No alliance with Cong, AAP to contest all seats in Delhi, Punjab and Haryana

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January 18, 2019

The AAP on Friday said that it will not go for an alliance with the Congress in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, accusing the Grand Old Party of being “arrogant”, and added that it will field candidates on all the parliamentary constituencies of Delhi, Punjab and Haryana.

Senior AAP leader and the party’s Delhi unit convener Gopal Rai said the decision came in the wake of the recent statements of Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and Delhi Congress chief Sheila Dikshit, opposing an alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

“In the interest of the country, we were ready to drink the poison of the Congress, but the statements show that the Congress is still seeped in its arrogance. The AAP will contest all the Lok Sabha seats in the three states on its own,” Rai said.

He added that the names of the candidates for the Lok Sabha polls will soon be announced by the party.

Reliance with new plans, to invest Rs 3 lakh cr in Gujarat in next 10 years: Ambani

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January 18, 2019

India’s richest person Mukesh Ambani on Friday committed to invest Rs 3 lakh crore in various projects in the next 10 years in Gujarat that may range from energy and petrochemical to new technology and digital business.

Ambani’s Reliance Industries operates the world’s largest oil refining complex at Jamnagar in Gujarat as well as petrochemical units at multiple locations in the state.

“Gujarat is Reliance’s Janmabhoomi (birthplace) as well as its Karmabhoomi (workplace). Gujarat has always been – and will always remain – our first choice,” he said at the 9th Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit here.

Reliance Industries has also invested billions of dollars in the roll out of telecom venture, Jio.

“We have so far invested nearly Rs 3 lakh crores in the state of Gujarat. And created and catalyzed over one million livelihood opportunities in Gujarat. In comparison to the past decades, Reliance will double this investment and employment numbers over the next ten years,” he said.

Ambani said, while Jio’s network is now fully 5G ready, the telecom arm and the retail division will launch a new commerce platform to connect small retailers and shopkeepers with customers.

The twin oil refineries at Jamnagar will produce more value-added products like petrochemicals and less of fuel as the world moves towards electric vehicles.

He, however, did not say when Jio, that started operations in 2016, will launch 5G services.

“Today, Gujarat is the showcase for Jio’s 4G wireless broadband network… And Jio’s network is fully 5G ready; which means Gujarat will continue to remain on the forefront of digital connectivity for years to come,” he noted.

Without giving timelines, he said Jio and Reliance Retail, which has over 9,000 stores across the country, will launch “a unique new commerce platform to empower and enrich our 12 lakh small retailers and shopkeepers in Gujarat which are part of over 3 crore community in India.”

Ambani had previously spoken of leveraging the Jio network for launching some sort of e-commerce venture.

“As the world moves towards electrical vehicles, Reliance will use hydrocarbons less for fuel and more for producing high-value new materials with a wide range of uses in society,” he said adding the oil to chemicals strategy will greatly boost exports and create employment.

Also, Reliance Foundation will invest Rs 150 crore to make Pandit Deendayal University in Gujarat even stronger and an institution of international repute, he said.

Rafale deal: Prithviraj Chavan attacks Centre’s ‘urgency’ defence

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January 18, 2019

Senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan on Friday termed the Centre’s “urgency” argument regarding the purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets, instead of an earlier agreed number of 126, as “ludicrous”.

He also questioned the Narendra Modi government on why the entire order of 126 fighter aircraft was not given to Dassault (manufacturers of the Rafale jet) itself.

“According to Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the first Rafale will come to India only by the end of 2019, or four years and eight monnths after PM Modi’s announcement in Paris on April 10, 2015. Egypt got its first batch of Rafales delivered in six months. Why not India,” Chavan asked in a tweet.

Posting the time line of the Egypt-France Rafale deal, Chavan said the deal was signed in Cairo for 24 Rafale jets on February 16, 2015.

The first batch of three Rafales was delivered on July 21, 2015, the second batch of three jets came in January 2016, another three in the 3rd batch came on April 4, 2017, fourth batch of two jets was delivered on July 27, 2017 while another three came in the 5th batch on November 28, 2017, he tweeted.

Chavan, a former MoS in the PMO and former Maharashtra chief minister, asked if the Indian Air Force needed 126 aircraft, why was the number reduced to 36.

