Top Stories on 5 December in a capsule
INDIA
Removing the income ceiling of Rs 5 lakh per annum, the Centre has opened its scheme meant to encourage inter-caste marriages to all couples where either the bride or the bridegroom is a Dalit. With a target to provide monetary incentive to at least 500 such inter-caste couples per year, the The ‘Dr Ambedkar scheme for social Integration through inter caste marriage was started in 2013. There is no definite data available on inter-caste marriages, since the Centre did not release the caste data from the Socio-Economic and Caste Census.
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Over 3,200 people were evacuated from 29 coastal villages in Surat district as cyclone Ockhi headed towards south Gujarat on Tuesday. According to the Met department, the cyclone is expected to make landfall in Surat district on Tuesday midnight. With the Met department warning that wind gust measuring up to 70 kmph will hit south Gujarat during landfall, the district administration requested people to not stay indoors.
Center offers 2.5 lakhs for marriage with a Dalit
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SC postpones Ayodhya hearing to 8 February 2018
The Supreme Court on Tuesday began the final
hearing on the Ram Janmabhoomi- Babri Masjid case, just a day before the 25 anniversary of the demolition. The bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Mishra,
and Justices Ashok Bhushan and Abdul Nazeer, heard the 13 appeals made against
the order of the Allahabad High Court that had divided the 2.77 acres disputed into
the Nirmoha Akhara sect, Sunni Wakf Board (UP) and Ramlalla Virajman. The apex
court, in what it said would be the final hearing, fixed February 8, 2018 as
the next date, in the interest of 2019 general elections and appeal for a 7
bench judge to hear the matter.
Ockhi update: 3200 evacuated from Surat
Over 3,200 people were evacuated from 29 coastal villages in Surat district as cyclone Ockhi headed towards south Gujarat on Tuesday. According to the Met department, the cyclone is expected to make landfall in Surat district on Tuesday midnight. With the Met department warning that wind gust measuring up to 70 kmph will hit south Gujarat during landfall, the district administration requested people to not stay indoors.
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Veteran actor Shashi Kapoor was cremated with State honors on Tuesday. The long ailing actor passed away on Monday evening at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai. Kapoor’s body was given an electric cremation. The Tricolour was wrapped around his body and a three-gun salute was offered by the Mumbai Police, followed by a minute’s silence. His last rites were performed by his elder son Kunal, in the presence of his second son Karan, daughter Sanjana and relatives and members of the film fraternity.
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WORLD
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China halts funding of 3 Pakistan projects
China on Tuesday decided to temporarily stop funding at least three major road projects in Pakistan, being built as part of the $50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), following reports of corruption. The decision by the Chinese government is likely hit over Rs 1 trillion-worth road projects of the Pakistan’s National Highway Authority. According to a senior government official, the funds would be released after Beijing issues ‘new guidelines’.
Militants responsible for Amarnath Yatra attack killed
Three Lashkar-e-Taiba militants, including two Pakistani nationals allegedly involved in the Amarnath attack, were killed in an encounter after the group opened fire on an Army convoy on Monday afternoon at Qazigund on Jammu-Srinagar national highway. Another militant, who had fled the encounter site was arrested from a maternity hospital in Anantnag he was hiding in. The search operation turned into an encounter with militants which ended at 2am on Tuesday morning, the police said.
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Shashi Kapoor cremated with State honors
Veteran actor Shashi Kapoor was cremated with State honors on Tuesday. The long ailing actor passed away on Monday evening at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai. Kapoor’s body was given an electric cremation. The Tricolour was wrapped around his body and a three-gun salute was offered by the Mumbai Police, followed by a minute’s silence. His last rites were performed by his elder son Kunal, in the presence of his second son Karan, daughter Sanjana and relatives and members of the film fraternity.
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10 arrested over murder of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia
Ten people were arrested yesterday in connection with the car bomb murder on October 16th 2017 of a Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia after police, soldiers and secret service personnel mounted raids across the island. Local press quoting police sources named two of the suspects as brothers Alfred and George Degiorgio and that all of the suspects are from Malta and most of them have criminal records.
UN Political Chief to Visit North Korea
A senior United Nations official began a four-day trip to North Korea today for talks with Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho and other officials, a week after the isolated regime launched its most powerful missile to date. The visit by Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman was arranged after the UN received an invitation from Pyongyang for policy dialogue.
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US Supreme Court approves Trump's travel ban
A divided US Supreme Court let President Donald Trump’s travel ban take full effect while legal challenges go forward, handing him a major victory and suggesting the court ultimately will uphold the restrictions. Trump will now be able to bar or restrict entry by people from six mostly Muslim countries, even if they have a relationship with a US-based person or institution. It marks the first time the Supreme Court has let his entry restrictions take full effect.
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BUZZ
Kangana Ranaut refuses to support Deepika Padukone in Padmavati controversy
Kangana Ranaut has refused to sign a letter written by Shabana Azmi to Prime Minister Narendra Modi against the threats made by right wing Hindu outfits to Deepika’s upcoming film, Padmavati. While she supports Deepika, it’s the fact that the ‘movement’ is run by Shabana that annoys her. “I have my own set of ideas and opinions about the current situation in our country, I am on the fence about many things and being a part of a feminist movement called ‘Deepika bachao’ lead by someone who character assassinated me when I was bullied, seems to be one of them,” she said.
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No International cricket for Delhi till 2020
The BCCI on Tuesday
announced that no international cricket match will take place in the national
capital till 2020. During their third test with India, the Sri Lankan team were
forced to wear anti-pollution masks due to the smog in Delhi. The BCCI, however
maintained that this is not the reason for the national capital not being an
international sports venue, but because of the rotation policy. “BCCI will get
the February-March home season slot in 2020, as per the new Future Tours Programme (FTP)
and therefore Feroz Shah Kotla ground may not hold any international
match till 2020,” a senior official said.
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