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China sends military singer to disputed S China Sea island

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BEIJING: China has dispatched a well-known military singer to entertain construction workers and military personnel deployed on man-made islands in a disputed area of the South China Sea, showing off new assertiveness in a region riddled with territorial claims and counter-claims.

It also announced on Wednesday that several of its warships have embarked on a naval drill that will be carried out in the SCS, the east Indian Ocean and the West Pacific.

State media published photographs of Song Zuying, a f amous sing er of patriotic songs, performing while dressed in traditional finery on the man-made islands along the Nansha (Spratly) islands.

Skits and magic shows were also on the entertainment menu besides songs, reports said.

The photographs revealed the extent of construction that China has carried out in the region.

“Photos of the performances that spread across state media on Wednesday offered a rare glimpse of the extensive work China has been carrying out in the area, showing lighthouses, harbours and buildings all built atop coral reefs covered in sand and concrete,” a report by the Associated Press said.

“In the background…can be seen one of the navy’s massive Type 071 amphibious dock ships capable of carrying four helicopters and as many as 800 troops,” it said.

“Several of the photos were accompanied by captions, saying they had been taken Tuesday on Cuarteron Reef that is also claimed by the Philippines,” the report added.

Besides the Philippines, China is embroiled in disputes in the region with Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.

The photos and news of the performance came as China announced that it would carry out fresh naval drills in the South China Sea.

ESM files PIL against Bihar’s total liquor ban

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A PIL has been filed in Patna HC against the Bihar government’s decision of imposing a total ban on liquor sale and consumption in the state. The PIL has been filed by ex-serviceman AN Singh, who stated that “being a retired Indian Air Force personnel, I am entitled to my quota of liquor every month from the CSD canteen.”

CJI breaks down into tears due to lack of Judges … wants to deliver quick justice…

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CJI breaks down into tears due to lack of Judges …
wants to deliver quick justice…

JUDICIARY me nafri kam hone aur Bhayankar pendency ke bawazood bhi
………😪😓😥😢

SUMMER vacation 45 days aur WINTER vacation 30 days
aur DRUGA Puja vacation 20 days aur DIWALI/CHHATT vacation 10 days ;; In addn
Saturday/ Sunday vacation 104 days aur anya chutti 20 days aur upar se….
CL 12 days & EL 30 days….

Total kewal 297 Days ki hi leave lete hain hum…..
Baki bache hue Saal mein  68 days AIR CONDITIONED COURT mein  kadi mehnat kar DESH SEWA dete hai. 😂😝😜😂😝

Jai ho!! Great Indian Judiciary

OROP gets ex-post facto Cabinet nod

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Under the scheme, pension would be revised on the basis of the pension of retirees of calendar year 2013.
Last month, the government had announced that it has credited revised pensionary benefits along with arrears under One Rank-One Pension scheme to more than 2 lakh pensioners drawing service and disability pensions. (Photo: PTI)

 Last month, the government had announced that it has credited revised pensionary benefits along with arrears under One Rank-One Pension scheme to more than 2 lakh pensioners drawing service and disability pensions. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: The One Rank-One Pension scheme, brought in last November to benefit more than 2.5 million ex- servicemen and war widows, on Wednesday received ex-post facto approval from the Union Cabinet.

Under the scheme, pension would be revised on the basis of the pension of retirees of calendar year 2013 and the benefit will be effective from July 1, 2014. In future, the pension would be revised every five years.

“The Union Cabinet has given its ex-post facto approval for implementation of OROP. Financial implications on account of grant of OROP, including pre-matured retiree cases, would be Rs 10,925.11 crore for payment of arrears and annual financial implication would be Rs 7,488.7 crore,” a statement here said.

Information is being gathered for processing on priority basis the cases of 1.15 lakh pensioners after filling in the gaps in information such as the length of service, it said.

Last month, the government had announced that it has credited revised pensionary benefits along with arrears under One Rank-One Pension scheme to more than 2 lakh pensioners drawing service and disability pensions.

Italy papers reveal dalals’ links to netas, military brass

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New Delhi
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
The judgment of the Milan Court of Appeals in the VVIP chopper deal reveals a big nexus of middlemen and so-called defence consultants who had easy access to politicians, bureaucrats and military brass in India and Italy.The order also shows that middlemen dropped names of politicians on both sides, suggesting influence up to the top, and their conviction that the right connections were essential in landing the deal.

The judgment lists taped conversations, handwritten notes by accused and statements to Italian prosecutors of European middlemen Christian Michel, Guido Haschke and Peter Hullet, the then India head of AgustaWestland. One handwritten note in particular provides an estimate of expenditure in paying In dian officials for swinging the Rs 3,600 crore deal in favour of AgustaWestland.

The handwritten note of Michel, using abbreviations for names of Indian officials and designations, says the IAF was allotted 6 million euros and the bureaucracy, including defence ministry officials, were to be allotted 8.4 million euros. The note differentiates the designation of bureaucrats like DG (acquisitions), defence secretary (DS) and joint secretary (JS). Among others whom Michel spoke of in terms of making payments for a `share’ of kickbacks include a category called `POL’ (politicians) -where 3 million euros were earmarked for a person identified as `AP’, while 15-16 million euros were shown against `FAM’ (allegedly family of a top IAF officer).

