Odisha Government Failed To Show Union Minister "Minimum Courtesy": BJP

BJP leader KV Singhdeo said the state government has been 

accusing the centre of neglecting Odisha "but in reality it is cleverly 

attempting to hijack central schemes and to project them entirely as its

 own programmes".

The BJP hit out at the BJD government in Odisha on Monday, accusing it of playing "cheap politics" and "disrespecting" Union minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey during his visit to the state to inaugurate a medical college.

BJP legislature party leader KV Singhdeo said the state government has been accusing the centre of neglecting Odisha "but in reality it is cleverly attempting to hijack central schemes and to project them entirely as its own programmes".

Alleging that the Odisha government had failed to show "minimum courtesy" and respect to Union Minister of State for Health Ashwini Kumar Choubey during his Monday visit, Mr Singhdeo said his name was missing on invitation cards sent to guests on the occasion of inauguration of the Fakir Mohan Medical College and Hospital in Balasore.

Mr Choubey's name also did not figure in advertisements by the state government though the centre is providing 60 per cent funds for setting up five medical colleges and hospitals in Odisha, including the one in Balasore, Mr Singhdeo said.

Failure to acknowledge it in advertisements of the state government showed lack of "minimum courtesy" despite getting "substantial" assistance from the Centre for establishment of medical colleges, he said.

"Instead of being thankful to the centre for extending necessary assistance and support to improve medical education and healthcare, the state government is indulging in cheap politics," the BJP leader said.

The BJP leader also alleged that "no proper security cover" was provided to Mr Choubey, who is entitled to 'Y' category security, during his visit to Odisha.

"There was nobody from the state government to receive the union minister who had come to the Odisha as a guest, when he arrived at the airport here and was also not provided proper security during his journey from here to Balasore," Mr Singhdeo claimed.

COMMENT

State Health Minister Pratap Jena has dismissed BJP's allegation and claimed that "everything was done in accordance with protocol".

In Madhya Pradesh, Social Media Use Criterion For Congress Ticket Seekers

Party spokesperson Shobha Oza said that social media activity was not the only

 criteria for ticket selection but the party wants those contesting the election to use

 it extensively.

Congress ticket aspirants in Madhya Pradesh will be evaluated on their use of social media with the state Congress sending a missive that they should have a Facebook page with 15,000 likes, Twitter account with 5,000 followers and WhatsApp group of booth workers in their neighbourhood.

The directions have been conveyed by the state Congress in a letter which refers to steps being taken by the Congress to improve its social media outreach.

The letter says that aspirants for party tickets in the Assembly polls later this year will be evaluated for their use of social media. It also spells out the criteria for judging the activeness in using social media.

"Having Facebook page and Twitter account is mandatory. Being active on WhatsApp is mandatory. It is mandatory to have 15,000 likes on the Facebook page, 5,000 followers on Twitter and having a WhatsApp group of booth members in the neighbourhood," the letter said.

The letter also said that it is mandatory to retweet the tweets by the state unit's Twitter handle and to like and share the posts on its Facebook page.

Party spokesperson Shobha Oza said that social media activity was not the only criteria for ticket selection but the party wants those contesting the election to use it extensively.

She said social media was used by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the last election to take its "jumlas" to the people and the party could not counter it effectively.

"This election is going to be held when democracy is threatened and media is under pressure by the Central and state governments. It is all the more necessary that you use social media as a powerful instrument to reach to the masses," she said.

"So we are appealing to our workers and leaders to be more active on social media and share the party's ideology and vision through it," she added.

COMMENT

She alleged that the BJP would again use social media to create a "wrong perception" and it was important to counter its "lies".

Congress Attacks Centre Over Alleged Coal Scam, Seeks "Fair Probe"

Senior party leader Jairam Ramesh also took on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, 

asking why he did not take up the matter with his counterpart in Singapore 

where the coal import transactions took place.

The Congress on Monday accused the central government of shielding its "favourite" industrialists in an alleged scam in import of coal worth Rs. 29,000 crore and demanded a "fair and impartial" probe by SIT in a time-bound manner.

Senior party leader Jairam Ramesh also took on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking why he did not take up the matter with his counterpart in Singapore where the coal import transactions took place.

