Remembering Dr. B R Ambedkar, Leaders Pay Tributes On Babasaheb's Mahaparinirvan Diwas

Babasaheb Ambedkar, a founding father of the modern Indian Republic passed away on 6th December 1956. This day marks the 62nd Death Anniversary of our country's social reformer and intellectual who fought for the right of Dalits, untouchables and women.

An economist, political reformer and jurist, he argued for a broad Civil Rights Organisation which would focus on gaining civic rights for Dalits—entry into public places, use of public facilities, broad civil liberties under the control of the Dalits themselves.

Ambedkar inspired the Neo-Buddhism Movement and opened a Buddhism school called Navayana where, following the path to end discrimination, a large number of his Dalit followers converted to Buddhism that challenged and rejected Hinduism and the Caste System.

He was a political reformer who fought for the rights of 'untouchables' and played a key role in not just India's Independence but also in the making of the Constitution of India as the Chairman of the Drafting Committee.

Ambedkar was the first Mahar Dalit (untouchable) who was enrolled into the Bombay University and persued further studies from New York and London.

He has written books that brutally attack the caste system and orthodox Hinduism. In one such book, "Annihilation of Caste", Dr. B R Ambedkar wrote, "The outcaste is a bye-product of the caste system. There will be outcastes as long as there are castes. Nothing can emancipate the outcaste except the destruction of the caste system."

Prime Minister Modi, President Kovind, Chandrababu Naidu, Sitaram Yechury among others paid homage to Dr. B R Ambedkar on account of his 63rd Death Anniversary on twitter.

PM Modi tweeted, "India bows to Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar on Mahaparinirvan Diwas."

President Kovind paid floral tributes to Babasaheb Dr B.R. Ambedkar on his Mahaparinirvan Diwas at the Parliament House Lawns in New Delhi.

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On Mahaparinirvana Diwas, Tributes Pour In For "Baba Saheb" BR Ambedkar

BR Ambedkar death anniversary: He worked against social discrimination.

New Delhi: 

On 62nd death anniversary of BR Ambedkar, also called Ambedkar Nirwan Diwas, leaders paid tributes to "Baba Saheb". Ambedkar, who worked on social discrimination against untouchables and also supported the rights of women and labourers, is revered as a Dalit icon in India. He was the force behind the Dalit Buddhist Movement in India. "I measure the progress of a community by the degree of progress which women have achieved," Dr Ambedkar had said, as quoted in The Ultimate Book of Quotations. In 1990, Ambedkar was posthumously conferred with Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award. He died on December 6, 1956. The day is observed as Mahaparinirvan Diwas.

Here are the tributes for the :

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi paid heartfelt tributes to the Dalit icon.

Senior BJP leaders Arun Jaitley, Amit Shah also paid rich tributes to BR Ambedkar on Mahaparinirvan Diwas. 

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also tweeted.

"Respectful tribute to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar on his death anniversary. His contribution in framing India's Constitution will forever be remembered by the generations to come," Ms Banerjee tweeted.

Senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala wrote, "Cultivation of mind should be the ultimate aim of human existence". My respectful homage to Babasaheb Dr BR Ambedkar on his 63rd Mahaparinirvan Divas today."

Nation pays homage to Ambedkar

Photo Credit: iansphoto.in

IANS

New Delhi, Dec 6 (IANS) Led by President Ram Nath Kovind, the nation on Thursday paid tribute to the architect of the Indian Constitution, Bharat Ratna Babasaheb B.R. Ambedkar, on his 63rd death anniversary.

Kovind, Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid floral tributes to the Dalit icon at a function in Parliament House Lawns here.

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, along with MPs and Ministers, also paid their homage to the Father of the Indian Constitution, who championed the causes of Dalits, women and labourers.

"He championed the cause of marginalised and strove for creating a casteless society. We will be paying a real tribute to Baba Sahebji by establishing a truly egalitarian society and by upholding values and ethics in public life," tweeted Naidu.

Modi shared an audio highlighting the works and contribution of Ambedkar on Twitter along with his message .

"Those who forget history do not make history," tweeted Congress President Rahul Gandhi paying his respects.

"Today, we honour a man whose legacy lives in the form of our Constitution. He fought for a just and equal society and left behind him an idea that we will always continue to uphold.

"B.R Ambedkar was the embodiment of respect, dignity and equality," the Congress tweeted.

In her message, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said: "His contribution in framing India's Constitution will forever be remembered by the generations to come."

Ambedkar died on this day in 1956 and the day is observed as "Mahaparinirvan Diwas" every year. 

© 2018 IANS India Private Limited. All Rights Reserved.The reproduction of the story/photograph in any form will be liable for legal action.

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Update: 06-December-2018

Why media will be crucial in winnowing huge Democratic field

The Democratic presidential field is suddenly shrinking.

Michael Avenatti, a candidate mainly in his own mind, has decided not to run.

The Stormy Daniels lawyer who became intoxicated by his cable news stardom cited his family, but obviously his arrest on suspicion of domestic violence downgraded his chances from far-fetched to nonexistent.

And Deval Patrick, the former Massachusetts governor, has told associates that he won't be a candidate despite encouragement from the Obama inner circle, according to Politico.

That leaves roughly 572 Democrats still eyeing the White House.

In light of yesterday's emotional funeral for George H.W. Bush — attended by Donald Trump, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter and the chief eulogist, George W. — it seems an apt moment to reflect on what makes a good president and the art of winning the office.

If Trump, a real estate developer, is an unlikely president, so was Carter, a peanut farmer who camped out in Iowa and somehow caught the post-Watergate wave. So was Obama, a community organizer and freshman senator who had to break a racial barrier.

Bush 41 was the ultimate establishment figure — ex-senator's son, congressman, ambassador, party chairman, CIA chief, vice president, — but would not have won had he not unleashed Lee Atwater to run a very aggressive campaign.

The Democratic field can be grouped several ways, but the greatest divide is between the aging old guard and a younger generation of contenders.

Joe Biden, who had already been a senator for eight years when Bush became vice president, recently declared himself the most qualified person in the field (as well as an admitted "gaffe machine"). He has the stature of a former VP and an ability to talk to blue-collar voters, but his past presidential campaigns were disasters.

Some pundits see Bernie Sanders as the automatic front-runner given his strong showing last time. But it's just as likely that his moment has passed, that he was the beneficiary of anti-Hillary sentiment, and he remains weak with black voters.

Elizabeth Warren is in this group too, even though she hasn't been in Washington nearly as long. She seems to get under Trump's skin and could siphon some of Bernie's populist support, but her campaign skills are suspect.

Then there are the senators. Sherrod Brown could make inroads in Ohio and the Midwest. Kirsten Gillibrand has street cred for saying Bill Clinton should have resigned but alienated some elements of the party who like the Clintons, who had helped her. Kamala Harris has a built-in African-American constituency. So does Cory Booker, who tried to drum up a Spartacus moment during the Kavanaugh hearings, but seems more second-tier. So does Amy Klobuchar: likable, little-known and possibly suffering from Minnesota Nice.

Beto O'Rourke, who recently met with Obama, gets his own category. He has the kind of charisma that gets the media swooning and raised truckloads of money in his 3-point loss to Ted Cruz. Sure, it's Texas, but it's still not easy to see a losing Senate candidate pulling a Lincoln and winning the White House two years later.

