute at Himachal % ) %8 7&&)+% The proposal will now be land for dumping site, the offi- guise of import of diamond”. It alleged. Pradesh’s Bilaspur district has ))%& ,% ( ,+ discussed by the FAC in a cial said that as majority of the said the accused was former The agency claimed Khade hit a roadblock with a Central meeting on January 15, 2019. non-forest land is existing on manager of Renukamata Multi- obtained the signatures of panel of the Union  ) &)+ Interestingly, the State the hill side i.e. above the State Cooperative Urban Credit account holders on blank Environment Ministry ques-  ?&+7A )+ Government has proposed National Highway which is Society. RTGS slips that he kept in his tioning the need for diverting  )787 %8) compensatory afforestation in crossing the proposed site in The agency had begun custody. 40 acres of forest land for its the forest land itself in lieu of the middle, it is not possible to probing the cooperative society “As and when there was a construction, of which atl east %!7 ** 8%& the forest land it is seeking for develop dumping sites on the based in Ahmednagar district demand, the accused would eight acres of forest patch has  )+%**)7: the construction of the project. upper side of the non-forest of Maharashtra on the basis of take out these blank RTGS been allocated for dumping ::7 ,*%+%*)+8 % However, officials from the land. an FIR filed by the State police. slips and fill the amount and sites. State Government have justi- Moreover, the slope of the The Enforcement beneficiary details in the slips. While the State &% 8%& ,*&7)7 fied their move, claiming that non-forest site is not suitable Directorate (ED) said its probe He used to take commission of Government has sought 40 !% ):8*)%&:7 there is no non-forest govern- for a dumping site, the official found that Khade “opened and 50 per one lakh of such trans- acres of forest land, it has B*)%,8* ment land available in the dis- pointed out. operated” multiple bank actions which involved deposit already provided 59.724 acres trict Bilaspur as all government The AIIMS-like institutes accounts in the name of per- of cash till the stage of RTGS,” of non-forest land for the pro- %,8)7  )+% land or land over which gov- are being developed by the sons/company which were the ED charged. ject to be spread over 100 87 )  ernment has proprietary rights, Centre across the States under used for depositing huge cash “In this manner, funds of acres of area. has been classified as forest Pradhan Mantri Swasthya in the society’s account main- 120 crore were deposited in The project worth 1,351 to be completed in 48 months. Advisory Committee (FAC) of green land. It also expressed its land. “As such, no non-forest Suraksha Yojna (PMSSY) with tained with banks having core these accounts and then trans- crore will have a medical col- Prime Minister Narendra Modi the Ministry in its meeting on reservations over the project land is available for raising an aim to correct regional banking and Real Time Gross ferred through RTGS/NEFT to lege with an intake capacity of had laid its foundation stone in December 19, 2018 deferred proponent’s plan to use eight compensatory afforestation in imbalances in the availability of Settlement (RTGS) facility. different shell companies and 100 seats and a nursing college October 2017 at Bilaspur, the the proposal asking the acres of forest area for two lieu of the forest land proposed affordable healthcare services “In this way, the beneficia- finally out of India to Hong with 60 seats, 20 specialty and native town of Union Health Himachal Pradesh dumping sites (4.5 hactres and for the construction of the and also to augment facilities ries’ transactions were suc- Kong-based companies on the super specialty departments Minister JP Nadda. Government to justify need for 3.5 hactres areas respectively). project,” an official argued. for quality medical education cessfully camouflaged as the strength of forged bills of entry,” including 15 operation theatres However, the Forest diverting such a huge patch of Sources in the Union Consequently, compensatory in the country. RTGS/NEFT transactions it said.   ()  *) +,- ./+0 # '0

 7   ;<7       $$  ( ;  , (   $   -   $  ## (   / &/ $ ' &&  he Congress party in fact Twill achieve the target of  ## winning all 11 Lok Sabha seats (   in Chhattisagrh set by BJP, / &/ commented Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel while citing ollowed by claims of former Chief Fcomplaint Minister and BJP's National from former Vice President Home Minister targetting to winning all the 11 and senior BJP Lok Sabha seats in state in the legislator, upcoming polls. Nankiram Baghel while speaking at Kanwar, the a Convention of Swarnkar State Samaj here on Sunday said Government that BJP's National President had ordered had earlier set a probe against target of 65 plus seats for the senior IPS offi- party for recently held assem- cer Mukesh bly polls but the target was Gupta. achieved by the Congress Director General (Jails), session was called on by Chief party instead of them, he said. Girdhari Nayak would be head- Minister Bhupesh Baghel “And now when they ing the probe Committee. where he (Kanwar) handed (BJP) are setting the target of The Committee will sub- over a seven-page detailed winning 11 Lok Sabha seats, mit its report within two complaint to Chief Minister the Congress will achieve the months. against the police official and target rather than BJP, he Notably, Kanwar during demanded impartial probe into said. . *         O !   P   recently concluded assembly the matter. &P     44"   .   @ '       #     

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ith change Win political scenario after Bahujan Samaj Party-Samajwadi Party alliance in Uttar Pradesh, Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (JCC) Jogi (J) Supremo Ajit Jogi would be in New Delhi for two days starting Monday where he will also meet BSP Supremo Mayawati. too could be taken in the meeting, JCC (J) Jogi, who is actually going for regular sources said. medical check-ups at Medanta Hospital in Although JCC (J) was benefitted with the Noida, will also meet Mayawati on Tuesday alliance with BSP in recently held assembly polls which would also be the occasion of birthday in the state, Mayawati was reportedly not sat- of BSP Supremo and a decision regarding con- isfied with the performance of her own party tinuing the current alliance in Lok Sabha polls candidates in the polls. 456 6      '

 ## (   lage Jarondha. and grandmother was also  &(,2/ On January 4, the girl had away , the accused woman spotted stray cattle grazing in entered the girl’s residence. As 17-year-old girl was burnt the field on which she inti- the girl was unwell, she was Aalive by a woman over a mated her grandfather and sleeping in the room near the minor dispute in village tried to shoo away the cattle. kitchen. Jarondha coming under Her neighbour Hiramaniya Taking advantage of Khadgaon police station limits Bai, reached the spot and picked absence of grandparents, the of Koriya district. up a fight over the issue. woman poured kerosene over The victim succumbed to The fight over cattle graz- the girl and set her on fire. The injuries on Saturday evening, ing reached Panchayat. The villagers later rushed the girl to 0 *                  (!    -       (  police said. Panchayat Panch while hearing Primary Health Centre,     &    1 &2     Police has registered the both sides, found the woman Khadgaon from where she was offence against the woman and guilty who was then ordered to then referred to district hospital. is reported to be absconding pay the compensation for the The girl later succumbed to  ## (   / &/ polls, former Chief Minister Chief Minister said the respon- “At present I am MLA Committee meeting on after the incident. crop loss. the burn injuries. Koriya police Raman Singh said on Sunday. sibility of Leader of Opposition and as MLA, I will be fulfilling January 16 in Raipur. Newly As per information This led to further enmity conducted post-mortem and he ’s On his arrival at the Swami was given to the State BJP my responsibility handed over appointed National Vice received, the deceased minor of woman with the minor girl registered offence against the Timmediate goal is to win all Vivekananda Airport here after President so soon the selection by party organization”, he said. President of the party Raman girl had been residing with her and her grandparents. On inci- woman after a complaint was 11 Lok Sabha seats in being appointed BJP’s National of party’s new State President Notably, BJP is likely to Singh is likely to preside over paternal grandfather Bajrang dent day on January 8, when lodged by Bajrang Singh under Chhattisgarh in the upcoming Vice President, the former is expected.” hold the State- level Core the meeting. Singh and grandmother in vil- Bajrang had gone to sell paddy Section 307 and 452 of IPC.          !!    2

 ## (   / &/ would be created in Chhattisgarh as and Industries in Raipur on Sunday. He suggested the traders to expand the GST Council meeting in New which the Minister asked them to sub- per the Congress party’s poll mani- The Minister said that the State their businesses in proportion to Delhi. mit the suggestion within a week for ommercial Taxes Minister TS festo. government is committed to boosting demand for products in the market. The businessmen and traders in it to be forwarded to the Central CSinghdeo on Sunday said that a He was addressing office-bearers of industrial development and trade in The Minister also apprised traders the meeting sought rationalization of Government for conducive environment for trade Chhattisgarh Chamber of Commerce the State. about the discussions held recently in taxes in the real estate business to consideration.                                                                                                                                                !        "                                            #            $ % S                      '                "       (                             P      Q "" #  $  %   #  &''( ) *  #  % ' +,-.//0  '1/00"2 ...3.4/50/     #  *   67' 8 9    8  % ' +,-.//: 6;      % 6; )     <  &; $( 4  =  8      )  >      $8 < +""/ //. ; /""+,/""/,::    &; ?+3" ) 4 $&@<9 =     $ +./"3/" A(( ; /"./+,B0-B// C ,B0--//(   ()  *) +,- ./+0  '3   5      

 ## (   / &/ constituency only if he was rewarded with some coveted enior Congress leader and post. SPresident of party’s State Bhagat while talking to Tribal Wing, Amarjeet Bhagat, The Pioneer confirmed that the breaking his pledge of not Chief Minister will be accom- entering his Assembly con- panying him to his assembly stituency Sitapur till he gets a constituency Sitapur. “He ministerial berth or other cov- (Chief Minister) will also be eted post will return to his con- spending some time in my stituency on Monday. constituency and meet people Chief Minister Bhupesh there”, he said. Baghel, who had reportedly Replying to a query pacified Bhagat, will accompa- whether he had got any assur- ny him to Sitapur in state heli- tion of results of assembly ance of getting a Cabinet berth, copter and will also meet the polls on December 11 was Bhagat laughingly said he will people of Sitapur. camping in the state capital and disclose about it when time will Bhagat since the declara- was adamant of returning to his come.  P  !  !        * !  ! *       45 62  !      * * #

2 (  Sigh, who spent five years here. ditional Pooja-Archana.Mid- Gurudwara is encircled by a beautiful lake, he started to 102/ 1, It is a now amid a bustling August is the peak time of the seven snow clad peaks and count the peaks which sur- town. It retains tangible mem- Hemkund Sahib yatra. reflects them beautifully on its rounded it, wondering if this wo years ago, the 350th ories of Guru Gobind Singh in It is not easy to walk the crystal- clear serene waters. could be the place described in TPrakash Parv of Guru the form of his weapons and his path of the Lord. A “shabad” in Guru Gobind Singh wrote in Bachitar Natak. As he was Gobind Singh was celebrated wooden "kalams" (pens). Sukhmani Sahib says, “Charan one of his works that he had counting, he heard a voice the world over. Sunday marked The Gurudwara has been Chalo Marag Gobind, Mitey meditated on the bank of this behind him say, "O Khalsa, kid- his 352nd birth anniversary. built on the spot where Guru Paap japiye Har bind” (walk in lake in one of his earlier births. har se aye ho (from where did This is an apt occasion to Gobind Singh dismounted the way of the Lord, Sins are The story is recounted in you come)? Kya dhundhte ho remember the deep connection from his horse after arriving at washed away, chanting the Bachitar Natak, which rough- (for what do you search)?" his life, in his birth as Gobind Paonta. Lord’s name, even for a ly translated means ‘Amazing’ Sohan Singh turned and saw a Singh and in an earlier birth, After arriving in the erst- moment ). ‘Beatific’ or ‘Unique Drama’ - tall rishi (hermit) clad all in had with this mountainous while Nahan state in 1685 This perfectly describes an autobiography attributed to white. region. from Anandpur Shaib on the the Hemkund Sahib Yatra. Guru Gobind Singh himself He had a long beard, heavy The two sites that are were invitation of Raja Medni From the Golden Temple in and included in the Dasam eyelids, and a face so radiant his abode are that of Paonta Prakash of Nahan, the Guru Amritsar, a large group of Sikh Granth. In poetic language, that Sohan Singh was unable to Sahib and Hemkund Sahib, surveyed the area and when he devotees reaches Hemkund on the author alludes to the place look at him eye to eye. So he the first close to Uttarakhand set eyes on the place where the foot every year and is given a from which the Guru was bowed his head before the and the second within it. present Paonta township is rousing welcome at the shrine. called by God: rishi and said, "Baba Ji, Mai Paunta is in Himachal located, he was fascinated by It takes the group from Hemkund Parvat Hai Jahan Guru Gobind Singh ka tap Pradesh, located just across the the landscape on the western Amritsar a month to walk to Sapat Shring sobhit Hai asthan dhundhne aya hoon". Uttarakhand- Himachal bank of the Yamuna river and Hemkund! The trek to the Tahan. The rishi gestured to a flat stone Pradesh border. It is a religious decided to settle there.He built ited by the religion).Aurangzeb aged Ram Rai. It was here that Singh wrote in one of his works shrine passes through some Sapat Shring Tahan Nam beside the water and said that and cultural meeting point for a fort and a cantonment for his and his friend Fateh Shah of Guru Gobind Singh composed that he had meditated on the breathtaking stretches like the Kahava. this was the place at which the people of both mountain states. army and founded the city of Tehri then set up Ram Rai in most of his poetic works.Fifty bank of this lake in one of his one along Hem Ganga. At an Pandu Raj Jahan Yog Guru had sat for so long in During the Hemkund Paonta which means “space for the valley which came to be two poets adorned his “Kavi earlier births.The site was dis- altitude of 1828 metres above Kamaya. deep meditation. "Go and bow Sahib Yatra every year, pil- a foothold”(Stirrup). Soon, the known “Dera Doon” (camp in Darbar” which can be seen covered by a Sikh Havaldar, sea level and 18 kilometres Tahan Hum Adhik Tapasya your head." Sohan Singh has- grims, mostly from Punjab, city became a centre of literary the valley” and subsequently, even today at Paonta. The Sohan Singh and became a from Joshimath lies Gobind Sadhi. tened to go, with his eyes filled Delhi and Haryana, visit and cultural activity. Dehradun. Guru held many a poetic sym- major pilgrimage centre only Ghat from where the motor Mahan Kal Kalika Aradhi. with tears of joy. The ecstasy of Paonta either before going up It is an interesting fact that Paonta is just fifty kilome- posium at this place. Historians after 1930. It is also believed road branches into two-one ris- Ehi Bidhi Karat Tapaya fulfillment after a two year to Hemkund or on their way before this happened, Guru ters away from Doon. Ram Rai recorded that the Guru also set that Lakshman meditated by ing steeply as a pathway lead- Bhaya. search left him somewhat back from Hemkund. Ram Rai had already set up his sent several messages to up an armoury at Paonta. this lake and regained health ing to Ghangharia at a height Dwai Te Ek Rup Hwai dazed. Nevertheless, when he The Guru’s association “Dera” on the eastern side of Gobind Singh and expressed Higher up, the glaciers after being wounded by of 3048 metres. The other goes Gayo. recovered a bit and resolved to with these two places brings to the Yamuna in Doon. He had his desire to have a glimpse of from Hathi Parvat and Meghnad, son of Ravana. The to Badrinath. The pilgrims to ask the rishi more questions the mind many interesting facts. been removed from the line of him. The Guru conceded his Saptrishi peaks feed the Lakshmana temple, which is Hemkund stop at Ghangharia Sohan Singh, a retired holy man had disappeared. Paonta Sahib is on the banks of Sikh Gurus as he had per- request and came personally to Hemkund lake and a small also in the same premises as to rest and acclimatise them- granthi from the army, jour- Hemkund Sahib, at 4329 Yamuna, a shrine dedicated to formed ‘miracles’ in the court receive him in midstream stream called Himganga flows Hemkund, also reopens for selves for higher altitudes. neyed through the Himalayas metres, is the highest the tenth Sikh guru, Gobind of Aurangzeb (a thing prohib- Yamuna and embraced the out of the lake. Guru Gobind worship on June 1 with the tra- Hemkund lake near the to search for it. When he saw Gurudwara in the world. 8      -  %0  , .  %  $ $       !  9      !  $ $&   # Bhubaneswar: Tension ran (scheduled tribe) development ( high on Sunday after a minor department of Odisha.  7   -2 ,1&3 /2 ( 2&5# the hill stations even more witnessed 2.5 cm snowfall student of a state-run tribal res- "The girl was raped eight picturesque. each, said the Met official. idential school in Odisha's months ago at her village. She he Central old wave conditions inten- Dalhousie in Chamba dis- Tribal district Lahaul and Kandhamal district delivered a couldn't reveal it out of fear and ( -2 ,1&3 /2 TIndustrial Csified across Himachal trict saw 30 cm of snow, state's Spiti's administrative centre baby girl in her hostel, officials shame. The main accused has Security Force Pradesh on Sunday with the highest. The plains and low Keylong got 9 cm snowfall said. been detained," Kandhamal housands of devotees (CISF) units of capital city and many areas of hills of the state experienced whereas another tribal district The Kandhamal district Superintendent of Police Tthronged Gurdwaras across Punjab and upper and lower hills in the rainfall, an official of Met Kinnaur's Kalpa received 8 cm administration took action Prateek Singh told media per- Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Haryana Civil state receiving fresh bouts of Department said. Following snowfall. against nine persons in con- sons. Following the incident, as Pradesh and Chandigarh on Secretariat organ- snow. the snowfall, hoteliers cheered According to the Met nection with the incident. many as two matrons, one Sunday to offer prayers on the ised a 10 km Popular tourist destina- in the hope that more tourists Department, Keylong contin- The 14-year-old girl, a stu- auxiliary nurse midwifery of occasion of 352nd birth walkathon from tions Shimla, Manali and will come in large numbers in ued to be the coldest place in dent of Class 8, delivered the the institute, two cook-cum- anniversary of tenth Sikh mas- Sukhna Lake Sports Club to this period of fifty years, this Dalhousie received spell of the coming days even as the the state with a low of minus baby in the school hostel on attendants and one warden ter, Guru Gobind Singh. Matka Chowk, to celebrate force has become the country's overnight snowfall on Met Office forecast dry weath- 11 degrees Celsius, whereas Saturday night, Kandhamal were dismissed while three Guru Gobind Singh (1666- golden jubilee year 2018-19. major multi-skilled agency. Saturday, which snapped er from Monday. the minimum temperature in District Welfare Officer women Assistant 1708) is revered by the Sikh On the occasion, Director This force is making a very internal road links in some Shimla has received 3.5 Kalpa was minus 4.8 degrees (DWO) Charulata Mallick said. Superintendents were sus- community as he founded the General, Information, Public important contribution to areas of Himachal Pradesh but cm snowfall so far bringing Celsius. The school is run by the SC pended for dereliction of duty. 'Khalsa Panth', the warrior Sikh Relations and Languages important areas of the country, tourists made merry by hurl- down the minimum temper- The minimum tempera- (scheduled caste) and ST IANS community, at Anandpur Sahib Department, Haryana, Sameer such as sensitive government ing snowballs at one another. ature to 0.2 degree Celsius. ture in Kufri was minus 3.4 in 1699. Pal Srow said that the Central buildings, nuclear establish- Tourist spots near Shimla, Manali in Kullu district degrees Celsius, Dalhousie The holiest of Sikh shrines Industrial Security force has ments, airports, Delhi Metro such as Kufri, Chail, Fagu received 23 cm snowall and minus 1.7 degrees Celsius and 'Harmandir Sahib', popularly organized this walkathon not Rail Corporation and internal and Narkanda also experi- Kufri in Shimla district 8 cm it was minus 1.6 degrees (  $ % ))111 known as Golden Temple in only to celebrate the golden security and disaster manage- enced mild snowfall, making snowfall, Chail and Saluni Celsius in Manali. Amritsar and other Gurdwaras jubilee, but has also reminded ment, he said. From page 1 elsewhere saw religious fer- the people the service done to Recently, Forbes magazine “The Congress is already energised. I have full confidence vour to mark the Guru's birth nation by this force in its 50 published that, the Indira in the fact that in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, we will anniversary. years journey. Gandhi International Airport, do much better. The Congress is a big party and its work is known The entire Golden Temple Srow said that the country Delhi has been called as safest to the people.” complex was decorated with would always remain indebted airport protected by this secu- As you are against any alliance with the AAP, will the special lighting. Long queues of to services rendered by CISF rity force, and this is a huge Congress fight all 7 LS seats in Delhi. Is there any hope for devotees were seen waiting for since it was established in the achievement of this force, he alliance talks? up to two hours to offer prayers year 1969 . The theme of added. “No, there are no such talks. I, personally and as a politician, inside the main shrine. The fes- today’s Walkathon “Hum Fit The golden jubilee of the feel there should be no alliance. The Congress will win on its own.” tivities this year coincided with To India Fit” is very important force is being celebrated in dif- It is reported that the city unit of the Congress is afflict- the festivals of 'Lohri' and in today’s time. Forces have ferent parts of the country ed with infighting. How do you plan to address this issue? 'Makar Sankranti'. Heavy rush very well conveyed the message 2018-19. “Have you seen any party which doesn’t have infighting? It of devotees were also seen at the of fitness to the public. There In this Walkathon, about is something natural. What you are calling infighting is actual- Takht Keshgarh Sahib can be no better message than 200 officers and jawans of this ly differences of opinion. People express their opinion in a way Gurdwara in Anandpur Sahib this for any citizen on their unit of Central Industrial it looks like infighting. But it doesn’t frighten me. It has always town. It was at this place that golden jubilee by any security Security Force and various been the Congress’ tradition to allow people to express free opin- Guru Gobind Singh founded force, he said. armed security forces took ion. I will take everybody on board.” the 'Khalsa Panth'. He further said that during part.