“Did the then IAF chief object? If according to Arun Jaitley, the cost of one jet was nine per cent less, why wasn’t the entire order of 126 jets given to Dassault alone,” Chavan asked.

Describing the defence minister’s statement about “urgency” as ludicrous, Chavan said even after four years and eight months, India is yet to get the first delivery of Rafale jet.

He said Egypt, which signed the deal in February 2015, has already got 14 of its 24 Rafale jet deal over two years.

‘The Kominsky Method’ season two to start soon: Netflix

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January 18, 2019

Netflix has renewed its Golden Globe-winning series “The Kominsky Method” for season two. The announcement was made by Netflix’s dedicated news handle See what’s Next on Twitter.

@goldenglobes winning comedy #TheKominskyMethod has been renewed for Season 2! read the tweet.

The show, featuring veteran actors Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin in the lead, follows two friends tackling life’s inevitable curveballs as they navigate their later years in Los Angeles, a city that values youth and beauty. The season two will also mark the return of Sarah Baker and Nancy Travis.

“The Kominsky Method” has been created by Chuck Lorre, the man behind several popular sitcoms such as “Roseanne”, “Two and a Half Men” and “The Big Bang Theory, among others.

At the recently concluded Golden Globe Awards, the show won the Best Television Series Musical or Comedy, while Douglas took home the trophy for Best Actor in a Television Series Musical or Comedy.

Production on season two is expected to start soon.

A whistleblower alleges Sun Pharma for various irregularities

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January 18, 2019

(COMPANY)

Shares of Sun Pharma came under massive selling on Friday, tumbling over 13 per cent, amid reports of fresh allegations by a whistleblower against the company. The scrip after a weak opening further tumbled 12.11 per cent to hit a multi-year low of Rs 375.40 on BSE. At NSE, shares of the company plummeted 13.21 per cent to hit a low of Rs 370.20.

The stock was the worst hit among the blue chips on both the key indices during the morning trading session. In terms of equity volume, 38.20 lakh shares of the company were traded on BSE and over 4 crore shares changed hands at NSE during the day.

According to reports, the complaint, sent to the capital market regulator SEBI, is the second in over a month. Meanwhile, the BSE has sought clarification from Sun Pharmaceutical Industries on January 18, 2019, with reference to news that Sun Pharma plummets over buzz of fresh whistleblower complaint.

A whistleblower had in November last year approached Sebi with a document alleging various irregularities by the company, its promoter and others.

SBSP threatens to break alliance from the BJP in 2019 general election

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January 18, 2019

Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party leader Om Prakash Rajbhar, a BJP ally and Uttar Pradesh minister, has threatened to go it alone in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections if the party’s demand for earmarking a part of the 27-per cent OBC quota for most backward castes is not met.

Speaking to reporters here on Friday, Rajbhar said that, as of now we are in the NDA (National Democratic Alliance), but the BJP has to decide whether we will remain with them or not. If the BJP does not give shape to our demand by February 24, we will take a decision on the tie-up during a party programme in Varanasi and announce the decision on contesting on all the 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh the next day.

The SBSP, which enjoys considerable support among the Rajbhar community, is part of the BJP-led coalition government in Uttar Pradesh. The party has been demanding that a part of the Other Backward Castes (OBC) quota in government jobs and higher educational institutions be earmarked for most backward castes and maha dalits so that they can avail its benefits more. According to the party, benefits under the reservation policy are at present largely cornered by the relatively upper castes.

The BJP promised that there would be a split in the 27-per cent quota for OBC and that it would be implemented six months before the polls. Now barely 100 days are left for the polls, we have given an ultimatum to the BJP that if the announcement is not made in the next 100 days through a cabinet decision then we will part ways and contest Lok Sabha elections on our own, he said.

Rahul Gandhi to skip Mamata’s mega oppositon rally; extends his support

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January 18, 2019

Congress president Rahul Gandhi is likely to skip Mamata’s rally and the Congress has deputed its leader in the Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, to represent the Grand Old Party at the event. However, Gandhi extended his support to Mamata Banerjee on Friday for her “show of unity” in Kolkata on January 19 and hoped that it would send a powerful message of a united India.

In a letter to Banerjee, the Congress chief commended the “great people” of Bengal, who had “historically been at the forefront of defending our ideals”.

“I extend my support to Mamata Di on this show of unity and hope that we send a powerful message of a united India together,” Gandhi wrote in the letter.

