INDIA MAY RESUME ISSUANCE OF VISAS TO CANADIANS IF...: JAISHANKAR

India is looking at resuming visa services for Canadians "very soon" if it sees progress in the safety of its diplomats in Canada, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Sunday, even as he asserted that New Delhi's decision on ensuring parity in diplomatic presence with that country is in line with the Vienna Convention.

Jaishankar said the primary reason behind India temporarily stopping the visa services a few weeks ago was the concern over the safety and security of its diplomats in Canada and that Ottawa's inability to provide a secure environment to the Indian officials challenges the most fundamental aspect of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

In comments that came days after Ottawa pulled out 41 of its diplomats from India, Jaishankar said New Delhi insisted on having diplomatic parity as it had concerns about the "continuous interference in our affairs by Canadian personnel".

"We have not made much of that public. My sense is that over a period of time, more stuff will come out and people will understand why we had the kind of discomfort with many of them which we did," he said, replying to a question on the India-Canada ties at an interactive session.

"The relationship right now is going through a difficult phase. But I do want to say that the problems we have are with a certain segment of Canadian politics and the policies which flow from that," Jaishankar said.

INDIA SENDS MEDICAL SUPPLIES, DISASTER RELIEF AID TO WAR-TORN GAZA VIA EGYPT

Days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to convey condolences over the loss of civilian lives at the Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza City, India on Sunday sent its first humanitarian aid for the beleaguered residents of Gaza via Egypt.

“India sends humanitarian aid to the people of Palestine. An IAF C-17 flight carrying nearly 6.5 tonnes of medical aid and 32 tonnes of disaster relief material for the people of Palestine departs for El-Arish airport in Egypt,” the Ministry of External Affairs’ official spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi, posted on ‘X’. “The material includes essential life-saving medicines, surgical items, tents, sleeping bags, tarpaulins, sanitary utilities, water purification tablets among other necessary items,” he posted.

The first humanitarian aid convoy of 20 trucks entered the besieged Gaza Strip on Saturday, through the Rafah crossing with Egypt, even as Israel’s bombardment continued. It included food supplies and medicines but no fuel, which aid groups say is “absolutely critical” for Gaza’s 2.3 million residents.

KHARGE WRITES TO PM ON ‘POLITICISING OF BUREAUCRACY, ARMED FORCES’; NADDA HITS BACK

A govt order on roping in senior bureaucrats as “district rath prabharis” (special officers) for a ‘yatra’ to showcase the BJP govt’s achievements triggered a political firestorm on Sunday with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge calling it “gross misuse of govt machinery”.

In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kharge also objected to an earlier order of the Defence Ministry directing soldiers on annual leave to spend time on promoting govt schemes, making them “soldier-ambassadors”.

“In both cases, of civil servants and soldiers, it is essential that govt machinery is kept out of politics, especially so in the months leading up to an election,” Kharge said.

Kharge’s letter mentioned an internal order of the Agriculture Secretary, dated October 14, on showcasing/ celebrating the achievements of the Modi govt through the yatra, to be organised across the country from November 20 to January 25. It said the special officers would be appointed in each of the 765 districts in the country, covering 2.69 lakh gram panchayats.

BJP chief JP Nadda, however, hit back, saying no one with the interest of the poor at heart could have objections to govt officials getting involved with service delivery. “It baffles me to see the Congress has an issue with public servants reaching the grassroots. If this is not the basic tenet of governance, what is? Regarding opposition to a ‘rath’ it is a fit use of public resources unlike using warships as personal yachts,” Nadda said. Kharge said in cases of both civil servants and soldiers, it was essential that govt machinery was kept out of politics.

"TRUDEAU NOT WORTH THE COST": CANADIAN OPPOSITION LEADER ON ROW WITH INDIA

The leader of the Conservative Party in Canada has slammed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over the diplomatic row with India, saying that Mr Trudeau is "not worth the cost after eight long years" and that he is considered a "laughing stock in India".

Pierre Poilievre, who is Canadians' preferred choice as prime minister and whose party is leading in some opinion polls for the general elections in 2025, has also promised that he will restore a "professional relationship" with India if his party comes to power.