  and that action must start with levelled by the Congress in con- Sources said Anika had event. Modi said be it Guru 350th birth anniversary of the removal and sacking of the nection with the Rafale deal. # $ 111 not only been flirting just with "=== Nanak or Guru Gobind Singh, Guru Gobind Singh. He CVC. “Only Rafale (issue) can make him but around 50 other sol- they have taught us to be on the described the founder of the    111 The sequence of events them try to make the CVC act From page 1 diers who are suspected to From page 1 side of justice. Khalsa sect as a warrior and a indicates that the CVC acted like a puppet,” he alleged. Subsequent tracking of have disguised their identities “A mistake took place in Following the path shown by poet who had immense knowl- From page 1 like a hatchet man of the Singhvi on Saturday had Singh’s Facebook chats revealed on Facebook. These soldiers are August, 1947. It (the corridor) them, the central government edge of religious scriptures. The vigilance commis- Government,” Singhvi alleged. alleged that the Government that Anika was operating from being questioned by a joint is an atonement of the mistake. is trying to get justice for the Modi said the government sioner has forgotten that he is Now, the question arises as stood exposed after Justice Pakistan. It began with, Anika team of Rajasthan ATS and mil- An important place of our people who suffered during the now plans to celebrate the supposed to do vigilance for to why the commissioner acted (retired) AK Patnaik claimed asking him questions that itary intelligence. guru was only a few kilometers 1984 anti-Sikh riots, Modi said. 550th birth anniversary of public interest, and not be a like this and “at whose behest” that he had not seen the com- seemed innocent - where are Singh’s questioning has away. But it could not be made “The central government is Guru Nanak across the coun- “vigilant puppet in the hands of he was doing it, he asked. mission’s recommendations you posted? Can you send a revealed that Anika used to give part (of India during partition) making efforts to get justice for try. Modi said while the event political masters”, he said. The “The answer is self-evi- against Verma and not accord- picture of your tank? When is each jawan a specific time for ... The corridor is an effort to the will be held various states and senior Congress leader said he dent, and none except the top ed his assent. the field firing taking place? chatting with them. reduce the damage,” he said in period of injustice which union territories, Indian was putting forth the views of two people in this country, who He said the selection com- Singh didn’t hesitate while Honey-trapping remains a veiled attack on the then started in 1984. For decades, embassies abroad will also his party, based on “objectives rule this country dictatorially, mittee removed Verma based sharing such information to his the most-favoured tool of the Congress Government. mothers, sisters, daughters and organise programmes as part of facts” that has emerged in the can claim the power to treat on Asthana’s charges, whose so called ‘friend’. Once he ISI and the problem has been Guru Nanak passed away sons have shed tears, the law the celebrations Guru Nanak press in connection with the and make the CVC act like a plea to quash the FIR against revealed the information, Anika compounded by instant mes- in Kartarpur on September will deliver justice, wipe (their) was born on April 15, 1469, in CBI controversy. puppet. These master pup- him was dismissed by the Delhi started blackmailing him. saging platforms. Army Chief 22, 1539. tears,” the PM said referring to Nankana Sahib, now Pakistan. These facts are in the pub- peteers can be doing this to High Court. Military intelligence sources Bipin Rawat had last year Former prime minister the riots that took place fol- Modi said, for the last four lic domain and “viable”, he hide something, to hide some- He said if the PM or his claimed that Singh had even flagged concerns over the trend, Manmohan Singh, former chief lowing the assassination of years, his government has been said, claiming these “can’t be thing like Rafale,” Singhvi Government has even an “iota started accepting money in lieu saying the men in uniform justice of India J S Khehar and then prime minister Indira making comprehensive efforts denied nor have been denied”. alleged. of shame” left, then the CVC of information. However, a trail had been approached online by several Sikh leaders were pre- Gandhi. The PM released a Rs to bring the cultural and “The data and facts in writing The Government has should be sacked, removed or of only Rs 5,000 has been people with fake profiles of sent at the Prime Minister’s res- 350 denomination commemo- knowledge heritage of India to demand an immediate action repeatedly denied all charges tender his resignation. established till now. Bollywood actresses. idence to participate in the rative silver coin to mark the the world.   ()  *) +,- ./+0  !'7       & ") *+ , - Q,   R*  3     *) /01  /           )+  #( ,10/# ,1 he stood outside the Bridges On match days, the stadi- #( 12 Saudi Arabia, the UAE, MESA,” Pompeo said in Cairo. #( . 2&,3, Amendment Act, or LOVE main shopping centre. um roar drifts throughout Bahrain and Egypt — all US But the task is not going to act, the law is valid for 90 days t just needs to be sorted,” said “It’s disrespecting my vote Sunderland’s streets. S Secretary of State Mike allies — cut ties with Qatar in be easy. here doesn’t seem to be and will spare future brides like I23-year-old Adam Green, a completely. Myself and my “Sunderland is a city where UPompeo arrived in Qatar June 2017, accusing it of sup- “It is complicated to put Tmuch love in the air in Claire O’Rourke from finding frustrated Leave voter in Brexit- whole family voted for us to people feel quite rooted, with a on Sunday pushing for an end porting terrorist groups and together, make no mistake Washington these days, as a themselves in Kafkaesque sit- backing Sunderland, where come out,” he said. strong sense of community,” to a diplomatic rift between seeking closer ties to Saudi about it, because we’re talking long and bitter Government uations. patience with parliamentary “The MPs need to get their said Peter Hayes, the universi- Washington’s Gulf allies on the arch-rival Iran. about a complex agreement shutdown drags on with no end “Practically, we couldn’t delays over Britain’s departure heads down and get us out. ty’s senior lecturer in politics. latest leg of his Middle East Qatar — also a US ally — among a number of nations in sight. sign all the legal certificates is wearing thin. “I just want it over and “That perhaps makes them tour. denies the allegations and where we’re asking for signifi- But couples whose mar- during the shutdown without The former shipbuilding done with because I’m sick of feel a little bit less cosmopoli- The top US diplomat’s visit accuses the countries of seek- cant commitments from them,” riage plans were thwarted by having a marriage licence,” city in northeast England, hearing about Brexit,” he tan,” he told AFP. to the small, energy-rich Gulf ing regime change. Pompeo told reporters in Abu the partial shutdown have got- O’Rourke, a Washingtonian where the Nissan carmaker added. “There’s a kind of anti-elite state comes amid a more than Washington, which at first Dhabi on Saturday. ten a break, thanks to the who was preparing to wed plant is now the lifeblood, The University of feeling in Sunderland,” he said, 18-month-old dispute pitting appeared to back the boycott, “But I believe that there is action of Mayor Muriel Bowser fiance Sam Bockenhauer, told played a starring role in Sunderland campus was built explaining the Leave vote -- Riyadh and its allies against has so far been unsuccessful in a path forward where there’s a and city council. AFP. Britain’s seismic decision to in the 1990s on the site of for- which went against Japanese Doha. trying to get the countries to set set of common understand- The city’s Marriage Bureau, “So we were going to have leave the European Union. mer shipyards that once dom- automaker Nissan’s preference. “It is time for old rivalries aside their differences in order ings.” part of the US capital’s federally a wonderful party, of course, The city’s 61 per cent vote inated the banks of the River “If we leave the EU on bad to end for the sake of the to focus on Washington’s In Doha, Pompeo is funded court system, had been but couldn’t be legally married in favour of leaving in the Wear in this working-class city terms, there are very serious greater good of the region,” regional priority — the fight expected to meet with several deemed “nonessential” and in DC until we got our mar- 2016 referendum signalled of 275,000 people. economic problems that Pompeo said on Thursday in against Iran. senior government leaders, shuttered as part of the thorny riage license.” early on where the nation was Sunderland was a coal Sunderland is going to face,” he Cairo, where he laid out the Attempts at mediation have including Qatari Foreign standoff between President Some couples, like Dan heading on the night of June trading port, had its own col- added, saying that if Nissan Middle East strategy of US stalled, as highlighted by the Minister Sheikh Mohammed Donald Trump and congres- Pollock and Danielle 23, 2016 and celebrations at the lieries, was a glassmaking cen- shifted production to Europe, President Donald Trump’s recent resignation of US envoy bin Abdulrahman al-Thani. sional Democrats. Geanacopoulos, had no time to count were beamed world- tre and boasted a major brew- it would be a “disaster”. adminstration. Anthony Zinni — who quit The two are expected to But on Friday, Bowser spare. wide. ery. Britain’s largest car factory The secretary of state trav- because of an apparent “lack of hold a joint press conference on signed an emergency measure They managed to get their Now, as MPs prepare for The heavy industry has employs more than 7,000 elled to Doha from Abu Dhabi, will” on behalf of “regional Sunday. authorising city officials to val- wedding licence on December Tuesday’s decision on whether largely evaporated, though the workers and builds 500,000 where he met with Crown leaders” for regional reconcil- Qatar’s relationship with idate marriages in the absence 27, just two days before their or not to back the divorce deal docks are still going and ships’ vehicles per year, including Prince Mohammed bin Zayed iation. Iran is complicated as it shares of the Marriage Bureau, which scheduled wedding. struck between London and horns echo amongst the cranes. the Juke, Qashqai and electric on Saturday. For Washington, turning the world’s largest natural gas closed when the budget stand- “By the time we figured out Brussels, voters in Sunderland Besides its current car- Leaf models. Pompeo is later expected to the page on the crisis is essen- field with Tehran. off began on December 22. we couldn’t get a licence, we are urging them to get on with making prowess, Sunderland’s Some 55 per cent are head to Riyadh, where all eyes tial for the successful launch of Gas has been responsible “They can shut down the were running out of time it and get Britain out. pride now rests on its football exported tariff-free to the EU. will be on a possible meeting the Strategic Alliance of the for transforming Qatar into one US government, but they can- before friends and family were The years of wrangling team. Stephen O’Brien, a city with Crown Prince Middle East (MESA), which is of the richest countries in the not shut down love in the coming to Washington to cel- since the referendum over how, Despite two straight rele- councillor for the pro-EU Mohammed bin Salman. a NATO-style security pact world, since it first began District of Columbia,” City ebrate with us,” Geanacopoulos or even if, Britain leaves have gations to the third-tier League opposition Liberal Democrats, The visit comes just three that includes Gulf countries as exporting liquefied natural gas Council member Brandon said. certainly dampened the high One, the Black Cats still draw said a no-deal Brexit’s effect months after the murder of well as Egypt and Jordan. little more than 20 years ago. Todd said when he introduced “So we focused on the spirits of that 2016 June night. huge crowds to games at their on the city’s manufacturing Saudi journalist Jamal “Today, we ask each of It has also agreed to the measure. really important thing — cel- “It’s become an absolute 49,000-seater Stadium of Light, would be “more devastating Khashoggi in his country’s those countries to take the increase gas production since Titled the Let Our Vows ebrating — and decided to joke,” said Green, who is unem- built on the site of a disused than losing the pits and the Istanbul consulate. next step and help us solidify the beginning of the crisis. Endure Emergency figure out the rest later.” ployed for medical reasons, as coal mine. boat industry”. <   *7        '     69      ,"  -           #( / 5 ## 2 Hamas has since fought Abbas say he is looking for other (  0&&,3 #(  , three bloody wars with Israel measures to punish Hamas. he decade-long Palestinian and fears of a fourth remain. Among these could be wenty-one workers were emeni rebels on Sunday Tsplit looks set to deepen in Multiple reconciliation removing staff from the cross- Tkilled after a roof collapsed Yboycotted a meeting the coming months, with pres- attempts between the ings between Israel and Gaza - at a coal mine in northwestern chaired by the head of a UN- ident Mahmud Abbas poised to Palestinian factions have failed - making it hard for the Jewish China, State media reported on led ceasefire monitoring team take multiple measures against but Egypt thought it had made state to allow anything into the Sunday. in the flashpoint city of Gaza to squeeze its Islamist a breakthrough in late 2017 territory without dealing direct- Eighty-seven people were Hodeida, accusing him of pur- rulers Hamas. when the two sides agreed to ly with Hamas, which it and working underground in the suing “other agendas”. The moves raise concerns eventually share power. many other countries label a ter- Lijiagou coal mine in the Retired Dutch general of more suffering for Gaza’s two As part of that agreement rorist organisation. Shaanxi Province at the time of Patrick Cammaert is leading a million residents, already under Hamas withdrew from border They could also include the accident on Saturday after- joint committee, which an Israeli blockade and facing crossings between Gaza and cutting salaries to families of noon, state-run Xinhua news includes both government and severe electricity shortages, Egypt and Israel, allowing the Hamas prisoners or rescinding agency reported. rebel representatives, tasked while a cornered Hamas could Fatah-dominated Palestinian Palestinian passports for Hamas Initial reports said that 19 with overseeing a truce in the renew violence against Israel. Authority to return and the employees. people were killed while 66 Red Sea port city and the with- Analysts say the measures Egyptian border to be reopened Abbas has also pledged to others airlifted to safety. drawal of both parties. will also widen the gap between regularly. The reconciliation dissolve the Hamas-dominated Rescuers found two more bod- Huthi rebel negotiator Hamas-run Gaza and the occu- agreement has since collapsed Palestinian parliament, which ies of trapped miners on Mohammed Abdelsalam said pied West Bank, where Abbas’s acrimoniously. though it hasn’t met since the Sunday, the report said. Cammaert “steered from the government has limited self- On Sunday, the PA 2007 split is still nominally the The cause of the accident at course of the agreement by rule. announced it would withdraw basis for new laws. the site, run by Baiji Mining, is implementing other agendas”. Hamas and Abbas’s secular from the Egyptian border cross- “Very important decisions still under investigation. “If (UN envoy to Yemen Fatah party have been at log- ing, creating a dilemma for against Hamas are being dis- Though the number of Martin) Griffiths does not gerheads since the Islamists Cairo about whether to leave it cussed,” a senior official said on deaths has reduced at coal address the issue, it is going to seized control of Gaza from open with Hamas in control. condition of anonymity. mines in recent years, mining be difficult to discuss any other Abbas’s forces in a near civil war So far they have indicated It follows a series of arrests accidents are common in matter,” he said on Twitter in 2007, a year after sweeping- they will. of those affiliated with Fatah in China, the world’s largest coal without elaborating. 0           " 0     ing parliamentary elections. Senior officials close to Gaza, according to Abbas allies. producer. :       '$  $    P     ,  $            (  . 2&,3, istration. “The Washington Post is $'$$  “I don’t care. I mean I had almost as bad as probably as (  0&&,3 space superpower. Celsius, while the lowest at S President Donald Trump a conversation like every pres- bad as The New York Times. #( 02/ , ence,” Ghasemi added. Since the moon’s revolution night could fall to minus 183 Uhas denied reports ident does, you sit with the I have a one-on-one meet- The summit was announced hina’s Chang’e-4 lunar cycle is the same as its rotation degrees Celsius. that he did not share details of president of various countries. ing with Putin like I do with ran’s Foreign Ministry sum- last week by US Secretary of State Crover, which is exploring cycle, the same side always In 2013, China launched some his meetings with We had a great conversation. every other leader and I had Imoned Poland’s top diplo- Mike Pompeo, who said dozens the dark side of the moon, will faces the Earth. The other face, Chang’e-3, the country’s first his Russian counterpart We were talking about Israel many one-on-ones. Nobody mat in the country to protest its of countries would participate. measure the freezing night most of which cannot be seen spacecraft to soft-land on the Vladimir Putin, saying that he and securing Israel and lots of ever says anything about it,” he decision to host what it called an They will “focus on Middle East temperature, scientists said on from the Earth, is called the far moon. The scientific instru- would not mind releasing those other things and it was a great said. “anti-Iranian” summit, a spo- stability and peace and freedom Sunday. side or the “dark side” of the ments on its lander are still details. conversation. I’m not keeping “I meet with every kesman said on Sunday. Poland’s and security here in this region, Chang’e-4, named after a moon, not because it is dark, operating after more than 60 “Well, I would (release anything under wraps. I could- leader…individually. I meet charge d’affaires was summoned and that includes an important Chinese moon goddess and but because most of it is lunar nights in the past five details of the conversations n’t care less,” he said. with (Prime Minister to “protest the anti-Iranian so- element of making sure that Iran comprising a lander and a uncharted. years, state-run Xinhua news with Putin)… I am not keep- “Why not release the con- Narendra) Modi. I meet with called peace and security con- is not a destabilising influence,” rover, touched down on the A lunar day equals 14 days agency reported. ing anything under wraps,” versation that you had with (Shinzo) Abe (of Japan), I meet ference,” said foreign ministry he told Fox News. dark side of the moon on on the Earth, and a lunar night “It was a success, but Trump told Fox news in President Putin in Helsinki with them. Nobody says any- spokesman Bahram Ghasemi on Poland’s representative in January 3, the first-ever soft is the same length. Chang’e-3 was designed an interview following a along with some other stuff?” thing. But, I meet with Putin, his Telegram channel. Iran, Wojciech Unolt, reported- landing on the far side of the Temperatures vary enormous- according to foreign tempera- report by the Washington Post he was asked by Fox News fol- they make a big deal. Anybody He was told “this is a hostile ly said the conference, to be held moon by any country. ly between day and night on ture data,” Zhang He, the exec- that claimed he has lowing the damaging report by could have listened to that act by the United States against February 13-14 in Warsaw, was It was a giant leap for cos- the moon. utive director of the Chang’e-4 concealed details of his face-to- The Washington Post. meeting. That meeting is open Iran and Poland is expected to not anti-Iranian and that Poland mic exploration and a major Scientists estimate that the probe project from the China face encounters with Putin Trump described the news for grabs,” Trump said, denying refrain from going along with did not share recent remarks by boost to the Communist highest temperature during the Academy of Space Technology from senior officials in admin- report as “ridiculous”. the Post report. the US in holding this confer- the US against Iran. nation’s quest to become a day might reach 127 degrees (CAST), told Xinhua. !-*       '1  435-  $  &  $          *   #( (2 /5 in the capital Khartoum and .  $ 6767  $ other towns including Madani, group organising anti-gov- Kosti and Dongola as part of (  , ,,& Two days after the president He made the announce- #( 20, Independent Greeks party makers voted late on Friday to Aernment protests across what they have called a “Week visited the border to promote his ment as a government shutdown (ANEL) “is pulling out of the rename their country the Sudan vowed to stage new of Uprising”. They also urged ssailing President Donald promised wall, Castro mocked drags into the longest in U.S. reece’s Defence Minister, government”. Republic of North Macedonia demonstrations on Sunday, protests in Niyala and El- ATrump for “a crisis of lead- Trump for claiming that the U.S. History, and as the field of 2020 Gwho is head of the main The nationalist ANEL but the agreement now needs including for the first time in Fasher in Darfur, the first such ership,” former Obama Cabinet Faces an “invasion” from its ally contenders widens. coalition partner of Prime supports the Tsipras adminis- backing from the Greek par- the war-torn region of Darfur. rallies to be called in the region. member Julian Castro joined the to the south. “He called it a nati- Castro was San Antonio’s Minister Alexis Tsipras, tration with its seven law- liament to come into effect. Protests that erupted in “The people of Niyala and 2020 presidential race on onal security crisis,” Castro said. mayor for five year and U.S. announced his resignation on makers and has six ministers For the Greeks, the provinces on December 19 El-Fasher, we call on you to Saturday as the rush of “Well, there is a crisis today. Housing secretary in President Sunday ahead of an upcoming and junior ministers in the Macedonia is the name of a after the government tripled gather in downtown like other Democrats making early moves It’s a crisis of leadership. Barack Obama’s second term. parliamentary vote to end a government. history-rich northern province the price of bread have esca- towns and villages who are call- to challenge the incumbent Donald Trump has failed to He became the second Dem- 27-year name dispute with Kammenos had threat- that was the cradle of lated into nationwide anti-gov- ing on President Bashir to step accelerates, while anticipation uphold the values of our great ocrat to formally enter race, after Macedonia. ened to pull out of the Alexander the Great’s ancient ernment rallies, with demon- down,” the Sudanese grows around bigger names still nation.” former Maryland Rep. John “The Macedonia issue Government when the empire. strators calling for President Professionals’ Association said considering a White House run. Castro, the 44-year-old Delaney. Sen. Elizabeth Warren does not allow me not to sac- name deal comes to a vote in “Within ten days, in Omar al-Bashir to resign. in a joint statement with an Castro, who could end up grandson of a Mexican immi- of Massachusetts has also start- rifice my post,” Panos Athens from the any case as soon as the Authorities say at least 24 alliance of opposition groups. being the only Latino in what is grant, said he was running for ed an exploratory committee for Kammenos said after a meet- moment Tsipras signed the (Macedonia parliamentary people have died in the Darfur, a region the size of shaping up to be a crowded president “because it’s time for president, and four other ing with Tsipras. agreement with Macedonian vote) result is notified to us protests, while rights group France, has been torn by vio- Democratic field, made immi- new leadership, because it’s time Democratic senators are taking “I thanked the prime min- Prime Minister Zoran Zaev in and if we see that everything Human Rights Watch has put lence since 2003 when ethnic gration a centerpiece of his for new energy and it’s time for steady steps toward running. ister for the cooperation and I June. is in order, we will vote (to the death toll at 40, including minority rebels took up arms announcement in his hometown a new commitment to make Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, the explained to him that for this However some of his approve) the Prespes children and medical staff. against Khartoum, accusing it of San Antonio, less than 200 sure that the opportunities that first Hindu elected to Congress, national issue we cannot con- ANEL party’s MPs remain Agreement,” Tsipras told Open On Sunday, protest organ- of economic and political mar- miles from the U.S.-Mexico I’ve had are available to every said this week she is planning a tinue,” he said, adding that his ambivalent. Macedonian law- TV earlier this week. isers called for demonstrations ginalisation. border. American.” bid, too.   () *) +,- ./+0   '8      $  B   D1   ' $  B  B 8! /,26 ,- 2    " $ &   & $    $ $ %  $-    $ 8      $   & -  $ . $          .    5                -< $  (6 <     . 2      '  $  7<$(6<$8        (                         !     <      =               5                                :   ' &!( +.*5                  <$ he former Marine Corps                    General, James Norman Mattis, had acquired mythic and cult-       <$          6<$ ( like folklore while still in the          5  < =    7122>8 <  ‘uniform’. The image had got caricaturisedT into monikers like ‘Mad         <           Dog’ and ‘Warrior Monk’, with many true      , <          and even fabricated bravado attributed to                    the chronic bachelor. The Marine Corps-      0               ( inspired ‘Oorah’ battle-rattle personality had led to popular memes like “was once        ! 6     # 0     bitten by a Black Mamba — the Black S           S          Mamba died instantly,” “fear of spiders is              6      called arachnophobia, fear of tight spaces is called claustrophobia — fear of Mattis    <$(6<$               ( is called logic” and “Saint Mattis of      6.$S =   <        Quantico, patron saint of chaos.” Impressed         -      0  ( with the legendary warrior’s popular per- sona, Donald Trump had described him         "          6.$ # an “a true general’s general” and inducted      0    !          him as his Secretary of Defence. The 6.$          0          appointment was in line with the alpha- 6                  muscularity of Trump’s ‘America First’ and James Mattis became the second man after      <$     S    6.$    ( George Marshal to get a waiver that       06-         P   Q - requires a seven-year cooling off period Senior Counselor to the making.” This rings eerily true plan to assassinate Syrian                     before assuming Secretary of Defence. President, three Attorney- in the curious case of the President Bashar al-Assad and Behind the image lurked the wisdom Generals and countless others revolving-door in the White apparently telling some people $  5              ( of 44 years of combat service in the Gulf to record the highest turnover House, this time by James that the President had a poli-      6  (       >AB>A    6   ( Wars and Afghanistan, which culminated ratio of over 60 per cent among Mattis. The piece had captured cy understanding of a 10-11                     in the four-star General with responsibil- the White House positions. the impetuosity and pettiness year-old. A few months ago the ities like the command of Marine Corps The latest to join the bandwag- that had to be managed in the US President had rued about                     Combat Development Command, US on is Mattis, owing to a very 5 && # White House, as the staff was Mattis saying, “I think he’s sort                       Joint Forces Command and US Central familiar reason of irreconcil- 0#&0N012 N0 working to insulate their oper- of a Democrat, if you want to  6.$   9               Command overseeing operations in Iraq, ability with the outlandish ations from his whims. know the truth.” However, it is Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria and Iran. approach of Trump. 1& 3/001.&2 Obviously, the situation and now becoming increasingly     =            S Besides his operational heroics, he was In a tellingly drafted resig- equation would have reached difficult for even Trump’s own                    known to be a voracious reader and stu- nation letter, James Mattis has 20/0&10, a point of no-return, as James Republican Party to defend his    <    6<$           dent of military history with a personal alluded to the “sharp differ- ,202 < Mattis slammed Donald decisions and the usually ret- library of over 7,000 books. The accom- ences” and suggested to the Trump’s boorish rants and icent Senate majority leader                    panying experience, maturity and gravitas President to appoint someone, 10-&&, fickleness in treating allies and insisted that the President         <$    5  < had in recent times led to the more bal- “whose views are better aligned .&21/ .4/5 enemies alike by stating: “My must now select “a leader who =     6<$   + !     , <   anced perception as the only ‘grown-up’ left with yours.” A clear note of dis- 20&/ ,& , views on treating allies with shares Secretary Mattis’ under-   C     6.$      !     in the fast depleting administration of sent, frustration and resigna- respect and also being clear- standing of these vital princi- Donald Trump. tion rides on the back of ,-#0 /10 #$ eyed about both malign actors ples and his total commit-   <       D              He was often seen assuaging, nuanc- President Trump’s sudden and strategic competitors are ment to America’s service          ,         ing and balancing the more intemperate announcement to withdraw 2&2 /( -( strongly held and informed by members.” and outrageous statements made by the US US troops from Syria — some- 204 5 over four decades of immer- James Mattis will exit with         #   =   President. The straight-speaking former- thing that the professional sion in these issues.” the grace, sobriety and digni- # 0                <$(6<$  combatant remained insulated from the sensibilities of James Mattis  James Mattis’ resignation ty that come naturally to war-            # 0     E$  whimsicalities that typified Trump, and would have militated against.  "01 has re-triggered the whispers riors, as the daughter of fellow-                   (  unlike the President, Mattis stood up for Despite the ostensible of the uncontrollable and reck- combatant and fellow- his fellow-combatant Senator John McCain bravado, Mattis is also believed /&01 less decisions emanating from Republican, John McCain, had    # 5     -     0    in describing his passing away in a mov- to have disagreed with the 0,&/44&-& # the White House. Trump is said for her father (whilst con-  (     <$(6<$      6.$    ( ing way: “We have lost a man who stead- President on the hasty decision perennially on the short fuse textualising Trump): “We gath-    (  #              fastly represented the best ideals of our to withdraw from the Iranian .2 <N20 with the media which asks er here to mourn the passing country. As a Naval Officer and defiant nuclear deal. The prevailing probing questions, and now of American greatness. The  "     6.$    6   C    6  prisoner of war, John McCain stood with situation harks back to the /420 with the exit of the only per- real thing, not cheap rhetoric          0            his brothers-in-arms until they returned famous anonymous op-ed in /#05&20 son who could raise contrari- from men who will never      (     6      home together.” the Washington Post, attributed an views from within the sys- come near the sacrifice he The mass exodus of top officials from to a senior official, who speaks /0&10,; tem, the most important office gave so willingly. Nor the                   the Trump Administration has so far on behalf of those who work in 5/ #&<; in the world is dangerously opportunistic appropriation       5   <     included Secretary of State, Director CIA, the Trump administration by bereft of specialist alternatives of those who live lives of com- Director FBI, Secretary of Interior, noting, “The root of the prob- and sagely views. fort and privilege while he suf- Secretary Homeland Security, two White lem is the President’s amoral- The clash between the two fered and served.” House Chiefs of Staff, two National ity. Anyone who works with was in the offing with Bob (The writer, a military vet-      Security Advisors, three Deputy National him knows he is not moored Woodward’s bestselling book, eran, is a former Lt Governor Security Advisors, Homeland Security to any discernible first princi- Fear, depicting an irate James of Andaman & Nicobar Islands 9 ..'   $   $ %$$       - $ Advisor, White House Chief Strategist, ples that guide his decision- Mattis freezing Trump’s wild and Puducherry) # $ $ !"      &  )   *  $   +, !  -  . / $+)         ( /                " 31   " )   ' $            ' $.      - $   &         $  '$& ;       '  " ,             " &     '       "          +      '       @        " . S             $   $      ' $ '   $       # $   ! 2(( %&,% ) 2H7% 7 , :*?% ,+( ,%&+   "      K   K  5  K( K(  ,  O           (      O  (               ) )    ) - )) 5   /+)-             0         ugly turn? Isn’t the show host         equally responsible for throwing      ,       such personal questions about   1234         5   6  -  Sir — The Goods and Services one’s sexual preferences and air-      LG   M>          )        Tax (GST) Council’s decision to ing it on national television? raise the threshold limit for 77?$&         Sumit            6   0   0    - 7600-8 exemption from registration and  $     '  " Via email                 -       payment of GST to 40 lakh and           $            9      the turnover limit for eligibility  '      '   '      to enter the composition scheme     $/                        to 1.5 crore is welcome, though N   O N     O                   ( it may be seen as a move to gar-    '       " Sir — This refers to the editor-          -        ner votes from small business-        $& &  ial, “Career suicide” (January men in the 2019 general elec-     N    O '   11). Being public figures, Hardik             S   "   tion.     $          Pandya and KL Rahul need to 6  600-              ( The relief, though, should   -    $       "" maintain proper behaviour.                  apply uniformly across the         @       "          "   Maturity is essential both on nation. As high inflation still '                        " and off the field. What they      S           persists, it is the right time that    $3  O   "  K  L.     think about women is their per-    $      :       the income tax exemption limit  '7+  K  @              M sonal call, they need not share   600-                of 2.5 lakh (and 3 lakh for        '   " ,*)7 such awkward perspectives senior citizens) is raised. '     '  $4    openly on national television.             "     ( Mahesh Kapasi No doubt Hardik is a talent-  )                New Delhi ed cricketer, who has the poten-         S            learn how to behave in public India’s decision to send them      tial to drum up Indian batting     spaces. It was shocking to learn home is in the right direction. records, but such vulgar      "            ( that cricketers Hardik Pandya Along with facing a lot of statement has disheartened   6       600-         and KL Rahul could have made criticism of their misbehaviour, Sir — This refers to the editor- many. Although he apologised                 #  Sir — This refers to the editor- such uncouth remarks on a the duo may not be part of the ial, “Career suicide” (January after a public outcry, Hardik ial, “Career suicide” (January popular talk show. ongoing three-match ODI series 10). While the cricketers may be Pandya must learn what to speak         R     S   *   10). In India, cricketers are Their obtuse, sexist and and also miss the upcoming lim- at fault for having made some and when. $   !                 hero-worshipped by the youth. misogynistic comments were ited-over series in New Zealand, crude remarks on a talk show, Kirti Wadhawan                 #    ( If not for the Board of Control crass, to say the least. Both this month. One must bear the what about the celebrated host Kanpur for Cricket in India’s own code needed to pay for the disrepute consequences of his actions. of the talk show in question?                   of conduct, at least for the sake brought to the sport. Hence, the Bal Govind Could he not have stopped the  !.       of millions of fans, they must Board of Control for Cricket in Noida recording when things took an *%))% &)797 %% I!*687   ()  *) +,- ./+0 ! '9     +)-. '&!-.) '&!

