Russia to cut military presence in Syria

Putin said that Russia would continue to furnish support for the legitimate Syrian government in its struggle with terrorism




MOSCOW, December 29. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed with the Defense Ministry’s proposal for reducing military presence in Syria.

"I agree with the Defense Ministry’s idea to cut out military presence in the Syrian Republic," Putin said at a meeting with Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Thursday.

Putin stated that Russia will "unconditionally continue the struggle against international terrorism and furnish support for the legitimate Syrian government in its struggle with terrorism."

"It goes without saying that we will stand by the agreements that have been achieved, including the development of the Russian military logistic facilities in Tartus  and at the Hmeymim airdrome," he said.

Putin thanked Shoigu and Lavrov for what had been accomplished in this very important field of struggle against international terrorism.

Akhilesh conveys displeasure to SP chief over candidates' list

Lucknow, Dec 29 (PTI) With Mulayam Singh Yadav's public snub to his son in announcement of candidates' list for UP polls leaving bitterness in the ruling camp, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today spoke to the SP supremo to convey his displeasure over the choice of names.

The factional feud in the Samajwadi Party was again in the open, a day after Mulayam Singh Yadav declared candidates for 325 of the 403 Assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh and ruled out projecting Akhilesh as the Chief Ministerial candidate.

A clearly upset Akhilesh today met his supporters at his 5-Kalidas Marg residence here and later spoke to his father and party patriarch Mulayam Singh to convey his displeasure over the list of candidates from which names of his close confidants were missing, party sources said.

Hectic political activities began right from the morning with party leaders gathering outside the residences of Akhilesh and Mulayam. A big crowd also assembled outside Shivpal's residence.

Party sources said the Chief Minister, before meeting Mulayam, met legislators and office bearers who do not figure in the list of nominees.

The list, which includes 176 sitting MLAs, announced by Mulayam and Shivpal in the absence of Akhilesh, has left out several pro-Akhilesh ministers, including Ram Govind Chaudhary, Pawan Pandey and Arvind Singh Gope, and does not carry names of over 50 sitting MLAs.

Besides, 10 ministers, including Shivpal, sacked by the chief minister over the past few months have got tickets. These former ministers were in open defiance of Akhilesh and it paid off.

Within hours after release of the list, which clearly bore the stamp of Mulayam and Shivpal, Akhilesh who was away in Bundelkhand yesterday, had said he would take up the choice of candidates with the party chief.

"The list does not include names of certain candidates who are sure to win. I will take it up with the SP chief and tell him that some of them have done really good work and they should be given tickets," an upset Akhilesh had said last night.

In a late night tit-for-tat action, the Chief Minister struck back sacking two Shivpal loyalists -- Surabhi Shukla, vice-chairperson of UP Awas Vikas Parishad and her husband Sandeep Shukla from the post of advisor of Rajkiya Nirman Nigam. Sandeep has been fielded from Sultanpur Sadar seat.

HC judge raises doubts over circumstances of Jaya's death

Chennai, Dec 29 (PTI) Expressing doubts over the circumstances leading to death of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, a Madras High Court judge indicated that he may order exhumation of the body after a plea before the court sought a probe by an inquiry commission or a fact-finding committee.

Justice S Vaidyanathan, who was heading a two-judge vacation bench, said the public should know what has happened.

His observations came when the bench, also comprising Justice V Parthiban, was hearing the PIL filed by an AIADMK worker P A Joseph seeking an inquiry commission or a fact- finding committee to probe the circumstances leading to the death of Jayalalithaa.

"After the demise, everybody has a right to question. I personally have a doubt.

"One day it was told that she is walking, another day you said that she will come out and suddenly what happened. Even with regard to the health of late Chief Minister MGR, video was released," Justice Vaidyanathan said.

When a special mention was made before the bench by senior counsel KM Vijayan who argued on the plea, Advocate General Muthukumaraswamy said there is no mystery in the death.

Justice Vaidyanathan asked the AG, "What is that you say.

Right to live is a Fundamental Right. Public should know what has happened."

"Even relations were not allowed to see and they are also not before the court now. I personally find in case if I have doubt I may order exhumation of the body of deceased and you have not told anything when she was alive," the judge said.

Turning to counsel J Madanagopala Rao, who appeared on behalf of Union Government, the Judge said: "You went there.

You have not reported anything. You know everything. But not reported anything for the reasons best known to you. You kept quiet."

The bench said, "We also saw in newspapers that the chief minister was recovering, and that she was eating, signing papers and even conducting meetings. And then suddenly she was dead."

