PM Narendra Modi has imposed 'undeclared economic emergency': Mayawati

 Terming demonetisation decision as an imposition of "undeclared economic emergency" in the country, BSP supremo Mayawati on Thursday alleged that the Modi government was diverting the attention of voters in Uttar Pradesh from failures of NDA government.

"Just before UP elections, Modi has realised the problem of black money after remaining in the saddle at the Centre for two-and-a-half years. Ninety per cent people are unhappy with this decision," she told a press conference here.

She said poor people and farmers have been badly hit by high denomination rupee ban decision.

"It (the decision) is not in the interest of the people, it is in self-interest," she said, reminding people of the dark days of Emergency imposed by then Congress government. Had Modi been honest in his approach, he would not have waited for two-and-a-half years to take action against black money, she said.

"It is being said that the decision was taken by Modi after making his party economically strong by helping industrialists and capitalists to harass people."

"Centre has not thought about the poor and the way in which people formed serpentine queues at petrol pumps shows their connivance with the government for earning a quick buck," she said, adding people will punish BJP for this. Claiming that the decision to ban notes was taken in haste, Mayawati said it triggered chaos all over the country with people coming out on roads in a panic on Tuesday night as if an earthquake had hit them.

"People from Kashmir to Kanyakumari are feeling harassed due to the sudden move. By terming it a surgical strike, BJP president Amit Shah is doing 'andh-bhakti' (blind support) on Modi," she said.

"Had it been a raid on 500 or 1000 capitalists, it could have been termed as a surgical strike and would have been appreciated," she said.

On Centre's recent voluntary income declaration scheme, Mayawati said Gujarat and Mumbai people were most benefited by it and asked the Centre to disclose names of beneficiaries.

"The black money government collected from this scheme should be utilised in the welfare of Dalits and backwards. There is no visible difference between previous Congress-led government and the present BJP government as both are anti-people," she said.

"The problems of unemployment, price-rise and atrocities on Dalits and minorities have increased and RSS men were targeting them," she alleged.

Mayawati claimed that though Modi belonged to the upper caste, when he became Chief Minister he included his caste in the OBC category to take the advantage of the category.

The BSP chief released a booklet and CD of her speech at a rally in Lucknow on October 9 and said it would be distributed throughout the state.

US Elections 2016: Trump poised for shock White House win

Billionaire populist Donald Trump, tapping into an electorate fed up with Washington insiders, was on the verge of a shock victory Wednesday over Hillary Clintonin a historic US presidential election that sent world markets into meltdown.

State-by-state, one-by-one, the 70-year-old maverick Republican tycoon racked up victories in defiance of the forecasts of pundits and pollsters, before arriving within striking distance of the White House.

Key races in Michigan and Pennsylvania remained to be called at 0630 GMT, but the 69-year-old Democrat`s supporters were in a state of shock and the markets did not wait for a concession speech to react.

US futures markets fell five percent in after-hours trading, mirrored by falls in London and Tokyo as the news broke that the world`s greatest economy could soon be in the hands of an untested protectionist.

The dollar tumbled against the yen and the Mexican peso slumped to a historic low against even the weaker greenback, on concerns that Trump might make good on his vow to build a wall on the US border.

In New York, it was a tale of two poll-watching parties -- as Trump`s supporters whooped it up in anticipation of a victory for his populist campaign, Clinton`s camp succumbed to silent, stunned grief.

"It`s unbelievable. I didn`t know Trump was really going to pull it off," said Glenn Ruti, a New Yorker who works in telecommunications.

"I think he`s going to go all the way. The country wants change."

Attendees at Trump`s victory party at a Midtown hotel began chanting "Call it, call it!"

In America as a whole, it was a tale of two countries -- as Trump`s largely-white fan base celebrated a repudiation of free trade, open borders and diverse communities, liberals and minorities cringed.

