After Hindenburg Verdict, Mahesh Jethmalani Alleges "Cabal" In Court

Senior lawyer Mahesh Jethmalani has alleged that a "cabal" is operating in the Supreme Court bringing politically motivated petitions, "acting at the interest of foreign powers inimical to the interests of India".

Speaking to NDTV hours after the Supreme Court verdict in the Hindenburg case, he cited it as proof that such petitions -- brought on basis of newspaper reports and other flimsy evidence -- will not be acceptable.

Such petitions are "inadmissible" and even the top court has made it clear, he said.

The bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said the allegations of OCCRP - an organisation funded by billionaire George Soros and others - can't be the basis for doubting SEBI's investigation into the Hindenburg case.

Responding to the petitioners' appeal for the case to be transferred, the bench of Justices DY Chandrachud, JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, said the power to transfer investigation "must be exercised in exceptional circumstances".

The court made it clear that newspaper reports and such cannot be accepted as evidence, Mr Jethmalani said, citing in this context that Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra's tweets had apparently figured in the petitions in the case.

"There is a cabal in the Supreme Court that revels in this kind of thing and I am sorry to say that some of the issues that they take up in the Supreme Court are not in national interest. That is the best that can be said about them," said Mr Jethmalani.

The predecessor of the Hindenburg case, he said, was the one on Rafale, which also met with failure in the top court, he said.

Every time it was the "same lawyers, same petition," he said, pointing out that even te review petition for Rafale got dismised.

"It keeps happening. The same bunch of people, acting at the interest of foreign powers inimical to India's interests," he said. He added a "word of caution" -- saying every time such petitions are brought, it would get turned down by the Supreme Court.

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'Will Build Bridges With India': Hindu Woman Who Will Contest Pak Polls

Dr Saveera Parkash, the first Hindu candidate to contest the general elections from the Buner constituency in the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, has said that, if elected, she would help build diplomatic bridges between Pakistan and India.

A doctor by profession, 25-year-old Saveera filed her nomination papers from the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) for the general seat of PK-25 in Buner district last week.

Ms Saveera said she has received the title 'daughter of Buner' while the "Muslim brothers" have not only assured her of getting their votes but also their complete support, Geo News reported on Tuesday.

If elected as a lawmaker, Dr Saveera said she would help solve the problems of Hindus living in Pakistan.

Ms Saveera said she is a patriotic Hindu and her morale has increased after receiving the 'daughter of Buner' title.

If elected as a provincial assembly member, she said she will play a positive role towards the relations between Islamabad and New Delhi, while the Hindu community - both in Pakistan and across the border - will be able to contact her without any hesitation, the channel reported.

The politician, who will contest one of the most crucial elections in the country's recent political history, termed PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari's Goa visit in May a positive development towards fostering Indo-Pak relations.

Ms Saveera said that people stand with her and, because of this, she has never felt ostracised. She claimed she does not only have the PPP's backing but is also receiving support from other parties, which is an indication that she will receive votes from Muslim voters as well.

"I was proud to be a part of the Pashtun culture, but when I got the party ticket for the general elections and people, including my Muslim brothers, came to know about it, I received several congratulatory and encouraging messages," she said, sharing astonishment at receiving immense support, after which her morale "rose higher than the Himalayas".

After winning the elections to be held on February 8, her priorities as a lawmaker would include promoting education and addressing issues like health and environmental pollution. She is also concerned about the lack of health facilities available in her district, along with the lack of education and awareness about healthcare.

Ms Saveera chose to become a doctor following the footsteps of her father, Dr Om Parkash, who worked with a passion for humanitarian service.

"Buner is a backward district where problems are aplenty and facilities are lacking," she said.

During her house surgeoncy, the young doctor realised that she would have to do something different to rid the district of its problems.

She completed her MBBS from the Abbottabad International Medical College in 2022 and is also the general secretary of the PPP women's wing in Buner.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"Miracle" Evacuation From Burning Japan Jet Helped By Fliers Leaving Bags

All 379 people aboard a Japan Airlines airliner escaped after a collision with a Coast Guard aircraft at Tokyo's Haneda airport that killed five of six crew on the smaller aircraft on Tuesday.

Video showed passengers being evacuated from the burning Airbus A350 by escape slides in relative calm and apparently without hand luggage, in an operation hailed as a "miracle".

Aviation safety agencies have warned for years that pausing to collect carry-on baggage risks lives during an evacuation.

Following are major milestones in passenger aircraft evacuations in recent decades:

THE 1980s

Evacuation has been a key safety priority since at least the mid-1980s, when a British Airtours Boeing 737 was engulfed in flames at Manchester airport in Britain, killing 55 people.

Investigators of the 1985 disaster said the biggest cause of death was smoke inhalation following delays in opening doors and restricted access to emergency exits.

SAFETY STUDY

A 2000 U.S. safety study said that on average, an airliner evacuation for whatever cause happens every 11 days. Such events typically only make headlines when fire is involved, but have led to improvements in door mechanisms and emergency lighting.

