NEW DELHI ,Nov 17,2020: India is considering a plan to allow up to 26% foreign direct investment from countries with which it shares a land border, including China, without government scrutiny for some sectors, the Economic Times reported on Tuesday, citing government officials.
In April, India had stepped up scrutiny of investments from companies based in neighbouring countries, in what is widely seen as a move to stave off takeovers by Chinese firms during the coronavirus outbreak.
The Indian government’s April 17 notification had said investments from an entity in a country that shares a land border with India will require government approval, meaning they can not go through a so-called automatic route.
The Economic Times report said that a panel of top government officials was discussing various options on easing rules for investment from neighbours and a decision is likely soon.
The commerce and industry ministry did not immediately reply to an email from Reuters seeking comment.
Tensions between India and China remain high with tens of thousands of troops deployed along the remote Himalayan border, even as the two countries are formulating a plan to end months of military standoff.
New Delhi, Nov 16,2020: Supreme Court Judge UU Lalit on Monday recused himself from hearing pleas seeking action against Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy over his “scandalising” remarks against the second senior-most judge of the Apex Court.
The Public Interest Litigations (PIL) came up before a Bench which also comprised Justices Vineet Saran and Ravindra Bhat, when Justice Lalit asserted, “As a lawyer, I had represented these parties in litigation. I cannot take up this matter. Let this matter be listed at the earliest before any other judge decided by the CJI.”
The Bench then recorded a short order, requesting Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde to list the case before an appropriate Bench.
The top court was to hear three petitions, jointly filed by advocates GS Mani, Pradeep Kumar Yadav and SK Singh, contended that Jagan Mohan Reddy is facing more than 20 criminal cases, including money laundering and corruption in the court which are very serious in nature.
The pleas also sought an explanation from Reddy for writing a letter to the CJI Bobde making “wild and reckless” allegations against Justice NV Ramana.
LIMA ,Nov 16,2020: Peru’s interim president, Manuel Merino, resigned on Sunday, leaving the country in limbo and without a leader after lawmakers demanded he step down following the deaths of two people in protests over the sudden ouster of his predecessor.
Merino had been in office for less than a week, after Peru’s Congress voted last Monday to remove Martin Vizcarra as president over bribery allegations, which he denies. Lawmakers met late on Sunday afternoon to determine who should be the country’s next president, or at least, how he or she might be chosen.
In a televised speech at midday, Merino, the former head of Congress who had led the push to impeach Vizcarra, asked his Cabinet to remain in place to assist in the transition. He said his resignation was “irrevocable” and called for “peace and unity.”
Peruvians poured onto the streets on Sunday afternoon to celebrate Merino’s departure, waving flags, chanting and banging pots. But the announcement nonetheless plunges Peru deeper into uncertainty and legal disarray as lawmakers now wrestle with who will take his place.
Thousands in Peru had staged some of the country’s largest protests in decades – mostly peaceful but increasingly marred by clashes – since Congress voted to remove Vizcarra as president.
Just minutes before Merino announced he would step down, Congress president Luis Valdez said all of the country’s political parties had agreed he should resign. If he declined, Valdez said, lawmakers would launch impeachment proceedings.
The latest political shakeup comes as Peru, the world’s No. 2 copper producer, battles the coronavirus pandemic and what is expected to be its worst economic contraction in a century.
A tense week collapsed into chaos late on Saturday, after mostly peaceful demonstrations grew more intense by nightfall. Two young protesters were killed in clashes, the public ombudsman said. Peru’s state medical program, EsSalud, confirmed in a statement two young men had died from gunshot wounds.
Peru’s National Human Rights coordinator said 112 people were injured, some after inhaling tear gas, and 41 were still missing. At least nine had suffered gunshot wounds, health officials said.
“Merino has resigned because his hands are stained with blood, with the blood of our children,” said Clarisa Gomez, celebrating Merino’s departure on the streets of Lima. She said lawmakers who had put him in power should also pay.
Protesters continued to celebrate as night fell across Lima, where a tense calm prevailed as Peruvians awaited a decision by Congress on who would be the next president.
Vizcarra, whose ouster prompted the crisis, called Merino a “dictator” installed by Congress and warned against allowing lawmakers to once again determine who would become Peru’s next leader.
“Should those who took these unconstitutional measures be the ones who bring us a solution?” he said to reporters outside his home following Merino’s resignation.
He asked instead that Peru’s Constitutional Court weigh in immediately on whether or not his own impeachment had been legal. The court shortly after announced it would move a hearing date to Monday from Wednesday this week to fast track arguments in the case.
“I am here to collaborate,” Vizcarra said.
The former president, a politically unaffiliated centrist who is popular with Peruvians, has yet to be found guilty of the corruption charges that led to his removal.
Gilgit-Baltistan, November 16,2020: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is in the lead in eight of the 24 constituencies of Gilgit-Baltistan province in the elections, according to unofficial results.
According to a report by Geo News, as of 3:30 am on Monday, the unofficial results showed Raja Muhammad Zakeria Khan winning the GBA-7, Skardu-I constituency with 5,288 votes, Syed Amjad Ali winning the GBA-11, Kharmang constituency with 6,612 votes, Shamsul Haq Lone winning the GBA-14, Astore-II constituency with 5,418 votes and Raja Azam Khan winning the GBA-12, Shigar constituency with 10,349 votes.