Mr Ramesh said PM Modi has met the Singapore PM three times in as many years after the probe began. He also accused Finance Minister Arun Jaitley of being silent on the issue, while remaining vocal on others.

"In October 2014, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) revealed about a scam on coal import and a probe was initiated on the over-invoicing of import of coal," Mr Ramesh claimed

On March 31, 2016, the DRI said 40 companies are involved in this scam and it is worth Rs. 29,000 crore, the Congress leader alleged.

The DRI, he said, also issued letter rogatory to Singapore seeking its help to access documents lying with overseas branches of the SBI bank where coal import transactions took place.

But the probe has remained stalled, he said, adding that showcause was issued against four out of the 40 companies by the DRI.

"It is clear that after four years, no result of the probe has come because favourite industrialists are involved in it. If you act against the industrialist, then the government will fall," he told reporters in Delhi.

"The four companies are owned by favourite industrialists," Mr Ramesh alleged, and named a few business houses who were allegedly issues notice by DRI.

"A Special Investigation Team (SIT) should investigate the scam as has been demanded in September 2017 in a PIL filed by senior advocate Prashant Bhushan's NGO in the Delhi High Court and it should be time-bound.

"All obstacles coming in the way of DRI should also be removed and the government should hold discussions with Singapore to make the documents available to DRI," the Congress leader demanded.

Mr Ramesh alleged that a business house had moved the Singapore High Court to stop sharing of documents available with SBI Singapore branch with the DRI, though the plea was quashed recently.

It has now moved the Bombay High Court to restrain the DRI probe, he claimed.

Mr Ramesh said 70 per cent of the coal imports into the country happen through the  companies of this business house.

He also displayed a letter dated May 20, 2016 where Revenue Secretary Hashmukh Adia had requested the then SBI chairman Arundhati Bhattacharya to share the documents with DRI.

However, Ms Bhattacharya refused to do so saying it was against Singapore law, Ramesh said expressing his dismay over her refusal.

1 COMMENT

Referring to an FIR filed by the CBI against some officers of NTPC and others in connection with the investigation, he asked as to why the "big players" involved in the "scam" are being spared. 

Teachers' Day 2018: All You Need To Know About Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

From 1962, Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan's birthday is celebrated as 

Teachers' Day in India.

A teacher is a friend, philosopher, and guide who influences us greatly right from our childhood till our adult life. From school to university, our teachers are there with us along the way to nurture us and help us through many a decisions. Throughout India, Teachers' Day is celebrated on September 5 in every school and college where generally the students give heartfelt tributes to their teachers and thank them for everything they do for us. This tradition started from 1962 and it was started to honour Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. His birth anniversary is September 5. He was a philosopher, scholar, an exemplary teacher, and politician and his dedicated work towards education shaped up the youth of the country. He was also the first Vice-President of India and the second President of India.

Dr. Radhakrishnan was born on September 5, 1888, in a middle class family in Tirutani. He was an outstanding student and studied philosophy at Christian College, Madras. He taught at various colleges in his lifetime from University of Mysore to University of Calcutta. He was also appointed as the Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University, Delhi University as well as Banaras Hindu University.

He was awarded the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian honour in the country in 1954. Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was nominated 27 times for the Nobel Prize; sixteen times for the Nobel Prize in literature, and eleven times for the Nobel Peace prize.

Apart from Dr Radhakrishnan, many other teachers in India have transformed education. Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, another former President, who was known for his exemplary contribution to education and motivational speeches to students, is also fondly remembered on this day. Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore too was a distinguished teacher founded the Visva Bharati University that did not focus on bookish knowledge but guided students spiritually as well.

So on this Teachers' Day, lets say a big thank you to all the teachers who have taught us, guided us and helped us become what we are. Happy Teachers' Day!

12,000-Year-Old Fossil, Brazil's First Human, Destroyed In Museum Fire

The jewel in the crown of the museum's collection of 20 million valuable pieces,

 Luzia was the first human fossil found in Brazil, in the southwestern Minas Gerais 

state in 1970.

RIO DE JANEIRO: 

Brazil on Monday mourned the loss of the "first Brazilian," Luzia, after the 12,000-year-old fossil was destroyed in a raging fire that ripped through Rio de Janeiro's treasured National Museum.

