Mexicans fret over coming immigration changes under Trump administration

TIJUANA –  Armed U.S. border patrol officers sit idly along a twisting mountain road that divides California and its southern neighbor, Baja Mexico, surveying the parched terrain that extends to the ocean.
Some days, U.S.-bound illegal immigrants surrender themselves for asylum. Other days, bored and frustrated Mexican teens toss stones at the officers from behind the rocky shields. But now change is in the air, as people on both sides of the border – and the law – await the arrival of President-elect Donald Trump in the White House.
"We are very worried, no one was expecting those results," Martha Leticia Castaneda Rojas, Tijuana City Council member and president of the Border Affairs Committee, told FoxNews.com. "We're all still in shock."
Rojas and others now fear Trump’s plan to deport up to two million illegal immigrant criminals will flood the border city.

Pak. to send envoy to meet Trump team

Pakistan has decided to send an envoy to the US to hold meetings with Donald Trump’s transition team, two days after a “productive” telephonic conversation between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the President-elect.

Pakistani Prime Minister’s special assistant for foreign affairs Tariq Fatemi will visit the US this weekend to meet officials of the Trump transition team.

Fatemi’s meeting with officials of Trump transition team was confirmed by Jalil Abbas Jilani, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US.



“Besides meeting members of the transition team, Fatemi will meet officials of the outgoing Obama administration,” said Jilani.

US President-elect Donald Trump is scheduled to take the oath on January 20 but he has already set up a provisional team, encouraging foreign leaders and officials to visit his headquarters in New York for familiarisation meetings.

Fatemi, who is coming on a two—week official visit, is also expected to meet some members of this team and in Washington, “he will also meet new US lawmakers elected last month,” Jilani told a news briefing at the embassy.

“This is a very important visit as much has happened in Washington since the November 8 elections,” Jilani said.

The development came days after a telephonic talks between Trump and Sharif.

Sharif called Trump last week to congratulate him as the two leaders discussed various issues.

“I am ready and willing to play any role that you want me to play to address and find solutions to the outstanding problems. It will be an honour and I will personally do it.

Feel free to call me any time even before 20th January, that is before I assume my office,” Trump told Sharif, according to a statement issued by the Pakistan Prime Minister’s Office.

China hopes Trump’s call with Taiwan leader won't damage ties

Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen had called U.S. president-elect Donald Trump seeking to strengthen bilateral interaction between the U.S. and Taiwan.

China’s foreign minister said on Saturday that he hoped Beijing’s relations with the U.S. would not be “interfered with or damaged” after President-elect Donald Trump broke with decades-long diplomatic tradition and spoke directly with Taiwan’s leader.

It is highly unusual, probably unprecedented, for a U.S. president or president-elect to speak directly with a leader of Taiwan, a self-governing island with whom the U.S. broke diplomatic ties in 1979.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the call between Taiwan’s president and Trump was “just a small trick by Taiwan” that he believed would not change U.S. policy toward China, according to Hong Kong’s Phoenix TV.



“The one-China policy is the cornerstone of the healthy development of China-U.S. relations and we hope this political foundation will not be interfered with or damaged,” Mr. Wang was quoted as saying.

Washington has pursued a so-called “one China” policy since 1979, when it shifted diplomatic recognition of China from the government in Taiwan to the communist government on the mainland. Under that policy, the U.S. recognises Beijing as representing China but retains unofficial ties with Taiwan.

Taiwan looking to strengthen bilateral ties

A statement from Trump’s transition team said he spoke with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, who offered her congratulations.

“During the discussion, they noted the close economic, political, and security ties... between Taiwan and the United States. President-elect Trump also congratulated President Tsai on becoming President of Taiwan earlier this year,” the statement said.

Trump tweeted later: “The President of Taiwan CALLED ME today to wish me congratulations on winning the Presidency. Thank you!”

The Taiwanese presidential office issued a statement early Saturday saying Mr. Trump and Mr. Tsai discussed issues affecting Asia and the future of U.S. relations with Taiwan.

“The [Taiwanese] president is looking forward to strengthening bilateral interactions and contacts as well as setting up closer cooperative relations,” the statement said.

“The president also told U.S. President-elect Trump that she hopes the U.S. will continue to support Taiwan’s efforts in having more opportunities to participate in and contribute to international affairs in the future,” Mr. Tsai’s office said.

It said the two also “shared ideas and concepts” on “promoting domestic economic development and strengthening national defence” to improve the lives of ordinary people.

Trump’s unconventional style of diplomacy?

