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Court upholds life imprisonment for Khmer Rouge leaders

The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia ratified the life sentence on the last alive Khmer Rouge leaders for their crimes against humanity.

IANS | Phnom Penh |

The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia on Wednesday ratified the life sentence on the last alive Khmer Rouge leaders for their crimes against humanity.
It rejected the appeal against the sentence issued in 2014, Efe news reported.
The defendants are the former number two and ideologue of the communist party, Nuon Chea, 89, and the former head of the regime, Khieu Samphan, 84.
Both Chea and Samphan had denied the charges and denounced what they called factual and legal errors committed during the trial.
The court admitted several allegations and exempted the defendants from some charges, but considered them responsible for crimes committed after the Khmer Rouge took power in April 1975.

Fire in Delhi’s Sadar Bazaar area

IANS | New Delhi |

A massive fire erupted in old Delhi on Wednesday in a woollen garment godown and quickly engulfed at least three adjoining buildings, an official said.
A total of 30 fire tenders rushed to the spot in the Sadar Bazaar area.
“We recieved a call at 7 a.m. that a wollen garment godown caught fire,” a fire official said.

Sensex, Nifty trade higher; L&T jumps 3.1%

SNS | New Delhi |

Maintaining initial gains amid positive global cues, domestic equity markets were trading marginally higher in the late morning trade on Tuesday. 
At 11.45 am, the Sensex at the BSE was trading 70 points higher at 26,031 while the Nifty at the NSE was trading 18 points up at 8,020.
Broader markets outperformed the front liners, BSE Midcap and Smallcap indices jumped 0.7 per cent and 0.9 per cent respectively. 
Among the BSE sectoral indices, Metal index jumped the most, up 2.2 per cent, while Oil & Gas index became the lead loser, down 0.1 per cent. 
On Tuesday, the Sensex had closed 196 points higher at 25,961 and the Nifty had ended 73 points up at 8,002.
Top gainers in the Sensex-30 pack: L&T (up 3.1 per cent), Asian Paints (up 3 per cent), Tata Steel (up 2.4 per cent), Lupin (up 2 per cent) and Sun Pharma (up 1.8 per cent).
Top losers in the Sensex-30 pack: Power Grid (down 2 per cent), HDFC (down 1.6 per cent), Wipro (down 1.4 per cent), M&M (down 1 per cent) and Maurti Suzuki (down 0.9 per cent).
However, the Rupee was trading 22 points down at 68.47 against the US Dollar.

Demonetisation: Milk producers in Modi’s Gujarat hit hard

PTI | Vadodara |

The Reserve Bank of India's ban on district cooperative banks exchanging or depositing demonetised notes has hit tribal milk producers and farmers in Gujarat's Chhotaudepur district.
They are not in a position to buy essential commodities for daily requirements from the market as they have stopped getting cash from their respective village-level milk cooperative societies.
Sangramsinh Rathwa, a director on the Board of Baroda Milk Dairy (Baroda Dairy Milk Producers Cooperative Society) told PTI that he has asked the dairy's chairman and managing director to take up the issue with the Centre and RBI so that the tribals can get their payment immediately.
Baroda Milk Dairy daily collects 2.5 lakh litres of milk from 450 village level milk producers cooperative societies in Chhotaudepur district which have total membership of 45,000 tribal milk producers and farmers, he said.
The dairy has already deposited Rs 14 crores into the accounts of these cooperative societies in three branches of the Baroda District Central Cooperative Bank in Chhotaudepur for making payment to their members, belonging to the poor tribals communities, he said.
However, the tribals who do not have their savings account in these bank branches are now not in a position to withdraw the amount, Rathwa said.
Ranjitsinh Rathwa, another director of Baroda Milk Dairy, said the dairy pays these milk cooperative societies of Chhotaudepur on the 7th, 14th and 21st of every month.
Senior Congress leader Mohansinh Rathwa said, “I have sought the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to ask RBI to direct Baroda District Central Cooperative Bank to ensure speedy payment to these poor tribals at the earliest as the situation has become grim.” 
Naranbhai Rathwa, the former Union Minister of State for Railways in the earlier UPA government, who represented the tribal reserved seat of Chhotaudepur in Lok Sabha for four terms, also expressed concern over the issue.
He said some of tribals under the below poverty line category do not have money to buy grains, groceries or seeds and fertilisers as no one is accepting the old currency notes.

Delhi wakes up to a cool morning

Delhiites woke up to a misty morning on Wednesday with the minimum temperature settling at 12 degrees Celsius, a notch above normal.