The jewel in the crown of the museum's collection of 20 million valuable pieces, Luzia was the first human fossil found in Brazil, in the southwestern Minas Gerais state in 1970.

"Luzia is a priceless loss for everyone interested in civilization," Paulo Knauss, director at Brazil's national history museum, told AFP.

Using her skull, researchers at Britain's University of Manchester had managed to produce a digital image of her face, which was used as the base for a sculpture displayed in the museum that went up in smoke on Sunday night.

"Luzia died in the fire," moaned Katia Bogea, president of the National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage, as quoted by Estado de S.Paulo newspaper.

President of the National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage blamed major budget cuts for the disaster

She said the tragedy had been coming, blaming major budget cuts for the irreparable cultural loss.

Knauss said the lack of funding was due to "a crisis of values" that had been blighting the country for many years.

"It's an old problem but we have to stop talking about the past and think about the future... to inverse a process that shames us in the face of future generations," he said.

Considered the most important natural history museum in Latin America, the National Museum, which celebrated its bicentenary in June, was particularly renowned for its paleontology collections.

The former imperial palace housed a dinosaur skeleton also found in Minas Gerais as well as 26,000 fossils of extinct species, including the famed saber-toothed tiger.

Donald Trump Warns Syria, Russia And Iran Against Idlib "Tragedy"

The United Nations and aid groups have warned that a full assault on Idlib could spark a humanitarian catastrophe on a scale not yet seen in Syria's seven-year-old conflict.

US President Donald Trump on Monday warned Syria against launching an attack on the country's last rebel stronghold with the help of Russia and Iran, saying the offensive could trigger a "human tragedy."

"President Bashar al-Assad of Syria must not recklessly attack Idlib Province. The Russians and Iranians would be making a grave humanitarian mistake to take part in this potential human tragedy," Trump tweeted.

"Hundreds of thousands of people could be killed. Don't let that happen!"

The United Nations and aid groups have warned that a full assault on Idlib could spark a humanitarian catastrophe on a scale not yet seen in Syria's seven-year-old conflict.

Syrian government forces are now massing around the northwestern province of Idlib, which is held by a complex array of rebels and violent extremist fighters, many of whom have been blacklisted as "terrorists" by world powers.
Russia and Iran have insisted that extremist groups in Idlib must be defeated and are expected to back regime forces in any assault.

Since early 2017, Iran, fellow regime ally Russia and rebel backer Turkey have sponsored a negotiations track based in the Kazakh capital to tamp down hostilities in Syria.

Last year, they had designated Idlib as a "de-escalation" zone where violence would halt in preparation for a countrywide ceasefire.

All the while seeking to pressure Turkey into reining in jihadists in Idlib, Damascus's main sponsor Russia has been sounding the war drums in recent days.

Tehran and Moscow provided steady political, financial and military backing to Assad throughout the war, which has left over 350,000 people dead since it broke out in 2011.
The International Crisis Group, a Brussels-based think tank, said an all-out assault on Idlib and its catastrophic consequences could still be avoided.

Russia, whose air support would be crucial for the offensive to succeed, should understand that a bloodbath in Idlib would jeopardize its own political goals, according to ICG.

"By backing an all-out offensive, Russia risks undermining its long-term political objectives in Syria," ICG wrote in a nine-page briefing entitled "Saving Idlib from destruction."

US warnings ring hollow?
Despite Trump's warning, analysts believe the United States appears resigned to the likelihood of a final military victory by Syrian government forces.

Behind the scenes, American diplomats have been actively warning Moscow, which has been accused in the past of turning a blind eye to chemical weapon use by its Syrian proteges.  
But these "verbal warning shots" have little to do with today's reality in Syria, said Jonas Parello-Plesner, a researcher with the Hudson Institute think tank in Washington who recently published a study on the US approach to the region.

And that reality, he told AFP, is that "Assad is advancing on the ground, aided by Iran by land and Russia by air," while the United States places its hopes on a UN-backed Geneva peace process that might best be described, he said, as "moribund."

Trump said in April that "it's time" to bring American troops home from Syria -- once the jihadists of the ISIS had been definitively defeated.

