Mac users could be at risk, WikiLeaks finds more hacking tools

Very recently revealed another set of hacking tools which has been used by the CIA to hack into systems powered by and .

The by WikiLeaks has indicated that 's hacking tools were part of a project called "Imperial" which consisted of 3 different solutions which were supposed to help the agency infiltrate into non-Windows computers and either get control of the devices in the background or steal information from systems without the users noticing it.

Firstly, it was Achilles, a dedicated solution which the CIA had used to integrate Trojan apps into legitimate DMG files which Apple customers have used to install apps on their computers.

The binding tools were created with Bash, WikiLeaks has explained. The tools were capable of removing all traces once the Trojan was deployed on the system, leaving the compromised DMG file entirely clean. This meant that antivirus solutions which were installed after the system was compromised were unable to detect anything wrong with the DMG file. This meant it became pretty impossible to track down how the system was infected.

According to the leaked documents, Achilles was created by the CIA in 2011 and was specifically aimed at Apple Mac OS X Snow Leopard (version 10.6). The second Mac OS X hacking tool is called SeaPea. This tool assisted the CIA in stealing files and information from users without them noticing it was gone.

SeaPea required root access to the device and there is a good chance that the CIA operators used it together with a different malware that could help them get administrator privileges.

So again the hacking tool was created for Mac OS X Snow Leopard (version 10.6), but this time Mac OS X Lion (version 10.7) was also targeted.

And finally, it's the third hacking tool that's called Aeris and which is aimed at portable Linux operating systems, including Debian, CentOS, and Red Hat, but also at FreeBSD and Solaris.

WikiLeaks has stated that Aeris allowed for complex impacts on the targeted systems, as it supported "automated file exfiltration, configurable beacon interval and jitter, stand-alone and Collide-based HTTPS LP support and SMTP protocol support - all with TLS encrypted communications with mutual authentication."

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Modi gives 'Quit India' call for communalism, casteism and corruption

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given 'Quit India' call for communalism, casteism, corruption, terrorism, poverty, and filth, exhorting people to join him with "utmost strength" in expelling these problems from the country to make "a new India" by 2022.

During his monthly 'Mann Ki Baat' radio program on Sunday, he described August as the 'month of revolution.'

While the non-cooperation movement against Britishers was launched on the August 1, 1920, the Quit India Movement, also known as 'Agast Kranti,' began on August 9, 1942, and India got freedom from the British rule on August 15, 1947.

"We must make 2017 our 'Year of Resolve'. In this month of August, we have to come together and resolve: Filth - Quit India; Poverty - Quit India; Corruption - Quit India; Terrorism - Quit India; Casteism - Quit India; Communalism - Quit India," he said.

He appealed to the people to work with the similar resolve as the people of the country showed for five years from the roll out of Quit India Movement by Mahatma Gandhi.

"The need for today is not 'Do or Die', instead it is to resolve, to come together, persevere, and work relentlessly with our utmost strength towards the making of a new India. Let us live by and strive for this resolve," he said.

This year's Independence Day should be celebrated as one of resolve, to end the problems in the next five years, he said.

"I remind you once again of 'Agast Kranti', of 9th August, I remind you once again of 15th August. And I am reminding you once again of 2022, 75 years of India's Independence. Every countryman should make a resolve, every countryman should prepare a 5-year roadmap to realize that resolve, " he added.

Urging people to share their ideas for his Independence Day speech, the Prime Minister said he would try to deliver a shorter speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort on this Independence Day.

"For the previous three 15th August speeches, one consistent complaint has been that my speeches tend to be a little lengthy. I have planned to keep my speech short this time, not more than 40-45-50 minutes. I have tried to draw these rules for myself, but I don't know whether I'll be able to stick to them. But, I do intend to try this time to shorten my speech." he said.

While talking about India's freedom struggle, he said many of the people would not know that it was Yusuf Meher Ali who had coined the slogan 'Quit India.'Prime Minister announced the holding of a 'Quit India Quiz' from August 8.

"A Quit India Quiz is also being launched for my young friends on NarendraModiApp. This quiz is an attempt to familiarize the youth with India's glorious history and the heroes of the freedom movement," he said.

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'Fatwa' issued against Muslim minister in Bihar for chanting 'Jai Shri Ram'

A Muslim cleric on Sunday issued a "fatwa" against newly appointed Bihar minister and Janata Dal (United) leader Khurshid alias Firoz Ahmad for chanting Jai Shri Ram, saying his marriage would be terminated for his "mistake".

An MLA from Sikta in West Champaran, Ahmad shouted the slogan, normally associated with BJP supporters, outside the Bihar assembly on Friday after chief minister Nitish Kumar won the trust vote he faced after breaking ties with the RJD-Congress alliance and joining hands with the BJP.

The fatwa, or a decree, against the only Muslim minister in Kumar's new cabinet was issued by Mufti Sohail Quasmi of Imarat Shariah, which describes itself as a socio-religious organisation active in Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha.

"Islam teaches respect for all religions. If by saying Jai Shri Ram I can do some good for the Muslims, why is there such a hue and cry," Ahmad, who has been given charge of minority welfare and sugarcane industries, told mediapersons.

He would not be cowed down by such threats, he said.

The minister later apologised for his statement, while talking to a TV channel.

"The CM told me if anybody felt hurt by my statement, I should apologise. My intention was not to hurt anyone. I have come to serve the people. My statement was distorted," he told the channel after coming out of a review meeting of the minority welfare department with chief minister Nitish Kumar.

However, his phone was switched off when HT tried to contact him

Upset over the slogan hailing Hindu god Ram, Quasmi said Ahmad's marriage would be terminated and he would have to perform the nikah again after accepting his "mistake".

Imarat Shariah general secretary Anisurrehman said the organisation had not issued a fatwa but it could be a personal opinion of Quasmi.

"I have not talked to him. I will try to find out what made him speak like this," he said.

HT tried to reach Quasmi for comments but his phone was switched off.

"A Muslim is honest to his conscience. What wrong have I done? I have not divorced my wife. I don't know how the fatwa was issued and for what," said the minister.

The BJP came out in his defence. "Any fatwa on such issues is against the spirit and rich tradition of India, which has always epitomised diversity and respect for each other's religion," Bihar BJP spokesman Azfar Shamshi said.

Ahmad had taken forward the Indian tradition while the fatwa was against it. "The days are gone when Muslims were waylaid on sentimental issues. Now, they want solutions to their core issues," he said.

Maryada Purushottam Ram was known as Imam-e-Hind (an ideal person), he said, adding Indonesia, which has the world's highest number of Muslims, had named its national carrier named Garuda while several building were named Ramayan.

In Hindu mythology, Garuda is the mount of Lord Vishnu. Ram is an incarnation of Vishnu.

"It is the spirit of Ram that is important and there is no need to fan sentiments," Shamshi said.

India has always been as a country of Ram and Raheem and there should not be any effort to create a divide, JD-U spokesman Neeraj Kumar said.

"Gandhi ji talked of Ram and Raheem in the same breath. Former president APJ Abdul Kalam observed both Ramazan and Navratra. Ahmad has just reflected the 'Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb of the country," he said.

As part of the so-called grand alliance, Nitish Kumar had worked hard to woo the Muslim community and his decision to join hands with the BJP is unlikely to go down well it.

His decision to go with the RJD and the Congress to oppose the "communal agenda" of the BJP saw the minority community support him in 2015 state election. Kumar had betrayed people of Bihar and joined hands with communal forces, his former allies have said.