& +  C((D$      (>(  #    $ $ 6      1             #     + )+  (   $     6  ( 6 &         -& L( (  L        '   '     $  (  '        !   :  $$ '& $  $   94 )  $      $ $   % -    $ 1  3 +.5 .$  $  )  -$    $-  $   $  $       $  5    5 (      D      06-   #                                               #      <       0D0 +D 0            5           (           -        D S     :-!      !    %     5               (          6 %)                 (              E"   D S       ( n amendment to the Right to Education Act (RTE-2009) passed earlier by the                 Lok Sabha in 2018 has also been passed             "   by the Rajya Sabha on January 3, 2019. -           : 5 Under this act, the no-detention poli-   .            ( Acy up to class VIII has been modified. The amend-               $  ed Act leaves it to the State Governments to either 5      -    5    continue with it as mandated in the original Act,                  ( or ask the schools to conduct examinations at the                  end of Classes V and VIII, as was practised before    * 0   06- <    !  S the RTE Act. It also stipulates that to avoid failures   -        0D0S      ( and detention, if a child is unsuccessful in the Class V exams, he would be given remedial inputs by the               school and examined again. Only if one does not     D S    -        ( succeed the second time, he would not be sent to   . <     (      next higher class, as he may find himself in a more 20 50,101            precarious situation than being detained in the same -3&N04/0015  $  5 S          class. The RTE Act was made operational on April 0N0/< 0 9             1, 2010, and the nation was assured that its total implementation would be achieved before March  (0&.,   S           10-&&,,                   31, 2013. People rarely trust such tall proclamations ning, an impossible proposition. CCE summarised the recommendations on implementing the CCE. Teacher shortage from the Government’s side, and once again, their ,"100,&, requires professionally trained teachers examination reforms in his book The and absenteeism, inadequate infrastruc-   06-      *       #&-<&.#10           0D0 70 8  ( apprehensions proved right. who must work within the framework of Education Commission and After, pub- ture and an uninviting environment in Nothing changed visibly in creating a learning N0/<&,0/0&,3 a well-thought-out and accepted lished in 1979. After incisively scrutinis- schools, lethargic approach to regular                 ( environment in sarkari schools; their downward 1< ,1 teacher-taught ratio. It requires teachers ing the implementation of the teacher recruitment and general deterio-        #       slide in credibility and public acceptability contin- , #<0.2&-2 who are competent, committed and will- Commission Report and the National ration could be cited as some of the con-                 ued virtually unchecked. Even now if the norms pre- 510#./( ing to perform their duties with devotion, Policy on Education of 1968, he writes: tributors. It was necessary in 2010 to have           "      scribed in the Act are genuinely scrutinised, 00/$50 ,.2� and are not frequently burdened by non- “The Commission suggested that we analysed the existing scenario before                 around 90 per cent of these schools will have to be 20/4 -/2  academic tasks. should move in the direction of abolish- announcing a three-year time frame, no   S   -          ( de-recognised. It speaks volumes of how shabbily With over 10 lakh vacant posts of ing external examinations and replacing exams and introduction of CCE. Non- the Act was implemented even during the much- -#120# school teachers in government schools them by a system of continuous internal comprehension of the ground level real-  D       <  0      ( &5/N0G #&<4   0D0           ( hyped three-year deadline for full implementation. and almost an equal number of ad hoc evaluation; that remuneration to exam- ity in the same year has once again delayed It became evident to everyone, even during the first 01- &,100/N0 teachers working on pittance of an hon- iners (which is the vested interest which the universalisation of education by at least        )    ( 3/0 0/ 0,&,$             ( three years of its implementation, that teachers orarium under debilitating pressure and tends to perpetuate the system) should be another decade. became increasingly indifferent and consequently 200&,-#10 stress of uncertainty of their jobs, the abolished; that more frequent periodical People’s apprehension is that with              (    there was a visible decline in learner attainment at &,&,3 implementation of CCE was a non- assessment should be introduced to changes introduced in the RTE Act in      "  G 0 S     primary and elementary levels. /03# /0 -20/ starter in a majority of the government reduce the importance of the final exter- 2019, dropout rates would increase.    S           Such observations came from all sides, the 3&N&,3&,"0/N&-0 schools. No teacher, howsoever commit- nal tests and examination technique One must remember that enrollment                   ( teachers’ accountability vanished rather complete- 01- &, ted and competent, could conduct CCE improved; that the certificate at the end figures are no guarantee of attendance         %         ly. The district and block level education officers, 0/N&,30 -20/ in a teacher-taught ratio of one to 50, or of school examinations should simply state in schools. There are several factors             who were expected to keep some semblance of even two to 150. Further, school teachers the performance of the candidate with- that led to dropout rates but the sud- supervision and monitoring of schools, and &,320 are assigned non-academic tasks like elec- out any declaration of having passed or den rise at the entrance to secondary -             ( / -&-04         D     exhort teachers to give ‘good’ results, had no such tion duties, counting of cattle heads, vac- failed; and that a system of complete inter- level is also being attributed to the obligation before them as the results were known: &,&,3 12- cinations and anything that requires cap- nal assessment of students, which is not non-learning module up to Class                0 -20/,5 ##    -         5S All pass and no fail. Children were happy and par- tive manpower. For district officers, mixed with external examination results, VIII, and then suddenly confronting ents, mostly from weaker sections, could not ini- /05,0/ &, ,1 teachers are the most pliable and obedi- be developed.” These recommendations external examination.      0D0         ( tially comprehend the implications of their wards 0&,30 -20/ ent set of people equipped to perform such were of far-reaching consequences and As the amended Act gives freedom               getting promoted to higher classes without acquir- / &,&,3 distracting assignments. had the potential to give the impetus to to every State to take its own decision on               ing the requisite learning. In practical terms, such &,&&,&, The implementation of the RTE Act education system. no-detention policy, it would be very inter-   #         0D0    children were being pushed into the dark alleys of /10/ was announced with much fanfare in Scrutinise the strength of another esting to study and analyse which model               ignorance and helplessness as they were neither 2010. Dadabhai Naoroji had pleaded for recommendation: “Examinations, espe- works better. Meanwhile, other factors that   S             in a position to pass Class VIII exams or cope with elementary education for all children. In cially public examinations, should be could help improve quality of education            ( learning in the secondary stage. All this created 1911, Gopal Krishna Gokhale had moved made more objective and reliable. deserve greater attention. Some include     06-         considerable disquiet when more and more chil- a Bill and resolution in the Central Evaluation should enable the teacher to appointing regular teachers, giving in-ser-        dren began dropping out. Legislature (1910-12) to the same effect. see the effectiveness of his instruction and vice education to serving teachers, stop- -                ( The RTE Act had another interesting stipu- It was, as expected, rejected. enable the pupils to judge the results of ping the practice of appointing ad hoc lation that stated that the year-end examinations Implementation of the century-old aspi- their learning efforts. It should thus act teachers on small remuneration and      5 %        would be replaced by the Continuous and ration could become a legal reality only as an instrument of improving both the above all, setting teacher training institu-             D S Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE), which was to in 2010. Who does not recall the empha- teaching and learning processes, includ- tions in order.                 ( be regularly conducted by the teacher, its outcome sis Mahatma Gandhi laid on education for ing the content of courses and method New evaluation procedures have to               analysed and parents were also taken into confi- all? In 2010, the recommendation on of teaching.” Obviously, these recommen- be introduced taking cognisance of the     %            dence whenever and wherever found necessary. CCE, too, was presented as if it was a huge dations included acceptance of the CCE. availability of Information and          (       Further, it was to be utilised to provide remedial innovative and historic recommendation JP Naik lamented that “very little prac- Communications Technology (ICT),              teaching to children found deficient in their learn- being made for the first time, which was tical effect has been given to these rec- emergence of fresh sources of learning and       "        er attainments. The idea of CCE is based on sound unfortunately not so. The Kothari ommendations” and that in spite of a the advent of new methods and practice           pedagogical principles. However, its implementa- Commission (1964-66) had made com- well-established unreliability of external of teaching. Every effort needs to be made                   tion requires certain optimal inputs of infrastruc- prehensive commendations on examina- examinations, we continue to depend to help children enjoy their childhood. ture and professional readiness. As most of the tion reforms. rather solely on them. That is the key to quality learning.             !     schools were deficient on both of these counts, the JP Naik, illustrious educationist and Over the years, conditions have (The writer is the Indian Representative  "      # implementation of CCE was, right from the begin- Secretary of the Kothari Commission, become more and more unfavourable for on the Executive Board of UNESCO)  $   &  3  $ -+*.,                                          !"    #