The judgment also lists a conversation where Michel discusses Congress mem bers. “As Mrs Gandhi is the driving force behind the VIP, she will not fly any more in the Mi-8 (the Russian-origin helicopters the President, PM and other VVIPs currently use),“ says the note. It identifies her “key advisers“ as “Manmohan Singh, Ahmed Patel, Pranab Mukherjee, M Veerappa Moily, Oscar Fernandes, M K Narayanan and Vinay Singh“.

Even though the trial didn’t deal with corruption charge against IAF ex-chief S P Tyagi, it observed that his specific act of allegedly favouring AgustaWestland is contrary to his duty and constituted “wrongfulness of his conduct“ for cooperating with the company. The judgment listed details of meetings and conversations between AgustaWestland officials and Tyagi on several occasions, as produced by Italian prosecutors.

Sharif forms probe panel

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Islamabad, April 5

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today formed a high-level judicial commission to probe any financial wrongdoing, a day after three of his children were named in the ‘Panama Papers’ for owning offshore companies prompting demands for an inquiry by the Opposition.Addressing the nation, Sharif announced formation of the panel to probe allegations against him and his family. “I announce to form a judicial commission that will be led by a former judge of the SC. It will weigh the allegations being levelled and will give its verdict after due investigation,” he said. The PM gave a detailed background of the businesses controlled by his family that he said were established years before Pakistan was founded. — PTI

Obama tells India and Pak to reduce N-threat

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NUCLEAR SUMMIT Says their military doctrines shouldn’t move in ‘wrong direction’

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama has flagged the Indian subcontinent as a challenge in the context of global nuclear security, saying India and Pakistan must ensure their military doctrines do not move in the “wrong direction”.

PTIPM Narendra Modi with Riyadh governor Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz on his arrival in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.Obama made the remarks during a news conference held after the fourth and final Nuclear Security Summit hosted by him. He also listed the reduction of the nuclear arsenals of the United States and Russia, and North Korea’s atomic programme as other key challenges.

“The other area where I think we need to see progress is Pakistan and India, that subcontinent, making sure that as they develop military doctrines, that they are not continually moving in the wrong direction,” he told the news conference at the end of the two-day summit.

T hough Obama did not spell out his concer ns, his remarks appeared to be a reference to the growing atomic arsenals of India and Pakistan and the nuclear doctrines of the two countries.

Pakistan is believed to have the world’s fastest growing stockpile of nuclear weapons and US secretary of state John Kerry recently cited the example of the United States and Russia — which are working to reduce their arsenals — as he nudged Islamabad to cut the number of weapons and review its nuclear policy.

While India adopted a “no first use” policy soon after its nuclear blasts in 1998, Pakistan has not put in place a similar policy.

The world community has also expressed concern about Pakistan’s new policy of developing tactical or battlefield nuclear weapons to counter any possible military thrust by Indian forces. Obama said “one of the challenges” facing the US and Russia is that it is “very difficult to see huge reductions in our nuclear arsenal” unless both countries, as the largest possessors of nuclear weapons, are “prepared to lead the way”. Referring to the tensions arising from North Korea’s recent nuclear and missile tests, he said, “And we have to take a look at the Korean peninsula, because… North Korea is in a whole different category and poses the most immediate set of concerns for all of us, one that we are working internationally to focus on.”

Concerns about North Korea had figured in his trilateral meeting with the leaders of Japan and Korea and were “a major topic of discussion” with China’s President Xi Jinping, he added.

More needs to be done to prevent non-state actors from obtaining nuclear materials, world leaders said in a communiqué after the summit. The meet, attended by more than 50 world leaders, described the threat of nuclear and radiological terrorism as “one of the greatest challenges to international security”. The threat is “constantly evolving”, the communiqué said.

“We commit to fostering a peaceful and stable international environment by reducing the threat of nuclear terrorism and strengthening nuclear security,” it added. Obama also warned that terrorist groups such as al Qaeda and Islamic State will use nuclear weapons if they get hold of them.

Prez lauds Manipuris’ tolerance, pluralism

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Prez lauds Manipuris’ tolerance, pluralism
President Pranab Mukherjee pays homage at the Khongjom War Memorial in Thoubal district on Saturday. PTI

Imphal, April 23

President Pranab Mukherjee today praised the people of Manipur for their broad tolerance, pluralism and acceptance of universalism.“Truly, it (Manipur) is Jewel of India. It is not only for its rich culture variety or pristine beauty, for its brave men and women, but for its broad tolerance, pluralism, celebration of pluralism and acceptance of universalism,”he said.The President was here to participate in ‘Khongjom Day Observation’, observed every year to pay tribute to the brave sons of the state who made supreme sacrifice for the cause of their motherland.He also inaugurated Khongjom War Memorial and laid wreath there. Manipur is the place which is not only known for its blue hills and pristine beauty but for the endurance, tolerance and determination, he said. In the function, Mukherjee offered tributes to the fierce patriots from the state who fought the last battle of the Anglo-Manipuri War of 1891. “I join you in paying homage to the great sons and daughters of Manipur. They gave their today for our tomorrow,” he said. — PTI