There are many other names — Eric Garcetti. Julian Castro, John Hickenlooper — who may be accomplished people but still feel like long shots, and perennial presidential tease Mike Bloomberg.

The media, it's clear to me, will play a key filtering role with such an unwieldy field. Not because of their predictions; they blew it with both Trump and Obama. Not based on whether journalists like the candidates, although that can be a peripheral factor.

No, the key question is who gets the ink and airtime necessary for a viable candidacy. That can change — contenders who get hot can move from the kiddie table to the main stage — but coverage is like oxygen. (Even negative coverage, in Trump's case.) You can't survive without it.

Even Jeb Bush, who raised $100 million and made plenty of mistakes, couldn't overcome the Trump spotlight.

Ultimately Democratic voters have to decide how liberal their candidate should be and whether he or she should be as hyper-aggressive as Trump or a milder, contrasting personality.

The media, unlike what we saw yesterday at the Washington National Cathedral, were never particularly kind to George Herbert Walker Bush. But his example reminds us that when it comes to White House wannabes, character counts.

Kamala Harris aide resigns over $400G harassment settlement

U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., speaks at the "Families Belong Together: Freedom for Immigrants" March in Los Angeles.

A senior adviser to U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., resigned Wednesday over inquiries about a $400,000 harassment lawsuit against him while working at the California Department of Justice.

Larry Wallace resigned after the Sacramento Bee asked about the 2017 settlement, the paper reported.

"We were unaware of this issue and take accusations of harassment extremely seriously," Harris spokeswoman Lily Adams said. "This evening, Mr. Wallace offered his resignation to the senator, and she accepted it."

The lawsuit filed by Danielle Hartley accused Wallace of demeaning her based on her gender while she worked for him as his assistant.

DEMOCRAT KAMALA HARRIS COULD LOSE SEAT ON SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE, REPORT SAYS

Hartley said Wallace placed his computer printer under his desk and often asked her to crawl under and refill it with paper as he sat and watched, sometimes with other men in the room. Wallace refused to move the printer to another location when Hartley asked him to do so, according to the suit.

The suit also said Wallace had Hartley run his personal errands, including booking flights for his children and washing and performing maintenance on his car. When she would return from the assigned tasks, the lawsuit states, "co-workers would make hostile comments to her including, 'Are you walking the walk of shame?'"

She said she reported the alleged harassment in 2011, but was retaliated against. Hartley was involuntarily transferred to another office at the state Department of Justice at the end of 2014, the suit said.

Xavier Becerra, who succeeded Harris as California's attorney general, said Hartley "unreasonably failed to utilize the procedures during the period of time, and after, the alleged harassment or discrimination was occurring."

Wallace previously served as director of the Division of Law Enforcement under then-California Attorney General Harris and worked for her during her tenure as district attorney for San Francisco.

Harris has been a vocal supporter of the #MeToo movement and is contemplating whether to launch a 2020 presidential bid. In June, she introduced legislation to ban forced nondisclosure agreements in harassment settlements.

KAMALA HARRIS, AMID 2020 RUMORS, FLOATS $500 A MONTH TAX CREDIT

Hartley is barred from discussing the settlement amount and agreed not to apply for jobs with the state Justice Department. Neither she nor Wallace commented to the Bee.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Democrat accused of repeated use of women’s restroom will resign in January

Colorado state Sen. Daniel Kagan will resign in January.  (Facebook)

A Colorado Democrat whom female colleagues had accused earlier this year of frequenting a women's restroom inside the Statehouse is resigning, a spokesman said Wednesday.

State Sen. Daniel Kagan's departure, effective Jan. 11, will come as the Democrats retake the Colorado Senate majority following November's elections, the Denver Post reported.

MALE DEMOCRAT ACCUSED OF USING COLORADO SENATE'S WOMEN'S RESTROOM 'MULTIPLE TIMES'

"It's been a great honor to serve the people of Colorado for just short of a decade," Kagan said in a statement. "An important obligation of leaders, I believe, is to be open to acknowledging that it's time to pass the torch to new leadership and, for me, that time is now."

"An important obligation of leaders, I believe, is to be open to acknowledging that it's time to pass the torch to new leadership and, for me, that time is now." 

— Colorado state Sen. Daniel Kagan

Kagan was instrumental in repealing a 19th-century law that criminalized adultery, a law he regarded as giving authorities the power to question people about their personal lives, "which is a gross invasion of privacy that's fully within the rights of the police right now."

But Republican state Sen. Beth Martinez Humenik said several women claimed to have seen Kagan using a women's restroom multiple times since January 2017. She filed a workplace sexual harassment complaint against Kagan in March.

Kagan said he'd entered the women's restroom just once by mistake because it was unlabeled. The debacle prompted the state Senate to post signs outside its restroom designating "men" and "women," Denver's KUSA-TV reported.

"I asked for a public apology to all involved, not a resignation," Martinez Humenik said Wednesday. "We are still waiting on his apology."

Colorado GOP spokesman concurred, saying Kagan should have apologized rather than "just resigning to avoid having to look at them."

Colorado Public Radio reported earlier this year that Kagan was among a group of Democratic senators who have called for the ouster of Republican state Sen. Randy Baumgardner, amid accusations that he groped an aide in 2016.

"Many butt-slappers and thigh-strokers fancy that they are merely flirting and flattering," Kagan said before the Senate.

Fox News' Dom Calicchio contributed to this report.

Air India passenger claiming to be 'international criminal lawyer' verbally attacks crew after being denied wine

The woman was taken into custody once the plane landed. (iStock)

An irate business-class passenger who identified herself as an "international criminal lawyer" was filmed yelling at and threatening – allegedly while intoxicated – an Air India crew on a Saturday flight from Mumbai to London after they refused to serve her more wine.

FLIGHT ATTENDANT DRAWS WINDOW FOR PASSENGER STUCK IN WINDOWLESS SEAT

WARNING: Clip contains extremely graphic language.

The passenger, a 50-year-old woman from Ireland, according to The Sun, is seen in the video yelling at cabin crew and demanding to speak to the pilot because flight attendants won't serve her.

In the video, the unidentified passenger screams in a flight attendant's face, telling him she is a lawyer for "the Palestinian people" and then goes on to say "I am working for all of your people." It is unknown what nationality the flight attendant is, though the flight reportedly originated in Mumbai, India, and not in the Middle East. The woman went on to say she works for the "Rohingya" and "all nations" before stating she "do[esn't] get any money for it" and demanding another glass of wine.

She goes on to threaten to "boycott" the airline for not serving her "a wee bottle of wine."

WARNING: Clip contains extremely graphic language.

FLYBE PILOT WHO DEVELOPED FEAR OF FLYING WAS UNFAIRLY DISMISSED BY AIRLINE

The flight attendant remains calm as the woman turns to other crew members, who are allegedly writing a report about her, and starts screaming "f--- off" before eventually jumping up and down and appearing to flip them off with her middle fingers.

The woman eventually makes her way back into the cabin, where she appears not to remember which airport the plane is flying into.

In another video, the woman continues her rant, this time berating other passengers in business class. At one point she turns to the camera and threatens the person recording, saying she has ties to the "Irish Republican Army. You'll be f---ing shot."

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London Metropolitan Police confirmed to The Daily Mail that the woman was taken into custody once the plane landed at Heathrow Airport.

"At approximately 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, 10 November, a 50-year-old woman was arrested after an Air India flight had landed at Heathrow Airport," a police spokesperson told MailOnline. "She was arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated public order, common assault and drunk and disorderly and taken to a west London police station. She was subsequently released under investigation."

