CAIRO, July 23: Secretary of State John Kerry has told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that a US ban on flights to Israel was solely due to safety concerns.
Kerry, in Cairo to broker a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict, yesterday told Netanyahu by telephone that US authorities would review the order within a day, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.
The notice “was issued to protect American citizens and American carriers,” Psaki said in the Egyptian capital.
“The only consideration in issuing the notice was the safety and security of our citizens,” she said.
The US Federal Aviation Administration “continues to monitor and evaluate the situation, and will issue updated guidelines no later than 24 hours from the time the (notice) went into force,” she said.
The US agency barred US carriers from flying to Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport for 24 hours after a rocket from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip landed near the aviation hub.
Major European carriers also suspended service to Israel’s main international gateway for at least 24 hours, all citing safety concerns.
Earlier in Washington, State Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf denied that the move was a tactic aimed at pressuring Israel to accept a ceasefire in the two-week conflict.
Kerry is hoping to persuade Israel and Hamas to agree to a ceasefire after the conflict has killed more than 630 Palestinians and 29 Israelis. (AGENCIES)
Kerry tells Netanyahu flight ban solely for safety
Kerry tells Netanyahu flight ban only for safety of Americans
WASHINGTON, July 23: US Secretary of State John Kerry has told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that a temporary ban on US flights to Israel was mainly to ensure safety and security of American citizens.
“Kerry spoke with Netanyahu this evening and among the issues raised by the Prime Minister was the FAA’s notice today about Ben Gurion Airport. The FAA’s notice was issued to protect American citizens and American carriers,” State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki said.
Kerry spoke to Netanyahu by telephone yesterday after the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) prohibited US carriers from flying to Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport for 24 hours after a rocket from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip landed near the aviation hub.
Kerry is in Cairo to broker a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict that has killed more than 630 Palestinians and 29 Israelis.
“The FAA continues to monitor and evaluate the situation, and will issue updated guidelines no later than 24 hours from the time the NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) went into force,” Psaki said in a statement.
Meanwhile, State Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf denied that the rare flight ban was aimed at pressuring Israel to accept a ceasefire in the two-week conflict.
Major European carriers have also halted services to Israel’s main international gateway, citing safety concerns.
Germany’s Lufthansa, Air France, Air Canada, Alitalia, Dutch KLM, Britain’s easyJet, Turkish Airlines and Greece’s Aegean Airlines were among those who cancelled flights to Tel Aviv.
Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg described this as mistake and said he is flying to Tel Aviv to show solidarity with the people of Israel.
“This evening I will be flying on El Al to Tel Aviv to show solidarity with the Israeli people and to demonstrate that it is safe to fly in and out of Israel.
“Ben Gurion is the best protected airport in the world and El Al flights have been regularly flying in and out of it safely,” he said.
“The flight restrictions are a mistake that hands Hamas an undeserved victory and should be lifted immediately.I strongly urge the FAA to reverse course and permit US airlines to fly to Israel,” Bloomberg said.
Palestinian militants have fired over 2,000 rockets into Israel since fighting began on July 8, but most of the fell harmlessly into open areas or were shot down by Israel’s “Iron Dome” anti-missile system. (PTI)
Four children, two adults killed in France minibus crash
COURTERANGES (France), July 23: Four children, their driver and a 20-year-old were killed when the minibus they were travelling in crashed head-on into a truck coming the other way in France, authorities said.
Speaking to reporters hours after the accident, which took place close to the village of Courteranges near Troyes in central France, local prosecutor Alex Perrin revised an earlier toll that had said five children and their driver died in the crash.
“There was an extremely brutal impact and six people were killed — the driver, four children and a 20-year-old man,” he said, adding the children were aged 11 to 13.
“Was it a moment of inattention, was there some commotion inside the vehicle? We don’t know,” he added, confirming that the minibus drifted onto the opposite lane and hit an oncoming truck.
