1. RBI Keeps Rates Unchanged, Projects Momentum Loss for Economy
The Reserve Bank of India surprised investors by keeping interest rates unchanged amid widespread expectations that they would be slashed to support growth. The RBI also lowered its growth forecast for the year and said this was mostly on account of the second-quarter slump, but acknowledged that demonetisation – which it staunchly defended – would temporarily disrupt economic activity.
RBI Governor Urjit Patel ruled out any special dividend to the government equivalent to the black money extinguished by the note withdrawal, while seeking to assure the public that the banking system was doing its utmost to restore normalcy by increasing the supply of notes.
(Source: The Economic Times)
2. Pakistan Media Quotes Aziz: Insufficient Proof Against Jadhav; Its Government Denies
The Pakistani media reported on Wednesday that Sartaj Aziz, Advisor on Foreign Affairs to the Pakistan Prime Minister, admitted that the government was presented with “insufficient evidence” on alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, who is under detention.
Passport of Indian Spy with a fake Muslim name used to enter #Iran then into #Pakistan for running terrorist groups. pic.twitter.com/DmnFMEpHPJ
Hours later, the Pakistan Foreign Ministry said the statement attributed to Aziz was “absolutely incorrect”.
Indian government sources said they were yet to check the authenticity of the statement, although it was in line with the Indian point of view. “The Pakistan Senate is not in session,” a government source told The Indian Express.
(Source: The Indian Express)
Also Read: Arrest of Indian ‘Spy' in Balochistan Exposes Pak Desperation
3. Ratan Tata Asks Shareholders to Back Mistry's Removal From Group Firms
Tata Sons Ltd interim chairman Ratan Tata on Wednesday asked shareholders of group companies for their support in removing Cyrus Mistry as director on their boards, saying Tata Sons had lost confidence in him and his ability to lead the group.
Tata said in a letter to shareholders that Mistry, who was removed as chairman of Tata Sons on 24 October, was offered “an opportunity to step down voluntarily from the chairman position, which he rejected”. In his first communication with shareholders since Mistry's ouster, Tata said the right step for Mistry would have been to resign as director from these firms.
(Source: Livemint)
Also Read: The Tata-Mistry Battle Is a Sideshow, the Real War Is yet to Come
4. More Than 1,500 Andaman Tourists Stranded
More than 1,500 tourists, many of them from Bengal, are stranded on two islands of the Andamans because of heavy rain and storm caused by a depression in the Bay of Bengal.
#HADR Dist betwn Port Blair & Havelock-25Nm/50kms.Ships waiting off island. Evacuation Ops delayed due very rough weather @SpokespersonMoD pic.twitter.com/n9Jw4sSb7N
Most of the tourists are stranded on Havelock and Neil islands, around 50 km from Port Blair. Havelock and Neil are the two most popular tourist destinations on the Andamans and are accessible only by small ships and helicopters.
A scuba diving ship has been stranded at Port Blair harbour with 12 tourists since Tuesday afternoon. Four navy ships with water, food, medicines and doctors have been deployed since 3:15 am, but rescue operations could not take place because choppy waters prevented the vessels from approaching the harbour.
(Source: The Telegraph)
5. Uri 'Terror Guides' Are Class X Pakistani Kids Who Strayed Across, Say Family, School
Two Pakistanis arrested by the Army on charges of facilitating the attack on the 12 Infantry Brigade's headquarters in Uri are Class X students, who had strayed across the Line of Control (LoC), the family of one and the principal of his school have told The Indian Express.
The Ministry of External Affairs said the two had confessed to facilitating the “infiltration of a group of four Jaish-e-Muhammad cadre, who carried out the Uri army camp attack.”
Faisal Husain Awan, a resident of Potha Jandgran near the village of Koomi Kote in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, and his school-friend Ahsan Khursheed, from Khilayana Khurd in Muzaffarabad's Hattian Bala tehsil, were arrested on 21 September, three days after the attack, which claimed the lives of 19 soldiers. Both these villages are an hour's walk from the LoC near Uri.
(Source: The Indian Express)
Also Read: Uri Uncovered: How Terrorists Carried out the Deadly Attack
6. Cho Ramaswamy – the Politician and Interlocutor
Cho Ramaswamy often crossed the line that divides journalists and political activists. He was consulted by political leaders, and there were occasions when he played the role of an interlocutor. His proximity to many leaders was a key factor in shaping alliances or bringing together diverse forces.
Cho joined the Janata Party in 1983 and became close to Morarji Desai and leaders such as AB Vajpayee, LK Advani, Chandra Shekhar and George Fernandes. However, after 18 months, he left the party.
Cho was close to K Kamaraj. He campaigned for the Congress (O) in the 1971 election. The presence of huge crowds at a rally on the Marina in Chennai persuaded him to believe that Kamaraj would win. But he suffered a shocking defeat. Cho had written a self-deprecating editorial in the magazine.
(Source: The Hindu)
Also Read: When Cho Ramaswamy Described Modi as “Merchant of Death” for Graft
7. LK Advani Snaps: Neither Speaker nor Minister Running Lok Sabha
Amid the continuing impasse in Parliament over demonetisation, BJP leader LK Advani on Wednesday expressed his displeasure with Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar for not “running the House”.
“Who's running the House? It is running on its own. Neither the Speaker nor the Parliamentary Affairs Minister is running the House,” said Advani, after the Lok Sabha was adjourned ahead of the lunch recess, about 40 minutes after it met for the second time in the morning.
When a Lok Sabha official told him, in reply to his question, that the House had been adjourned till 2 pm, Advani retorted, “Why not sine die?”
(Source: The Indian Express)
8. "Come, Let's Go Home, I'll Serve You Best Tea," Jaya Told Medical Staff
While in the ICU, Jayalalithaa always looked forward to visits by 'King Kong' – the name she fondly gave to three doughty nurses who took charge of her care.
"Several times, she would say, 'You tell me what to do. I will do it'," said CV Sheela, one of the nurses.
She smiled at us when we walked in, chatted with us, and, on most occasions, cooperated. When we were around, she made an effort to eat despite difficulties. She would have one spoon for the sake of each of us and one for herself.Her diet included her favourite upma, pongal or curd rice and potato curry, prepared by her cook. There was a team of 16 nurses who were posted in three shifts; Sheela, M V Renuka and Samundeeswari were among her favourites.
(Source: The Times of India)
Also Read: Tharoor on Amma's Demise: Can Her Party Survive the Body Blow?
9. Over 1,900 Parties in India, 400 Never Fought Polls: EC
Politics seems to be ingrained in Indians as the country has the largest number of political parties in the world, over 1,900 according to chief election commissioner Nasim Zaidi, but over 400 of them have never contested any election.
Zaidi suspected that these could be conduits for turning black money into white.
However, the Election Commission has started an exercise to strike off such parties from its list.
"Striking off their names will disentitle them from income tax exemptions on contributions and donations," Zaidi said.
(Source: The Times of India)
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