PTI | New Delhi |

Delhiites woke up to a misty morning on Wednesday with the minimum temperature settling at 12 degrees Celsius, a notch above normal.
“The humidity level was recorded at 76 per cent at 8.30 AM,” a MeT official said.
The weatherman has predicted mainly clear skies for the day with the possibility of mist tomorrow morning as well.
“The maximum temperature is expected to settle around 30 degrees respectively,” the official added.
On Tuesday, the maximum temperature was recorded at 31.1 degrees Celsius while the minimum was 10.8 degrees Celsius.

NASA’s Cassini probe set to fly closest to Saturn rings

IANS | Washington |

NASA said its Cassini mission is set to begin on November 30 a daring set of “ring-grazing” orbits, during which it will fly closer to Saturns rings than it has since its 2004 arrival.
On November 30, following a gravitational nudge from Saturn's moon Titan, Cassini will enter the first phase of the mission's dramatic endgame, NASA said.
“We're calling this phase of the mission Cassini's Ring-Grazing Orbits, because we'll be skimming past the outer edge of the rings,” said Linda Spilker, Cassini project scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California. 
“In addition, we have two instruments that can sample particles and gases as we cross the ringplane, so in a sense Cassini is also 'grazing' on the rings,” Spilker said.
Launched in 1997, Cassini has been touring the Saturn system since arriving there in 2004 for an up-close study of the planet, its rings and moons. 
During its journey, Cassini has made numerous dramatic discoveries, including a global ocean within Enceladus and liquid methane seas on Titan.
Between November 30 and April 22, Cassini will circle high over and under the poles of Saturn, diving every seven days — a total of 20 times — through the unexplored region at the outer edge of the main rings.
On many of these passes, Cassini's instruments will attempt to directly sample ring particles and molecules of faint gases that are found close to the rings. 
During the first two orbits, the spacecraft will pass directly through an extremely faint ring produced by tiny meteors striking the two small moons Janus and Epimetheus. 
Ring crossings in March and April will send the spacecraft through the dusty outer reaches of the F ring.
The F ring marks the outer boundary of the main ring system. Saturn has several other, much fainter rings that lie farther from the planet. 
During these orbits, Cassini will pass as close as about 90,000 kilometres above Saturn's cloud tops. But even with all their exciting science, these orbits are merely a prelude to the planet-grazing passes that lie ahead. 
In April 2017, the spacecraft will begin its “Grand Finale” phase.
After nearly 20 years in space, the mission is drawing near its end because the spacecraft is running low on fuel, NASA said.
During its grand finale, Cassini will pass as close as 1,628 kilometres above the clouds as it dives repeatedly through the narrow gap between Saturn and its rings, before making its mission-ending plunge into the planet's atmosphere on September 15, 2017. 

Obama not to sign bill that undermines Iran nuclear deal

The White House said US President Barack Obama would not sign any bill in his final months in office that would undermine the Iran nuclear deal.

IANS | Washington |

The White House said on Tuesday US President Barack Obama would not sign any bill in his final months in office that would undermine the Iran nuclear deal.
“We certainly are not going to, however, sign a piece of legislation that would undermine the ability of the international community to continue to successfully implement the international agreement to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon,” Xinhua quoted White House spokesman Josh Earnest as saying.
Earlier on Tuesday, US House Republican leaders asked Obama not to take new measures to reinforce the Iran nuclear deal before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration in January amid reports that the White House was considering such new measures.
“We respectfully request that your administration take no further actions designed to bolster international investment in Iran, or otherwise change or alter the existing sanctions regime within international organisations,” House Speaker Paul Ryan, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce said in a letter to Obama.
The Republicans also informed the Obama administration that legislation to extend the Iran Sanctions Act for another 10 years would soon be sent to him.
“President-elect Trump deserves the opportunity to assess the US policy toward Iran without your administration imposing or implementing additional measures that could complicate the incoming administration’s ability to develop its policy,” said the letter.
Iran and six world major countries — the US, Britain, China, Russia, France and Germany — reached an agreement on the Iranian nuclear issue in July 2015 that puts Iran on the path of sanctions relief but more strict limits on its nuclear programme. 

Champions League: Leicester march into last 16 with Real Madrid

Joining the hopeful debutants and the holders on the night were Juventus, Bayer Leverkusen and Monaco.