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Amit Shah concludes 3-day Rajasthan visit, has lunch at Dalit family's house

Jaipur: BJP president Amit Shah on Sunday had lunch with a Dalit family in Jaipur on the last day of his three-day visit to Rajasthan.

After rounds of meeting in the party office, Shah left for Sushilpura where he had lunch at the house of BJP Yuva Morcha member Ramesh Pacharia amid tight security arrangements.

Shah, accompanied by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, party's state president Ashok Parnami, MP Bhupendra Yadav and others, was given a warm welcome in traditional Rajasthani manner.

They were served food by Pacharia's family and had lunch sitting on the ground. "My mother cooked daal, rice, chapatti, halwa, kheer for the party president," Pacharia told reporters.

Before Shah's visit, party leaders made several rounds to review preparations.

Social justice minister Arun Chaturvedi said the party selected the house of its booth level worker, Pacharia, based on his active work for the party and not due to his caste or class.

"We identify our workers on the basis of their work. We do not consider their caste or class and decision for Shah's lunch at his house was made just because of his active participation in the party's work," he said.

The minister said that it is the media, not the party, which sees the caste and Dalit factor.

"For us, his work is considerable and we sees it as the party's national president has gone to the house of a booth level work to have lunch," he said.

"It is not that we selected a Dalit family. Several Dalit families live close the BJP office but the party president came at the house of an active party worker. The distance of Sushilpura is also not very far from the party office," he said.

The narrow lanes of Sushilpura are populated by lower middle class and Dalit families. It is located in the middle of the city and witnessed VVIP movement for the first time.

Excited people lined up on roads and congregated on rooftops to catch a glimpse of Shah.

Shah spent close to half an hour at the house of Pacharia and interacted with the family members. He met the locals outside the house and waved to those standing on rooftops.

Police Commissioner Sanjay Agrawal reviewed the sercurity arrangements for the visit.

Union minister Rajyawardhan Rathore, MP Bhupendra Yadav, Nihal Chand Meghwal, state social justice minister Arun Chaturvedi and other leaders were present with him.

Assembly elections are due next year in Rajasthan.

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Madhya Pradesh: Youth forced to eat shit for harassing girl, police say it is 'nothing'

A youth in Madhya Pradesh's Shivpuri district was allegedly forced to eat shit and also beaten up by a girl's family. The girl's family accused the youth of harassing her.

According to the youth Kallu Dhakad, the girl allegedly called him to the fields on July 16.

Her family then allegedly thrashed him and forced him to eat excreta. "Police said forcing to eat excreta is nothing, it is done just to insult someone," Kallu Dhakad told ANI.

Police said that both the girl's family and the youth are from the same village and the sides first tried to resolve the issue between themselves. "Later, both sides registered cases," said Kamal Maurya, additional superintendent of police, Shivpuri.

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If you can't build toilet for your wife, then sell her: Aurangabad DM

Raking up a controversy, Aurangabad District Magistrate Kanwal Tanuj has said that those who cannot build a toilet for their wives, should sell them.

He was addressing a public gathering on Saturday on a cleanliness drive in Jamhore village of the Aurangabad district.

"Due to lack of toilets, women get raped and harassed. It only costs Rs. 12,000 for the construction of the toilet. Is 12,000 more than anyone's wife's dignity? Who can let her wife get raped in return of Rs. 12000?" Tanuj said.

"If this is your mentality then go and sell your wife. Those who cannot build toilet should sell or auction his wife," he added.

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Iraq declares victory in Mosul, but no word on 39 Indian hostages

After a battle that lasted nearly nine months and caused the displacement of an estimated 920,000 people, the Iraqi government announced on Sunday that its army had retaken the city of Mosul from the Islamic State (IS).

The fall of Mosul brings hope and trepidation to the families of 39 Indian construction workers who were taken prisoner in the city in 2014. The relatives of the abductees are asking the Indian government to secure their return.

One of the Indians who was captured, Harjit Masih, managed to escape. During a press conference in May 2015, Masih said that, a few days after their capture, the workers were all lined up and shot.

According to Masih, he feigned death, fled, and returned to India, where he was held in custody for months. The rest of the workers, he said, were almost certainly killed during the shooting.

The government has not accepted Masih's account. "The information we have so far is that they are alive, because we have no other information to prove that they are not alive," said Gopal Baglay, an external affairs spokesman, on June 16.

The external affairs ministry did not issue a formal statement on Sunday. One official privy to the developments spoke to HT on the condition of anonymity. "The government has been doing everything possible to bring them back," the official said. "We never abandoned hope. I cannot tell more about this due to the sensitivities involved."

According to two different officials with knowledge of the situation, one of the government's sources in Mosul reported last month that some Indian workers were hiding in a church in the city.

India has sought the help of countries in the region. During a meeting in New York on September 29, 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the president of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas, to pass on information he receives about the captive workers. Abbas told Modi that the prisoners were still alive.

External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj has met the relatives of the abducted men on 12 different occasions. The last such meeting was held in early June.

Most of the workers hail from Punjab. HT spoke with some of their family members on Sunday.

"The last time we met the minister, we were told that the Indian government knew the location of all 39 people," said Gurpinder Kaur, whose brother, Manjinder Singh, is among those missing. "They even said that once the area is freed from ISIS, the government will be able to establish contact with them."

Other family members shared Kaur's cautious optimism. Harbhajan Kaur (no relation) is hoping for the return of her son, Harsimranjit Singh. She said that Swaraj had assured her that "all the boys were safe". "This has brought a big sigh of relief to the family," said Kaur. "The government must respond immediately."

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Bangladesh puts temporarily halt on Indo-Bangla joint film productions

The Bangladesh government has decided to stop the joint production of films specially Bangladesh-India ventures till the time a policy is built on the matter to deal with objections coming from  different sectors of the Bangladesh film.

Information Minister Hasanul Haque Inu on Saturday said the decision was made after the meeting with the film family, the Ministry of Information said. The meeting was attended by Delwar Jahan Jhantu, Khorshed Alam Khasru, Mushfiqur Rahman Gulzar, Badiul Alam Khokan, Actor Faruq, Misa Saudagar, Riaz and Zayed Khan.

Managing Director of Bangladesh Film Development Corporation (FDC) Tapan Kumar Ghosh, Joint Secretary (film) Yusuf Ali Molla, Vice Chairman of Film Sensor Board Zakir Hossain, Deputy Secretary (Film) Shahin Ara Begum also attended the meeting.

In this meeting, Director General of Bangladesh Television, SM Harun-ur-Rashid, additional secretary of the Ministry of Information (Administration and Film) Manjurur Rahman were also present while Information Secretary Martuja Ahmad presided over in the conference room of the ministry of information.

In the meeting, for the sake of  development of Bangladeshi film, actor Faruq and President of Film Artists Association Misha Soudagar presented a number of proposals.

A press release from the Ministry of Information has asked about three decisions about the film. Reviewing the proposed proposals, the decision of creating a new policy for the rapid development of film-making policies in Bangladesh-India joint-production policy for the sake of the country's film.
Until the new policy is taken, it was decided to postpone activities related to film production in joint production.

In the context of the joint production of the Bangladesh-India film, the allegations of irregularities and the film together with the 14 organizations associated with the film in the name of recent movement demanding to stop them.

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Off-duty Uber driver rapes woman suffering from memory loss in Ghaziabad

An off-duty Uber taxi driver allegedly raped a 38-year-old woman at his Ghaziabad home after picking her from Karkardooma court in New Delhi, police said on Sunday.

