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Ivanka Trump lauds Saudi Arabia, UAE on women’s rights reforms Ivanka Trump lauded Sunday a handful of Mideast countries, including close US allies Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, for embarking on “significant reforms” to advance women’s rights, while speaking at a gathering of women entrepreneurs and regional leaders in Dubai. The daughter of US President Donald Trump was delivering the keynote address at the two-day Global Women’s Forum held in an opulent resort overlooking the city’s Persian Gulf coastline. Source: MoneyControl

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar Wants Alcohol Ban All Over India, Says It’s Mahatma Gandhi’s Wish Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has proposed nation-wide ban on alcohol, saying it was Mahatma Gandhi’s wish. Speaking at a convention on ‘Liquor-Free India’, Kumar said Mahatma Gandhi wanted the same as alcohol destroys lives. He said that the liquor ban should not just be carried out in nearby states but all across the country. Kumar said that the alcohol-ban had earlier been imposed in Bihar by then Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur, but that it could not be implemented completely. Source: News18.com

Richard Branson reaches out to Nitin Gadkari for hyperloop NEW DELHI: Richard Branson-owned Virgin Group has reached out to transport minister Nitin Gadkari with a proposal to establish a hyperloop transportation system between New Delhi and Mumbai, after the Maharashtra government decided to shelve the company’s proposed project in the state last month. A source in the know told ET that Virgin Group has approached Gadkari—who is known for his openness to adopting new technologies—to develop a 1,300-km line between the national capital and Mumbai. Source: Economic Times

Should I quit: Manmohan asked me after Rahul ordinance episode, says Montek Singh Ahluwalia After the Rahul Gandhi ordinance-trashing episode of 2013, the then prime minister Manmohan Singh asked Montek Singh Ahluwalia whether he thought he should resign, the former deputy chairman of the now-defunct Planning Commission says. Ahluwalia says he told Singh, who was then on a visit to the US, that he did not think a resignation on this issue was appropriate. In a major embarrassment to his own government, Rahul had denounced the controversial ordinance brought by the UPA dispensation to negate a Supreme Court verdict on convicted lawmakers. He...

Justice Chandrachud: Labelling dissent as anti-national strikes at heart of democracy CALLING DISSENT the “safety valve of democracy”, Supreme Court judge Justice D Y Chandrachud on Saturday said “blanket labelling of such dissent as anti-national or anti-democratic strikes at the heart of our commitment to the protection of constitutional values and promotion of a deliberative democracy”. Speaking on “The hues that make India: From plurality to pluralism” at the 15th Justice PD Desai Memorial Lecture here, Justice Chandrachud said “employment of state machinery to curb dissent instils fear and creates a chilling atmosphere on free speech which violates the rule...

BCCI CEO Rahul Johri resignation yet to be accepted: Report BCCI’s first chief executive officer Rahul Johri, who had tendered his resignation a while ago, might have to wait a little more before he is relieved of the plum job by the Board. BCCI sources said on Sunday that Johri, appointed in 2016 to the then newly-formed position, had made up his mind to step down after the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) exited the scene in October last year, paving the way for the Sourav Ganguly-led team to take charge. “Johri’s resignation will be accepted but it might take...

‘I’d disown them’, says Joe Biden on Bernie Sanders’ aggressive supporters As early voting surged in Nevada’s nominating contest, former Vice President Joe Biden lashed out at Democratic rival Bernie Sanders on Saturday for not doing enough to control his most aggressive supporters. Biden’s attack during an interview for NBC’s “Meet The Press” came as he fights to rescue his struggling presidential bid and Sanders works to strengthen his strong standing with the contest speeding into a new phase. Biden also sought to downplay expectations for next Saturday’s Nevada caucuses, telling reporters that he did not need to win. Source:...

Arvind Kejriwal sworn in as Delhi CM for the 3rd time AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal took oath as the Chief Minister of Delhi for the third consecutive time on Sunday at the city’s Ramlila Maidan where a multi-level security arrangement has been put in place. Taking to Twitter on Sunday morning, Mr. Kejriwal had urged Delhiites to attend his oath-taking ceremony to bless “their son”. Source: The Hindu

‘We had opportunity to ask most critical questions’: German envoy on J-K visit Germany’s ambassador to India, Walter Lindner, spoke to Hindustan Times on his impressions during the two-day trip to Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) organized by the Government of India for 25 global ambassadors earlier this week. In August, the Centre revoked the special status of J&K and decided to bifurcate the state into two Union territories –J&K and Ladakh. You just returned from a trip to India’s newest Union Territory (UT), J&K, organized by the Government of India to counter global criticism of some administrative and security measures it...

GoAir appoints former Jet Airways executive Vinay Dube as CEO MUMBAI : Wadia Group-controlled GoAir on Friday said that it has appointed former Jet Airways (India) Limited executive Vinay Dube as the chief executive officer (CEO) of the airline. “As the CEO, Vinay will report to the Chairman, Managing Director and the Board. He will be responsible for the management of the airline and also for meeting the goals and long term growth objectives of the company,” the airline said in a statement. Source: Livemint