of trucks backed up on the roads will rule the streets. (I made that one Government] shambles. I just know leading to the cross-Channel termi- up, but you get the picture.) that it will be an abysmal shambles. nals. So the drivers parked their The problem is that nobody “People who say that the deal is trucks on the airfield, then drove believes her. May has manipulated the worst of all worlds haven’t under- down to the port in convoy while the the parliamentary rules and sched- stood how bad things might get,” traffic-control experts counted the ules to make it appear that there are Hague concluded. As May herself vehicles. This wasn’t the 10,000- no legal alternatives except her deal admits, a no-deal Brexit is “unchart- 4"5!! /, truck gridlock jamming the roads or a catastrophic no-deal Brexit, but ed territory.”  #  P that might happen in late March, it she just doesn’t convince as a suicide So what will really happen when here’s no need to practise was a single file of 89 trucks driving bomber. Indeed, there was a vote in Parliament starts voting later this   bleeding, as the soldiers say, sedately along an uncrowded road. Parliament last week that blocked the month? There will almost certainly Tbut the British Government It looked like an exercise in futility, Government’s ability to make tax be more than one vote, as the 650      didn’t get the message. On January a Potemkin traffic-jam. changes connected with a no-deal members of the House of Commons, 5O   7, it paid 89 truck-drivers £550 each Yet it did have a rational purpose Brexit without Parliament’s “explic- no longer constrained by party loy- '    ($700) to simulate the immense traf- — a political purpose. It was being it consent.” That doesn’t actually alty — it’s too important for that —     fic jam that will happen in Kent if staged to persuade the British pub- theological — but the upshot is that is threatening to jump off a bridge, mean that it cannot happen, unfor- swing this way and that. But there Britain crashes out of the European lic, and especially the British May cannot get Parliament to pass and take everybody else with her, if tunately. Parliament can block her may not be a majority for any spe- '$   Union (EU) without a deal at the end Parliament that Prime Minister the exit deal she made with the EU, they don’t back her deal. It has deal but unless it can agree on some cific course of action, in which case  @  'O of March. Theresa May’s Conservative which would at least keep the trade become a game of chicken. The cha- other course of action, Brexit hap- Parliament will probably end up vot- -   ' The drivers had to bring their Government really will take the UK flowing. She just doesn’t have the rade in Kent is part of a government pens automatically — without a ing for a second referendum. May     0$ vehicles to Manston, a disussed out of the EU without any deal if votes. And she can’t get the EU to show-and-tell campaign to prove that deal. And that really would be nasty. has sworn that she will never allow & 5  ' World War Two-vintage airfield in Parliament does not accept her deal. amend the deal either. she really means it. So are the pre- How nasty? William Hague, a that, because it would be a betrayal Kent, where the Government is May’s deal is almost universally dis- The opposition to her deal in dictions that the chaos at the former leader of the Conservative of the 52 per cent who voted ‘Leave’      O planning to park 4,000 big trucks if liked. The Remainers hate it because Parliament is so strong that she can- Channel ports will be so bad that Party, summed it up well in the Daily in the first referendum in June @    a ‘no-deal Brexit’ on March 29 leads they don’t want to leave the EU at all, celled a scheduled vote on it a Britain will have to charter planes to Telegraph: “I don’t know what will 2016. But in the end she probably    $ to new customs checks on trucks and the Brexit hardliners in her own month ago because she was bound bring scarce medicines in, and that follow a rejection of [May’s] deal...a will allow it, because she is not a sui-       heading for Europe. Every extra two party hate it because it keeps Britain to lose it. She is now committed to supermarket shelves will be bare constitutional shambles, a second ref- cide bomber.    $ minutes’ delay at customs, say the too closely tied to the EU. Never holding the vote on January 15 — but (Britain imports 30 per cent of its erendum shambles, a no-deal exit (The writer is an independent experts, would mean another 15 km mind the details — they are almost she still doesn’t have the votes. So she food from the EU), and that zombies shambles, a Corbyn [Labour journalist)         ()  *) +,- ./+0  ':

       %* Q $ Q  R    $    $   & <     55 & dent had said. the BJP leaders for raising the of people was a jumla. Achhe Alluding to the new Rs 8 issues like the caste of Lord Din was a jumla. Is Ram ith no let-up in the grow- lakh as the annual income Hanuman or other Gods. Mandir promise also a jumla.     55 & power but bring about eco- Wing friction between the limit for reservations for eco- However, justifying the The BJP should clarify. Mere nomic transformation and ruling saffron alliance partners nomically weaker sections Sena’s decision to Ram Mandir accusing the Congress of cre- enior BJP leader and Union changes in the society. The ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, under the general category, an issue in the polls, Uddhav ating hurdles on the Ram SMinister said politicians should know their Shiv Sena president Uddhav Uddhav said: “On one hand singled out Prime Minister Mandir temple issue won’t on Sunday that politicians limits and they should not med- Thackeray on Sunday hit out at you consider all those whose Narendra Modi for attack on help. The Ram Mandir issue should not interfere in fields dle in fields other than own,” the BJP president Amit Shah, say- annual income is below Rs 8 the Mandir issue. “Here’s the was before the court even ear- other than own and let people BJP leader said. ing that no party should con- lakh as economically back- most powerful man in this lier. Then why was the BJP in the fields like literature and “During the emergency, the sider the Sena as “weak” and ward class. On the other hand, world and who is considered by seeking votes in the name of education deal with their spe- speeches by noted Marathi writ- that “no one is either born yet you keep Rs 2.5 lakh as the his party workers as the rein- Ram Mandir?,” Uddhav asked. cialised tasks. ebrated writer, Gadkari spoke on ers like P L Deshpande and or will ever take birth who can basic income tax exemption carnation of Maha Vishnu. Uddhav’s remarks are a Known for speaking his the freedom of expression Durga Bhagwat drew more defeat my party”. limit. I would like to know if But, he says he cannot build the reiteration of the Sena’s stand mind, Gadkari made a telling enjoyed by the writers and crowds than politicians. But, Addressing a conference of no one is either born yet or will the Modi government will do temple at this juncture. If that that his party would go it alone comment to this effect at the handed out a piece of advice to after the emergency they went the Sena’s Sthaniya Lokadhikar ever take birth who can defeat away income tax for all those is the case, why is the BJP mak- in the Lok Sabha polls. concluding session of an All fellow politicians. back to the field of literature and Samiti (SLS) Mahasangh here, the Shiv Sena. No one should earning less than Rs 8 lakh a ing Ram Mandir an issue in the While interacting with India Marathi Literary conclave “Politicians should not inter- never approached any political Uddhav also ridiculed the consider us weak. So many year. If Modi does this, we will polls. Modi should realise that party workers at Latur in held at Yavatmal in eastern fere in the fields other than their party for positions for power like Centre's decision to keep the waves have come and gone. We not hesitate in accepting that the Sena and BJP had come Marathwada region, Shah had Maharashtra, which was marred own. They should let people in Rajya Sabha membership,” annual income limit of Rs 8 are never scared of high or low Modi has a chest of not just 56 together on the said last week that even with- by a major controversy over the the fields of literature, universi- Gadkari said, alluding to the lakh for reservations for eco- tides. We defeat the waves. It is inches but he has chest of 256 plank. As far as Shiv Sena is out an alliance with the Shiv revocation of the invitation ties and educational institutions respect enjoyed by the writers in nomically weaker sections the Shiv Sena wave that is on inches”. concerned, we want Ram Sena, the BJP would win at extended to English litterateur to do their job... There could not the society. under the general category and now”. Slamming the Modi gov- Mandir”. least 40 out of 48 seats in the Nayantara Sahgal for the inau- have been a better decision than Gadkari’s comment should wondered if the Modi govern- Uddhav was referring to ernment for its failure to keep Daring Bihar chief minis- state. guration of the meet. to invite Vaishali Yede who may be seen in the context of the ment would simultaneously Shah’s dig at the Shiv Sena and its promises made during the ter Nitish Kumar and Lok It may be recalled that in The controversy saw Akhil not have written anything but decision taken on January 6 by raise the basic income tax subsequent exhortation to his 2014 polls, Uddhav said: “Some Janshati Party to come clean on the 2014 Lok Sabha polls which Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya has seen so much in life,” the the 92nd Akhil Bharatiya exemption limit to the same party workers -- made at Latur people fail to deliver on their the Ram Mandir issue, Uddhav the two saffron parties had con- Mahamandal (ABMSM) Union Minister said. Maratahi Sahitya Sammelan to level. recently -- to prepare them- promises. But, they never fall asked the BJP leadership to tested as an alliance, the BJP President Shripad Joshi resign Gadkari lamented that pol- revoke the invitation to English In a rhetorical rebuff to selves to go it alone in the Lok short when it comes to having bring all its constituents on one and Shiv Sena had contested 26 from his post in protest, two itics had become power play and litterateur Nayantara Sahgal to Shah’s recent statement that if Sabha polls. “Yuti hogi toh a dig at others. Mere promises platform and seek clarification and 22 seats respectively in the days ahead of the conclave. not a state craft or a means to inaugurate the conclave on the the Sena preferred to go it alone saathi ko jeetayenge, nahin toh won’t help matters. It is not the from them if all them wanted state. Appreciating the organisers’ bring about economical trans- ostensible ground that it had in the Lok Sabha polls, it faced patak denge… ( If we contest question of victory or defeat Ram temple or not. The two parties had put up decision to invite Vaishali Yede, formation or changes in society. received threats that there would defeat at the hands of the BJP, the elections together, we will but what is importance is con- “You people are coming a spectacular performance in widow of a distressed farmer “Politics has today become be disruptions in the proceed- Uddhav said: “Some people are ensure victory for their candi- fidence. Once you lose confi- together on a common mini- the polls by together winning who committed suicide, in place a means enjoy and go after ings if she attended the three-day talking about defeating the dates, otherwise we will dence, you will not win any mum programme. Depositing 40 seats (BJP-22 and Sena-18 of Sahgal in the wake of con- power. Politicians should realise conference that was scheduled to Shiv Sena. I should tell them: trounce them),” the BJP presi- war”. He went onto lampoon Rs 15 lakh in the bank accounts seats) out of total 48 seats. troversy of invitation to the cel- politics is not running after begin on January 11. /   "     &&    --   .$*    &   $;   (  (#(  20, &, # "The upcoming Lok Sabha /0&10,4 ## elections will be fight between (  55 &   ; ! he Trinamool Congress on an authoritarian rule, and fight     TSunday hit back at Prime &,1& /&, 5# to save democracy and consti- Government medical offi- Minister Narendra Modi for his <2-,3/0 ,1 tution of this country," he said. Acer and his aide were   remarks that people have to 20,020.4.0 At the BJP national con- nabbed by the ACB Sunday in     chose between a 'majboor' vention, the prime minister had Maharashtra's Parbhani dis- (helpless) or a 'majboot' 0,3 #-2&04 said that the opposition parties trict for allegedly accepting Rs  ! !$ (strong) Government in the 5&,&0/5 5  were coming together as they 8,000 in bribe for conducting a  general elections, and said the  ,0/00.  wanted to form a "majboor" surgery on an elderly woman,   2019 Lok Sabha polls would be government to promote nepo- an official said. a fight between dictatorship 0 (&,3  / ##< tism and corruption, whereas Dr Gajanan Kale, the  7'' and democracy. 20/0 the saffron party wanted a Medical Officer with the 6    Criticising Modi for his "majboot" dispensation for an Parbhani district hospital, had assertion at the BJP national a strong government or a help- all-round development of the allegedly demanded the money  !! # convention in New Delhi on less one? I would like to ask country. Several allies have to insert a rod in one of the leg's    Saturday, senior TMC leader them whether the governments deserted the BJP-led NDA in of the woman who had met Abhishek Banerjee wondered they had formed in Kashmir the last four-and-a-half-years, with an accident, the Anti-   whether the saffron party-led with the PDP or in the north the TMC MP said. Corruption Bureau official said. NDA government from 1999- eastern states, were strong or "The BJP should stop lec- Consequently, the son of asked the complainant to hand 2004 or various coalition gov- helpless," Banerjee said. turing us and others on dynasty the woman approached the over the money to his aide ernments that it was a part of The national president of politics when several top lead- local ACB unit in Parbhani, Pandurnag Dukre (27), a pri- were "majboot" or "majboor". All India Trinamool Youth ers of their party have sons and around 500 kms from here, fol- vate person when the ACB "I want to ask them Congress and the nephew of daughters as MPs and MLAs... lowing which a trap was set. team nabbed them this morn- whether the BJP-led NDA gov- West Bengal Chief Minister The TMC doesn't believe in The official said Dr Kale, who ing. Further investigation is ernment of Atal Bihari Mamata Banerjee, was speak- dynasty politics. Those who are          (9    ,     $% is an MS in Orthopaedics, underway. Vajpayee from 1999-2004 was ing at a rally here. efficient get elected," he added.    5 "    ,  % &    * /$