The woman suffers from a medical condition which impairs her ability to remember things.

The 45-year-old cabbie was arrested and charged with sodomising the woman and "brutally beating" her up when she resisted the sexual abuse.

The woman lives in east Delhi's Trilokpuri with her children. She is mentally disturbed as she doesn't have a job and is saddled with domestic troubles.

A domestic issue brought her to Karkardooma court in east Delhi on Thursday. After finishing her court work, she was standing near gate number 4 when she met the cabbie.

During their conversation, she mentioned her desperation and asked him if he could employ her as a maid or get her a job elsewhere.

"The driver told her he would let his wife decide and asked her to accompany him to his home in his car. They went to his home in Gokal Dham Society near the Hindon river in Ghaziabad," said Ravinbdra Yadav, the joint commissioner of police (eastern range).

The cabbie's wife and four children were not at home and the man allegedly used the opportunity to rape and assault the woman. He brought the woman to the gates of the court complex and dumped her there, before driving away.

The car is attached to app-based taxi service Uber, but police found it was not hired by the woman.
In deep pain, the woman visited a government hospital in east Delhi.

"Doctors there realised she was sexually assaulted and called police," said Nupur Prasad, the deputy commissioner of police (Shahdara).

When police spoke to her, she couldn't remember either the identity of the suspect or the name of place she was taken to.

"We helped her recollect her conversation with the driver. She gradually remembered the accused mentioning Gokal Dham Society," said an investigator.

Police looked up for localities named Gokal Dham in New Delhi before shifting to Noida and Ghaziabad. "It's a small housing society in Ghaziabad. When she was taken to the locality the next day, the victim helped us identify the home and pointed out the accused when he was sighted," the investigator said.

The taxi driver has not committed any crime before, police said.

When contacted for a response, Uber said police have not approached the company yet about the alleged crime.

"What's been described is deplorable and something no one should ever go through. Once approached, we will cooperate with local authorities to support their investigation and proceedings in any way possible," a spokesperson said.

The rape charge could dent Uber's image in India, though the cabbie was off duty. The web-based taxi service was blacklisted in New Delhi in 2014 after a woman passenger reported she was raped by a driver contracted to the American company.

The case caused uproar after it emerged that the suspect was previously charged with rape but obtained a character reference signed by a police officer that was forged. Uber was accused of running background checks on its drivers.

The case reignited a debate about the safety of women in Asia's third-largest economy, especially New Delhi, which is often dubbed India's rape capital.

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Indian Army responds to Pak shelling, destroys border posts in PoK: reports

The Indian Army retaliated to Pakistan's on Saturday and destroyed its border post near the Line of Control in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

According to reports, two Pakistani soldiers were killed and six others were injured in the retaliatory attack.

The Indian jawans targeted the Hajira sector of PoK where villages - Bhaira in Tetrinote, Satwal in Abbaspur, Dhakki Chaffar in Abbaspur, Polaas and Chatri - came under the attack.

The Indian Army launched the attack after Army jawan and his wife were killed and their three daughters injured when the Pakistani Army targeted forward posts and hamlets along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir's district.

The Pakistan Army violated the and initiated indiscriminate firing from small arms, automatic weapons and mortars from 6.30 am on Saturday on Indian Army posts along the LoC.

Sepoy Mohmmad Shaukat of the Territorial Army, who was on leave, and his wife Safia Bi were killed when a mortar shell fired by the Pakistan Army exploded near their home in Karmara, a police officer said on Saturday.

Following the incident, India had lodged protest over the killing of the jawan and his wife after Indian Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh in Islamabad was summoned.

Singh was on Sunday, claiming that more civilians were killed in firing by the Indian troops.
Singh was summoned again to "condemn and lodge protest over more civilian casualties at the LoC due to unprovoked ceasefire violations by India," Pakistan Foreign Office said in a statement.

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Baahubali 2 release in China: SS Rajamouli reveals how he wants to cash in on Dangal's success

Director SS Rajamouli, who is gearing up for the release of Baahubali 2 (Bahubali: the Conclusion) in China, revealed how he could use the success of Dangal in China to market his swan song starring Prabhas, Rana Daggubati and Anushka Shetty.

Baahubali 2 has made a historical collection at the worldwide box office. The film is scheduled to hit the screens in China in September. "The movie has already done wonders for us and whatever amount it earns in China will be a bonus for us. So there is no fear of its failure," the director told in an interview to TV9 Telugu.

Talking about its China release further, Rajamouli said, "We are eagerly looking forward to its release in China. India has just 8,000 screens, whereas China has over 40,000 screens. Entertainment is part of everyone's life there. The country has large number of viewers as well as cinema halls and it is a very good market. We have a good product with us and reaching everyone with a good screen count is a challenge.

"To make an impact on the audience, a movie needs to be released in at least 12,000 to 15,000 screens in the country. But there will be a minimum of six new releases every week. Amidst this competition, we need to choose proper timing for its release. I think everything is set as we have a good distributor. So we are eagerly waiting," Rajamouli added.

When quizzed why he is going for a September release, SS Rajamouli said, "The process takes a lot of time in China, as the paper work needs to pass through several bureaucrats. After we deliver the first copy of the film, paper work alone will take 2.5 to 3 months as it needs to pass through various departments. Its dubbing will also take place in that country. So this process is very time-consuming."

Dangal has collected over Rs 1,150 crore at the China box office. A lot of comparisons are made between Dangal and Baahubali 2. Rajamouli said, "I am also interested in it. I congratulate the Dangal team for its massive success, which none expected. Collecting $200 million is not an easy thing considering its a simple sentimental story of a father and his daughters. It's because of its emotional quotient, the movie has become such a huge success."

"I am very happy for Dangal success because it is an Indian story and Indian way of storytelling. That would definitely help Baahubali 2. It is also a movie made in India and the film minted more money than Dangal. All these can be marketing ploys and they will help us. The platform is set and we have to see how our movie will start and how the word of mouth will boost its collection," SS Rajamouli said.

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Gang-rape survivor sprayed with acid, third attack in nine years

A gang-rape survivor, who had also been attacked with acid on two occasions in the past, was again sprayed with acid near a women's hostel in the state capital.

According to the police sources here, the woman, who worked at a coffee shop operated by acid attack survivors and lived at the hostel, was allegedly attacked with acid when she came out of the hostel on Saturday evening for some work.

The victim shouted for help but the attackers managed to make good their escape after perpetrating the crime, the police said.

The woman, who suffered burn injuries on her face and neck, was admitted to the Trauma Centre in the KG Medical University Hospital, where her condition was stated to be critical.

Police said that two persons had been taken into custody from Raebareilly district in connection with the incident.

Incidentally it was the third acid attack on the woman, who had also been gang raped by two people in 2008 in Raebareilly following a property dispute.

The woman was attacked with acid by unidentified miscreants in 2013 again in Raebareilly. She was again allegedly forced to drink acid while travelling in a train to the state capital in March this year. The victim had lodged a written complaint in this connection with the police then.

UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath had visited the woman in the hospital then and had also provided her financial assistance. Two police gunners had also been deployed in her security. The gunners were later withdrawn.

Police said that they were investigating the matter. Sources in the police said that the attack might have been connected with the ongoing property dispute involving her in Raebareilly. 

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Ekta does a 'High Five' as India rout Pakistan by 95 runs

Left-arm spinner Ekta Bisht came to the fore with a stellar show as India crushed arch- rivals Pakistan by 95 runs in a low-scoring encounter to record their third successive victory in the ICC Women's World Cup here today.