In an interview with Nepalese media outlet Namaste Radio Toronto, Mr Poilievre was asked about the "bitter situation" in the Canada-India relationship. "This is another example of how Justin Trudeau is not worth the cost after eight long years. He has turned Canadians against each other at home and he has blown up our relations abroad. He is so incompetent and unprofessional that now we are in major disputes with every major power in the world, and that includes India," the leader of the opposition in Canada said.

To a question on the vandalisation of a Hindu temple and Hinduphobia in Canada, he said, "I strongly condemn all of the attacks on Hindu mandirs (temples), the threats against Hindu leaders. The aggression shown to, for example, Indian diplomats at public events is totally unacceptable. I think there should be criminal charges laid against anyone who attacks either the property or people at Hindu mandirs, just like anywhere else.”

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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ISRAEL PUMMELS GAZA AMID FEAR OF WIDER WAR

Fears that the Israel-Hamas war could mushroom into wider West Asia conflict rose on Sunday with Washington warning of a significant risk to US interests in the region as ally Israel pounded Gaza and clashes on its border with Lebanon intensified.

Also, in neighbouring Syria -where Hamas’s main regional backer Iran has a military presence — Israeli missiles hit Damascus and Aleppo airports on Sunday, putting both out of service and killing two workers, Syrian state media said.

Along Israel’s northern border with Lebanon, the Iran backed Hezbollah group has clashed with Israeli forces in support of Hamas in the deadliest escalation of frontier violence since an Israel-Hezbollah war in 2006. Hezbollah said four fighters were killed in heavy exchanges of fire on Sunday and another died of wounds sustained earlier, raising to 24 the number of its members killed since Oct. 7. At least five Israeli soldiers and one civilian have been killed on Israel’s side of the frontier, according to Israeli military reports. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu told troops in northern Israel that if Hezbollah launches a war against Israel, “it will make the mistake of its life”. With violence around its heavily guarded borders increasing, Israel on Sunday added 14 communities close to Lebanon to its evacuation contingency plan in the north.

With Israel keeping up daily bombings that have devastated swathes of heavily urbanised Gaza, Palestinians said they received renewed Israeli military warnings to move from Gaza’s north to the south to avoid the deadliest theatre of the war. They said military leaflets dropped on the territory contained the added warning that they could be identified as sympathisers with a “terrorist organisation” if they stayed put.

Israel’s military spokesman said the country had increased airstrikes across Gaza to hit targets that would reduce the risk to troops in the “next stage of the war”. For days, Israel has seemed to be on the verge of launching a ground offensive in Gaza, with tanks and troops massed at the border.

GLOBAL BILLIONAIRE TAX COULD YIELD $250 BILLION: EU TAX OBSERVATORY

Govts should open a new front in the international clampdown on tax evasion with a global minimum tax on billionaires, which could raise $250 billion annually, the EU Tax Observatory said on Monday.

If levied, the sum would be equivalent to only 2% of the nearly $13 trillion in wealth owned by the 2,700 billionaires globally, the research group hosted at the Paris School of Economics said.

Currently billionaires' effective personal tax is often far less than what other taxpayers of more modest means pay because they can park wealth in shell companies sheltering them from income tax, the group said in its 2024 Global Tax Evasion Report.

"In our view, this is difficult to justify because it risks to undermine the sustainability of tax systems and the social acceptability of taxation," the observatory's director Gabriel Zucman told journalists.

Billionaires' personal tax in the United States is estimated to be close to 0.5% and as low as zero in otherwise high-tax France, the Observatory estimated.

Growing wealth inequality in some countries is fuelling calls for the richest citizens to bear more of the tax burden as public finances struggle to cope with aging populations, huge financing needs for climate transition and legacy COVID debt.

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AGNIVEER A PLAN TO INSULT HEROES: RAHUL GANDHI; BJP HITS BACK

An Agniveer died in the line of duty in Siachen, the Army's Leh-headquartered Fire and Fury Corps said on Sunday. Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande and all ranks of the force condoled the death of Agniveer Gawate Akshay Laxman who hailed from Maharashtra.