At least three other passengers were badly injured in the accident yesterday, but their condition was not critical while the truck driver was “in shock”, Perrin said.
French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve and Transport Minister Frederic Cuvillier visited the site of the crash earlier yesterday.
Perrin said a probe into the accident would seek to determine the exact cause of the crash, adding that the road was well maintained, and visibility and the weather at the time were good.
The crash is one of the most serious involving children since 1982, when 53 people — including 44 children — died when their bus caught fire after it collided with several vehicles on a motorway. (AGENCIES)
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U2 to release new album later this year?
LONDON, July 23: Rock band U2 are expected to release their first album in five years this November.
The four-piece rock band, made up of lead singer Bono, guitarist The Edge, bassist Adam Clayton and drummer Larry Mullen Jr, are said to be planning to release their currently unnamed 13th studio album, reported Contactmusic.
“The U2 comeback is very much on for this year. This album has been a real struggle for them to make. It’s taken a long time and Bono didn’t find it easy. But they feel very confident now and are convinced the wait has been worth it,” a source said.
The album is the first to be released by the group in five years and will follow-up the their 2009 work ‘No Line On The Horizon’. (PTI)
Chrysler to recall 792,300 SUVs for ignition problem
WASHINGTON, July 23: Chrysler has said it would recall up to 792,300 sport utility vehicles to fix an ignition-switch problem, the same part involved in the massive General Motors recall.
The automaker, a subsidiary of Italy-based Fiat Chrysler, yesterday said it was issuing the recall “out of an abundance of caution.”
Chrysler took the move because ignition keys can be moved unintentionally from the “on” position, causing engine stall, reducing braking power and potentially disabling frontal airbags.
Chrysler said the switch may be shifted by an “outside” force, often the driver’s knee.
Chrysler said it “is unaware of any related injuries” and knew of a single reported accident and a relatively small number of complaints covering 0.015 per cent of the vehicles subject to the recall.
The recall affects certain models of the 2006-2007 Jeep Commander and 2005-2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs.
Chrylser urged owners of these vehicles to “assure that there is clearance between their knees and the keys.” The company also suggested drivers remove all items from their key rings, leaving only their ignition key.
The recall follows a June disclosure by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that it was investigating the air bag systems on these models following complaints of stalling.
“The investigations involve issues of inadvertent ignition key rotation from the run position to the accessory position,” the NHTSA said on June 18.
The NHTSA said it was not aware of any incidents involving airbag non-deployment.
GM has publicly acknowledged 13 deaths in 54 accidents linked to its ignition-switch defect in several models no longer being manufactured. The company has recalled 2.6 million cars since February for the faulty switch.
The problem means the ignition switch can be jolted into “accessory” or “off” position while the car is running, cutting off engine power and disabling the airbag in a collision. (AGENCIES)
Awaits completion-PHE scheme Salehri
Sir,
Uncontroversially, the above said scheme was sanctioned and work started 6-7 years ago to remove water scarcity in the area. But abnormal time consumed in its completion/operationalisation, obviously, is a matter of grave concern not only for the beneficiaries but alarms the Govt. against the loss of crores of rupees of public money.
One really feels like to weep when a pitcher on the head is carried for water even in the 21st century but before whom to complain when none is bothered or is accountable to listen? The water is a basic necessity and how troublesome, it becomes in the State of its non-availability is quite understandable. Since masses have no weapon but votes to exercise, it is hopefully hoped that the scarcity of water as has been since long, will be removed before ensuring elections by completion of the scheme.