AFP | Paris |

Leicester kept their Champions League dreams aflame, cruising into the last 16 with a 2-1 win over Belgium’s Club Brugge, where they were joined by Real Madrid.
Joining the hopeful debutants and the holders on the night were Juventus, Bayer Leverkusen and Monaco.
They join last year’s runners-up Atletico Madrid, Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, who had already booked their tickets to the knockout phase with two group games to spare.
Leicester’s success saw the Foxes advance as Group G winners in their maiden season in the event, giving a major fillip to Claudio Ranieri’s side, who are just two points above the domestic drop zone.
“We’re on another journey. I don’t know where, but we’re excited!” Ranieri said afterwards.
Referring to his side’s poor league form the Italian added: “Maybe we have been more concentrated in the Champions League. Now the group is won, (it is) important to come back in the Premier League.”
Shinji Okazaki netted after just five minutes and a Riyad Mahrez penalty made it 2-0 before Jose Izquierdo notched a second-half consolation for Brugge.
“We wanted to finish first in the group. It wasn’t easy today but we did it,” said Foxes’ Algerian star Mahrez.
The Colombian’s strike was the first goal Leicester have conceded in the tournament to date.
Holders and 11-times winners Real Madrid joined 1997 champions Borussia Dortmund in qualifying from Group F after a 2-1 win at star man Cristiano Ronaldo’s former club Sporting Lisbon.
Raphael Varane gave the Meringues the lead before Adrien Silva netted a spot-kick for the Portuguese only for substitute Karim Benzema to pop up with the winner for Real.
The Spaniards suffered a huge injury scare, however, just 11 days before facing Barcelona in La Liga as Welsh star Gareth Bale exited with an ankle injury shortly after half-time.
“We knew it would be complicated, but we got the three points,” said Real coach Zinedine Zidane, who won the 2002 title as a player for the Spanish giants and then as coach last May.
“When you concede a goal you can think it will be tough but we continued to play and responded and finally had our reward with Karim’s goal,” Zidane told beIn Sports.
Dortmund secured the group win with a game to play after swatting Poland’s Legia Warsaw 8-4 — a record goalfest for a Champions League encounter.
The Germans became one of an elite clique to notch five goals in a single Champions League half having led 5-2 at the interval.
Marco Reus scored a hat-trick and Japanese star Shinji Kagawa netted a brace as Dortmund ran riot.
Two-times champions Juventus are through after defeating previous Group H leaders Sevilla, Europa League champions for the past three seasons, 3-1 in Spain.
Claudio Marchisio with a penalty, Leonardo Bonucci and Mario Mandzucic scored for the Old Lady of Turin after Nicolas Pareja had put Sevilla ahead early on.
Perennial challengers Barcelona and Manchester City were hoping to book their tickets Wednesday with wins over Celtic and Borussia Moenchengladbach respectively

Parthiv Patel to replace injured Wriddhiman Saha in third Test

Parthiv is all set to make a comeback to the Test team after more than eight years.

PTI | Mohali |

India wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha has been ruled out of the third Test against England after developing a strain in his left thigh.
Parthiv Patel will replace Saha for the third Test, starting here on Saturday.
BCCI medical team has confirmed that Saha suffered a strain in his left thigh during the second Test at Visakhapatanam, which India won by 246 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series against England.
As a precautionary measure, Saha has been advised rest and will not play the third Test to avoid aggravating his injury.
Parthiv is all set to make a comeback to the Test team after more than eight years and four years after his last international match.
Parthiv, 31, had made his Test debut against England as a 17-year-old during the 2002 tour and last played against Sri Lanka at Colombo in August, 2008.
For Delhi's young wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant, it is not logistically possible to reach Mohali from Wayanad, where he is currently playing a Ranji Trophy match, before 25th late evening after completing the match on 24th.
Pant, who is currently topping the run charts in the Ranji Trophy with 874 runs, would have to travel to either Kochi or Thiruvananthapuram by road from Wayanad, and then take a flight to Delhi followed by another connecting flight to Chandigarh in order to reach Mohali.