However, new challenges are arising from the amount of luggage passengers are allowed to take on board.

Air crash investigators have recommended stronger in-flight briefings to urge passengers to leave behind those belongings when ordered to evacuate - but often with little effect.

'REMARKABLE'

In 2016, amateur video showed passengers blocking aisles and grabbing bags from overhead bins as the cabin of an Emirates jet filled with smoke in Dubai. Cabin crew were praised after managing to evacuate all 300 people, despite the panic.

In 2018, Britain's Royal Aeronautical Society recommended the automatic locking of overhead bins following a crash landing, noting that passengers often ignore safety briefings.

"It's clearly a benefit if you're not carrying your baggage," Steve Creamer, an aviation safety consultant and former senior director at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), said following Tuesday's Tokyo crash.

"It's pretty remarkable that they got everybody off the airplane. That says a lot about the flight crew and the discipline of the people on board."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Working Towards Closing Down 1,000 Private Madrassas: Assam Chief Minister

The Assam government is trying to negotiate with private madrassas for their closure and conversion to general schools, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on New Year's day. This comes after his government has already shut down all government-run madrassas in the state and converted them to general schools.

"Private madrassas are protected by the constitutions of India as it is written that the government cannot touch minority-run educational institutes. They don't even fall under the RTE Act. But having said that, the Assam police and education department are working together so we can reduce at least 1000 private madrassas. From three thousand, it will come down to two thousand and we are negotiating this with the private madrassa bodies," he said.

"There are five distinct communities who are known as Assamese Muslim communities, we have approved the census and we are verifying the villages where the Assamese Muslim communities live, also wards in municipal areas where Assamese Muslims live are being earmarked and by the end of 2024, we will complete this census," Mr Sarma added.

The Assam Chief Minister also added that his government will complete a fresh census of Assamese Muslims by the end of this year.

Significantly, Mr Sarma said that at least two more districts of Assam will see a rollback of AFSPA this year.

"The Assam government has now recommended a total withdrawal but the Government has advised us that we need to be a little cautious so AFSPA is now restricted to four districts. I think in the next review, we will roll back AFSPA from two other districts, The Centre does not want to withdraw AFSPA from the triangle area of the borders between Assam, Nagaland and Arunachal. It's a matter of time, at some point in time AFSPA will totally be rolled back," he said.

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Janhvi Name-Checks Rumoured Boyfriend Shikhar On The Koffee Couch

The newest guests on the Koffee couch is sister duo Janhvi Kapoor and Khushi Kapoor. The chat show host Karan Johar on Monday dropped the latest promo of Koffee With Karan and lets just say its all kinds of fun. From addressing dating rumours to mimicking Anil Kapoor, the sisters were on fire. Our favourite part of the promo was however when Janhvi mentioned her rumoured boyfriend Shikhar Pahariya AKA "shiku" as one of the three people on her speed-dial list. It so happened that Karan Johar asked Janhvi Kapoor,"Name three people on your speed-dial list.” Janhvi promptly replied, “Papa, Khushu and Shiku," immediately realising the oopsie she made.  During the same game, Karan asked Khushi about Janhvi's past relationships. Janhvi said to Khushi, “I have only dated three boys and we stick to that.”

At the start of the promo, Janhvi Kapoor can be heard saying, “Yesterday night at the party I was just going around asking people to ask me rapid-fire questions. Navya (Naveli Nanda) thinks I am not ready. She said, ‘Don't go.”

Now, Take a look at the video below:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Karan Johar (@karanjohar)

Shikhar Pahariya is the grandchild of the former Chief Minister of Maharashtra Sushilkumar Shinde. Janhvi Kapoor and Shikhar Pahariya are often spotted at restaurants, pubs, parties. They have however not confirmed their relationship status yet. In a video that went viral some months back, Janhvi Kapoor can be seen dancing her heart out on the streets of Mumbai at the Ganesh Visarjan of the Ambanis'. Janhvi was accompanied by her rumoured boyfriend Shikhar Pahariya. In the video, Shikhar can be seen showing a dance step to Janhvi which she follows. Take a look:

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A post shared by Hindi bollywoodshaadis (@bollywoodshaadishindi)

In August, the Roohi star visited Tirumala Swami Temple at Tirumala in Andhra Pradesh. Several videos from their visit were shared on social media. In the viral videos, we can see Janhvi, dressed in a violet saree, touching the temple ground with her head. Janhvi was accompanied by Shikhar Pahariya who can be seen dressed in traditional wear. Take a look:

Seeking the blessings of god, #JanhviKapoor was spotted in #Tirumala 's Shri Venkateshwar Swami Temple!!🙏🏻

She looked gorgeous in the indian attire!!🫶🏻pic.twitter.com/R3P9kscR99

— Nisha Rose🌹 (@JustAFierceSoul) August 28, 2023

Janhvi was last seen in Bawaal opposite Varun Dhawan. Janhvi Kapoor will next be seen in Mr And Mrs Mahi alongside Rajkummar Rao. Janhvi will also make her Telugu debut in Devara alongside Jr NTR and Saif Ali Khan.