Yours etc…
Keshwa Nand Sharma,
(Sunderbani)
Jammu Budget
Sir,
The railway budget and subsequently budget-2014-15 presented by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on 10.07.2014 have brought big cheer to people of J&K though with some reservations. Construction of state of art railway station with all the modern facilities and linking Katra with several state capitals by way of many new trains has been welcomed by one and all. Opening of an IIT in Jammu is something special for this region. This premier institute shall open new avenues for technical education for students of J&K and other adjoining states and inculcate in them a sense of hard work and competition. A KV at Kishtwar too, is highly relevant for this remote and backward hilly district. More so, provision for Pashmina industry for Kashmir and Ladakh, a mega solar power project at Leh, a Mountaineering & Skiing institute at Gulmarg , would apparently reflect an even coverage of all the three regions of the state. But here, there are some glaring omissions viza-a-viz. Jammu region.
Keeping aside other deprivations Jammu suffers from , tourism promotion in Jammu which all along got a raw deal has once again been ignored. Highly scenic Sarthal- Bhadarwah and Basantgarh- Sudh Mahadev- Kud belts are nowhere in the reckoning. Even the two beautiful lakes – Mansar and Sruisar have been woefully forgotten and do not figure on the tourist map of J&K. Tapping of tourist potential in Jammu region thus far denied its due, need be assigned a higher priority and a few highly deserving areas included in the current year’s budget only.
While Kashmiri pandits and other border migrants have rightly been taken care of, the long pending issue of POK refugees who were displaced in 1947 from Muzaffrabad, Mirpur, Kotli, Rawalkote etc, and subsequently, in 1965 and 1971 wars, has been conveniently forgotten. Even PM Modi, after paying obeisance at the holy cave shrine of Mata Vaishnu Devi Jee, had assured to address this long pending issue in his pre- election rally at Hiranagar. But to no result thus far. The two Jammu MPs – Dr. Jitendra Singh and Jugal Kishore jee Sharma who are well conversant with POK refugee problem, are requested to use their good office to get this item included in the budget 2014-15 only, as a supplementary item or whichever way possible.
Hopefully, these omissions would be deliberated up on and funds allocated in the current year’s budget only.
Yours etc….
B.K. Suri
Jammu
Sino Indian relations-A new beginning
Prof. M.K.Bhat
No country can change its neighbors; the same applies to both India and China. The two must learn to live together side by side with mutual respect for each other as sovereign nations. History is witness to their coexistence from centuries but the things deteriorated in1962 when India’s confidence got shattered by Chinese aggression. This acrimony made India to look west for its diplomatic and other strategic relations. China left no stone unturned for its forceful incursion at various places in last sixty years and at times it worked as a guardian of Pakistan to contain India. The Chinese have of late perhaps started to realize that 2014 in no way can be 1962 as both are nuclear powers and bear sizeable clout in the global setup.
The ice seems to have melted with the election of Mr. Narender Modi as the prime minister of India. His intension to have good relations with neighboring countries got good response from Chinese President. The two got a chance to meet on the sidelines of BRIC conference at Fortelza, Brazil. The meeting was termed as cordial and successful by both sides. It extended from its scheduled time of 40 minutes to 80 minutes. Prime Minister Mr. Narender Modi stressed on border dispute and deficit in trade balance with China while as President Xi Jinpeng of China showed interest in industrial investment and infrastructure. Broadly, the relations between these two great nations hinge on business and boundary. The big question arises whether China will continue to treat India’s tolerance as its incompetency or change its outlook regarding India in real sense and for India it becomes vital to see whether thinking beyond Nehruvian legacy of 1962 will yield concrete results or not ?
President Xi Jinpeng expressed the change in mood of China by inviting India to the Asia pacific economic cooperation (APEC) meet in China in November this year. It is first time that India is being invited to APEC. India had asked for its membership almost two decades ago but in 1997, India was conveyed about moratorium in its membership. This negative response kept India- the 10th biggest economy- away from this group. The strength of APEC becomes clear from the fact that it accounts for 40% of the world population, 55% of the global gross domestic product and 44% of world trade. The invitation in no way confirms membership that may depend on the member countries but conditions are favorable to India. America as one of the influential member of this group will definitely second Chinese opinion because of its sour relations with India in recent times due to Khobragrade and Modi visa episode. This will no doubt provide India a large access in the international market.
