செவ்வாய், 24 ஜனவரி, 2017

After violence in Chennai, Tamil Nadu House passes Bill to allow Jallikattu

Several people were taken into custody — police were yet to specify the number of detentions or arrests made.

Two wheelers suspected to be set on fire by protestors go up in flames in Chennai on Monday. Chennai was rocked by violence Monday after police moved to evict nearly 10,000 Jallikattu protesters from Marina Beach. Over a hundred people were reportedly injured and at least two police stations and several vehicles were burnt. The police action in Chennai led to unrest across the state, with police resorting to lathicharge in Coimbatore, Alanganallur near Madurai and Erode.
Several people were taken into custody — police were yet to specify the number of detentions or arrests made.
In the afternoon, the Tamil Nadu assembly, at a special session, unanimously passed an amendment Bill to conduct the bull-taming sport without any hindrance, replacing an ordinance promulgated two days ago to allow Jallikattu.
Policemen pulling and clearing the students during protest against urgent law passed for Jallikattu by State Government and Union Government in Coimbatore on Monday. (PTI Photo) The government sent retired justice D Hariparanthaman, a popular judge due to his many orders in labour cases, to brief the nearly 10,000 gathered on the beach on the content of the ordinance. Shortly before 6 pm, the protest was called off, though around 500 students continued to be on the beach, fearing police action if they left the spot.
Also read: Gored by bulls, 2 die in Pudukottai; protesters block CM’s way near Madurai
Questioning the police action, one of the earliest protesters at the site, Chandra Mohan, said, “Police were aware of our decision to call off the protest on Monday once the Jallikattu Bill was passed by the assembly.” He said the police should be “ashamed” of the action against “peaceful protesters”.
Chandra Mohan claimed that some visuals showed police personnel setting fire to vehicles — a video did the rounds of social media but police said it was “morphed” and would be investigated.
Protestors supporting Jallikattu, a traditional bull-taming ritual try to hold on to each other as police remove them from the Marina beach on the Bay of Bengal coast in Chennai. (PTI Photo) Chennai Police Commissioner S George said the video would be subjected to “scientific investigation” and that “radical elements had infiltrated the group of protesters”.
At other places in Tamil Nadu, such as Salem, Trichy, Tirunelveli, Ariyalur, Perambalur and Virudhunagar, the protests were called off by noon with the intervention of local police.
Police sources said they were taken by surprise by the resistance the protesters put up while being evicted from the Marina Beach. Around a thousand personnel from the Tamil Nadu special battalions and commando wing started the eviction around 7 am.
“Things went out of control when a group started running towards the sea, threatening suicide. Several hundreds followed them. While a section of protesters were removed successfully, over 2,000 formed a human chain along the shore line to stop us,” an officer said, saying they were later joined by fishermen and women.
Policemen detain students who were holding a protest demanding a permanent solution for holding the Jallikattu. Police resorted to lathicharge and TV visuals of fishermen homes and old women being targeted sparked protests in other parts of the city. People blocked a dozen major roads leading to Marina Beach as well as Chennai city, and many more made their way from other areas to join the protesters.
An officer said that while they had blocked the roads by midnight prior to the operation, the crowds couldn’t be held back and they had to resort to lathicharge.
At the Jallikattu protest in Marina Beach on Sunday. AP photo In the assembly, the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Tamil Nadu Amendment), Act, 2017 was piloted by Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and adopted by a voice vote. It was deemed to have come into effect on the day the ordinance was issued — January 21.
The Bill defines Jallikattu as an event involving bulls conducted with a view to following tradition and culture, from January to May, and includes similar events like ‘manjuviratu’, ‘vadamadu’ and ‘erudhuvidum’ festivals. The Bill says that considering the vital role of Jallikattu in preserving and promoting tradition and culture among people and also in view of ensuring the survival and continuance of native breeds of bulls, the “Government of Tamil Nadu has decided to exempt Jallikattu from the provisions of the PCA Act”.


 

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Jallikattu protest: Violence breaks out in Chennai, other parts of Tamil Nadu

CHENNAI: Violence broke out in Chennai and a few other places in Tamil Nadu after police started evicting pro-Jallikattu protesters+ on Monday morning.

A group of about 50 protesters set Ice House police station on fire. Around 15 bikes parked in front of the police station also went up in flames.

The protesters hurled stones at the police station, and at least 22 policemen were injured in the stone-pelting.