"All ranks of Fire and Fury Corps salute the supreme sacrifice of #Agniveer (Operator) Gawate Akshay Laxman, in the line of duty, in the unforgiving heights of #Siachen and offer deepest condolences to the family," the Fire and Fury Corps said on 'X'.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi triggered a political controversy over his death, alleging that the Agniveer scheme was a scheme to insult National heroes. “A young man was martyred for the country - no gratuity, no other military facilities during his service, and no pension to his family in martyrdom. Agniveer is a plan to insult the heroes of India!” Gandhi posted on X.

BJP leaders including party IT cell chief hit back calling Gandhi’s tweet irresponsible.

“Absolute trash and irresponsible tweet. Agniveer Gawate Akshay Laxman has laid down his life in course of service and therefore is entitled to emoluments as a Battle Casualty. Accordingly, Laxman’s Next of Kin will receive the Rs 48 lakh non contributory insurance, ex-gratia of Rs 44 lakh, Seva Nidhi contributed by the Agniveer (30%), with an equal matching contribution by the Govt, and interest thereon. The Next of Kin will also receive pay for the balance tenure from the date of death, till completion of four years (more than Rs 13 lakh); as per balance residual tenure and contribution of Rs 8 lakh from Armed Forces Battle Casualty Fund. So, stop peddling #FakeNews. You are aspiring to be Prime Minister. Try and behave like one,” Malviya rebutted Gandhi on X.

TMC LETS MOHUA MOITRA DEAL WITH IT ALL HERSELF

The TMC has distanced itself from the controversy over the allegation against its Lok Sabha MP Mohus Moitra. BJP MP Nishikant Dubey and lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai have alleged that Moitra had accepted favours from businessman Darshan Hiranandani in exchange for raising questions in Parliament. In response, Moitra filed a defamation suit against them before the Delhi High Court.

Dubey's complaint has been referred to Parliament's Ethics Committee by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.

Rajya Sabha MP O'Brien said, "The member concerned has been advised by the party leadership to clarify her position regarding the allegations levelled against her. She has already done that. However, since the matter has to do with an elected MP, her rights and privileges, let the matter be investigated by the right forum of Parliament, after which the party leadership will take an appropriate decision."

TMC's West Bengal general secretary and spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said that the party had nothing to say on the issue and that the "person around whom this controversy was revolving is best suited to react to this".

BJP FIELDS 3 OF ITS 4 LS MPS IN TELANGANA, FOR ASSEMBLY POLLS

The BJP on Sunday released the first list of 52 candidates for the November 30 Telangana elections, fielding three of its four Lok Sabha MPs.

Bandi Sanjay Kumar, former Telangana BJP chief and Karimnagar MP, will contest from Karimnagar Assembly seat; Nizamabad MP Dharmapuri Arvind from Koratla; and Adilabad MP Soyam Bapu Rao from Boath (ST) constituency.

In a major development today, the BJP revoked the suspension of MLA T Raja Singh and fielded him from Goshamahal. In August last, Raja Singh was suspended from the party over controversial remarks against “Islam and Prophet Mohammed”, in a video which was pulled down from social media platforms.

‘MANY REGRESSIVE COLONIAL-ERA CRIMINAL LAWS RETAINED IN NEW BILLS’

The Indian Police Foundation (IPF), a think-tank working on police reforms, has said the three new criminal law Bills tabled in Parliament on August 12 have retained “most of the regressive provisions” from the existing colonial era criminal laws.

The IPF was referring to the three proposed criminal law statutes —Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Samhita (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Bill (BSB) – which were tabled in Lok Sabha by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The Lok Sabha referred these bills to the Parliamentary Standing Committee for wider consultation.

Indian Police Foundation, which has several senior retired IPS & IAS officers, has submitted a memorandum to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs, urging that there is a need for far more consultation and systemic changes in the Bills

“We need much greater imagination and innovation to overhaul archaic crime investigation practices and to deal with a deeply flawed criminal justice system ridden with loopholes,” it added

SC ORDERS SALE OF NRI GROOM'S SHARE IN ANCESTRAL PROPERTY TO PAY MAINTENANCE

Amid rising instances of NRIs dumping their wives in India after marriage, the Supreme Court has ordered sale of an Australia-based man’s share in his ancestral property here after he abandoned his wife and refused to pay the arrears of maintenance to her.