Defamation case: Kejriwal fails to get relief from SC

PTI | New Delhi |

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday failed to get relief from the Supreme Court which dismissed his plea for a stay on proceedings in a criminal defamation case filed by Union Minister Arun Jaitley against him.
His counsel Ram Jethmalani tried to give a political colour to the matter by saying the case is a result of a fight between a “powerful minister” and the chief minister of a small state.
Jethmalani’s arguments, including his attempt to rake up the issue of differences between judiciary and Centre over appointment of judges, did not cut ice with the apex court which refused to interfere with the judgement of the Delhi High Court giving the go ahead to the trial court in the criminal defamation against Kejriwal.
“We have seen the judgements of Delhi High Court and trial court. We can’t interfere with the judgements. In the facts and circumstances of the case, the petition is dismissed,” a bench of Justices P C Ghose and U U Lalit said.
Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, who was present in the courtroom, did not make any submission to counter the arguments of Jethmalani.
Jethmalani sought a stay on the trial court proceedings in the case till the civil proceedings in the Delhi High Court continued.
The bench brushed aside Jethmalani’s arguments that “appointment of judges in the High Court is being interfered.
This is a fact known to every child in the country.” 
“Sir, we must please confine ourselves to the facts of the matter,” the bench told Jethmalani.
Failing to persuade the bench, Jethmalani sought protection for Kejriwal by again saying that it is the fight between a person who is the finance minister of the country and a chief minister of a state.
“This is a fight between a finance minister of the country and a Chief Minister of a small state. Please protect the Chief Minister. You know what things are going on these days,” the senior advocate said.
To this the bench again said, “We must not look beyond the records of the matter.” 
Jethmalani said that the decision or view of the High Court, where civil proceedings are going on, will be binding on the subordinate court, where criminal proceedings on the similar facts and circumstances of the case are pending.

Trump not pursuing charges against Clinton

IANS | Washington |

President-elect Donald Trump has decided that he won't subject former rival Democratic Hillary Clinton to a criminal inquiry related to her private email server or her family foundation, his spokeswoman said on Tuesday.
“I think when the president-elect tells you before he's even inaugurated he doesn't wish to pursue these charges, it sends a very strong message, tone and content, to the members,” New York Post quoted Kellyanne Conway as saying.
Conway, who is now on the Trump transition team, was the first to report that the president-elect would not pursue his campaign pledge to “lock up” Clinton.
“I think, he's thinking of many different things as he prepares to become the President of the United States, and things that sound like the campaign are not among them,” Conway, who is now on the Trump transition team, said in an interview.
“I think Hillary Clinton still has to face the fact that a majority of Americans don't find her to be honest or trustworthy, but if Donald Trump can help her heal, then perhaps that's a good thing,” she added.
It was at the second presidential debate on October 9, where Trump vowed to instruct his Attorney General “to get a special prosecutor” and investigate Clinton as “there has never been so much deception”.

Nadal’s participation at Bacelona Open 2017 confirmed

Barcelona Open's organising committee confirmed the participation of the Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal in next year's edition of the tournament.

IANS | Barcelona |

The organising committee of the Barcelona Open on Tuesday confirmed the participation of the Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal in next year's edition of the tournament, which will see his 13th participation in the ATP World Tour 500 series event.
Nadal, who dropped to the ninth position on the ATP rankings due to injury, will return to the clay courts for the 65th edition of the Barcelona Open, which is scheduled to be held from April 22 to April 30, 2017, reports Efe
The Spaniard will roll in as tournament's defending champion as he defeated Japanese player Kei Nishikori 6-4, 7-5 in the final, last year.

Himachal para legal volunteers to help in exchanging currency

Statesman News Service | Shimla |

Para legal volunteers would soon be deployed at banks across Himacal Pradesh to assist people in exchanging currency notes of Rs.500 and Rs. 1,000, besides making them aware about certain formalities and their rights.
HP State Legal Services Authority (SLSA) member secretary Yashwant Singh Chogal said all the chairmen (District Judges), District Legal Services Authorities and the secretaries, District Legal Services Authorities had been directed to deploy para legal volunteers to assist common public in filling up forms for exchange of notes.  
“The volunteers have also been asked to aware general public on their rights and formalities which were required to be completed in the process of deposit or withdrawal of money from the banks,” he said. 
Chogal said the decision had been taken under the guidance of HP High Court Chief Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir and Justice Sanjay Karol who is also the executive chairman of the authority to help the common masses. 
“The demonetization scheme of the Government of India has resulted in long queues in front of the banks and at times the common public were not aware of the procedure for exchange of notes and filling up of forms, limits of withdrawal or other legal formalities. Moreover, some people were misusing the scheme by depositing money in accounts of other people on false pretexts which could invite penal consequences,” he said, adding therefore, the authority had decided to deploy para legal volunteers to render meaningful legal services to masses. 
Chogal said the para legal volunteers had also been directed to set up a Help Desk outside the banks to help the people visiting the banks. “General public can also seek advice from the HPSLSA authority for any kind of difficulty in exchanging or withdrawing of notes on telephone number 0177-2623862, 2626962,2624862 and National Toll Free number 15100 (Helpline number 94180-33385),” he added. 