Protesters clashed with police at Parthasarathy Temple arch near Marina. They set tyres on fire and threw them at police. They threw petrol bombs too. A car was set on fire. Police used teargas at the protesters.

Teenagers standing on the elevated MRTS tracks were throwing stones at police personnel below at Bharathi Salai near Marina Beach. After 90-minute clash, police detained at least 10 teenagers.

Clashes broke out+ on Avvai Shanmugam Salai in Royapettah. Police lathicharged protesters in some places of the city. Protesters hurled petrol bombs at police deployed near Presidency College.

MTC buses came under attack in some places in the city. Some bus passengers suffered injuries when protesters threw stones at the buses.

The city was experiencing traffic blocks on all main roads. Traffic was severely affected on East Coast Road (ECR) and Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR) as protesters, including techies, blocked the roads. Nearly thousands of protesters sat on the on OMR.

Around 1,000 people held a protest near Taramani. "We would have called off the protest peacefully, but force is the only language people in power seem to understand," said Hariharan, a law student.

"We come in peace. We don't trust our leaders who have been trying to gain momentum from our protest," he said.

"Traffic has been affected in almost all roads," traffic police said, adding that they were yet to begin clearing it up.

MRTS train services were suspended to prevent people coming to Marina.

Schools closed early.

The situation was also tensed in Alanganallur and Tamukkam Ground in Madurai and in Coimbatore too.

In Coimbatore, police detained nearly 300 students, who refused to move out of the VOC Park ground. The students were detained in a marriage hall on Avinashi Road. The students refused to go back home and were continuing to protest. Slowly, crowd began swelling around the marriage hall and more students joined in. Police detained all of them and took them to another marriage hall at Ganapathy.

It all around 6.30am when police started evicted protesters on the Marina Beach.

Thousands of protesters including students, young professionals, women and children woke up to the announcement they had waited for long. A speaker representing the core organising committee announced, "We have received a copy of the ordinance. If all goes well, it will be made into an Act in the Tamil Nadu assembly which convenes today. Our lawyers say that there is good chance that it will serve as a permanent solution."

The crowd went silent as a lawyer got on the stage next. He told the crowd that the draft seems acceptable but it has no signature or a seal of approval. The speaker who spoke next said, "We need half a day to study the draft. We cannot be sure until then."

Police requested the protesters on Marina Beach to disperse in a peaceful manner+ as "their purpose has been fully achieved" since the state government promulgated an ordinance on Saturday. However, most protesters refused to leave.

Armed with loudspeakers, first about a dozen policemen entered the protest arena. Hundreds of cops followed thereafter. Protesters huddled together and sat down in defiance. Student volunteers sprang into action and formed a human chain around the protesters. As police marched forward, protestors began to panic.

With no speaker to give them direction, the crowd began singing the national anthem. When police refused to step back, they sang it one more time. When police broke into the crowd, the protesters chanted in unison, "Vande Madaram" and "Jai Hind". Within minutes, police took charge of the protest arena. They dragged protesters out one by one. With nowhere to go, protesters ran to the seafront.
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Reliance Jio 4G upgrade offer with 10GB daily download limit is a hoax

Don’t fall prey nasty tricks offering 10GB daily 4G data on your Reliance Jio connection.