After a couple of impressive outings by the batswomen, it was the turn of Bisht (10-2-18-5) and Co. to defend a meagre total of 169, skittling the opposition out for a lowly 74 in 38.1 overs.

India now have six points from three games and are at the top of the table.

It was a sweet revenge for the Indian eves, who were beaten at home when the two teams met in the ICC World T20 in Delhi, last year.

What looked like a sub-par score turned out to be a challenging one for Pakistani batters, who have never successfully chased more than 134 in a 50-over World Cup game.

They were all at sea against Ekta's arm balls. She removed Ayesha Zafar (1), Sidra Nawaz (0) and Iram Javed (0) in her first four overs to wreak havoc.

All three deliveries were almost identical where the batters played for the turn but it didn't turn much after pitching. She later came back to get a couple of wickets more.

Pakistan never recovered from that setback. Seamers Jhulan Goswami (1/12 in 5 overs) and young Mansi Joshi (2/9 in 6.1 overs) were also on target. Deepti Sharma (1/21) and Harmanpreet Kaur (1/6) were economical as all the batswomen struggled to get going.

Opener Nahida Khan (23 off 62 balls) and skipper Sana Mir (29) were the only ones to reach double figures for Pakistan.

Indian skipper Mithali Raj praised Ekta for her performance.

"I am proud of Ekta's performance. Whenever she has been handed the new ball, she has performed. There were some anxious moments when we lost the top-order (while batting). The partnership between Sushma Verma and Jhulan Goswami towards the end was also important. When we got to a total of 169, I knew that if we could bowl well, it could be anybody's game," said Mithali.

Man-of-the-Match Ekta said: "The plan was to pile on dot balls, because we were confident of the target we set."

She said that she never had any problems bowling with the new ball.

"I don't face much of a problem bowling with the new ball. The track spun more than it had during our game against England. Irrespective of how the pitch is, my job is to bowl and take wickets and I hope I can continue doing that for my team."

Earlier, Indian batters had a disappointing day as they could only manage a paltry 169 for 9 after electing to bat.

The Indian innings never gained momentum in their innings once in-form Smriti Mandhana (2) was dismissed cheaply. Worse, skipper Raj (8) and her deputy Harmanpreet Kaur (10) could not also score too many runs, making it difficult for the other players to accelerate.

Opener Poonam Raut (48) consumed 72 balls while Deepti Sharma fared no better playing 63 balls for a sedate 28.

It was keeper Sushma Verma (33 off 35 balls), who used the long handle to get the team near 170-run mark.

One of the main reasons for India not being able to get past 200-run mark was because of a very slow fifth wicket partnership between Mona Meshram (6, 35 balls) and Harmanpreet (10, 23 balls). They were together for 8 overs (between 26.3 and 34.3) which yielded only 13 runs.

While Harmanpreet was finding it difficult to hit big as she is playing with a finger injury, Meshram just could not pick the singles.

This was the time when Pakistan's spinners were in operation.

Left-arm spin duo of Nashra Sandhu (4/26 in 10 overs) and Sadia Yousuf (2/30 in 10 overs) inflicted the maximum damage, taking 6 wickets for 56 runs in the 20 overs that they bowled.

The final six overs of the innings turned out to be productive for India as Sushma's attacking display fetched 41 runs during that phase.

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Trump slams 'fake media', says 'I am President, they're not'

US President Donald Trump has ripped into the 'fake media' during a speech at an evening rally in the capital to honour American veterans.

'The fake media tried to stop us from going to the White House, but I'm President and they're not. We won, and they lost,' Trump said during the Celebrate Freedom Rally at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. on Saturday.

'The dishonest media will never keep us from accomplishing our objections on behalf of our great American people. It will never happen. Their agenda is not your agenda, you've been saying it,' he said.

Trump also said the media have 'destroyed themselves' by going too far: 'Instead of being subtle and smart, they used the hatchet, and the people saw it right from the beginning', ABC News reported.

The President continued his attack on Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, the hosts of MSNBC's 'Morning Joe', two days after saying on Twitter that Brzezinski had been 'bleeding badly from a face-lift' during a social event last year.

Before taking off from Bedminster, New Jersey, to travel to the event in Washington, Trump tweeted in defence of his use of the social media.

'My use of social media is not Presidential -- it's MODERN DAY PRESIDENTIAL. Make America Great Again!' he tweeted.

On Saturday, he added: 'Crazy Joe Scarborough and dumb as a rock Mika are not bad people, but their low rated show is dominated by their NBC bosses. Too bad!'

Trump also continued his blistering criticism of CNN in a series of tweets. He wrote: 'I am extremely pleased to see that @CNN has finally been exposed as #FakeNews and garbage journalism. It's about time!'

'I am thinking about changing the name #FakeNews CNN to #FraudNewsCNN!,' another of his tweet said.

Apart from slamming the media at the event, Trump reiterated his administration's commitment to honouring and caring for the nation's veterans, the Hill reported.

He also touted the Veterans Accountability Act, which he said would allow the Department of Veterans Affairs to more easily utter the words 'you're fired' to under-performing employees.

On religious liberty, Trump pledged to the largely Evangelical audience that he would never forget them and said to cheers, 'We're going to start saying 'Merry Christmas' again' in the US'.

'My administration will always support and defend religious liberty. We don't want to see God forced out of the public square, driven out of our schools or pushed out of our civic life, we want to see prayers before football games if they want to give prayers,' he said.

Trump said he's 'very happy and very proud' of following through on a campaign promise to repeal the Johnson Amendment, which prohibits non-profits like churches from endorsing or opposing political candidates.

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Azadi Di Gal: Separatist wave hits Punjab again, Khalistani groups put up posters for independence

Nipped in the bud three decades ago, the Khalistani separatist groups continue to threaten the hard earned peace in the frontier state of Punjab.

Controversial hoardings demanding independence and referendum have created a stir. The hoardings with slogans like "Azadi Di Gal, Punjab Independence, 2020 Referendum" were installed at various places including Fatehgarh, Roopnagar, Dhanaula in Barnala and Rajpura in Patiala.

The administration has neither removed the controversial hoardings nor have taken any action against the people behind the controversy.

Reacting to the controversy, Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has slammed the state government for having failed to remove the hoardings and maintaining a stoic silence over the efforts being made by the Khalistani groups to revive terrorism.

WHO IS BEHIND THESE CAMPAIGNS?

BJP claimed the hoardings were put up by a Canada and US based NGO Sikhs For Justice (SFJ). It is the same organisation which had opposed Captain Amarinder Singh's election campaign in Canada.
"While at one hand the Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh is vocal against the Khalistani elements including Sikhs for Justice, his government's silence over the referendum hoardings is deplorable," Secretary BJP, Vineet Joshi said.

BJP has appealed the state government to remove the hoardings immediately and threatened to destroy them in case the local administration did not act immediately.

TAKE IT OFF, DEMANDS BJP

"Government should not only remove the hoardings but also take action against those who designed, printed, erected and allowed to fix on their buildings.It is a sinister attempt to disturb the peace and harmony of Punjab by anti-national forces ," Vineet Joshi said.

Hardliner Sikh groups have launched a social media campaign demanding 'independence' by 2020. However, the Khalistani groups are divided on the controversial  issue .

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Women's World Cup: SA bowler Dane van Niekerk picks up 4 wickets for no runs to create ODI record

South Africa women's cricket team crushed West Indies by 10 wickets in their league match in the league match of the ongoing ICC Women's World Cup 2017 here on Sunday (July 2).