The White House learned of the conversation after it had taken place, said a senior Obama administration official, who requested anonymity because of the sensitive diplomatic relations involved.

China’s embassy in Washington, its foreign ministry in Beijing and Taiwan Affairs Office did not respond to requests for comment.

India, Qatar ink five pacts on visas, cybersecurity, investments

PM Modi also discussed energy, trade and security with his Qatari counterpart.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed India’s keenness to invest in hydrocarbon projects in Qatar during talks with his counterpart Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani on key issues of energy, trade and security.

Modi and the Qatari Prime Minister, who is here on his first visit, discussed enhancing cooperation in defence and security, in particular in cybersecurity and agreed on joint action to tackle money laundering and terrorist financing.

After the talks, the two sides inked five pacts including in the field of visas, cyberspace and investments.



Modi said the visit of the Qatari Prime Minister showed the growing bilateral ties with Qatar, which India has always regarded as a “valued partner“.

“Go beyond buyer-seller relation”

The two leaders acknowledged that the current level of trade and investment was much below potential, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said, adding Modi highlighted the tremendous opportunities available for Qatari investment in India’s infrastructure and energy sectors.

On energy cooperation, Prime Minister Modi said, “We should go beyond the buyer-seller relationship to include Joint Ventures, Joint Research and Development and Joint Exploration.

“Indian companies were ready to invest in both upstream and downstream projects in Qatar in the hydrocarbon sector.”

Not only an important trading partner for India in the Gulf region, Qatar is also the largest supplier of LNG to it, accounting for 66 per cent of the total imports in 2015-16.

On his part, the Qatari leader invited India’s participation in infrastructure and investment opportunities coming up in the wake of Qatar hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2022. He also welcomed Indian investment in the port sector of Qatar.

“He (Modi) outlined the various measures taken by his government to open up the Indian economy and welcome FDI. The two leaders identified civil aviation as a priority sector for enhancing cooperation,” Swarup said.

Prime Minister Modi recalled that India imports eight million tonnes of urea per year and said “we would welcome a long-term arrangement with Qatar for the supply of urea”, the spokesperson said.

It was also conveyed that India could also meet Qatari needs in the area of food security, he said.

The two leaders also discussed the regional situation, particularly in Iraq, Syria and Yemen.

Swarup said five agreements were signed in areas such as visa exemption for holders of diplomatic, special and official passports; technical cooperation in cyberspace and combating cybercrime, letter of intent regarding negotiations on an agreement on grant of e-visa for businessmen and tourists, and an MoU between the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy of Qatar and CII.

Additionally, another MoU aimed at encouraging greater collaboration and exchange in the field of national ports management was also signed.

Earlier, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval called on the visiting dignitary.

While the visa pact will allow holders of diplomatic, special and official passport of the two countries to visa- free travel between the two countries, the ‘protocol on technical cooperation in cyberspace and combating cybercrime’ “adds an important dimension of bilateral technical cooperation in cyberspace and combating cybercrime to the existing framework agreement in the field of security signed on 10 November, 2008”.