Even before its commercial debut, Reliance Jio had been the talk of the town, especially for freebies such as unlimited high-speed 4G internet, unlimited local and national voice and calls and access to a range of content services. Things have changed since the commercial launch, with high-speed 4G limit first cut down to 4GB per day, and now to 1GB per day. With customers wanting more free data, it provides a great opportunity for cyber criminals are trying to take an advantage of the situation by tricking them to sign up for fake offers.
The latest scam doing the rounds on social media is a trick to get daily 10GB 4G limit on your Reliance Jio connection. But beware, its a hoax that potentially puts your data at risk. The trick involves visiting an unsecured website upgrade-jio4g.ml where you are required to select your state, enter your mobile number and email address, followed by downloading an app in the second step.
The problem here – the URL itself is a fake one. After putting all your details, it asks you to share with at least 10 friends and groups to upgrade Jio service, after which it will ask you to download an app. Even the bottom of the page has terms and conditions mentioning ‘Go4G is not affiliated with Reliance orJio in any way.’ Those falling prey to this hoax are not only putting their information at risk, but also sharing with friends and groups, and thus putting their data in danger too. ALSO READ: Reliance Jio looking at local manufacturing of LYF smartphones to further bring down prices: Report
If you do a Google Search, there are tons of blogs that provide various tips and tricks – to speed up 4G data speed, access free internet without data plans, and much more. However, all these processes involve redirecting tounsecure proxy addresses and server ports, which also gives attackers an access to your phone and the data stored in it. Sure, these tips and tricks sound exciting, but we’d highly recommend our readers to stay away from such scams and also inform family and friends about the same. ALSO READ: Here’s how Reliance Jio could extend its free offer after ‘Happy New Year Offer’ expires on March 31
As of now, Reliance Jio customers get to enjoy ‘Happy New Year Plan’ under which you get unlimited high-speed 4G internet data with a daily cap of 1GB. After the 1GB limit is exhausted, the speed is cut down to 128Kbps, and gets refreshed post mid-night. For those who want a top-up, they can recharge with Rs 51, to get 1GB data with one-day validity, or recharge with Rs 301 that offers 6GB data and validity of 28 days. ALSO READ: Reliance Jio’s 4G feature phone could be a masterstroke, here’s why
Voice and video calls remain free on Reliance Jio network, and users also get free 100 SMS daily. Customers also get an access to Reliance Jio suite of apps to watch Live TV, on-demand movies, stream music, read magazines and more. The validity of Reliance Jio ‘Happy New Year Offer’ ends on March 31 2017. However, recent reports suggest that Jio might extend the offer till June 30, 2017 or charge a nominal fee for the same services.

 

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Swedish Police Investigate Report of Rape on Facebook Live

STOCKHOLM — Three men in Uppsala, Sweden, were arrested on Sunday on suspicion of raping a woman and streaming the assault live to a private Facebook group. On Monday, the authorities urged people with access to the images showing the assault to make them available to investigators.
“Police and prosecutors have access to some of the images and video footage,” Magnus Berggren, a prosecutor in Uppsala, said at a news conference, the Swedish newspaper Expressen reported. “What we do not have access to is the segment showing the actual assault.”
Police officers were sent to an apartment in Uppsala, a university city about 40 miles north of Stockholm, shortly before 9 a.m. on Sunday after receiving several calls reporting a rape in progress that was being streamed live to a closed group on Facebook, Expressen reported.
The police arrested three men, 18, 20 and 24, at the apartment, Expressen reported.
“We are gathering evidence, technical evidence, but also interviewing,” Mr. Berggren said at the news conference. “We have questioned a number of people and there will be more interviews.”
While Facebook Live streams occur in real time, the videos can be replayed later by people with access to the page if the person who filmed it chooses that option, until the videos are taken down. There are ways for viewers to record the stream on computers or to take screenshots of it.
A police spokeswoman, Lisa Sannervik, said there were probably many copies of the stream.
“Many have seen this on the internet, and we are eager to prevent any spreading of the movie,” Ms. Sannervik told the Swedish news agency TT.
Christine Chen, a Facebook spokeswoman, said, “This is a hideous crime and we do not tolerate this kind of content on Facebook.”
She added: “If someone does violate our community standards while using Live, we want to interrupt these streams as quickly as possible when they’re reported to us. So we’ve given people a way to report violations during a live broadcast.”
Swedish Television News reported that there might have been two live videos on Facebook, the first showing a rape and the second capturing a man trying to force a woman to deny that she had been raped.
Mr. Berggren, the prosecutor, could not confirm this because the video was not available, Swedish Television News reported.
Images of the suspects are being shared on social media, and hundreds of people are said to have seen the live video, Swedish Television News reported.
Linda Johansson, who lives near Hassleholm in southern Sweden, told Swedish Television News that she started watching the second live video around 8 a.m.
“The girl was sitting in front of the camera while the man who filmed her tried to convince her to deny that she had been raped,” Ms. Johansson told Swedish Television News. “He was putting words into her mouth. He was taunting and laughing throughout the whole clip.”
Over the past year, Facebook has made live, user-generated video a top priority. But the company’s push into live video has not been without disturbing occurrences. In July, three men in Norfolk, Va., were shot as they streamed video on Facebook, less than a week after the death of Philando Castile, whose killing by the police in St. Paul, Minn., was streamed live on Facebook.

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SBI calls for raising income tax exemption limits

Forthcoming Union Budget is a time when banks are flush with funds post-demonetisation

Logo of State Bank of India

Presenting an agenda for the forthcoming Union Budget at a time when banks are flush with funds post-demonetisation, state-run SBI on Monday called for raising various income tax exemption limits to boost economic growth.
"We expect an increase in personal income tax exemption limit from Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 3.0 lakh, increase in Section 80C exemption limit from current Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 2 lakh, interest exemption on housing loan from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 3 lakh and at least reducing (if not abolishing) the lock-in period for bank fixed deposits from 5 years to 3 years for availing tax exemption," a State Bank of India (SBI) report said.