South Africa women first folded the West Indies innings for 48, the second-lowest in their history and sixth lowest total of the tournament, and registered an easy win.

Marizanne Kapp (4/14 off 7 overs) and Shabnim Ismail (2/16 off 6) reduced West Indies to 5 for 16, but the best performance for the day was reserved for the Proteas' skipper.

Dane van Niekerk, the captain, became only the first bowler in ODI cricket history to take four wickets in a match without conceding a single run.

From her feiry spell of 3.2 overs van Niekerk, a right-handed legspinner, ensured WI were reduced within 50 runs. She bowled 3 maiden overs.

Two women cricketers have earlier taken three wickets for no loss, but van Niekerk's effort is simply amazing.

This was third successive defeat for the West Indies and the runners-up of the 2013 edition are looking to heading closer to elimination.

Asked to bat, Windies were bundled out in 25.2 overs and SA openers achieved the total in 6.2 overs.
Only one West Indies batter Chedean Nation managed to get into double digits, such was a ferocity of SA bowlers.

Marizanne Kapp was adjudged the player of the match for her impressive bowling effort.

Brief scores:

West Indies Women 48 in 25.2 overs (Chedean Nation 26, Hayley Matthews 4; Dane van Niekerk 4 for 0) lost to South Africa Women 49 for 0 in 6.2 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 19*, Lizelle Lee 29*; Deandra Dottin 0 for 23) by 10 wickets with 262 balls to spare.

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Deposits by Indians in Swiss banks have dropped by 45 per cent, PM Modi tells chartered accountants in Delhi

Addressing chartered accountants on the foundation day of Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in Delhi, PM Modi said there had been a record 45 per cent drop in deposits by Indians in Swiss banks.

A day after the GST was rolled out in the Central Hall of Parliament, Modi said that the tax reform would help weed out black money.

"Nation's growth is dependent on clean tax regime. GST and demonetisation are key steps in that direction", he added.

HIGHLIGHTS OF MODI's SPEECH

Chartered accountants are the pillars of the Indian economy. Indian CAs are recognised globally.

The CA (chartered accountant) community looks after the economic health of society.

Just like doctors don't want people to be ill to get more business, CAs too need to safeguard society's economic health.

CAs have a big responsibility to ensure that the society's economic health remains good.

Demonetisation was a big step in the history of India.

Demonetisation, data mining shows that over 3 lakh registered companies indulged in suspected dealings.

Impact of our steps to check black money is clear from the latest figures of Swiss banks, where Indians' money has dipped to a record low.

Swiss Bank has stated that there has been a 45 per cent drop in deposits by Indians, the lowest ever in years.

People with black money will face more difficulties when Switzerland begins automatic information exchange with India in 2 years.

Those who have looted the poor will have to give back what they have looted.

On the one hand, there is a Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan and on the other, there is a movement to clean the nation from the menace of corruption.

Government is committed to taking more tough action against firms helping in hiding blackmoney; we are not concerned about political implications.

Government has cancelled registration of over 1 lakh companies and more than 37,000 shell firms have been identified for strong action.

Chartered accountants who know anyone keeping black money must warn them that they would not be spared.

CAs must encourage their clients to be honest taxpayers.

Two years from now when Swiss Banks start giving real time data, people who deposited money in foreign banks will face a tough time.

Like the lawyers did during the freedom struggle, I urge the CAs to take the lead in the journey towards India's economic growth.

Let's contribute towards India in making it what we want it to be, by the 75th year of independence in 2022.

The trust of a chartered accountant carries immense faith. I urge you not to break that trust that is placed on you.

If the chartered accountants commit to ensuring transparency, I am sure no one will dare to evade paying tax.

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GST impact: Apple cuts iPhone, iPad prices in India

A day after the Goods and Services Tax (GST) came into practice, Apple on Saturday reduced the retail prices of iPhones, iPads, Macs and Apple Watch models for its consumers in India.

The Rs 60,000 Apple iPhone 7 (32GB variant) can now be purchased at Rs 56,200. The Rs 70,000 iPhone 7 (128GB) is now available for Rs 65,200 and the Rs 80,000 256GB variant at Rs 74,400.

The base model (32GB) of Apple iPhone 7 Plus is now available at Rs 67,300 as opposed to Rs 72,000 previously.

The 32GB model of iPhone SE (Rs 27,200), being assembled in Bengaluru, will now cost Rs 26,000. The 32GB iPhone 6s (Rs 50,000) is now available at Rs 46,900.

The new prices have taken the basic customs duty (BCD) of 10 per cent into account.

"I think it is a good move ahead of the upcoming festive season. We believe the best way for Apple to increase their share in India is to bridge the gap between affordability and aspirational value of iPhone. Even in the past, they have tasted success with 4S, 5S and iPhone 6 when reduced the price," Tarun Pathak, Senior Analyst, Mobile Devices and Ecosystems at New Delhi-based Counterpoint Research, told IANS.

"By the end of 2017, we believe iPhone 6 and SE can be the flagships through which most users are going to enter the Apple ecosystem for the first time ever," Pathak added.

India has gained a significant place in the Apple scheme of things in the recent past.

Apple CEO Tim Cook recently told Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was visiting the US, that his company is positive about the production of the iPhone SE in Bengaluru.

According to industry sources, Cook apprised the Prime Minister about the production of Apple's popular iPhone SE model at its Bengaluru facility and the app developers working for Apple.

In May, Apple began the initial production of a small number of iPhone SE in Bengaluru, where it had opened its App Accelerator to provide specialised support for developers earlier this year in March.
Apart from iPhones, Apple also slashed prices of iPads, Macs and Apple Watch.

According to experts, the price drop post-GST will help Apple cement its position in the challenging Indian market. Currently, Apple has 3 per cent market share by volume and 11 per cent by value in the country.

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China issues map to claim Indian troops' 'incursion' in Doklam

China has released a map to back its claim that Indian troops "transgressed" into the disputed Doklam area of the Sikkim sector, days after releasing photographs of alleged Indian incursion into the area, which it claims as part of Chinese territory.

In the map, released by the Chinese Foreign Ministry last night, a blue arrow with markings in Chinese, points Indian troops alleged "transgression" into the area to prevent the PLA troops from building a road.

The map shows Doklam, a disputed territory between China and Bhutan, as part of Chinese territory.

In an unprecedented move, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang on Thursday displayed two photographs of the alleged Indian "incursion" into the area during a media briefing.

Later, the ministry uploaded two photographs on its website. One photo showed two bulldozers stated to be that of the Indian military while another showed one bulldozer. A redline in the photos was showed as "Chinese side of the border".

A standoff erupted between the two militaries after the Indian Army blocked construction of the road by China in the disputed Doklam area.

Of the 3,488-km-long India-China border from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh, a 220-km section falls in Sikkim.

China alleged that the Indian troops "trespassed" the recognised delineated boundary between China and India on June 18.

India yesterday expressed deep concern over China constructing the road in the disputed area and said it had conveyed to Beijing that such an action would represent a significant change of status quo with "serious" security implications for India.

India's reaction follows a face-off between Indian and Chinese troops in the area, prompting Beijing to take a tough stance and demand withdrawal of Indian troops from the Sikkim sector as a precondition for "meaningful dialogue" to resolve the situation.

The stand-off between the Indian and Chinese troops led to the cancellation of the Kailash Mansarovar yatra through Nathu La in Sikkim.

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Interview for Team India coach on July 10: Sourav Ganguly

Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) member Sourav Ganguly today said that the interview to select the new India coach will be held on July 10 in Mumbai.