An introspection of the actual trade between China and India provides a sordid story of adverse trade. It decreased from $75bn in2011 to $68.9bn in 2013.This decrease was mainly due to India’s low exports and worsening economic conditions worldwide. According to the economic survey 2014 the bilateral trade between these two countries stood at $68.9bn in 2013-14.India bore a trade deficit of $35bn.
Trade between any two countries can never be to the interest of one at the cost of the other. It shall involve the mutual interest of both countries for its smooth functioning. The growth of trade between these two countries has continuously got a tilt towards China from last decade. The share of china in India’s trade increased from 2.5% in 2000-01 to 8.6% in 2013-14 and India’s share in Chinese trade increased from 0.7% in 2001 to only 1.6% in2013. The adverse balance of trade can never ever be acceptable to any country for too long. It also points to the fact China uses Indian market while as it restricts India’s access in its IT and Pharma sector-the areas where India can make its headway.
The cheap goods dumped by China in Indian market too have been responsible for this adverse trade. The low cost of these items need to be investigated and counter measures can be applied as per WTO rules. The target of $100bn trade between the two countries by next year is impossible if things are not rectified at the earliest. In nutshell it can be held that bilateral trade between two countries has not been to India’s benefit until now.
Economics can never be at the cost of national security interests. Those who believe that good economic relations will help to solve the boundary dispute are living in a fool’s world because China bears a history of forceful extension of its boundaries irrespective of its economic relations. This can be explained by the fact that China’s bilateral trade with Japan is worth $314bn still it claims Senkaku island which is managed by Japan since 1894.
India has 4000 km boundary with china which is often Incursed by Chinese army. The Incursions have increased from last few years. It puts a baseless claim on Arunachal Pradesh rather it shall keep itself away from the forceful occupation of Aksai Chin if it really wants to solve the border dispute. It is no doubt that china has recently at BRIC summit shown its willingness to solve the border dispute but trust will get reflected only when things will change at ground level.
India and china are the world’s two most populous countries. They contain more than one third of the world population. They are fast growing economies and have every potential to make the world to sing to its tunes. President of China has rightly said that “if the two countries will speak in one voice the whole world will listen attentively and when two countries will join hand the world will closely watch” The most favored treatment shall work to the benefit of both the countries. The deficiency of mutual trust and lack of equal partnership in business makes this impossible to happen.
It is quite good that the two nations can reach to a common understanding for the establishment of$ 100bn New Development Bank with headquarters at Shangai and India as its first president -a big challenge to western dominance in development lending- but they fail to have an amicable trade of $100 bn between themselves. The two can work together for making a terror free world. China can go a long way in influencing the outlook of Pakistan regarding terrorism. It is time for china to take a step forward to redress the injured psyche of India in 1962. It shall stop showing its indifferent attitude on borders for good trade between the two countries and India definitely will reciprocate with bigger heart if intensions are clear on the ground level.
(The author is Deputy Director (MAIMS) Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University Delhi)
Honda launches MPV Mobilio starting at Rs 6.49 lakh
NEW DELHI, July 23: Japanese auto major Honda today launched ‘Mobilio’, its first multi-purpose vehicle in India, priced between Rs 6.49 lakh and Rs 10.86 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) as part of the strategy to achieve total annual sales of three lakh units by 2017.
Mobilio, which comes in both petrol and diesel variants, will take on mainly Maruti Suzuki’s Ertiga and General Motors’ Enjoy to an extent in the MPV segment.
Petrol variants of the seven-seater Mobilio will retail between Rs 6.49 lakh and Rs 8.76 lakh while diesel versions will be available between Rs 7.89 lakh and Rs 10.86 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).
On the other hand, Maruti Suzuki’s Ertiga is priced between Rs 5.8 lakh and Rs 8.49 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). The petrol variants retail between Rs 5.8 lakh and Rs 7.3 lakh, while the diesel versions are priced between Rs 7.22 lakh and Rs 8.49 lakh.