"Such giveaways will cost Rs 35,300 crore, but we expect this to be more than balanced by IDS-2 (Income Declaration Scheme) revenue and cancelled note liabilities of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)," it said with reference to the recent demonetisation of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes.
While the revenue forgone through exemptions would be over Rs 35,000 crore, tax collections under IDS-2 could be around Rs 50,000 crore and cancelled liabilities from the RBI is expected to be around Rs 75,000 crore, said SBI's Chief Economic Advisor Soumya Kanti Ghosh and author of the report.
"Governments have periodically increased the income tax slabs from Rs 22,000 in 1900-91 to Rs 2.5 lakh in 2014-15. Due to the 7th Pay Commission, the personal disposable income has been increased.
"So, we believe there is a need to raise the exemption limit to Rs 3 lakh. Due to such increase in limit, 75 lakh tax payers will be exempted from income tax," the report pointed out.
"Demonetisation has changed the entire gamut of the economy. The gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow by 7.1 per cent in 2016-17 compared to 7.6 per cent growth in 2015-16," it added.
Noting that challenges for Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's forthcoming budget — his fourth — are more formidable than before, the report said.
It added: "There is no substitute to investment-led growth as opposed to consumption-led. A more prudent approach will be to select two-three high potential sectors for fiscal stimulus, agriculture being the most promising followed by the SME."
Underlining that "the Government must shift its fiscal objective", the SBI pegged the fiscal deficit target for 2017-18 at Rs 5.75 lakh crore, equivalent to 3.4 per cent of the country's GDP.
"We are convinced that for the record, FY16 fiscal deficit is now at 4.3 per cent of the GDP (3.9 per cent was budgeted)," it said.
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Use Aadhaar e-KYC to verify mobile users’

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has recommended the use of Aadhaar-based e-KYC for verification of existing mobile subscribers.
“Aadhaar linked e-KYC service provides a robust mechanism to verify the identity of a person electronically and instantaneously from the source itself, based on the biometrics of a person. Thus, it takes care of the issues relating to fake or forged identity proof and manual entry into the system etc,” the regulator said in a statement.
TRAI has also recommended that the use of Aadhaar-based e-KYC be permitted for outstation customers.
“DoT may work with TSPs (telecom service providers) to evolve a framework to verify the existing mobile subscribers through Aadhaar based e-KYC services in a phased manner and within a defined time frame.
However, this process should be optional to the service providers as well as mobile subscribers,” the regulator said.
It added that as e-KYC verification could not be made mandatory, “a scheme could be formulated to encourage the existing subscribers” to undergo the e-KYC process.“The existing paper-based KYC is not robust enough and the possibility of significant number of working SIMs, which may have been acquired on fake/forged identity, cannot be fully ruled out. The owner of such fake identity would not even be aware that SIMs are working in his/her name,” Trai reasoned.
Stating that it had received several cases from state police departments where it had been found that hundreds of SIM cards have been obtained using fake documents, TRAI is of the view that the existence of such SIM cards posed a real security challenge.
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Syed Modi International 2017: Saina Nehwal Opts Out; PV Sindhu Eyes Another Title

Lucknow: Saina Nehwal's decision to give it a miss has taken away some sheen but Olympic silver-medallist P V Sindhu will ensure that Syed Modi International is not short of star power when the Grand Prix Gold event gets underway with the qualifiers here on Tuesday.

