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5 child labourers rescued in Navi Mumbai

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childFive child labourers were rescued from eateries and other establishments in the Navi Mumbai township of Maharashtra, police said on Thursday.

Acting on a tip-off, the Navi Mumbai police conducted a raid on Wednesday on a tyre shop, three eateries and a grocery shop and rescued the children from there, a police release said.

The children are aged between 12 and 13 years. Two of them belong to Uttar Pradesh, while the others are natives of Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, the release said.

Five persons from these establishments were arrested and booked under the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, the police added.

 

 

Crop damage: NCP slams govt’s Rs 11 cr compensation to farmers

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farmares

The NCP on Thursday slammed the Maharashtra government over its Rs 11 crore compensation to farmers for crops damaged by unseasonal rains and hailstorm in April-May this year, suggesting the help was inadequate.

NCP chief national spokesperson Nawab Malik said the compensation declared underscored the government’s engagement in ‘jumlebazi’ (rhetoric), and termed the BJP-led dispensation as “anti-farmer”.

“The government has announced a compensation of Rs 11 crore only and this announcement is nothing but jumlebazi,” a statement quoted Malik as saying.

He accused the government of not giving complete farm loan waiver and not taking requisite steps to tackle the drought-like situation in the state.

“It is clear that this is an anti-farmer government,” Malik said.

He said that according to a Government Resolution dated December 18, monetary assistance of Rs 8,14,98,540 was announced to farmers whose crops and fruits were affected by unseasonal rains and hailstorm in 25 districts of the state in April this year.

Similarly, the government announced Rs 2,93,00,655 help to farmers whose produces were damaged by unseasonal rain and hailstorm in 13 districts in the month of May, he added.

Among those who stand benefited by the help include a farmer each from Nashik and Wardha, six from Hingoli and 10 each from some other districts, the former Maharashtra minister noted.

60-yr-old man gets 2 years rigorous imprisonment for molesting minor

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oldA 60-year-old man has been sentenced to two years of rigorous imprisonment by a court in Maharashtra’s Thane district for molesting a minor girl last year.

In an order passed on December 15, Thane district judge G P Shirsat convicted Laxmanprasad Mitthu Prasad, from Kopri in Navi Mumbai, and awarded the sentence. The court also slapped a fine of Rs 1,000 on him.

Public prosecutor Sanjay Londhe told the court that the incident had taken place at Kopri Talav Park, a public garden, in December last year.

A security guard at the park spotted the girl sitting on Prasad’s lap on a bench. He initially thought that she was his granddaughter. However, after some time, he saw the accused touching her inappropriately and molesting her, the prosecutor said.

When the guard approached them and enquired about the girl, Prasad became nervous. The victim told him that she was given Rs 10 by Prasad, who asked her to accompany him to the park, Londhe told the court.

A complaint was registered against Prasad, following which he was booked under the Indian Penal Code Section 354 — assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty — and Section 12 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Pak jailed Ansari returns to Mumbai home, wants to find job

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hamid ansari

Software engineer Hamid Nihal Ansari, who spent six years in a Pakistani jail on charges of espionage, returned to his hometown Mumbai on Thursday morning, two days after was handed over to India at the Wagah-Attari border.

Ansari, 33, along with his parents left from New Delhi in the morning in an Air India flight and arrived at the Mumbai airport around 9.30 am, his father Nihal Ansari said.

Relatives, friends and well-wishers greeted Ansari and cheered for him as he came out of the airport.

The family then left for their residence in suburban Versova.

Ansari said that he wanted to celebrate with his family post which he will find a job, marry and settle down.

Don’t trust anyone on Facebook, don’t lie to your parents and believe in your government— are the three lessons Ansari said he learnt from his six years in prison.

He had entered Pakistan in 2012 via Afghanistan to meet a girl who was in distress. Ansari befriended this girl online. He wanted a visa and people from Pakistan posed as friends in the pretext of helping him. They convinced Ansari to cross the border via Afghanistan and kept fake IDs and documents in his pocket. He was arrested before he could meet the girl.

Authorities in Pakistan slapped espionage charges against him.

According to official sources, India issued 96 notes verbales to Pakistan seeking consular access to Ansari. The decision to release him was taken on account of relentless pressure from New Delhi, they said.

Shortly before his arrival on Tuesday, his mother Fauzia Ansari had told reporters that the prayers of the family and of all those who wished for his safe return were answered.

His father had said it was a new dawn for them.

Ansari and his family have thanked External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her ministry for persisting with the case and taking it up with Islamabad.

Ansari had an emotional interaction with Swaraj on Wednesday as he narrated the difficult phase he had to endure through in Pakistan.

Upendra Kushwaha joins UPA

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upaDays after quitting the NDA, Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) chief Upendra Kushwaha joined the UPA on Thursday.

The announcement of Kushwaha joining the grand alliance of opposition parties in Bihar was made at a press conference at the AICC headquarters here in the presence of senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel, AICC state in-charge Shaktisinh Gohil, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav and opposition leader Sharad Yadav.

The former Union minister joined the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) after holding talks with the Congress leadership.

Kushwaha’s joining the UPA is likely to give a boost to the formation of a grand alliance in Bihar to counter the NDA combine of Bharatiya Janata Party-Janata Dal(U)-Lok Janshakti Party.

The Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal, former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi-led Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) are already part of the UPA in Bihar and are seeking to give a fight to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

The saffron alliance had swept the Lok Sabha elections in 2014, winning 31 of the state’s 40 seats.

CPI(M) bats for loan waiver to J&K farmers, orchardists

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The CPI(M) on Thursday welcomed the waiving off loans of farmers in different states and advocated for loan waiver to farmers and orchardists in Jammu and Kashmir.