(  0,3 #/ because there is already anti- O)   defection law in place, but we        arnataka Water Resource   are aware of what you are hint- KMinister DK Shivakumar ing at," he said in an apparent (  ,0.10#2& Sunday said the BJP's  # reference to the opposition ‘Operation Lotus’ to topple the !   BJP in the state. The water efence Minister Nirmala State’s coalition Government resources minister also won- DSitharaman Sunday was for real, alleging that three  dered why the income tax reached Portblair on a two-day Congress MLAs were camping department and the anti-cor- visit to Andaman and Nicobar in a hotel in Mumbai in the  =++ ruption bureau failed to initi- Islands where she will witness “company of some BJP leaders”.  ate any action on a complaint a joint military drill involving “Horse trading is going on by Dinesh Gundu Rao on the the Army, the Air Force, the in the State. Three of our MLAs ! + matter. Navy and the Coast Guard, are in Mumbai in a hotel with "We do not know what officials said. some BJP MLAs and leaders.  ! progress these two agencies Sitharaman will witness We are aware of what has tran-    have made so far, but sitting on three exercises -- general sur- spired there and how much has the complaint by a political vival exercise, amphibious drill been offered to them,” he said. (3 party is not good," he said. and a joint drill, an official said. Operation Lotus is a refer- party from many crises in the have also told Siddaramaiah Many Congress MLAs in the Andaman and Nicobar is ence to the BJP allegedly luring past, accused Chief Minister H about it. "The chief minister is   P southern state have alleged also the armed forces' tri-ser- several opposition MLAs to D Kumaraswamy of being adopting a policy of wait and that they were approached by vice command. , @IAF_MCC and The Malacca Straits is defect to ensure stability of its "lenient" towards the BJP. watch. If I was in his place, I the BJP leaders to quit their At least two drills will see @IndiaCoastGuard during her also an important Sea Lane of then-government headed by B "Our chief minister is bit would have exposed it within Shivakumar, however, party and join them. The saf- participation of the three 2 day visit," the defence minis- Communication and used by S Yeddyurappa in Karnataka in lenient towards the BJP. By 24 hours," Shivakumar said. exuded confidence that the fron party has trashed the armed forces, the official ter's official handle tweeted. the navies of several coun- 2008. 'lenient', I mean he is not The minister said former BJP would not succeed in its charges, saying the coalition added. "Smt @nsitharaman Andaman and Nicobar tries, including China which Shivakumar, who had exposing the facts he knows. chief minister Siddaramaiah attempt. "You have been saying partners were hiding their arrives in Port Blair to oversee archipelago is straddled strate- has been stepping up its mili- earned the reputation of being All the MLAs have conveyed to and Congress state president that a 'kranti' (revolution) may shortcomings and internal a major joint excercise involv- gically near the mouth of the tary infrastructure in the a “trouble-shooter” in the the chief minister about the Dinesh Gundu Rao were aware happen after Makar Sankranti. strife by making false accusa- ing the @adgpi , @indiannavy Malacca Straits. Indian Ocean Region. Congress for bailing out the ongoing conspiracies. They of the development. Let us see. It is not so easy tions at the opposition. "   !  &, ! O   7   

(   , baaz would be busy studying in the minorities when as the esteemed schools and colleges chief minister of Bihar, he had JD national president Lalu and securing their own ordered the arrest of BJP vet- RPrasad launched a veiled futures," Prasad said. eran LK Advani during his attack on the BJP on Sunday by "Therefore, all parents and "rath yatra" in 1990. issuing a "humble appeal" to the guardians are requested to be He had also succeeded in people of the country to be on on guard themselves, besides weaning away the minorities guard against hate politics, guarding their children against from the Congress during the rumour mongering and false rumour mongering sanghs 15 years when the state was propaganda to divide the youth (organisations) and their false ruled by him and subsequent- ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. propaganda. A beginning has ly by his wife Rabri Devi, a The ailing former Bihar been made by them in UP and period which saw virtually no chief minister, who is serving Bihar," the RJD supremo major communal incidents, sentences in fodder scam cases added. despite an overall soaring crime and is currently lodged in a Prasad's remarks came in graph. Ranchi hospital, shared his the backdrop of mob violence Now an ally of the views on the political situation and cow vigilantism reported Congress, the RJD is miffed at prevailing in the country on his in many parts of the Hindi the quota for the economical- official Twitter handle. spreading rumours," Prasad by convictions in two more heartland, often spurred by ly backward sections brought "It is a humble appeal to the wrote on the microblogging fodder scam cases. fake social media messages by the Narendra Modi gov- people of the country that website. He has, however, been circulated by people with ernment at the Centre. elections are round the corner The Rashtriya Janata Dal sharing his views on his Twitter alleged links to The party has held that it and those practising hate pol- (RJD) supremo has been away handle. "While your children outfits. is a step in the direction of itics will provoke the youth and from active politics since would be slaying each other A staunch opponent of the diluting affirmative action for your children to sacrifice their December 2017, when he was and wasting their lives in the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party the socially and educationally lives by raising false alarms, giv- convicted in the Deoghar trea- name of cow and cow dung, the (BJP) and the Sangh Parivar, backward segments of the ing rise to misconceptions and sury case, which was followed kids of the hypocritical jumle- Prasad had endeared himself to society.                * ,; !    $%   ()  *) +,- ./+0  '@