Fresh from her comeback win at Malaysia Masters Grand Prix Gold on Sunday, Saina, a three-time winner here, has opted out.
"No, I am not playing as it was a tough three weeks for me after the PBL and Malaysia open win and I am still not 100 per cent with my knee strength. I need some more time to be fully fit physically," Saina told PTI.
"But I am happy I played some great badminton in last three weeks but to beat top level players, I need to be at my best and I still need some more time be at my best fitness. It's not easy to perform unless you have the best fitness at the super series level," she added.
Perhaps unaware of her pullout, the organisers has given the second seeding to Saina.
On the other hand, it has been a dream run for Sindhu in international circuit ever since the Indian clinched the Olympic silver medal at the Rio Olympics in August.
The 21-year-old continued her rampaging run as she sealed her maiden Super Series title at China Open Premier, before reaching the finals at Hong Kong Open and qualifying for the prestigious BWF Dubai Super Series Finals in December last year.
The girl from Hyderabad has been simply unstoppable as she then guided her team Chennai Smashers to a title win at the Premier badminton League (PBL) less than a fortnight ago and will be the hot favourite to clinch the women's title at Syed Modi, which has a depleted field.
Seeded top, Sindhu will face Anura Prabhudesai in the opening round and is likely to clash with fourth seed Fitriani Fitriani in the semifinals if she doesn't suffer any hiccups.
In the men's draw, K Srikanth will be looking to make a successful comeback into the international circuit after spending four months on the sidelines due to an ankle injury.
"I haven't reached the fitness that I had before the Olympics but I am fit enough to compete at Syed Modi and I am looking forward to defending my title to get back my confidence ahead of the upcoming important tournaments," World No.15 Srikanth told PTI.
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Now baby food and biscuits are linked to cancer: Food watchdog issues alerts for 25 big brands after claiming that crunchy roast potatoes and toast could cause the disease

  • Crisps, biscuits and baby food have 'raised levels of cancer-linked chemicals'
  • Food Standards Agency says 25 products have higher amount of 'acrylamide'
  • Studies on animals suggests the chemical can trigger DNA mutations
  • Products including Kettle Chips, McVitie's and Hovis are on the danger list 

Tests on best-selling crisps, biscuits and baby food showed raised levels of a chemical linked to cancer.
The health alert comes just 24 hours after an official watchdog warned of the risks of eating burnt toast and roast potatoes. 
The latest products on the danger list include Kettle Chips, Burts crisps, Hovis, Fox’s biscuits, Kenco coffee, McVitie’s and products from Cow & Gate.

A number of big name brand products contain raised levels of acrylamide, a chemical linked to cancer, according to the Food Standards Agency
According to the Food Standards Agency, 25 products have raised levels of acrylamide. 
Animal studies suggest the chemical can trigger DNA mutations and cancer.
The link to acrylamide was also behind the warning over fried, roasted and toasted foods such as potatoes and bread.
The agency cautioned that any risk to humans related to lifetime consumption and not occasional eating. 
However a renowned statistician yesterday insisted the link to cancer in humans from acrylamide was extremely weak.

‘There is no good evidence of harm from humans consuming acrylamide in their diet,’ said Professor David Spiegelhalter.
The FSA and other watchdogs in Europe test supermarket food to assess whether acrylamide levels are above a suggested limit – IV, for indicative value.
Of 526 products in targeted tests in 2014 and 2015, 25 had raised levels. Although the agency is not advising consumers to stop eating the products, the manufacturers have been told to cut the levels.
The FSA said: ‘For all of these samples we followed up with the manufacturers or brand owners via local authority inspectors. 
'They alerted them to the findings and requested information about what is being done to control acrylamide in those products. 
'We would emphasise though that the indicative values are not legal maximum limits nor are they safety levels. 
'They are performance indicators and designed to promote best practice in controlling acrylamide levels.’


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NASA space vehicle arrives in downtown Houston

HOUSTON (KTRK) --
NASA's Space Exploration Vehicle has reached downtown Houston after a trip up the Gulf Freeway.

NASA usually looks to the stars, but today all eyes were on I-45 as the space agency hit the road to downtown Houston.

The Space Exploration Vehicle is a big machine that NASA hopes will one day be used by astronauts to explore other planets. NASA moved it to Discovery Green for the Super Bowl fan festival taking place there.

PHOTOS: A closer look at NASA's savvy SEV
If you're viewing on our ABC13 news app, tap on the photo above to see more images.

To get this thing from the Johnson Space Center to Discovery Green, it had to be driven up the Gulf Freeway on a tractor trailer, complete with police escort.

RELATED: NASA readies to send Orion capsule on its maiden voyage
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திங்கள், 23 ஜனவரி, 2017

39 dead, 50 injured as train derails on Andhra Pradesh-Odisha border

VIZIANAGARAM: At least 39 passengers were killed and about 50 people injured after 9 coaches of Train No. 18448 Jagdalpur-Bhubaneswar Hirakhand Express derailed near a level crossing at Kuneru village in Vizianagaram district at 11.15 pm on Saturday night. Even as rescue operations were on in Vizianagaram, another train, Vasco Da Gama-Tirupati Express, derailed near Tirupati station, but there were no casualties as there were no passengers. Officials quickly restored the tracks in Tirupati. The cause of the mishap is not known but sabotage is not ruled out. Officials noticed a 'rail fracture' with 50 cm of tracks missing at the accident spot. Incidentally , two goods trains and a patrol team had safely crossed the accident spot a few minutes before the tragedy.