Alexandra Deabler is a Lifestyle writer and editor for Fox News.

Chance for India to seal semifinal spot

Coming to the back end of the group stages, Group B could possibly see India joining Australia as the two to advance to the semifinal of the women's T20 World Cup when they play Ireland at Providence today.

History will be made as it is the first time these two sides will face each other in the format and so far, India has had a good showing in the Women's World T20 tournament, sealing two wins in as many matches, compared to their opposition who remain winless in the same amount of matches.

The vastly different results for the two sides in the International Cricket Council tournament can be readily underlined by their team choices, the Asian side has been fixed and settled while the Irish team has chopped and changed their XI…..

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Judge rules some absentee ballots must be counted in Georgia gubernatorial election

A federal judge ruled Wednesday that the results of Georgia's gubernatorial race cannot be certified until certain absentee ballots have been counted.

The ruling by U.S. District Judge Steve Jones came hours after Republican Brian Kemp claimed to have an "insurmountable lead" over Democrat Stacey Abrams, who is seeking to become the first black woman elected governor in the U.S.

Jones ruled that each county's certified vote tally must include absentee ballots on which the voter's date of birth is missing or incorrect, an order that stems from a request in a lawsuit filed by the Abrams campaign over the weekend. However, Jones declined Democratic requests to extend the period during which evidence could be submitted to prove the eligibility of voters who cast provisional ballots. He also declined to order that provisional ballots cast by voters who went to a precinct in the wrong county be counted.

Kemp currently has 50.27 percent of the vote, compared to 48.79 percent for Abrams. Abrams' campaign believes she needs a net gain of 17,759 votes to pull Kemp below the 50 percent threshold and force a Dec. 4 runoff. Kemp's campaign said even if every vote that Abrams campaign is arguing for is granted by the courts and counted for her, she cannot overcome his lead or force a runoff.

Both sides have accused the other of wrongdoing, with Democrats casting doubt on any vote count that ends with Kemp -- Georgia's former secretary of state -- being certified as the winner.

"We believe that Brian Kemp mismanaged this election to sway it in his favor," Abrams' campaign manager Lauren Groh-Wargo said earlier Wednesday, surrounded by Democratic lawmakers at the Georgia Capitol.

For their part, Kemp's campaign repeated calls for Abrams to concede, accusing her and her supporters of using "fake vote totals," "desperate press conferences" and "dangerous lawsuits" to try to steal the election.

"After all of the theatrics, the math remains the same," Kemp campaign spokesman Cody Hall said in an email. "Abrams lost and Brian Kemp won. This election is over."

The lawsuit Jones ruled on Wednesday was one of several election-related complaints filed before multiple federal judges.

U.S. District Judge Leigh May ordered Gwinnett County election officials Tuesday not to reject absentee ballots just because the voter's birth year is missing or wrong. She also ordered the county to delay certification of its election results until those ballots have been counted.

Jones' ruling effectively extended May's order to the other 158 counties in Georgia.

U.S. District Judge Amy Totenberg late Monday ordered state officials not to do their final certification of election results before 5 p.m. Friday.

State law sets a Nov. 20 deadline, but secretary of state's office elections director Chris Harvey testified last week that the state had planned to certify the election results Wednesday, a day after the deadline for counties to certify their results. He said that would allow preparations to begin for any runoff contests, including those already projected in the races for secretary of state and a Public Service Commission seat.

Totenberg's order left untouched the county certification deadline. Candice Broce, a spokeswoman for the secretary of state's office, said Wednesday that all counties but Gwinnett have certified their totals.

Totenberg also ordered the secretary of state's office to establish and publicize a hotline or website enabling voters to check whether their provisional ballots were counted and, if not, why not. And she ordered the secretary of state's office to review or have county election authorities review the eligibility of voters who had to cast provisional ballots because of registration issues.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

'Not a Good Face for Dems in 2020': 'Special Report' Panel Reacts to Reported Avenatti Arrest

Los Angeles attorney Michael Avenatti, who is suing President Donald Trump on behalf of pornographic actress Stormy Daniels, was reportedly arrested Wednesday on a felony charge of domestic assault.

As Fox News reported:

The charges arose from an alleged Tuesday incident, prompting authorities to respond and take a report, an unidentified law enforcement official told The Associated Press. However, Avenatti was reportedly taken into custody on Wednesday.

When asked to confirm information on Avenatti's reported arrest, an LAPD public information officer would only confirm to Fox News that an individual had been taken into custody on domestic violence charges. The officer did not confirm that the individual was Avenatti, saying that the identity would be released after booking.

Avenatti did not immediately respond to Fox News' request for comment.

TMZ, which first reported on Avenatti, said that he had "kicked" his estranged spouse "out of the apartment."

The "Special Report" panel reacted to the news on Wednesday:

"'She hit me first' is not a very fulsome defense," Real Clear Politics editor Tom Bevan said. "His 2020 aspirations are pretty much over."

The initial TMZ report said Avenatti ran into his apartment building after the alleged incident, hollering "she hit me first, this is bulls--t."

'You're Exploiting Her and You Know That': Tucker Battles Avenatti LIVE on Set

WATCH: Tucker Responds to 'Especially Creepy' Avenatti After Attacks During 'The View'

Avenatti had been making statements that suggested he will seek to challenge Trump in 2020, and previously made trips to several key states like South Carolina.

"Federalist" editor Mollie Hemingway said Avenatti has a "track record of extremely questionable behavior" and that it is "surprising" that many leftist Democrats still stand with him.

Washington Post writer Charles Lane said Avenatti was never a top contender to challenge Trump, and that he is now "not a good face to put on the Democratic Party in 2020."

Late Wednesday, Avenatti spoke briefly to reporters in Los Angeles County and denied the allegations.

"I have never struck a woman. I never will strike a woman. I have been an advocate for women's rights my entire career... and I'm gonna continue to be an advocate. I am not going to be intimidated from stopping what I am doing," Avenatti said.

Watch more above.

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Mission to hunt aliens on Mars reveals landing site where extraterrestrial life most likely to be found

File photo: The Hellas Planitia region of Mars, where scientists believe small lakes came and went regularly. (NASA/JPL/USGS)

Scientists have picked the landing site of a robot mission to Mars which will search for signs of alien life.

The ExoMars rover is due to be blasted into space in 2010 but not land on the Red Planet until March 2021 and drill into its surface to search for any evidence of life that may have existed.

Experts working on the joint European-Russian project have picked an area called Oxia Planum, as it is thought the site once contained a large body of water billions of years ago.

CLICK ON THE SUN FOR MORE

The other main contender was Mawrth Vallis – a channel formed by huge flooding between the southern highlands and the northern lowlands.

Aram Dorsum which is found in the highlands of Arabia Terra, north of the Crommelin crater, was also on the shortlist of possibilities.

The decision is expected to be officially confirmed next year when it is signed off by the heads of the project.

Group member Professor John Bridges from the University of Leicester said after four years of careful study the site had been picked because its fine sediments would be ideal for the rover's drill.

He said: "With an enormous catchment area the sediments will have captured organics from a wide variety of environments over a long period of time, including areas where life may have existed.

"A large group of scientists have been working on proposing, characterizing and down selecting the sites, all of which had fascinating aspects, but Oxia Planum is the clear winner on both science and engineering constraints."