"It`s just unbelievable," said 51-year-old Anabel Evora, who works for a non-profit and flew into New York as a supporter of Clinton`s historic bid to be America`s first woman president.

"I am praying, and I am not religious," she told AFP. "I am sad. I`m about to cry."

At the Mexican-American bar Campeon in Manhattan`s Union Square, the mood was one of disgust and apprehension.

"If Trump wins, I am going to throw up," said 27-year-old Amy Goldstein.

Trump`s win, if confirmed, would halt Clinton`s quest to reach the White House for at least another four years -- and instead confer the title of president on a man who has been accused by a dozen women of sexual assault and misconduct.

"He`s so un-American. We`re outraged. It`s shocking. Racism, stereotyping by religion and sex," said Kate Kalmyka, a 36-year-old lawyer.At the bar in the soaring Trump Tower, the Republican`s home base and headquarters, a well-heeled crowd cheered and chanted "Drain the swamp" -- Trump`s anti-corruption slogan.

"Without a strong United States of America, the rest of the world is in trouble," declared Rina Corey.

"We were saved once by Ronald Reagan and I think Donald Trump is in the same path. He`s a citizen and not a politician. We need him desperately."

In the Florida city of Miami, Cuban Americans -- traditionally strongly pro-Republican -- honked their horns and cheered as they gathered at the iconic Cafe Versailles in Little Havana.

"We didn`t like the fact that the country was leaning socialist, we lost many jobs," said 45-year-old Miguel Alejandro.

"This isn`t the country I found in 1993 when I arrived by raft, when they received us with great excitement."

As of 0630 GMT Wednesday, Trump had won at least 25 states and 245 electoral college votes, just short of the 270 he needed, and had narrow leads in partial counts in Michigan and Pennsylvania.

Both these states were won by incumbent president Barack Obama when he was elected in 2008 and re-elected 2012 as America`s first black president, and pollsters had expected Clinton to keep them.

But an apparent collapse in Democratic support among white voters -- not fully compensated for by increased Latino turnout -- appeared to have doomed Clinton in blue-collar areas of America`s Rust Belt.On the legislative side, the Republicans were on course to retain their majority in the US House of Representatives, according to network projections.

Clinton and her husband former president Bill Clinton were holed up in their hotel, but she tweeted: "This team has so much to be proud of. Whatever happens tonight, thank you for everything."

Trump cast his ballot alongside his wife Melania in a Manhattan school gymnasium.

"Right now it`s looking very good," he told reporters -- paying no heed to protesters who welcomed him with chants of "New York hates you!"

The 2016 race was the most bruising in modern memory.

Obama`s election in 2008 had raised hopes of uniting Americans.

But the current contest has only highlighted the country`s divisions -- and the fact that voters are not necessarily happy with their options.

Exit polls by ABC News and NBC News found that both Clinton and Trump are seen as untrustworthy by majorities of voters, while most find Trump`s temperament unpresidential.

Rs 500 and 1000 currency notes stand abolished from midnight: PM Modi

In a major step to check black money, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced demonetization of Rs 500 and 1000 currency notes with effect from midnight, making these notes invalid in a major assault on black money, fake currency and corruption. In his televised address to the nation, Modi said people holding notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 can deposit the same in their bank and post office accounts from November 10 till December 30.

Modi said the notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 “will not be legal tender from midnight tonight” and these will be “just worthless piece of paper.” However, he said that all notes in lower denomination of Rs 100, Rs 50, Rs 20, Rs 10, Rs 5, Rs 2 and Re 1 and all coins will continue to be valid. He also announced that new notes of Rs 2000 and Rs 500 will be introduced.

Modi added that there will be no change in any other form of currency exchange be it cheque, DD, payment via credit or debit cards etc.

He said the government has been fighting the menace of black money and corruption ever since it assumed power two years ago. He also urged people to help government in its fight against fake currency and black money.

The prime minister expressed confidence that the staff of banks and post offices will rise to the occasion to introduce the new order within the available time. He said he is hopeful that political parties, workers, social organisations and the media will go further than the government in making it a success.

