SOUTH ASIAN PULSE RADIO HEADLINES – MARCH 28TH 2017 

COURTESY : IANS

1. Ontario Finance Minister Charles Souza wants to cool real estate market through provincial budget. He wanted steps to be taken in this regard in federal budget but nothing was announced. However, Souza has not given any date, time and or measures that will be taken. When asked if foreign buyers’ tax will work, Souza thought it might affect other markets and the problem in fact is in Toronto and Hamilton areas. A recent report says that the price of an average home in Toronto stands at $1.5 million. Also TD Bank reported that prices this year will rise 20% to 25% and in 2018 go up by 3% to 5%.
2. Conservatives leadership race candidates are working hard to get membership as deadline is today.
3. ICCC has welcomed Vikas Swarup, Indian High Commissioner to Canada in Downtown Toronto. He thanked Indians here. Swarup has been a Ministry of External Affairs spokesman and a seasoned bureaucrat. The famed movie Slumdog Millionaire was made on his story.
4. US coastal guards caught $420million worth of drugs that were 1.5 metric tonnes. Canadians also helped in this operation.
5. Scotland parliament is going for the independence referendum vote for the second time to separate from UK. Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is set to present a motion in the parliament today. UK Prime Minister Theresa May is against it. In 2014 also an independent referendum was held that failed as 55% spoke against it.
6. Paris Asian community has clashed with police after a Chinese man was shot dead. Chinese authorities are concerned over these developments. Last night also protests were held when 26 people were arrested with police saying they were resorting to violence.
7. A meeting in Islamabad was told that Husain Haqqani’s US visa powers were withdrawn in 2014. PTI has said Haqqani is constantly speaking against Pakistan which is wrong. Pakistan’s Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar has held a press conference saying measures are in place to restrict spies from entering. It was possible a few years back that people could enter Pakistan without valid visa or fake documents not now. Also, airlines will pay heavy penalties. He said visa applications are being put online that will go in a central data. Several people in Pakistan are asking how Osama bin Laden was found in Pakistan and how did Americans come in?
8. Islamabad High Court has ordered that regulatory bodies in Pakistan should be out of control of the ministries.
9. Trump has called Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and congratulated him on election victory especially for UP, adding India-US relations will strengthen further. This was informed by Whitehouse Spokesperson Shaun Spicer informed adding Modi also called Trump after his victory. Recently Foreign Secretary of India S. Jaishanker and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval also met their counterparts and discussed fighting against terrorism together.
10. Qatar Airways has hastened its India push and plans to buy 100 new jets amid Modi’s aviation drive and wishes to connect with rest of the world through India. Recently, Singapore Airlines has bought 25% shares in Jet Airways.
11. Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on the issue of EVMs has said his party is ready for re-elections in Punjab, but BJP should also conduct election in UP in that case.
12. In the IRs 2,000 crore drug case, non-bailable warrants against Mamta Kulkarni have been issued, but she has denied relation with that case.
13. The Punjab government had announced recently to shun VIP culture the government officials’ car will not have any red beacons. The announcement was made on March 18 by Capt Amarinder. However, Congress was not happy, and so the decision has been stopped.
14. Punjab government gives green signal to STF to go all out to wipe out drugs in four weeks. During election campaign Capt Amarinder had promised if his government comes to power.
15. Punjab’s financial condition is bad as announced by the governor. He said the state is passing through financial bankruptcy and immediate steps are required. AAP has said Congress has no plan or any roadmap to deal with the issue. AAP leader HS Phoolka has said at least a debate is required on this issue but Congress does not want to do it. He added that Congress also promised to abolish farmers debt  but nothing has been done. Also ‘gunda tax’ has not been finishing.
16. AAP leader Sukhpal Khaira has said that Congress and Akali Dal are hands in glove as no announcement has been made and no inquiry has been launched against the Badals who looted the state for 10 years. But Capt Amarinder has taken no action against them.
17. AAP has said the Maur Mandi bomb blast was done to defeat AAP. Both the Congress and Akali Dal alleged AAP had relations with the hardliners to damage their cause.
18. AAP has said Punjab government has no plan for drunk driving though accidents have increased because of it.
19. Punjab University has hiked its fees by 12.5%. Parents have protested saying giving imparting education is already becoming difficult and this kind of hike is unreasonable. The university has said the government has not given any funds to them and running various programmes is becoming difficult. They do not have funds to hire any teachers and so have no option. PU has already shut down several programmes.
20. Punjab jails Director Rohit Choudhry has said they lack 50% shortage of funding and already working with less people. Media is questioning drugs in jail, fighting, and escape of prisoners.
21. India has won the decider Test against Australia by eight wickets and clinched series 2-1. Team India has won seven consecutive series  – in 2005 2-0 from Zimbabwe; in 2007 1-0 against Pakistan; in 2015 from Sri Lanka and South Africa; in 2016 from West Indies 2-0; in 2016 from New Zealand 3-0; recently from England 4-0; from Bangladesh 1-0, and now Australia 2-1.
22. Ravinder Jadeja got the Man of the Series and the Man of the Match awards.
23. Virat Kohli after winning the series said: “I think this is our best series win so far. The ability to keep bouncing back was outstanding. We started at number seven and ended at the top. The fitness regimen paid off.”
24. It was a great series but credit goes to India. They have been a fantastic side. It was a learning curve: Steve Smith, Australian captain
25. Kohli on rivalry with Australia: If something pokes us, we speak and we give it back as good as we get.
26. Anil Kumble: After losing Virat it was really important that the team stood up. Rahane led the team brilliantly.

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