Of the nine compartments of the 22-coach Hirakhand Express, worst hit were S8 and S9. Bodies were trapped inside the highly mangled bogies and rescue teams had to use gas cutters to retrieve them. Overall, two AC, four sleeper coaches (S6, S7, S8 and S9), two general compartments, the engine and guard room-cum-luggage van derailed on Saturday, 45 minutes after the Hirakhand Express left Rayagada station. Most victims had boarded at Rayagada. Eight of the deceased were from Vizianagaram district. Passengers with critical injuries were admitted to hospitals in Rayagada and Visakhapatnam.

The impact of the derailment was so severe that the engine of Hirakhand Express hit a stationary goods train on a parallel track. The goods train had been halted to allow the express train to pass. Officials said the toll would have been higher had the express not hit the goods and stopped. This prevented coaches in the rear from jumping off the track.

The express train driver DN Rao, his assistant V Meena as well as the guard of the goods train, L Lakshmana Rao, had a miraculous escape.
A relief van from Visakha patnam carrying senior officials, engineering and medical staff arrived at the spot within two hours of the mishap. But the gravity of the accident can be gauged from the fact that it took almost 12 hours for the rescue team to retrieve bodies from the mangled coaches.


Bloodstains were seen all over. Some of the victims were disfigured beyond recognition and relatives identified them by their clothes or personal belongings. Most of the victims had multiple fractures. It was utter chaos and commotion for almost seven hours due to darkness. Some of the victims were in deep sleep when the train derailed. The air was rent with wails as relatives searched for their dear ones.


The unaffected coaches were later sent to Bhubanes war via Rayagada. Train services were badly affected in the area, but the main line between Visakhapatnam and Howrah was spared.


East Coast Railway (ECR) general manager Umesh Singh said there was a sharp cut in the rail tracks at the accident spot. ECR official spokesperson JP Mishra said he would not rule out any angle, including sabotage, and added that an inquiry will be held on Monday at Rayagada.AP chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu announced an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh each to the kin of the deceased and ordered a CID probe. The CID will look into sabotage angle. The Railways announced Rs 2 lakh ex gratia to the kin of each victim. Railway minister Suresh Prabhu also rushed to the spot and supervised rescue and relief operations.
Stay updated on the go with Times of India News App. Click here to download it for your device.
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Donald Trump's 'Buy American-Hire American' pledge unnerves Indian IT


New Delhi: New US President Donald Trump's 'Buy American-hire American' rallying cry has put the $150-billion Indian IT industry on edge, which is in wait-and-watch mode to see how the new administration evolves policies around outsourcing and movement of skilled workers.
India hopes to have a meaningful engagement with the US, Electronics and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has said.
Given that US market accounts for 60 percent of India's IT exports, the industry and the government here will spare no efforts in their outreach programme over the next few weeks to showcase the role of Indian technology sector in making the US economy more competitive and highlight its contribution in terms of billions of dollars paid in taxes and creation of local jobs.
"Indian IT companies are in 200 cities across 80 countries. They have added big value to the US, and given jobs to lakhs of people including American people there. I am given to understand that they have paid billions of dollars in tax... So they have added value to America in terms of money, by way of tax and also employment," Prasad told PTI in an interview just hours before Trump was sworn in as the 45th US President.
Stating that India wishes to have a meaningful engagement with the Trump government, Prasad said: "We will await unfolding of his views about Indian IT companies' outreach. We have already conveyed our views to them and we will continue (to do so)."
Nasscom President R Chandrashekhar said Trump has been pro-India and understands business realities being a businessman himself. The adverse impact on job creation within the US on account of any restriction put has to be weighed very carefully (by the new administration), he cautioned.
Communication and outreach will, therefore, be more critical, he said, adding that Nasscom is planning a visit to Washington in February to meet senior representatives of the US administration and the Congress.
Trump's 'America First' pledge, which formed the essence of his inaugural speech last Friday, has reinforced worries of protectionist posturing and unnerved the Indian IT industry which, as it is, has been battling headwinds of a slowing growth.
Trump has vowed to rebuild the country using "American hands" and his inaugural was punctuated with lines like Buy American and Hire American.
"We must protect our borders from the ravages of other countries making our products, stealing our companies, and destroying our jobs. Protection will lead to great prosperity and strength," Trump said.
Trump's hardline stance on protectionism and anti-immigration is no surprise to the Indian industry. While companies have tried putting on a brave face, concerns run deep about tightening of visa norms that will push up the cost of doing business.
Earlier this month, a Bill targeting H-1B visas was reintroduced in the US Congress by two lawmakers who said it will help crack down on the work visa abuse.
Any restriction placed by the US on outsourcing or movement of skilled workers will have far-reaching consequences for Indian firms like TCS, Infosys and Wipro.
Already, companies have been preparing to mitigate the impact and have ramped up local hiring even if it means eating into their margins.
Hoping for a "business-friendly administration", Infosys chief Vishal Sikka said Trump himself is an entrepreneur and a business leader and therefore, he expects that this will be the case of business and innovation-friendly regime.
"In the near term, we do expect there will be changes to the visa and H1-B visa policies. As policies take effect, we will consider, analyse and understand their impact," he said.
The larger rival, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), has also said it is proactively addressing these concerns by making changes to its business model.
Greyhound Research Chief Analyst and CEO Sanchit Gogia said better skilled jobs, including coding and maintenance, are likely to remain unaffected, given their scarce availability and exclusivity.
Also, its critical to remember that most US-based companies -- including many Fortune 500s -- are deeply invested (and dependent) on Indian IT service providers and neither they nor the Trump administration is in a position to make drastic changes, he pointed out.
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Jagdalpur-Bhubaneswar Express derails: The tragedy is saddening, says PM Narendra Modi