The bench then recorded the acceptance of notice by counsel for Union Government on behalf of the Prime Minister's Office and the Ministries of Home, Law and Parliamentary Affairs and CBI and posted the matter for further hearing to January 9.

The PIL had sought a commission comprising retired Supreme Court judges to look into "questionable incidents", including Jayalalithaa's sudden hospitalisation, reported recovery and the cardiac arrest resulting in her death on December 5.

The PIL listed the sequence of events since Jayalalithaa's admission to Apollo Hospitals here on September 22 and claimed that the "secrecy" preceding her death gave rise to "grave doubts" in the minds of the people.

Growmoney Voice (Intra Day Tips Given for educational / academic purpose – see Notes given at the end of blog)

29/12/2016

NIFTY:

Spot Range :  7992 - 8075

Likely to open between  :   7985 - 8062

Buy above 8055 ; Tgts -  8073/8095/8118/8140  ; sl  - 8033

Sell below  8032 ; Tgts -  8014/7991/7969/7944  ; sl  - 8054

Break down -  7991 ;       Break up - 8076

CLICK FOR FULL DETAILS : http://growmoney-skhosla.blogspot.in/ 

Sensex ends negative on late selling, ahead of F&O expiry

Mumbai, Dec 28 (PTI) The Sensex wiped off all its gains today to end in the red with a minuscule fall at 26,211 as cautious investors took profit at higher levels ahead of the monthly derivatives expiry amid a mixed trend overseas.

Besides, the rupee depreciated 18 paise intra-day against the dollar, to 68.24, which had a negative impact too.

But volumes were thin during the session as most foreign investors are away on a vacation in a year-end holiday season and other participants chose not to widen their bets.

Covering-up of short positions by speculators added to the momentum at the outset, but selling to book year-end profits in the later part of the session ahead of the December derivatives expiry -- this year's last -- took away the day's gains completely.

The 30-share Sensex opened higher at 26,243.19 and advanced to hit a high of 26,415.05. But emergence of selling in the last one hour of trading pushed the benchmark into the negative zone, which settled marginally lower by 2.76 points, or 0.01 per cent, at 26,210.68.

Yesterday, the barometer had gained 406.34 points.

In contrast, the 50-share NSE Nifty managed to close in the positive zone with a rise of 2 points, or 0.02 per cent, at 8,034.85. Intra-day, it hovered between 8,100.55 and 8,028.40.

Meanwhile, foreign institutional investors continued to be net sellers in the market, selling equities worth Rs 712.17 crore yesterday, as per the provisional data.

Oil major Reliance Industries emerged as the top loser by plunging 1.15 per cent, followed by Tata Steel falling 1.13 per cent. Hero MotoCorp, Tata Motors, ICICI Bank, PowerGrid and SBI fell too.

Outperforming Sensex, the broader markets continued to show a positive trend as investors went about raising their bets at select counters, available at an attractive lower levels. BSE small-cap and mid-cap ended 0.87 per cent and 0.53 per cent higher, respectively.

Elsewhere, Asian stocks ended mixed as Shanghai Composite fell 0.40 per cent and Japan's Nikkei 0.01 per cent, but Hong Kong's Hang Seng edged higher 0.83 per cent. Europe too was in a mixed form in their late morning trade.

Key indices such as Paris fell 0.03 per cent while London FTSE rose 0.23 per cent. Frankfurt rose 0.22 per cent.

In the domestic market, 14 scrips ended in the red out of the 30-share Sensex pack while 16 led by Coal India, Wipro, Dr Reddy's, Lupin, M&M, ITC, Axis Bank, Adani Ports and HUL closed in the green and contained the fall.

Speaking sectorally, oil and gas fell 0.27 per cent, capital goods 0.09 per cent and metal 0.07 per cent.

Healthcare rose 0.82 per cent, FMCG 0.61 per cent and IT 0.22 per cent.

Former top IAS officer Baijal to be new Delhi LG

New Delhi, Dec 28 (PTI) Career bureaucrat Anil Baijal was today appointed as the new Lt Governor of Delhi, a post which has fallen vacant after sudden resignation of Najeeb Jung.

70-year-old Baijal, a 1969 batch IAS officer, had served as Union Home Secretary under the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government besides holding key positions in other ministries.

The President accepted the resignation of Jung and also ordered for appointment of Baijal, who will be the 21st Lt Governor of the national capital.

Baijal had retired from service in 2006 as Secretary, Urban Development Ministry. He is a former vice chairman of Delhi Development Authority.