From Pakistan to Taiwan, Trump’s phone calls upsetting diplomacy: NYT

Daily says President-elect has broken decades of protocol through his freewheeling calls with foreign leaders.
United States President-elect Donald Trump’s call to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif could “upset the delicate balance” of India-Pakistan ties, the New York Times said as it sounded a critical tone of him breaking decades of diplomatic practice in freewheeling calls with foreign leaders.
“President-elect Donald J. Trump has broken with decades of diplomatic practice in freewheeling calls with foreign leaders,” the daily said as the next leader of the U.S. upset the status quo in his conversations with world leaders.
In an unprecedented break from diplomatic practice and a move that could irk China, Mr. Trump spoke with Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen, becoming the first President or President-elect to speak with a Taiwanese leader since at least 1979, when Washington had severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan as part of its recognition of China.
His call to ‘terrific’ Sharif
On November 30, Mr. Trump spoke with Mr. Sharif, who according to a Pakistani government readout of their call, invited Mr. Trump to visit the south Asian country. The readout said Mr. Trump had called Pakistan a “fantastic” country full of “fantastic” people that he “would love” to visit as President.
The President-elect had also called Mr. Sharif as “terrific” and Pakistanis “are one of the most intelligent people,” according to the Pakistani readout which added that Mr. Trump said he “is ready and willing to play any role that you want me to play to address and find solutions to the outstanding problems.”
“Should Trump follow through, he risks alienating India, which sees Pakistan as a major antagonist, and appearing to reward Pakistan’s behaviour; should he renege, he risks upsetting Pakistani leaders who are sensitive about perceived American intransigence. Either way, the call could upset the delicate balance of India-Pakistan ties, which the U.S. has struggled to manage amid a history of wars and recent skirmishes,” the New York Times said.
Not tactful this
On Mr. Trump’s conversation with Mr. Tsai, NYT said the call “risks infuriating China,” which considers Taiwan a breakaway province governed by Chinese rebels.
“By honouring the Taiwanese President with a formal call, Mr. Trump’s transition team implicitly suggests that it considers Taiwan an independent state,” it said, noting that the U.S. has declined to recognise Taiwan since 1979, when it shifted recognition to the government in Beijing. Taiwan itself has yet to declare formal independence.
Mr. Trump had tweeted, “The President of Taiwan CALLED ME today to wish me congratulations on winning the Presidency.”
Chat with ‘abusive’ Duterte
In a December 2 conversation with Rodrigo Duterte, President of the Philippines, Mr. Trump invited him to visit Washington.
The daily said Mr. Duterte has been accused of gross human rights abuses, had used abusive language against President Barack Obama and declared his country’s “separation” from the U.S. during a recent trip to Beijing.
“Honoring Duterte with a presidential invitation implies the U.S. approval of his behavior, which Obama’s administration had been working to curb,” NYT said.
Effusive in praise for Nazarbayev
Mr. Trump also praised Kazakhstan’s leader Nursultan Nazarbayev for “fantastic success,” in tones that suggest approval for Mr. Nazarbayev’s strongman rule.
According to the Kazakh government’s readout of the call, Mr. Trump “stressed that under the leadership of Nursultan Nazarbayev, our country over the years of independence had achieved fantastic success that can be called a miracle.”
The NYT further said that after brushing off the United Kingdom, Mr. Trump offered a casual invitation to British Prime Minister Theresa May.
‘His meeting Farage a slap to May’
“If you travel to the U.S. you should let me know,” he told her, far short of a formal invitation. Mr. Trump also met with Nigel Farage, former leader of the fringe UK Independence Party — a “slap to May,” NYT said.
Mr. Trump later said that Mr. Farage should become the British Ambassador to the U.S., though presidents typically avoid telling foreign counterparts how to staff their governments, NYT added.
In another break from diplomatic protocol, Mr. Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump had joined his meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Why invite daughter for Abe meet?
NYT has said why such a move matters is that rather than inviting State Department officials to staff his meeting with Mr. Abe, Mr. Trump invited his daughter.
“The meeting alarmed diplomats, who worried that Trump lacked preparation after a long record of criticizing Japan. It also blurred the line between Trump’s businesses, which [his daughter] helps run, and the U.S. government, with which she has no role,” it said.

The millionaires who missed out

 MAURICE and Dick McDonald, the brothers whose name has become a $110 billion global fast food giant, never wanted more than a handful of restaurants.

It was Ray Kroc, the hard-nosed milkshake-maker salesman, who took their idea and brought it to the masses, kicking them out in the process.

“I think he’s kind of an asshole,” said Robert Seigel, the writer of The Founder, a new biographical drama starring Michael Keaton as Kroc.

Had the McDonald brothers stayed on, they would have died with considerably more cash than the $US2.7 million Kroc bought them out for in 1961.

And they weren’t the only ones. Hindsight is 20/20, but history is littered with cases of people who got out at just the wrong time — missing out on millions in the process.

For former E! News host Ali Fedotowsky, who began her TV career as a contestant in the 2009 season of The Bachelor, it could have all played out very differently.

Facebook, where she worked in sales, had given her an ultimatum. She had run out of leave days, so she could either leave the show and return to work, or quit.

Unsure if she would make it to the final stretch with pilot Jake Pavelka, she bid him a tearful goodbye. “I don’t know if I made the right choice! It’s so hard,” the then 25-year-old cried in the limo. “What did I do? How could I have left him?”

The following year, however, ABC offered to make her the star of The Bachelorette. Choosing a career in TV over tech, she left in March 2010 after less than a year with the company — leaving her stock options behind.

The stock options later made many Facebook employees millionaires, with the average value of equity at $US4.9 million.

While her engagement to Bachelorette contestant Roberto Martinez ended in 2011, she scored a few TV hosting gigs and today runs the AliLuvs blog.

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West ‘living apart’ after psychotic episode

KANYE West may have been released from hospital, but he is yet to return to his normal life.

The troubled rapper is reportedly living separately from wife Kim Kardashian, after being discharged from the UCLA Medical Center, where he received treatment after suffering a psychotic break, on Wednesday.

“Kim is being very protective and doesn’t want Kanye around the kids right now,” an unnamed source told Us Weekly.