While he quickly backed away from talk of an immediate withdrawal, his underlying determination to leave Syria's seven-year war as soon as possible seems unchanged.

Google Doodle Honours German Artist Oskar Schlemmer On His 130th Birthday

Google Doodle: Oskar Schlemmer's tribute is reflective of his work,

 mechanical creatures in metallic masks prancing around doing ballet.

German painter, sculptor and choreographer Oskar Schlemmer would have celebrated his 130th birthday today. To commemorate his birth anniversary, Google Doodle has honoured him with a tribute. The path-breaking artist's most famous work is "Triadisches Ballett," in which the actors are transfigured from the normal to geometrical shapes. Also in Slat Dance and Treppenwitz, the performers' costumes make them into living sculpture, as if part of the scenery.

Google's doodle, too, is similar to how the painter-choreographer would present his rather unusual ballets. Google added a dedication to the artist stating, "With three dancers, 12 movements, and 18 costumes, Oskar Schlemmer's innovative approach to ballet broke with all convention to explore the relationship between body and space in new and exciting ways. He described the performance as "'artistic metaphysical mathematics," and a "party in form and colour."

The doodle too is reflective of his work, mechanical creatures in metallic masks prancing around doing ballet.

Schlemmer's ideas on art were complex and challenging even for the progressive Bauhaus movement. The Bauhaus movement was a German art school operational from 1919 to 1933 that combined crafts and the fine arts, and was famous for the approach to design that it publicized and taught. His work, nevertheless, was widely exhibited in both Germany and outside the country.

His work was a rejection of pure abstraction, instead retaining a sense of the human, though not in the emotional sense but in view of the physical structure of the human. He represented bodies as architectural forms, reducing the figure to a rhythmic play between convex, concave and flat surfaces. As well as leaving a large body of work behind, Schlemmer art theories have also been published.

Schlemmer died in 1943 in Baden-Baden. Google Doodle salutes the genius of Oskar Schlemmer on his birth anniversary.

Facebook Down For More Than An Hour; Miffed Users Take To Twitter

The outage lasted less than 90 minutes before normal service resumed.

 Some users had read-only access while others were unable to log in.

Facebook users around the world reported the social network was briefly inaccessible Monday, with many taking to Twitter to voice their frustration.

Reports of issues on the downdetector.com website began around 2100 GMT, with users particularly affected in North America and Europe.

The outage lasted less than 90 minutes before normal service resumed. Some users had read-only access while others were unable to log in.

"Earlier today, a networking issue caused some people to have trouble accessing or posting to various Facebook services," a Facebook spokesman said.

"We quickly investigated and started restoring access, and we have nearly fixed the issue for everyone. We're sorry for the inconvenience."

100 Million Indians Now In Digital Payments Ecosystem, Says Government

UPI, the real-time bank-to-bank payment system on mobile platform launched in 2016,

 registered 312.02 million transactions in August.

With monthly transactions crossing 300 million mark through Unified Payments Interface (UPI), Finance Ministry officials on Monday said digital payment will soon be the norm in the country.

"Digitalisation of payments in India is marching ahead with gusto. With base of 100 million Indians connected with digital payment ecosystem rising at a fast clip, India will soon be a digital payment society," Economic Affairs Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg on Monday said in a tweet.

UPI, the real-time bank-to-bank payment system on mobile platform launched in 2016, registered 312.02 million transactions in August, up 32 per cent from 235.65 million transactions in July, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) said on Saturday.

In terms of transaction value, the money transferred through India's flagship payments platform went up 18 per cent to Rs. 54,212.26 crore in August from Rs. 45,845.64 crore in July, said the NPCI, which developed the platform, in its monthly update on UPI. 

The data does not include transactions with debit or credit in the same account for the month of August, it said. It had directed banks to stop transactions from different UPI applications with debit and credit happening in the same account from August 1 to prevent artificial transactions by fintech companies to increase UPI numbers.

Financial Services Secretary Rajeev Kumar said the spurt in digital transactions reflects changing consumer behaviour and wider adoption of the technology in society. 