Layers of clay-rich minerals found in the area also suggest it was once the location of a massive lake.

It is hoped the rover will drill two meters below the planet's surface hunting for signs there was life on the planet around four billion years ago when there was water on the planet.

Jorge Vago, a ExoMars project scientist with the European Space Agency (ESA), said: "With ExoMars we are on a quest to find biosignatures.

"While both sites offer valuable scientific opportunities to explore ancient water-rich environments that could have been colonized by microorganisms, Oxia Planum received the majority of votes."

Landing a robot on Mars has proved difficult in the past so the choice had to consider where the most likely sites were against the chances of being able to actually land a craft in the area.

It is thought the low-lying Oxia Planum area will provide more time for a parachute to slow the robot's descent onto the surface.

ESA's head of space exploration Sue Horne said: "Our end goal is in sight and it is getting very exciting."

This story originally appeared in The Sun.

Arizona Senate vote count settlement reached; counties given extension to cure ballots

Republicans and Democrats in Arizona reached an agreement in court Friday that gives all counties in the state until this coming Wednesday to address problems with ballots, as vote tallying for the state's tight Senate race continues.

As of 8:15 p.m. ET Friday, Democratic candidate Kyrsten Sinema led Republican candidate Martha McSally by roughly 20,000 votes statewide, according to the Arizona Secretary of State's Office. Sinema has received 991,189 votes and McSally 970,986, the office said.

As the ballot count continued, Sinema for Arizona campaign manager Andrew Piatt issued a statement saying: "Once again, today's data confirmed our expectation that as the ballots are counted, Kyrsten will steadily build her advantage and be elected to the U.S. Senate. Nine counties reported today - five of which are counties where McSally is favored and where she needed to perform very well in order to regain even a narrow path to victory. That didn't happen and since election night, Kyrsten netted 38,258 votes and now is leading by 20,203 votes - or 1 percent. She will win this race."

The settlement comes after Republicans filed a lawsuit Wednesday in a bid to prevent Maricopa and Pima counties – the two biggest counties in the state – from using procedures that permit mail-in ballot fixes to occur beyond Election Day, arguing that the practice was improper.

Four local Republican parties filed the lawsuit.

FLORIDA AT CENTER OF EXPLOSIVE POST-ELECTION FIGHT, AS NEW ARIZONA SENATE TALLY GIVES EDGE TO DEM

If the signature on the voter registration doesn't match that on the sealed envelope, both Maricopa and Pima County allow voters to help them fix, or "cure" it, up to five days after Election Day.

Many other counties allow voters to cure only until polls close on Election Day.

However, now all counties may cure ballots until Wednesday.

Roughly 272,000 votes remained uncounted, the Arizona Secretary of State's Office reported Friday.

JUDGE SIDES WITH FLORIDA'S RICK SCOTT, CITES 'VIOLATION' OF STATE CONSTITUTION BY ELECTION OFFICIALS

"We know there's urgency out there, but we want to get it right, not quick," Maricopa County Recorder Adrian Fontes said, according to the Associated Press.

President Trump tweeted about the Arizona election ahead of Friday's settlement.

"Just out — in Arizona, SIGNATURES DON'T MATCH. Electoral corruption - Call for a new Election? We must protect our Democracy!"

The agreement would affect only a few thousand votes, the AP reported.

Fox News' Dan Springer, Melissa Chrise and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Trump tweets defense of Whitaker appointment from Paris

President Trump continued Friday to defend his choice of Matthew Whitaker as acting attorney general following the resignation of Jeff Sessions earlier in the week.

In a series of late-night tweets from Paris, Trump seemed to continue statements he made in Washington earlier in the day in defense of Whitaker, who served as Sessions' chief of staff until his boss resigned Wednesday at the request of the president.

Just before leaving for Paris, where he will take part in events commemorating the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I, Trump said he "didn't know" Whitaker but the former U.S. attorney from Iowa was "highly thought of."

His remarks contradicted comments he made on Fox News last month when he said Whitaker was a "great guy" and "I mean, I know Matt Whitaker."

"Matthew G. Whitaker is a highly respected former U.S. Attorney from Iowa. He was chosen by Jeff Sessions to be his Chief of Staff. I did not know Mr. Whitaker. Likewise, as Chief, I did not know Mr. Whitaker except primarily as he traveled with A.G. Sessions. No social contact...," the president tweeted Friday.

He later tweeted that Iowa Gov. Joni Ernst, U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad were among those who thought "very highly" of Whitaker.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., predicted Friday that Trump will nominate a permanent attorney general "pretty quickly" and said Whitaker would be a "very interim AG."

"The president has said repeatedly he's not going to dismiss the Mueller investigation," McConnell told reporters at Kentucky's Capitol in Frankfort. "He's said repeatedly it's going to be allowed to finish. That also happens to be my view."

Whitaker's selection has roiled Democrats, who believe he could undermine Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into possible links between the Trump election campaign and Moscow.

Eighteen state attorneys general signed a document Thursday calling on Whitaker to recuse himself from overseeing the probe, citing critical comments he made about the investigation during media appearances before joining the Justice Department last year.

Trump has brushed off those concerns, saying Friday, "This only comes because anybody that works for me, they do a number on them. All the time I'm watching many different people go on many different shows saying many different things. That doesn't mean they're unqualified."

Some of Whitaker's criticisms of the Russia probe include an op-ed article in which he said Mueller would be straying outside his mandate if he investigated Trump family finances and a radio interview where he said no evidence of collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign existed.

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, on Friday said she wants the Senate to debate placing restrictions on Trump's ability to remove Mueller.

Speaking in Brunswick, Collins said Whitaker's comments on the probe had her "very concerned" about his appointment, adding that a bill would pressure Trump to let the investigation run its course.

"I recognize that the president is never going to sign such a bill, but I think Senate debate and passage of the bill would send a very strong message to the president," she said.

In a statement to Justice Department employees, Whitaker said Friday: "As we move forward, I am committed to leading a fair Department with the highest ethical standards, that upholds the rule of law, and seeks justice for all Americans."

Some have publically wondered if Whitaker is even eligible for the job. Trump argues that since Whitaker was confirmed 14 years ago as the U.S. attorney for southern Iowa, he doesn't need Senate confirmation.

Then there's his association with a Florida company that Federal Trade Commission said bilked thousands of consumers out of millions of dollars by promising lucrative patent agreements to investors, the New York Times reported.

The company, World Patent Marketing, was shut down by a federal judge last year.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Florida election official requests emergency hearing after judge's ruling

A Florida supervisor of elections who was ordered to turn over any duplicate, "overvoted" or "undervoted" ballots by Saturday morning has requested an emergency hearing and filed for an extension, a move that's been condemned by Republican Rick Scott's campaign as "embarrassing and unacceptable."

Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Susan Bucher filed on Friday, asking that a hearing be held in response to the judge's earlier decision in favor of Scott.

Circuit Judge Krista Marx ruled that Bucher must provide the county canvassing board with any duplicate ballots and any "overvoted" or "undervoted" ballots that it doesn't already have by no later than 10 a.m. Saturday.

Bucher, whose requested hearing was scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Saturday, has asked for more time to comply with the judge's directive.

JUDGE SIDES WITH FLORIDA'S RICK SCOTT, CITES 'VIOLATION' OF STATE CONSTITUTION BY ELECTION OFFICIALS

The move was slammed by Scott's campaign.