Noted Carnatic musician Balamuralikrishna dead

IANS | Chennai |

Carnatic music legend Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna passed away here on Tuesday.
He was 86 and was not well for some time. Apart from being a singer, Balamuralikrishna was also a composer, actor and multi-instrumentalist.
He was also good at playing musical instruments like violin, viola, kanjira and mridangam.
Balamuralikrishna started his musical career at the tender age of six and had given over 25,000 concerts worldwide.
He had composed over 400 compositions in Telugu, Sanskrit, Kannada and Tamil.
Balamuralikrishna was conferred the Padma Shree, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhusan awards by the Indian government.

82,500 ATMs recalibrated to dispense new notes

PTI | New Delhi |

 As many as 82,500 ATMs, which account for about 40 per cent of cash vending machines in the country, have been recalibrated to dispense new high security currency notes of 500 and 2,000 rupees.
Out of 2.2 lakh ATMs, 82,500 were recalibrated till Monday evening.
These ATMs have been reset as per the direction of task force set up by the government to expedite the process, Rituraj Sinha, President Cash Logistics Association of India, told PTI.
These have been recalibrated in such a manner that regional balance is maintained while giving priority to rural areas, Sinha, also a member of the task force headed by RBI Deputy Governor S S Mundra, said.
With the recalibration, ATMs are now stocking 50-60 lakh cash and are able to cater to higher demand.
As a result, many ATMs are holding cash longer and queues outside such machines are also getting smaller.
However, before the recalibration, ATMs could hold up to Rs 5 lakh of Rs 100 notes which used to get over very fast.
Since the formation of the task force, RBI, banks and cash logistic companies have been working seamlessly, he said, adding that the progress of recalibration of ATMs demonstrates a synergistic approach.
Cash supply has been streamlined to meet the requirements of ATMs and many such machines at various parts of the country have started working round the clock.
On a daily basis, about 12,000 to 14,000 ATMs are getting recalibrated.
“It is our endeavour to move towards normal ATM functioning by the end of this month,” he added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on November 8, in a surprise move, announced demonetisation of 500 and 1,000 rupee notes.

Coal scam: Court allows Naveen Jindal to travel abroad

PTI | New Delhi |

Congress leader and industrialist Naveen Jindal, an accused in a coal block allocation scam case along with 14 others, has been allowed by a special court to travel abroad for business purposes.
Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar allowed the plea filed by Jindal seeking the court’s permission to visit Oman, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Middle East, Europe including Italy, London, and the US till November 30 and imposed certain conditions on him.
Jindal has been asked to inform the investigating officer and the court about his arrival in India within seven days of his return mentioning the details of places visited by him.
“He shall not tamper with the evidence nor try to influence any witness in any manner and will not use the permission granted to him contrary to the rules,” the court said while imposing conditions.
CBI, however, had opposed Jindal’s plea, saying that it may result in delay of trial and there were chances that he may not return to India.
Jindal was earlier granted bail by the court which had imposed several conditions, including that he will not leave the country without the court’s nod.
Apart from Jindal, CBI had chargesheeted ex-Minister of State for Coal Dasari Narayan Rao, ex-Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda, former Coal Secretary H C Gupta and 11 others in the case of alleged irregularities in allocation of Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block in Jharkhand to Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (JSPL) and Gagan Sponge Iron Private Ltd (GSIPL).
The other individual accused are — Rajeev Jain, Director of Jindal Realty Pvt Ltd, Girish Kumar Suneja and Radha Krishna Saraf, GSIPL Directors, K Ramakrishna Prasad, MD of Sowbhagya Media Ltd, and chartered accountant Gyan Swaroop Garg. All the accused are currently out on bail.
Besides the nine accused, five firms — JSPL, Jindal Realty Pvt Ltd, Gagan Infraenergy Ltd (formerly known as GSIPL), Sowbhagya Media Ltd and New Delhi Exim Pvt Ltd — are also accused in the case.

Amit Shah admits ‘suffering’ due to note ban

IANS | Almora (Uttarakhand) |

BJP President Amit Shah on Tuesday admitted that “people are suffering” due to demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.
“I can understand that people are suffering due to the note ban,” Shah told a rally ahead of the Uttarakhand assembly election. 
“The problems will remain for a few days but it will help in improving the economic condition in the country,” he said. 
The BJP President also said that people who did not have black money were not unhappy over the currency spike that has triggered a cash chaos all across the country.
“It seems (some) leaders opposing the demonetisation drive have amassed black money, he added.
Shah urged the people to vote for the BJP to get rid of the “corrupt” Congress government.