SRINAGAR, AUG 16 (DNA) – Indian and Chinese troops clashed briefly on a disputed area of land in the Himalayas, officials said Wednesday, exacerbating tensions during a months-long stand-off between the two armies. Chinese troops threw stones at Indian soldiers near Pangong Lake, a major tourist attraction in the picturesque mountain region of Ladakh on Tuesday, an Indian defence official said. He said Chinese soldiers had twice tried to enter the Indian territory but had been pushed back.
Death Toll in Nepal Floods Climb to 91, 38 Still Missing
The death toll in rain- triggered floods and landslides in Nepal has climbed to 91 with 38 persons still missing and over six million people affected by natural calamity. Nepal Ministry of Home Affairs said 2,847 houses were completely damaged in the disaster, My Republica reported. “A committee was formed under the coordination of Home Minister Janardan Sharma to tally details of the loss. The chief secretary and secretaries of 12 ministries are members of the committee,” Ram Krishna Subedi, spokesperson of the Home Ministry, was quoted by the report.
The EU may make it easier for Britain to sign a post-Brexit China trade deal
BEIJING, AUG 15 (DNA) – The European Union’s plan to make it harder for China to acquire European companies could make it easier for Britain to forge a trade deal with Beijing after Brexit. That’s one scenario following a “hard Brexit,” in which the UK retains few, if any, special links to the EU. This would free the UK from the bloc’s rules and restrictions, like the one that requires trade deals to be negotiated by Brussels on behalf of member states. Considering Britain’s desire to sign its own trade deals to bolster its economy post-Brexit, it could emphasize its differences to the EU as part of the negotiations.
Anupam Kher to play Manmohan Singh in ‘The Accidental Prime Minister’
MUMBAI, AUG 15 (DNA) – Bollywood actor Anupam Kher to play former Indian Prime Minister (PM) Manmohan Singh in his upcoming movie based on Sanjay Baru’s controversial book. The actor said that his role in ‘The Accidental Prime Minister’ is very crucial and that he will fully try to do justice with it. Anupam said, “It’s too early to talk about it. We have not even finalised the script. They (the makers) wanted to announce the film, so we just worked on that. The shooting is in late December.”
End of an era as typewriting tests phased out in India
MUMBAI, AUG 10 (DNA) – The unmistakable chatter of typewriters outside courthouses and government offices will soon fall silent in India’s financial capital Mumbai as stenography colleges on Friday hold their final manual exams. The roughly 3,500 institutes teaching the antiquated ways of the typewriter across Maharastra state will be phased out as India pushes ahead with a drive to digitize the economy. “It is absolutely the end of an era as typewriters bite the dust due to technological innovation,” Ashok Abhyankar, who runs a shorthand and typewriting institute in Mumbai.
EU says Iran deal sound, all parties stick to terms
BRUSSELS, AUG 03 (DNA) – The European Union, which supervises the implementation of the landmark July 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, says all parties to the agreement remain committed to its implementation. Catherine Ray, a spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, said on Thursday that the EU was on the opinion that all the seven parties to the agreement had implemented their commitments and would do so in the future.
The buck should not stop here by Ansar Mahmood Bhatti
The apex court of Pakistan on July 28, 2017 finally announced the much-awaited and much-anticipated verdict in Panama case in which the court not only disqualified the sitting prime minister Nawaz Sharif but also ordered constitution of sixteen cases against him and his family members. The court also directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to file references within six weeks and the accountability court pronounces verdict/s within six months thereafter. Therefore, in the present circumstances future of the former prime minister and family appears quite bleak.
President Xi says China loves peace but can ‘defeat all invasions’
BEIJING, AUG 02 (DNA) – Chinese President Xi Jinping has asserted the government’s willingness to “defeat all invasions” despite its citizens loving peace. Speaking at a rally to mark the inaugural Army Day on the 90th anniversary of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) on Tuesday at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Xi reaffirmed the Communist Party’s leadership over the armed forces and its willingness to defend the country’s sovereignty. “The Chinese people love peace. We will never seek aggression or expansion, but we have the confidence to defeat all invasions,” said the president as quoted by China’s state.
Diana confessions set to air on British TV
LONDON, JUL 31 (DNA) – Footage of the late princess Diana pouring her heart out about her failed marriage with Prince Charles will air on British television for the first time, a channel confirmed Sunday. Ahead of the 20th anniversary of her death in a Paris car crash, Channel 4 will broadcast “Diana: In Her Own Words” on August 6, despite a report on Sunday that her brother Earl Charles Spencer is unhappy with the decision. The tapes show the late princess of Wales speaking frankly to her voice coach about her loveless marriage to the heir to the British throne and his affair with Camilla Parker Bowles, now his wife.
India world’s third largest meat exporter
LAHORE, JUL 31 (DNA) – India has become the third largest country in the world to export meat, according to a report published by Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation (OECD). OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2017-2026 report reveals that India exported 1.56 million tonnes of beef last year “Its position as the third-largest beef exporter, accounting for 16 per cent of global exports in 2026” by exporting 1.93 tonnes that year.