Baijal was actively associated with the designing and roll-out of Rs 60,000 crore Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) launched by the Manmohan Singh government.

The former bureaucrat was also on the executive council of the think-tank Vivekananda International Foundation, several of whose former members have been appointed to senior positions by the Modi government including National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.

Jung had submitted his resignation on December 22, ending a nearly three-and-half-year-long eventful tenure, mostly marked by bitter confrontation with AAP government.

Note ban destroyed terrorism, human-drug trafficking in a trice: PM

Dehradun, Dec 27 (PTI) Under relentless opposition attack over demonetisation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today defended the exercise undertaken by his government which he claimed "destroyed" terrorism, drug mafia, human trafficking and the underworld "in a trice".

Modi also rejected Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's charge that his government was only benefiting the big corporate entities and the rich, insisting that it was focused on working for the poor.

"The demonetisation drive destroyed terrorism, drug mafia, human trafficking and the underworld in a trice," he asserted while addressing BJP's 'parivartan maharally' in poll-bound Uttarakhand.

Targeting parties opposing the note ban, he claimed some people are upset as his decision has struck the "ring leader of thieves".

"Did you give me an unfragmented mandate in 2014 to cut ribbons and lighting ceremonial lamps only at inauguration ceremonies? Didn t you vote me to combat and end corruption.

Shouldn t we fight the evil with all our might?" he asked.

Modi appeared to rebut Rahul's charge when he said that while the UPA government's move to raise the number of subsidised cylinders from 9 to 12 was projected as momentous, his government gave gas cylinders to five crore people below poverty line.

"18,000 villagers were living in 18th century without electricity... in thousand days, we have electrified 12,000 villages. Work on remaining 6,000 is on. Is this working for rich or empowering the poor," he said.

With the decision to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes, the black money stored in cupboards and under mattresses is now coming to banks and to the people, he said, adding he is fulfilling his duty of a 'chowkidar' (watchman) to get rid of black money and "dark hearts" which have ruined the country.

"In some, corruption is in the blood. They used back door to convert the money and thought Modi cannot see.

"But we knew and now they are being caught," he said referring to various raids by law enforcement agencies on black money hoarders.

Describing note ban as a "cleanliness drive", he thanked the people for standing by him. He also said the move is aimed at empowering the people and giving them a bright future.

"I am fighting to make the honest empowered," Modi said, adding that his November 8 decision has dealt a devastating blow to black money and terrorism.

The decision is not being liked by some people as he has struck directly at the "ring leader of thieves" (choron ka sardar), the Prime Minister said.

Making a reference to alleged misappropriation of relief funds in Uttarakhand, he said even a scooter with a capacity of five liters of oil could drink 35 liters of it. 

"Five or 50 people cannot drag Uttarakhand out of the bottomless pit of corruption it is in. It needs a double engine of the BJP for the huge effort, one in Delhi and the other in Dehradun," he said, asking people to install a BJP government in the state after 2017 elections so the party can build an Uttarakhand envisioned by Atal Bihari Vajpayee who had created it.

Growmoney Voice

27/12/2016

NIFTY:

Spot Range :  7876 - 7957

Likely to open between  :   7896 - 7937

Buy above 7921 ; Tgts -  7939/7961/7983/8006  ; sl  - 7899

Sell below  7898 ; Tgts -  7880/7858/7836/7814  ; sl  - 7920

Break down -  7875 ;       Break up - 7958

click : http://growmoney-skhosla.blogspot.in/ 

(above given for education/academic purpose, see blog for all details) 

Nifty hits 7-month low, Sensex tanks 234 pts after tax talk

Mumbai, Dec 26 (PTI) The rally in the previous session proved to be a temporary breather as the NSE Nifty today slumped to a 7-month low of 7,908 and the Sensex below 26,000, hit by talk of higher taxation after Prime Minister's remarks.

On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said market participants should contribute to nation-building in a "fair, efficient and transparent way" and promised more "sound and prudent policies and reform measures", which was seen by some as the government planning to impose long-term capital gains tax on profit made from investment in shares.

Though Finance Minister Arun Jaitley yesterday sought to clear the air saying the government has no such intention, investors were already a nervous lot.

This triggered selling, which saw the benchmark index fall for the eighth time in nine days to extend the last week's losing spell.

The 50-share Nifty after cracking below the 7,900-mark settled lower by 77.50 points, or 0.97 per cent, at 7,908.25.