In a Facebook post, he said, “The entire opposition is united in our belief that true nationalism and development can only be defended on the tested pillars of democracy, social justice and secularism, ideas that the BJP and Mr Modi are intent on destroying.”

In his letter to Banerjee as well as in the post on the social media platform, Gandhi said there were powerful forces that were fanned by the anger and disappointment of millions of Indians, who had seen through the “false promises and lies peddled by the Modi government”.

“These forces are moved by the hope of a new tomorrow; a tomorrow filled with the idea of an India in which the voice of every man, woman and child will be heard and respected no matter what their religion, economic status or region is,” he said.

A host of Opposition leaders are likely to attend the Trinamool Congress supremo’s rally in Kolkata on Saturday, which is being projected as her “show of opposition strength” ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

Australia Open: Sharapova reaches fourth round; upsets defending champion Caroline

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January 18, 2019

Five-time Grand Slam winner Maria Sharapova upset defending champion Caroline Wozniacki to reach the Australian Open fourth round on Friday after an epic three-set match.

The Russian, who is seeded 30 at Melbourne Park, bundled Denmark’s world number three out of the tournament 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 to claim her biggest scalp since returning from a drugs ban in 2017.

Sharapova’s win sets up a last 16 clash with in-form Australian hope Ash Barty for the 31-year-old, who won the tile at Melbourne Park in 2008 and has reached the final a further three times.

“I knew I was going to get a really tough match as she’s the defending champion of this event and it’s no secret she loves this arena,” she said after shocking Wozniacki.

“I haven’t played many matches in the last year, especially against top players and these are the ones I train for, so it’s really rewarding to win.”

There were dramatic momentum shifts in the battle between the two former world number ones, but the decisive period came when Sharapova stormed back from 4-1 down to go on a five-game winning streak and take the first set.

After Wozniacki came back she then broke the Dane late in the third set, screaming “come on” after gaining the advantage.

Sharapova won her last Grand Slam at Roland Garros in 2014 and has struggled to rejoin the game’s elite since completing a 15-month ban for failing a drugs test.

Dense fog disrupts flight at Delhi Airports

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January 18, 2019

(DELHI, FEATURE)

Dense fog enveloped several parts of Delhi on Friday morning, leading to disruption of flight operations at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport. Departures were largely put on hold at the airport between 5.30 am and 10.20 am due to dense fog. Arrivals were happening only intermittently between 6 am and 7.20 am. Five flights were diverted between 5.30 am and 10.20 am from the Delhi airport. One of the flights was coming from Singapore and it was diverted to Kolkata, an official said.

Very few aircraft are departing and that too on the basis of their size, visibility and ATC (air traffic control) clearance for taking off. At Delhi, the minimum runway visibility required for takeoff is 125 metres. The Delhi airport was facing low visibility conditions since 4 am due to dense fog. The visibility significantly improved between 9.20 am and 10.20 am. This allowed us to resume departures properly from 10.20 am onward, the airport official said.

Vistara Airlines tweeted at 8.23 am, Due to dense fog and poor visibility in Delhi; delays are expected for both arrivals and departures with likely consequential impact on flights across the network. Currently, flight departures from Delhi are on hold and will resume by 0930 hrs subject to weather clearance.

Jet Airways also tweeted at 6.33 am that some of its flights had been affected due to dense fog at Delhi and Bengaluru airports.

Modi govt buy 36 Rafale instead of 126: Chidambaram

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January 18, 2019

(NATION, FEATURE)
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Friday accused that the government of compromising national security and asked why did it buy only 36 Rafale fighter jets instead of the 126 required by the Air Force.
His comments come in the wake of fresh revelations on the Rafale deal in a media report which claimed that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to buy 36 aircraft instead of the 126 asked for by the Indian Air Force pushed the price of each jet up by 41.42 per cent.
In the light of new facts and revelations in THE HINDU, the question gains greater urgency: why did the government buy only 36 Rafale aircraft instead of 126 aircraft required by the Air Force? The Government has compromised national security by denying to the Air Force the 7 squadrons (126 aircraft) that it desperately needs, he said.
Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia also took to twitter to demand answers from Modi on the increased cost of aircraft.
The PM’s unilateral decision to buy 36 Rafales resulted in a price escalation of 41.42% per jet. When will the prime minister answer? he asked.