"Digital India making deep inroads into consumer behaviour. BHIM UPI txns show increasing user adoption month on month. Aug '18 txn count/value up by 32.7% & 18% over July '18. Building a less-cash and financially-inclusive economy," Mr Kumar tweeted.

In a year's time, the number of banks attached to UPI has gone up from 55 in August 2017 to 114 in August 2018. Year-on-year, the volume of transactions shot up 19 times from 16.6 million in August 2017 to 312 million last month, the NPCI data revealed. 

COMMENT

To make UPI more attractive, NPCI, which is owned by a consortium of major banks, launched UPI 2.0 last month that allows banks to introduce more facilities like linking customers' overdraft accounts with UPI and checking invoice before payment.

Teachers' Day 2018: PM Modi To Felicitate National Award-Winning Teachers

Teachers Day: Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu will confer 

National Awards for 2017 on the teachers on September 5.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will felicitate national award-winning teachers on Tuesday, ahead of Teachers' Day celebrated on September 5.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu will confer National Awards for 2017 on the teachers on September 5.

The teachers were selected under revised guidelines aimed at selecting those who had shown innovation in their work and had added value to the school and to their students, according to a government statement.

"The number of awardees was brought down to just 45 as this was necessary to restore the prestige of the awards. Under the earlier scheme, the number of awardees had crossed 300," the statement said.

The nominated teachers gave a presentation last month before an independent jury comprising a senior educationist. This ensured that all of them were given an opportunity to 

place before the jury their contribution and the work done by them, the statement added.

In all, 6,692 applications were received from teachers from all over the country. Out of the applications received, every district selected three best teachers and forwarded these to the committee under the state secretary of education who made a short-list.

A total of 152 nominations were finally received from all states, union territories and organisations. The final selection was done by an independent jury, the statement said.

1 COMMENT

Under the revised guidelines, all regular teachers will be eligible to apply and the minimum 15 years of service had been done away with. The teachers got the chance to directly apply and nominate themselves for the award. Self-nominations from teachers were invited online.

Stop Using The Term 'Dalit', Says Government In Advisory To Media

Members of the community are also worried that the ban can affect reporting on the oppression faced by the Scheduled Castes.Members of the Scheduled Castes can no longer be referred to as Dalits, a new order from the Broadcasting ministry has told television channels. In a letter to private television channels on August 7, the ministry said the media "may refrain from using the nomenclature Dalit in compliance with the Bombay High Court order".

While the government orders are based on two court verdicts, the ban has been pulled into controversy, with political leaders and activists saying banning a word does not improve the status of the community.

Members of the community are also worried that the ban can affect reporting on the oppression faced by the Scheduled Castes.

"Just because the word is not used, does not mean the community is not oppressed... the media should definitely continue using the word," said lawmaker Udit Raj.

Arvind Kumar from the Centre for Dalit and Minority Studies pointed that it was "not just a word". "It a whole semantics to it... any word - black, Dalit, OBC, shudra, they all carry some meaning, it also connotes some identity".

Critics say there is a certain ambiguity in the Bombay High court's order. One line of the order said the government can issue "suitable directions" to the media to refrain from using the word. But another line said the ministry should "consider the question of issuing such direction to the media".

The ball had been set rolling this January by an order from the Madhya Pradesh High Court. Responding to a petition, the court had said there was "no doubt" that the word should not be used by the government, as it has not been mentioned in the Constitution.

Referring to the order, the Ministry of Social Justice issued a circular in March, saying all official communication by the Central and state governments should use the term "Scheduled Caste" or its translation.

On June 6, the Bombay High Court referred to this order by the ministry, suggesting that "suitable directions" should be issued to the press council and the media to this effect within 6 weeks - spurring the August 7 order by the government.

Court Reserves Order On Pleas By Chidambaram Family In Income Tax Case

On August 31, the bench dispensed with the appearance of P Chidambaram's wife Nalini, his son Karti and daughter-in-law Srinidhi before the special court for economic offences cases in Egmore till September 14.

 

The Madras High Court reserved its order Monday on the appeals moved by former Union minister P Chidambaram's wife, son and daughter-in-law, challenging the prosecution initiated against them by the Income Tax Department under the Black Money Act.