“Kanye’s behavior took a huge toll on their marriage,” another source told the publication. “But Kim feels relieved he is getting the help he needs. She thinks this is what it will take to save him — and help their marriage.”

West, 39, is believed to be living at a rental property while receiving outpatient treatment. He left the Los Angeles treatment centre under the care of his Kardashian and his personal physician, Dr Michael Farzam, TMZ reported.

“Kim still seems concerned but is supportive. They don’t know for how long Kanye will need outpatient care,” a source told People, describing Kardashian as “overwhelmed”.

The award-winning musician was hospitalised on November 21 suffering from “temporary psychosis due to sleep deprivation and dehydration”, TMZ said.

Alleged NT stabber charged with murder

A MAN has been charged with murder over the alleged fatal stabbing of a French tourist in the Northern Territory.

Pande Veleski was taken into custody on Thursday after the stabbing death of 33-year-old Frenchman Philippe Jegouzo the previous afternoon.

The charges come almost three days after the alleged stabbing.

Currently under police guard in Alice Springs hospital where he is being treated for dehydration, a Northern Territory police spokesperson said Mr Veleski will face Alice Springs Local Court on Monday.

“The victim’s partner would like to thank the Alice Springs community for their support,” the police statement said.

Husband of missing jogger Sherri Papini speaks out about his wife’s disappearance

KEITH Papini has spoken in graphic detail about his wife, Sherri Papini’s account of what she went through during her alleged abduction.

In his first televised interview since his wife was discovered on the side of a highway, three weeks after disappearing on November 2, Mr Papini broke down while recounting what the mother of two endured.

“It was my wife screaming in the background, yelling my name,” he told America’s ABC 20/20 program, describing the first time he heard Mrs Papini’s voice over the phone after she was found almost 220km away from home in Yolo County on Interstate 5 freeway.

“I’m panicked but I’m happy because at this point, this is the first time I’ve heard her, I know she’s alive,” he added.

“I ran past everybody [at the hospital] and I throw open the curtain and she was there in her bed, and her poor face,” he said, through tears.

“I just hugged her, I just held her, I felt like I held her for 20 minutes. I was so happy that she was there, just kissing her all over. I got nauseated just looking at her. It’s so hard for me to see her like that.”

Mr Papini said that his wife was constantly chained to objects so that she could not escape and tried desperately to stop passing vehicles once she was free.

“She literally lived through hell. The things she told me that she did ... she told me one time that she took some piece of cloth, and rolled it up like it was Violet (the couple’s two-year-old daughter) and she would rock it. She’s so strong,” he told reporter Matt Gutman.

On his wife’s attempts to flag down a motorist after being “thrown” out of the vehicle by her two female captors, Mr Papini said: “She screamed so much, she’s coughing up blood from the screaming trying to get somebody to stop.

“And again just another sign of how my wife is, she’s so wonderful. She’s saying, ‘Well maybe people aren’t stopping because I have a chain that looks like I broke out of prison,’ so she tried to tuck the chain under her clothes.

Describing his wife’s physical appearance after her alleged kidnapping, he said: “The bruises were just intense, the bumps from being hit and kicked and whatever else ... these were hard to look at. Her hair, they chopped it off.”

Mr Papini confirmed that the “branding” on his wife’s body was not on her face, but declined to give more detail. Shasta County Sheriff Tom Bosenko confirmed her skin was burned multiple times, and said the “vicious branding was a message”.

Mrs Papini lost almost 15 per cent of her body weight in 22 days, and weighed just 39kg by the time she was found.

Reporter Matt Gutman, who has been following the investigation closely for the past month, said “she is doing better now ... but we’ve seen pictures of her face, it was almost unrecognisable.” He said a friend who hugged her after the ordeal said that he could basically wrap his arms around her twice, she was so thin. “It seems cruel, almost beyond comprehension,” he added.

“It made me sick that there is people out there that could do something like this,” Mr Papini said.

“I just wanted to hold her and we just embraced each other and cried together and, I mean I was so happy. How do you explain that you’re so upset with what happened but you’re happy?”

He added: “It’s terrifying but you know what, my family is with me now. Clearly I want justice but I’m just happy that my wife is back. I don’t have to raise my kids without her now. This is something that we’re never going to forget.”

ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN: HIGHLIGHTS Trump spoke to Nawaz Sharif by phone; Pak later released chat details Pak a "fantastic country" with "fantastic people": Donald Trump Would welcome effort by Trump to ease regional tensions: Pak spokesperson The morning papers were giddy with hyperbole on Thursday over the news that Donald Trump had spoken to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif by phone a day earlier and showered compliments on a country he once accused of "betrayal and disrespect" - even offering to help the nuclear power solve its problems abroad. " 'Call me anytime,' Trump tells PM," touted the Express Tribune, describing the "instant rapport" between the two leaders during the congratulatory call initiated by Sharif. His office then released a readout of the call.The newspaper also suggested that the U.S. president-elect, who called Pakistan a "fantastic country" with "fantastic people," might "prove to be Islamabad's good friend." By the end of the day, though, the official tone had become more circumspect, and commentators were skeptical that Trump, who has little foreign policy experience and close business relations with Pakistan's archrival India, really was ready to weigh in on the thorny issues that have long roiled the Muslim-majority nation's international relations. "Our relationship with the United States is not about personalities, it is about institutions," said Nafees Zakaria, a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry. Describing Sharif's gesture as a "courtesy call," Zakaria said Pakistan would welcome any effort by Trump to ease regional tensions, but the spokesman added, "We do not comment on bilateral relations between sovereign countries." Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, an analyst and former foreign minister, observed that although "Mr. Trump is a warmhearted person," he "lacks expertise in foreign policy" and is not yet in office. Noting the obvious "excitement" shown by Sharif's office over the conversation, Kasuri said, "One nice call . . . is not something we read too much into." Trump, he added archly, "could have been equally effusive with Indian Prime Minister [Narendra] Modi." The reaction in India, not surprisingly, was cooler still. India and Pakistan have been at loggerheads over the Himalayan region of Kashmir for decades, but India has always opposed Pakistan's desire to have the United States or other countries play a mediation role. Tensions have escalated in recent months, with deadly border attacks against Indian forces and harsh repression of protesters in the Indian-administered portion of Kashmir. "Insofar as the fantastic conversation is concerned . . . I would reserve my judgment," said Vikas Swarup, a spokesman for India's Ministry of External Affairs. "We have seen only a one-sided version of that conversation." Swarup said India would welcome a "dialogue" between Pakistan and the United States to resolve outstanding issues but specified that "the most outstanding" issue is "Pakistan's continued support to cross-border terrorism." Many comments posted on social media in India were derisive and mocking, as were many comments from Pakistanis. Some made fun of Sharif, who is accused of hiding financial assets abroad, casting him as desperate for foreign friends. Some derided both leaders as corrupt "scammers" who would get along famously as a result. "So where is the new Trump Tower in Pakistan actually going to be?" one post asked.

The government has on the recommendation of the Reserve Bank of India revised the ceiling for issue of securities under the Market Stabilisation Scheme to Rs 6 lakh crore. The earlier limit was Rs 30,000 crore.

Economists say that the steep increase in the limit will benefit banks as they will earn interest by deploying the excess deposits under market stabilisation scheme bonds. In the present scenario, banks are not earning interest on the excess deposits as the RBI had earlier ordered banks to deposit their extra cash with it under cash reserve ratio requirements

. Thus economists say the higher limit under market stabilisation scheme reduces the threat of a steep downward revision in fixed deposit rates. Madan Sabnavis, chief economist at CARE Ratings, expects the RBI to soon revoke its earlier decision on cash reserve ratio requirements.

The Market Stabilisation Scheme is a tool used by the Reserve Bank of India

to drain excess liquidity from the financial system through issuance of government bonds and other securities. The RBI decides the timing and tenure of such bonds.

The money raised through the Market Stabilisation Scheme is maintained by the RBI in a separate account and can't be used for meeting government expenditure. 

After banning 500 and 1,000 rupee notes last month to fight black or untaxed money, the government has allowed the deposit of old notes in banks till December 30. There has been a surge in deposits and so "there has been a significant increase of liquidity in the banking system which is expected to continue for some time," the RBI has said.

According to the latest data released by the central bank, banks have reported exchange and deposits amounting to nearly Rs 8.50 lakh crore between November 10 and November 27.

Banking stocks today pared losses after the increase in the limit under the Market Stabilisation Scheme.  The index for banking stocks Bank Nifty, which had fallen as much as 1.5 per cent, ended 1 per cent lower. 

Last month, the Reserve Bank in a surprise move had ordered banks to deposit their extra cash with it, in a bid to absorb excess liquidity generated by demonetisation under the cash reserve ratio or CRR

requirements. 