“Banks will be closed tomorrow. It will cause some hardship to you….Let us ignore these hardships… In country’s history, there comes a moment when people will want to participate in the nation building and reconstruction. Very few such moments come in life,”  Modi said.

The prime minister said the measures were aimed at curbing the “disease” of corruption and black money which have taken deep root. “There is a need for a decisive war against the menace of corruption, black money and terrorism… Corruption, black money and terrorism are festering wounds which make the country hollow from within,” he said.

Following the announcement, there were huge crowds outside ATMs across the country as people lined up to withdraw currency of smaller denominations.

India, UK to boost cooperation in tackling cyber terrorism: Theresa May

Visiting British Prime Minister Theresa May on Monday said the UK and Indiafaced the shared threat of terrorism and the two have agreed to strengthen cooperation in tackling use of the internet by extremists.

"We both face the shared threat of terrorism as individual countries, as partners, and as global powers," May said in a joint media briefing after her talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Hyderabad House here.

"We have agreed to strengthen our cooperation, in particular, by sharing best practice to tackle use of internet by violent extremists, she said.

"Modi and I have agreed to step up our cooperation by negotiating a cyber framework between our countries."

May said the UK and India faced an increasing threat of cyber attacks from other states, terrorists and criminals operating in cyber space.

She stressed that she and Prime Minister Modi were personally dedicated to invest in the UK-India relationship.

"We share values and that makes us natural partners."

From  - Zee News

India vs England: 1st Test match at Rajkot would be cancelled if funds are not released, BCCI tells Supreme Court

Just a day ahead of the first Test match between India and England, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) moved to the Supreme Court saying that the match at Rajkot cannot happen if funds are not released.

Ahead of the opening Test of the five-match series, Indian board told the apex court that non-disbursal would result in cancellation of India-England test tomorrow. The matter is likely to be heard today.

The move has come after the central cricket board was barred from releasing funds to state associations without prior approval from the Lodha panel.

In its reply, Lodha panel has opposed Indian board's move by saying it is in contempt by not obeying court's directions. 

Earlier, BCCI president Anurag Thakur and secretary Ajay Shirke on Saturday filed their respective affidavits to the Justice RM Lodha Committee as per the directive of the Supreme Court issued on October 21.

In his seven-page affidavit, BCCI president Thakur maintained his stand about the inability of the members to accept some of the Lodha Panel's recommendations in totality and also sought directions under these circumstances.

Thakur in his statement also apprised the committee that despite members (state units) being categorically told that their financial grants could be affected, they had stuck to their stand.

As per the latest revelations, BCCI has been allowed to use 58.66 lakhs for Rajkot Test.

From - Zee News

Cloud-seeding an impractical measure to reduce Delhi smog, say experts

The national capital's pollution levels were already bordering on hazardous before Diwali and after the festival, the air quality took on that very standard.

Residents have since been complaining of respiratory issues like asthma, bronchitis, difficulty in breathing and other allergies.

The pressure on the government is definitely mounting and because the matter requires desperate measures, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal suggested cloud seeding.

On Monday, Delhi environment minister Imran Hussain urged Union environment minister Anil Madhav Dave to "bring artificial rain technology like other countries do," as per a report in the Economic Times.

However, cloud seeding may not be the proper solution for the kind of weather conditions Delhi is currently facing.

"You need more moisture to do cloud seeding. I think it's an impractical idea because cloud seeding may not be possible in such a large area. The smog may return in a day or two because emissions will continue. Plus, there will be additional emissions from the aircraft used," said professor Manju Mohan of Centre for Atmospheric Sciences, IIT Delhi, told the Economic Times.

Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune, has a cloud seeding and weather modification programme, and scientists from there have been testing physical problem of aerosol particles all over Delhi. "Moisture can be a tricky issue in Delhi. The relative humidity should be between 80% and 90%, but that alone is not enough. We need to understand what the pollution particles in Delhi are like. What are their chemical and physical properties? These particles may not be able to form rain drops like clouds do," said a scientist.

He added that even if pollutants are washed out, relief would be short-term as emission would continue. The nature of pollutants would also determine the environmental impact of rains that wash down these. "Acid rain is not common any more, but we need to study what are these pollutants," he added, The Economic Times further reported.

Furthermore, the total cost of a single cloud-seeding exercise could range between Rs 10 crore and Rs 12 crore, including the cost of the aircraft, radar technology and other equipment.  

from - Zee News

US Presidential Election 2016 LIVE - Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump? Americans vote to elect 45th president

The first ballots were cast in a sleepy hamlet in New Hampshire, traditionally the first in the nation to vote on Election Day, with Clinton winning the contest.

Clinton registered her first 'win' in the 2016 elections by four votes to two against Trump soon after midnight in the remote Dixville Notch, New Hampshire.

While Clinton is close to victory mark, Trump must win most of the battleground states to clinch the magic figure of 270 Electoral College votes.

Arizona (11), Florida (29), Nevada (6), Nebraska 2nd Congressional District (1), New Hampshire (4) and North Carolina (15) are key battleground states.

An estimated 200 million people are eligible to cast their votes to elect the country's 45th president along with hundreds of Congressmen and members of state legislatures and local civic bodies.

A record 42 million have already voted using the "early voting" provision of the American electoral system, surpassing the 2012 record when 32.3 million people had voted in advance.

All 50 states and Washington DC go to the polls across six different time zones on election day. Thirteen of the states are operating with split time zones.

The US' system is a race to secure 270 out of the 538 votes in the electoral college.

Once the polls across the US have closed, there will be a projection for each state based on opinion polls taken throughout the day, which are a good indication of the results - but not always correct.

From - Zee News

PM Modi addresses nation, says his government is dedicated to the poor

"This government is dedicated to the poor, and will continue to do so. With the help of the citizens of India, India has emerged as a bright spot in world economy," he said.

He added, "India has registered itself as a bright spot, and its not that this is a claim made by us, but by IMF and World Bank."

Outlining the work done by his government he said, "In all our policies, we are dedicated for the upliftment of entire society. Government has been working on the principles of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas."

Speaking on terrorism he said, "Our enemies from across the border run their business with counterfeit notes and it has been going on for years."

"Black money and corruption has taken roots in the country, these are the biggest obstacles in eradicating poverty, We have taken many steps to curb black money," he said.

"There is a time when you realise that you have bring some changes in society, and this is our time to feel the same," the PM said.

"Over the last 2 and a half years, 1.25 lakh crore worth of black money has been recovered," he pointed out.

"From midnight tonight Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes will not be used can't be used," he said in a big announcement.

From - Zee News

IND vs ENG: Decoding Yuvraj Singh's absence from Test squad – Top 3 reason why selectors snubbed him

Yuvraj and Gautam Gambhir were the two most talked about names ahead of BCCI's announcement of 15-man squad for England Test series.

Yuvi and Gauti were both displaying good form in Ranji Trophy but the selectors could only give nod to the latter.

While Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul's fitness woes might have contributed to Gambhir's selection, Rohit Sharma's injury could have handed Yuvraj the middle order spot he is tailor-made for.

As India's line-up for the first two Test matches is decided, following are the possible reasons why MSK Prasad and fellow selectors chose against recalling Yuvraj Singh.

1. An already balanced middle order

Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Wriddhiman Saha have establish themselves in the squad and there wan's any reason to drop one of them. Rohit Sharma's absence meant Karun Nair was handed a chance but will most likely settle for the bench. The 24-year old Nair has a batting average of 52 in First Class cricket and is one of India's most promising players for future.