A division bench of Justice S Manikumar and Justice Subramonium Prasad reserved its order after recording the submission made by senior advocate Gopal Subramanium on behalf of the petitioners.

On August 31, the bench dispensed with the appearance of P Chidambaram's wife Nalini, his son Karti and daughter-in-law Srinidhi before the special court for economic offences cases in Egmore till September 14.

The issue pertains to alleged non-disclosure of overseas assets and bank accounts held by the trio.

According to the Income Tax department, the three had failed to disclose a property they jointly own in Cambridge in the UK, worth Rs. 5.37 crore, which amounted to an offence under the Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act.

The department has also alleged that Karti Chidambaram had failed to disclose an overseas bank account he holds with Metro Bank in the UK and investments he had made in Nano Holdings LLC, USA.

He had also "failed" to disclose investments made by Chess Global Advisory, a company co-owned by him, which amounts to an offence under the Black Money Act, the department has said in its complaint filed in the special court in May this year.

Assailing the prosecution, the three approached the high court. As a single judge bench refused any relief, they moved an appeal.

On June 27, the first bench headed by the then Chief Justice Indira Banerjee reserved its order on the appeal.

However, as Justice Banerjee was later elevated to the Supreme Court, orders could not be pronounced.

The appeal was then referred to the bench headed by Justice Manikumar for fresh hearing.

During the hearing by Justice Banerjee, counsel for the appellants had contended that prima facie no offence can be made out against them under the Black Money Act.

1 COMMENT

The act deals with undisclosed income raised from foreign assets. But in the present case, all the relevant information had been disclosed by the petitioners in their returns filed under the Income Tax Act, the counsel had said.

Blast At South African Ammunitions Plant Kills 8: Official

The Rheinmetall Denel company confirmed the incident but gave no details on fatalities.

CAPE TOWN: 

Eight people were killed Monday in an explosion at a munitions factory near Cape Town in South Africa, a city official said.

Local residents reported that nearby houses shook from the blast, which sent a plume of white smoke into the air above the Rheinmetall-Denel plant in Somerset West when it erupted at 3:45 pm (1345 GMT).

"Eight persons were confirmed as fatalities and the fire department is assisting the search and rescue operations," J.P. Smith, Cape Town council's safety chief, told AFP after the explosion rocked the Rheinmetall Denel plant in Somerset West.

Smith said that a fire at the accident site was contained.

The Rheinmetall Denel company confirmed the incident but gave no details on fatalities.

"An explosion occurred at one of the buildings of Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM)... At this stage we are unable to confirm if there are any injuries or fatalities," it said in a statement.

"We are currently investigating the matter."

The joint German-South Africa company said it makes munitions and explosive products for the South African military and police and international clients.

COMMENT

RDM is 51 percent owned by Rheinmetall Defence in Germany and 49 percent by South Africa's Denel.

Aretha Franklin Died Without A Will, Leaving Her Estate's Future Uncertain

After the tributes and mourning fade following a superstar's death, practical concerns begin to present themselves. These often center on who controls the star's property and estate.

Anushka Sharma-Virat Kohli, Varun-Natasha also seen in the special screening of Sui Dhaaga

That's a thorny question in the case of Aretha Franklin, who died Aug. 16 at 76 years old. Gwendolyn Quinn, Franklin's representative, said the cause was pancreatic cancer.

Though the Queen of Soul's worth was estimated to be approximately $80 million, she didn't leave a will.

 Tiger Shroff has created such a dangerous body;

According to papers filed in Michigan's Oakland County court, the singer was unwed at the time of her death and survived by her four sons - Clarence Franklin, Edward Franklin, Kecalf Franklin and Ted White Jr. - who are between the ages of 48 and 63. Clarence Franklin, the eldest, has special needs and is represented by a legal guardian. One of her nieces accepted the role of executor, according to the Associated Press.

Virat Kohli P Black Coffee with Anushka Sharma, say - you are my strength

The question of what happens to Franklin's sizable estate remains murky. According to intestate succession laws in Michigan - the state in which the singer lived most of her life, and where she died - her four children should receive equal shares of her estate.

But when a celebrity dies, it's not uncommon for people to make claims on the estate that can potentially lead to legal battles.