Deposits held under CRR earn no interest for banks and it had led to a selloff in banking stocks. Many analysts said they feared that unless the government sharply increased the Market Stabilisation Scheme limits banks would be forced to cut fixed deposit rates

Pak Flaunts, Then Downplays Nawaz Sharif's Call With Trump: Foreign Media

ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN: 

HIGHLIGHTS

1. Trump spoke to Nawaz Sharif by phone; Pak later released chat details
2. Pak a "fantastic country" with "fantastic people": Donald Trump
3. Would welcome effort by Trump to ease regional tensions: Pak spokesperson

 The morning papers were giddy with hyperbole on Thursday over the news that Donald Trump had spoken to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif by phone a day earlier and showered compliments on a country he once accused of "betrayal and disrespect" - even offering to help the nuclear power solve its problems abroad.

" 'Call me anytime,' Trump tells PM," touted the Express Tribune, describing the "instant rapport" between the two leaders during the congratulatory call initiated by Sharif. His office then released a readout of the call.The newspaper also suggested that the U.S. president-elect, who called Pakistan a "fantastic country" with "fantastic people," might "prove to be Islamabad's good friend."

By the end of the day, though, the official tone had become more circumspect, and commentators were skeptical that Trump, who has little foreign policy experience and close business relations with Pakistan's archrival India, really was ready to weigh in on the thorny issues that have long roiled the Muslim-majority nation's international relations.

"Our relationship with the United States is not about personalities, it is about institutions," said Nafees Zakaria, a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry. Describing Sharif's gesture as a "courtesy call," Zakaria said Pakistan would welcome any effort by Trump to ease regional tensions, but the spokesman added, "We do not comment on bilateral relations between sovereign countries."

Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, an analyst and former foreign minister, observed that although "Mr. Trump is a warmhearted person," he "lacks expertise in foreign policy" and is not yet in office. Noting the obvious "excitement" shown by Sharif's office over the conversation, Kasuri said, "One nice call . . . is not something we read too much into." Trump, he added archly, "could have been equally effusive with Indian Prime Minister [Narendra] Modi."

The reaction in India, not surprisingly, was cooler still. India and Pakistan have been at loggerheads over the Himalayan region of Kashmir for decades, but India has always opposed Pakistan's desire to have the United States or other countries play a mediation role. Tensions have escalated in recent months, with deadly border attacks against Indian forces and harsh repression of protesters in the Indian-administered portion of Kashmir.

"Insofar as the fantastic conversation is concerned . . . I would reserve my judgment," said Vikas Swarup, a spokesman for India's Ministry of External Affairs. "We have seen only a one-sided version of that conversation." Swarup said India would welcome a "dialogue" between Pakistan and the United States to resolve outstanding issues but specified that "the most outstanding" issue is "Pakistan's continued support to cross-border terrorism."

Many comments posted on social media in India were derisive and mocking, as were many comments from Pakistanis. Some made fun of Sharif, who is accused of hiding financial assets abroad, casting him as desperate for foreign friends. Some derided both leaders as corrupt "scammers" who would get along famously as a result.

"So where is the new Trump Tower in Pakistan actually going to be?" one post asked.

Shocked And Hurt, Says Defence Minister On Mamata Banerjee's Army Charge: 10 Points

Here are the top 10 developments of the story:

1. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said in parliament this morning that he is "shocked and hurt" and that it is unfortunate that the Army is being dragged into controversy because of what he called Mamata Banerjee's "political frustration."
2. The Army, the minister said, was conducting a routine exercise in Bengal and other states, one which it had conducted last year in Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand. "It is done in different states with the consent of officials," Mr Parrikar said.
3. A united opposition backed Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress as it brought up the matter in both Houses of parliament. "We need the Army, but the army comes only after the permission of the state. They have come without the permission in West Bengal, this is an attack on the federal structure," said Mayawati of the Bahujan Samaj Party.
4. The Army has released letters to show that it was in communication with the West Bengal police on the annual exercise to "gather statistical data about load carriers that could be made available to the Army in case of a contingency."
5. The Army has also called "baseless" the Bengal government's allegation that its personnel are collecting toll at the booths from vehicles passing through.
6. The Kolkata Police had written back to the Army asking them not to conduct the exercise near Nabanna, the state secretariat in capital Kolkata, which also houses the Chief Minister's office. The police asked the Army to consider another spot.
7. On Thursday, soldiers in fatigues were seen checking checking vehicles at the Vidyasagar Setu toll plaza in Howrah about 500 metres away from Nabanna and Ms Banerjee tweeted, "Very unfortunate. Army stationed in front of Nabanna the Bengal State Secretariat in a high security zone, in spite of Police objection... I am waiting here at the Secretariat and watching, to guard our democracy."
8. The Army withdrew from the Howrah toll booth at about 11 pm on Thursday, saying it had completed the exercise there, but Ms Banerjee refused to leave, saying, "These people may have gone. But they are there in 18 other districts," she said, adding, "Don't know what will happen overnight...I will guard democracy...I will continue to be at the Bengal Secretariat till Army at all toll plazas is withdrawn."
9. Mamata Banerjee has alleged "political vendetta" by the Centre, with which she has clashed over the currency ban. She has led protests against the BJP-led central government's demonetisation move on the streets in national capital Delhi and in other states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
10. In parliament, Ms Banerjee's party has joined hands with other opposition parties to disrupt both Houses since the winter session began, over the impact on people of a cash crunch that has followed the centre's ban on 500 and 1000-rupee notes aimed at curbing corruption and black or untaxed money.