"Tonight, Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Susan Buchar (sic) announced that she is refusing to comply with a court order to submit overvotes and undervotes to the Palm Beach County Canvassing Board for review under the court-ordered deadline," Chris Hartline, Scott for Florida spokesman, said in a statement. "Susan Buchar (sic) has consistently refused to follow state law and comply with legally required deadlines and regulations."

Hartline continued: "Whether it's gross incompetence or intentional disregard for the rule of law is irrelevant at this point. Either way, it is embarrassing and unacceptable."

FLORIDA RACES COULD HEAD TO RECOUNT: A LOOK AT PAST EFFORTS IN US HISTORY

Scott – who is narrowly leading in the state's election for a U.S. Senate seat against longtime incumbent Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson – filed a lawsuit with the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) against Palm Beach County. They alleged that Bucher illegally used her own discretion to determine voter intent when reviewing damaged or incorrectly filled-out absentee ballots while refusing to allow impartial witnesses to monitor the process.

Scott's complaint against Bucher alleges that officials illegally refused to allow Republicans, or any witnesses, to monitor Palm Beach County's handling of damaged absentee ballots.

"Even more alarmingly," Scott claims, Bucher "failed to allow the Palm Beach County Canvassing Board" to determine, as required by law, which damaged or improperly filled-out absentee ballots were valid and how the voters of those ballots had intended to vote. Instead, Scott and the NRSC argue, Bucher and her staff simply used their own judgment when determining voters' intent.

Scott and the NRSC also filed a lawsuit against Broward County.

Fox News' Heather Lacy and Alex Pappas and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Death toll rises to 9 as fierce, fast Northern California wildfire incinerates town

A fierce wildfire in Northern California incinerated most of a town of about 30,000 people with flames that moved so fast there was nothing firefighters could do, authorities said Friday. Nine people died in what quickly grew into the state's most destructive fire in at least a century.

Only a day after it began, the blaze near the town of Paradise had grown to nearly 140 square miles (362 square kilometers), had destroyed more than 6,700 structures — almost all of them homes — and was burning completely out of control.

"There was really no firefight involved," Capt. Scott McLean of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said, explaining that crews gave up attacking the flames and instead helped people get out alive. "These firefighters were in the rescue mode all day yesterday."

With fires also burning in Southern California , state officials put the total number of people forced from their homes at about 250,000. Evacuation orders included the entire city of Malibu, which is home to 13,000, among them some of Hollywood's biggest stars.

President Donald Trump issued an emergency declaration providing federal funds for Butte, Ventura and Los Angeles counties.

When Paradise was evacuated, the order set off a desperate exodus in which many motorists got stuck in gridlocked traffic and abandoned their vehicles to flee on foot. People reported seeing much of the community go up in flames, including homes, supermarkets, businesses, restaurants, schools and a retirement center.

Rural areas fared little better. Many homes have propane tanks that were exploding amid the flames. "They were going off like bombs," said Karen Auday, who escaped to a nearby town.

McLean estimated that the lost buildings numbered in the thousands in Paradise, about 180 miles (290 kilometers) northeast of San Francisco.

Saudi-led coalition in Yemen requests end to US refueling

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen said early Saturday it had "requested cessation of inflight refueling" by the U.S. for its fighter jets after American officials said they would stop the operations amid growing anger over civilian casualties from the kingdom's airstrikes.

The decision by Americans to pull out also comes amid outrage by U.S. lawmakers from both political parties over the Oct. 2 slaying of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.

It wasn't immediately clear what impact the U.S. withdrawal from air refueling operations would have. American officials earlier said Saudi forces now handled some 80 percent of their refueling operations, which crucially allow aircraft to fly longer sorties over possible targets and eases the pressure on quick strikes.

Yet even with that refueling support, Saudi Arabia has faced widespread international criticism over its campaign of airstrikes in the coalition's war in Yemen, targeting Shiite rebels known as Houthis who hold the capital, Sanaa.

Saudi strikes have hit public markets, hospitals and other nonmilitary targets, killing scores of civilians. One such Saudi-led airstrike in August in Yemen's Saada province hit a bus and killed dozens of people, including schoolchildren wearing backpacks.

U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity Friday to discuss the decision before its announcement, said the end to refueling wouldn't stop American training and military assistance. The Post first reported the Trump administration's desire to end the refueling.

The Saudi statement, carried early Saturday on the state-run Saudi Press Agency, did not acknowledge the Trump administration's decision.

"Recently the kingdom and the coalition has increased its capability to independently conduct inflight refueling in Yemen," the statement read. "As a result, in consultation with the United States, the coalition has requested cessation of inflight refueling support for its operations in Yemen."

It also said it hoped upcoming United Nations sponsored talks "in a third country" would help end the war.

___

Associated Press writers Lolita Baldor and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report.

‘Wrath of Markets?' New Delhi Pokes at India's Central Bank

[unable to retrieve full-text content]An uneasy truce between Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government and the central bank was tested two days after the administration said it respects the central bank's autonomy. "Rupee trading at less ...

Xiaomi can’t beat Apple in India even after selling 10 times more phones

Apple and Xiaomi's rivalry in India is a juicy paradox.

In the financial year ending March 2018, the Chinese firm sold over 10 times more smartphones in the country than the iPhone maker. Apple's revenue stood at Rs13,098 crore—just a little over half of Xiaomi's Rs23,000 crore, according to regulatory filings sourced by data platform Tofler.

Yet, at Rs896 crore, the US tech giant made approximately three times the Beijing-based firm's profits (Rs293 crore).

The Cupertino-based company can thank its steep price points and high margins for this.

View photos

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The Chinese firm, with its cheap devices, is winning the sales numbers game in the country. "Xiaomi has a much bigger market to capture than Apple," said Anchal Agarwal, co-founder and CEO of Tofler.

The market leader's brands hope to build a strong installed base by selling value-for-money products at razor-thin margins, said Rushabh Doshi, research manager at Singapore-based market research firm Canalys. Eventually, Xiaomi looks to "generate revenue via services like advertising, OTT, and so on," Doshi said.

Whereas, Apple's business model is to purely target the rich who are looking for status based on their devices, according to Pavel Naiya, senior analyst at Hong Kong-based Counterpoint Research.

Story Continues

In short, Xiaomi may have the volumes but Apple is the higher-value player.

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In fact, Apple, which generates over 95% of its revenues from products alone, is losing customers in India. By the first half of 2018, its market share had halved from 2.5% a year ago, according to Navkendar Singh of International Data Corporation (IDC) India. Still, it keeps making more money.

And this isn't an India-specific phenomenon. The world over, Apple accounts for nearly 90% of smartphone makers' profits despite controlling less than 20% of the market.

"With Apple, the aspirational value is very, very high. Consumers are paying for brand equity and are willing to pay more and more," said Tarun Pathak, associate director at Counterpoint. "With Xiaomi, the moment prices increase, fickle consumers in the segment will buy an alternative."

Though the iPhone remains Apple's most lucrative bet in India, rising from 2.45 million units sold in the financial year 2017 to 2.85 million the next year, its other devices, too, are showing growth. Between April 2017 and March 2018, desktop sales may have grown at just 4%, but notebook and tablet shipments both rose by double digits.

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Apple has also made a key move in curbing costs in India. Since earlier this year, it has consolidated distribution channels and cut back on the number of retail partners, multiple experts told Quartz.