“In the last couple of days, governments in various states have waived off loans to farmers which was a long-pending demand. It is a welcome step,” senior CPI(M) leader and former MLA M Y Tarigami said in a statement.

“Similar demands were made in Jammu and Kashmir where small farmers and fruit growers suffered huge losses due to early snowfall on November 3. The early snowfall this season wreaked havoc on orchards in Kashmir, especially in the southern districts causing huge losses to the growers,” he said.

The CPI(M) leader said he had recently written to Governor Satya Pal Malik on the alarming situation.

“Unfortunately, the demand of loan waiver in Kashmir has not been fulfilled. It is high time one-time waiver of Kisan Credit Card (KCC) loans is provided to small farmers and orchardists whose harvest was damaged by the snowfall. It will benefit lakhs of families who are directly or indirectly under tremendous pressure from banks,” he said.

Tarigami argued the one-time KCC loan waiver can be considered as one of the components of the relief and rehabilitation plan that can give a sigh of relief to the farming community.

“Horticulture is the backbone of state’s economy and the heavy snowfall has dealt a blow to it. Under prevailing circumstances, it is an obligation for the government to come to the support and succour of farmers and orchardists,” he said.

“We demand loan waiver on specified amount of KCC in favour of those farmers and agriculturists who are not in a position to purchase fertilisers and pesticides for their farms and orchards,” he said.

The Left leader said that there was also a need for introduction and implementation of Crop Insurance Scheme (CIS) as it can save the fruit growers and agriculturists in the event of losses suffered due to natural calamities.

Tourism to further improve Bangladesh-Assam ties: Minister

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assam 1Tourism can play a pivotal role in further improving ties with Bangladesh and Assam will roll out the red carpet to welcome visitors from the neighbouring country, Assam Tourism Minister Chandan Brahma has said.

Tour operators can come to the state to explore the possibilities and all arrangements will be made by the state government, Brahma said.

“People of Assam and Bangladesh have ties that date back to long ago and we are keen to increase people to people and cultural interaction between the duo,” he added.

The minister was addressing a gathering on the occasion of Bangladesh Victory Day Festival, organised here by the Assistant High Commission office on Wednesday night.

The proposed opening of the Chittagong port for trade and direct flights between Guwahati and Dhaka will also lead to increase in volume of trade from the North East not only to the neighbouring country but also to other South East Asian countries, the minister added.

Bangladesh Assistant High Commissioner in Guwahati Dr Shah Mohammad Tanvir Monsur also highlighted the possibilities increased collaboration between his country and Assam in the areas of trade, commerce, education, medical tourism, art, literature and culture.

He also announced that, for the first time, 10 publishing houses from Bangladesh will participate in the Guwahati Book Fair scheduled to begin from December 22.

Monsur offered his tributes to the freedom fighters along with extending deep gratitude to the supporters of the liberation war, particularly those Indian soldiers who sacrificed their lives to make Bangladesh free from the occupation force.

HC dismisses plea for namaz at Ayodhya disputed site, fines petitioner Rs 5 lakh

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masjidThe Allahabad High Court Thursday rejected a petition seeking permission to offer ‘namaz’ at the disputed site in Ayodhya while imposing a fine of Rs 5 lakh on the petitioner saying the appeal was filed for “cheap publicity”.

Justices DK Arora and Alok Mathur of the Lucknow bench of the high court passed the order on the petition of Al-Rahman Trust, which had requested the court to give permission to offer namaz at the dipsuted site.

The court termed the petition as an attempt to gain “cheap publicity” and imposed a fine of Rs 5 lakh on the petitioner.

The court directed District Magistrate Faizabad to realise the fine amount if it is not deposited by the Trust.

Lok sabha passes two bills on 7th day of winter session

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indian parliament

The Lok Sabha on Thursday managed to pass two bills before adjourning for the day amid protests by Opposition parties including Congress and TDP on various issues.

Amid the uproar, the two bills which were passed were – the Consumer Protection Bill, 2018 and the National Trust for Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities (Amendment) Bill, 2018.

Earlier the proceedings were adjourned amid sparring between members from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka over the issue of proposal to build a dam on the Cauvery River.

While members from Congress were demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the Rafale deal, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka entered the well holding placards over the Cauvery issue.

TDP MPs demanded special category status for Andhra Pradesh and setting up of a steel plant in the state.

Earlier when Rajya Sabha met on Thursday, the proceedings barely lasted for 10 minutes, with Mahajan adjourning the House till noon.

Thursday was the seventh working day of the Winter session which saw disruptions and adjournments over the Rafale jet seal, special status for Andhra Pradesh and protests over the proposed construction of a dam on the Cauvery river.

Both Houses had been adjourned on the first day of the session on December 11 after paying obituary references to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and some sitting members.

Since December 12, proceedings have been marred amid the din.

 

Kardashian-Jenner Sisters shutting down their apps for fresh start

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sisThe Kardashian-Jenner family is all set to bid farewell to their official apps and are looking forward to a fresh start in the New Year.

The famous siblings Kim Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian, Kourtney Kardashian and Kylie Jenner have announced that they will discontinue each of their apps in 2019, reported an online portal.

“We’ve had an incredible experience connecting with all of you through our apps these past few years but have made the difficult decision to no longer continue updating in 2019. We truly hope you’ve enjoyed this journey as much as we have, and we look forward to what’s ahead,” they wrote in a statement.

This means that the American television stars will be no longer sharing photos, videos, or recipes on their apps in 2019.

Taking to her app, Kim wrote, “We’ve had an incredible experience connecting with all of you through our apps these past few years but have made the difficult decision to no longer continue updating in 2019.”

According to a report by a portal, the family launched their apps back in 2015, with a focus on connecting with their fans on a more intimate level.

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