Large Volumes Of Cash Source Of Corruption: PM Narendra Modi

NEW DELHI:  Contending that large volumes of liquid cash are a big source of corruption and black money, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today appealed to the people to "lead the change" towards cashless transactions to lay the strong foundations of an India where there is no place for such malaise.

"In 21st century India, there is no place for corruption. Corruption slows down growth and takes a toll on the dreams of the poor, neo-middle class and middle class," he wrote in an article posted on Linkedin.com.

"Large volumes of liquid cash are a big source of corruption and black money," he said while referring to his "historic" decision on November 8 to scrap Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 notes with an aim of ending corruption and black money.

Asserting that in 21st century India, there is no place for corruption, PM Modi said, "Corruption slows down growth and takes a toll on the dreams of the poor, neo-middle class and middle class."

In this context, he referred to his pitch for cashless transactions.

"I urge all of you, particularly my young friends to lead the change and inspire others to turn towards cashless transactions. This will set the strong foundations of an India where there is no place for corruption and black money," the Prime Minister said.

"Today we live in an era of mobile banking and mobile wallets. Ordering food, buying and selling furniture, ordering a taxi...all of this and lot more is possible through your mobiles. Technology has brought speed and convenience in our lives," he added.

Along with the article, he posted pictorial references to cashless options like credit cards.

"I am sure most of you are using cards and e-wallets regularly but I thought I must share with you ways through which increased cashless transactions are possible," he said.

PM Modi said the November 8 decision offered "a unique opportunity" for small traders, who have a central role in the economic transformation of India.

"Today, our trading community has a historic chance to upgrade themselves and embrace more technology, which will bring greater prosperity," he said.

He said when he made the announcement, he was aware that the people of India "will face inconvenience but I had requested the people of India to bear this short term pain for long term gain. I am happy to see that the people of India are bearing temporary difficulties for the long term gain of the nation."

The Prime Minister said over the last few days, he had opportunities to travel to rural as well as urban areas in Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Goa and Punjab. "Wherever I went, I asked the people - should corruption and black money be eliminated? Should the poor, neo-middle and middle class get their due? The answer I got everywhere was a resounding yes!"

Sensex Falls Over 300 Points; Nifty Below 8,100

Indian shares fell nearly 1.5 percent on Friday and were poised to end the week flat as auto makers dropped on sharp declines in monthly sales and wireless providers were hit by worries about intensifying competition.

Sentiment was also muted ahead of the release of the U.S. monthly jobs data, a referendum in Italy over its constitution, and the Reserve Bank of India's policy review next week.

"Primary reason is non-farm (payrolls) data which is causing some concern apart from the Italian referendum on Sunday," said Dipen Shah, senior vice president, private client group research, Kotak Securities. 

The broader NSE Nifty was down 1.33 percent at 8,084 as of 3.10 p.m., dragged down by auto and FMCG shares. 

The benchmark BSE Sensex was 1.24 percent or 328 points lower at 26,231.55.

Auto makers fell after they reported monthly domestic sales in November plunged from a month earlier as an intense cash crunch brought a recent recovery in consumer demand to a screeching halt. 

Maruti Suzuki and Tata motors fell over 3 percent each while TVS Motor dropped 2.42 percent. 

Telecom companies continued to languish after Reliance Industries on Thursday extended an offer of free data and voice services by its telecoms unit, Jio, raising concerns about the cut-throat competition in the sector. 

Idea Cellular declined as much as 2.40 percent. 

Banks fell on caution ahead of the RBI's policy decision next week. Kotak Mahindra Bank dropped as much as 3.12 percent and Housing Development Finance Corp declined 2.52 percent.