 "       '*    ( '   !   ' (  /&, 3 / -5# &, , and for the next 6 months,” the future would be in jeopardy.” email read. Anupama Chopra had op Al-Badr commander ./(01.&2 Chopra’s wife, film critic confirmed that the woman TZeenat-ul-Islam was among Anupama Chopra, who is a had shared an account with her, the two militants killed in an 4 (0/4/ director at Vinod Chopra Films and that Vinod Chopra Films encounter with security forces in Pvt Ltd, Sanju scriptwriter (VCF) has since set up a com- Kulgam district of Jammu and 5N&0 , Abhijat Joshi and filmmaker mittee to address complaints of Kashmir, police said on Sunday. Shelly Chopra, Vidhu Vinod’s sexual harassment. “I have “The two terrorists killed (  55 & sister, were also marked on the offered my full support and in the Katpora encounter have email. The complainant later recommended that she take the been identified as Zeenat-ul- ilmmaker Rajkumar Hirani told HuffPost India that she was complaint to a legal body or a Islam and Shakeel Ahmad Fhas been accused of sexual “intimidated by Hirani”, who neutral party since we cannot Dar. Both were involved in assault by a woman who was her reporting superior at be arbitrators or judges on several terror crimes,” a police worked with him on his 2017 the time. this. We also offered to set up official said. film Sanju. April 9, 2018, the director first She said she maintained a an ICC at VCF (which we have Islam, a category A++ mil- Hirani has categorically passed a sexually suggestive facade of normalcy regarding set up since then) even though itant, was a top commander denied the allegations. His remark to her and later sexu- Hirani’s behaviour as she a VCF ICC could not have who had switched over to Al- lawyer Anand Desai termed the ally assaulted her in his home needed to hold on to her job taken up the case since she was Badr from Hizbul Mujahideen allegations “false, mischievous, office. as her father was suffering an RHF (Rajkumar Hirani in November last year follow- scandalous, motivated and “I remember forming these from a terminal illness. “I had Films) employee at the time. ing consensus between the two defamatory”. words on my lips — ‘Sir, this is no choice but to be polite to These are two separate com- outfits to strengthen the Al- In an article on HuffPost wrong. Because of this power him. It was unbearable but the panies,” she said in an email Badr, he said. India, the woman, who calls structure. You being the reason I endured it all, until I dated December 5, 2018. The official said security herself as “an assistant”, alleged absolute power and me being couldn’t, was because I didn’t Anupama said the woman forces launched a cordon and that Hirani sexually abused a mere assistant, a nobody. I want my job to be taken away told her she needed time to search operation in Katpora her more than once between will never be able to express from me, and work to be think about how to take things area of Yaripora in south March and September 2018. myself to you’,” she wrote of the questioned. Ever.” She said: “I forward. Kashmir's Kulgam district She gave details of her alle- April 9 incident in the email to was worried that if I left mid- She added, “I did not want Saturday evening after receiv- gations in an email dated Chopra, as quoted by HuffPost way, it would be impossible to in any way to pressurise her or ing specific information about November 3, 2018, to Hirani’s India. find another job in this indus- steer her in any direction. As the presence of militants there. longtime collaborator and The woman said that try if he were to speak badly Vinod and I told her then, she He said as the forces were Sanju co-producer Vidhu Hirani was a father figure to about my work. Because if has our full support and we are conducting the searches, the Vinod Chopra. her. “My mind, body and heart Hirani said I wasn’t good, fully respectful of whatever   *  ;     "       ! , militants fired upon them. The woman said that on were grossly violated that night everybody would listen. My decision she has taken.”     $% As per policy, the militants were given an opportunity to surrender, but they continued to fire upon the forces, the offi- cial said.    !    The forces retaliated, ensu- ing an encounter in which two the militants were killed, he    (  (#(  cued by the police and had to said. Meanwhile, a police O      fly back,” the poet said adding spokesman said both the killed engal intelligentsia and the how “gradually the right to militants were affiliated with Bnon-BJP Opposition parties !   freedom of expression and Al-Badr and were wanted by of the State have strongly the space to talk is shrinking the law for "their complicity in denounced the heckling of !   ! =A in India. Thankfully we live in a series of terror crimes includ- Bangla poet Srijata Bengal where the people can ing attack on security estab- Bandopadhyay at a Silchar   !!  # atleast talk.” lishments and civilian atroci- hotel by a group rowdies Senior dramataist ties". "Islam, according to police allegedly sent by the saffron $ #!P Rudraprasad Sengupta said records had a long history of politicians. “if similar situations continued terror crime records since 2006 Coming down heavily on then one cannot but say that when he got affiliated with Al- the BJP and Banjrangdal for CPI(M) general secretary this feeling of hatred might bad days are ahead of us.” Badr and was later arrested," he creating an atmosphere of com- Sitaram Yechury too con- travel to other States and then Writer Shirshendu Mukherjee said. munal hatred and disharmony demned the incident saying it will be very difficult for said such incidents demanded The spokesman said after in India Bengal Minister “the incident aned many oth- them (BJP) to control it.” country-wide protests. Islam was released, he again got Chandrima Bhattacharya said, ers like that taking place in the Srijato was on Saturday Meanwhile, another recycled in 2016 and subse- “such incidents are not only recent past prove that the gheraoed and allegedly heck- Bengali poetess Mandakranta quently affiliated with HM and unfortunate but also con- India is passing through days led at a literary function at Sen on Sunday reported how then recently joined the Al- demnable. We do not allow worse than that of Silchar and had to be rescued she was being ‘badmouthed’ Badr outfit in Shopian District. such things in Bengal.” Emergency,” adding “such fas- by the police. by some senior State BJP lead- "Consequently, he became Accusing the BJP and cist attacks” were in fact a pre- “Some people raided the ers including State BJP presi- the chief of the said outfit. Bajrangdal for Saturday’s inci- lude to attack on the very venue in the hotel where I was dent Dilip Ghosh. Several terror crime cases were dent the Minister said “the BJP essence of the Constitution of staying and was to attend a lit- The poetess she even had registered against him. He was has paid the price of such divi- India.” erary programme. They were received threats of gang-rape also involved in a weapon sive politics in Rajasthan, MP Congress MP Pradip protesting against one of my from some people on the Net. snatching case at Tukroo and Chhattisgarh. Now they Bhattacharya said, “if such poems written three years ago. The State BJP president how- Shopian. Similarly, Shakeel will see the consequence of dis- pre-orchestrated attacks on I was holed up in the hotel ever denied reports of speak- Ahmad Dar was also involved  ;  !- ,      ; ,    7  7,;  turbing communal harmony in Bengali intellectuals are not which was vandalised any- ing against her and invited her in terror related crimes as $% other parts of the country too.” stopped then one is afraid way. Subsequently I was res- to file a case against him. well," the spokesman said.      %$<      $   -        P   $ $  !  "    $ & &  $  #$       ((    Q$   < - -20,, & Hyderabad: Vice President M (  2&/N , ,2 / 5 Ponnamabalamedu, is the con- (   , upcoming Lok Sabha polls on the eve of fter the potential part- tinuation of the practice fol- from Hajipur seat, which is Makar Sankranti urged the Aners of a Rainbow he Travancore Devaswom lowed by tribal families who nion Minister Ram Vilas considered Paswan's pocket youth to understand the rich Alliance to be led by his party TBoard, which manages the lived near the hilltop. UPaswan’s estranged daugh- borough, "if the RJD gives her and diverse traditions of Indian cold shouldered his proposal temple shrine at Sabarimala in Padmakumar also said the ter Asha on Sunday staged a sit- a ticket". Paswan has declared festivals and called for pro- to project Congress president Kerala, said it was all set for the state health department and in here along with RJD women that he will not be contesting tecting, promoting and enrich- Rahul Gandhi as the prime annual ‘Makaravilakku’ festival police at Sabarimala and near- activists to protest her father’s from the seat in the upcoming ing “our exceptional” culture ministerial candidate for the on Monday. by areas were ready to deal with ‘angootha chhap’ jibe alleged- general elections and would and folk art forms. Speaking 2019 Lok Sabha election, TDB president A any untoward incident. ly targeted at party leader Rabri take the Rajya Sabha route to after inaugurating the fourth MK Stalin, the DMK chief is Padmakumar Sunday met "The temple will close on Devi. enter Parliament. International Kite Festival and on a mission to mobilise vil- media after the evaluation January 20. Only the members Paswan had at a Press con- Speculations are rife that second International Sweet lagers in Tamil Nadu to ensure meeting of the Board and said of the royal family of Pandalam ference on Friday attacked the one of Paswan's close family Festival at Parade Ground in they vote for his party. all arrangements for the festi- are allowed on that day. The last Opposition Rashtriya Janata members may be given the Secunderabad Sunday, Naidu The DMK president is busy val have been completed at day for other devotees is Dal (RJD) for opposing the ticket in his place. said festivals are occasions for with Ooratchi Sabai ( a kind of Sabarimala. January 19," he said. NDA-led Government’s Bill to "Ram Vilas Paswan has social bonding and inculcate a Gram Sabha) where he visits “Thiruvabharanam (sacred However, compared to last provide 10 per cent reservation talked a lot about 'neeti' (poli- spirit of communal harmony villages and interacts with vil- Stalin said he would pre- was succeeded by son Stalin. jewels of the deity) will reach year, Sabarimala has witnessed for the economically backward cy) and 'neeyat' (intention) and national integrity. "They lagers, especially women. pare the election manifesto of Karunandhi has also promot- in general category. and has failed on both counts. symbolise renewal, rejuvena- Stalin has been enthused by the DMK for the Lok Sabha ed his other children M K )   B   !  “They (RJD) believe in Having learnt the ropes under tion, and revival of our tradi- the response he received dur- election by incorporating the Lagiri and Kanimozhi besides merely raising slogans and the tutelage of socialists like tions and heritage and bring in ing the Namukku Naame (We issue highlighted by the vil- grand nephew Dayanidhi  C!!  O   DB ! making ‘angootha chhap’ (illit- Lohia, JP and Karpoori Thakur, a sense of togetherness, unity, For Ourselves) campaign he lagers. The Gram Sabha meet- Maran. Now Stalin is grooming E: C8  %E3=8=0' erate person) the Chief he ended up sitting in the lap love, and brotherhood in held prior to the 2016 ings are drawing good crowd, Udhayanidhi to be his succes- Minister,” he had said, without of the BJP-RSS combine," today's fast-paced world," Assembly election by touring especially women who pour sor. AIADMK is the only  O  DB   naming anybody. Sadhu said. "My fight with Naidu was quoted as saying in all the 234 assembly con- out their grievances to the democratic party in Tamil Asha, who is Paswan’s him is, however, not personal, an official release. stituencies in which he met the DMK chief. Nadu and you have seen an ! C!!6  !    daughter from his first mar- but political," he said. "I treat "We witness the coming voters and discussed with them Chief Minister Edappadi ordinary villager being sworn  #   ! riage, had on Saturday him with the same respect together of families and com- their grievances. Palaniswamy was quick to in as chief minister,” said demanded an apology from which I have for my father. If I munities during such festivals. Though the DMK could point out the fallacy behind Palaniswamy. him. His remarks were seen as meet him on any social occa- They are also occasions for not cross the magic figure of Stalin’s claim that he would Political commentators in ‘pathinettampadi’ (holy 18 a lean crowd for the annual fes- a reference to the events of 1997 sion, I will greet him by touch- social bonding," he said. 118 to form the government, address all issues concerning Tamil Nadu are not impressed steps) at 6 pm on January 14. tival this time. Devotees when RJD chief Lalu Prasad ing his feet," he added. Calling the harvest festival the party finished the contest the villagers. by Stalin’s mass contact pro- At 6.30 pm, the ‘deeparad- are apprehensive over chances had to step down as Bihar Chief The RJD leader alleged Makar Sankranti a celebration with 88 seats, a commendable “Stalin was the minister for gramme. hana’ (worship with lamps) of violent protests in case any Minister as he faced arrest in that Paswan and his son, of life and vitality, Naidu said performance despite the fact local administration and rural “He is lucky that there are will take place with the Lord more women of menstrual age the fodder scam cases and his Chirag Paswan, sought votes in it holds great historical and reli- that the party’s then president development during 2006 to no powerful second rung lead- adorning the jewels. All facili- attempt to trek the hill during wife, Rabri Devi, who has lit- the name of Dalits but turned gious significance. M Karunanidhi did not cam- 2011. Had he taken the trouble ers in the DMK to challenge ties for the devotees to witness the festival. tle formal education, was their backs on the depressed It is the festival of the sun paign because of advanced age. of visiting the villages those him. These kind of pro- the 'Makaravilakku' and Owing to the earlier vio- appointed as his successor. classes when it came to fight- god who is often regarded as This time, Stalin is the star days, we would not have faced grammes are not new in Tamil 'Makarajyothi' are in place," he lence witnessed at the hilltop Married to Arun Sadhu, ing for their rights. the symbol divinity and wis- campaigner for the DMK as this much issues,” Palaniswamy Nadu,” said G Satyamurty, vet- said. shrine over the issue of entry of who is the state president of the Chirag, who is an MP from dom and those who celebrate there are no charismatic lead- told a public meeting on eran columnist. He said situ- 'Makarajyothi' is a star women, the police have RJDs SC/ST cell, Asha Jamui and heads the LJP's par- this occasion of thanksgiving ers in the party. Saturday. ations may undergo big change which is worshipped by pil- strengthened security at refrained from storming the liamentary board, is Paswan's and merrymaking revel in He may be depending on The chief minister said in the State as the election fever grims on Makara Sankranti on Sabarimala, Pampa and its base headquarters of Paswan's Lok son from his second marriage. anticipation and joy, he said. his son Udhayanidhi Stalin there were many villages in the catches up in days to come. “It January 14 every year. camp at Nilackal. Janshakti Party (LJP) here, Asked if Asha would still The vice president also who is waiting in the wings to State which do not have any is not going to be a cake walk It is the star Sirius located Meanwhile, the three- which she had threatened to do contest from Hajipur if the tried his hand at kite-flying and take the plunge into active sanitation or drinking water for the DMK or the AIADMK in Canis Major constellation. member monitoring commit- on Saturday. Instead, she staged NDA fields Chirag from the said it was a tremendous expe- politics. But how far supply schemes. as Jayalalithaa and Karunanidhi It is believed that Lord tee appointed by the Kerala the sit-in at Gardanibagh, bare- seat, Sadhu replied in the affir- rience which transcends age, Udhayanidhi’s popularity as a “These issues could have are not there this time,” said Ayyappa asserts himself as the High Court, comprising former ly a kilometer away from the mative. "Relationship does not class, and community. film star would help the DMK addressed by Stalin had he Satyamurty. Makarajyothi to bless his devo- High Court Justices P R LJP headquarters. She was matter in political battlefield," Observing that kite-mak- to win the election is not been serious in his words,” The line-up for 2019 Lok tees. The flame appears on the Raman, S Sirijagan and joined by women RJD activists, he said. When reporters ing was an art form, the vice known. said Palaniswamy. He also lam- Sabha election is far from over Ponnambalamedu hill which is Additional Director General of who carried placards and raised approached Chirag at the air- president said it required skill, Stalin’s focus during the basted the DMK chief for his as there is discontentment around 8 km from the shrine. Police A Hemachandran, slogans demanding that the port here, he said, "This is not precision, devotion, and inven- interaction with the villagers is locus standi to address the vil- among some of the parties The lighting of the lamp by inspected Nilackal, Pampa and Union minister "apologise" and a political matter but a dispute tiveness. the “all- round failure of the lagers. which have declared their alle- the Kerala government with the Sannidhanam. "take his words back"Talking to concerning my family and I As many as 42 profession- AIADMK government and the “He is a product of dynasty giance to the DMK. The support of the Travancore They expressed satisfac- reporters at a different location, have never been comfortable al kite fliers from abroad and 60 anti-Tamil Nadu and anti-sec- and family politics. AIADMK knows well that they Devosom Board and forest tion over the facilities arranged Sadhu reiterated that his wife talking about personal matters from India are participating in ular Narendra Modi govern- Karunanidhi was the party cannot repeat the dream run it department, at for the devotees. would like to contest the in public." the Kite Festival. PTI ment at the Centre”. president for 50 years and he had in 2014 election.   ()  *) +,- ./+0  E'

' $   & 6  $        7      $ (         $%$$ = > $ (  ,0.10#2& he Government has re- Tpromulgated an ordinance (  55 & to the American unit. to amend the companies law to Between April and further improve the ease of he Reserve Bank remained November 2108, the central doing business as well as ensure Ta net seller of dollars in bank has net sold $26.51 billion better compliance levels. November 2018, as it sold $644 of dollars in the spot market. Since the Bill to make million of the greenback on a This compares with a net pur- amendments to the Companies net basis in the spot market, chase of $18.017 billion made Act, 2013, is pending in the according to the latest data in the same period in 2017. Rajya Sabha, the ordinance from the Central bank. The RBI has, so far, has been re-promulgated. As against this, in remained a net-seller of the US The Lok Sabha passed the $  !,   "  M* -  November 2017, the Central currency in the current fiscal. Bill on January 4. *  % L !  N   %  bank had purchased $2.570 bil- In FY18, the apex bank had The Companies    (     ,- 44 4?& 4@   lion from the spot market and net purchased $33.689 billion (Amendment) Ordinance, %-*A$      5B   sold $1.706 billion, while in the from the spot market, taking its 2019, was issued on Saturday,     - *   A reporting month, the monetary total dollar purchase to $52.068 according to the official gazette.   authority bought $3.127 billion billion, while selling $18.379 To amend the Companies from the spot market, and sold billion, this helped the country Act, the Government had first $3.771 billion, show the data. for the first time scale a life- issued the ordinance in The rupee had a better run time peak of $426.028 billion November and the same would in the past fiscal, while it was for the week to April 13, 2018 have ceased to be operational one of the worst among its in forex reserves. But since from January 21. emerging market peers this then, the forex kitty has been The amendments would fiscal year, which explains the fluctuating and mostly sliding. help reduce the burden on reasons for the RBI interven- In the forward dollar mar- special courts and bring tion in the forex market. ket, the outstanding net forward down applicable penalties for  ,0.10#2& Oil Corp, petrol price in the taxes. In October 2018 also, the sales at the end of November small companies, among oth- Delhi was increased to 69.75 As per the country’s RBI was a net seller of dollars, 2018 was $1.924 billion, com- ers. ransport fuel rates were per litre on Sunday, while in dynamic pricing mechanism, after it purchased $945 million pared to sale of $2.888 billion The ordinance has amend- Thiked for the fifth time this Kolkata, Mumbai and the domestic fuel prices and sold $8.149 billion of the in October, show the RBI data. ed 16 sections of the Act so as month and saw their steepest Chennai, the fuel cost 71.87, depend upon international US currency in the spot market. In the week to January 4, to modify the punishments rise on Sunday, amid global 75.39 and 72.40 per litre, fuel prices on a 15-day average Normally, the central bank 2109, the forex kitty swelled by from fine to monetary penal- crude oil rates continuing to respectively. and the value of the rupee. sells dollars to contain rupee $2.68 billion to a tad over ties to lessen the burden on the climb handsomely following Similarly, the price of Following the implemen- volatility as it does not officially $396 billion, making the week Special Courts. 0 * &  ,*  * *!  the implementation of output diesel went up on Sunday in tation of production cuts by set a price level for the rupee, the best in terms of accretion Besides enhancing the   C *  *  -( ;   cuts by oil producers from the national capital to 63.69 the Organisation of Petroleum which is only partly fully float- in the past 12 months period. jurisdiction of Regional    M9 9 N,   *  *    January 1. per litre. Exporting Countries (OPEC) ing as the country does not Overall reserves had Director for compounding D   ,  ;  ! *  ,    ,-  State-run oil marketing In Kolkata, Mumbai and and non-OPEC producers, allow full capital account con- increased by $116.4 million to offences, the amended provi-   companies increased petrol Chennai, diesel sold at 65.46, global crude rates have been vertibility. $393.404 billion in the previous sions empower the central rates by 49-60 paise per litre 66.66 and 67.26 a litre, hardening and the UK Brent In first five months of this reporting week. In the report- Government to allow certain on Sunday, while diesel prices respectively. crude closed over the weekend fiscal year, the central bank has ing week, foreign currency companies to have a different were raised by 59-75 paise With petroleum products at nearly $62 a barrel after hav- sold a whopping $34 billion as assets, a major component of financial year instead of being across the four major metros. being outside the GST regime, ing fallen below $50 last the rupee was on a roller- overall reserves,rose $2.215 determined by the National As per data from Indian prices vary as a result of local month. coaster, plumbing a low of 74 billion to $370.292 billion. Company Law Tribunal. (9.     IHJ%  8$8P      ' *+76"7Q (."   $  C          (  ,0.10#2& and non-tax revenue side - par- per cent for FY19 compared to & 3   ticularly disinvestment. the budgeted estimate of 3.3 per .  eeting the fiscal deficit “As a result of revenue cent. This means that FY19 will (  (#(  capacity. Mtarget of 3.3 per cent of shortfalls from GST collec- be the third consecutive year in  8   188 82,   NCL is already supplying ( ,0.10#2& GDP for the current fiscal tions, lower excise duty and which fiscal deficit/GDP will be % D * ,  4 D  F tate-run power producer 2.5 Lakh tonnes of coal per could be a challenge for the below target disinvestment 3.5 per cent,” it said.  &  44,?B4@,     A SNTPC Ltd has sought more month to NTPC Mauda STPS ndians are at risk when it comes government, given the shortfall receipts, we expect the central Crisil Chief Economist D K $ GG   % " -       coal from Coal India sub- under the Flexi Utilization of Ito home safety as 64% people in GST collections, rising government fiscal deficit target Joshi also pointed out that    4?  C  6 A%0 ,H sidiary Northern Coalfields Domestic Coal scheme, NCL are not equipped to handle home expenditure and slowing fac- to slip to about 3.4 per cent of there is pressure on fiscal deficit      6 A  " -    Ltd (NCL) under the Flexi officials said. safety threats such as burglaries, tory output, say experts. GDP. even though there is some 1"- 2   A;(  , *-,88 8   Utilisation of Domestic Coal NTPC was in talks with robberies, among others. This is Moreover, some populist “Increased expenditure on relief from crude oil front. -          scheme, a top official has said. Central Coalfields Limited according to Godrej LocksS ‘Har announcements by the gov- subsidies or income transfers to “If the revenue doesn’t -  NTPC Chairman and (CCL), besides NCL, to meet Ghar Surakshit 2018 Report: ernment to woo voters ahead of farmers would make achieving match the expenditure, it would Managing Director Gurdeep the desired demand of coal, India’s Safety Paradox – Home general elections would make the budgeted fiscal deficit tar- be a challenge to meet fiscal Singh has urged NCL to extend company officials had said Safety Vs Digital Safety’, con- the task of achieving the fiscal get even more challenging, deficit target,” Joshi said. its support further to the during an investor’s conference ducted by Research Now. deficit target even more daunt- particularly given these revenue Slowdown in revenue col- upcounty power stations of call recently. This report was released as ing. constraints,” Moody’s Investors lection, moderation in factory &    ' NTPC including Mauda Presently, NTPC Mouda a part of #HarGharSurakshit, a Some of the experts have Service Vice President, output and tight liquidity situ- Thermal Power Station (TPS) was receiving coal from nationwide campaign by Godrej already projected that the fis- Sovereign Risk Group William ation are putting pressure on  *+"*AP*+7QL & 5 in Maharashtra under the Flexi Western Coalfields Limited Locks to promote home safety cal deficit could rise to 3.5 per Foster. fiscal deficit, L&T Financial Utilization of Domestic Coal (WCL) and South Eastern across Indian homes. Godrej cent of the GDP, more than the Increased expenditure on Services group chief economist (  ,0.10#2& both dry dhoop batti and scheme, a NCL official said. Coalfields Limited (SECL). Locks ‘Har Ghar Surakshit 2018 budget estimate of 3.3 per cent farm loan waivers or other Rupa Rege Nitsure said. agarbathi. With the changing Singh was on a visit this NCL has Fuel Supply Report: India’s Safety Paradox — of the GDP for the current fis- forms of subsidies would weigh Industrial output growth ncense industry in Delhi trends and evolving demand, weekend to Nigahi Coal mine Agreement (FSA) with three of Home Safety vs digital safety’ cal. further on Government dropped to a 17-month low of INCR has witnessed 15% - the incense industry is all of NCL that feeds coal to the NTPC pit-head thermal focus on people’s perception of The Government’s fiscal finances, he added. 0.5 per cent in November on 20% growth in the last 5 years geared to witness a significant NTPC’s Vindhyachal Super power stations — Vindhyachal home safety in the digital age. deficit touched 114.8 per cent Experts also feel that devi- account of contraction in man- and it has evolved into a growth of 20%-25% in next 5 Thermal Power Station (STPS) STPS, Singrauli STPS and Homes in India are not just of the full-year estimates at the ation from the targeted num- ufacturing sector, particularly vibrant production and trad- years, reports AIAMA. — Indias largest thermal power Rihand STPS. a place to stay but are also con- end of November. ber for the second consecutive consumer and capital goods. ing hub. Unlike other parts of Over the years, Delhi NCR station. The Flexi Utilisation of sidered as safe abodes for fam- The Government had bud- year in a row may not go well Multi-lateral funding India, Incense industry in region has become a key agar- Mauda supercritcal thermal Domestic Coal scheme envis- ilies. Indians store their impor- geted fiscal deficit of 6.24 with the rating agencies. agency Asian Development Delhi and North India is dri- bathi manufacturing hub that power station has a capacity of ages that all the long term coal tant documents and credentials lakh crore, or 3.3 per cent of the As per India Ratings and Bank (ADB) reposed faith in ven by many variants of dhoop caters to the demand of 2,320 MW (500 MW x 2 and linkages of individual State at home, along with money, jew- GDP, for FY19. Fiscal deficit for Research, the slippage in cen- government’s commitment to batti and agarbathi. There is an Northern markets like Punjab, 660 MW x 2). However, the Generating Stations shall be ellery, and other valuables. April-November stood at 7.16 tral government’s fiscal deficit meet the fiscal deficit target for increased demand for con- Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, power station is presently oper- clubbed. Similarly, coal linkages There is a lot to protect, but lakh crore, or 114.8 per cent of in 2018-19 is likely to be the current fiscal. temporary variants of popular Jammu and parts of Rajasthan ating at nearly half its capacity of individual Central Indians seem to be lagging the target. It is slightly more 39,900 crore. “I think a clear framework fragrances like Rose, Jasmine, and Madhya Pradesh. It has although NTPC is hopeful of Generating Stations (CGS) behind in upgrading even the than the 112 per cent record- “Fiscal deficit in FY19 is is there and mandate given Sandalwood and Mogra. also become a centre for making use of its full capacity shall also be clubbed and primary source of protection of ed in the same period last fis- estimated to be 6.67 trillion as under the Fiscal Responsibility Northern states like export of Puja items including by the end of this fiscal. assigned to the company own- their homes i.e. locks as only cal. against the budgeted 6.24 tril- and Budget Management Act. Jammu, Punjab, and Himachal a considerable quantity of As on December 31, 2018, ing the CGS, to enable efficient 40% Indians change their locks The pressure on lion [FY18 (revised estimate): We don’t have any doubt over have preference for wet dhoop agarbathi to key markets in the plant had utilised just 1,160 coal utilization amongst end in 2-3 years and 20% have Government finances is main- 5.92 trillion]. This translates it,” ADB Country Director batti, while parts of Delhi, UP, Gulf, Europe, and Africa MW out of the total 2,320 MW use generating stations. never changed it. ly arising from indirect taxes into fiscal deficit/GDP of 3.5 Kenichi Yokoyama said. Chandigarh have fondness for region. 0*      ! +)  )     !          $ * )+ ) +    ),   +) (     .  (  ,0.10#2&