After PTI, the Independents are in the lead in six constituencies.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) is in the lead in five constituencies including victories in four constituencies, namely, by Jamil Ahmed in the GBA-2, Gilgit-II constituency with 6,848 votes; Muhammad Ismail in the GBA-24, Ghanche-III constituency with 6,204 votes; and Amjad Hussain in both the GBA-I, Gilgit-I constituency with 11,178 votes and GBA-4, Nagar-I constituency with 11,178 votes, Geo News reported.
It was further reported that the Pakistani Muslim League (Nawaz) (PML-N) is winning in two constituencies and Jamiat Ulema-e Islam (F) (JUI-F) is leading in one constituency.
Citing the unofficial results Geo News further reported Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen candidate winning the GBA-8, Skardu-II constituency with 7,842 votes.
The voting process in the region began at 8 am and continued until 5 pm without any interval on Sunday.
The elections were held amidst protest by people of Gilgit Baltistan against the Pakistan government’s “illegal occupation” in the region
On November 1, Pakistan Prime Minister Khan had announced granting of provisional-provincial status to Gilgit-Baltistan despite the ongoing protests against the Pakistan government over its decision to change the status of Gilgit-Baltistan.
Those living in Gilgit-Baltistan hit the streets and said that they will never accept Pakistan’s involvement in their region.
The Pakistan Peoples Party has demanded that candidates of the ruling PTI be disqualified from the election alleging rigging.
PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, who has been in the region for weeks and leading the party’s political campaign, said that the election commission must not fail the people and should ensure that “every vote is cast and counted”.
“The people’s enthusiasm is a testament to their commitment to democracy,” he said.
PPP secretary general Nayyar Bukhari demanded that candidates of the ruling PTI be disqualified from the election.
“The announcement of development projects during an election is a clear sign of rigging. The presence of government ministers in GB is tantamount to influencing the election,” he said in a statement, adding that PTI candidates from areas where projects have been announced should be disqualified.
“Efforts to influence the election are proving fears of rigging,” he said.
Geo News reported PPP Senator Sherry Rehman had also expressed her deep concern over the “deliberate restrictions on women’s voting” in the Gilgit Baltistan Election 2020, and voiced worry over alleged rigging at the polling stations.
Kabul [Afghanistan], November 16,2020: Over 150 Pakistan terrorists operating in Afghanistan were killed in operations conducted by the Afghan forces in Helmand and Kandahar province, the Interior Affairs Ministry said on Sunday.
In a press conference, the Interior Affairs Ministry’s spokesman Tariq Arian released a list of Taliban terrorists killed in recent clashes against Afghan forces, Tolo News reported
“At least 55 Taliban commanders have been killed in Helmand and Kandahar provinces in Afghan forces operations in response to their attacks,” Arain said.
“152 Pakistani fighters were killed in Helmand,” he added.
According to a report by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), around 6,500 Pakistan terrorists are operating in Afghanistan most of them belonging to the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
The 26th report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team concerning ISIS, al-Qaida and associated individuals and entities stated that the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a “large terrorist group present in Afghanistan”, has claimed responsibility for various high-profile attacks in Pakistan and has facilitated others by Jamaat-ul-Ahrar and Lahskhar-e-Islam, the report said.
It said that many former TTP militants have joined Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant – Khorasan (ISIL-K) and member states expect that the group and its various splinter groups will align themselves with ISIL-K.
Addis Ababa [Ethopia], November 16,2020: At least 34 people have been killed in a terror attack in Ethiopia on Saturday, according to the country’s Human Rights Commission (EHRC)
In a press statement sent to Xinhua, EHRC said an armed attack in Ethiopia’s western Benishangul-Gumuz regional state on Saturday left 34 people dead.
EHRC said that a passenger bus in Benishangul-Gumuz region on Saturday evening was ambushed by armed attackers, leaving 34 people dead.
The statement did not disclose the identity of the attackers and the possible motives for the attack.
Ethnic violence among members of various ethnic groups in Benishangul-Gumuz regional state in recent months has left hundreds dead and thousands of others displaced.
The clashes are mainly over access to power and land resources.
Nov 15.2020:Al-Qaeda’s second-in-command, indicted in the United States for the 1998 bombings of its embassies in Tanzania and Kenya, was secretly killed in Iran in August, The New York Times reported on Friday.
Abdullah Ahmed Abdullah, who was on the FBI’s list of most wanted terrorists, was shot and killed in Tehran by two Israeli operatives on a motorcycle at the behest of the United States, the newspaper said, citing confirmation from unnamed intelligence officials.
The attack, which took place on Aug 7 on the anniversary of the Africa bombings, has not been publicly acknowledged by the US, Iran, Israel or al-Qaeda.
Nov 15,2020: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will unveil the “Statue of Peace” in Rajasthan’s Pali district via video-conferencing on Monday to mark the 151st birth anniversary celebrations of Jain monk Acharya Shree Vijay Vallabh Surishwer Ji Maharaj.
The 151-inch-tall statue is made of “ashtadhatu” (eight metals with copper being the major constituent) and is being installed at the Vijay Vallabh Sadhana Kendra, Jetpura, in Rajasthan’s Pali, an official statement said.
The saint, who lived during 1870-1954, led an austere life, working selflessly and dedicatedly to spread the message of Lord Mahavira, it said.
He also worked relentlessly for the welfare of the masses, spread of education and eradication of social evils, wrote inspiring literature (poetry, essays, devotional hymns and stavans) and gave active support to the freedom movement and the cause of the swadeshi, the statement said.
With his inspiration, more than 50 educational institutions of eminence, including colleges, schools and study centres, are operational across several states, it added.