The former India captain is one of the three members of the CAC, along side Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman.

"The interview will be held on July 10 in Mumbai," Ganguly told reporters at CAB before leaving for London to attend MCC's World Cricket committee meeting at the Lord's on July 3 and 4.

July 9 is the deadline to apply for the coach's job, which has been reopened for the second time to seek more applications after Anil Kumble stepped down.

Former India team director Ravi Shastri has emerged as a front runner for the top job, for which the likes of Virender Sehwag, Tom Moody, Lalchand Rajput, Richard Pybus and Dodda Ganesh have also applied.

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Delhi: Suspecting wife of having affair, man stabs her lover 25 times

A suspecting husband along with his nephew murdered a 23-year-old man in cold blood in capital's Bhajanpura area on Friday in rage over his illicit relations with his wife.

Delhi Police received a frantic call on the intervening night of June 30 and July 1 with screams of bachao-bachao (help-help) coming from the other end. On reaching the house, they found the dead body of Mohammad Shanu (23) wrapped in quilt and his blood splashed over walls of the room.
Investigations revealed that the house's owner, 35-year-old Vinod Kumar along with his juvenile nephew murdered Shanu by stabbing him 25 times.

Kumar had been suspecting his wife of having an extra-marital affair with Shanu for past some days, following which he sent her to stay in his village.  Shanu is believed to have gone to Kumar's house to inquire about his wife's whereabouts, when an enraged Kumar murdered him with the help of his nephew.

The police has apprehended both Vinod Kumar and his nephew, who have confessed the crime.

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Narendra Modi's address to CAs highlights: Warn anyone with black money, they will not be spared

Hours after the midnight launch of India's biggest tax reform, the Good and Services Tax (GST), Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be headed to Delhi's Indira Gandhi stadium on Saturday where he will address members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.

At a glittering function Friday night in Parliament's Central Hall, President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Modi, cheered on by some of the country's top names in politics, business and law, pressed a button to launch GST.

"GST is simple, transparent and will end corruption and black money,"said Modi.
At the Indira Gandhi stadium, Modi is expected to talk about the benefits of the GST and how it impact the Indian economy. He will also roll out a new chartered accountancy course on GST.

Below are the live updates:

7.57pm: People talk of the big 4 accounting firms. Sadly, there is no Indian firm there. By 2022, let us have a big 8, where 4 firms are Indian: PM Modi.

7.55pm: 'Tax return' is something that ultimately benefits the citizens of the country. This is the money that helps the elderly, the poor, and our jawans: PM Modi.

7.45pm: Your signature is more powerful than PM's and government also believes the accounts signed by you: PM Modi to CAs.

7.42pm: CAs must give the right advice to their clients to ensure black money and corruption are kept in check: PM Modi.

7.40pm: Today, the country begins a new economic journey, the principle of one nation, one market, one tax is a reality now.

7.39pm: PM Modi asks CAs why action has been taken against only 25 of them for irregularities, while over 1,400 cases are pending for many years.

7.37pm: Govt committed to more tough action against firms helping in hiding black money; we are not concerned about political implications: PM Modi

7.35pm: According to IT returns, only 32 lakh people earn more than Rs 10 lakh. Is this believable? asks PM Modi.

7.30pm: If you know anyone with black money, warn them that they will not be spared: PM Narendra Modi to CAs

7.28pm: People with black money will face more difficulties when Switzerland begins automatic information exchange with India in 2 yrs: PM Modi
Those who have looted the poor will have to give back what they have looted: Modi

7.25pm: Govt has identified more than 47,000 shell companies: PM Modi

7.22pm: Data mining after demonetisation has been going on. Transactions of over 3 lakh registered companies have come under scrutiny, this number could increase: PM Modi

Over 3 lakh registered companies are under the radar for demonetisation: PM Modi

— Hindustan Times (@htTweets) July 1, 2017

7.20pm: Swach Bharat and operation clean money to go hand in hand: PM Modi.

7.18pm: November 8 was a day that everybody remembers. The work load of CAs increased manifold after that: Modi.

7.15pm: If some people in the society have the habit of stealing, then the country can't move ahead, says PM Modi.

7.10pm: Swiss Bank has stated that there has been a 45% drop in the deposit by Indians, the lowest ever in years: PM Narendra Modi

Two years from now when Swiss Banks start giving real time data, people who deposited money in foreign banks will face tough time: Modi.

7.08pm:

India's Chartered Accountants are recognised in the world for their understanding and exceptional financial skills: PM Modi

— Hindustan Times (@htTweets) July 1, 2017

7.05pm: A doctor prescribes what is good for you..similarly economy must also be healthy and to ensure that chartered accountants have a big role to play: PM Modi.

CAs are known for their financial skills and the new CA course will strengthen that skillset even more, says PM while launching the new syllabus.

7pm: From today the journey of GST which is good and simple tax has begun in India: PM Modi.
The foundation day of ICAI also marks the beginning of a new economic chapter in India's history:

6.50pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address the gathering shortly on GST implementation.

6pm: India should have a "new normal" with citizens ready to pay the taxes they need to pay and a new mindset to move from a developing nation to a developed one: finance minister Arun Jaitley.

5.35pm: Even the media persons, who had come to cover the function, were stranded as they could not enter the venue, reported PTI.

5.30pm: Narendra Modi is expected to arrive at 6pm. He will then launch a new syllabus for ICAI.

5.20pm: Chaos and confusion reigned supreme at the Chartered Accountants Day celebrations organised by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India in Delhi.

Several chartered accountants (CAs) shouted slogans against the government as they were not allowed to enter the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, the venue of the event.

5pm: Besides Modi, the other invitees include finance minister Arun Jaitley and revenue secretary Hasmukh Adhia.

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Match fixing in India vs Pakistan Champions Trophy final? This union minister wants inquiry

Pakistan bagged one of the most memorable victories in their cricket history when they defeated India in the ICC Champions Trophy final 2017 on June 18. However, was there match fixing involved?

That needs to be enquired, mentioned Ramdas Athawale, an Indian union minister from Maharashtra.

"With a coach like Anil Kumble, players like Kohli, Yuvraj and several others who batted so well in the entire tournament, how could we lose to a team like Pakistan?" Athawale, who holds the portfolio of Social Justice and Empowerment in the Narendra Modi government, raised the points.

"It is a shameful thing for our country," he said.

"They [India] hit so many centuries in this tournament. What happened to them during the final match?" he asked.

Pakistan's 180-run win over India as well as Fakhar Zaman's exploits with the bat were even congratulated by Indian cricket fans. Athawale, however, feels something is fishy.

"It seems that this match was fixed. I demand an inquiry into it," the Indian politician added.

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GST a disruptive change and tribute to India's democracy: President Pranab Mukherjee

Calling the GST a "disruptive change", President Pranab Mukherjee tonight said the ambitious central tax is a "tribute" to the maturity and wisdom of India's democracy, as he recalled steps taken during his own tenure as Finance Minister on this key reform measure.

He also said the GST Council should continuously review the implementation and suggest suitable improvements to the new indirect taxation regime.

"The new era in taxation, which we are about to initiate in a few minutes, is the result of a broad consensus arrived at between the Centre and states," Mukherjee said minutes before the GST rollout in his speech at a special function in the central hall of Parliament.

"This consensus took not only time but also effort to build. The effort came from persons across the political spectrum who set aside narrow partisan considerations and put the nation's interests first. It is a tribute to the maturity and wisdom of India's democracy," he said. The President termed the Goods and Service Tax (GST) a disruptive change.