Another change in Apple's India narrative is that, earlier, even three- and four-generation old iPhone models in the sub-$300 price band used to fly off the shelves. "That is being stopped now," Singh of IDC said. "Older models like the 6S and even the 7 are going to be phased out much faster now, driving up the average selling price."

 

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Why India's Modi wants to increase control over the central bank

MUMBAI/NEW DELHI (Reuters) - An incendiary speech by a top Reserve Bank of India (RBI) official last Friday blew the lid off an increasingly toxic dispute between the central bank and the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over monetary policy and who controls the institution's reserves.

Narendra Modi, India's prime minister, speaks during a news conference in Tokyo, Japan October 29, 2018. Kiyoshi Ota/Pool via Reuters

While historically there have been differences between the RBI and the nation's governments, the extent of the rift and its public nature are unprecedented.

By Wednesday morning, there were Indian media reports saying that RBI Governor Urjit Patel was about to resign. The RBI declined comment.

This followed three letters to the RBI from the finance ministry threatening to invoke Section 7 of the R BI Act that would allow the government to dictate policy to the central bank, according to a senior source with direct knowledge of developments.

But faced with declines in India's rupee currency and government bond prices as investors got unnerved, the government issued a statement supporting the RBI's autonomy while indicating it would still be pressing very hard to have its own way.

In Friday's speech, RBI Deputy Governor Viral Acharya said that undermining central bank independence could be "potentially catastrophic", and he even cited meddling by the Argentine government in the affairs of its central bank in 2010 – prompting big drops in that nation's financial markets - as a sign of how bad things can get.

The remarks were widely seen as a sign that the  RBI was pushing back hard against government pressure to relax its policies and reduce its powers ahead of a general election due by May.

Finance ministry and RBI spokespersons decli ned comment.

The RBI is not statutorily independent, as the governor is appointed by the government, but it has enjoyed broad autonomy in regulating the banking sector. It is mandated to control inflation within a 2 to 6 percent range while keeping in mind India's economic growth objective.

CASH GRAB

- The government has made repeated calls for the RBI to hand over more money from the RBI's reserves to help fund its fiscal deficit. The RBI currently hands over its profits earned from various activities in the form of a dividend. But the government also wants to tap a share of the RBI's 3.6 trillion rupees ($48.73 billion) of capital reserves. The RBI has consistently pushed back against the demand.

OUT OF THE SHADOWS

-The government wants the RBI to provide more liquidity to the shadow banking sector, which has been hurt by the defaults of major financing company, Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services (IL&FS). Those defaults triggered sel l-off in bonds and stocks of non-banking financial companies. The government has been asking the RBI for a dedicated liquidity window for these lenders similar to one allowed during the 2008-2009 global financial crisis.

JUST RELAX

-The government has also been urging the RBI to relax its lending restrictions on 11 state-run banks. The curbs were imposed because the banks had a low capital base and major bad debt problems. The 11 are barred from lending unless they reduce their bad debt levels, improve their capital ratios and become profitable. The government says the restrictions have gone too far and have reduced the availability of loans for small- and medium sized businesses.

ENCROACHING

- The RBI is also irked by the government's efforts to trim the central bank's regulatory powers by proposing to set up an independent payments regulator. Currently the RBI regulates all payments and settlements in the economy. The government says it wants a separate payment regulator which will be able to adapt to rapid changes in technology.

BOARD INFLUENCE

-The government appointed S Gurumurthy, a prominent BJP supporter and an affiliate of the Hindu nationalist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), to the RBI board earlier this year along with Satish Marathe, a former banker with ties to the RSS. Such political appointments have been unusual in the past as the RBI board's external members have mostly been economists and industrialists. Traditionally, the RBI's board has approved decisions related to internal functions of the central bank and it has not interfered in its supervisory and monetary policy functions.

KEEPING MUM

-Senior government officials, as well as BJP and RSS officials, are angry that the RBI decided to go public over the quarrels. Acharya made it clear he had been asked to address the independence question by Patel and in a show of unity the three other deputy governors attended his speech. In its statement concern ing autonomy on Wednesday, the government stressed that it will keep discussions confidential.

FOR MODI

-The Modi government has been under pressure ahead of regional polls due at the end of 2018 because of weak farm prices and surging fuel costs, which have been hurting rural incomes. The government recently cut excise duty on gasoline and diesel, adding to pressure on its deficit.

    The budget is also being undermined by muted revenue collection from a recently introduced goods and service tax.

    Added to this, the IL&FS woes have led to a liquidity crunch across much of the shadow banking sector and throttled off some lending.

    All of this could slow a $2.6 trillion economy, the world's sixth largest, only months before the general election. To prevent that from happening, Modi is expected to spend more on populist programs, including boosts to rural wages, fuel subsidies and buying crops at a guaranteed minimum price.

Slideshow (2 Images)FOR INVESTORS

- The rift has created political and economic uncertainty. Investors want policy continuity from both the RBI and the government to ensure inflation is kept in check and economic stability is maintained.

    A persistent fall in the inflation rate since 2014 in a country that was used to volatile price pressures instilled confidence in the central bank and attracted investors. However, investors fear such hard-earned economic gains could be at risk if the government can pull the RBI's strings.

($1 = 73.8800 Indian rupees)

Additional reporting by Rajendra Jadhav in MUMBAI; Edited by Martin Howell and Raju Gopalakrishnan

Knife-wielding man walking on Interstate 10 in LA 'not a prank,' authorities say

California Highway Patrol officers responded this week after a man was seen wandering on Interstate 10 in Los Angeles. (iStock)

A knife-wielding man seen with bandages covering his face and wearing hospital scrubs seen wandering on a Los Angeles freeway this week was not playing a pre-Halloween prank, authorities said.

The unknown man was seen walking in the middle of traffic on Interstate 10 as passing vehicles slowed down around him. A motorist recorded video of the incident on her cell phone, FOX 11 Los Angeles reported.

"This is just a bizarre coincidence like walking dead scenario. This guy is in the middle of the highway - even if it is a prank, he is not mentally sound," driver Lisa Shields said. "Tape around the head. Bandaged head, bandaged left hand, and carrying something in his right hand which I got close enough to see was a knife."

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT

Shields said she pulled beside the man and saw that his eyes were closed. She called 911 soon after.

A spokesperson for the California Highway Patrol said the incident was not a prank, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Shields said she was told that the man was mentally ill and had been picked up by authorities and taken back to a hospital, the station reported.

"It was very intense. Height of traffic. People were honking - it was classic LA," Shields said.

The man was taken to a hospital on a 72-hour mental health hold, according to the Times.

His identity was not released.

'It's Time For Change': NJ GOP Senate Candidate Blasts Menendez, Says He's 'Corrupt'

New Jersey Senate candidate Bob Hugin (R) said Wednesday on Your World that his Democratic opponent, Sen. Bob Menendez, is "corrupt."

Hugin told Charles Payne that people in his state are realizing that change is possible and that they know "they can do better."

"The people of New Jersey are realizing there's really an opportunity for change here," he said. "Twenty-five years in Washington and the state's dead last, getting the least back from Washington, and you have a senator who has just been corrupt if you think about it."

Graham: If You're a Republican and Not Excited to Vote, 'You're Legally Dead'

Hugin went on to say that his opponent "talks about things," but ultimately his state has "accomplished nothing."

"Now with the latest tax increases from the governor in the last year, seniors are leaving at accelerated rates. It's time for change," he said.

Hugin added that he doesn't think it's right for President Trump to try restricting birthright citizenship through an executive order.

