Ganesh Chaturthi PM Modi, Other Leaders Wish Citizens As Celebrations Begin Across India ?

Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated in the states of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, 

Karnataka, Gujarat among other states.

Ganesh Chaturthi, a 10-day festival celebrated around the country, especially in Maharashtra, starts today. Devotees of Lord Ganesh are all set to celebrate the festival with colourful processions, music and dance. The festival is celebrated in the states of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Gujarat among other states. Apart from installation of the large Ganesh idols, the celebration is marked with the deity's idol at home and elaborate pandals.

Elaborate arrangements have been made by the Mumbai Traffic Police to ensure smooth flow of traffic and for preventing inconvenience to commuters. In Bangalore, Ganesh Chaturthi is being celebrated keeping in mind the environment. Ganesh idols made of sugarcane are being widely used. Even in Maharashtra, an eco-friendly Ganesh idol in Kharadi village of Aurangabad. In Hyderabad, the devotees are preferring the idols made of mud instead of Plaster of Paris. The sales of eco-friendly Ganesh idols have seen a sharp rise this year in the city.

COMMENT

Eco-friendly Ganesha idols are those that are made out of clay, natural fibres, papers and other bio-degradable materials.

JPMorgan Chase CEO Says, "I Could Beat Trump," Then Backtracks ?

"I think I could beat Trump," said JPMorgan Chase CEO, Jamie Dimon,

 who had led the country's largest bank for more than a decade. "I'm as tough as he is,

 I'm smarter than he is.

JPMorgan Chase CEO, Jamie Dimon predicted Wednesday that he could defeat President Donald Trump in a presidential election.

"I think I could beat Trump," said Dimon, who had led the country's largest bank for more than a decade. "I'm as tough as he is, I'm smarter than he is.

"He could punch me all he wants. It wouldn't work with me. I'd fight right back," Dimon said at an event announcing a new $500 million JPMorgan Chase philanthropic initiative.

But, Dimon said, his wife wouldn't let him run and "I can't beat the liberal side of the Democratic Party."

Shortly after, as the comments circulated on social media, Dimon backtracked.

"I should not have said it. I'm not running for President," he said in a statement. "Proves I wouldn't make a good politician. I get frustrated because I want all sides to come together to help solve big problems."

But earlier, he had fiery words for the current president, a fellow New Yorker who once called him "the worst banker in the United States."

"And by the way this wealthy New Yorker actually earned his money. It wasn't a gift from daddy," Dimon said, pointing to himself and noting that he grew up in the "poorer part of Queens."

Dimon is currently worth more than $1 billion and made $28 million as chief executive of JPMorgan Chase last year. He also holds a substantial amount of JPMorgan stock, which has risen in price by 25 percent over the last year and doubled during the last five years.

Since Trump's election, Dimon has emerged as one of Wall Street's most prominent voices in Washington as chairman of the powerful Business Roundtable. The usually affable Dimon leads the largest bank in the country with more than $2 trillion in assets and what Dimon has described as a "fortress" balance sheet.

He has previously vented his frustration with gridlock in Washington, saying last year: "It's almost embarrassing being an American citizen . . . and listening to the stupid [expletive] we have to deal with in this country."

On Wednesday, Dimon announced that JPMorgan would spent $500 million for a new program to boost growth in several cities, including Detroit, Chicago and Washington. The program, AdvancingCities, is expected to attract $1 billion in outside capital, according to the bank.

COMMENT

"Opportunity is not shared equally across neighborhoods," Dimon said a statement . "Businesses can and must step up to help change the status quo by creating a better future for all, no matter where they live. It is in our best interest and the right thing to do."

Encounter Breaks Out Between Security Forces, Terrorists At Baramulla ?

Baramulla encounter: The state police said three terrorists are believed to be

 trapped in the area, which has been cordoned off.

A gunfight broke out between security forces and terrorists at Sopore in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district. The state police said three terrorists are believed to be trapped in a residential area at the district, which has been cordoned off.

The security forces started a search operation last night at the locality, 71 km from Srinagar, during which they were fired upon, leading to the encounter.

COMMENT

Mobile internet has been snapped in Sopore, news agency IANS reported. It said educational institutes in the area have been asked to keep their facilities shut today.

Japan's Narita Airport Briefly Closes Runway After Bomb Scare ?

Local police cleared the suspicious object and there were no flight cancellations, as 

one runway operated as normal during the three-hour closure, officials added.

Japan's Narita airport briefly closed one of its two runways Thursday after what is suspected to be an unexploded shell was found buried nearby, officials said.

Local police cleared the suspicious object and there were no flight cancellations, as one runway operated as normal during the three-hour closure, officials added.

"Contractors involved in drilling work at night found something like an explosive" in the soil, said a spokesman for Narita, Japan's main international hub east of Tokyo.

The builders described the object as "something like an unexploded shell".

Police said the risks of an explosion were low but they are investigating.

COMMENT

Narita handles 40 million passengers and 250,000 flights a year.