"It is also a moment of some satisfaction for me because, as the Finance Minister, I had introduced the Constitution Amendment Bill on March 22, 2011," he said.

"It is similar to the introduction of VAT when there was initial resistance. When a change of this magnitude is undertaken, however positive it may be, there are bound to be some teething troubles and difficulties in the initial stages," he said.

Mukherjee said these issues have to be solved with understanding and speed to ensure that they do not impact the growth momentum of the economy.

"Success of such major changes always depends on their effective implementation. In the months to come, based on the experience of actual implementation, the GST Council and the Central and state governments should continuously review the design and make improvements, in the same constructive spirit as has been displayed till now," he said.

The President said the GST will "also make our exports more competitive and also provide a level playing field to domestic industry to compete with imports."

"Currently due to cascading, our exports still carry some embedded taxes, making them less competitive.

"Similarly, the hidden effect of cascading means that the total tax incidence on domestic industry is not transparent," he said.

Under GST, Mukherjee said the tax incidence will be transparent, enabling full removal of tax burden on exports and full incidence of domestic taxes on imports. By creating a unified common national market, the GST will act as a major boost to economic efficiency, tax compliance and domestic and foreign investment, the President said.

Mukherjee recalled the proposal to introduce GST was first mooted in the Budget Speech for the financial year 2006-07.

Observing that the GST will be administered through a modern world-class information technology system, he also recalled that in July 2010, he had set up an Empowered Group for development of IT systems required for the GST regime under the chairmanship of Nandan Nilekani.

He further said, "It is also a moment of some satisfaction for me because as the Finance Minister, I had introduced the Constitution Amendment Bill on March 22, 2011.

"I was closely involved in the design and implementation and had the occasion to meet the Empowered Committee of state finance ministers, formally and informally, as many as 16 times.

"I also met the Chief Ministers of Gujarat, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra a number of times. I have a vivid recollection of those meetings and the various matters that were raised," Mukherjee said.

He observed that given the magnitude of the task, it was not a surprise that there were many contentious issues.

"Yet, I found both in those meetings and in my many interactions with Chief Ministers, Finance Ministers and officers of states, that most of them had a constructive approach and an underlying commitment to the introduction of GST.

The President said his confidence stood justified when on September 8, 2016, after the Bill was passed by both Houses of Parliament and more than 50 per cent of State Legislatures, he had the privilege of giving assent to the Constitution (One Hundred and First Amendment) Act.

The President further said, "As we usher in the creation of one nation, one tax, one market, let me conclude by calling upon every Indian to extend cooperation in the successful implementation of the new system."

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GST will help in lowering inflation, propelling GDP: FM Arun Jaitley

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today said rollout of the GST will ease inflation, make tax avoidance difficult and boost GDP growth.

Addressing the midnight launch event of the GST in the Central Hall of Parliament, Jaitley said the implementation of the landmark unified tax should be seen as the beginning of a new journey that will expand the country's economic horizon.

He further said that 17 transaction taxes in states and centre and 23 cesses would be subsumed in GST. An assessee will have to file only one return.

"Inflation will come down, tax avoidance will be difficult, India's GDP will be benefited and extra resources will be used for welfare of poor and weaker section," Jaitley said.

India is making history with the launch of GST, which is the biggest and most ambitious tax and economic reform in its history, the finance minister said.

"The old India was economically fragmented. New India will create one tax, one market, one nation. It will be in India where Centre and states work together towards the common goal of shared prosperity," Jaitley said.

Terming GST as an important achievement for the country, he said not only will India write a new destiny, the new tax regime would also strengthen federalism.

"The Constitution says India is a union of states. The union is strong if both Centre and states are strong. That is the real meaning of cooperative federalism.

"While enacting the GST, neither the states nor Centre gave up their sovereignty. They have pooled their sovereignty to make joint decisions in indirect taxation," the finance minister said.

In a large and complex federal system of multi-party democracy with Centre and 29 states and 2 UTs, Jaitley said India has implemented a constitutional amendment and brought in a large tax reform.

"We have done this at a time when world is facing a slow growth, isolationism and lack of structural reforms. With the GST, India has showed that these forces can be overcome through display of inclusion, openness and boldness," he said.

He appreciated the efforts of all members of parliament, state finance ministers and officials in making GST a reality when many had expressed doubts whether it could be implemented from July 1.
Jaitley also recalled the initiatives taken by his predecessors, including the then Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

He recalled the contribution of former finance Yashwant Sinha and former economic affairs secretary Vijay Kelkar.

"All decisions of GST Council were taken uninamously...We did not want to burden common man and weaker section," Jaitley said.

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GST launched: PM Narendra Modi shares credit with all parties, terms it Good and Simple Tax

Acknowledging the contributions of all parties in helping the Goods and Services Tax see the light of day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the rollout of the tax reform would help chart out a new course of the country and that its launch should not only be seen as the achievement of any one party or government alone.

While speaking in Parliament during a special function to launch the GST, Modi said, "We are deciding India's future course. We will chart a new course for the country at midnight with the launch of GST, which is not an achievement of any party or government only but a collective one. It's scope is not limited to the financial system."

President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President M. Hamid Ansari and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley along with several cabinet ministers and MPs were also present in Parliament.

He said the dream of "one nation, one tax" would be realised with this landmark tax reform coming into force.

MODI LISTS BENEFITS OF GST 

Listing some of the several benefits the implementation of this milestone tax reform would bring in, Modi said, "GST is a good and simple tax. It is a catalyst that will end imbalance in trade and help increase export promotion. GST will protect citizens of Inspector Raj and help check black money and corruption. People will no longer have to wait for hours at toll plazas with the GST integrating 31 states and Union Territories as one."

The Prime Minister went on to say, "GST is economic integration of India just like what Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel had done decades ago to integrate the country."

Issuing a word of caution at the same time, Modi said that while there may be some minor hiccups in the immediate wake of the rollout of the tax reform, people will soon adjust and the glitches will be ironed out before long.

HERE IS EVERYTHING THAT THE PRIME MINISTER SAID ABOUT THE TAX REFORM

1. The Good and Simple Tax is about collective effort. GST isn't just about India's economy but about democracy and cooperative federalism.

2. It's not about achievement of one party or one government, but it's our collective legacy, a fruit of our collective efforts.

3. It's about history. Central hall of Parliament has been witness to history.

On Dec 9, 1946, the Constituent Assembly first met here

On Aug 14, 1947,  India gained independence

On Nov 26, 1949 Constitution of India was adopted

4. For a step towards new economy and a new unifying system, there couldn't be a more appropriate place.

5. It's about consensus. India debated its Constitution for two years, 11 months and 17 days. In the same way, GST is a result of long discussions between the Centre and states in which the best brains of the country participated.

6. It's about equality. The Constitution gave all citizens the same opportunity and the same rights. GST brings all people of various states together in a single tax structure.

7. It's about Team India. GST is about cooperative federalism and the strength to walk together. It shows team India's potential. Horizontal sharing of burden will take the country in a vertical direction.

8. It's about the poor. GST Council has ensured that the services to the poor are not affected. Empathy towards the poor was on top of their mind. The  poor will benefit most from GST.

9. Small traders with turnover up to Rs 20 lakh are exempt and even for those with Rs 75 lakh turnover, the aim is to bring them into the system. There will be no additional burden on the small businesses

10. It's about coincidence. GST was the result of GST Council's 18th meeting today. Gita, coincidentally, has 18 chapters.