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Israeli Supreme Court Strikes Down Government's Controversial Legal Reform

Israel's top court ruled Monday against a key component of the government's controversial legal overhaul, which challenged the powers of the judiciary and sparked mass protests.

A Supreme Court statement said eight of 15 justices had ruled against an amendment passed by parliament in July which scraps the "reasonableness" clause, used by the court to overturn government decisions which are deemed unconstitutional.

"This is due to the severe and unprecedented damage to the basic characteristics of the State of Israel as a democratic state," the statement said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had argued the sweeping judicial reform package presented a year ago was necessary to rebalance powers between judges and politicians.

But his detractors warn the multi-pronged package paved the way for authoritarian rule and could be used by Netanyahu to quash possible convictions against him, an accusation the premier denies.

Tens of thousands of demonstrators had rallied weekly against the government reforms, with protests only ending due to the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in October.

The "reasonableness" amendment, the only major part of the legal reform package to become law, was also one its most contentious steps as it sought to curb judicial oversight of the government.

When Netanyahu's allies voted to scrap the reasonableness clause in July, opposition lawmakers stormed out of the chamber, shouting "shame".

The law has been cited in only a handful of court decisions, including a high-profile ruling last year which barred a Netanyahu ally from serving in the cabinet because of a previous tax evasion conviction.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Risks Of "Donkey Flights" As Illegal Migration Rises In Punjab, Haryana

Illegal immigration by young Indians to countries such as the US, the UK, and Canada has come under spotlight as a plane carrying suspected victims of human trafficking was rerouted to India. The flight, which made headlines last week, was on its way to Nicaragua after being detained in France.

"Donkey Flight" has become the catchall term for such illegal movements -- a corruption of the Punjabi work "dunki" meaning to hop from one place to another.

Every year more than 20,000 young men and women from Punjab attempt irregular migration, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime hjhad said in a report back in 2009.

As the intercepted flight indicated, the number has only grown. While no consolidated data exists given the secrecy exercised, there are other indicators.

Since 2012, the Punjab Police have issued over 10 lakh Police Clearance Certificates (PCC) -- a spike that raises aspirations even among those of the young generation who have no means to move abroad.  

A Special Investigation Team has handled about 645 such cases, resulting in 518 arrests, Anil Vij, the Home Minister Haryana has said on Saturday.

The process is not easy. Apart from the high financial cost, there is every risk of being thrown into jail at any stage.

"My agent had promised to send me to Italy for 12 lakhs," said Rahul, a resident of Haryana's Kurukshetra, recalling his bid to migrate a few months ago.

"On April 8, they sent me first to Dubai and then to Egypt and was told that I will be sent to Libya from where I will have a direct flight," he said.

Though he managed to reach Libya, he soon found the cost was too great -- landing in jail shortly after.

One day he suffered a heart attack in jail. Thought to be dead, he was thrown on the sand outside.

"The people in the jail protested seeing me like this and tried to break the jail. Then I was taken to the hospital. As soon as I came to my senses, I was taken by the people of the Embassy and after making a white passport, I was brought to India," he said.

Many others are not lucky enough to make it back.

Shiv Kumar, a resident of Kaithal, sent his son to Portugal mortgaging his ancestral land. For the last seven months, he has been running from pillar to post to get his son back.

Though a police case has been lodged against the agent who sent his son abroad, there is no clue to the young man's whereabouts.

"Till date, we do not know where our son is. We last spoke to him on June 8. Two agents got bail and are now on the run... I have appealed to many places... lodged a complaint on the government's Madad App but no help came. We came to know that a boat on way from Libya to Italy sank," he added, breaking down.

Many others, like Malkeet from Kaithal district, the journey proved fatal.
His family got to know of his death from a video that had gone viral.

NDTV approached many travel agents seeking details. Only one person agreed to speak on condition of anonymity.

"There are two kind of illegal routes through which we send people abroad. One is through the forest route which is less expensive -- around 30-40 lakh... these days Turkey is the transit point... From Turkey a visa for Costa Rica is obtained...then to Panama," he said.

The payment has to be made in tranches at every phase -- Rs 10 lakh has to be paid in Turkey, another 10 lakh in Costa Rica and final payments have to be made in two tranches at the Mexico border.

In the second category, the travel is by air, which costs around Rs 40 to 50 lakh and the people are sent by air through any European country.

Even so, dozens of Indians are taking to social media to document their journey, offering tips, route suggestions and risk assessments.

After the flight returned from Bangalore, both Punjab and Haryana have cracked down on fake agents. Punjab has formed a Special Investigation Team to probe the issue.  Haryana said it already has one, which has been going after the fraudulent agents.

"The state government will bring a bill in the winter session of the state assembly to regulate immigration agents and agencies," said Anil Vij.

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