Jagdalpur-Bhubaneswar Express train derailed at around 11 pm Saturday night.


Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the Railways will offer all possible assistance. PTI Photo
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the Jagdalpur-Bhubaneswar Express train derailment was saddening, condoling the loss of lives.
“My thoughts are with those who lost their loved ones due to the derailment of Jagdalpur-Bhubaneswar Express. The tragedy is saddening,” he tweeted, adding, “I pray for a speedy recovery of all those injured due to the train accident.” “The Railway Ministry is monitoring the situation very closely and is working to ensure quick rescue and relief operations,” Prime Minister Modi said.
The derailment took place at around 11 pm Saturday night. According to the latest available details, 27 people have lost their lives and over 50 injured. The Railways have ordered a probe into the derailment and Union Minister Suresh Prabhu is on his way to the accident site. Click here for LIVE updates
The government has also announced compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the families of those who lost their lives, 50,000 for those seriously injured and 25,000 for those with minor injuries.
Nine coaches and the engine of the Jagdalpur Bhubaneswar Hirakhand Express train derailed near Kuneru station in Vizianagaram district of Andhra Pradesh.
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Gold, tobacco products worth Rs 42.5 lakh seized at Mumbai airport

The seizure happened at Mumbai airport with inputs from intelligence.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • 1
    The accused were intercepted at the Mumbai airport.
  • 2
    Both accused hold Indian passports.
  • 3
    One of the accused has admitted knowledge, possession of the goods.
Based on profiling and intelligence, Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) officers intercepted two cases of illegal smuggling of gold and tobacco products valued at around Rs 42.5 lakh at Mumbai Airport.
Tobacco case
Two passengers Vijay Kumar Natvarlal Rupapara and Manish Kumar Mansukhlal Khambani holding Indian passports on their departure to Lubumbashi via Addis Ababa by Ethiopian Air flight no. ET 641 were intercepted.


The said passengers were attempting to export 5869 pouches and 900 tins of tobacco products, 185.5 kgs of cut betelnuts, 11 pieces of mobile phones and 2 pieces of tablets totally valued at Rs 5,12,812 out of India by concealing the same in their 17 checked-in-baggage and 4 hand baggage (weighing 597 kgs).
The passengers in their statements recorded under Sec 108 of the Customs Act, 1962 has admitted knowledge, possession, carriage, concealment and recovery of said goods which were being attempted to smuggle out of India.
A case has been booked and further investigation is underway.
Gold seizureOne passenger Faisal Veerumbin Chalil holding Indian passport on his arrival from Abu Dhabi by flight no. EY 204.
The passenger was attempting surreptitious removal of 2 pieces of gold collectively weighing 1379 gms valued at Rs 37,35,325 by concealing the same in housing of copper winding of Mixer/ Grinder which was recovered and seized under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962.Also read | Mumbai: DRI seizes smuggled gold worth Rs 7.4 crore near Zaveri Bazaar
The passenger in his statement recorded under Sec 108 of the Customs Act,1962 has admitted knowledge, possession, carriage, concealment and recovery of the said two pieces of gold which were being smuggled into India without payment of proper Customs duty and in contravention of provisions of the Customs Act, 1962.
He admitted that the same belongs to one Muthu who stays at Deira, Dubai. The passenger was arrested and a case was booked.
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US President Donald Trump Invites Israel PM Netanyahu To US, Discusses Iran Nuke Deal