11. It's about one India. If Sardar Valbhbhai Patel hadn't unified the 500 princely states, what would India look like? Like Patel unified India, today we are talking about the economic integration of India.

12. Before GST, we had 500 different kind of taxes. Today from Ganganagar to Itanagar, from Leh to Lakshdweep we have one nation, one tax.

13. It's about transparency. GST is an opportunity to clean up black money. It's an opportunity for honest traders. It brings a new governance culture.

14. It's about ending tax terror. We have all heard about tax terrorism and Inspector Raj. GST is about technology and creates a tech trail. The grey area for bureaucracy is coming to an end.

15. It's a Good and Simple Tax. The world calls it Goods and Services Tax but it's actually a Good and Simple Tax. It's good as there's no tax on tax and simple because there's one form and one system.

16. It's about India. India has emerged as a favourite destination for foreign investors and foreign investors will benefit with a simple tax structure.

17. GST will act as a catalyst that helps remove India's trade imbalance and strengthen export promotion.

18. It's about development. GST will help those states that have natural resources but have lagged in development. All states will get equal opportunity and that's a big thing.

19. It's like our railway that Centre and states run together but we see it as Indian Railway. GST is about the Centre and states working towards a defined goal.

20. It's nothing to fear. Not everyone is tech savvy but everyone knows a Class 10 or Class 12 student who can help. Even when the number of your spectacles changes, you need to adjust to it.

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GST may benefit farmers from states like Karnataka but not Punjab

While apprehensions continue on whether Goods and Services Tax will affect the already suffering farming sector, numbers comparing earlier tax regime and the GST regime show that the farmers in many states including Karnataka, may have reason to smile.

GST on agricultural inputs may be lower than the previous regime that included VAT and Central Excise but it may be the opposite for states where farmers paid no tax for chemical fertilisers and no value-added-tax on pesticides. While farmers across the country benefited so far from inter-state price differentials, they will have to forego the same thanks to nationwide uniform GST rates.

Karnataka's agriculture minister Krishna Byregowda, who is a part of GST Council told reporters on Thursday how the GST regime was beneficial for the farmers inc comparison to the previous tax regime. Tax percentage on agricultural inputs, at least for farmers in Karnataka, will see a dip with GST except for power-driven agricultural implements which will increase to 12 percent from current 5.50 percent. Instead of VAT plus Central excise on input that pegged taxes at 18 percent for most products, GST has brought it down to 12 percent. Tax percentage on pesticides, however, remain unchanged. Here is how the cost of agricultural inputs will look like after GST roll out for farmers in Karnataka.

The situation, however, is unlikely to be the same for farmers in states like Punjab and Haryana where pesticides do not have VAT and fertilisers are tax-free. Farmers here will have to cough up more with fertilisers being pegged at 12 percent and pesticides at 18 percent. Pesticides in Haryana and Punjab currently attract an excise duty of 12.5 percent. Under the GST it is 18 percent, an additional 5.5 percent on the existing stock. This may improve as fresh stock with GST rates enters the market.

Prices of pre-stocked fertilisers post GST rollout has been a primary concern for the industry. While the industry stakeholders including fertiliser firms are sure that farmers will not pay more than the printed MRP, lack of clarity continues to bother many. In the long run, however, GST may, in fact, turn beneficial to farmers especially on the Chemical fertiliser, tractors, pump sets and motors, front.

Power-driven agricultural implements will cost higher with 12 percent tax as against the current 4-7 percent.

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India of 2017 different from India of 1962: Jaitley responds to China threat

The India of 2017 is different from what it was in 1962, defence minister Arun Jaitley asserted on Friday, hitting out at China for asking the Indian Army to learn from "historical lessons".

A day after China's oblique reference to the war the two countries had fought 55 years ago, the defence minister also said the current standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in the Sikkim sector was triggered by Beijing. Bhutan, he added, had made it clear that the land in question belonged to it.

"If they are trying to remind us, the situation in 1962 was different and India of 2017 is different," Jaitley said when asked about China's warning yesterday.

China had asked India to withdraw its troops from the Donglong area as a precondition for "meaningful dialogue" to settle the boundary issue. It warned that the Indian Army should learn "historical lessons".

"Bhutan government had issued a statement yesterday in which it made it clear that the land in question belonged to Bhutan. It is located near India's land. There is an arrangement between India and Bhutan for giving security," Jaitley told Aaj Tak news channel.

The defence minister said the Bhutan government had made its stance clear and China was trying to alter the status quo in the area.

"I think after this the issue has become very clear," Jaitley said.

The genesis of the flashpoint was China's attempts to build a road in the strategically key area of Donglong. Its link to the Sikkim-Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction could give China a major military advantage over India.

The Indian Army had blocked construction of the road by China in Donglong, a disputed territory between China and Bhutan.

The Ministry of External Affairs said on Friday that India was "deeply concerned at the recent Chinese actions and has conveyed to the Chinese government that such construction would represent a significant change of status quo with serious security implications for India".

A 220-km section of the 3,488-km India-China border from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh falls in Sikkim.

Official sources said China had removed an old bunker of the Indian Army in Donglong by using a bulldozer after the Indian side refused to accede to its request, triggering the present troubles.

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Fake News: Syed Salahuddin Wasn't Offered Congress Ticket in 1987

Interest in Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin's name spiked after the US government designated him a "global terrorist", just ahead of the meet between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump last week.

A native of the Budgam district in Jammu and Kashmir, Salahuddin was known as an Islamic scholar and preacher. He was also associated with socio-political organisation, Jamaat-e-Islami.

A website Postcard.news reported "shocking information" that Salahuddin was offered a Congress ticket to contest from Amira Kadal constituency for state elections in 1987.

In the article, postcard.news wrote:

Congress had given him MLA ticket from Amira Kadal constituency in Budgam despite knowing his extreme hatred towards India and his pro-Pakistan stand.

They added that the Congress had to backtrack on the decision because National Conference wanted to field their candidate Ghulam Mohiuddin Shah, after which Congress withdrew his candidature. The article quoted Dainik Bhaskar.

The gist of this was picked up by a Twitter user whose tweet got over 1,700 retweets and 1,200 likes.

Tweeting the News

Handles like @DrGPradhan, which have more than 84,000 followers, also tweeted out this fake news.
A number of other handles too fell for the misinformation.

Why was congress quiet on terrorist Syed Salahuddin for so manu years? Because he was given MLA ticket in 1987 by congress in Kashmir. pic.twitter.com/ntAbAKUgz3

— KashmiriPandits News (@kpnewschannel) June 30, 2017

Did Congress give MLA ticket to terrorist Syed Salahuddin in 1987?https://t.co/ezmZlac5e6 via @postcard_news

— Suryavanshi 🇮🇳 (@Suryavanshi8888) June 30, 2017

Not So Fast

As pointed out by SMHoaxSalyer , Dainik Bhaskar has been falsely quoted by Postcard.
Here is what Dainik Bhaskar actually reported.

Dainik Bhaskar, in their article, only said that Salahuddin contested elections in 1987 on a Muslim United Front ticket.

The "shocking news" of how he contested in MUF ticket because NC wanted to field their candidate was not reported by Dainik Bhaskar, but was quoted so by the Postcard, reported SMHoaxSlayer.

Not just Dainik Bhaskar, even Hindustan Times reported that he contested on an MUF ticket and there is no mention of Salahuddin being offered a Congress ticket.

Salahuddin eventually lost the election to NC's Ghulam Mohiuddin Shah but the loss was marred by allegation of rigging elections against the Congress-NC alliance, reported the Hindustan Times.

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