Fed up with the “utter obduracy” and “persistent defiant conduct” displayed by the NRI, a Bench led by Justice S Ravindra Bhat (since retired) directed the Registrar of the Delhi High Court to put to sale his six shops and “ensure that the best prices are realised.”

“To my knowledge, this is the first such order in which the Supreme Court ordered the sale of an NRI’s share in his ancestral property in India after he abandoned his wife and refused to pay maintenance,” says advocate Jaspreet Gogia, who assisted the top court as Amicus Curiae (friend of the court). The Bench appreciated her “valuable contribution and efforts” in getting justice to the woman.

The order came on a Chhattisgarh woman’s plea seeking recovery of both arrears of maintenance and her monthly maintenance of Rs 1,27,500.

The man, Varun Gopal, got married to the woman sometime in 2012-13 when he was employed in Australia. Within two years of marriage, the matrimonial relationship deteriorated leading to various legal proceedings and he obtained a decree of divorce in Australia and chose not to participate in the criminal proceedings or in the maintenance proceedings in India. The woman, however, didn’t accept the decree granted to the husband by the Australian court and challenged it in India.

IN A LETTER TOYOTA LOBBIES CENTRE TO CUT HYBRID CAR TAXES AS MUCH AS 21%

Japan's Toyota Motor is lobbying the Indian govt to cut taxes on hybrid vehicles by as much as one-fifth, arguing they are far less polluting than petrol cars but do not get commensurate policy treatment, a company letter shows.

India taxes EVs at just 5 per cent, while the levy on hybrids is as high as 43 per cent, just below the 48 per cent imposed on petrol cars.

Toyota argues this 5-percentage-point differential favouring hybrids over petrol cars is "insufficient", given the reduced emissions and better fuel consumption hybrids offer, according to its letter to Modi's Niti Aayog think-tank, which plays a key role in policymaking.

The tax differential over petrol cars should be as much as 11 percentage points for hybrids and 14 points for flex-hybrids, says the letter from Toyota's India country head, Vikram Gulati.

DALIP TAHIL SENTENCED TO TWO MONTHS IN JAIL FOR 2018 DRINK-DRIVING CASE: ‘

Actor Dalip Tahil has been sentenced to two months jail in a five-year-old drink-driving case. In 2018, he had rammed his car into an autorickshaw, injuring a woman.

According to reports, the 70-year-old actor was sentenced by a magistrate’s court following evidence of a medical expert, who said that the veteran was in an inebriated state when the accident happened.

Dalip Tahil said he respects the decision, but will challenge the verdict in the higher court. The actor also said that the accident had caused “minor injuries” and he did not “injure” anyone.

WORLD CUP MATCH 21: INDIA EASE PAST NEW ZEALAND, END A 20-YEAR WAIT

Virat Kohli anchored another tricky chase with perfection after Mohammad Shami's sizzling five-wicket haul as India outclassed New Zealand by four wickets in the World Cup match in Dharamsala on Sunday -- their first win over Black Caps in any ICC event after 20 years.

Shami (5/54) starred with the ball to restrict New Zealand to 273 all out despite Daryl Mitchell's gutsy 130 off 127 balls.

Kohli (95 off 104) later anchored India's chase with a near blemish-free knock and shared three crucial 50-run stands with Shreyas Iyer (33), KL Rahul (27) and Ravindra Jadeja (39 not out) to guide his side home in 48 overs.

With India on the cusp of victory, Kohli went for the record-equalling 49th ODI hundred but much to the disappointment of a packed crowd at the HPCA stadium, he was caught at deep midwicket off the bowling of Matt Henry in the 48th over.

Chasing 274, Shubman Gill (26) relied on his exquisite timing to find boundaries, while Rohit Sharma (46) played the power game as the openers gave India the perfect start.

Results so far: India Played 5 Matches, Won 5. New Zealand Played 5, won 4

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Everything is worth what its purchaser will pay for it. - Publius Syrus (1st century BC)

OFF TRACK

A woman went to a computer dating service and said she didn't care about looks, income or background. All she wanted was a man of upright character.

Then a man came in and told them the only thing he was seeking in a woman was intelligence.

The service matched them together at once because they had one thing in common -- they were both pathological liars.