"That deserves a much broader discussion and we should have a right process of doing that," he said.

Watch more above.

Judge Nap: Constitution Says 'Once Here, a Baby Born Is an American Citizen'

Homan: Migrant Caravan Is 'More Sophisticated' Than Past Groups, Trump Right to Send Troops

DETAILS: Watch Fox News Channel's Midterm Election Night Coverage

On National Ayurveda Day 2018, 5 easy ayurvedic substitutes for a healthy lifestyle

If you haven't started leading an ayurvedic way of life till now, today would be a good day to start. The thought of making a change in your lifestyle, even a small one may sound daunting, but once you start, you will be pleasantly surprised at the positive changes that you shall experience.

Here are some simple ayurvedic substitutes to begin living healthy.

1. Datoon: Mark any one day of the week as a no-toothbrush day. On this day, use neem twigs to brush your teeth. Neem is antibacterial and actively prevents plaque formation, bad breath and cavities. The bitter taste cleanses your pallet and improves the sensitivity of taste buds.

2. Copper water bottle: Substitute your plastic bottles with copper water bottles. Tamra jal boosts brain health, is helpful in strengthening heart functions, improves immunity, promotes healthy skin and is known to help in slowing down the effects of ageing.

3. Ayurvedic tea: Replace your regular tea that contains caffeine, with Ayurvedic tea. Ayurvedic teas are very versatile tonics for the heart, brain and liver. They are also rich in anti-oxidant properties, which is helpful in lowering cholesterol levels and warding off several diseases.

4. Sit on the ground: Substitute your dining table with a cot on the ground for your meals. Sitting on the ground has multiple benefits. It assists the process of digestion; improves circulation and overall body posture.

5. Herbs: Replace chemicals with herbal substitutes. Use homemade ubtans and leps. In place of liquefied paraffin wax in lotions, use natural sesame or almond oils to nourish your skin and hair.

Ayurveda recommends being close to nature to stay healthy. Whenever you have to make a choice, take it as an opportunity to introduce ayurveda in your life.

Dr. Partap Chauhan, Director of Jiva Ayurveda, is an author, public speaker, TV personality and Ayurvedacharya. Since 1992, he has dedicated himself to popularising Ayurveda across the world.

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First Published: Oct 28, 2018 10:38 IST

Air Pollution: Ayurveda Concoction To Keep Scratchy Throat At Bay

The winter season is fast approaching and the smog in the air has started to appear. The air pollution has affected a lot of people in the past and is continuing to do so. There is no denying the fact that the pollution levels in the National Capital are at an alarming level. The polluted air that we inhale air can turn out to be quite dangerous for our overall health. It leads to respiratory issues and constant coughing and sneezing, which are, of course, not good for our health. Since controlling the air contamination is not entirely in our hands, a lot can be done at our end to minimise the effects of this toxic air that we are breathing. According to Ayurveda Expert, Dr. Ashutosh Gautam, "Ginger, tulsi, turmeric and black pepper can do wonders to keep scratchy throat at bay."

Here Is An Ayurdeva Concoction To Keep Scratchy Throat At Bay:

Ingredients Required:

Water - 1 cupGinger - 1 small pieceTulsi- 4-5 leavesTurmeric - a pinchBlack Pepper - 5 seedsHoney - 1 teaspoonRock Salt - a pinch (optional)

Ayurveda Concoction For Sore Throat: Tulsi can do wonders for your health

How To Make This Ayurvedic Concoction:

1) To begin with, take a pan and add water to it. Heat it on high flame and allow it to boil. Once it starts boiling, add in ginger, tulsi leaves, a pinch of turmeric and black pepper seeds.

2) Now, boil the concoction on low flame till the water reduces to half a cup. Once this is done, remove it from the stove and pour it in a cup. Add one teaspoon of honey and your concoction is ready. You can add in rock salt if you have phlegm.

This Ayurveda home remedy for cough is all-natural. It can provide relief from scratchy throat. Honey will help soothe the irritation in throat.

So, what are you waiting for? Bring this Ayurveda recipe to your rescue and save throat from the air pollution.

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.

Sardar Patel : The maker of modern India

The first half of 1947 was a critical period in India's history. The end of colonial rule was certain and so was India's partition but what was uncertain was whether there would be more than one division. Prices were rising, food shortages were common but over and above everything else, the unity of India was under severe strain.

It was in these circumstances that the States Department came into being in the middle of 1947. Among the chief aims of this Department was to negotiate India's relationship with the over 550 Princely states, which were as diverse as they could get, be it in size, population, terrain or economic situation. No wonder Mahatma Gandhi remarked, "The problem of the states is so difficult that YOU alone can solve it."

The YOU in question is none other than Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, whose Jayanti we are marking today and to whom we pay our tributes.

In vintage Sardar Patel style, he went about his work with precision, firmness and administrative efficiency. Time was less and the task was herculean…but this was no ordinary person, it was Sardar Patel, who was determined not to let his nation down. One by one, he and his team negotiated with the Princely states and ensured that they all became a part of free India.

It was due to the round the clock effort of Sardar Patel that the map of India is what it is today!

On August 15, 1947, we celebrated the dawn of a new destiny but the work of nation building was far from complete. As Independent India's first Home Minister, he set the stage for an administrative framework that continues to serve the nation be it in matters of day-to-day governance and protecting the interests of the people, particularly the poor and marginalised. Sardar Patel was a veteran administrator. His own experience in governance, particularly in the 1920s, when he served the Ahmedabad municipality, was extremely handy when he worked towards strengthening independent India's administrative framework.

Today, if India is known for a vibrant cooperative sector, a large part of the credit goes to Sardar Patel. The roots of Amul can be traced back to his vision for empowering local communities, particularly women. It was Sardar Patel who also popularised the idea of cooperative housing societies, thus ensuring dignity and shelter for many. Two traits synonymous with Sardar Patel are trust and integrity. The farmers of India had unparalleled faith in him. After all, he was a Kisan Putra, who led from the front during the Bardoli Satyagraha. The working class saw him as a ray of hope, a leader who would speak up for them. Traders and industrialists preferred to work with Sardar Patel because they felt here was a stalwart who had a vision for India's economic and industrial growth.

This year's Sardar Jayanti is even more special. With the blessings of 130 crore Indians, the 'Statue of Unity' is being inaugurated today. Situated on the banks of the Narmada, the 'Statue of Unity' is among the tallest in the world. 'Dharti Putra' Sardar Patel will stand tall in the skies, to guide us and inspire us.

I congratulate all those who have worked day and night to ensure that this grand statue in tribute of Sardar Patel becomes a reality. My mind goes back to October 31, 2013, when we laid the foundation stone for this ambitious project. In record time, a project of such scale has become ready and this should make every Indian proud. I urge you all to visit the 'Statue of Unity' in the times to come.

The 'Statue of Unity' is a symbol of both the unity of hearts and the geographical integrity of our motherland. It is a reminder that divided, we may not be even able to face ourselves. United, we can face the world and scale new heights of growth and glory.

Sardar Patel worked with astonishing speed to dismantle the history of imperialism and create the geography of unity with the spirit of nationalism. He saved India from Balkanisation and integrated even the weakest of limbs into the national framework.

Today, we, the 130 crore Indians are working shoulder to shoulder to build a New India that is strong, prosperous and inclusive. Every decision is being taken to ensure that the fruits of development reach the most vulnerable, without any corruption or favouritism, just as Sardar Patel would have wanted it.