Honda Motor Company Managing Officer Yoshiyuki Matsumoto said India remains one of the company’s key strategic markets and Mobilio will contribute significantly to HCIL’s growth in India.
“Mobilio is already a success in Indonesia, selling 46,000 units since its launch in January capturing 23 per cent market share in the segment. We expect the same success in India and will try to sell as many units as we can here,” Matsumoto said.
He further said: “Honda has set a target of selling six million units globally by March 2017, out of which 1.2 million will come from the Asia Oceania region. HCIL will account for 25 per cent of the region’s sale.”
Bullish on the new model, Honda Cars India Ltd (HCIL) President & CEO Hironori Kanayama said: “The launch of Honda Mobilio follows the success of Honda Amaze and the all new City which led our exceptional growth of 83 per cent in the previous financial year,”
He further said: “HCIL is progressing well to achieve its target of achieving annual sales of three lakh units by 2017.”
During the fiscal 2013-14, Honda Cars India reported 83 per cent increase in sales at 1,34,339 units as against 73,483 units during the previous year.
Mobilio has been developed at Honda’s R&D facility in Bangkok exclusively for the Asian markets with India and Indonesia among key targets.
In India, Mobilio will roll out from the company’s Greater Noida plant which has an annual capacity of 1.2 lakh units.
HCIL is keeping its options open to export Mobilio but has not taken a final decision when to start overseas shipments as it would focus on the domestic market first.
At the Auto Expo held in February, Honda Motor Japan President and CEO Takanobu Ito had said that the company would introduce new products and technologies that meet the needs of Indian customers in order to achieve FY’17 target.
HCIL had earlier this year launched an all-new version of its mid-sized sedan City. The company’s other models include compact sedan Amaze and hatchback Brio. The Honda Amaze, introduced in April last year, was the company’s first diesel offering in India.
The company had stated it would increase output from its second plant at Tapukara in Rajasthan by starting a second production shift in 7-8 months to help meet its target of an almost 50 per cent jump in sales to 2 lakh units in 2014-15. (PTI)
It’s BJP’s moment for the seizing
Vishal Sharma
There is a buzz about BJP in Jammu this time. It is to do with its ambitious 44+ target for assembly seats in the ensuing elections. It is also, in part, due to a BJP led Government at the centre. There is an uncanny feeling, not completely explained or explainable, amongst its faithfuls that perhaps this time it can either form a government in the state or share power with some formation like Congress has done in the recent past. But government it would definitely form.
It is good to have optimism. But it is equally good to temper it with realism. A target of 44 + means BJP will have to completely sweep the Jammu region and also take some seats either in Ladakh or Kashmir. It is an uphill task. But this column is not about the impossibility of the mission or otherwise. It has already been debated in my earlier column in this newspaper. This time it is about how BJP can achieve what it has set out to achieve.
I am a firm believer that BJP can be a force to reckon with in the state politics if only it were to do some very elementary but fundamental changes in the way it wants to fight this elections. Some of these changes are doable, but as they would unhinge some of the most entrenched elements, it is likely that the vested interest may stonewall it. Mark my words; if the party does not choose to look past these completely dispensable vestiges of the obsolete era, then it faces a certain ruination in the elections.
The first thing it needs to do is to not repeat in these elections any of the candidates from the last elections. It is a tough task. But given the cross voting taint that some of them have covered themselves with, it would not go down well with the electorate if this cast was repeated. Question can be asked why all of them should pay for the crime of the some. The answer is simple: Politics is about perception and, if there are perception issues beggaring credibility issues, the more substantive, real issues, however consequential they may be, lose meaning for the electors. In any case, there have been questions asked about the very inquest held into the matter. With such issues of integrity still afresh in the minds of the people, the idea to be selective in giving one a nod and other a sack may raise further questions. By the way, after the cross voting crisis, did we all not turn indifferent to what these BJP legislators were doing on development and legislative issues? Such indeed is the power of perception in politics.