IndiGo Offers Tickets From 799, SpiceJet Extends Annual Sale

From IndiGo to SpiceJet to Jet Airways, airlines are offering big discounts on advance booking of tickets. India's biggest carrier IndiGo is offering tickets from Rs 799 (all-inclusive) on travel between December 14, 2016, and October 28, 2017. IndiGo's Rs 799 offer on domestic routes, for example, is applicable on Kochi-Thiruvananthapuram and Coimbatore-Chennai. Tickets on Bengaluru-Hyderabad route starts from Rs 999 and Delhi-Jaipur at Rs 1,041, among others.

Full service carrier Jet Airways under its "Year End Sale" is offering tickets starting as low as Rs 899 (all-inclusive) on economy class travel on select domestic routes.

Jet Airways said under the offer travel must commence on or after December 14, 2016, and tickets must be purchased a minimum of 15 days prior departure. 

Another domestic carrier SpiceJet in its "Spicy Annual Sale" is offering all-inclusive fares starting at as low as Rs 737 for travel on select domestic sectors. SpiceJet's offer is applicable on travel between January 9 and October 28, 2017.

The offers from SpiceJet, IndiGo and Jet Airways end tonight.

The promotional offers by airlines have helped spur a strong demand in domestic air travel. Passengers carried by domestic airlines during January to October 2016 surged to 813.70 lakh, a growth of over 23 per cent over the same period last year.

Arun Jaitley Explains How Income Tax Returns Are Scrutinised

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Friday said that fear of scrutiny by income tax authorities is not an excuse for not paying taxes. A tax non-compliant person can't say that paying tax would invite further headaches, Mr Jaitley said. 

Explaining the tax scrutiny process, Mr Jaitley said: "Of those who file returns, all returns go onto the computer system directly to a central system. There is no human face. There are some alerts that come. At the end of the day, those red alerts indicate who is to be picked up for a scrutiny. You have a lot of cash withdrawals, a lot of cash deposits, you have some big property transactions...those are the kind of red alerts." 

Arun Jaitley was speaking to NDTV's Vikram Chandra at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit. The finance minister said only about 3.5 lakh people or just one per cent of people who file returns are picked up for scrutiny every year. "To have a causal dinner time conversation and say that I won't pay taxes because I find that I would be scrutinised is a poor alibi," he said.

Soon Aadhar Card, Mobile Number Would be Enough To Make Payments

New Delhi: The Unique Identification Authority of India has planned to increase biometric authentication capacity through Aadhaar to 40 crore a day from 10 crore to encourage more use of the platform for realising a cashless society.

The government is concurrently working on developing a common mobile phone app that can be used by shopkeepers and merchants for receiving Aadhaar-enabled payments bypassing credit and debit cards, pin and password.

Through this mobile application, the handset will be used for authenticating biometrics of customers making Aadhaar enabled payment. 

UIDAI will eventually increase its biometric authentication capacity to 40 crore, UIDAI Chief Executive Officer Ajay Bhushan Pandey told reporters here.

He further said, "We will create awareness about this mode of transactions. We will eventually create capacity for 40 crore authentications. Yesterday, 1.31 crore Aadhaar-enabled biometric authentications were reported. We will increase it gradually."

He explained that these biometric authentications include attendance marked by employees of government establishments.

The initiative can help the government deal with situations like recent demonetisation and curb black money menace while bringing in more financial transaction transparency. The 12-digit number has already been issued to 1.08 crore people and 99 per cent of adults have been covered.

People can link their Aadhaar with their bank accounts and use Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AEPS) for funds transfer, balance enquiry, cash deposits or withdrawals and inter-banking transactions.

The biometric authentication capacity of AEPS is 10 crore, which will be eventually raised to 40 crore, the CEO said. AEPS allows users to make payments to merchants or shopkeepers without credit or debit cards using their Aadhaar number and biometric authentication. They just need to quote Aadhaar and authenticate it through biometrics.

The money is directly transferred from the customer's bank account to the merchant's. Subscribers of 118 public and private banks can use AEPS at present.

NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant said the government is working on incentivising cashless transactions and disincentivising cash transactions.

"We are asking mobile manufacturers to see if all mobiles made in India should be in-built with iris or thumb identification system to help Aadhaar-enabled transactions," Kant said.

Kant is part of the chief ministers committee that will lay out a road map for implementation of digital payments over the next one year. The first meeting is scheduled today.

IT Secretary Aruna Sundarajan said the ministry has kept aside Rs 100 crore to incentivise enrolment of merchants on to the digital platform to help push the drive.

"IT department is providing incentive of Rs 100 for every merchant enrolled through over two lakh common service centres across India.

The ministry will undertake a major outreach communication campaign starting from Monday," she said.