Statue of Unity : Sardar Patel

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India has unveiled the tallest statue in the world. The bronze structure is almost 600 feet tall -- twice the height of the Statue of Liberty. It depicts Sardar …

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Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand sign agreement on new bus routes

By UNI

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand on Monday made history by signing an agreement for plying of buses, which was pending for the past four decades.

In the presence of UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and his Uttarakhand counterpart Trivendra Singh Rawat along with the transport ministers of both the states, the agreement was signed here which will enable UP State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) buses to ply in additional 39,000 kms in 216 routes with making 2646 trips daily.

Similarly, Uttarakhand government buses would travel 2.52 lakh kms in UP on 335 routes with over 5000 trips daily.

Besides, 57 routes have been kept for the private buses too in both the states.

Both the CMs in their speech claimed that it is a historic day for both the states as now the people of UP and Uttarakhand would have facilities to travel to their destination more easier.

"Better coordination between both the states led to the agreement which was pending for the past four decades," the CMs said.

Yogi Adityanath said that his government was doing everything to provide facilities to the people and bus services are the vital part of it.

"Both UP and Uttarakhand governments are working for the people and taking decisions to benefit the people," he said while admitting that the agreement programme was scheduled to be held in Dehradun but as he was busy, Mr Rawat was kind enough to come to Lucknow.

"This agreement would facilitate the pilgrim from UP to reach directly to the char dham and other tourists spots in Uttarakhand," he said.

The UP CM, who also launched 51 new saffron buses to be used as shuttle during the Kumbh mela at Prayagraj next year, said that the pilgrims going to Kumbh would get better facilities this time and shuttle buses would ferry the passengers from the parking area to the main mela spot.

The government would be using 500 such saffron buses for Kumbh this time.

Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat said that after the Narendra Modi government came to power in the Centre, the development work in the entire country has accelerated.

"Both the BJP governments in UP and Uttarakhand are tirelessly working for the people and the agreement on the bus services are one of it," he said while claiming that the dispute over the agreement was sorted out in a day by both the governments.

UP Transport Minister Swantra Deo Singh in his address said that after making a profit of Rs 122 crores in 2017-18, the UPSRTC was purchasing 1350 buses, with 250 new buses being added in the fleet every month.

He said that UPSRTC has introduced pink bus service exclusively for women passengers and very soon 50 new pink buses would be introduced which will have women drivers and conductors.

He also said that 250 new CNG buses would also be purchased in which 3 CNG buses were launched today.

Uttarakhand sting operation takes political colour

The TV news channel sting conspiracy against Uttarakhand government led by Chief Minister Trivendra Rawat has taken a political colour.

The TV news channel sting operation against Chief Minister Trivendra Rawat government has taken a political colour.

Uttarakhand Congress has demanded making the videos of the sting operation public.

Incidentally, the channel was successful in making videos by using hidden camera of many persons known to be close to the Uttarakhand Chief Minister.

Acting on the complaint of Ayush Gaud, police arrested Umesh Kumar, the CEO and Editor-in-Chief of the channel. Kumar was sent to 10 days judicial remand on Monday.

In his interaction with the media, Gaud revealed that he conducted stings on additional chief secretary Omprakash and some close associates of Trivendra Rawat.

Uttarakhand Congress chief Pritam Singh said on Tuesday, "The state government should make the videos public. There are reports that the security of the CM will be increased. We don't understand the logic behind it as this will create hindrance to public in meeting the Chief Minister."

Uttarakhand BJP's media in-charge Dr Devendra Bhasin said, "The act of creating political instability by conducting sting operation is a serious issue. Police has started investigation in the case. The probe will bring truth before public."

Ex-Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat, who was earlier rattled by a sting operation by Umesh Kumar earlier, has so far remained mum on the incident. It is assumed that the tv channel was successful in filming one close associate of Trivendra Rawat in some loose talk, but as the sting team performed the operation against an officer the situation turned alarming. Umesh Kumar was arrested and four others are co-accused in the case.

Gaud lodged a police complaint on 10 August and the cops acted after 79 days.

Most of the tapes are now with the police. The security of Chief Minister Trivendra Rawat is all set to be enhanced now.

Ranji Trophy 2018-19: After Rajasthan snub, Vineet Saxena hopes to make a mark with debutants Uttarakhand

Vineet Saxena played 105 first-class games for Rajasthan, scoring 6491 runs. (Image: Facebook)

Vineet Saxena was the one of the key members of Rajasthan's successful Ranji Trophy campaigns in 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons, scoring 1515 first-class runs.

Rajasthan's glory years are a thing of past, however, and the state association's in-fighting and emphasis on breeding young talent has led to the unsavoury departures of veterans like Saxena and Pankaj Singh. The 37-year-old had progressed up the ranks from age group cricket in Rajasthan and went on to play 105 first-class games for the state, scoring 6491 runs at an average of 36.67, but was dropped for the entire last season.

Saxena has found a new home in Uttarakhand, one of nine teams added to the domestic fold  by the BCCI for the 2018-19 season, and is aiming to take the Plate Group team to new heights.

"Last year I didn't play for Rajasthan and the reasons are unknown to me even now. The way Rajasthan dealt with me wasn't fair," Saxena tells CricketCountry. "I was looking for the opportunity to play, and I got it from Uttarakhand so I accepted it. I am looking forward to play and score heavily. That is the real motivation for me and hopefully, the team could play in the Elite Group next year. That would be the icing on the cake for me."

Saxena, like many other domestic veterans, has been given a new start in his career. Similar to how Rajasthan's professional players – Hrishikesh Kanitkar, Rashmi Ranjan Parida and Aakash Chopra – mentored him during the team's back-to-back Ranji Trophy wins, Saxena hopes to impart his years of learning to the Uttarakhand squad.

"In my earlier days, Rajasthan hired professionals and we learned a lot from Parida, Kanitkar and Chopra," he says. "These guys were a great help to me there and those guys mentored me, and what I learned over the years, I am hope to pass on to these guys now."

Karanveer Kaushal is a promising batsman for Uttarakhand. (Image: Uttarakhand Cricket Association)

Uttarakhand, under the leadership of former Delhi allrounder Rajat Bhatia, finished second in the recent Vijay Hazare Trophy – losing only to eventual table-toppers Bihar – and Saxena feels that the team has the potential to do well in the Ranji Trophy too.

"These guys are really talented and are keen to do well," he says. "The BCCI has formed a committee to look after cricket here and we are fortunate to have a very good academy like the Abhimanyu Cricket Academy. They have got a good ground and good facilities which is not the case with most teams from the North East."

At a personal level, Saxena says that he wants to play cricket and score heavily. In the Vijay Hazare Trophy, he made 345 runs in eight matches at an average of 57.50. Uttarakhand will begin their campaign against Bihar in the first round and Saxena hopes that Vijay Hazare Trophy double-centurion Karanveer Kaushal can continue his good form.

"Kaushal will be the guy to look out for this season, and we have a good medium-pacer in Deepak Dhapola. I know he will be among the wickets," he says. "We also have a talented allrounder in Saurabh Rawat. He did reasonably well in the Vijay Hazare and am hopeful that he will do well in Ranji too."

Vineet Ramakrishnan, Assistant Editor at Cricketcountry, is a sports journalist since 2011. Ex-cricketnext/IBN Sports, gocricket,com, cricbuzz.com and The Times of India (Online)