n a consumer-friendly mea- (  ,0.10#2& any violation committed by the (  55 & tonnes of horticultural items. Isure, the revenue depart- ex-management or any taint- "In the export policy, we ment is planning to make it he National Company Law ed/illegal transaction by ex- iven the rising challenge to have decided to remove all mandatory for composition TTribunal (NCLT) has directors or anyone else the Gthe free trade, Commerce restrictions on organic prod- dealers and service providers to admitted the insolvency plea Interim Resolution and Industry Minister Suresh ucts and processed products. declare their GST registration against Parsvnath Landmark Professional/Resolution Prabhu said Sunday that while Both the UAE and Saudi want status in invoices to ensure that Developers, filed by three of its Professional would be at liber- the aim is to open up more for to invest in both organic as well they do not charge any tax from flat builders, for inordinate ty to make appropriate appli- free trade and make WTO as food processing industries. buyers. delay and non-refund of their cation” before it for passing an more efficient, the government This will be a win-win situation The measure, once imple- payment. appropriate order. is also keen to work on bilateral for the UAE, Saudi, and other mented, would check the wide- The tribunal has also It has also directed the trade with more nations. GCC countries but also for us, spread practice of composition appointed Yash Jeet Basrar, an Registrar of Companies to update "One of the big challenges tion can be in the form of tech- particularly for our farmers, dealers of charging GST from nesses registered under GST, should not pay GST while buy- interim resolution professional “the status of ‘corporate debtor’ before the world is protection- nical assistance, financial assis- who want better prices to their purchasers and not depositing about 20 lakh have opted for ing goods from composition (RP), to run the corporate insol- and specific mention regarding ism. We as a country are sup- tance and a trade agreement produce," he said. it with the exchequer, an offi- composition scheme. scheme dealers,” the official vency resolution process of admission of this petition must porting open trade with all the which will not initially have any Saudi Arabia has said it can cial said. “It has come to the notice said. Parsvnath Landmark Developers, be notified” on its portal. countries....But we also want to ambitious targets but will be a make investment in logistics, The revenue department is of the Government that a large To ease compliance burden a subsidiary of real estate firm For Tribunal direction came develop bilateral trade agree- win-win for both the parties. food parks and make sector- also planning to launch a cam- number of composition deal- for small businesses, the GST Parsvnath Developers. over a petition filed by Alka ments with many countries. Prabhu, who is also the specific investment in food paign to educate consumers ers are levying GST at higher law provides for composition A two-member bench of Agarwal and two others, who For each of the geographies we Civil Aviation Minister, said the processing, Prabhu said. that the dealers opting for rates and not depositing it scheme under which traders the NCLT headed by President had booked flat at La Tropicana are keen to have free trade United Arab Emirates and The farm export policy composition scheme are not with the Government,” the and manufacturers with an Justice M M Kumar has direct- project of Parsvnath Landmark agreements with the countries Saudi Arabia have decided to will go a long way in reducing required to charge the goods official said. annual turnover of up to 1 ed all the personnel “connect- Developers at Khyber Pass in in Latin America, Africa, use India as a base for their wastage, the minister said. and services tax (GST) from According to the proposal crore can pay 1 per cent GST. ed with the corporate debtor Delhi for a consideration of Southeast Asia," he said, adding food security. On the Udan policy, he purchasers, the official said. being considered by the This threshold will increase to (Parsvnath Landmark 10.93 crore. that New Delhi already has "This is happening at an said the government will Under the GST composi- Central Board of Indirect Taxes 1.5 crore from April 1. Developers), erstwhile direc- According to the flat buyer trade pacts with ASEAN and interesting time because we just announce its phase III in the tion scheme, traders and man- and Customs (CBIC), busi- Also the GST Council, tors, promoters or any other agreement executed between some other countries. had made a policy for agricul- next few days, which will also ufacturers are required to pay nesses will have to mandatori- headed by and person associated with the the parties on October 1, 2009, Addressing a CII event, ture exports which has identi- focus on air cargo. On January only 1 per cent GST on goods ly mention in the invoice gen- comprising State Ministers, in management of the corporate Parsvnath Landmark he also said there has been an fied food items that can be 15, the government will be which otherwise attract a high- erated by them that they are its meeting on January 10 per- debtor” to extend every assis- Developers was to hand over ongoing discussion with Sri exported," he said. announcing the first air cargo er levy of either 5, 12 or 18 per composition dealers and, mitted service provider and tance and cooperation to the the possession within 36 Lanka for a Comprehensive He informed that this year policy, Prabhu added. cent. Such dealers are also not hence, are not required to those dealing in both goods RP in managing the affairs of months from the date of com- Economic Partnership the country would be produc- The UAE and Saudi Arabia permitted to charge GST from charge GST. and services with a turnover of the company. mencement of construction Agreement (CEPA). ing 290 million tonnes of farm are keen to invest in all these the purchaser. “Simultaneously, we will 50 lakh to opt for composition The tribunal has also with grace period of six For countries in Africa like produce as per advance esti- infrastructure initiatives, he Of the 1.17 crore busi- educate consumers that they scheme. directed that “in case there is months. Angola, he said such associa- mates, and 305-310 million said.   ()  *) +,- ./+0  EE &  ) + )+ )+    '*"+   0     &       - 

(  2 / 2 international goal scorer (67 from 106 matches) among active players. heartbreaking loss after a stunning India may again deploy a defensive win denting their confidence, approach and hit on the counter against AIndia will still be fired up by the a physical Bahrain as they need just a prospect of a maiden knock-out round draw while it is a must-win for the West berth when they take on Bahrain in their Asian side as they are with just one point final Asian Cup group league match here from two matches after their 0-1 loss to on Monday. Thailand. A draw against the West Asian side, The Thais defended deep in the first currently ranked 113, will be enough for half against Bahrain and hit on the India (ranked 97) to qualify for the round counter and the 'War Elephants' were able of 16 for the first time in the continent's to get a second half goal. So, it is not showpiece event after failed attempts in beyond India's reach to get a favourable 1984 and 2011. result against Bahrain. Monday's match at the Sharjah Constantine fielded the same start- Stadium, which may turn out to be the ing eleven in both against Thailand and biggest night of Indian football after its UAE in a 4-4-2 formation and it will have achievements during the Golden Years to be seen whether he does the same (1951 to 64), is also significant as talis- against Bahrain. The central defender manic skipper will equal duo of and Anas former captain Bhaichung Bhutia's record Edathodika largely marshalled the back- of highest appearances for the country at line well so far but there were periods of 107 each. lack of understanding between them India had finished runners-up in the which led to the two goals by UAE. 1964 edition in Israel but that tournament The head coach is unlikely to make was played in a round-robin format com- changes at the heart of the defence as well prising four countries with the winners as in the upfront duo of Chhetri and being decided on the basis of points col- Kuruniyan. However, Constantine may lected in the league. There was not a sin- try out Balwant Singh at some point in gle knock-out match in that edition. time considering the physicality of the But even a defeat on Monday may Bahrain side. still see India (3 points from 2 matches) Jeje Lapekhlua has been the preferred through to the knock-out rounds as one forward for Constantine to come in as of the four third-placed teams if hosts substitute. United Arab Emirates (4 from 2 match- lost 2-5 in the 2011 Asian Cup — by a against UAE as the woodwork denied Rowlin Borges is an option for es) beat Thailand (3 from 2 matches) in big margin as goal difference will get the them on two occasions while Ashique Pranoy Halder in the role of a defensive Al Ain in the other Group A match to be first preference while deciding which Kuruniyan and Chhetri had the goal- midfielder while attacking midfielder played simultaneously. team makes it to the Round of 16 among keeper at their mercy but failed to beat Anirudha Thapa was a bit subdued Four third-placed sides from the six third place sides of equal points. him. India had more shots at opposition against UAE. Right winger Udanta Singh groups of four team each will also In Groups C and D, two bottom- goal though UAE had the overwhelming was brilliant in the match against advance to the knock-out rounds, along placed teams have not yet opened their possession. Thailand as he was involved in three goals with the top two countries. accounts after playing two matches each Constantine has built India into a and he was denied by the crossbar Under the competition rules of the and they have minus goal difference as compact and largely defensive unit which against UAE as well. Asian Cup, if two teams end their group against India's plus one. tries to score on the counter. The team Historically, India have won just stage engagements on equal points, the Courtesy, the stunning win against largely maintained it shape and intensi- one match against Bahrain in seven ranking will be decided first on the basis Thailand has shown that India are no ty in the first two matches against matches played so far between the two of head to head result. longer an 'also ran' side and the second Thailand and UAE. countries. That win (2-0) had come in an So, if both Thailand and India lose match against the UAE -- though lost 0- The lack of creativity in the midfield international friendly in Bahrain in their matches on Monday, India will end 2 -- strengthened the thought that this as compared to other top sides was, how- October, 1979 with striker Shabir Ali at third as they have defeated the 'War side can hold onto their own without fear ever, evident and a lot will depend on scoring both the goals. Elephants' 4-1 in their opening match. and take the game to the opposition, Chhetri, who has become the highest Bahrain have won on five occasions But the Stephen Constantine side unlike the teams of the past. Indian goal scorer in the Asian Cup (with win while one match had ended in a cannot lose to Bahrain — to whom India Luck also eluded India in the match four strikes) as well as second highest draw. '$ $ : & &      P   $ ?>* . $$$ #( 5 1/&1 ntoine Griezmann came (  2 / 2 Ato the rescue again as Atletico Madrid kept the pres- he odds are stacked against India but sure on Barcelona at the top of Ta confident head coach Stephen La Liga on Sunday by edging Constantine says his players have it in past Levante. them to qualify for the next round of the Griezmann has now scored AFC Asian Cup by beating Bahrain, here all of Atletico's last six goals on Monday. and this latest one, from the The Group A is currently balanced penalty spot, proved the dif- on a knife's edge, with all four teams still ference in a cagey contest at the standing a chance to qualify for the Wanda Metropolitano. Round of 16. A 1-0 victory for Diego   While hosts UAE lead the proceed- Simeone's side cuts the gap ings with four points from two games, from five points to two behind India and Thailand are close behind with Barca, who will restore their three points each. the eve of the match. advantage with a win over the Ballon d'Or in December Simeone flailing on the touch- !" #$% The 'Blue Tigers' are ahead of the "I don't believe in records. There are Eibar later on Sunday. but since the prize went to Real line. 'War Elephants' by virtue of a better a lot of factors that come into play. When Levante, who have not won Madrid's Luka Modric, he has It seemed likely the pres- head-to-head record, while Bahrain lies was the last time we played them? Was in the league since December hit seven goals in seven games. sure would pay, however, and #( #,1, bottom with one point. it the same team? What were the cir- 3, stay 11th. Perhaps a sharpening of focus 12 minutes into the second half A win for India will be enough to cumstances? Everything's always chang- Atletico had 19 shots and, has done him good too. so it proved, as Thomas aurizio Sarri warned his Chelsea directly seal a berth in the next round, ing," said Constantine. unusually for them, dominat- He could have scored early Partey's cutback struck the Mstars to improve their mentali- although, with four best third placed "If we win, we don't have to worry ed possession but they contin- but feathered Angel Correa's hand of Nikola Vukcevic, who ty after Willian's sublime strike sealed teams from the six groups also advanc- about anyone else. So we'll focus on our- ue to rely on Griezmann's cross wide while Koke thought had slid to block but left his a hard-fought 2-1 win over struggling ing to the Round of 16, a draw will also selves and see what happens from there. excellent scoring run for he had, tucking Vitolo's pass arm outstretched behind his Newcastle on Saturday. see India through. It's an important game for us. Obviously, points. neatly into the corner, only for back. Griezmann banged the Sarri's side took the lead through So far, India and Bahrain have we want to do well and get the three "We all pull the cart in dif- VAR to find a foul in the penalty into the roof of the net. Pedro's early goal, but Ciaran Clark faced each other seven times. While points. ficult moments," Griezmann build-up. Atletico could have made it snatched a shock equaliser before half- Bahrain have won five times, India have "I'm not sure whether we can call it said. "I cannot do anything In between, Stefan Savic more comfortable late on but time. just managed a solitary win, with the 'do-or-die'. That's a bit too dramatic, I without my team-mates." sustained a thigh injury and Vitolo's shot whistled past the With Chelsea fans beginning to other match ending in a draw. In fact, think," Constantine said. But, in their last five games, was replaced by Jose Gimenez, post, Partey powered over and lose patience at their team's latest five-man defence was carved open the last time that the two teams squared The India coach had words of praise it is the Frenchman's goals who has himself only recently Thomas Lemar found the angle spluttering home display, Willian lift- with ease. off was in the 2011 AFC Asian Cup in for the opponents. that have earned wins over returned from a calf problem, too tight. One was just enough. ed the mood in the nick of time with A fine long pass from Chelsea Qatar where India lost 2-5. "They defend very well and are very Levante, Real Valladolid and with this his first league In the other matches of the his superb second-half curler. defender David Luiz caught Clark flat- Constantine says his side can script well organised. I'm sure that it will be dif- Espanyol, while sparing them appearance since December 8. day Villarreal lost to Getafe 1- Fourth-placed Chelsea have won footed. history. ficult. But we have shown that we can defeats away to Sevilla and After a nervy start, Levante 2, Athletic Club managed to five of their last seven league match- Pedro timed his run behind Clark "I have said it before that we can score against good teams. I'm sure we Girona. began to frustrate their oppo- beat Sevilla FC 1-0 with the es and sit six points clear of fifth- perfectly and held off the centre-back's qualify from this group. That is our can score tomorrow as well," he main- Griezmann was persistent nents, whose poor decision- help of Inaki Williams 23rd placed Arsenal, who lost at West Ham weak attempt to recover as he lofted objective right now," said Constantine on tained. in expressing his desire to win making in the final third had minute goal. earlier on Saturday. a delicate chip over Newcastle keep- But, while Chelsea remain in con- er Martin Dubravka for his seventh trol of the race to qualify for the goal of the season. Champions League, this was a far Chelsea dominated possession from convincing performance. in the first half-hour, but they switched    >   :  /  Labouring to beat third-bottom off at the back as Newcastle almost Newcastle showed how far Chelsea snatched an equaliser. have to go to bridge the gap in class #( 5 ,-200/ Rotherham and Burton Albion -- he is likely to be chomping at the bit to leaders Liverpool and champions   # #   suggested the clinical, cutting edge to play from the kick-off against Manchester City. Salomon Rondon flicked a head- ep Guardiola's rejuvenated that characterised City's play during Wolves. Sarri also revealed he has told er towards Ayoze Perez and he accel- PManchester City face a potentially last season's record-breaking title- Sergio Aguero, too, has returned Chelsea's hierarchy he needs a new erated away from Antonio Rudiger, tricky challenge at home to winning campaign was back. after being absent since the Liverpool midfielder to replace Cesc Fabregas, only to shoot woefully wide with just Wolverhampton Wanderers on Championship side Rotherham win due to illness and inspirational who joined Monaco on Friday. Kepa Arrizabalaga to beat. Monday as they continue their were swept aside 7-0 at the Etihad, club captain and defender Vincent "Jorginho was in trouble and on It was a warning that Sarri's men Premier League title defence. with third division Burton suffering Kompany is another player winning the bench there wasn't a player for that failed to heed and in the 40th minute But the early days of 2019 sug- an even more painful fate in a lop- his battle to be fit for Monday's position. I need an option for that Newcastle were level. gest their uncharacteristic December sided first leg of League Cup semi- match. position," he sad. Matt Ritchie curled over an out- collapse is firmly behind them. final, when City scored nine goals The general picture suggests "The club knows very well my swinging corner and Clark muscled The final month of last year saw without reply. that, having weathered a brief loss of opinion. It depends on the club deci- past Luiz to power a superb header City lose successive league games, That latter victory not only all but form, City have not only returned to sion. I cannot do anything more." past Kepa from 12 yards. against relatively modest opposi- assured City of a place in the final their clinical best but also have a Another winter of discontent is Once again, Sarri stubbornly tion in both Crystal Palace and against Tottenham or Chelsea next number of key players hitting fitness brewing for Newcastle, wo have won stuck to his experiment with Eden Leicester City, following an end to month but also indicated the at the right time, as Guardiola insists only once in their last nine league Hazard as Chelsea's central striker their unbeaten domestic start to the demanding Guardiola will not tol- his squad can maintain their chase games. despite the Belgian star's dislike of the campaign earlier at the beginning of erate any let-up in his quest to add for honours on four fronts. The Magpies' 18 points is their tactic. With frustration mounting, a December. more silverware to the club's trophy Meanwhile second-placed City lowest tally after 22 matches of a top- misplaced pass by Jorginho triggered But a victory over leaders cabinet. will want to close the seven-point gap flight season since they were relegat- angry moans from Chelsea fans, who Liverpool to kick off New Year com- at the top of the table created by ed in 1988-89. booed the team off at half-time. pletely rejuvenated the mood at the    Liverpool's 1-0 win away to Brighton Tuesday's 1-0 defeat against The atmosphere was on the verge Etihad Stadium after City had been It was a mood reflected by De on Saturday when they face Wolves. Tottenham in the League Cup semi- of turning even more toxic until denied the services of injured play- Bruyne against Rotherham when he However Nuno Espirito Santo's final first leg was the latest display of Willian came to the rescue in the 57th maker Kevin De Bruyne for most of showed visible dissatisfaction at Bruyne refused to return to the bench said City manager Guardiola curtly, side held City to a creditable 1-1 draw attacking impotence from misfiring minute. Teed up by Hazard at last the first half of the campaign. being brought off after an hour, even to watch the remainder of the match, when asked if he had addressed De earlier in the season at Molineux and Chelsea, who had failed to score in making an incisive burst, Willian cut And two stunning cup victories though City were already leading by remaining, instead, in the City dress- Bruyne's reaction to being replaced. drew 1-1 at the Etihad in last season's their last two home league games. back inside two Newcastle defenders in the space of four days -- albeit five goals. ing room. But given the Belgian has started just League Cup when they were still a But it took only nine minutes for on the left side of the area before curl- against lower league clubs Some reports even suggested De "No, I didn't speak with him," one league game so far this campaign, Championship club. the Blues to go in front as Newcastle's ing a finish into the far corner.   ()  *) +,- ./+0  E( !8 !0 ) ,- ,62 . ,71@  '  /'     5     