US President Donald Trump and Israel's PM agreed to address threats posed by Iran. (File)
JERUSALEM:  US President Donald Trump Sunday invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to visit him in Washington next month, the premier's office said, quoting their first conversation since Trump took office.

"President Trump invited Prime Minister Netanyahu to come to Washington to meet him in February," it said in a statement.

"A final date for the visit will be set in the days ahead."

Israel approved hundreds of new settler homes in east Jerusalem Sunday hours before the telephone call, which the statement described as "very warm".

But a potentially explosive plan to annex a large West Bank Jewish settlement unilaterally was shelved until after Netanyahu and Trump meet.

The two leaders spoke over telephone and "agreed to continue to closely consult on a range of regional issues, including addressing the threats posed by Iran," the White House said in a statement, signaling the new administration's tougher line on Tehran.

There was no mention of Trump's suggestion to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Trump told reporters at the White House that his call with Israel's premier was "very nice", without elaborating.

"The two leaders discussed the nuclear deal with Iran, the peace process with the Palestinians and other issues," Netanyahu's office said.

"The Prime Minister expressed his desire to work closely with President Trump to forge a common vision to advance peace and security in the region," it said.

Trump has pledged strong support for Israel and vowed during his campaign to recognise Jerusalem as the country's capital despite the city's contested status.

But the White House on Sunday appeared to play down suggestions that relocating the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem was imminent.

"We are at the very beginning stages of even discussing this subject," White House press secretary Sean Spicer told AFP.

Like other major powers, the US maintains its embassy in Tel Aviv pending a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Jerusalem's status.

Israel captured Arab east Jerusalem during the 1967 war and later annexed it -- in a move not recognised by the international community -- declaring all of the city its unified capital.

The Palestinians claim east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.

The United States is Israel's most important ally, providing it with more than $3 billion per year in defence aid, but former president Barack Obama grew frustrated with Israeli settlement building.

He declined to veto a December 23 UN Security Council resolution condemning settlements. Trump had called for the resolution to be vetoed.

'We can finally build'

In an initial move following Trump's inauguration, Israeli officials on Sunday approved building permits for 566 settler homes in annexed east Jerusalem.

"The rules of the game have changed with Donald Trump's arrival as president," Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Meir Turjeman told AFP.

"We no longer have our hands tied as in the time of Barack Obama. Now we can finally build."

The Palestinian presidency condemned the move, calling it a violation of the UN resolution.

A draft bill to annex the Maale Adumim settlement in the occupied West Bank had been on the agenda for approval by ministerial committee legislation on Sunday.

Such a move could badly damage prospects for a two-state solution.

But the inner circle of senior ministers known as the security cabinet blocked it for the time being, a member said.

"What was decided was to wait for the meeting which will certainly take place within a few weeks," Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz told Israeli public radio.

Annexing Maale Adumim unilaterally would set off alarm bells globally, with many warning that it would be another step towards dividing the occupied West Bank between north and south, making a contiguous Palestinian state difficult to achieve.

'Critical location'

For some Israeli ministers who oppose a Palestinian state, that is precisely the point.

"We have to tell the American administration what we want and not wait for orders from the administration," Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked told Israel's army radio.

Maale Adumim, in a strategic location east of Jerusalem, has some 37,000 residents.

Some peace proposals have envisioned it becoming part of Israel in land swaps agreed with the Palestinians, but not unilaterally.

"Given Maale Adumim's critical location in the heart of the West Bank, the international community has for years been following with special concern all developments in this area, seen as a touchstone for the viability of a two-state solution," settlements watchdog Ir Amim said.

Israel occupied the West Bank, like east Jerusalem, in 1967.

Settlements in both the West Bank and east Jerusalem are viewed as illegal under international law.

Some 400,000 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank, with another 200,000 in east Jerusalem. In comparison, around 2.9 million Palestinians live in the West Bank and east Jerusalem.
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