2. Not a reliable all-rounder in Tests

Though Yuvraj might have been one of the most reliable all-rounders for India in ODIs and T20Is in the past, he has not replicated the same performance in Tests. He averages just above 33 runs an innings in the longer format of the game and has only picked 9 wickets so far. Handing Hardik Pandya his debut call seemed like a better option to the selectors.

3. Builind a team for the future

Even during the England series, the selectors chose to snub Gautam Gambhir in the initial squad selection as they wanted to give youngsters the exposure and build a team for future. Yuvraj, also has been the victim to such mindset which can't be blamed either. If India are to build a strong Test team for future and continue ruling this format of the game, giving youngsters chances on home soil is the right call.

Here's India's complete squad for the first two Tests against England:-

Virat Kohli (capt.), R Ashwin, Gautam Gambhir, Ravindra Jadeja, Amit Mishra, Mohammad Shami, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Wriddhiman Saha, Karun Nair, M Vijay, Umesh Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Ishant Sharma, Jayant Yadav

The first two matches will be played at Rajkot (Nov. 9-13), Visakapatnam (Nov. 17-21).

GST rates finalised: Know what gets cheaper, what gets dearer

A 4-tier GST tax structure of 5, 12, 18 and 28 percent, with lower rates for essential items and the highest for luxury and de-merits goods that would also attract an additional cess, was decided by the all- powerful GST Council.

Check out which items will get cheaper and which will get dearer.

- While the tax incidence on goods will come down, those on services will go up.

- With a view to keeping inflation under check, essential items including food, which presently constitute roughly half of the consumer inflation basket, will be taxed at zero rate.

- White goods, cars and other items that are currently taxed at 30-31 percent will be taxed at 28 percent.

- To lower the inflationary impact of GST, a number of items such as soap, oil, shaving stick, toothpaste and such products that are currently taxed at 30 percent will be moved under the 18 percent slab.

- Luxury cars, tobacco products, pan masala and aerated drinks will be taxed at 28 percent and also attract a cess to take the total tax incidence to the current rate.

-With regard to taxation of gold, presently the Centre and states together collect indirect taxes to the tune of Rs 8.5 lakh crore. After taking into account the revenue mobilisation in the new tax regime, the gap will be filled with a tax on gold.

The final list of items for each tax bracket under GST will be worked out by a committee.

UK court says Brexit needs parliament's approval, complicates govt plans

The government said it would appeal against the High Court ruling and Britain`s Supreme Court is expected to consider the case early next month.

A spokeswoman for May said the prime minister still planned to launch talks on the terms of Brexit by the end of March and added: "We have no intention of letting this derail our timetable."

The pound, which fell sharply after Britons voted to leave the EU by 52 to 48 percent on June 23, rose after the ruling.

Many investors took the view that lawmakers would now be able to temper the government`s policies, making it less likely that the government would opt for a "hard Brexit" -- a scenario in which it prioritises tight controls on immigration over remaining in the European single market.

The High Court ruled that the government needs parliament`s backing to trigger Article 50 of the EU`s Lisbon Treaty, the formal step needed to start the process of exiting the bloc.

"The most fundamental rule of the UK`s constitution is that parliament is sovereign," said Lord Chief Justice John Thomas, England`s most senior judge.

Thomas and two other senior judges did not spell out in their ruling whether the government would need to pass a new law to begin the divorce proceedings, but Britain`s Brexit minister David Davis said this was likely if the Supreme Court upheld the decision.

"The judges have laid out what we can`t do and not exactly what we can do, but we`re presuming it requires an act of parliament," Davis told BBC TV.

UNCERTAINTY

Parliament could in theory block Brexit as most lawmakers (MPs) supported staying in the EU in a referendum in June. But few observers expect that outcome, and a Reuters survey last month suggested MPs would back Brexit now.

Even so, the court ruling makes the already daunting task of taking Britain out of a political and trading club it joined 43 years ago even more complex.