#(  50#/,0 sounded a warning Sunday. "I'm playing good tennis. I'm oger Federer and Novak confident that I think it needs a good Djokovic are both gunning for performance by my opponent prob- Ra record seventh Australian ably to beat me," said the Swiss mas- Open crown from Monday, but Andy ter, who warmed for Melbourne Murray will make his last appearance with victory in Perth's Hopman in Melbourne as the era of the "Big Cup. Four" draws to a close. Second-ranked Nadal, 32, pulled Number one Djokovic and third out of Brisbane with a thigh strain seed Federer face a stern challenge although he returned for an exhibi-   + 8 from the likes of youthful force tion in Sydney and insisted at the Alexander Zverev, seeded four, who weekend his fitness woes were is still looking for a first major to behind him. cement his place as torch-bearer for "I feel good. If I am not feeling  )  ) the next generation. good, I will not be here," he said But Murray dropped a pre-Grand before revealing he had remodelled Slam bombshell, breaking down dur- his serve. #( 50#/,0 round opponent Istomin caused ing a tear-filled press conference as "There are always things to a massive upset in Melbourne he revealed chronic hip pain means improve," said the Spaniard, who geless Roger Federer said two years ago when he knocked he will retire after Wimbledon — if faces Australian wildcard James ASunday he was in a confi- out defending champion Novak he can carry on that long. Duckworth on Monday. dent mood and warned his Djokovic in the second round, And question marks remain over Djokovic picked young guns rivals he was "playing good ten- outlasting the Serb over five sets. the fitness of world number two Zverev of Germany, Borna Coric of nis" as he aims for a third suc- "I think the focus really is on Rafael Nadal who pulled out of his Croatia, Karen Khachanov of Russia cessive Australian Open title. those early rounds, especially Brisbane warm-up but arrived in and Greece's Stefano Tsitsipas as key The Swiss master enjoyed a tomorrow," said Federer. Melbourne professing he was "fully threats to the top three. successful Hopman Cup warm- "I know what Denis did to fit" and promising to unleash a "It's just a matter of time when up in Perth and knows that at Novak. I watched basically the remodelled serve. we will see some of them competing even the grand old age of 37 he entire game a couple years ago It all means the era of the "Big in the last stages of Grand Slams," has a great chance of a record when he beat Novak here. Four" is almost over after a season in said Djokovic. seventh Melbourne crown and which Federer — who opens his title Zverev, 21, starts the Australian 21st major victory.     defence against Denis Istomin on Open full of confidence after an "I'm playing good tennis. "I've had some tough ones Monday — rolled back the years on impressive warm-up to reach the I'm confident that I think it against him in the past. He can Rod Laver Arena to lift an emotion- final of Perth's mixed teams Hopman needs a good performance by play well in fast courts, and that's al 20th Grand Slam. Cup, despite his terrible record at my opponent probably to beat what it's going to be a little bit It put him on a par with other  !- !    ,1 2 0           Grand Slams. me," said the third seed, who here as well," added the world six-time Australian Open winners He has never got beyond the opens his defence against number three, who has won all Djokovic and Roy Emerson — And Djokovic said Sunday he third round in Melbourne and faces Uzbekistan's Denis Istomin in six previous encounters against although the Australian great's vic- was delighted to be back in & ##50 ,200/ Slovenia's Aljaz Bedene in his open- Monday's night match on Rod Istomin. tories all came before the Open era. Melbourne where his rise to greatness 420U&34/U& er on Tuesday. Laver Arena. "Depending on how you By contrast, the 31-year-old all began in 2008 with his first Last year, seeded four, he crashed A buoyant Federer revealed match up with your opponent, Djokovic endured a miserable early Grand Slam win. #5N0/ 40/ out in the last 32 to South Korea's he had enjoyed a successful who is going to win the big Melbourne exit in 2018, followed by "It was my first major trophy, that 0 ,&,.2&-2 Chung Hyeon and has only reached break coming into the 2019 points, the margins are so slim elbow surgery and a string of disap- obviously served as a great spring- one quarter-final in 14 major appear- season. nowadays that I'm just not pointing results that saw him drop board for my career," Djokovic said 4010/0/K.20, ances. "Throughout my career, I've thinking too far ahead. outside the top 20. as he prepared to open his assault on 2&&#01040,-0 Home fans will look to new been very lucky that in the off- "I don't think I should But since winning a fourth a seventh crown against American Sydney champion and 27th seed Alex seasons I never had any set- because I think that would be a Wimbledon in July, the Serb rose Mitchell Krueger on Tuesday. 3 &,10,&&5&, de Minaur, who faces Portugal's backs," he told reporters at mistake. I hope I can put myself inexorably back to number one by "It opened a lot of doors for me. ,5,1 <K/##01 Pedro Sousa on Monday, and the Melbourne Park. in contention as the tournament losing only three further matches — It allowed me to believe in myself that temperamental Nick Kyrgios. "What I can say is the off- goes deeper, but we'll see." one of which was to Zverev at the I can actually win the biggest tour-  -(20<0 /,/1 Kyrgios has a tough opening season was great for me. I think Federer has skipped the ATP Finals. naments in the world, challenge the # N0/ /0, #&4 , match against former world number maybe it showed a little bit at the European clay court season in Djokovic won his third US Open best players in the world." - Nadal three Milos Raonic and then a pos- Hopman Cup already. Again, recent years as he tries to man- in September to put him on 14 'feels good' - 05&, #*+23/ ,1 sible clash with former Australian look, I'm playing tomorrow. age his workload to extend a Grand Slams — three behind Nadal Federer, now 37, remains the # 5 Open champion Stan Wawrinka in We'll see how it's going to be here remarkable career, which shows and six behind Federer. chief threat to the Serb and he round two. in Melbourne." Federer's first- no signs of slowing. ,-8  !     , ! ++   +   #  #   K # L ( Hyderabad: 4  &     5  % K       '     6 &  + + !9, )) 4     7QAR      5        $268       ' $ 7S" % K  (  ,0.10#2& (  ,0.10#2& started pouring in and I rushed to tell my  & K        7QAR father. It was a special moment," said Gill. 5     $       $&  amil Nadu all-rounder Vijay nsidered the 'next big thing' in Indian Gill knew his time would come,     ' +"8   "       TShankar on Sunday replaced the ocricket, Shubman Gill has broken into something he had expressed to PTI after 5           suspended Hardik Pandya for India's the national team sooner than he expect- a fruitful campaign in the Deodhar          ;     $ ongoing ODI series in Australia while ed and says there can't be a better place Trophy in October, shortly after Shaw's % K        7QAQ   rising star Shubman Gill received his to start his international career than New sensational Test debut. 5 - ' '$2  &  maiden call-up to the national team Zealand, where he was named player of Even senior Punjab teammate &        ' $2 for the New Zealand tour beginning U-19 World Cup, 12 months ago. Yuvraj Singh and his IPL captain Dinesh        &      7QA6   on January 23. The last one year has seen the 19- Karthik, who was amongst the first few Shankar is a like-for-like replace- year-old opener take giant strides. to congratulate Gill, knew it was only a 3 $&     ' &44   ment for Pandya while Gill replaces The Mohali-based cricketer has fol- matter of time before he reaches the     L U&         5$ % K    Rahul in the squad for the five ODIs lowed his U-19 captain Prithvi Shaw to biggest stage and that would probably $ 2     &         and three T20s in New Zealand. make the Indian team, albeit in the short- happen after the World Cup in May-July. ' $& '$U Both Pandya and Rahul have been er formats, after a 'dream' 2018 when he But Gill has got the selectors' nod suspended pending inquiry for their predicted a long India career for Gill. bagged a lucrative IPL contract follow- well before the ICC mega event in   (  >/5  controversial comments on women Yuvraj called Gill a "very special tal- ing a stellar World Cup and made 790 England as he replaces the suspended K Honolulu: & '  #   " during a TV show. ent" on the sidelines of a Ranji Trophy runs in 10 innings at 98.75 in Punjab's L Rahul in the limited overs squad for S7           "   "With KL Rahul and Hardik game in Kolkata last week. latest Ranji Trophy campaign. the New Zealand tour, beginning *+S "R8    $  Pandya set to return from Australia, "He is a young guy whose batting He was also part of the Rahul January 23. The Indian top-order is well    5 (       the All-India Senior Selection I like to watch. He is very exciting. He Dravid India A side that toured New settled at the moment but Gill can still    ="   RR    "        Committee has decided to send all- should serve India for a long time but Zealand last month. get to play during the five ODIs and    '    rounder Vijay Shankar & batsman that will also depend on how well he "It is a big advantage (to be picked three T20s against the Black Caps.  3 /$(    " Shubman Gill as replacements," said is looked after," said Yuvraj. for the New Zealand tour). I played well "The call was unexpected but I  ' ' 5-  5   the BCCI in a statement issued late last Mayank Agarwal, who did well in there in the U-19 World Cup and now understand the circumstances in which  $&    #  7= night. his debut Test series in Australia, was again I have got the opportunity," Gill I have been picked. I have a pretty set   7=  76 '  '          "Vijay Shankar will join the team in line to replace his Karnataka team- said on Sunday after getting the news of target in mind. I have done well at all )  !!        7+  $ # '   =R+"  "= before the start of the 2nd ODI in mate Rahul but it has been learnt that his life, late last night. the levels I have played in so far and that  ' ' '*   ' ' Adelaide. He will be a part of the he is nursing a niggle. " As I have done well there, I can say +  has given me the belief that I can also   "   $2     squad for the ODI series in Australia "Initially, the selectors had picked that there isn't much adjustment need-     + excel in international cricket," said Gill,           and the tour to New Zealand. Mayank Agarwal for K L Rahul and ed in the technique. If I get an oppor-     6 =+ who is known to pace his innings bril-      $(    ' Shubman Gill has been picked for the Vijay Shankar for Pandya but it has tunity, I will have just need to handle the    #  liantly.  ' A=     .  -   -     76" ODI & T20I series in New Zealand," been learnt that Agarwal is nursing a pressure that comes with playing for The last one year has been "amaz-  7Q*   A="   $ it added. niggle. India. Mentally, it will be different for =+    !! ing" for Gill but he attributes his India The inclusion of the highly-rated "That is why the team manage- sure but I am ready." !! !  !+ call-up to years of hard work. Gill in the Indian team was a matter ment has asked for only one replace- He is a supremely gifted and confi- !    "At this time last year we went for $   $   ->-  of time but he has got his big break ment in Australia and that is Shankar. dent cricketer but the occasion got the #    !  the World Cup and now I have got an Valencia: / N      N   7"7  sooner than he expected. And Gill is being rewarded for his better of him when he was informed + !   ! India call-up. Yes, last one year has been  # #'       5      $    1 @   'N   His KKR captain Dinesh Karthik good show in Ranji Trophy and A- about his selection.   !  6  great but I would see this as a result of and more recently senior Punjab tours," a source close to the selection "It was late in the night. My heart work put in by me ever since I started   S+        /    teammate Yuvraj Singh has already committee said. started beating faster. The messages playing the game." N    K       67   !$ .     ' N     7+     ' *8  "     '    7= "   N    $ N   !            '     &-    % %        -    / '  '    '            $ (  ,0.10#2& nothing for Pakistan. Earlier, de Kock hit 129 from (  1 & suspected illegal bowling actions     2#5>" uinton de Kock made a free- just 138 balls with 18 fours and a reported in Tests, ODIs and Mumbai:  RA  '    '' 2 &"#'  Qflowing century at No. 7 and six as he and Hashim Amla (71) ndian batsman and part time T20Is.     ' #@' 4- '  +"8  &  equaled his career-best score as put on 102 and dug South Africa Ioff-spinner Ambati Rayudu "He is required to undergo   #,     $N   South Africa turned the screw on out of trouble in its second has been reported with a suspect testing within 14 days, and, dur- ' >76;? # '  >8*;?   ,  >=A; V 8;? Pakistan on Sunday by setting the innings. bowling action during the first ing this period, Rayudu is per-      &    '   $ tourists 381 to win the final test and They were largely responsible ODI against Australia in Sydney, mitted to continue bowling in # '  @ '  2 5 $&  avoid a series whitewash. for setting Pakistan the big target. the ICC said on Sunday. international cricket until the     '        Pakistan's batsmen responded De Kock arrived with South Rayudu bowled only two results of the testing are known," with signs of the fight that's been Africa on 93-5 and in a precarious overs in the game on Saturday, the statement added.   ' $      ' missing for most of a one-sided position and departed at 302-8 conceding 13 runs. Rayudu has only bowled #@'     '     $ series so far, reaching 153-3 at with his team in complete control. "The match officials' report, 20.1 overs in his 46-ODI old &   '#@'  7+   '  stumps on the third day of the fast- South Africa, which resumed the which was handed over to the career, taking three wickets at an        '&  $ moving third test. That reduced the day on 135-5, was eventually all India team management, cited average of 41.33 and economy               ' #@' 4- equation to 228 more runs need- The scale of the challenge for test cricket at the Wanderers. out for 303. concerns about the legality of the rate of 6.14. He has not bowled  ' &     ' $       ed with seven wickets in hand. Pakistan was still significant. South Africa holds the record Pakistan's batsmen came out 33-year-old off-spinner's bowling in the six T20s he has featured in. '    ' #@'   ' '   Asad Shafiq was 48 not out off The tourists need to make the with its 450-7 against India in fighting, though, with Shafiq espe- action," said the ICC in a state- He also had a forgettable     $         47 balls and approaching the second-highest fourth-innings December 2013 and Pakistan's cially pugnacious to crack eight ment. outing with the bat on Saturday    &       '   daunting challenge with an attack- score ever at the Wanderers in would be the next best score fours and combine in an unbroken However, Rayudu can still and was out for a second-ball      #@'     '     '  ing mindset. Johannesburg to avoid losing the should it chase successfully. 49-run stand with Babar. bowl if the need arises. duck.     $          Babar Azam, one of Pakistan's series 3-0. There have only been With two days of the test still They kept Pakistan's hopes of "Rayudu's bowling action Rayudu had retired from         '     ' +"8 best batsmen this series, was set- three fourth-innings totals of 300 to play, surviving for a draw is an taking something from the series will now be scrutinised further first-class cricket in November to  $   tling in on 17 not out. or more in more than 60 years of unlikely proposition. It's all or alive for at least one more day. under the ICC process relating to focus on the limited overs game.