Nawaz Sharif's Brother Arrives In London To Get Kulsoom Nawaz's Body

Kulsoom Nawaz, the wife of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, died in London 

after a period of prolonged illness, at the age of 68.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif reached London late on

 Wednesday to bring Begum Kulsoom Nawaz's body back to Pakistan, Geo News reported.

Kulsoom Nawaz, the wife of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, passed away in London after a period of prolonged illness, at the age of 68.

According to the party sources, the funeral prayers of the former first lady will be offered at the Regent Park mosque on Thursday in London and her body will be flown to Lahore after the completion of legal formalities.

Upon reaching Pakistan, the funeral prayers of Kulsoom Nawaz will be offered on Friday at Sharif Medical City in Jati Umra at 5 pm on Friday, Geo News quoted a party spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb as saying.

COMMENT

On Tuesday, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz were released from the Adiala Jail on parole to attend Kulsoom Nawaz's funeral. The Punjab government is also likely to extend their parole as the Sharif family has requested that a five-day release be given to them.

"60 Minutes" Producer Out As CBS Cleans Up After Harassment Claims

The exit of Jeff Fager comes three days

 after the television giant announced the

 departure of president, chairman and 

CEO Leslie Moonves.

 

The executive producer of "60 Minutes," America's flagship investigative television news program, was out at CBS Wednesday in the wake of accusations of sexual misconduct and allegedly tolerating an abusive culture.

The exit of Jeff Fager comes three days after the television giant announced the departure of president, chairman and CEO Leslie Moonves, whom at least 12 women had accused of sexual misconduct stretching back decades.

"Jeff Fager is leaving the company effective immediately," CBS News president David Rhodes wrote in a note to staff reported by CBS News.

Fager's exit was "not directly related to the allegations surfaced in press reports" but he had "violated company policy," Rhodes added.

CBS News quoted Fager as saying that his contract had been terminated over a "harsh" text message he sent to a CBS reporter demanding that she be "fair" in covering the story.

"One such note should not result in termination after 36 years, but it did," Fager was quoted as saying.

On July 27, The New Yorker broke the first public accusations against Moonves and also reported that 19 current and former employees accused Fager, a former chairman of CBS News, of allowing harassment in the workplace.

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Ronan Farrow reported that Fager would allegedly touch staff, making them uncomfortable at parties, and that he once made a drunken pass at a junior staffer. Fager has denied the claims.

Fager previously served as chairman of CBS News and had been executive producer of "60 Minutes" since 2003.

In August, the CBS board of directors hired outside lawyers to investigate the claims against Moonves, as well as "cultural issues at all levels of CBS."

COMMENT

Moonves is one of the biggest scalps of the #MeToo era. CBS announced his departure on Sunday, saying that he and the network would donate $20 million to supporting the #MeToo movement and equality for women in the workplace.

Mamata Banerjee Announces Rs. 28 Crore Grant For Durga Puja Organisers

Of 28,000 pujas, 3,000 are held in Kolkata, the rest in the districts. The total spend 

for 28,000 pujas in the state will be Rs. 28 crore.

 

In a very generous first, 28,000 Durga Puja committees across Bengal will get a grant of Rs. 10,000 each this festive season "for community development programmes," Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Monday.

Of 28,000 Pujas, 3,000 are held in Kolkata, the rest in the districts. The total expenditure for 28,000 Pujas in the state will be Rs. 28 crore.

But critics are already questioning the largesse at a time when she herself claims the state is strapped for cash.

"She is trying to balance Imam bhata," said a tweet by a social media user. "Imam Bhata" is the stipend Ms Banerjee had announced for Imams and muezzins at mosques soon after coming to power in 2011. The move had drawn the charge of minority appeasement and was stopped by court.

At a meeting with representatives of Durga Puja organising committees in Kolkata on Monday, Ms Banerjee also announced plans for the second edition of the 'Bishorjon Carnival'.

"Durga Pujo immersions will be held from October 19 to 22. We will organise Durga Pujo Bishorjon Carnival at Red Road on October 23 at 4 PM. Last year, 55 clubs participated, this year, 75 clubs will participate," she said.

Last year, because Bishorjon or the date for immersion of the idols coincided with Muharram, the immersion had been stopped on one day - something for which Mamata Banerjee had been criticised, again for minority appeasement. 

But on Monday, Ms Banerjee took the issue up head on. "Do not pay heed to inciting propaganda. One communal political party wants to polarise people on religious lines," she said. 

"Some people make tall claims. Can they organise Bakr-Eid and Durga Puja at the same time? No. Last year we had to stop Bishorjon for one day because of Muharram, and because of that a lot of propaganda was carried out on social media.

"Few days ago, a fake news was spread that we are prohibiting Durga Pujo. Can you believe it? Will you believe if I told you that Eid and Christmas have been banned? These are tactics to spread communal discord. It is easy to incite riots, but not easy to douse the fire. We will not allow anyone to play with fire," she added.

1 COMMENT

Ms Banerjee has penned a song on the theme 'Jaago Durga' for the Pujas which begin on October 16 this year.