This is its lowest closing since May 24 this year when it came in at 7,748.85.

The BSE Sensex resumed lower and dropped further before ending at a fresh one-month low 25,807.10, a loss of 233.60 points, or 0.90 per cent. It had risen 61.10 points on Friday.

"With investors continuing to fret over demonetisation, Prime Minister Modi's comments on higher taxes from capital markets ensured early sentiment was decidedly weak. Finance minister's reassurance dispelling rumours soothed markets, but with FIIs continuing their preference for cash, buying interest remained thin and sporadic," said Anand James, Chief Market Strategist, Geojit BNP Paribas Financial Services.

Short-covering ahead of December month expiry in the derivatives segment on Thursday and value-buying in select stocks helped the indices recoup losses to some extent, brokers said.

Foreign capital outflows continued, tracking other global markets.

Investors see equities to remain volatile in the near term as most foreign funds will be on year-end holidays amid absence of any major trigger.

Cipla took the biggest knock as it plunged by 4.94 per cent followed by Lupin 2.78 per cent, Tata Steel (2.64 per cent), ONGC and SBI (2.07 per cent).

From the gainers pack, HUL gained the most by rising 1.25 per cent, Bharti Airtel 0.25 per cent and TCS 0.17 per cent.

Meanwhile, foreign funds sold shares worth Rs 1,462.65 crore last Friday, as per the provisional data.

Major Asian indices were down as investors cashed in on a recent global rally fuelled by expectations from the incoming administration of US President-elect Donald Trump.

Japan's Nikkei shed 0.16 per cent but Shanghai Composite rose 0.40 per cent. Hong Kong, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur markets remained closed today for a public holiday.

Europe was mixed in afternoon trade as indices in London and Paris moved up by 0.06 per cent and 0.10 per cent.

Frankfurt was down 0.05 per cent.

Back home, the mid-cap index fell 2.17 per cent while the small-cap lost 2.10 per cent.

Out of the 30-share Sensex pack, 25 ended lower.

Among BSE sectoral indices, realty fell by 3.61 per cent, followed by metal 2.85 per cent, healthcare (2.58 per cent), PSU (2.05 per cent) and power (1.79 per cent). .

India's most lethal missile Agni-V successfully test fired

Balasore (Odisha), Dec 26 (PTI) India today successfully test-fired Agni-V, its most lethal nuclear-capable inter- continental ballistic missile that has a range of over 5,000 km covering whole of China, from Abdul Kalam island off Odisha coast.

The successful test-firing today will pave the way for user trial of the missile and its eventual induction into the Strategic Forces Command (SFC).

"Agni 5 was successfully flight tested by DRDO at 1100 hours from Dr Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha. The full range test-flight of the missile has further boosted the indigenous missile capabilities and deterrence level of the country," a statement by the Defence Ministry said.

It added that all the radars, tracking systems and range stations tracked and monitored the flight performance and all the mission objectives were successfully met.

This was the fourth test of Agni-V missile and the second one from a canister on a road mobile launcher. All the four missions have been successful.

The three-stage, solid propellant surface-to-surface missile was test-fired from a mobile launcher from launch complex-4 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at about 1105 hours, DRDO sources said.

About 17-metre long and weighing over 50 tonne, the missile majestically rose from the confines of its canister flawlessly and achieved all targets, sources in Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) said.

The Agni-V missile has a range of over 5,000 km.

At present, India possesses Agni-I with 700 km range, Agni-II with 2,000 km range, Agni-III and Agni-IV with 2,500 km to more than 3,500 range in its armoury of Agni missile series, they said.

It is the fourth developmental and second canisterised trial of the missile, integrated with a sophisticated mobile launcher in its deliverable configuration that enables launch of the missile with a very short preparation time as compared to an open launch, they said.

It also has advantages of higher reliability, longer shelf life, less maintenance and enhanced mobility.

President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar congratulated the DRDO scientists, saying it will add tremendous strength to the country's strategic defence and deterrence capabilities.

While the first test of Agni-V was conducted on April 19, 2012, the second was on September 15, 2013 and the third on January 31, 2015 from the same base.

Among the missiles of Agni series, the latest Agni-V is the most advanced having some new technologies incorporated with it in terms of navigation and guidance, warhead and engine, the sources said.

Lot of new technologies developed indigenously were successfully tested in the trial. The very high accuracy Ring Laser Gyro based Inertial Navigation System (RINS) and the most modern and accurate Micro Navigation System (MINS) had ensured the missile reached the target point within few meters of accuracy, they said.