It can be argued that, if the BJP were to dump the entire lot, who should it pick to stand in the elections? Well, ideally, it should choose people who have requisite cultural and intellectual bandwidth to perform both as legislators and agents of development. The current lot has not performed well in the assembly. Man to man, they were no match to the erudition of MH Beigh , scholarship of AR Rather and intellectual and political prowess of host of others. Their speeches in the assembly lacked both profoundity of the subjects and silken oratory to mesmerise their opponents. Their speeches were rather rambling rants; ebbing with the shallowness of their thoughts and flowing with the fake frenzy of their emotions.
On the development front also, their performance has been far from satisfactory. As opposition MLAs, they indeed have limitations in so far as getting more funds for their constituencies are concerned. Their leverage with local officers is also limited. But it is still no reason for such a poor developmental record of some of these MLAs. Some MLAs, who are more aware and also more articulate, as brought out by this paper in his daily report card on an MLA, have performed way better on the development front despite being not part of the treasury benches.
BJP will be well advised to consider giving technocrats like lawyers, academicians, civil servants, doctors, engineers, army officers etc. a chance to run in the elections. While it would be difficult to have all the technocrats running for obvious reasons, a right mix of technocrats and those who are full time politicians having risen through the ranks would well worth be a try. Having a mix right numerically between the technocrats and politicians would well balance both the imperatives of aspirations and the region. After all, we need both- the stronger voices in the assembly and the groundbreaking change agents having connect with the people.
The next consequential step for the BJP should be to have constituency-wise manifestoes drafted. In these times of energy and water crisis, it has been found that the people are more concerned about their constituencies. There are quite often comparisons done as to which constituency is better or worse off vis-à-vis power, water and roads than the other. It is no point having a more generic, centralized and long drawn manifesto that not only does not lend itself to easy reading, but also is not easily understood by the people in terms of what it offers for their areas. Constituency-wise manifestos would be easily relatable; the electorate would read it and quickly know that they have clear markers against which to hold their elected representatives accountable. This apart, in our state, it will be a positive political innovation, and in an era of transparency and accountability, may also find ready takers amongst the electorate. BJP needs to show this out of box thinking to reinvigorate its relationship with the people of the region.
Equally, it is important for the BJP to have a small, but lucid manifesto drawn up as regards big ticket projects for the region. While being engaged with small time local issues, people also want to know what the party would do to ensure that the flagship programmes like fly overs, state and national highways, setting up of new medical colleges, IIT, other infrastructural projects are initiated and completed in time. It is important for the BJP to spell out its vision on all the projects that are currently either stalled or progressing slowly for want of administrative approvals or funds.
In view of the rail track extension to Katra and the growing apprehensions that Jammu may become another Pathankot in future, it falls to BJP to allay these fears by preparing a plan that makes Jammu a tourist hub through an integrated circuit of Bani-Basohli on the one hand and patnitop-nathatop-mansar-surinsar on the other. It can also commit to a pilgrim tourism circuit of Shivkhori-Sudhmahadev-buddha amaranth-sukralamata and combine each of these circuits with a border tourism circuit to be located at Suchetgarh where Pakistan can be talked into agreeing by the NDA government at the centre for a border guard drill of the kind we have at the wagah border. If this were to come off, Jammu will reinvent itself. With its central location and the privilege of being the winter capital, Jammu can easily be developed as a centre of education as well. The grant of IIT to Jammu can easily be leveraged in this direction. This will ensure that Jammu does not go the Pathankot way.
BJP can work on all of this and much more and prepare a plan that it can then sell to the people. It is ideally positioned this time to emerge a serious player in the J&K politics. This moment is its for the seizing. If it fritters it away, it would have no one but itself to blame.