प्रियंका चोपड़ा और निक जोनास के पूर्व में इसी तरह के आउटिंग पहने हुए थे

"There are often people who are marginalized or cut out - maybe they're family members, maybe they're friends, maybe they're anybody who might feel that 'Well, I deserve a share of her estate.' There could be litigation even if she had an estate plan in place," Shaheen Imami, a shareholder at Prince Law Firm in Michigan, told People.

 "My expectation is that as much will be done behind closed doors as possible. It is the objective of the survivors of any deceased, whether it be Aretha Franklin or John Smith, to handle affairs as simply and quickly as you can. If you can avoid court proceedings, you want to avoid court proceedings. Sometimes you just can't do that.... In my experience, the larger the estate, the more public the figure, the greater the likelihood that there is going to be an issue."

Lifestory Of Ajay Devgn कहानी अजय देवगन की

Thus far, however, there is no indication of discord among Franklin's family. Even so, the potential for conflict is one reason her advisers urged her to leave a will.

"I tried to convince her that she should do not just a will but a trust while she was still alive," Don Wilson, one of Franklin's lawyers for almost three decades, told the AP. "She never told me, 'No, I don't want to do one.' She understood the need. It just didn't seem to be something she got around to."

Laura Zwicker, a lawyer who specializes in estate planning, told the wire service that not having a will is surprisingly common.

American actress Vanessa Marcz shot huge toy gun, police shot

"People don't like to face their own mortality," Zwicker said. "I had a client who had a $70 million real estate portfolio who had had end-stage diabetes. He had plenty of conversations with me about estate planning but would not sign the documents."

Franklin is far from the first celebrity to die without leaving a will. Prince, whose estate was estimated to be between $100 and $300 million at the time of his death in April 2016, famously did not have anything planned in the event of his passing. The result, as The Washington Post's Karen Heller wrote, was "legal challenges" that amounted to, simply put, "a mess."

AAP Ultimatum For Parkash Badal's Arrest A "Political Gimmick": Akali Dal

Mr Phoolka gave the ultimatum to cabinet ministers including Navjot Singh Sidhu,

 asking them to get a case of murder registered against Parkash Singh 

Badal and retired DGP Sumedh Singh Saini.

Opposition Shiromani Akali Dal on Sunday dubbed AAP leader HS Phoolka's 15-day ultimatum to the Punjab government to arrest former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal for police firing incidents at Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan a "political gimmick".

Mr Phoolka gave the ultimatum to cabinet ministers Sukhjinder Randhawa, Navjot Singh Sidhu, Charanjit Singh Channi, Manpreet Singh Badal and Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa on Saturday, asking them to get a case of murder registered against Mr Badal and retired DGP Sumedh Singh Saini.

He vowed to resign if the Congress-led government failed to book the duo.

In a statement, the Shiromani Akali Dal said Mr Phoolka's warning was a "political gimmick to derive political mileage out of troubled waters of Punjab."

The party also demanded that the license of the Aam Aadmi Party leader, who is also a lawyer, should be revoked.

"Phoolka is a senior advocate of the Supreme Court and his license should be revoked by the Bar Council of India immediately for making unconstitutional and illegal demand to register cases on the basis of a fabricated, concocted tailor-made report prepared at behest of the Congress party..," SAD spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema said in the statement.

He said the state government "cannot register any case against Mr Badal on the basis of (Justice) Ranjit Singh Commission report which is a bundle of conjectures, assumptions and far-fetched deductions (and) which are unlikely to stand legal scrutiny for a day."

Justice (retd) Ranjit Singh Commission was set up by the Congress government in April 2017 to investigate the various incidents of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib and other religious texts.

It dealt with incidents at village Burj Jawahar Singh Wala, Bargari and firing incidents at Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan in 2015.

Mr Cheema alleged that Mr Phoolka and the Aam Aadmi Party "worked hand in glove with the ruling Congress to defame Mr Badal..."

According to the report, Mr Badal, the then chief minister of Punjab, and Saini were "aware" of the proposed police action to disperse the protesters at Kotkapura in Faridkot by using force.

It held that the police opened fire in Behbal Kalan, in which two people were killed, "without any warning and without taking permission from civil authorities".