"The negotiations haven`t even yet begun. There will be uncertainty, there will be volatility around those negotiations as they proceed, and I would view this as one example of that uncertainty," Bank of England Governor Mark Carney said.

Economists at Deutsche Bank told clients May had been weakened by the ruling and was likely to have to call a general election next year.

But May`s spokeswoman dismissed the suggestion. "Our position has been clear that there shouldn`t be an election before 2020 - that remains the prime minister`s view," she told reporters.

Trade minister Liam Fox told parliament the government was disappointed by the ruling but the government remained "determined to respect the result of the referendum".

May had said she did not need parliament`s approval for triggering Article 50 under a historical power of "royal prerogative" where ministers act on behalf of the monarch.

The High Court rejected that argument and the judges granted the government permission to appeal to the Supreme Court, Britain`s highest judicial body, which has set aside Dec. 5-8 to deal with the case.

Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the opposition Labour Party, said his party respected the outcome of the referendum but that the government`s negotiating strategy needed parliamentary scrutiny.

Dominic Grieve, lawmaker from May`s ruling Conservatives and a former British attorney general, said passing legislation to trigger Article 50 need not delay the process.

"It doesn`t necessarily mean that it would hold it up for a very long time," he told BBC TV.

"PROCESS NOT POLITICS"

Investment manager Gina Miller, the lead claimant in the legal challenge, said the case was about "process, not politics" and rejected accusations from opponents, including May herself, that they were subverting democracy.

"One of the big arguments (in the referendum) was parliamentary sovereignty," she told reporters. "So you can`t on the day you get back sovereignty decide you`re going to sidestep or throw it away."

Some Brexit supporters said the ruling was "disgraceful".

"Our democracy is being damaged by an elite band of people in the legal system," Richard Tice, co-chairman of the Leave Means Leave campaign. "A vote in Parliament is wholly unnecessary, time consuming and betrays the democratic will of the people."

Nigel Farage, head of the anti-EU party UKIP, said on Twitter that he feared the ruling could turn into an attempt to scupper Brexit altogether.

"I worry that a betrayal may be near at hand," he said, warning that attempts to block or delay triggering Article 50 would anger the British public.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker declined to comment on Thursday`s ruling but said he would be speaking to May by telephone on Friday.

EU leaders have been frustrated by the mixed messages they say they have received from London since the June referendum, and senior parliamentarians in Germany warned Britain against further delays in spelling out its Brexit strategy.

"What cannot happen is that the government uses this new situation as an excuse to delay Article 50 further," said Axel Schaefer, deputy parliamentary leader for the Social Democrats, who are part of Chancellor Angela Merkel`s governing coalition.

"We need clarity by the end of March. If we don`t have that, the other 27 EU governments must have the courage to decide things on their own."

Android captures record 87.5% of global smartphone market in Q3: Survey

The survey released Wednesday by Strategy Analytics found Android`s share increase from 84.1 percent in the same period a year ago, while Apple`s iOS saw its share slip to 12.1 percent from 13.6 percent.

"Android`s leadership of the global smartphone market looks unassailable at the moment," said Strategy Analytics` Woody Oh.

"Its low-cost services and user-friendly software remain attractive to hardware makers, operators and consumers worldwide."

Oh added that the dominance of Android poses challenges for Google, which offers the system for free to manufacturers.

"The Android platform is getting overcrowded with hundreds of manufacturers, few Android device vendors make profits, and Google`s new Pixel range is attacking its own hardware partners that made Android popular in the first place," he said.

The report said global smartphone shipments grew six percent from a year ago to 375.4 million in the quarter, the fastest growth rate for a year.

According to the survey, the market share for other operating systems including Windows and BlackBerry fell to a minuscule 0.3 percent from 2.3 percent last year.

"BlackBerry and Microsoft Windows Phone have all but disappeared due to strategic shifts, while (Samsung`s) Tizen and other emerging platforms softened as a result of limited product portfolios and modest developer support," said Neil Mawston, executive director of the research firm.